“Results of Synodal Era Will Be Positively Exposed”. Anton V. Kartashev’s Letters to George I. Novitskii. 1957

Abstract

This publication continues to acquaint the readers with letters written by the historian and professor of the St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris, Anton V. Kartashev, to his friend George I. Novitskii, who lived in New York. At the beginning of the year, A. V. Kartashev was still thinking about the second edition of his book “The Restoration of Holy Russia”, supplemented by a polemic with its critics. However, the main event in the life of the historian this year was the preparation of “Essays on the History of the Russian Church”. Despite his illness, he managed to prepare a manuscript of the book. A. V. Kartashev paid special attention to assessments of the Synodal period, which, unlike the pre-revolutionary tradition, he characterized positively. A significant place in the letters was occupied by the description of intrigues in the diocesan administration of the West European exarchate of the Russian parishes of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in connection with the anniversary of Metropolitan Vladimir (Tikhonitsky). A. V. Kartashev consistently upheld the principle of collegiality in church administration, and also sought to maintain the high authority of the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute and its rector Bishop Cassian (Bezobrazov). The text of letters is aline with current spelling standards with preservation of some features of author's spelling of separate words and punctuation.