ACTIVITIES OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF SAMARA DIOCESE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN 1997–2019

Abstract

The history of establishment and activity carried out by the medical department of Samara Diocese under the Russian Orthodox Church, its interaction with medical institutions of Samara region at the present stage seems to be an urgent task. The work of the diocese in these institutions since the mid – 90s of the XX century is based, among other things, on the pre-revolutionary experience of the Russian Orthodox Church. At the first stage, until 2001, this work was carried out non-systematically, priests were admitted to medical institutions by agreement with the medical management of these institutions. In 2001, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Health Department of Samara Region and Samara Diocesan Administration. In order to streamline the work with medical institutions, in 1997 the diocesan sub-department of Samara Diocese for Relations with Medicine was established under the Department of Religious Education and Catechetesis. Samara diocese carried out systematic work with medical institutions, which continues to this day. The article analyzes the directions of this work and its main results.
 
 The purpose of the study is to investigate the formation and development of this department on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the situation and activities of the diocesan department for cooperation with medical institutions of Samara Diocese in 1997–2019, to study the activities of the department and the results of its work.
 
 Materials and methods. Implementation of research tasks was achieved on the basis of using documents extracted from the funds of the current archive of Samara Diocesan Administration. A special place is occupied by the reports of the ruling bishop of Samara diocese to Moscow Patriarchate. The methodological potential includes: statistical method, the significance of which is obvious for the analysis of data related to the opening of temples and prayer rooms in medical institutions in 1997–2019. The research methodology includes the method of analyzing documents. In order to solve the issue of the reliability and representativeness of the sources put into circulation, the history of the origin and fate of these sources was studied using a content-related and correlation analysis.
 
 Study results. The activity carried out by the medical department of Samara Diocese in 1997–2019 is analyzed. The mutually beneficial cooperation of the medical department of the diocese with the medical institutions of Samara region was proved, since Samara diocese managed to raise its authority in the society, and medical institutions were able to rely on its centuries-old experience of moral assistance to the suffering, sick people.
 
 Conclusions. The ministry of the clergy in medical institutions increased the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, contributed to the improvement of the psychological climate in medical institutions, formation of stable and time-tested life goals and values, resulted in consolidation of spiritual rehabilitation.