Karelian Self-Appointed Orthodox Priest in front of the Church Administration in the First Third of the 18th Century

The article “Karelian self-appointed orthodox priest in front of the church administration in the first third of the 18th century” focuses on the church hierarchy activity in the fi eld of regulating of fi lling priest’s vacancies in the Zaonezhskaya tithe of the Novgorod metropolitan in the second half of the 17th – first third of the 18th centhury. The issue is analyzed in the light of the case, which arose around the fact that a person, who assured the community in his ordination, occupied the position of the priest. The research is based on revealing of social and family relations among the parishioners and clergy during a few decades and on examination of the case in a wide context of the Church law and measures that were undertaken in this sphere by metropolitans of Novgorod. The investigation shows that parish communities in Zaonezhie used actively their right to elect candidates for the position of priest. The church authority acknowledged the legitimacy of the parish elections, but, at the same time, took intensive steps for regulation of filling priest's vacancies in order to unify and bring discipline into the spiritual life of Karelian parishes. Metropolitans of Novgorod successfully carried the requirements of the Church hierarchy by introduction of the position of priests’ elders, who served their archbishop, but in comparison with the other agents had authority among local clergy and parishioners