Vladimir Kuzmin: Socio-Cultural Image of a Priest

The object of the study is the personality of the missionary priest of the Minusinsk District Vladimir Kuzmin, the subject is his activity in the context of the concept of “sociocultural image”. Based on the biographical research method, the main aspects of V. Kuzmin’s life were studied. The paper sets the following objectives: to reveal the level of education of the priest, to analyze the situation in society, to study the main directions of cultural and educational activities, to outline the position during the First World War and the revolutions of 1917. Particular attention is paid to the activities of V. Kuzmin in the place of a missionary priest in Askiz parish. His merits in the field of combating drunkenness among parishioners and childhood alcoholism are noted. V. Kuzmin was particularly concerned about drunkenness among the non-Russian population. On his initiative and under his leadership, temperance societies and the Brotherhood of Prayer and Temperance were created in the name of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in the Minusinsk District. The problem of drunkenness and alcoholism became especially urgent during the First World War. V. Kuzmin actively collaborated with the magazine “Yenisei Diocesan Gazette”. His publications on the pages of the magazine were always timely and devoted to topical issues in the daily life of not only parishioners, but also the population of the entire province. At meetings of diocesan congresses and pastoral and missionary meetings, he advocated a complete state ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages. As a missionary priest, he proposed specific measures to improve missionary activities. As a dean archpriest, V. Kuzmin was fruitfully engaged in social and political work. He was a member of the Minusinsk City Duma and a member of the District government. During the period of the revolutions of 1917 and the civil war, there was an evolution in the socio-political views and activities of the archpriest V. Kuzmina. He welcomed the February Revolution of 1917 and stood at the head of the Minusinsk group of the Labor People's Socialist Party. Missionary priest V. Kuzmin was an interesting, versatile personality who deserves further attention from researchers.