The Romanovs and the Russian Orthodox Church: From Peter to Nicholas

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Romanov dynasty's complex relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church. From Peter the Great's abolition of the patriarchate and creation of the Holy Synod in 1721, through the secularizing reforms of Catherine the Great, to the reactionary policies of Nicholas I and the tragic fate of the Church under the last tsar, they trace how the Church evolved from a powerful independent institution to a state department, and finally to a pillar of autocracy that collapsed with the monarchy. Key figures include Patriarch Adrian, Metropolitan Stefan Yavorsky, Feofan Prokopenko, Archimandrite Photius, Arakcheyev, Konstantin Pobedonostsev, and Grigori Rasputin. Events discussed include the secularization of church lands under Catherine II, the closing of monasteries, the persecution of Old Believers, and the Church's role in Russification policies. The episode also touches on the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov in 1903 and the Church's ambiguous response to the 1905 Revolution. A nuanced look at one of history's most consequential church-state relationships. #History #FexingoHistory #RomanovDynasty #RussianOrthodoxChurch #HolySynod #PeterTheGreat #CatherineTheGreat #NicholasI #NicholasII #Pobedonostsev #Rasputin #OldBelievers #SeraphimOfSarov #Russification #ChurchAndState #EasternOrthodoxy #ImperialRussia #Tsardom Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo