PERSONAL FACTOR IN MISSIONARY WORK AMONG THE UDMURTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE XVIIITH CENTURY: DESCRIBED IN THE MATERIALS OF LIFE OF IGUMENS THEODOTUS (IVSHIN)
The article discusses the factors that determined the degree of success of missionary work among the Udmurts in the middle of XVIIIth century. The main attention is paid to the influence of personality of a preacher by way of an example of one of the first missionaries of the northern Udmurts - the abbot Theodot (Ivshin). In the light of his activities the qualities that enabled him to successfully baptize Udmurts are shown. The article also discusses his relationship with Bishop of Viatka Benjamin (Sakhnovski), and Kazan Novokreschenskaya office. The state and church policy on this issue, which created the conditions for the activities of missionaries, is shown. The problems faced by the preacher in his missionary activity are specified. The results of his missionary work on the construction of temples, creation of the first Udmurt parishes and baptism of the Gentiles are analyzed. The article deals with the most recent phase of life of F. Ivshin after the adoption of monasticism, his work as an abbot of the Vyatka monasteries. The reasons for the disappearance of active preachers in the Vyatka region in the second half of the XVIIIth century are given.