SOCIAL POSITION OF MONASTIC CLERGY OF THE CHUVASH REGION IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 19<sup>th</sup> CENTURY
The results of research of orthodox monasteries’ main activities in the territory of the Chuvash region in the first half of the 19<sup>th</sup> century are offered. In Chuvash parishes of the Kazan province at the time considered there were three functioning monasteries which had originally been founded as missionary centers for the non-Russian population. However, by the end of the 18<sup>th</sup> century they had lost that role, becoming specific correctional facilities for parish priests, clergymen and ordinary parishioners who committed legal wrongs. It is the parochial clergy that was the main source of monasteries replenishment which, however, were limited by law in respect of their staff as the result of the secularizing reform of 1764. In accordance with their belonging to a class of monasteries they were supposed to have a certain financing. The monasteries being studied as a part of the Kazan diocese were considered to be minor, therefore they received extremely poor remuneration from the Treasury, and the monastic community had to spend most of their time to maintain a certain standard of living. Educational, correctional and educational, material and household, religious areas can be considered the main activity of the monks. Missionary, cultural and educational spheres were hardly manifested.