An Article by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan on an Important Episode in the Biography of Archbishop Sophonius (Sokolsky) Published in the Bulletin of the Orenburg Theological Seminary

On January 23, 2026, the academic journal Bulletin of the Orenburg Theological Seminary published an article by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan dedicated to the study of the historical context and reasons behind the appointment of Archimandrite Sophonius (Sokolsky) as rector of the Church of the Russian Diplomatic Mission in Constantinople in 1848.

The title of the publication is:

“Historical Conditions and Reasons for the Appointment of Archimandrite Sophonius (Sokolsky) as Rector of the Church of the Russian Diplomatic Mission in Constantinople in 1848.”

The article examines a complex set of events that led to this appointment, which had previously been described in historiography as unexpected. The work is based on previously unpublished archival sources, which allowed the author to conclude that the Constantinople period became a pivotal stage in the formation of the future Apostle of the Great Steppe as an orientalist and church diplomat—an experience that shaped the path of his further ministry.

The Bulletin of the Orenburg Theological Seminary is included in the Pan-Orthodox List of Peer-Reviewed Publications where candidates for ecclesiastical academic degrees—Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Church History, and Candidate of Theology—must publish their research. Since April 23, 2024, the journal has also been included in the Russian State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles (VAK) List of peer-reviewed scientific publications, where the main results of dissertations for the degrees of Candidate of Sciences and Doctor of Sciences must be published. Relevant academic specialties include:

Theology (5.11.1, 5.11.2, 5.11.3) and Russian History (5.6.1).

The full article by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan is available at the following link.

Citation:

Alexander (Mogilev), Metropolitan. Historical Conditions and Reasons for the Appointment of Archimandrite Sophonius (Sokolsky) as Rector of the Church of the Russian Diplomatic Mission in Constantinople in 1848 // Bulletin of the Orenburg Theological Seminary. 2025. Issue 4 (37), pp. 73–88.