Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Peter the Great change the government of the Russian Orthodox Church?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Eastern Orthodoxy
Jesus Christ, detail of the Deesis mosaic, from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, 12th century.
In 1721, Peter the Great fundamentally restructured the Russian Orthodox Church to bring it under state control, effectively ending its independence.12
Key changes included:
- Abolition of the Patriarchate: Following the death of Patriarch Adrian in 1700, Peter prevented new elections and eventually abolished the patriarchate of Moscow entirely.13
- Creation of the Holy Synod: He replaced the patriarch with the Holy Synod, a governing body composed of church hierarchy members who were obedient to the tsar’s will.12
- State Supervision: Peter appointed a secular official, the chief procurator (ober-prokuror), to oversee the Synod’s activities and ensure the church functioned as a department of the state.23
- Secularization and Control: Peter issued the Spiritual Regulation to govern religious activities, restricted monastic vows, and seized church property and revenues for state purposes.123
These reforms transformed the church into a pillar of the absolutist regime, a status it maintained until the patriarchate was reestablished in 1917.123