The Russian Orthodox Church in North Africa in the 20th Century

The article is devoted to the problem of the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the countries of North Africa in the 20th century. The author focuses on the history of the emergence and functioning of Orthodox parishes in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. The source base of the article was ego-documents, primarily the memoirs of Russian clergy and parishioners in the region. It is proven that, despite the fact that North Africa belonged to the canonical territory of the Alexandrian Patriarchate, the Russian Orthodox Church was present in this region. The article analyzes the history of the emergence of parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) in North Africa and highlights the issue of building Orthodox churches in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. It is proven that the emergence of the phenomenon of Russian Orthodoxy here is associated with the consequences of the 1917 revolution and the Civil War, when thousands of so-called “white” émigrés found themselves in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. Particular attention is paid in the paper to the activities of the most significant church leaders of the ROCOR in the region. It is proven that it was the Orthodox parishes that were the main centers of consolidation for Russians who found themselves in exile in the four North African countries. Staying in exile strengthened the faith of these people, since Orthodoxy was considered by them to be one of the most important elements of national identity. The article also highlights the issue of strengthening the international activities of the Moscow Patriarchate after World War II, which led to jurisdictional conflicts among Orthodox believers throughout the world, including in North Africa. The author comes to the conclusion that the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in the North African region has a solid historical foundation laid in the 20th century.