The significance of this study lies in its examination of the adaptation and development of Orthodox social ministry in the face of external challenges, as illustrated by the example of the Saransk Diocese of the Mordovia Metropolia. Scientific problem. The author analyses the evolution of structures and social practices, as well as the consequences of their implementation for regional societies and Orthodox social assistance actors. Methods. The article compares the results of two qualitative sociological studies of Orthodox social service in the Republic of Mordovia – expert surveys conducted by in-depth interviews in 2019 (n=16) and 2026 (n=10) with activists of public organizations, employees of government agencies and charitable NGOs. Research results. The author states that the regional network of Orthodox charitable NGOs and volunteer groups, which was formed in the second decade of the 21st century, proved its viability when faced with threats of social insecurity. Orthodox social actors continued to cooperate with state social institutions, consolidated its institutional conditions in the form of contracts, increased the number of their adherents and the volume of charitable assistance, and expanded the number of areas of activity. The social consequences of Orthodox social service include the formation of communities willing to help from among former wards and the dissemination of prosocial values. Conclusions. The author demonstrates that the scale of social assistance needed to solve or mitigate the most pressing social problems of the region's population goes beyond the capabilities of charitable organizations, requiring the combined efforts of the state, interregional charitable organizations, local socially oriented Orthodox organizations and volunteers. The latter consider themselves as partners of the state in the implementation of its social policy, but state the impossibility of independently attracting resources comparable to those that can be used as a result of such a partnership.
The significance of this study lies in its examination of the adaptation and development of Orthodox social ministry in the face of external challenges, as illustrated by the example of the Saransk Diocese of the Mordovia Metropolia. Scientific problem. The author analyses the evolution of structures and social practices, as well as the consequences of their implementation for regional societies and Orthodox social assistance actors. Methods. The article compares the results of two qualitative sociological studies of Orthodox social service in the Republic of Mordovia – expert surveys conducted by in-depth interviews in 2019 (n=16) and 2026 (n=10) with activists of public organizations, employees of government agencies and charitable NGOs. Research results. The author states that the regional network of Orthodox charitable NGOs and volunteer groups, which was formed in the second decade of the 21st century, proved its viability when faced with threats of social insecurity. Orthodox social actors continued to cooperate with state social institutions, consolidated its institutional conditions in the form of contracts, increased the number of their adherents and the volume of charitable assistance, and expanded the number of areas of activity. The social consequences of Orthodox social service include the formation of communities willing to help from among former wards and the dissemination of prosocial values. Conclusions. The author demonstrates that the scale of social assistance needed to solve or mitigate the most pressing social problems of the region's population goes beyond the capabilities of charitable organizations, requiring the combined efforts of the state, interregional charitable organizations, local socially oriented Orthodox organizations and volunteers. The latter consider themselves as partners of the state in the implementation of its social policy, but state the impossibility of independently attracting resources comparable to those that can be used as a result of such a partnership.