The Features of Daily Life of the Navy Chaplains at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries

The features of daily life of the navy clergy of the Russian Empire have not yet been studied in Russian historiography. Meanwhile, various aspects of daily life were of great importance to the navy chaplains and in many ways constituted the specifics of service in the navy. In this article, based on published and archival materials, three key aspects of the life of navy chaplains will be revealed: the peculiarities of clothing, food and living accommodation. First, the necessary context — preliminary remarks on the hierarchy on board and the material situation of the navy clergy is considered. Then each aspect is analyzed, and the authors conclude that in many respects the problems navy clergy faced in everyday life were related to low salaries, as well as to the ambiguous position in the ship’s hierarchy. The cleric was often assigned an uncomfortable cabin, he was fed at the expense of the officers, and when going ashore, he often had to “disguise himself” in order not to reveal his ministry. All this not only complicated the ministry of chaplains in the navy, but also undermined their authority.