1847 Agreement between Holy See and Russia
Encyclopedia
The 1847 Agreement between the Holy See
and the Russian Empire
was a diplomatic arrangement (in Italian
, accomodamento) entered into on 3 August of that year.
. The Catholic Church was severely limited in its possibilities within Russia. This was significant, because, in addition to Eastern Catholics, large Latin Catholic populations existed in the Lithuania
n and Polish
provinces under the Tsar
.
The Pope appointed Cardinal Luigi Lambruschini
to begin negotiations with the Russian empire with the aim of establishing better relations and increased freedom of action. Russia rejected the term "concordat" with the Pope as a name for the agreement.
(Vilnius
), while the Polish dioceses continued without change. New seminaries were established and the Russian empire guaranteed the financing of Church activities in an agreed upon sum of 104,480 rubles annually. Bishops were to be appointed by mutual agreement. They were authorized to preside over Church courts, determine seminary education.
Bishops could not intervene in marital or economic matters, which were to be determined by diocesan consistories consisting of several Catholic priests. The agreement of the State authorities was required for the appointment of Catholic parish priests. Their salaries were to be paid by the parishes or, if these were unable, by the Russian state.
was partitioned among Russia
, Prussia
and Austria-Hungary
. Austria-Hungary was a Catholic
empire and therefore, Polish Church and Polish Catholics were able to fully live their faith. In Orthodox Russia, Catholics experienced discrimination and persecution: Russification was enforced together with efforts to separate priests and faithful from their Church.
were always difficults because of rivalries with the Russian Orthodox Church. The short-lived freedoms were undermined by jealousies of the rival Orthodox Church, Polish political aspirations in the occupied lands, which used the Church as cover and vehicle, and the tendency of imperial Russia, to act most brutally against any dissension.
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
was a diplomatic arrangement (in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, accomodamento) entered into on 3 August of that year.
Diplomacy of Pius IX
Upon his election to the papacy, Pope Pius IX (1846–1878) inherited difficult relations with Russia from his predecessor Pope Gregory XVIPope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...
. The Catholic Church was severely limited in its possibilities within Russia. This was significant, because, in addition to Eastern Catholics, large Latin Catholic populations existed in the Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n and Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
provinces under the Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
.
The Pope appointed Cardinal Luigi Lambruschini
Luigi Lambruschini
Luigi Lambruschini was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in the mid nineteenth century.-Biography:...
to begin negotiations with the Russian empire with the aim of establishing better relations and increased freedom of action. Russia rejected the term "concordat" with the Pope as a name for the agreement.
Aspects of the agreement
The agreement, which included 37 articles., allowed the Church to create eight new dioceses in Russia proper and LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
(Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
), while the Polish dioceses continued without change. New seminaries were established and the Russian empire guaranteed the financing of Church activities in an agreed upon sum of 104,480 rubles annually. Bishops were to be appointed by mutual agreement. They were authorized to preside over Church courts, determine seminary education.
Bishops could not intervene in marital or economic matters, which were to be determined by diocesan consistories consisting of several Catholic priests. The agreement of the State authorities was required for the appointment of Catholic parish priests. Their salaries were to be paid by the parishes or, if these were unable, by the Russian state.
Situation of the Church in Russia
Russian Catholics consisted of Lithuanians, Armenians, Ruthenians and Poles, which were the majority. Since 1795, PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
was partitioned among Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. Austria-Hungary was a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
empire and therefore, Polish Church and Polish Catholics were able to fully live their faith. In Orthodox Russia, Catholics experienced discrimination and persecution: Russification was enforced together with efforts to separate priests and faithful from their Church.
Short-lived freedoms undermined by Church rivals
Relations with RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
were always difficults because of rivalries with the Russian Orthodox Church. The short-lived freedoms were undermined by jealousies of the rival Orthodox Church, Polish political aspirations in the occupied lands, which used the Church as cover and vehicle, and the tendency of imperial Russia, to act most brutally against any dissension.