New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-02
RUSSIA AS IT is.
eye
VIII.
THE CLERGY

In treating of the Eastern Church Greek Church,
shall discuss theological, dogmaca or liturgical
questions. This church. az the present day, may be
said TO be emnenty Slavic since the Siy constitute
BIZ far the greatest and most powerful portion-two-
thirds at eastof the orthodox true believers Thus
the Slavic dialect is heard than any other in the
sacred services Of the Eastern Church. and among the
Slavic race and principally on Russian SOIL has the
independence of this church. from all foreign, Hostile
or heather influence been secured and maintained
We now proceed 10 state the social position of the
church and the clergy their relation to the State and
to the people aud the influence they have exerted and
still exert On the latter
Christianity was introduced into Russia from By
yantum aud principally by the action OF the Byzantine
Emberors and their daughters, who by marrying the
savage Res the Russians called by the Byzantine
historians tried to soften their dangerous neighbors
Generally ii through the women that Christianity
was introduced and spead among the northern
Being daughter of By zantium, the Russian Church
very naturally held under the patriarch of Constantine
pie and was at that early period wholly independent of
aDy action Or interference OF the civil power OF Russia
or Of the power of the Grand Dukes After the fall OF
C0nstontnople into Turkish bands. Of the Patri-
archs fed to Moscow in the sixteenth century, and
thus PairiaTchate was established there. From this
epoch the Russian Church, sheltered b. the national
independence, has looked On herself as being at the
head of tie Eastern religious family. The Patrlarchs
of Moscow long eOntriyed to preserve the independ
ence of the church from the encroachmens of the civil
power not however, without serious collisions with
some Of the Cars and especially with Iyan the Ter
rible (GrO-EOI) who even imprisoned and nearly put
70 death patriarch
After the death Of Patriarch Peter the Great, en-
tirely abolished the whole institution, allowing no
new election to be made; and thus assumed part
OF the power for himself and Bis successors lie nst
tuted board under the name OF the Sacred Synod
formed out OF Metropotans, Arehbishcps, Bishops
and some lower members Of the hierarchy and ap-
pointed this Synod attend to ecclesiastical affairs
If every kind The decisions OF this body in spiritual
matters are understood to be wholly independent Of the
influence OF the Czars As TO the administration, the
power Of the sovereign is supreme. In the Synod IL
il Represented by the PrOcurOr, or Imperial Attorney
directing tie deliberations and the administrative la
bors of the synod The Cars nominate the hierarchy
ard the Synod gives them consecration. Peter the
Great and finally Catharire, took away from the ciersy
ard the mOnasteries all their property, when was
very large The whole hierarchy is now supported by
the Government -
There are tree cssses Of the cergy-tbe white, snd
the black or secular (so-called from the color OF the
the dress they wear and monks. Oi the last tne
Eastern Church has only one order instituted by
st Basil the Great of the primitive fathers Of the
q cumenic Church. From among the white clergy,
who must be married. the euraes are taken as are the
other ranks Of the hierarchy below the ranA Of bishop
All bishops must be unmarried and MONKS Inc mem
bers Of the white clergy must be married. or at least
engaged before receiving the final conservation But
they cannot marry twice, and on becoming wid0weTs
are obliged 10 enter monastery, or as the phrase h
posruOr mOneeAy, be shorn into monks the wnlte
clergy wear their hair and beard long Thus priest
takes most devoted of his wife to the utmost OF
his means and power is therefore proyerbal among
the people TO he happy PcPadia, or the wne Of
Pope which is the title Of priest, apd If derived
from the word papa. ,
The white or married clergy form, in reality, dis
tnct caste the male children following generally the
condition of the father This s however, the resat OF
usage rather than OF law Nay they even intermarry
among themselves. Thus the clergy form elias.
romew here between the nobility the bourgeolse aud
tho prophecies than ihe rst and suTerorto the t"o
others. As class, the clergy cannot enter the no
bty ON m equal ioo,ng and tina, very few marriages
between them take place Is, perhaps, principally on ae
count Of The poverty OF the priests For Tie children
Of the clergy 90 enter the body and share the occupa
lions 81 Tho hurhers would DO looked on a. loas oil
caste Few therefore. of this rlasn eater tho puhr
scf,ioe eiii military aud an Tho other hand no mo-
tleinsn stnf iahos orrfs," with exception oi now
and li.n old military veteran retiring T" m'hAst'
lie "a
Tho q, ia ~ law. tho s"ed ksksssf aites 'hs col.
having daElitaps ei tho position uf slo clergy Tho
..asis.ss aud coat as DIV 1i late thsap aasses
..d tho deaitt sni rseeeiaasI II lhei, 'esrep'''s
ALL.t. a.i AiLass.s aCpa 10 allh ths a,saAomSnF