Kamchatka Spiritual Mission Activity Contribution in Synthesis of Far-East Cultures

Abstract

This work presents the role of spiritual missions in the cultural life of the Far Eastern region (Kamchatka Spiritual Mission), which was established by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1742 with the aim of spreading Orthodoxy and Russian culture among the indigenous people of this region. It should also be mentioned that Kamchatka has received the role of one of the most geographically and socioculturally remote regions of the Russian Empire. The experience of the first Ecclesiastical mission revealed and made clear the key difficulty on the Kamchatka Peninsula – the language barrier, which was later resolved by the opening of educational institutions whose graduates could fully work in the school and church fields. It is noted that in many ways, through the efforts of Hieromonk Nestor, the active work of the Kamchatka Spiritual Mission was revived. In 1908, having mastered several Aboriginal languages, Hieromonk Nestor translated a number of Christian literary works into the Koryak language, also creating a Russian-Koryak dictionary and phrasebook. It is indicated that the significance and importance of Hieromonk Nestor’s projects to strengthen the Russian presence in the regions of the Far East for the state as a whole was appreciated by P.A. Stolypin. In 1911, Nestor handed over to the Synod a project according to which it was planned to create a single Spiritual mission on the peninsula. As an example, the analysis of the material and spiritual culture of the Negidals (one of the indigenous people) is carried out, showing that this ethnic group has not lost such elements as its own language, unique self-awareness and distinctive features of an ethnocultural character until now.