Diocese of Voronezh

Until the establishment of the Diocese of Voronezh area occupied by the Voronezh province, in church affairs was subject to a part of the Ryazan and krutitskoy dioceses.

Great Moscow's Cathedral of 1666-1667 made the decision on the construction of the Archdiocese of Ryazan in metropolitan status and establishing within it two dioceses - Tambov and Voronezh. The need to open the Voronezh diocese confirmed Moscow's Cathedral of 1681-1682. The department was established November 27, 1681 and replaced the delivered saint Metrophanes April 2, 1682.

Initially, the diocese included the city of Voronezh, dace, and the Eagles Kostenski of Ryazan diocese, snatching, and Korotoyak Zemlyanskaya from Belgorod Diocese. In 1692 in Voronezh was completed Annunciation Cathedral. When prelate Metrophanes were built many temples, monastic life was arranged and charity.

After the conquest of Azov in 1696 the diocese moved over the border to the Sea of Azov, on its territory were newly built city of Taganrog and Paul Fortress (now Pavlovsk). As a result of a territorial dispute with the bishop of Ryazan, which was approved by Tsar Peter I in 1699 in favor of the Department of Voronezh, the latter were transferred to the city Usman Demshinsk, Belokolodsk and village Wet Buerak. In the same year, to the diocese of Belgorod, Voronezh was attached Ostrogozhsk.

In the years 1700-1704 from the Diocese of Voronezh was a short-term Azov to the newly allocated to the southern lands.

In the years 1712-1714 locum tenens of the patriarchal throne Ryazan Metropolitan Stephan (Jaworski) tried unsuccessfully to abolish the Voronezh diocese and return the territory of Ryazan department. Contrary to this, the area of the Voronezh diocese was expanded even more - in the years 1718-1720 from the Patriarch of land were transferred to the rivers Don and Hopper, and in 1720 joined the Department of Ryazan. Metropolitan Pachomius (Shpakovsky) launched a large construction, restoration and rebuilding of the cathedral lasted until 1735. Bishop Joachim (the structure of) a lot of attention to religious education - if it were organized by the school for the children of priests in Voronezh at the bishop's house, and in Ostrogozhsk. In subsequent ruler in 1742 opened the Slavic-Latin School at Divnogorsky Assumption Monastery, and May 31, 1745 - Voronezh Theological Seminary. In 1749, under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Voronezh took over some land Tambov diocese, but in 1758 these lands were ceded to the newly resumed Tambov department. In 1765, the Voronezh diocese has increased at the expense of the krutitskoy, Kolomna and Ryazan diocese. Svyatitelstva Tikhon Zadonskiy in 1763–1767 years has strengthened the spiritual and moral foundations of the life of the diocese, especially in monasteries.

In 1775 went to Voronezh diocese part of Moscow, and the Azov lands were transferred to the newly formed Diocese of Slavic. In 1788, much of the northern and north-western lands of the diocese (430 temples and monasteries 6) moved to neighboring dioceses. Until the end of the 18th century dace was transferred Orel diocese. In 1797, six counties of Voronezh were attached to the Sloboda Ukrainian province. At the end of the 18th century, the bishops of the Voronezh region ruled by the Don (143 Church), part of the Sloboda Ukraine (99 churches), as well as 154 churches in Tambov, Ryazan and Saratov provinces.

In 1799, the boundaries of dioceses have been aligned with the boundaries of the provinces, all land outside Voronezh moved to other departments.

In 1829, the Diocese of Voronezh was allocated Novocherkassk.

In 1926, the territory of the Voronezh diocese joined with the city of Tambov diocese of Sts. In 1934, part of the Voronezh diocese, including the newly formed region of Belgorod, Kursk walked to the lectern. In 1954, the Voronezh diocese included the territory of the newly Lipetsk region, Saratov and Rostov dioceses were transferred to the newly formed land Balashovskaya Kamensky and regions. In 1957, the last two regions were disbanded, its territories back to the Voronezh diocese.

May 7, 2003 from the Voronezh has been allocated within the Diocese of Lipetsk Lipetsk region, along with what Voronezh diocese limited Voronezh Oblast.