Keywords: canonical territory, confessional practices, integration initiatives, legacy of the past, Muslimism, Russian Orthodox Christianity, expansion of Christianity, civilizational alighment.

The article provides insight into one of the understudied aspects of the Russian policy in the Caucasus in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. The study relies on both published data and previously unreleased scientific sources and evidence. The author argues for the legitimate nature of the attempts intended to disseminate Christianity, including Orthodox Christianity, in the Caucasus in the postwar era. This is also corroborated by the retrospective heritage that had to be incorporated for intellectual comprehension. The analysis also covers the approaches supporting interfaith interaction. As follows from the stated hypothesis, state-wide alignment was ensured thanks to the phenomenon of emerging national Muslimism. The proposed format of the research also gains relevance in the light of multifaceted modern geopolitical and civilizational challenges related to Russian co-citizenship. Research findings will help search for specific solutions, particularly in the context of the initiative recently undertaken to separate the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate. Appealing to the historical experience of expanding Orthodox Christianity in the Caucasus will not provide direct answers to the emerging threats. However, this approach may end up helpful in searching for ways to navigate difficult scenarios.

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