Antimensions from the parish churches of the Kola Deanery within the Arkhangelsk Diocese in the early XIX century

This study examines, for the first time, a collection of printed antimensions used during Divine Services by parish priests of the Kola Deanery within the Arkhangelsk Diocese in the early XIX century. The principal written source for this research is the 1812 “Bulletin of Churches”, compiled by Dean Andrei Anufriev and currently stored in the State Archive of the Murmansk Region. Data regarding the dates of printing and consecration of the corporals, along with their physical condition, provide valuable insights into the specifics of local liturgical practices. The findings reveal that, following the renovation of old churches and the restoration of those damaged by fire, the original antimensions were not always replaced with new ones. Instead, the Eucharist was frequently celebrated on linen cloths consecrated in the last quarter of the XVII century by the first Bishop of Arkhangelsk, Athanasius (Lyubimov). The well-preserved state of these ancient antimensions and their continued use suggest, among other factors, a rarity of liturgical celebrations in certain churches within the Kola Deanery. Furthermore, the article reveals the persistence of an archaic tradition into the early XIX century: the retention of obsolete antimensions on the throne of the Resurrection Cathedral, the deanery’s main church located in the city of Kola. Inscriptions preserved on the liturgical corporals offer additional information that can supplement or clarify historical data concerning individual churches operating in the Kola North.