The Third All-Russian Missionary Congress (1897)

The article examines the fundamental principles of the Third All — Russian Missionary Congress (1897) for the leadership of the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church in the late XIX — early XX century. The materials of the missionary congresses held before the revolutions of 1917, although they were published in various Russian church and secular publications in a timely manner, due to the historical and political peculiarities of the period of Soviet power, turned out to be little or unknown to modern Orthodox clergy and church clergy, missionaries. At the same time, the events of the Russian church and state history of the late XIX — early XX centuries are largely repeated in the late XX — early XXI centuries. The definitions of the Third All- Russian Missionary Congress are very significant for the rapid and effective revival of the Orthodox mission throughout the entire territory of the ROC missionary field. The author compares the decisions taken by the Congress with the modern needs of spiritual and moral education of the Russian society. The conclusions presented in the work emphasize the main points of these Definitions and the relevance of the study for the modern life of the ROC and its mission.