Motuz V. Religious and educational, scientific and administrative activity of Kyiv Archpriest Petro Lebedyntsev (1819 – 1896)

The thesis is dedicated to the complex and comprehensive research of biography, church and civil activity of Archpriest Petro Lebedyntsev. Based on a big amount of sources and historical works, the religious, educational, scientific activity and administrative operations are analyzed. It is ascertained that main factors which influenced on P.Lebedyntsev’s formation of world outlook and spiritual advance were traditions of Orthodox Church, parents’ upbringing and influence of relatives. The features of reformation of Church judicial system by P. Lebedyntsev are revealed. Archpriest’s contribution to the development of Ukrainian education system and church educational mission is shown. The main areas, specific of organization and results of P.Lebedyntsev’s educational activity is found out. Special attention is given to P.Lebedyntsev’s role in the foundation and development of church and secular educational institutions for women and men. The Archpriest has a great contribution to the primary, secondary and highest education, to the development of educational and scientific societies, existing not only in Kyiv eparchy, but also all over Ukraine. The result of educational activities of P.Lebedyntsev was an essential growth (up on 40%) of students in women religious schools during 1884 – 1891. P.Lebedyntsev improved a spiritual and economic conditions of Kyiv Spiritual Academy, its educational process. Due to P.Lebedyntsev’s surveillance Kyiv Spiritual Academy took a honourable place among the educational institutions of Russian Empire. The administrative and legal activity of Archpriest Petro Lebedyntsev is shown and his contribution to the reformation of church justice is examined. P.Lebedyntsev’s cooperation with various civil and state organizations is shown. Relied on facts of our study, it is determined, that Archpriest P.Lebedyntsev cooperated with different civil and state organizations in difficult and diverse period of whole establishment of government control over Orthodox Church. A special attention is given to scientific and archeological activity of Archpriest. P.Lebedyntsev contributed to research and restoration of mosaics and frescos in Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral, to study of Orthodox Church history during Kyiv Rus period. He made a valuable contribution to the research of Taras Shevchenko’s life, facilitated reburial of famous poet. Also P.Lebedyntsev furthered the activity of South-Western Department of Russian Geographic Society and Nestor the Chronicler (Nestor Litopysets) Society. It is found out, that one of the most important Archpriest’s activity was a study of Kyiv region history. This ardour was not the main in his life, but having had an opportunity to study archive sources P.Lebedyntes did a huge work to examine native land’s history. Moreover, he wrote articles and monographies, devoted to study of history of Kyiv region in whole and Kyiv eparchy in particular. Having hold an office of a dean of any church, Petro Lebedyntsev made an excavations to examine a historical age of churches, peculiarities of their building and stages of development. The thesis recalls not only the previously unknown pages of Petro Lebedyntsev’s life and activity, but also the Ukrainian movement on the whole and some aspects of state policies of Ukraine. It is determined that P. Lebedyntsev’s activity was an important landmark of Ukrainian spiritual life of the 2nd half of 19th century. It is worth for historical science that ad exemplum of P.Lebedyntsev’s life the main problems of Ukrainian culture and civil life is detected.