Ivan Gagarin
Encyclopedia
Ivan Sergeyevich Gagarin (born in Moscow
, 1 August 1814; died in Paris
, 19 July 1882) was a Russian Jesuit, known also as Jean-Xavier after his conversion
to Catholicism
. He was of the princely Russian family which traces its origin to the ancient rulers of Starodub
.
. He was afterwards transferred to the Russian embassy at Paris, where his services were requisitioned in a similar capacity.
He frequented the salon of his near relation, Madame Sophie Swetchine, and was on terms of familiar intercourse with Father de Ravignan, Lacordaire's
successor in the pulpit of Notre-Dame de Paris.
His conversion
to Catholicism took place in 1842. On 19 April of that year Gagarin made his profession of faith, and was received into the Catholic Church by Ravignan. According to Russian law, this put an end to his diplomatic career, and he forfeited all rights to his inheritance.
In the latter half of 1843 he entered the Society of Jesus
, and passed his novitiate
at Saint-Acheul
. He was afterwards sent to Brugelette
(in Belgium
) where the French Jesuits in exile had a High School. He then taught church history and philosophy, at the College of Vaugirard and the school of Ste-Geneviève, and at Laval
. He spent some time in Versailles
and, in 1855, was back at Paris. From this time onwards he wrote extensively in the Catholic cause.
When the religious orders were expelled from France, Gagarin went to Switzerland, but soon returned to Paris, where he died.
As a polemist Gagarin was thorough, and his work as a religious propagandist was of importance. His main object was win over Russia to the Catholic Church. In conjunction with Fr. Daniel, Gagarin founded (1856) the journal "Etudes de théologie, de philosophie et d'histoire" (merged into "Etudes religieuses, historiques et littéraires", 1862); he established the "Œuvre de Prop. des Sts. Cyrille et Méthode" (1858), to promote corporate union amongst the Churches; and contributed to the "Contemporain", "Univers", "Ami de la Religion", "Précis historiques", "Correspondant", "Revue des questions historiques", etc.
The "Polybiblion" (Paris, 1882), another review in which articles appeared from the pen of Gagarin, exhibits (XXXV, 166-188) a long list of his writings. These include:
Gagarin also spent several years in Constantinople
, where he founded the Society of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, which aimed at reuniting the Greek and Latin Churches. With this object, too, he published:
studies on the Oriental Churches. Amongst works of Gagarin's later years are:
Almost all the above were published at Paris. A portion of his works were re-issued by Brühl, in "Russische Studien zur Theologie und Geschichte" (Münster, 1857); and by Huttler, in "Katholike Studien" (Augsburg, 1865).
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 1 August 1814; died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 19 July 1882) was a Russian Jesuit, known also as Jean-Xavier after his conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. He was of the princely Russian family which traces its origin to the ancient rulers of Starodub
Starodub
Starodub is a town and the administrative center of Starodubsky District of Bryansk Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Babinets River , southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 .-History:...
.
Life
He was the son of the Russian state-councillor, Prince Sergius Gagarin, and Barbara Pushkin. He entered the service of the state at an early age, and was first named attaché to his uncle, Prince Gregory Gagarin, at Munich, on whose death, in 1837, he acted as secretary to the legation at ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He was afterwards transferred to the Russian embassy at Paris, where his services were requisitioned in a similar capacity.
He frequented the salon of his near relation, Madame Sophie Swetchine, and was on terms of familiar intercourse with Father de Ravignan, Lacordaire's
Jean-Baptiste Henri Lacordaire
Jean-Baptiste Henri-Dominique Lacordaire , often styled Henri-Dominique Lacordaire, was a French ecclesiastic, preacher, journalist and political activist...
successor in the pulpit of Notre-Dame de Paris.
His conversion
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Catholicism took place in 1842. On 19 April of that year Gagarin made his profession of faith, and was received into the Catholic Church by Ravignan. According to Russian law, this put an end to his diplomatic career, and he forfeited all rights to his inheritance.
In the latter half of 1843 he entered the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, and passed his novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
at Saint-Acheul
Saint-Acheul
Saint-Acheul is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France. It is not to be confused with Saint-Acheul, a suburb of Amiens after which the Acheulean archaeological culture of the Lower Paleolithic is named.-Geography:...
. He was afterwards sent to Brugelette
Brugelette
Brugelette is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Brugelette had a total population of 3,284. The total area is 28.40 km² which gives a population density of 116 inhabitants per km².- External links :*...
(in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) where the French Jesuits in exile had a High School. He then taught church history and philosophy, at the College of Vaugirard and the school of Ste-Geneviève, and at Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
. He spent some time in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
and, in 1855, was back at Paris. From this time onwards he wrote extensively in the Catholic cause.
When the religious orders were expelled from France, Gagarin went to Switzerland, but soon returned to Paris, where he died.
Works
Gagarin's literary output was considerable; many of his articles which appeared in current reviews and periodicals were afterwards collected and published in book form.As a polemist Gagarin was thorough, and his work as a religious propagandist was of importance. His main object was win over Russia to the Catholic Church. In conjunction with Fr. Daniel, Gagarin founded (1856) the journal "Etudes de théologie, de philosophie et d'histoire" (merged into "Etudes religieuses, historiques et littéraires", 1862); he established the "Œuvre de Prop. des Sts. Cyrille et Méthode" (1858), to promote corporate union amongst the Churches; and contributed to the "Contemporain", "Univers", "Ami de la Religion", "Précis historiques", "Correspondant", "Revue des questions historiques", etc.
The "Polybiblion" (Paris, 1882), another review in which articles appeared from the pen of Gagarin, exhibits (XXXV, 166-188) a long list of his writings. These include:
- "La question religieuse dans l'Orient" (1854);
- "La Russie sera-t-elle catholique?" (Paris, 1856), tr. German (Münster, 1857), and rendered into other languages;
- "De l'Enseignement de la théologie dans l'Eglise russe" (1856);
- "Un document inédit sur l'expulsion des Jésuites de Moscou" (1857);
- "Les Starovères, l'Eglise russe et le Pape" (1857);
- "De la Réunion de l'Eglise orientale avec l'Eglise romaine" (1860);
- "Réponse d'un Russe à un Russe" (1860);
- "Tendences catholiques dans la société russe" (1860);
- "L'avenir de l'Eglise grecque unie" (1862);
- "La primauté de Saint-Pierre et les livres liturgiques de l'Eglise russe" (1863).
Gagarin also spent several years in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, where he founded the Society of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, which aimed at reuniting the Greek and Latin Churches. With this object, too, he published:
- "L'Eglise roumaine", etc. (1865);
- "Constitution et situation présente de toutes les Eglises de l'Orient" (Paris, 1865);
- "Les Eglises orientales unies" (1867),
studies on the Oriental Churches. Amongst works of Gagarin's later years are:
- "Les hymnes de l'Eglise russe" (1868);
- the discursive "Le Clergé Russe" (new ed. Brussels, 1871; tr. London, 1872), a collection, in book form, of a series of articles published in the "Etudes religieuses" under the title "La réforme du clergé russe", an indictment of the encroachments of civil aggression on ecclesiastical right;
- "Mémoires d'Archetti" [Paris, Brussels, 1872 - "Les Jésuites de Russie" (1783–1785)];
- and "Religion et Mœurs des Russes", edited by Gagarin (Paris, 1879).
Almost all the above were published at Paris. A portion of his works were re-issued by Brühl, in "Russische Studien zur Theologie und Geschichte" (Münster, 1857); and by Huttler, in "Katholike Studien" (Augsburg, 1865).