Notes on the history of writing ‘Description of Svyatogorsky-Uspensky Monastery’ by metropolitan Eugene (Bolhovitinov)

One of the activity outcomes of Metropolitan Eugene, a famous hierarch and historian of XIX century, was a publication of ‘Description of Svyatogorsky-Uspensky monastery’. However, the description contains several inaccuracies, which lead to certain consequences in the worship practice of the Svyatogorsky monastery and were described in the latest research of that institution’s history. While working on his book the Metropolitan Eugene corresponded with Svyatogorsky Abbot Ion with the purpose of clarifying certain details about the monastery. The Abbot’s information about the monastery was only partially included in the work published by the Metropolitan Bishop. Based on the documents of the state archive of Pskov region, this article describes the process which lead to the publishing of the ‘Description of Svyatogorsky-Uspensky monastery’ and analyses the reasons for including information from the Abbot Ion, as well as mistakes and inaccuracies which influenced further research, as well as worship practice of the well-known monastery. The addendum to the article contains earlier unpublished additional description of the Svyatogorsky monastery documented by Abbot Ion who knew A. S. Pushkin very closely during his exile at Mikhailovskoe.