Procurator (Russia)

Procurator (Russian: прокурор, prokuror), was an office initially established in 1722 by Peter the Great, the first Emperor of the Russian Empire, as part of reforms to bring the Russian Orthodox Church more directly under his control.

The Russian word prokuror also has the meaning of prosecutor.

Chief Procurator (also Ober-Procurator; обер-прокурор, ober-prokuror) was the official title of the head of the Holy Synod, effectively the lay head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and a member of the Tsar's cabinet. Konstantin Pobedonostsev, a former tutor both of Alexander III and of Nicholas II, was one of the most powerful men to hold the post of Chief Procurator (in office: 1880-1905).

General Procurator (Procurator General) and Ober-Procurator were major supervisory positions in the Russian Governing Senate (which functioned from 1711 to 1917), with their meaning changing over time. Eventually "Ober-Procurator" became the title of the Chief of a department of the Senate.

See also