Nikolai Nikolayevich Bessonow

Bishop Nikon in 1913 as a member of the IV State Duma

Nikolai Nikolaevich Bessonov ( Russian Николай Николаевич Бессонов , Ukrainian Микола Миколайович Безсонов / Mykola Mykolajowitsch Bessonov , spiritual name Nikon ; born July 10 ^{. Jul} / 22. July  1868 ^greg. , Mogilev Governorate , Russian Empire ; † 1919 , Odessa , Ukraine ) was a Russian Orthodox bishop , politician and publicist .

Life

Training and spiritual teaching activities

Nikolai Bessonow grew up in a noble family in Mogilev Governorate in what is now Belarus . In 1891 he finished his training at the Konstantin Messinstitut in Moscow . Then he began studying at the Spiritual Academy in Moscow. In 1892 he became a monk and took the name Nikon. After completing his studies, he taught homiletics and liturgy at the spiritual seminary in Novgorod , and since 1897 philosophy , psychology , logic and didactics at the spiritual seminary in Mogilev .

From the end of 1897 to 1905 he directed various spiritual training centers in Siberia .

Bishop and Member of the State Duma

In 1906 he was called Bishop of Balta , in 1909 Bishop of Kremenets in what is now Ukraine . He was involved in the right-wing extremist movement of the Black Hundreds in Volhynia . In 1912 he became a member of the IV State Duma of the Russian Empire for them . In his speeches and texts, he advocated an improvement in the situation of the peasants and equal rights for Ukrainians and their culture.

In January 1913 he was transferred to the bishopric in Yeniseisk in Siberia because of a relationship with a 20-year-old seminary student. He could no longer take part in the meetings of the State Duma, but retained his mandate.

Resignation as bishop and political activities

After the February Revolution of 1917 , he expressed himself enthusiastically about the changes several times. In July he asked to be released from his position as bishop in order to return to Ukraine. In August he was restored to lay status by the Holy Synod . He married the former seminary student. Soon afterwards she was found shot dead in her bed; the background remained unclear.

Since January 1918 Mykola Bessonow was head of the department for religious affairs at the Ministry of Interior of the Ukrainian Central Rada . During this time he also wrote theater reviews. He signed each time with "the former Bishop Nikon - Mykola Bessonow". His further fate is unknown. In 1919 he died in Odessa .

meaning

An Orthodox bishop who resigns from his office and allows himself to be transferred back to the laity was unusual for the Russian Orthodox Church of his time. After his forced transfer to Siberia, Nikon wanted to return to the Ukraine in order to be able to be politically free in the Duma. As a native of Russia, he supported the Ukrainian People's Republic's striving for independence and also campaigned for the Ukrainian Church Assembly (Українська цірковна рада), which aspired to an independent Ukrainian church.

Web links

• Bishop and revolutionary: Nikolai Bessonow (Russian)