Brotherhoods (Russian: братство;Ukrainian: братство; literally, "fraternity") werenon-monastic unions ofEastern Orthodox andGreek Catholic citizens orlay brothers affiliated with individual autocephalous churches. Some of their focus was of anevangelical ortheological character, but much of their activities were in fact secular.[1] Their structure resembled that of medievalconfraternities andtrade guilds, and can be characterized as the Orthodox equivalent ofCatholic religious orders.[1][2] Unlike thereligious orders of other religions such as those ofsufism inIslam, they do not hold any uniquelyesoteric views or doctrines, or haveinitiative practices otherwise unfound in mainstreamorthodox monasticism.
Historically, they were common in the cities throughout the Ruthenian part of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth such asLviv,Wilno,Lutsk,Vitebsk,Minsk, andKyiv. These Orthodox brotherhoods, first documented in 1463 (Lviv Dormition Brotherhood), were consolidated in the aftermath of theUnion of Brest (1596) in order to oppose the conversion of Orthodox Christians to theEastern Catholic Churches, theCounter-Reformation, and both real and imaginedPolonization.[1] The brotherhoods attempted to resist state-supported Catholic missionary activity by publishing books in theCyrillic script and by financing a network of Orthodox schools which offered education in bothOld Church Slavonic and theRuthenian language.[3] The famousKyiv Mohyla Academy grew out of one such school under the umbrella of theBrotherhood Monastery inKyiv. TheDormition Church, Lviv was financed by the brotherhood of the same name; its members also supported theCossack risings in the east of Ukraine. The powerfulOstrogski family provided political support for their activities.
The activity of the Orthodox fraternities helped preserve the national culture ofUkraine andBelarus throughout theCounter-Reformation era.[4] Most were closed in the course of the 18th century when Greek-Catholic proselytism had been forbidden by theHouse of Romanov. Some were revived in the late 19th century in order to stem "atheist propaganda" of theNihilists.[3] TheBrotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius promoted national awareness, helping the Ukrainians ofImperial Russia discover their national identity. TheOstroh bratstvo was reinstituted byCountess Bludova, an ardent admirer of the Ostrogski family. Russian Orthodox immigrants to the U.S. formed brotherhoods to support church activities.[5]
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