How Did Orthodox Clergy Serve in the Navy of Tsarist Russia? Review on the Book: Singh S. S. The Cross and St. Andrew’s Banner: Ship Chaplains of the Russian Empire in the Second Half of the 19th — Early 20th Centuries. Moscow: Tisso Printing House, 202

Abstract

In 2025, S. S. Singh published a monograph devoted to the history of naval clergy and their ministry on ships of the Russian Imperial and Volunteer Fleets in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. This publication is of significant interest to historians, as it has become the first comprehensive study of the institution of naval clergy in our country. To recreate the pastoral and educational activities of clergy on ships, the author draws on a wide range of sources, including documents from the collections of the Russian State Historical Archives, the Russian State Archives of the Navy, the Russian State Archives of Ancient Documents, the Central State Historical Archives of St. Petersburg, the Russian National Library’s Regional Archives, and the Russian State Military Historical Archives. Many of the documents used in the book are being introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. The extensive source base is complemented by skillful use of historiographic data, allowing the author to recreate a comprehensive picture of the life and ministry of Orthodox clergy in the navy. This review provides a brief description of the publication, which is undoubtedly of significant interest to all those interested in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.