Pogost
Encyclopedia
Pogost is a historical term with several meanings in the Russian language
. It has also been borrowed into Latvian (pagasts) and Finnish (pogosta), with specific meanings.
The original usage applies to the coaching inn for princes and ecclesiastics with the word being similar to modern Russian gost (гость), "guest". It is assumed that originally pogosts were rural communities on the periphery of the ancient Russian state, as well as trading centers (Old Russian: gost'ba, гостьба).
In the end of the 10th century pogosts transformed into administrative and territorial districts. Pogosts varied in size, ranging from tens to hundreds of villages in 11th—14th centuries. As Christianity spread in Russia, churches were built in pogosts. In 1775 the last pogosts that served as administrative districts were destroyed. Since then they became known as city pogosts (погосто - место), functioning as parish centers.
In the central uyezd
s of 15th-16th centuries pogosts were small settlements with a church and a graveyard, like Kizhi
Pogost or Kadnikov
Pogost. In modern Russian, pogosts usually designate a combination of a rural church and a graveyard
, situated at some distant place.
is usually called the pogosta of Ilomantsi (Ilomantsin pogosta), the word being obviously a borrowing from Russian. The local dialect of Finnish shows strong Russian influence, and there is a strong presence of Orthodox Christians in the municipality. Even the name of the local newspaper is Pogostan Sanomat ("The Pogosta News"), and a certain viral disease is locally called the Pogosta disease
.
In modern Finnish language, pogosta is also used in references to historical places, as a historical synonym for "parish
" or "municipality
" in Karelia
n and Russian contexts.
Pagasts is the name for a basic unit of local self-government in the Republic of Latvia
. The word "pagasts" is a commonly used Latvian
word equivalent to civil parish, rural municipality or small rural district, originating in the Russian
pogost. There are 432 rural municipalities or pagasti in Latvia
.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. It has also been borrowed into Latvian (pagasts) and Finnish (pogosta), with specific meanings.
The original usage applies to the coaching inn for princes and ecclesiastics with the word being similar to modern Russian gost (гость), "guest". It is assumed that originally pogosts were rural communities on the periphery of the ancient Russian state, as well as trading centers (Old Russian: gost'ba, гостьба).
In the end of the 10th century pogosts transformed into administrative and territorial districts. Pogosts varied in size, ranging from tens to hundreds of villages in 11th—14th centuries. As Christianity spread in Russia, churches were built in pogosts. In 1775 the last pogosts that served as administrative districts were destroyed. Since then they became known as city pogosts (погосто - место), functioning as parish centers.
In the central uyezd
Uyezd
Uyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus', Muscovy, Russian Empire, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division...
s of 15th-16th centuries pogosts were small settlements with a church and a graveyard, like Kizhi
Kizhi
Kizhi is an island near the geometrical center of the Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia , Russia. It is elongated from north to south and is about 6 km long, 1 km wide and is about 68 km away from the capital of Karelia, Petrozavodsk.Settlements and churches on the island were...
Pogost or Kadnikov
Kadnikov
Kadnikov is a town in Sokolsky District of Vologda Oblast, Russia,, located on the bank of the Sodima River, southeast of Vologda. Municipally, it is incorporated as Kadnikovskoe Urban Settlement in Sokolsky Municipal District. Population: -History:...
Pogost. In modern Russian, pogosts usually designate a combination of a rural church and a graveyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
, situated at some distant place.
Usage in Finland and Latvia
The central village of the Finnish kunta (rural district) of IlomantsiIlomantsi
Ilomantsi is municipality and a village of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
is usually called the pogosta of Ilomantsi (Ilomantsin pogosta), the word being obviously a borrowing from Russian. The local dialect of Finnish shows strong Russian influence, and there is a strong presence of Orthodox Christians in the municipality. Even the name of the local newspaper is Pogostan Sanomat ("The Pogosta News"), and a certain viral disease is locally called the Pogosta disease
Pogosta disease
Pogosta disease is a viral disease, established to be identical with other diseases, Karelian fever and Ockelbo disease. The names are derived from the words Pogosta, Karelia and Ockelbo, respectively....
.
In modern Finnish language, pogosta is also used in references to historical places, as a historical synonym for "parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
" or "municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
" in Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
n and Russian contexts.
Pagasts is the name for a basic unit of local self-government in the Republic of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. The word "pagasts" is a commonly used Latvian
Latvian language
Latvian is the official state language of Latvia. It is also sometimes referred to as Lettish. There are about 1.4 million native Latvian speakers in Latvia and about 150,000 abroad. The Latvian language has a relatively large number of non-native speakers, atypical for a small language...
word equivalent to civil parish, rural municipality or small rural district, originating in the Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
pogost. There are 432 rural municipalities or pagasti in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.