The Presidential Library published at its website a large-scale electronic collection "The Holy Synod in the history of Russian State"

To May 27, 2016, on the eve of the 181st anniversary of the Holy Synod, the Presidential Library has developed and published at its portal one of the largest collections - "The Holy Synod of the Russian state history". The collection includes scientific studies, white papers, sources of personal origin, journalism, plans and drawings, photographs and postcards, as well as periodicals, reflecting the history of the Holy Synod - the highest organ of the church-state government of Russian church in 1721-1917.

Creating Synod marked a new chapter in improving governance through the implementation of Peter I of church government reform. When Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Adrian died in October 1700, Peter I forbade the election of a new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and issued the spiritual regulations, signed by 87 bishops, abbots and Archimandrite. They agreed on the formation of the Government of the Holy Synod; the Institute of patriarchate in Russia has been canceled for many years, its restart  was almost a hundred years, in 1917.

In subsequent years, Peter I issued a series of decrees aimed at the integration of the church in the state mechanism. To the Government of the Synod were passed all ecclesiastical issues, the fight against schism and church-publishing, spiritual enlightenment, education and censorship, construction and maintenance of temples and spiritual ministry buildings. As the higher court the Synod considered the case, due to the church court (divorce, about clergy misconduct, etc.) 

Electronic collection of the Presidential Library includes more than two thousand units. Structural materials of the collection are arranged in thematic sections provided with brief summaries.

"The history of the Holy Synod" - this section includes materials that characterize the history of the Synod in different historical periods. Among them - the manuscript of the Spiritual regulations with litters of Peter I, subsequent editions of this document, reports the chief prosecutors, historical monographs. The section also contains materials that characterize the organizational structure and budget of the Synod.

"Address of the Holy Synod": it contains materials about buildings that are held at different times of the Synod. The focus is on the ensemble of the Senate and Synod buildings, built in 1829-1834 at the Senate Square in St. Petersburg. The section presents the case of archival fund of the Interim Committee for the reconstruction of the Senate and Synod buildings.

The section "Synodal library, archive and printing house" includes documents on the history and composition of the archive funds and the Synod library as well as publishing activity of Synodal typography.

Here is stored "An extensive Christian Catechism" by Filaret, considered and approved by the Holy Synod issued for teaching in schools on the highest of His Imperial Majesty's command in the Synodal printing house in 1833.

One of the most interesting collections in the array was the section "Procurator of the Holy Synod and the members". In 1722, it was considered appropriate to establish the post of Procurator of the Holy Synod - the civil official, whose duties include oversight of the church. Procurator reported directly to the monarch. Over time, their power is greatly increased and from 1830s has actually become fit power of the Minister.

The section presents the individual documents and materials related to service activity of chief prosecutors and members of the Holy Synod. As a separate collection are presented materials from the personal fund of K. P. Pobedonostsev.

"Synodal Periodicals" - this section presents the "Church News", the official organ of the Holy Synod. The publication was issued from 1888 to 1918. It published executive orders and decrees, the Synod orders, reports by procurator, messages about all kinds of awards. The informal department published excerpts from patristic literature, church sermons, articles of theological and church-historical content.

More generally and with the involvement of rare sources the Presidential Library reveals the history of the Orthodox Church in the eponymous electronic collection "History of the Russian Orthodox Church", which is of much attention of the Christian world, as well as representatives of other religions, their multimillion flock.