An article by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan has been published in the academic journal Proceedings of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary. The study is devoted to the teaching and inspectoral labors of Archimandrite Sophronius (Sokolsky), later the first hierarch of Turkestan, in the Tver, Vologda, and Arkhangelsk seminaries (1827–1835).
Title of the publication: “‘I Most Humbly Request … to Release Me from All the Aforementioned School Duties in Order to Enter the Brotherhood of Some Monastery’: The Labors of Hieromonk Sophronius (Sokolsky), the Future First Hierarch of Turkestan, in the Tver, Vologda, and Arkhangelsk Seminaries (1827–1835)”.
On the basis of archival sources, the article reconstructs the sequence and chronology of his service in the seminaries, identifies the difficulties he encountered in the course of his labors, and determines the range of obediences he fulfilled in addition to his primary work. It is shown that the seminary period played a key role in shaping his ecclesiastical-administrative views and monastic character, in which the traits of an indefatigable laborer, a fighter against injustice, and a true monk were already evident. The author argues that the transfer of Hieromonk Sophronius from the Tver Seminary to the Vologda Seminary was indirectly connected with his opposition to the self-interest of the inspector of the Tver Seminary, and his transfer from Vologda to Arkhangelsk was related to his exposure of the rector of the Vologda Seminary, who concealed the immoral conduct of certain teachers. The study concludes that the labors of Hieromonk Sophronius were highly valued by the church authorities, which led to his appointment to higher positions, in particular, from the post of inspector of the Arkhangelsk Seminary to that of rector of the Oryol Seminary, with his elevation to the rank of archimandrite.
The journal Proceedings of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary is included in the list of peer-reviewed academic publications in which the results of doctoral dissertations in theology must be published, as well as dissertations in theology and church history.
The full text of the article by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan is available in the electronic version of the journal at the following link:
https://xn–80ai6adde.xn–p1ai/sarpds_file/pdf/journal/2026/2026-1-32/008-Mogilev_160-182.pdf
For citation: Alexander (Mogilev A.G.), Metropolitan. “I Most Humbly Request … to Release Me from All the Aforementioned School Duties in Order to Enter the Brotherhood of Some Monastery”: The Labors of Hieromonk Sophronius (Sokolsky), the Future First Hierarch of Turkestan, in the Tver, Vologda, and Arkhangelsk Seminaries (1827–1835) // Proceedings of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary. 2026. No. 1 (32). Pp. 160–182. DOI: 10.566
Main
Login or register, to write a comment!
Your comment has been successfully added and is currently being reviewed by the site administration