Correspondence between Pope Leo XIII and Emperor Alexander III of Russia as a Historical Source on Relations Between the Holy See and Russia

Social Sciences. 2020. Vol. 51. No. 3. P. 128–141.

Besschetnova E.

 For the Russian Empire, the Catholic question was one of the most important domestic issues. It had to do with the building of relations with the western borderlands, primarily with Poland, in which the Catholic clergy was the driving force of the struggle for independence. In this context, in the second half of the 19th century, the Government of the Russian Empire considered maintaining a dialog with the Holy See as a way to preserve stability in the western borderlands of the Empire. For Alexander III, it was also a symbolic act illustrating Russia’s course for demonstrating continuity with the Christian emperors of the Roman Empire. This was meant to emphasize Russia’s special position in Europe. The image of Russia as a Christian empire committed to preserving traditional values was contrasted with the image of the liberal-egalitarian Western Europe, which was swept by revolutionary sentiments during this period. A unique historical source on the foreign policy of the Vatican in Eastern Europe in the second half of the 19th century and relations between the Holy See and Russia is the correspondence of Pope Leo XIII and Russian Emperor Alexander III. From 1881 to 1894, Pope Leo XIII sent about ten official letters and to each of them received an official response from the Emperor.

Keywords: Catholic Church, The Holy See, Leo XIII, Россия и Ватикан