Organizational and Legal Aspects of the Activities of the Tobolsk Diocesan Trusteeship for the Poor of the Clergy
The article analyzes the institutional and legal aspects of the activities of the diocesan guardianship for the poor of the clerical ranks in the Tobolsk diocese in 1823-1914. The prerequisites for creating a pension system for the clergy, as well as the development of legislative acts regulating the ways to support the retired clergy, their widows and orphans in 19th - early 20th century are considered. The author has shown that Russian legislation for a long time practically did not regulate the material care of the retired clergy, their widows and orphans, leaving them to independently provide for themselves by engaging in trade or profession after the retirement or rely on their relatives, which entailed hereditary parish positions and introversion of the estate. The research covers the history of the Tobolsk diocesan patronage for the poor of clerical ranks, which has been performed at the expense of the previously unstudied fund of the patronage from the State Archives in the town of Tobolsk. The author illustrates functional development of activities of the trusteeship, related to the implementation of church charity in the post-reform period: since 1867 - payments to the clergy, victims of fires; since 1887 - functioning of the emeritial fund for lump sum payments to the retired diocesan clergy, as well as the disposal of orphan property; since 1890 - functioning of the funeral fund. The article analyzes replenishment and spending of funds of the trusteeship on the basis of statistical reports of the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod on the Department of Orthodoxy and reports of the trusteeship for the poor of clerical ranks published in Tobolsk Diocesan Gazette. The author has concluded that the attempts of diocesan leaders to solve the problem of providing care for the poor clergy and replenishing the budget of the trusteeship in the Tobolsk diocese were unsuccessful, targeted assistance from the trusteeship, provided to the socially vulnerable clergy, their widows and orphans did not play a crucial role in providing the minimum needs of the clergy, although it could somewhat alleviate their plight. Relevance of the article is determined by the need to assess the place and role of the diocesan patronage of the poor of the Tobolsk diocese in the functioning of the synodal system as an element of church-state relations in the Russian Empire in the 19th century.