“The Skilful Word” by priest A. V. Anisimov: from the history of the Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem in the latter half of the 1880s

The article characterises the educational activities of the visiting employee of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, priest Alexander Vasilyevich Anisimov in 1887–1889. It describes the main facts of his biography and shows that prior to his appointment to Jerusalem he had had close contacts with the Holy Land as a pilgrim and spiritual writer. The position of a visiting employee established on the initiative and with financial support of the Orthodox Palestine Society, was associated with the need to accompany Russian pilgrims during their trips to Holy Places, to hold cultural and educational lectures (Palestinian readings) in Russian houses in evening time. A. V. Anisimov, who worked under the direct supervision and in collaboration with the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin), successfully coped with his responsibilities and gained love and respect of pilgrims. The readings were devoted to regular Christian holidays, the Sacred history of the Old and New Testaments, the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, various spiritual and moral issues, and were accompanied by a demonstration of pictures and choral singing. The obstacles to the continuation of A. V. Anisimov’s work included health problems, his desire to go beyond the boundaries of his duties, confl icts with the Greek clergy of Jerusalem Patriarchate. It is concluded that A. V. Anisimov’s activities laid the foundation for the Palestine Readings, which at that time were a new form of work and by the mid-20th century gradually transformed into a mass phenomenon, involving millions of Orthodox people throughout Russia.