Priest Nikolay Gepetsky - Russian Nationalist and Church Interests Defender in State Duma

The political activities and attitudes of the priest N. Gepetsky during his work as a member of the III State Duma of the Russian Empire are discussed. Attention is paid to Gepetsky’s position on a number of issues discussed in the Duma, including the question of the address of gratitude to the Emperor, the fight against drunkenness, the development of primary education, the rights of non-Orthodox religions, the language of teaching in Bessarabia primary schools. Special attention is paid to Gepetsky’s efforts to unite politically the Duma clergy, his struggle for the independence of the parish school, speeches and articles of the deputy- priest, in which he presented himself as a Russian nationalist. The relevance of the study is due to the growing public interest in the problem of relations between the Church and the state, acute discussions about the role of religion in education, the problem of the relationship between Christianity and nationalism. Novelty of research consists in that it is the first work specifically devoted to N. Gepetsky. It for the first time provides an analysis of his political views, new sources are introduced in the scientific circulation, including Gepetsky’s articles in the press, archival documents, reflecting his career in the Church and activity in the Duma.

III Государственная дума, III State Duma, Orthodox clergy, Russian nationalism, clericalism, Church parish schools, Bessarabia, national policy, N. E. Gepetsky, P. N. Krupensky