AKATHIST TO ST. PRINCESS OLGA, EQUAL-TO-THE-APOSTLES: HISTORY OF COMPOSITION AND EDITION

The article describes the history of the compilation, editing, permission to print and the first publication of the Akathist to St. Grand Princess Olga, equal-to-the-apostles, in the early twentieth century, that has been reconstructed on the basis of preserved archival materials. The research undertaken allowed us to establish the identity of the Akathist's orderer and author, its reviewers, editors and censors; to follow the progress of the creation, editing and preparation of the text for publication. After the publication of the Akathist to St. Olga, prayers from it entered into various liturgical collections, the first of which are indicated in this work. The article also includes an edition of documents reflecting the process of authorization for liturgical use and the first publication of the text. The Holy Synod's archival case on the progress of the censorship of the Akathist to St. Olga, which is kept in the funds of the Russian State Historical Archive, is published in whole. The personal letter of the Akathist's orderer Senator F. Ivanov, to the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod V. Sabler, included in it, contains details of the compilation and editing of the text; the official clerical documents reflect the course of its censorship. Documents that reflect the key moments in the preparation of the first edition of the Akathist's text are provided as excerpts from the Moscow Synodal Printing House's case of the publication of the Akathist to St. Princess Olga, which is kept in the funds of the Russian State Archives of Ancient Documents, as ordered by the Russian Cenobitic Ascension Hermitage on Mount Athos.