Most Holy Synod

Most Holy Synod
Святѣйшій Правительствующій Сѵнодъ
SuccessorHoly Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church
FormationJanuary 25, 1721
FounderPeter I of Russia
Dissolved1917
TypeGoverning body
PurposeHighest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church
Region
Russia
Membership
10-12
The participants of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Holy Synod on July 26, 1911 in the main hall of the Metropolitan Housing in Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

The Most Holy Governing Synod (Russian: Святейший Правительствующий Синод, romanizedSvyateyshiy Pravitel'stvuyushchiy Sinod, pre-reform orthography: Святѣйшій Правительствующій Сѵнодъ, Svyatěyshìy Pravitel'stvuyushchìy Sÿnod) was the highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church between 1721 and 1917. It was abolished following the February Revolution of 1917 and replaced with a restored patriarchate under Tikhon of Moscow. The jurisdiction of the Most Holy Synod extended over every kind of ecclesiastical question and over some partly secular matters.

Peter I of Russia established the Synod on January 25, 1721 in the course of his church reform. Its establishment was followed by the abolition of the Patriarchate. The synod was composed partly of ecclesiastical persons, partly of laymen appointed by the Tsar. Members included the Metropolitans of Saint Petersburg, Moscow and Kiev, and the Exarch of Georgia. Originally, the Synod had ten ecclesiastical members, but the number later changed to twelve.