Archival sources about the construction of orthodox churches in the settlements of the north-western Azov region in the 19th – early 20th centuries

The purpose of the article is to consider, on the example of Berdyansk and Melitopol districts, Tavricheskaya
guberniya, one of the little-studied aspects of the cultural life of the Orthodox population in the 19th – early 20th
centuries, associated with church construction in their settlements. The authors set themselves the task, on specific
examples, to trace the main features and features of this process. Church building occupied a prominent place in the inner
life of local communities, as evidenced by the relevant archival materials collected in the funds of the state archive
of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. We will dwell only on some of them, relating to fund 118 of the Tavricheskaya
Spiritual Consistory, concerning the territory of the then Berdyansk and Melitopol districts, the Tavricheskaya gubernia.
A number of general scientific and disciplinary methods were used. Thus, the purpose and objectives of the study defined
the theoretical and methodological approach to knowledge of historical reality, which is based on dialectical methods
of knowledge. Results. According to the 1897 census, there were about ten Orthodox churches in the city, two Jewish
and one Karaite synagogue. Chief among them was the Ascension Cathedral Church. Its construction began in 1842 and
ended in 1848 (consecrated on May 18, 1848). The stone building of the church had a fence and a wooden bell tower
on 2 pillars. Somewhat later, in 1854, a stone bell tower was added to it, and in 1903–1904 the church building was
expanded with new additions. Among other Orthodox churches in the city, archival documents mention the Epiphany
Church (built in 1863), the Peter and Paul Church (built in 1892), the Intercession Cemetery Church (built in 1865),
and the Alexander Gymnasium Church, built in 1876 in the courtyard city gymnasium. Concluding a general review
of this issue, we can conclude that the local population and Bulgarian settlers played a rather active role in church
construction in the settlements of the Azov region of the Tavricheskaya gubernia in the post-reform period. This equally
applied to both the Bulgarian proper and the neighboring villages of the North-Western Azov region. Such construction
was carried out mainly at the expense of local communities, and local churches were not only religious centers, but often
served as primary schools.
Key words: construction, Bulgarian settlements, archive fund, Tavricheskaya guberniya.