Smolensky Skete on Valaam: Toward the Story of Origin

Abstract

The article covers the story of building of the memorial church of military glory in the Valaam Monastery (1915–1917), which is investigated in the context of understanding the Russian tradition of temple building and is proposed as a contribution to the common efforts of historians to give an academically accurate and reliable picture of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church during the First World War. The author analyzes the discussion about the foundation of the church between the Commander‑in‑Chief of the land and naval forces of the Russian Empire in the First World War, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (Jr.), Father Superior of the monastery Hegumen Mauritius (Baranov), confessor of the Grand Duke Hieromonk George (Khrobostov), as well as Archbishop of Finland and Vyborg Sergiy (Stragorodsky). Through this analysis, she illustrates the relationship between the Church, represented by a monastic institution, and the last Ruling dynasty. The materials of the monastic chancery stored in the archives of the New Valaam Monastery in Finland and the National Archive of the Karelia Republic, as well as letters from the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (Jr.) Foundation in the State Archive of the Russian Federation, were used in this work. The researcher proves that the efforts of the Church and the state were united at a time of danger to the motherland.