Cultural and Educational Activities of Roman Catholic Priests in Volyn in the Second Half of the 19th - Early 20th Centuries

The aim of the article is to explore the cultural, educational, and educationl activities of Roman Catholic priests in Volhynia during the second half of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuries.The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, systematicity, scientificity, author objectivity, as well as the utilization of general scientific (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, generalization) and specialhistorical (historical-genetic, historical-typological, source-study, biographical) methods.During the processing of the archival materials, methods of historiographical analysis, criticism, and classification were applied.The scientific novelty lies in the exploration of the little-known archival sources and highlighting of the cultural and educational activities of the Roman Catholic clergy in Volhynia during the specified period, their role in the advancement of the national movement, and spiritual-religious revival.Conclusions.Previously unexamined archival documents indicate that the policy of the Russian autocracy in cultural life concerning Poles in Volhynia during the second half of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuryies was based on chauvinistic principles.The Russian autocracy sought to suppress the formation of Polish education and russify the