THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA: The History of a Church told from recently opened archives and previously unpublished sources. Submitted by MICHAEL ALEX PROTOPOPOV B. Theol., B. Ed., Gr Dip Ed Admin., M. Phil., T.P.T.C. A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Philosophy and Theology Faculty of Arts and Sciences Australian Catholic University Research Services Locked Bag 4115 Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Australia 31 January 2005 A History of the Russian Orthodox Presence in Australia. ABSTRACT The Russian Orthodox community is a relatively small and little known group in Australian society, however, the history of the Russian presence in Australia goes back to 1809. As the Russian community includes a number of groups, both Christian and non-Christian, it would not be feasible to undertake a complete review of all aspects of the community and consequently, this work limits itself in scope to the Russian Orthodox community. The thesis broadly chronicles the development of the Russian community as it struggles to become a viable partner in Australia’s multicultural society. Many never before published documents have been researched and hitherto closed archives in Russia have been accessed. To facilitate this research the author travelled to Russia, the United States and a number of European centres to study the archives of pre-Soviet Russian communities. Furthermore, the archives and publications of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church have been used extensively. The thesis notes the development of Australian-Russian relations as contacts with Imperial Russian naval and scientific ships visiting the colonies increase during the 1800’s and traces this relationship into the twentieth century. With the appearance of a Russian community in the nineteenth century, attempts were made to establish the Russian Orthodox Church on Australian soil. However, this did not eventuate until the arrival of a number of groups of Russian refugees after the Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War (1918-1922). As a consequence of Australia’s “Populate or Perish” policy following the Second World War, the numbers of Russian and other Orthodox Slavic displaced persons arriving in this country grew to such an extent that the Russian Church was able to establish a diocese in Australia, and later in New Zealand. The thesis then divides the history of the Russian Orthodox presence into chapters dealing with the administrative epochs of each of the ruling bishops. This has proven to be a suitable matrix for study as each period has its own distinct personalities and issues. The successes, tribulations and challengers of the Church in Australia are chronicled up to the end of the twentieth century. However, a further chapter deals with the issue of the Church’s prospects in Australia and its relevance to future generations of Russian Orthodox people. As the history of the Russians in this country has received little attention in the past, this work gives a broad spectrum of the issues, people and events associated with the Russian community and society at large, whilst opening up new opportunities for further research. 2 A History of the Russian Orthodox Presence in Australia. DECLARATION This is to certify that (i) the thesis comprises only my original work (ii) due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other materials used (iii) the material has not been submitted, either in whole or in part for any academic award at this or any other tertiary educational institution (iv) the thesis is less than 200,000 words in length, exclusive of appendicies and bibliographies, as agreed upon with the Research Department. 3 A History of the Russian Orthodox Presence in Australia. CONTENTS THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA: ............................................................................................ 1 ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 DECLARATION ................................................................................................................................................................... 3 CONTENTS........................................................................................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................................. 5 1 A RUSSIAN PRESENCE (1807) .................................................................................................................................... 7 2 REVOLUTION: AGITATORS, IMPOSTORS AND REFUGEES (1905 - 1920).......................................................... 23 3 SETTLEMENT – BRISBANE (1923)............................................................................................................................ 38 4 SETTLEMENT – SYDNEY (1924) ............................................................................................................................... 61 5 SETTLEMENT – MELBOURNE (1900- 1948)............................................................................................................. 68 6 ECCLESIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE CHURCH IN THE RUSSIAN MIGRANT EXPERIENCE ....... 73 7 A DIOCESE IS BORN.................................................................................................................................................... 85 8 A TIME OF GROWTH................................................................................................................................................. 173 9 TURMOIL AND REVOLT .......................................................................................................................................... 241 10 A NEED FOR HEALING........................................................................................................................................... 253 11 SOME THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF RUSSIAN MONASTICISM IN AUSTRALIA. .................................... 287 12 CONSOLIDATION AND STABILITY ..................................................................................................................... 297 13 COARSE AND WICKED TIMES.............................................................................................................................. 332 14 INTO THE 21ST CENTURY ...................................................................................................................................... 344 15 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE................................................................................................................. 356 APPENDIX A .................................................................................................................................................................... 370 APPENDIX B .................................................................................................................................................................... 371 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................................................................................. 423 ARCHIVAL MATERIAL.................................................................................................................................................. 431 4 A History of the Russian Orthodox Presence in Australia. INTRODUCTION The Russian Orthodox Church has been indispensable to the establishment of a visible Russian community in Australia. The very first visits of Imperial Russian naval and scientific ships at the dawn of the nineteenth century were military and scientific endeavours during which religious services were performed on board. These shipboard Orthodox services were noted by the local inhabitants and reported by the newspapers of Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. The spiritual needs of Russians in Australia were also recognised by the first Imperial Russian Consul to the Australian Colonies at the end of the nineteenth century. Efforts were made to establish a parish in Melbourne until the Russian Revolution overwhelmed the Empire. The Orthodox of Australia were seemingly forgotten. However, the Russian Civil War (1918-1922) and the subsequent dispersal of millions of Russians throughout the world, saw Australia become a haven for, at first a few, followed by thousands more, dispossessed and displaced refugees. These people brought with them their faith. The Russian Orthodox Church became a symbol of the Motherland which they had lost. As the waves of Russian migrants arrived in this country they built or rented churches around which their community grew. Consequently, the local parish has remained the centre of Russian activity in the broader Australian community. Many social and community organisations can trace their genesis to the church and the parish. This is what has made the community a unified organism, retaining a sense of heritage and purpose. While many organisations and parishes have attempted to record the events of their existence, to date there has been no systematised record of the establishment and development of the Russian Orthodox Church in this country. This is the task now at hand. Most of the archival materials used in this work have, in the main, remained