Deans of monasteries in the system of church administration of the Russian empire in the late XVIII-early XX century

The paper deals with the study of the role of deans of monasteries in the system of Church administration and their influence on the activities of Orthodox monastic monasteries in the Russian Empire of the late XVIII - early XX centuries. Based on legislative acts and archival records, the author analyzes the scope of activity of deans in the structure of church authorities of the Synodal period. It is concluded that the deans, in accordance with the instructions, as well as the instructions of the bishop and the consistory, exercised direct control over Orthodox monasteries: the composition of the brethren, economic, financial and charitable activities.