The ministry of bishop Jerome (Zakharov) in the Oryol and Bryansk dioceses (1956-1962)

The ministry of Bishop Jerome (Zakharov) in the Oryol and Bryansk dioceses took place in difficult conditions. After a short period of “church thaw”, the Russian Orthodox Church again faced serious persecution. In the late 1950s, an anti-religious campaign began with renewed vigor. Churches were closed en masse and monasteries were abolished. It was at this difficult time that Vladyka Jerome (Zakharov) was appointed administrator of the Oryol diocese. The activity of the hierarch during this period was very active and deserves special attention. However, at present there is no scientific research about the life and church ministry of Vladyka Jerome during this period. The article is the first attempt to illuminate the ministry of Bishop Jerome in the Oryol and Bryansk dioceses. The work is based on previously unexplored archival materials that are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The article also used the unpublished memoirs of the famous Oryol archpriest Methodius (Borisenok), which provide additional information about the church life of the Oryol diocese in 1956-1962.