Russian Orthodox properties in Israel refers to real-estate owned by theRussian Orthodox Church (ROC) inIsrael.
While the first Russian Orthodoxarchimandrite arrived inPalestine in 1844,[1] Russia's focus on the area began whenNapoleon III took over control ofFrance in an 1851 coup d'état and moved to seize control of properties in theHoly Land held by members of the Greek Orthodox Church (GOC). The court of the Czar had long held itself to be the main patron and protector of Orthodoxy, especially after most of the membership of theGreek Orthodox Church from 1460 until 1821 fell under the control of theIslamicOttoman Empire (with itsDevshirmeh andjizya laws). Through diplomacy and a show of force Napoleon III forced the Ottoman Empire to recognize France as the "sovereign authority" in theHoly Land. This moved control of many Christian holy sites and buildings out of Orthodox hands and under Catholicism. These events were one of the main triggers for theCrimean War of 1856. Despite defeat in the war by 1856, Russia continued actively pursuing its interests vis-à-vis the position and influence of the Ottoman Empire and its European allies.[2]Czar Alexander II continually worked to make sure Russia would have a presence in Palestine. Towards these ends a consulate was created in 1858.[1]
The Czar also funded the work ofConstantin von Tischendorf in finding theCodex Sinaiticus at theSaint Catherine's Monastery at the foot ofMount Sinai. The Czar's brother, theGrand Duke Constantine, and his wife thePrincess Alexandra toured the area at this time.[2] Significantly it was also around this period that Bishop Euspensy began missionary work in the area (his detractors claim he was "a czarist agent" with a "scheme of wresting theJerusalem patriarchate away from the church's liturgical twin, the Greek Orthodox Church."[3]). Euspensy's efforts did not produce much but a few ChristianArab converts switching from the GOC to the ROC.[3]
The Russian government began using its diplomatic influence to persuade the Ottoman sultans to refuse theberat to candidates for patriarch to any GOC bishop that disagreed with them.[1] By 1860 theRussian Palestine Society was founded. The society guided pilgrims to theHoly Land and bought property in Jerusalem andNazareth. In addition it ran a theological seminary that also focused on teaching politics.[3] TheRussian Palestine Society built hospices for Russian pilgrims and churches (where the liturgy was inSlavonic) all over the country "to the great annoyance of the Greek patriarchal element."[1] The ROC soon attracted more Arab Christians as it championed the idea that local Arab clergy should be promoted to bishops and hierarchs instead of having clergy from Greece imported and put in authority over them.[1] Also in the 1860s the Russians began building an extensive group of buildings outside the city of Jerusalem onJaffa road, known as theRussian Compound.
These consisted of a large and elaborate church where the Russianarchimandrite officiated, massive hostels for the pilgrims, a hospital and several other buildings capable of housing 1000 pilgrims, all within walking distance of the Russian consulate headquarters at the time.[1][4] The ROC also built an ornate church atGethsemane, and another at the site where their tradition holds that Jesus made hisAscension at theMount of Olives. Another Russian hospice was built in theMuristan, along with an asylum for the insane, and schools.[1] Russian pilgrimages were not only encouraged, but even subsidized by the Czar's government. At the time both Russia's political enemies and many within the GOC saw these projects as an intrigue of the Czar to make himself "a center of the Greek faith [i.e. Orthodoxy] which should rival Rome itself."[4] This would all change with the fall of the Russian monarchy.
With the rise of the communists most of the church properties in Palestine remained in the hands of those at odds with the Bolsheviks, and the majority of these joined with theRussian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).[citation needed] Some properties of the ROC remained completely closed until 1941, when thePolitburo ordered the churches reopened. An invitation was extended by the Soviets for all Orthodox prelates in the Middle East to come to Moscow to witness the installation ofPatriarch Alexei I.[3]
WhenIsrael became a state in 1948, all of the property under the control of the ROCOR within its borders was handed over to the Soviet dominated ROC in appreciation for Moscow's support of the Jewish state (this support was short-lived). The ROCOR maintained control over churches and properties in theJordanian-ruled West Bank unmolested until the late 1980s.[citation needed]
In 1952 the Soviets reopened theRussian Palestine Society under the direction of Communist Party agents from Moscow, replaced Archimandrite Vladimir with communist trained Ignaty Polikarp, and won over many Christian Arabs with communist sympathies to the ROC. The members of other branches of Orthodoxy refused to associate with the Soviet led ROC in Palestine.[3]
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