Russian Orthodox Church differs from other Orthodox churches among other system devices of their dioceses - Church administrative units similar to areas in the secular law.This state of affairs is due to the specific historical and political conditions in Russia, said on the spread and development of Christianity in it.
status of archdiocese and the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church
For example, if jurisdictions Greek tradition the title of Metropolitan has an ordinary bishop, who heads an independent diocese, in the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church the status of metropolitan given either as a reward or default belongs manager bishop especially largeand an important regional church associations.Such archdiocese often comprise a number of smaller dioceses with their own bishops.Above the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy is only the patriarch, while in the Greek Church, Archbishop manages the entire jurisdiction (sometimes also in the status of Metropolitan).The ROC is a lot of archbishops, and they represent only the middle tier of the episcopate.
In this article, we are interested in Tula archdiocese.So all this was said in order to clarify the current status of the subject of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Tula region within Russia
When Tula archdiocese, and more specifically the city of Tula, became part of the Russian state - is not known.The first mention of the city is found in the Nikon Chronicle and refers to 1147, to record the journey of Prince Svyatoslav in Ryazan.Therefore, it is believed that originally belonged to the Tula, Ryazan region.On the basis of the same document, in the absence of other, earlier data, the time base of Tula is officially in 1147.
On the territory of this region since ancient times lived Finno-Ugric tribes, who were later ousted and partly assimilated by the Slavs-Vyatichi, spin-off, Polyanskih tribes and settled by the surrounding forest.
Tula diocese and Christianization Vyatichi
likely during the following Svyatoslav in Ryazan Tula had already been Christianized, and maybe did originally founded by Christians.According to most researchers, a full systematic preaching Orthodoxy among Vyatichi started in the twelfth century.Before that, of course, we vyatichi encountered Christianity in the face of Russian princes.However, they maintained their political independence from them, preferring to pay off tribute.As a consequence, vyatichi a relatively long time and their pagan identification.Active preaching Christianity among vyatichskogo population began after the conquest of Chernigov princes at the end of the eleventh century.Not always it was peaceful.For example, in the neighboring Mtsensk (now belonging to the Oryol region) vyatichskie pagans resisted evangelization until the fifteenth century, until, finally, were not broken troops of Prince Vasily Dmitrievich, special items in the campaign with a "missionary" purposes.
development Tula region
as an urban center Tula developed very slowly.The reason for this was the geographical position which, on the one hand, localized settlement in the wilderness of forests, and on the other, were unsafe in the event of hostilities.It turns out that the first blows of the Tatars and other enemies of Russia to the east Tula took over, as a consequence, had no opportunity for full development and population growth.Only since the seventeenth century, the city has entered the era of relatively peaceful existence and began to gain weight.This led to the fact that the first Tula was assigned as a provincial town in the Moscow province, and then became the head town of Tula governorship.By the end of the eighteenth century the governorship has received the status of independent province.And it became the administrative center of the city of Tula.
Tula Metropolis: Milestones
As for church affairs, after the Christianization vyatichi were subject Chernigov bishops who bore the title of Chernigov and Ryazan.It is dependent on the Department of Ryazan and Tula was staged.From the thirteenth century of the cities in the region was ruled by the diocese as Sarai (later transferred to Moscow and renamed Krutitskaya).In the subsequent history of the art of its cities repeatedly passed from the subordination of one to the other departments.Self Tula diocese was conceived only in the late seventeenth century by Patriarch Joachim.However, because of the riots and the death of Archer's Tsar Fedor Alekseevich it was not allowed to happen.
In 1788 by decree of Catherine II Tula had to rise to the status of a second chair in the composition of the Kolomna Diocese.But the operative embodiment of this order prevented military action.Only during the reign of Emperor Paul, in 1799, Tula, finally gained the status of a city in the newly formed Diocese of Tula.In the future, it does not lose its independence, but its boundaries and changes.
As a result of the reorganization of church management in 2011, according to the order of the Holy Synod, from the Diocese of Tula in separate episcopal chair was allocated Arsenyevsky deanery.Then the two diocese were united under a single metropolitan area.Thus was formed the Tula archdiocese.
Orthodox Tula today
Currently, the church life is guided by His Eminence Alexy (Kutepov).Formally, it sounds like the status of "Metropolitan Tula and Efremov."Its jurisdiction is Seminary and the Faculty of Theology at a local state university.
Tula archdiocese includes five functioning monasteries - two male and three female.The role of the Cathedral Church of All Saints takes.In addition it operates in about thirty parishes which are united by a Tula archdiocese.St. Vladimir's church on Tulamashzavod - a striking example of one of them.
diocese priests taught in the lecture hall for the newlyweds at the registry office.Orthodox archdiocese site of Tula (http://tulaeparhia.ru/) covers the events of the diocese in the Internet space.And in the church premises with the assistance of doctors and employees of department of civil registration acts School parents.Interaction with the public and various civil organizations through thirteen diocesan departments, which include Tula archdiocese.News, for example, are managed by the Information Department.Among other things, it is also of interest Orthodox Writers Club "Spring", acting at St. Sergiev temple of Tula diocese.
