Archpriest Ignatius Vasiliev (1706–1769) as One of the Most Significant Representatives St. Petersburg Clergy of the Mid-18th Century

This article is an expanded version of a presentation given at the III Scientific- Practical Conference “Empire and Church”, held on April 14-15, 2022, at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The article provides an overview of the life and activities of Archpriest Ignatius Vasiliev (1706–1769), the senior priest of the Sergievskaya Church in Artillery Sloboda (later the Sergievskaya Cathedral of the entire artillery), who played a significant role in the life of the St. Petersburg diocese in the mid-18th century. Under his leadership, a new stone building of the Sergievskaya Church was erected, becoming one of the most significant temple structures in Petersburg for its time. For many years, Father Ignatius served as a dean and later as a member of the St. Petersburg Ecclesiastical Consistory, where his activities included combating the Old Believer schism, particularly persuading schismatics. Despite this, his personality remains littleknown, and his biography insufficiently studied. Based on materials from the archival funds of the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg and the Russian State Historical Archive, the pastor’s life path is traced, and several previously unknown details of his biography are clarified.