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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 815
I. The next order of fubjedts is the clergy.
Ihave already had occafion to mention the origin and fuppreffion of the office of pa-
triarch, who was formerly the head of the Ruffian clergy. Peter finally abolithed that dig-
nity in 1719; but inftead of formally declaring himfelf the head of the church, he prudent-
ly configned the chief ecclefiaftical authority toa tribunal which he called the Sacred Sy-
nod, which was in effect {ubfervient to him, as all its members took an oath, acknow-
ledging him as their f{upreme judge. The fynod is compofed of the fovereign, who is
prefident ; a vice-prefident, who is generally the metropolitan archbifhop, and a num-
ber of counfellors and affeffors.
’ The clergy are divided into, 1. Regular, or monks; and 2. Secular, or parith priefts.
1. The principal wealth of the church is centered in the monatteries, which formerly
had eftates to the amount of 400,000l. per annum; and, like the other land-holders,
enjoyed uncontrouled authority over their peafants, who are equally bondfmen as on
the poffeffions of the laity. ‘The Emprefs has annexed thefe church-lands to the crown,
and in return grants annual penfions to the hierarchy, the dignified clergy, and the
monks. ‘The archbifhops and bifhops receive each about 1,000l. or 1,200]. per annum,
and the fubordinate ecclefiaftics in proportion. Soon after this regulation, many of
the monafteries were fupprefled ; and the members in thofe which were {pared, were
confiderably reduced as well by the prohibition to admit more than a certain number,
as by limiting the age of noviciates. The abolition of monafteries muft be acknow-
ledged a beneficial circum{tance in moft countries; yet one evil is to be apprehended
from it in Ruffia: they were the only feminaries of education for thofe perfons defigned
for the facred funétion ; and the monks are, if I may fo exprefs myfelf, almoft the fole
proprietors of the learning which fubfifts among the clergy. But, moft probably, the
ill effeéts which may be expected from the fuppreflion of fome convents, will be com-
penfated by the improvement introduced into the adminiftration of thofe which are
continued, and by the fchools lately eftablifhed in various parts of the empire for the
education of ecclefiaftics. .
All the dignitaries of the church are chofen from the order of monks; thefe are
archbifhops and bifhops, archimandrites or abbots, and igoomens or priors. ‘The
epifcopal order in Ruffia is diftinguifhed by the different titles of metropolitan, arch-
bifhop, and bifhop. The titles of metropolitan and archbifhop are not-attached to the
fee; but are, at prefent, merely perfonal diftinétions conferred by the fovereien, which
give the poffeffors no additional power, and fcarcely any precedence *.””
The monatteries are governed by archimandrites and igoomens; and the nunneries.
fuperintended by abbeffes,
2. The Ruffian parifh-priefts are called papas, or popes ; a word fignifying father, and
indifcriminately applied in the early ages of Chriftianity to all ecclefiaftics, until it was
confined to the Bifhop of Rome by an edié& of Gregory VII. The members of the
Greek communion, however, did not obey this order, and the priefts of that perfuafion
are {till diftinguifhed by the appellation of pope.
The parochial clergy, who may, and ought to be, the moft ufeful members of fociety,
are in Ruffia the refufe of the people. It is literally true, that many of them cannot
even read f, in their own language, the Gofpel which they are commiffioned to preach;
but deliver from. memory the fervice, a chapter of the New Teltament, or part of a
* Dr. King on the Greek Church, p. 272.
+ This fhameful ignorance is certainly lefs common. than formerly ; as the bifhops are more.cautious in
erdaining fuch improper perfons,
homily,.
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