Oryol-Sevsk, Oryol-Bryansk, Oryol-Livensk eparchies are historical milestones that preceded the formation of the Oryol Metropolis. This large diocese has undergone many changes since the year of its creation, it has spiritually nurtured many saints known throughout Russia, ascetic hierarchs, bishops, and missionaries. Its history is closely connected with the events of the Oryol region.
Diocese in 1788-1820
The birthday of the Oryol Metropolis can be considered May 6, 1788, when Catherine II issued a nominal decree on the division of the dioceses of the Russian Church, taking into account the new territorial division. A few days later, on the basis of the Sevsko-Bryansk vicariate, the Oryol Metropolis was created with all the monasteries and churches. At that time, it had the name Oryol viceroy, and the lords were called Oryol - after the name of the main city of the province, and Sevsky - fromrespect for all the bishops who shone in Sevsk.
The Oryol diocese included 824 churches from eight major cities with their districts from the Sevsk, Krutitsk and Voronezh dioceses. His Grace Apollos became the first bishop of Oryol-Sevsky. With the beginning of his ministry, almost all the old and dilapidated churches began to be rebuilt and replaced by more extensive new ones.
Oryol Metropolis until the middle of the 19th century
For many years, the Oryol diocese was in Sevsk because of the presence of a seminary in it. In 1822, at the request of Bishop Jonah Orlovsky, the construction of a seminary building in Orel began, which lasted 5 years.
Just as rapidly until the middle of the 19th century, new monasteries were being built, women's communities and monasteries were founded. During this period, a large number of miraculous icons appear, for example, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Balykinskaya or the image of the Virgin of the Three Hands from the Theotokos-All Saints Monastery in Bolkhov.
Oryol diocese of the end of the 19th century
The future Oryol Metropolis at the end of the 19th century became a place of service for a large number of saints, ascetics and missionaries, such as Bishop Polycarp, the creator of the Oryol spiritual shelter for orphan girls. Of the world-famous saints, St. Seraphim of Sarov and Archimandrite Optina of the Macarius Monastery visited the Oryol Land.
Oryol diocese at the beginning of the 20th century
At the end of the 19th century, the Oryol Metropolis included 998churches of various architectural constructions, 44421 parochial schools. By that time, academic education was gaining strength, which contributed to the spiritual flowering of the province at the beginning of the 20th century.
Another spiritual we alth that the Oryol Metropolis had was the clergy. From the year of foundation until the 20th century, 14 Bishops were at the head of the diocese. There is evidence of a connection with the Oryol land known throughout Russia, John of Kronstadt, who followed the events of the Oryol parish life and on one of his visits even delivered a well-known speech about freedom of conscience at a congress of the clergy, held in Orel.
May 6, 1904 the whole city welcomed Tsar Nicholas II. The entire path of the emperor was filled with a demonstration of loyal feelings from students, representatives of estates and corporations.
Also in 1904, Princess Elizaveta Fedorovna Romanova and Prince Sergei Alexandrovich visited the city and led the sponsored regiment to the Russian-Japanese war. In the future, the princess visited the Oryol Metropolis more than once and met with Father Mitrofan, who later became the confessor of the Moscow monastery, dedicated to the myrrh-bearing wives Martha and Mary.
Establishment of the Vicariate
At the beginning of the 20th century, the question arose of establishing a vicariate. The Oryol metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church by this time was comparable in size to the Greek, Serbian or Bulgarian, where not one bishop rules, but several, each of which is responsible for his own direction. A large body of work on the spiritualcare of all the clergy and flock of the whole diocese, which lies on the head of the local church - the bishop, is beyond the power of any person to fulfill. Therefore, in 1906, Archimandrite Mitrofan was elevated to the rank of vicar of the Oryol diocese.
Monasteries of the Oryol Territory
At the beginning of the 20th century, 9 male and 6 female monasteries were built on the land of the diocese. The first monasteries arose in the XIII-XV centuries: Bryansk Assumption, Bolkhovsky Trinity Optin, Bryansk Petropavlovsk, etc.
In the 16th-17th centuries, when the Oryol Metropolis expanded and strengthened more favorably, monasteries were built one after another: the Mtsensk Monastery, the Bogoroditskaya Hermitage, the Odrin-Nikolaev Monastery, etc. Favorable time for monasteries was before the first Peter's reforms from 1715, when monasteries were taxed and banned from taking monastic vows. During the time of Anna Ioannovna, under Elizabeth and Catherine II, the number of monasteries decreased.
By 1990, having survived the persecution, the destruction of churches and the murder of priests, the Oryol diocese had only 20 functioning churches out of 31 that survived. In total, 57 clergy remained in this large region, including one bishop, 37 priests and 8 deacons, many of whom had no spiritual education.
At the end of the nineties, the activity of three monasteries was restored: the male Assumption and the female Svyato-Vvedensky in Orel and the convent of Mary Magdalene inDolzhansky district. Many monasteries and churches are on the waiting list for restoration. In 2006, the Trinity Optin Monastery was restored.
Metropolis today
In 2014, the Oryol Metropolis was founded on the territory of the Oryol region, which included the Liven and Oryol eparchies. The first head of the metropolis was Anthony, Archbishop of Orlovsky and Bolkhovsky.
5 monasteries, more than 200 active parishes, a large number of restored and built churches has today the Oryol Metropolis. The address of the diocesan center, where you can find out more detailed information about the current affairs of the metropolis: Russia, Orel, st. Normandie-Neman, 47.
