The Department For Spiritual Affairs Of Foreign Confessions In The Ministry Of The Interior

Abstract

The administrative office of foreign confessions in Russia was transferred to the Synod. In 1832 the Central Administrative Office for Spiritual Affairs of Foreign Confessions became a part of the Ministry of the Interior as a special Department for Spiritual Affairs of Foreign Confessions. The Department for Spiritual Affairs of Foreign Confessions dealt with all confessions present in the territory of Russia and Poland, with the exception of Eastern Orthodox: Roman Catholics, Greek Uniates, Protestants (Lutherans and Reformed), Armenians, Lamaists, Jews, and Moslems. Nowadays in the Russian State Historical Archive there is an enormous amount of information and various historical reviews originated in the department. The bills prepared by the Department concerned regulations, sanctions, prohibitions, restrictions in religious affairs on all faiths, from the perspective of the interests of the dominant Orthodox Church. Keywords: central administrative office; foreign confessions; orthodox church; religious communities; Russian state historical archive; spiritual affairs