Priest Peter Ilyinsky (1871-1938): Educator, publicist, confessor

Abstract

The study of the life circumstances of clergymen in the first half of the 20th century is an important part of the study of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. It allows us to trace in detail some of the processes and phenomena that took place in the Church in that period, using concrete examples. This article is about the priest Peter Ilyinsky, who served forty years in a rural parish. His ministry is presented in chronological order: his teaching and economic activities are followed by a description of his publicist writings and ending with a description of his family and confessional deeds. This work is a testimony to the extraordinary pastoral ministry of the Priest Peter at a crucial point in the life of our nation, and illustrates the historical era of the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century with concrete examples.