The Quarterly Journal of St. Philaret’s Institute

This article examines issues in the organization of church life in the Russian émigré communities in Prague, Bratislava, and Brno during the 1920s. The study’s aim is to identify and characterize the primary stages in the life of Orthodox parishes and brotherhoods in Czechoslovakia and to highlight the roles of Bishop Sergius (Korolev) and Fr. Sergius Chetverikov in this process. Our research makes use documents from the archives of the Russian parishes in Prague, Bratislava,  
and Brno, effectively making these available to the academic community for the first time. The main achievements of the study include a detailed description of the two stages of church life which are characteristic of all three parishes: a formational stage and a flourishing stage. We identify and describe the role of laypeople in the early stages of church life, as well as the contributions of Bishop Sergius (Korolev) and Fr. Sergius Chetverikov in achieving church unity. This study demonstrates that, firstly, adherence to the parish charter developed at the Local Council of 1917–1918 not only facilitated the formation of a responsible and active parish council but also rallied devoted parishioners around it, expanding the scope of parish activities, including educational and charity activities; secondly, for providing liturgical services fell to the parishes and involved the creation of a pious atmosphere, the construction of a portable iconostasis, the collection of icons, and the organization of a church choir. These findings underscore the vibrant need for religious life and sacrificial service to others among the émigrés themselves, despite the extremely challenging conditions of their existence. The unity of the faithful was critically important in overcoming conflict with the Czech Orthodox religious community, which sought to incorporate the Russian Orthodox into its own fold.