Most Holy Synod
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The Most Holy Governing Synod (Russian: Святейший Правительствующий Синод) was the highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church between 1721 and 1918–when the Patriarchate was restored. At the time of its disestablishment, it was the oldest governing body (Holy Synod) among the various Orthodox Churches. The jurisdiction of the Most Holy Synod extended over every kind of ecclesiastical question and over some that are partly secular.
The Synod was established by Peter I of Russia on January 25, 1721 as a part of his church reform. Its the establishment was followed by the abolition of the Patriarchate. The Synod was composed partly of ecclesiastical persons, partly of laymen appointed by the Tsar. Among them were the Metropolitans of Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev, and the Exarch of Georgia. Originally, there were to be twelve ecclesiastical members, but the number was constantly changed by Tsars.
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This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
