Eugene Balabin
Encyclopedia
Eugene Petrovich Balabin also known as Evgeny or Evgenii ' onMouseout='HidePop("88041")' href="/topics/Cairo">Cairo
) was a Russia
n Roman Catholic priest
and a member of the Society of Jesus
. He was a prominent Russian Catholic of the 19th century.
was attended by many prominent writers of the capital. The diplomat Victor Balabin was his brother.
Balabin received an excellent education. He was educated at the Noblemen's Boarding School attached to St. Petersburg University
. After finishing his education he entered the civil service.
In 1852, while in France, he joined the Catholic Church, following the conversion of his close university friend Julian Astromova. On 27 June of that year, Balabin entered the Jesuit novitiate. In 1853 he was found guilty in Russia of "apostasy from Orthodoxy." The sentence for this was "to be deprived of all rights of [noble] status, recognized as eternally exiled from the boundaries of the Russian state and in the event of their unauthorized residence in Russia, to be banished to Siberia for perpetual exile.".
After completing his novitiate, Balabin entered the Society of Jesus. From 1854 to 1859 he studied at a seminary at Vals near Le Puy-en-Velay
in France. From 1855, he was an active assistant of Ivan Sergeyevich Gagarin
and Ivan Mikhailovich Martynov
in the organization of the Parisian Society of Cyril and Methodius and the development of what became the "Slavic Library" in Meudon
, near Paris..
In 1861, Balabin visited Constantinople
as part of an effort to create a Bulgarian Jesuit college. However, Balabin had less ambitious plans than Gagarin for a Jesuit presence in the East, writing "In his solicitude for the salvation of our brothers of the East, Gagarin has conceived of many projects for the seminary to be established at Jerusalem, in Syria, and we speak often; but these projects seem impractical."
In 1863, Gagarin, Martynov, and Balabin founded a journal, named Kirillo-Mefodievskii Sbornik, aimed at unifying the Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches. However, this journal ceased publication in 1867. The efforts of Balabin and other Jesuits to convert Russians to Roman Catholicism influenced the young Andrey Sheptytsky
, later Metropolitan of Lviv.
In 1880, the Jesuits were expelled from France. From 1888, Balabin worked at the Collège de la Sainte Famille
in Cairo, Egypt. He died on January 30, 1895 in Cairo.
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
) was a 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...
n Roman Catholic priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and a member of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. He was a prominent Russian Catholic of the 19th century.
Biography
Balabin was born August 17, 1815 in St. Petersburg. His father was Lieutenant General Pyotr Ivanovich Balabin. His French mother, Barbara (Varvara Osipovna), was highly educated and fond of literature. Her salonSalon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
was attended by many prominent writers of the capital. The diplomat Victor Balabin was his brother.
Balabin received an excellent education. He was educated at the Noblemen's Boarding School attached to St. Petersburg University
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
. After finishing his education he entered the civil service.
In 1852, while in France, he joined the Catholic Church, following the conversion of his close university friend Julian Astromova. On 27 June of that year, Balabin entered the Jesuit novitiate. In 1853 he was found guilty in Russia of "apostasy from Orthodoxy." The sentence for this was "to be deprived of all rights of [noble] status, recognized as eternally exiled from the boundaries of the Russian state and in the event of their unauthorized residence in Russia, to be banished to Siberia for perpetual exile.".
After completing his novitiate, Balabin entered the Society of Jesus. From 1854 to 1859 he studied at a seminary at Vals near Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.Its inhabitants are called Ponots.-History:Le Puy-en-Velay was a major bishopric in medieval France, founded early, though its early history is legendary...
in France. From 1855, he was an active assistant of Ivan Sergeyevich Gagarin
Ivan Gagarin
Ivan Sergeyevich Gagarin was a Russian Jesuit, known also as Jean-Xavier after his conversion to Catholicism. He was of the princely Russian family which traces its origin to the ancient rulers of Starodub.-Life:He was the son of the Russian state-councillor, Prince Sergius Gagarin, and Barbara...
and Ivan Mikhailovich Martynov
Ivan Mikhailovich Martynov
Ivan Mikhailovich Martinov, born the 7 October 1821, at Kazan and died the 26 April 1894 at Cannes , was a Russian Jesuit priest...
in the organization of the Parisian Society of Cyril and Methodius and the development of what became the "Slavic Library" in Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
, near Paris..
In 1861, Balabin visited Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
as part of an effort to create a Bulgarian Jesuit college. However, Balabin had less ambitious plans than Gagarin for a Jesuit presence in the East, writing "In his solicitude for the salvation of our brothers of the East, Gagarin has conceived of many projects for the seminary to be established at Jerusalem, in Syria, and we speak often; but these projects seem impractical."
In 1863, Gagarin, Martynov, and Balabin founded a journal, named Kirillo-Mefodievskii Sbornik, aimed at unifying the Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches. However, this journal ceased publication in 1867. The efforts of Balabin and other Jesuits to convert Russians to Roman Catholicism influenced the young Andrey Sheptytsky
Andrey Sheptytsky
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky was the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1901 until his death. During his tenure, he led the Church through two world wars and seven political regimes: Austrian, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Soviet, German National Socialist , and...
, later Metropolitan of Lviv.
In 1880, the Jesuits were expelled from France. From 1888, Balabin worked at the Collège de la Sainte Famille
Collège de la Sainte Famille
The Collège de la Sainte Famille , مدرسة العائلة المقدسة often referred to as "Jésuites", is a private Jesuit French school for boys in the Faggala , Daher , and Heliopolis districts of Cairo, Egypt...
in Cairo, Egypt. He died on January 30, 1895 in Cairo.