It is known that in the 70s of the 19th century there was a dialogue between the Italian Old Catholics and the Holy Synod about the possibility of making them an Orthodox bishop. A valuable source for the coverage of this dialogue are documents from the Russian State Historical Archive, stored in the Foundation 796 of the Synod’s Office Secret Affairs, op. 205, Rev. 521, 1872—1877 g. on 38 pages under the name «Reports of the rector of the Russian Embassy Church in Rome arch. Alexander Mitr. Isidore on the religious movement». The figurative and expressive archimandrite Alexander describes the problems faced by the pope, the «Vatican prisoner», as he calls him, after the loss of secular power in 1870. Archimandrite gives rare facts, for example, the miracle of finding the relics of Milan saints - St. Ambrose of Mediolan, St. Gervasius and St. Protasia the cleric of the Vatican wanted to use to regain its power. Showing the crisis of the Roman Catholic Church, Archimandrite Alexander collects detailed information about the Italian Old Catholics through the seal, goes to Naples to get acquainted with them personally. He describes in detail the personalities of their leaders, Panelli and Proto Giurleo, sympathizing with the latter. Citing examples of the crisis of the official religion in Italy, the archimandrite sincerely hopes that the appointment of an Orthodox bishop and familiarization with the Orthodox religion will be positively accepted in Italy. This is confirmed by the examples of acceptance by Italian subjects of Orthodoxy given by the archimandrite in correspondence with Metropolitan Isidore. What were the reasons for the refusal of the Holy Synod to the Italian Old Catholics? Despite the Orthodox sympathy to them, St. Synod also took into account the opinion of Italian officials who had an unfavorable opinion about the identity of Proto Jurleo and Panelli. Despite all the efforts of Archimandrite Alexander his dream of the success of Orthodoxy in Italy was never realized, but his correspondence makes it clear that he made every possible effort to do so.
И.В. Дергачева (Wed,) studied this question.