Russian Pilgrims in Holy Land in Second Half of 19th – Early 20th Centuries: Quantitative, Gender, and Social Characteristics
https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-7-573-592
Abstract
This article presents and analyzes statistical data concerning the scale and key characteristics of Orthodox pilgrimage from Russia to the Holy Land (Palestine) during the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, utilizing materials newly introduced into scholarly discourse from the Archives of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire. The study examines the gender and social composition, age demographics, regions of departure, and duration of stay in Jerusalem for pilgrims. The total number of pilgrims is estimated at approximately 170,000 individuals. It is concluded that previously reported figures regarding the number of Russian pilgrims should be regarded as somewhat inflated due to inaccuracies in statistical accounting. The analysis reveals a predominance of women, who constituted up to two-thirds of the total number of pilgrims. Furthermore, it is noted that political and economic factors significantly influenced variations in pilgrimage intensity. The data indicates that after reaching peak levels at the turn of the century, the growth of pilgrimage activities slowed, and a subsequent decline was observed. A “portrait” of the average Orthodox pilgrim during this period is depicted: a female peasant aged between 50 and 70 years from the Little Russian or Great Russian provinces of European Russia.
Keywords
Pilgrimage,
Holy Land,
Jerusalem,
Russian Ecclesiastical Delegations,
Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society,
Sociographic Profile of Pilgrims
Supporting agencies: The study is supported by Russian Science Foundation, project number 25-28-01056, https://rscf.ru/project/25-28-01056/
About the Authors
V. V. Tsys
Nizhnevartovsk State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Valery V. Tsys - Doctor of History, Professor, Department of Russian History and Documentation
Nizhnevartovsk
O. P. Tsys
Nizhnevartovsk State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Olga P. Tsys- PhD in History, Associate Professor, Department of Russian History and Documentation
Nizhnevartovsk
References
1. Apanasenok, A. V. (2020). Pilgrimage of Russian peasants to Palestine in the late 19th — early 20th century. Proceedings of the Southwestern State University. Series: History and Law, 10 (6): 198—211. (In Russ.).
2. Baryshnikov, M. N. (2020). The Russian Society of Shipping and Trade and the Orthodox pilgrimage to Palestine (1865—1881). University Scientific Journal, 58: 13—27. DOI: 10.25807/22225064_2021_61_20. (In Russ.).
3. Baryshnikov, M. N. (2023). Orthodox pilgrimage in the Middle Eastern operations of the Russian Shipping and Trade Society (1894—1914). Vostochny Courier, 4: 207—220. DOI: 10.18254/S268684310024901-9. (In Russ.).
4. Bliznyakov, R. A., Pashkovsky, P. I., Kryzhko, E. V. (2025). Pilgrimage activities of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society in 1905—1914. Journal of Frontier Studies, 10 / 2 (38): 49—66. DOI: 10.46539/jfs.v10i2.667. (In Russ.).
5. Imagining Palestine: The Holy Land and Russian Identity in the 19th — Early 21st Century: A Collective Monograph. (2021). Saint Petersburg: Nestor-Istoriya. 776 p. ISBN 978-5-4469-1876-8. (In Russ.).
6. Lisovoy, N. N. (2006). Russian spiritual and political presence in the Holy Land and the Middle East in the 19th — early 20th century. Moscow: Indrik. 512 p. ISBN 5-85759327-1. (In Russ.).
7. Merlo, S. (2013). Travels of Russians to the Holy Land in the 19 th century. Quest. Issues in Contemporary Jewish History: Journal of Fondazione CDECM. 48—67.
8. Nechaeva, M. Y., Mikityuk, V. P. (2014). The Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society in the cultural environment of the Russian province. Moscow: Indrik Publ. 384 p. (In Russ.).
9. Pashkovsky, P. I., Kryzhko, E. V., Bliznyakov, R. A. (2024). Pilgrimage as a phenomenon and features of Russian pilgrimage activity in Palestine in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. Genesis: historical research, 5: 63—72. (In Russ.).
10. Platonov, P. V. (2011). The role of the IOPS in the organization of the life and needs of Russian pilgrims. Orthodox Palestinian collection, 107: 293—294. (In Russ.).
11. Sharkov, I. G. a. (2023). Pilgrimage of residents of the Tersk region to the Holy Land, organization and activities of the Vladikavkaz department of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society. In: Orthodox Palestinian Collection. Jubilee issue 121. dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the death of Vasily Nikolaevich Khitrovo. Moscow: Indrik Publ. 312—325. (In Russ.).
12. Sharkov, I. G. a., Babenko, L. G., Trubnikova, O. I. (2024). Pilgrimage of the inhabitants of Volyn province to the Holy Land and Mount Athos in the late 19th — early 20th centuries with the assistance of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society. In: The second international Palestinian readings of the Shakhty Diocese. Collection of scientific papers dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the birth of Grand Duchess Elisaveta Feodorovna. Shakhty: Donskoy State Technical University. 12—26. ISBN 978-5-907579-03-3. (In Russ.).
13. Sharkov, I. G. b. (2023). Educational and pilgrimage activities of the Tauride Department of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society in 1900—1917. In: Makariev readings: proceedings of the XVIII International Scientific and Practical Conference, Gorno-Altaysk, September 21—22, 2023. Gorno-Altaysk: BITS GAGU. 132—146. ISBN 978-5-91425-200-4. (In Russ.).
14. Sharkov, I. G. b. (2024). Pilgrimage of residents of Kharkov province to the Holy Land in the late XIX — early XX centuries with the assistance of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society. In: Orthodox Palestinian Collection. Jubilee issue 123. Dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the birth of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elisaveta Feodorovna. Moscow: Indrik. 302—313. (In Russ.).
15. Tchaikovsky, N. V., Kuznetsov, I. V. (2019). Popularization of pilgrimage to the Holy Land by the Vladimir Department of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In: 200 years of diplomatic support for the Russian presence in the Middle East: the history of the creation and activities of the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire. Materials of the All-Russian Scientific Conference. The State Hermitage Museum. October 3—4, 2019. Moscow: Indrik. 479—482. (In Russ.).
16. Tsys, V. V., Tsys, O. P. (2014). Pilgrimage of the inhabitants of Western Siberia to Palestine in the late 19th — early 20th centuries. Bulletin of the Orthodox St. Tikhon’s University for the Humanities. Episode 2: “History. The History of the Russian Orthodox Church”, 6: 73—90. (In Russ.).
17. Valitov, A. A., Shapovalov, M. S. (2021). The image and practice of the Siberian pilgrimage to Palestine in the XIX — early XX century. Bulletin of Tomsk State University. History, 71: 148—154. DOI: 10.17223/19988613/71/21. (In Russ.).
18. Yakushev, M. M. (2011). On the history of Russian pilgrimage. Free Thought, 1 (1620): 173— 184. (In Russ.).
19. Yakushev, M. M. (2012). The formation and development of Russian pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the first half of the 19th century. In: Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich and Russian Jerusalem: on the 150th anniversary of its foundation. Moscow: Indrik Publ. 103—120. ISBN 978-5-91674-184-1. (In Russ.).
20. Zhitenev, S. Y. (2021). Russian Orthodox pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the activities of the IOPS. Christianity in the Middle East, 5 (2): 5—21. DOI: 10.24411/25879316-2021-10009. (In Russ.).
21. Zhitenev, S. Y. (2022). Pilgrimage activity of the IOPS in 1882—1914. In: Encyclopedia of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society: 1882—2022. dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the IOPS. Moscow: Indrik. 629—635. ISBN 978-5-91674-671-6. (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Tsys V.V., Tsys O.P. Russian Pilgrims in Holy Land in Second Half of 19th – Early 20th Centuries: Quantitative, Gender, and Social Characteristics. Nauchnyi dialog. 2025;14(7):573-592. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2025-14-7-573-592
Views:
10
Email this article 