Orel Metropolitanate: from the 18th century to the present day

Orlovsky-Sevsky, Orlov-Bryansk, Orlov-Livenskaya dioceses are historical milestones that preceded the formation of the Orel metropolia. This large diocese has undergone many changes from the year of its creation, it has spiritually nurtured many saints, hierarchs, ascetics, bishops, and missionaries known throughout Russia. Its history is closely connected with the events of the Oryol region.

Diocese in 1788-1820 years

The birthday of the Oryol Metropolia can be considered May 6, 1788, when Catherine II issued a decree on the division of the dioceses of the Russian Church, taking into account the new territorial division. A few days later, on the basis of the Sevsk-Bryansk vicariate, the Orel Metropolitanate was established with all the monasteries and churches. At that time it had the name of the Orel governorship, and the lords were called Orel - by the name of the main city of the province, and the Sevskys - out of respect to all the bishops who had shone in Sevsk.

The Orlovskaya diocese includes 824 churches from eight major cities with their districts from the Sevsk, Krutitsa and Voronezh dioceses. The Most Reverend Apollos became the first bishop of the Orel-Sevsky. With the beginning of his ministry, almost all the old and dilapidated churches began to be rebuilt and replaced by more extensive new ones.

Orel metropolitanate until the middle of the XIX century

For many years the Orel diocese was in Sevsk because of the presence of a seminary in it. In 1822, at the request of Bishop Iona Orlovsky, the construction of a seminar building was started in Orel, which lasted 5 years.

Until the middle of the 19th century, new monasteries were being built, women's communities and monasteries were being built. During this period, a large number of miraculous icons appear, for example, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Balykin, or the image of the Virgin of the Three Hands from the Bogorodichno-Vsekhsvyatsky Monastery in Bolkhov.

Orlovskaya diocese of the late XIX century

The future Orel metropolitanate at the end of the XIX century became a place of service for a large number of saints, devotees and missionaries, such as Bishop Polycarp, the creator of the Orel spiritual orphanage for orphans. From the world-famous saints visited Orel land Seraphim of Sarov and Archimandrite Optina of the Monastery of Makarios.

Orlovskaya diocese at the beginning of the twentieth century

At the end of the XIX century, the Orel Metropolitanate had in its composition 998 churches of various architectural buildings, 44421 parochial schools. By that time, academic education is gaining momentum, which contributes to the spiritual flourishing of the province at the beginning of the 20th century.

Another spiritual wealth, which had the Oryol metropolis - the clergy. From the foundation year until the twentieth century, the head of the diocese was the 14th hierarch. There are confirmations about the connection with the Orel land of the famous throughout Russia John of Kronstadt, who followed the events of the Orel church and parish life and in one of his visits even delivered a well-known speech about the freedom of conscience at the congress of the clergy, held in Orel.

May 6, 1904 the whole city was met by Tsar Nicholas II. The entire path of the emperor was full of demonstrations of loyalty from students, representatives of estates and corporations.

Also in 1904, the patronage of the regiment Princess Elizaveta Romanovna and Prince Sergey Alexandrovich visited the city and spent patronage on the Russian-Japanese war. Later, the princess visited the Orel metropolia more than once and met with Father Mitrofan, who later became a confessor of the Moscow Monastery, dedicated to the Myrrh-bearers Martha and Mary.

Establishment of vicariate

At the beginning of the 20th century, the question arose about the establishment of the vicariate. Orlovskaya metropolia of the Russian Orthodox Church by this time was comparable in size to the Greek, Serbian or Bulgarian, where not one bishop is ruled, but several, each of which is responsible for its direction. A large amount of work on the spiritual care of all the clergy and the flock of the whole diocese, lying on the head of the local church - the bishop, is beyond the power to fulfill any person. Therefore, in 1906 Archimandrite Mitrofan was elevated to the rank of vicar of the Oryol diocese.

Monasteries of the Oryol Region

At the beginning of the 20th century, nine male and six female monasteries were erected on the land of the diocese. The first monasteries arose in the XIII-XV centuries: Bryansk Uspensky, Bolkhov Troitsky Optin, Bryansky Petropavlovsky, etc.

In the XVI-XVII centuries, when the Orel metropolitanate was more favorably expanded and strengthened, the monasteries were built one after another: the Mtsensk Monastery, the Bogoroditskaya Desert, the Odrin-Nikolaev Monastery, etc. Favorable for the monasteries was the time before the first Peter's reforms from 1715, when the monasteries were taxed and received a ban on monastic vows. At the time of Anna Ioanovna, under Elizabeth and Catherine II, the number of monasteries was reduced.

By 1990, after experiencing persecution, the destruction of temples and the murder of priests, the Orel Diocese had only 20 functioning churches of 31 survivors. A total of 57 clerics remained in this large province, including one bishop, 37 priests and 8 deacons, many of whom had no spiritual education.

In the late nineties, the activity of three monasteries was re-established: the male Assumption and Women's Holy Vvedensky in Orel and the Mary Magdalene nunnery in the Dolzhansky district. Many monasteries and churches are put in line for restoration. In 2006, Troitsky Optin Monastery was rebuilt.

The Metropolitan Church in our day

In 2014 in the Orel region was founded Orel Metropolitanate, which included the Livenskaya and Orel dioceses. The first head of the metropolia was Anthony, Archbishop of Orel and Bolkhov.

5 monasteries, more than 200 active parishes, a large number of restored and built temples has to date the Orel Metropolitanate. The address of the diocesan center, where you can find out more information about the current affairs of the metropolis: Russia, Orel, ul. Normandy-Neman, 47.