“A Charity institution with the spirit of Christianity and Royal Mercies”: Guardianship’s activities towards poor pupils of the Vologda Theological Seminary

Abstract

Nowadays, the attention of researchers is being increasingly attracted by the activities of various charity organizations. Along with sufficient study of this issue, it should be noted that the activities of the regional church charity communities often go out of the field of historians’ consideration. This article is devoted to the analysis of the organization and the activity of the main structural element in the system of social assistance to the students of theological schools in the pre-revolutionary period — the Guardianship of poor pupils, which operated at the Vologda Theological Seminary from 1877 to 1918. The purpose of this authority was to provide material support to the needy students of the seminary. The materials from the Russian State Archive, the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library, the State Archive of the Vologda Region, as well as the funds of the regional periodical press were used as the sources for this study. Most part of the presented material has been introduced into the scientific circulation for the first time. The purpose of the study is to highlight the activities of both the Guardianship itself and some outstanding persons, who made special contribution to the development of theological education in the Vologda Diocese through their participation in the work of the Guardianship. According to the results of the study, it was possible to establish that the Guardianship of poor pupils of the Vologda Seminary played an important, and in some cases even a key role in the material provision of seminary students and contributed to the significant development of the theological school.