Базуючись на науковій літературі та архівних документах, автор аналізує проблему відчуження українського селянства від офіційної церковно-релігійної інституції в Правобережній Україні у першій половині XIX ст.
Ключові слова: селянство, російське самодержавство, Правобережна Україна, православне духовенство, Церква.
This article strives to analyze issues of alienation of Ukrainian peasantry from official Church institutions in Right-bank Ukraine during the first half of 19th cent. Changing the official status and russification of Orthodox Church in Right-bank Ukraine created the blank wall of mistrust and hostility between many lo-cal parishioners and clergy, caused peasant antichurch disturbances, weakened ideological influence of Church on all layers of the society. However, the majority of Ukrainian peasants retained traditional worship practices, original understanding of Christian ideas, Church and clergy as institutions. As a result of this reality of Christian life in Ukraine and particularly Right-bank Ukraine, two types of religious approaches began to coexist: the first one was imposed by the church and other official institutions, and the other one based on folk Christianity, which relied on Christian elements and pagan naturalist worldview. Peasant religiosity in the face of these reforms, as well as after abolition of many rights, went through substantial changes, but nevertheless it remained a spiritual factor which to a large extent determined future of the peasantry.
Keywords: peasantry, Russian absolute monarchy, Right-Bank Ukraine, Orthodox clergy, Church.
