T R A V E L S I N T O R U S S I A .
■ b o o k angel. 22. Uftyug. 23. Voronetz.
. V' .laf. 26. Coftroma. 27. Volodimir.
24. Irkutik. 25. Peref-
2 8. Tambof. 2 9. Olometz.
30. Sievfk. 3 i.K io f. 32. t'chernichef. 33.P.ereasflaf.
Ruffia contains at prefent 159 monafteries, governed by
58 archimandrites and 99 igoomens ; and 67 nunneries
fuperintended by abbefles. There are 2677 monks, and
1299 nuns. The other priefts and ecclefiafticks belonging
to the nunneries and cathedrals are 1537 •
2. The Ruffian pariffi-priefts are called papas, or popes;
a word fignifying father, and rndifcriminate'ly applied in thè
early ages of chriftianity to all ecdefiaflicks without diftinc-
tion, until it was confined to the biffiop o f Rome by an editft
o f Gregory VII. But though this order was obeyed by the
members o f the Latin or Roman-catholick church, yet it was
not acceded to by thofe of the Greek communion : and the
priefts o f that perfuafion are' ftill diftinguiffied by the appellation
of pope.
The parochial clergy, who may and ought to be the moft
ufeful members o f fociety, are generally in Ruffia the very re-
fufeof thepeople. It isliterally true, that many o f them cannot
even read-t, in their own language,theGofpel which they are
commiffioned to preach; thefe deliver from memory the
fervice, a chapter of the New Teftament, or part o f a
homily, which they repeat every Friday and Sunday. Nor
is it in the leaft furprizing that fome are fo illiterate, when
■we confider the fcantymaintenance which they derive from
* A c co rd in g to a .lift o f the religious
eftabliihments, printed in the'Jou rnal o f S t .
P e te r ib u rgb in 1 7 7 6 , th ere were 460 m o nafteries
and 20535 ch urches . A c co rd in g
• to Bu fch in g ,R u ffia contained 479 convents,
and 79 nunneries, with ou t're ck on in g feveral
Tm e ll monafteries dependent upon the la rg e r
.o n e s ; in all w h ich w ere 7300 monk s, and
' tS*3C0 nu®s * Perhaps' this was the ftate before
the fuppreffion o f many, o f th em. I
have adopted the a c cou n t bÿ L e C le r c , b e -
caufe h e informs u s, “ C e t etiit e x a t t vient
“ de l’ imp ératrice même.” See Hift. A n .
de la RufT. p . 261.
t T h is ihamefül ignorance is ce rta in ly
lefs common than form e r ly ; as the biihopa
are more cautious in orda ining fu ch .im p ro p
e r perfous.
:thek-
C L E R G Y . 103
their profeffion. Befide the furplice fees; which in the CI^ P‘
pooreft benefices amount to per annum, and in the moft *— .— <
profitable to but £20,. they have only a wooden houfe,
fcarcely Tuperior to that o f the meaneft among their pa-
riihioners, and a imall portion o f land, which they ufually
cultivate with their own hands. While the higheft dignity
to which they can ever attain, as long as-they continue
married, is that of protopope o f a cathedral,,whofe income
fcarcely exceeds £20 a year. As the pariffi-priefts are undoubtedly
the. principal fources from which learning and .
improvement mnft be generally diffufed among the lower
clafs of people; i f they, who ought to inftruft and enlighten-
others,. are fo- ignorant, how* grofs muft be the. ignorance of;
their pariihioners !-
In no inftance, peihaps, has the emprefs contributed more:
towards civilizing her people, than in inftituting various fe~
mjnaries for- the children o f priefts; in endeavouring to promote
among.the clergy a zeal for liberal icience, and to rouie
them from-that profound ignorance in which, they are
plunged:*.-
The monks are not' permitted to marry, while the parifh-
priefts are compelled to take a-wife as a preliminary to ordination,.
as I have remarked on a former occafion t : i f their
wives happen.to die, .they may enter into a convent, and become,
dignitaries of;the church.. They canuot engage in a:
fécond marriage unlefs they become laymen ;. neither can,
*■ A n inftance o f ’ h e r majefty’ s z e a l in thors', o f thofe p r in c ipa lly w h ich contained 1
this particular fe ll under m y o b iè rvà tio n . a c le a r d ifcu ffion .o f th e moral duties. T h e y
When I vifited the prefs o f th e H ô ly S y n o d ' were to be diftributed among the p a ro c h ia l '
at Mofcow, three volumes o f Sermons were c le r g y , who had orde rs to read th em .o c c a - --
p rinting in-th é Ruffian ton gu e : th e y w e re fion ally in the time o f divine fe rvice .
tranflations, b y th e emprefles command, from • -j- [ See V o l . I . p . 279 ...
the beft. En g lifh ,..F ren ch , and G e rm an .a u «:
they/