Vladimir Nikolaevich Lvov (April 2, 1872 – September 20, 1930, Tomsk) was a Russian politician and statesman, member of the State Duma of the III and IV convocations. Ober-Prosecutor of the Holy Synod (1917; in the Provisional Government). Grandson of A. N. Lvov, brother of the politician N. N. Lvov.
Early years
Born in a noble family Lvov. Father, Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lvov (1834–1887) – torzhok landowner; grandson of A.N. Lvov and count N.S. Mordvinov, son of N.A. Lvov. Mother – Maria Mikhailovna, née Chelischeva ( – 1915).
He graduated from the private men's gymnasium Polivanov, faculty of history and philology Moscow University, was a volunteer at the Moscow Theological Academy. He had wanted to enter the monastery, but the famous old man Barnabas of Gethsemane (Merkulov), now canonized, did not bless him on the tonsure, but found him a bride and performed a wedding ceremony. In his youth he studied music, drew, wrote poetry (later became the author of the words and music of the hymn of the nobility of the Samara province "We carry the sword for the king").
Public and political figure
He lived in the estate Krotkovo in the Buguruslan district of the Samara province (previously, the estate belonged to the wife, but she transferred the right to manage it to her husband). In 1907, he owned 360 acres of land, in 1912, it was already 4,608 tithes. In 1905 he participated in the creation "Union of October 17" in Samara and the Samara province. Elected vowel Buguruslanskogo district and the Samara provincial assembly. In 1907 – a member of the Samara provincial district council. Published in the newspaper "Voice of Samara."
In 1907 he was elected a member of the III State Duma of the total composition of electors in the Samara province. In 1907–1910 – a member of the Union faction on October 17, then he was a member of the Russian national faction and a group of independent nationalists. Chairman of the commission for the Russian Church, he was also a member of commissions on punishment and religious issues, budget commission. He was known in the Duma as the 2nd Lviv (1st Lviv – his elder brother Nikolai).
In 1912 he was elected a member of the IV State Duma of the total composition of electors in the Samara province. He became chairman of the faction of the Center, retained the post of chairman of the commission on the affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was also a member of the commission on religious issues, in Old Believer affairs, in the direction of legislative assumptions, on execution of the state list of incomes and expenses, budget and financial commissions. Evolved towards political opposition, in 1915 became a member of the Bureau of the Progressive Bloc. Criticized the situation in the management of the Russian Church, was opposed to the influence of Grigori Rasputin on the decision of synodal affairs, advocated the convening of a local council and reform of church government. In 1915, the opposition considered his candidacy for the post of chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod.
Ober Prosecutor of the Synod
During the February Revolution, he became a member of the Provisional Committee of the State Duma. He served as the chief procurator of the Holy Synod in the first and the second (first coalition) composition of the Provisional Government. Removed from the Synod of his former members: metropolitans of Petrograd Pitirim (Oknova) and Moscow Macarius (Nevsky), whom the press accused of having links with Rasputin. 14 (27) April 1917 initiated the publication of a decree of the Provisional Government on changing the composition of the Holy Synod, who left from his former members only the Archbishop Sergius (Stragorodsky). Actively supported the activities democratically and reformist clergy (in particular, on his initiative by the editor "All-Russian Church Public Herald" liberal professor Boris Titlinov was appointed) with his support, the All-Russian Diocesan Congress of representatives of the clergy and laity was held. Was a supporter of the convocation of the Local Council, considering that the majority of its participants will be supporters of reforms (this assumption was not justified).
His emotional nature, peculiar authoritarian management style displeased the majority of the representatives of the episcopate. According to Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky), part of the Pre-Council Council, Lvov during his time as ober-prosecutor "He was a dictator and he overtook a lot of bishops", "made the business atmosphere of our meetings annoyed, hysterical tone, prejudiced ill will towards the bishops – he did not help the work, but interfered".