The Siberian Eparchy was
formed in 1620. By that time Tobolsk had become a cultural center of a
huge territory – new undeveloped land annexed to the Russian State.
Cyprian Starorusenin became the first archbishop of the eparchy. Upon
his arrival to Tobolsk Cyprian informed the Russian patriarchy on the
general moral degradation and disorder among the Tobolsk residence, who
had been living for a long time in estrangement to large cultural
centers. Due to selflessness of Cyprian new monasteries and churches
were started, and clerical missionaries were sent to remote parts of
Siberia. Cyprian initiated the first Siberian chronicle to commemorate
the names of the killed warriors of Ermak. At that time missionary
activities got started to convert indigenous peoples and Siberian
tartars into Christianity. Baptizing was not an easy process. Some
people got assimilated and virtually were integrated into the Russian
population. The other abode by their national faith and traditions. In
1636 in the Abalak settlement an appearance of the Virgin occurred, and
a marvelous icon was painted by a monk Matphey. Later the Znamenski male
monastery was built at this place. Since 1665 a religious procession
with a marvelous icon had been held annually from Abalak to Tobolsk. By
the end of the XVII century Tobolsk had been turned into a leading
spiritual and cultural center within Russia. The first decades since the
formation of the Siberian eparchy had proved a tangible evidence of how
great might be the impact of true faith and moral selflessness upon
surrounding life.
