“Donskie eparhial’nye vedomosti” as a historical source

The article reveals the main plots of the informal part of the journal “Donskie eparhial’nye vedomosti” [“Don Diocesan News”]. The author considers the materials of this department as a historical source on the history of the Church in the Region of the Don Army. The study for the first time attempted to conduct a comprehensive analysis of publications of diocesan statements in such areas as the history of parish churches, monasteries and monasticism, Old Believers, missionary work and spiritual education. Specific examples show that most of the historical materials of the unofficial part of the journal “Donskie eparhial’nye vedomosti” are directly related to the history of the Don diocese. Particular attention is paid to the materials, the publishers of which were the teachers of the Don Theological Seminary. The author concludes that the publications of the directions considered in the article allow the researcher of local history to restore some missing facts on the history of the Don diocese, and also report the availability of documentary sources, thereby directing his efforts to search for more significant archival documents.