Religion

• The Russian Orthodox Church was independent of the Popeand Catholic Europe.
• The Tsar was the head of the Russian Empire and in name only, the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church and was regarded by Orthodox believers as the embodiment of God on Earth.
• The Holy Synod was a group of bishops, which formed the ruling body of the Orthodox Church.
• The Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod (the highest church official) was a government minister appointed by the Tsar to run church affairs.
• This meant that the structures of the Church and State were entwined, as archbishops and bishops at the head of the Church hierarchy were subject to Tsarist control over appointments, religious education, most of the Church’s finances and issues of administration.
• Priests lives in the villages.
• A large majority, about 70% of the population, were members of the Orthodox Church.