Spiritual and censorship activities of bishop Arseny (Ivaschenko)

The article, based on archival material and material introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, examines the spiritual and censorship activities of the outstanding church scholar, Byzantologist, translator of Greek patristic texts of the 12th-15th centuries Bishop Arseny (Ivaschenko, 1830-1903) in the St. Petersburg Spiritual and Censorship Committee from 1872 to 1886. On the one hand, censorship activities in the capital committee in the 1870s-1880s were not busy, which allowed Bishop Arseny to engage in scientific research. On the other hand, manuscripts, books, brochures, poems, images, and even coins submitted for review required close attention. In some cases, conflicts and even scandals arose with the forced intervention of the highest church body - the Holy Synod. Several episodes considered in the article allow us to make a preliminary conclusion that Bishop Arseny, being a censor, was extremely tactful and attentive. At the same time, allowing a fairly large amount of material, the censor reasonably prohibited low-quality materials, as well as those that fell under the restrictions of the Holy Synod.