9-32 p.

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doi.org: 10.22378/he.2023-8-1.9-32

The history and culture of the holy sites in the Volga-Ural region remains an underdeveloped topic in ethnological science. The introduction of new written sources into scientific circulation and a secondary analysis of the works of Russian and foreign researchers can help in solving this problem. The article aims to systematise and analyse information about the cult of saints and pilgrimage traditions among the peoples of the Volga-Ural region in the pre-Soviet period. The belonging of holy sites to certain peoples has become the main principle of the distribution of information. Its use showed the need to single out a separate group of data that reveals the syncretism of holy sites among the Volga-Ural peoples. The collected corpus of materials made it possible to identify the main places of worship in the region, pilgrimage traditions, the attitude of national and religious elites towards sacred objects, and the nature of public discussions. The authors believe that when studying the cult of saints, it is important to take into account the essence of "holiness" and the ideas about it among individual peoples, the system of its maintenance – oral and written heritage, ritual and ceremonial culture. The nature of the worship of holy sites in the context of intercultural contacts in the Volga-Ural region is of great importance.

Keywords: cult of saints, holy sites, sources, Volga-Ural region, Muslims, Orthodox, Old Believers, paganism

For citation: Abdullin Kh.M., Gabdrakhmanova G.F. (2023) The cult of saints and pilgrimage traditions among the peoples of the Volga-Ural region in pre-Soviet times. Istoricheskaya etnologiya [Historical Ethnology]. Vol. 8. No. 1: 9–32. DOI: 10.22378/he.2023-8-1.9-32 (In Russ.)

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About the authors: Khalim M. Abdullin, Cand. Sc. (History), Senior Research Fellow of the Department of New Histoty, Marjani Institute of History of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences (7A, Baturin St., Kazan 420111, Russian Federation); Xalimabd@mail.ru Gulnara F. Gabdrakhmanova, Doctor Sc. (Sociology), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Ethnological Research, Marjani Institute of History of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences (7A, Baturin St., Kazan 420111, Russian Federation); medi54375@mail.ru

Received November 3, 2022   Accepted for publication January 23, 2023

Published Online October 23, 2023