The Role of the Orthodox Clergy in the Formation of the Network of Black Hundred Centers in Volyn in the Early 20th Century

The article explores the role of the Orthodox clergy in shaping the organizational network of the Union of the Russian People in Volyn during the early twentieth century. It specifically characterizes the involvement of the Pochayiv Assumption Lavra in establishing Black Hundred centers in the region during this period. Drawing on materials from the Black Hundred press and archival documents, the article demonstrates that the ideological driving force behind the Black Hundred movement in Volyn during the early 20th century was the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church. Their efforts played a crucial role in rapidly forming a robust organizational network. The clergy, particularly priests, actively engaged their parishioners in the Black Hundred movement and organized numerous rural branches of the Union of the Russian People in Volyn. Clergymen held key positions within the organization in the region, aiming to attract local residents and bolster the influence of the Black Hundreds. The movement, on one hand, supported the imperial government and pursued a policy of Russification, while on the other hand, it contributed to fostering interethnic conflicts in the ethnically diverse society of Volyn at that time. To sway as many Ukrainian peasants as possible to their cause, the Black Hundreds conducted conversations through parish priests, employing experienced agitators to impose their viewpoints. The establishment of the Institute of Zealots of the Union, consisting of local peasants approved by the head of the Pochayiv department, Archimandrite Vitalii, further facilitated the dissemination of Black Hundred ideology. However, candidates for zealots were uniformly approved by parish priests leading local departments or sub-departments of the Union of the Russian People or acting as their organizers. Zealots, under the strict guidance of the Russian Orthodox Church clergy, played a significant role in spreading the Black Hundred ideology not only in Volyn but also in the neighboring Kyiv and Podillia provinces. Another crucial aspect of the Black Hundred clergy's activities in Volyn, aimed at expanding the network of "Union" cells, was the establishment of economic structures. Archimandrite Vitaliy of the Pochayiv Lavra played a key role in this endeavor, assisting in the creation of relevant economic structures in the region. Thus, the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church played a pivotal role in establishing Volyn province as one of the leading centers of the Black Hundred movement in the Russian Empire during the early 20th century.