Moscow roman catholic community in the late 17th century: the formation, composition and religious life

The Moscow Catholics’ Church organization that emerged in the late 17-th century is considered in this article as a religious community, but not a mission agency. On the basis of clearly defined criteria, the author clarifies the exact time of community’s formation, examines the processes of its creation and development in the context of Russian political life. On the basis of various sources the article reveals a number of believers, considers the social, national and personal composition of the community. The paper presents an analysis of the parameters of community’s religious life. This analysis allows asserting the existence in the community of stable inner core which was very active in religious rites. Special attention in the research is paid to the organizational work of the Scottish-born General Patrick Gordon, as well as some other Church activists. The author concludes that their work on creating of Catholic community stimulated the Russian authorities’abandonment of conflict model in the practice of interfaith relations.