How the Tatarstan Metropolitanate was formed and developed

One of the most interesting regions in Russia is Tatarstan. The republic has a very interesting geographical position, because there you can meet as an Orthodox person, and a Muslim and even a Buddhist. Officially, two religions are recognized in the region - Christianity and Islam, among which the first is the most widespread. Therefore, the subject of our careful consideration now will be the Tatarstan Metropolis, its inception, history, composition and characteristics.

Brief reports about the region

To begin with, let us consider what features that can affect the religious situation, characterized by Tatarstan. The republic in its typology is secular, here religious associations and communities are separated from the general state apparatus. The religion is free, there are no restrictions and are obligatory to fulfill the guidelines. Over one thousand religious communities are officially registered on the territory of this region, the largest of which are Orthodox and Islamic.

Islam in Tatarstan

Discussion of sacred societies, which constitute a very small part of the population of this region, we omit and go directly to two main categories - Orthodox and Muslims. The second largest and most significant religion of Tatarstan is Islam. Since 922 on the territory of the republic and adjacent lands, Islam of the Sunni type has been adopted. When on the Volga Bulgaria in 1313 Khan Uzbek rule, he officially consolidated this religion for his possessions. To date, all Tatars are Muslims, and religion remains official in this region.

Basic information about Christianity

Unlike Islam, Orthodoxy in Tatarstan appeared only in the 16th century, after the Kazan Khanate officially joined the Russian state. Since then, and up to the present day, Christianity has been professed by Russians, Mari, Udmurts, Chuvashs and Kryashens. Among the communities of this religion, the main one here is Orthodox. Where the Catholic Church, the Church of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Lutheran, Protestant, are considered less extensive. Also on the territory of the republic live evangelical Christians, Old Believers, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists and others.

The history of the appearance of the Metropolitanate in Tatarstan

In 1555, Tsar Ivan the Terrible held another cathedral, during which it was decided to organize a new Kazan diocese under the Moscow Metropolitan Makarii. In the same year hegumen Guri went to the lands of modern Tatarstan in the office of the Kazan and Sviyazh archbishops. With him, he had a "memorable memory" composed by the tsar himself. It contained the following lines: "Do not turn to non-baptism of heterodox, treat them with affection and give all privileges. Do not punish cruelly and release from trial those who did not deserve it. A few years later, the so-called sacral hierarchy was formed in the state. The first place in it was occupied by the Moscow metropolis, the second - by the Novgorod archdiocese, and the third, respectively, by the Tatarstan metropolis.

The ancient geography of the diocese

Since 1589 the Kazan newly-founded diocese has been divided into several parts. South-west, up to the river Sura, was the Mountain Side, which included Vasilsursk, Tsivilsk, Cheboksary, Tetyushi, Sviyazhsk and Kozmodemyansk, as well as the Meadow side, which consisted of Tsarevokokshaisk and Sanchursk. The north-west of the region, right up to the Vetluga River, was also a part of the metropolis. Along the course of the Vyatka River, all lands that did not enter the Vyatka diocese joined the Kazan Diocese. The three main kingdoms of this region - the Kazan Astrakhan and partly the Siberian one - remained also crossed. Shortly thereafter, the Orthodox cities became towns along the Terek River. Approximately such a geography characterized the Tatarstan Metropolitanate until 1917. Since then, it has narrowed a bit, and the sacral power of local metropolitans began to cover only the borders of the Kazan province.

Geography of our days

In 2012, the leadership of the Russian Federation adopted a new decision. Since June 6, the Chistopol and Almetyev dioceses have become independent. As a consequence, the Tatarstan Metropolitanate began to occupy only the north-east of the republic with the same name. Mainly, it includes such cities as Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny. Also the following areas can be mentioned here: Rybno-Slobodsky, Mendeleevsky, Laishevsky, Pestrichinsky, Kukmorsky, Mamadysh and many others.

Interesting fact

Today, in the territory occupied by the Tatarstan Metropolis, in particular in Kazan, is the Ecumenical Temple. Its erection fell on the nineties of the last century, and today this building embodies the three main religions of the world plus one: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. Here you can see a synagogue, an Orthodox church, a mosque and a pagoda. In the temple there are no rites, it serves only as a sacred monument of architecture and proves the unity and equality of all peoples.