Отчёт по Литовско-Виленской епархии за 1953 год

ENThe report of the temporary administrator of Lithuania’s Orthodox Diocese archbishop Filaret (Lebedev) (1887–1958) about the situation of the diocese in 1953 is published. Such reports were sent every year to the Patriarch of Moscow and to the local Commissioner of the Council of Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church at the USSR Council of Ministers. This report differs significantly from other routine documents. It devotes considerable space to the history and finances of the diocese, stresses the importance of the Orthodox missions in Catholic Lithuania. Moreover, the archbishop relates his impressions, experienced while visiting the village parishes of Lithuania. The report reflects the really miserable situation of the clergy of the very small parishes when not having income they were unable to provide for their families, were forced to work in crafts and so on. The Orthodox Diocese of Lithuania could not in any way survive without the financial support of the Moscow patriarchy, because according to the comparison of the archbishop its total annual income did not reach the budget of an average sized parish in Russia. In the introduction the reasons for such a poor financial situation of the Orthodox diocese are discussed. Its situation is compared with other confessions of Lithuania.