Reports of the deans of Yenisei province on the state of rural parish life in the second half of the XIX century – early XX century

This paper examines reports and accounts by deans of the Russian Orthodox Church on the state of diocesan life in the volosts (districts) of Yenisei Province in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This historical source is of great interest for reconstructing the life of the Church and the Russian village, as deaneries served as intermediaries between diocesan authorities (and, to some extent, civil authorities) and the predominantly rural communities united in the Orthodox parish. The high level of authenticity of the information in the deans' reports and accounts is determined by the fact that it was compiled on the basis of direct and regular audit visits throughout the territory entrusted to them. During these so-called "tours," deans inspected the condition of churches and the management of church records, and also collected unique information on the relationships within the church corporation and the religious and moral state of parishioners. Information on the religiosity of the peasantry is of particular interest, as historical sources for studying this issue are extremely limited. The deans' reports reflected the problems and trends in Russia's development during a complex historical period characterized by the disintegration of traditional society, which inevitably led to the transformation of church life. The purpose of this study is to introduce new archival materials on these issues, summarize existing deans' testimonies, and analyze the state of rural parishes in the Russian Empire.