Orthodox Christian Mission in Kalmyk Steppe, Early 20th Century: Astrakhanskie Eparkhialnye Vedomosti (Journal of Astrakhan Eparchy) as a Historical Source

. The Journal of Astrakhan Eparchy (Russ. Astrakhanskie eparkhialnye vedomosti) was the official periodical of Astrakhan and Yenotayevka Eparchy in 1875 to 1918. Quite a share of the published articles dealt with household life, customs, religion of the Kalmyks, and dissemination of Christianity in Kalmyk Steppe. Goals. The study aims to identify, analyze, investigate and introduce materials contained in journal issues and covering the actual state and directions for further development of Russian missionary activity in early 20th century Kalmyk Steppe. Materials and methods. So, the paper analyzes journal issues published between 1900 and 1918. Results. A total of seventeen related articles authored by clerics of Astrakhan and Yenotayevka Eparchy were studied. The publications cluster into five groups as follows: messages on Kalmyk converts, analytical reports on Russian missionary activity in Kalmyk Steppe, religious dispute between Orthodox priest and Lama, articles on the history of Orthodox Mission in Kalmyk Steppe, reports on visits to missionary centers paid by Astrakhan Governor and Bishop. The work also evaluates the significance of the examined materials for historiography of Russian missionary activities in Kalmyk Steppe at the beginning of the 20th century. Conclusions. The importance of the examined materials on the history and development of Orthodox Christian Mission in Kalmyk Steppe is determined by that their authors — Orthodox priests — were direct participants of missionary activities proper and often used archival materials that never survived to the present. Objective analyses of the Mission’s successes and problems by authors of publications makes it possible to supplement the existing set of sources on the history of Orthodox Christianity in Kalmyk Steppe.