INCOME OF PRIESTS OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH IN MANCHURIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400730001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 2, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/12/10: CIA-RDP82-00047R000400 '/hf
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
China (Manchuria)
Income of Priests of the Russian Church
In Manchuria
PLACE 25X1C ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF INFORMATION
TNIt DOC VYIMT CON TA INi TI OM AI ICTINL THE NAT1 ONAL 0[1[M I[
OI TN[ UNITED 1707[1, .:"1:01:0110 E NINNIES 01 TI TLi WIr EE CTIONI 7II
PRO 704, OF THE V.L. CODE, AI AMENDED. 176 TAANIMII/WON OR HIVE.
CATION OI IT1 CON TINTt TO OA At Ct III IT AN VNAVTNONIOIO P1N/ON It
INONIIITID IT W. TN[ N[I A0000TIOM 01 TN 11 IO AY It IIOM1117ID.
REPORT NO
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
25X1 A
S4 25X1
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1)4
Z5X1X
1. In 1953 approximately 300,000 yuan equalled US$10. The avera a amount need.
for a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church to subsist Ilat that time
was about 400,OU0 Yuan, or approximately US$13. Priests did not receive state
salaries. Their salaries varied. On the average, about 150,000 yuan per month
were provided by the local church, plus a free dwelling and free heat. The priest' fi
salary was determined by the local church council. The extra 250,000 yuan needed
by the priest were earned by performing religious ceremonies, such as marriages.
Local churches supported the Eparchy by contributing a certain portion, perhaps
five percent, of their income. The Eparohy had no other source of income, except
for divorce fees. The income of a local church depended upon the size of the
congregation and the wealth or poverty of the district in which the church was
located. There were four main sources of income for a local churchs (a)
monthly contributions from church members, the amount being determined by their
ability to contribute, (b) sale of candles, which provided quite a sizeable
amount, (o) collections at services, and (d) sale of ceremonial bread. The
income from the sale of ceremonial bread was divided equally between the priest
and the local church,
20 The priests of the Russian Church in Manchuria were much better off before the
Church came under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. This was
particularly true prior to 1935. The local Russians were more prosperous.
Many of them were employed by the Chinese Eastern Railway. Consequently, they
were in a position to contribute generously to the Church. In addition, the
Chinese Eastern Railway supported about half of the churches in Manchuria. 25X1X
Most of these were located in the smaller towns The
Railway paid 150 gold rubles monthly to each priest assigned to one of its
churches. This was true only up to 1926, however, at which time the Soviets
took over the Russian interest in the Railway and stopped payment of salaries
to priests,, The Soviets at that time did not otherwise interfere with the Church.
25X1X
3. The relative economic position of the Russian clergy
was quite low. In general, the average priest lived more poorly than the
;average layman. Some priests repaired watches to supplement their salaries.
Others had to repair their own shoes, The present repatriation of Soviet
nationals (former emigres) from China to the USSR will increase the economic
25X1X difficulties facing the priests. I Imost of the priests
will not accept repatriation, unless the Moscow Patriarchate should offer
them specific assignments to parishes in the USSR, in which case they might
be tempted.
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400730001-5
 Approved For Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400730001-5
4a The Moscow Patriarchate did not extend material aid to the
needs and, therefore, no financial aid from Moscow reached the
Eparchy.
Eparchy or to its parishes. The Chinese monk, Simeon, who was a bishop
of the Russian Church in Shanghai, received some funds in about 1950
from the Moscow Patriarchate as a goodwill gesture.
The Patriarchate sent
money to the xar o h o the Far as a u only for his administrative
25X1A
25X1
25X1A
25X1
Approved For Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400730001-5