Records of the Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church
Scope and Content Note
Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church includes materials pertaining to various activities of the Consistory in the Vilna, Grodno, and Minsk Guberniyas (Governorates). Collections consists of correspondence, petitions to undergo conversion, reports, and resolutions of the Consistory, travel documents, lists, receipts, personnel records, certificates, affidavits, excerpts from birth registries, court documents, contracts and other financial materials.
The bulk of the materials consists of case files of individuals and entire families wishing to convert from Judaism to the Russian Orthodox faith. These case files are similar in nature and include petitions to convert, reports, correspondence, resolutions, and other accompanying materials.
Additionally, there is a small number of materials dealing with Muslim converts to the Russian orthodox faith as well as with converts from the Russian Orthodox faith to Judaism.
Furthermore, there are materials pertaining to financial activities of the Consistory such as a large number of leases for various Church properties, including real estate and church land, materials pertaining to financial disputes between individuals as well as between individuals and perishes and priests of the Consistory.
Dates
- 1819, 1834-1911
Creator
- Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church (Organization)
Language of Materials
The collection is in Russian with some Yiddish.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection has been digitized and is available online without restrictions. The physical collection is closed.
Use Restrictions
The images, documents, film footage, audio materials, and texts displayed in any portion of this web site may be copyrighted. Permission to use this web site is given on condition that the user agrees to follow U.S. copyright laws. The user agrees that she or he assumes liability for any copyright violations resulting from unauthorized use of items appearing on this web site and to hold YIVO harmless from any action involving copyright infringement. It is the responsibility of the user to carry out a due diligence search under U.S. copyright laws to determine the copyright status of items displayed on this web site.
Historical Note
Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church was founded in 1838 and served as an ecclesiastical office in the Russian Orthodox Church during the Synodal period. It served as an administrative organ for all Orthodox perishes and monasteries in Vilna, Grodno, and Minsk Governorates. Consistory was responsible for many administrative issues including keeping birth and death registries, records of marriage and divorce, and overseeing conversion processes. Consistory, as an active institute of the Russian Orthodox Church was abolished in 1918 as the result of separation of state and church.
Extent
10 Linear Feet
Abstract
Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church includes over 190 case files of Jews wishing to convert to the Russian Orthodox faith and consists of correspondence, petitions to undergo conversion, reports, and resolutions of the Consistory, travel documents, lists, receipts, personnel records, certificates, affidavits, excerpts from birth registries, court documents, contracts and other financial materials. Additionally, there is a small amount of materials pertaining to financial activities of the Consistory.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series:
- Jewish Converts, 1819, 1834-1911
- Financial and other activities of the Consistory, 1839-1901
Custodial History
During the Nazi occupation of Vilna, in 1942, the records were looted by the Einsatzstab Rosenberg and sent to the NSDAP Institute zur Erforschung der Judenfrage in Frankfurt-am-Main. In 1945 they were recovered by the U.S. army and returned to the YIVO in New York, via the U.S. army archival depot in Offenbach. The records arrived in New York in 1947.
- Title
- Guide to the Records of the Lithuanian Consistory of the Russian Orthodox Church 1819, 1834-1911 RG 46
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Processed by Yakov Il'ich Sklar
- Date
- © 2019
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Processing, conservation and digitization funded by the Edward Blank Family Foundation, and additional donors, as part of the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections Project (2015-2022). Additional funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities
Repository Details
Part of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Repository
