Конфессиональная политика виленских генералов-губернаторов в 1860–1870-х годах

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Rusijos imperija; Lietuva; Baltarusia; Konfesinė politika; Vilniaus generalgubernatoriai. Keywords: Russian Empire; Lithuania; Belarus; Religious policy; Vilnius generals-governors.Reikšminiai žodžiai: 19 amžius; Religija; Politika; Katalikų Bažnyčia; Baltarusija (Belarus); Lenkija (Lenkijos karalystė. Kingdom of Poland. Poland); Rusija (Russia); 19th century; Religious policy; Catholic Church.

ENAfter the collapse of the January Uprising in Lithuania and Belarus, a fundamental change in the religious policy of the Russian authorities occured. The Vilnius generalsgovernors played an important role in creation of that new policy. Since the Catholic Church and clergy have been considered the most significant bastions of Polish and Latin culture, the repressive religious policy was imposed on the Catholic population. The repressions and restrictions against the Catholic Church took the shapes of liquidation of the Diocese of Minsk, closure of Catholic churches and monasteries, and the imposition of numerous prohibitions and restrictions on religious practices. As the result of the new policy a drastic decline in the population of the Catholics occurred, so as a reduction in the number of the clergy, and the social and economic degradation of the Church. The opposite goals and tasks were set towards the Orthodox Church. The Russian authorities supported the creation of new parishes, building of churches, creation of monasteries, expansion of the state of possession and the salary of priests. The programme of returning Lithuania and Belarus to their Russian roots, pushed intensively in the 60s. and 70s. of the 19th century, assumed that the Orthodox faith would be the main basis for building a new national, cultural and political identity. The biggest victim of that programme was the Polish population, the Polish-Latin culture and the Catholic Church.