Orlovsko-Sevsky, Orlovsko-Bryansk,Orlovsko-Livenskaya dioceses are historic milestones that preceded the formation of the Orel Metropolitanate. This large diocese has undergone many changes from the year of its creation, 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 consideredMay 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 Sevsky - out of respect to all the bishops who had shone in Sevsk.
The Orlovskaya diocese included 824 churches fromeight large cities with their uyezds from 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 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 Sevskbecause 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.
Orlovskaya diocese of the late XIX century
The future Orel metropolitanate at the end of the XIX centurybecame a place of service for a large number of saints, devotees and missionaries, such as Bishop Polycarp, the creator of the Orlovsky spiritual shelter for orphans. From the world-famous saints visited the Holy Land of St. 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 hadits composition of 998 churches of various architectural construction, 44421 parochial school. By that time, academic education is gaining momentum, which contributes to the spiritual prosperity of the province at the beginning of the 20th century.
Another spiritual wealth that hadOrel metropolitanate - the clergy. From the foundation year to the twentieth century, the head of the diocese was the 14th hierarch. There are confirmations about the connection with the Oryol land of the famous whole of 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 on 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, they visited the city and conductedRussian-Japanese war patronized regiment Princess Elizabeth Romanov and Prince Sergei Alexandrovich. 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 twentieth century, the question arose of establishingvicariate. 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 a single 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, a diocese was erected on the land9 male and 6 female monasteries. The first monasteries arose in the XIII-XV centuries: Bryansk Uspensky, Bolkhov Troitsky Optin, Bryansk Petropavlovsky, etc.
In the XVI-XVII centuries, when it is more favorableOrlovskaya metropolia expanded and strengthened, monasteries were built one after another: the Mtsensk Monastery, the Mother of God's 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 templesand the killing of priests, the Orel diocese had only 20 functioning churches of 31 survivors. A total of 57 priests remained in this large province, including one bishop, 37 priests and 8 deacons, many of whom had no spiritual education.
In the late nineties it was restoredactivity of three monasteries: the male Assumption and the women's Holy Vvedensky in Orel and the nunnery of Mary Magdalene 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 wasfounded Orel Metropolitanate, which included the Livenskaya and Orel dioceses. The first head of the metropolia was Anthony, Archbishop of Orel and Bolhovsky.
5 monasteries, more than 200 active parishes,a large number of restored and built churches 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.
