- Pogost
"Pogost" ( _ru. погост, from
Old East Slavic : погостъ [Hypatian Chronicle , 947 AD] ) is a historical term with several meanings in theRussian language .The original usage applies to the coaching inn for princes and ecclesiastics [ru icon
Max Vasmer . "Этимологический словарь русского языка"] with the word being similar to modern Russian "gost"' (гость), "guest". It is assumed that originally "pogosts" were rural communities on the periphery of the ancient Russian state, as well as trading centers (Old Russian: "gost'ba", гостьба). [ [http://www.rusinst.ru/articletext.asp?rzd=1&id=2951 ru icon "Большая энциклопедия русского языка"] ]In the end of the 10th century "pogosts" transformed into administrative and territorial districts. "Pogosts" varied in size, ranging from tens to hundreds of villages in 11th—14th centuries. As Christianity spread in Russia, churches were built in "pogosts". In 1775 the last "pogosts" that served as administrative districts were destroyed. Since then they became known as city "pogosts" (погосто - место), functioning as parish centers.
In the central "
uyezd s" of 15th-16th centuries "pogosts" were small settlements with a church and a graveyard, likeKizhi Pogost orKadnikov Pogost. In modern Russian, "pogosts" usually designate a combination of a rural church and a graveyard, situated at some distant place.Pogost in Finland and Latvia
The central village of the Finnish "kunta" (rural district) of
Ilomantsi is usually called the "pogosta" of Ilomantsi ("Ilomantsin pogosta"), the word being obviously a borrowing from Russian. The local dialect of Finnish shows strong Russian influence, and there is a strong presence of Orthodox Christians in the municipality. Even the name of the local newspaper is "Pogostan Sanomat" ("The Pogosta News"). Outside Ilomantsi, "pogosta" is not a valid Finnish word."
Pagasts " is the name for a basic unit of local self-government in the Republic ofLatvia . The word "pagasts " is a commonly used Latvian word equivalent to civil parish, rural municipality or small rural district, originating in the Russian "pogost". There are 432 rural municipalities or "pagasti" inLatvia . [ [http://www.lps.lv/jaunumi.php?lang=en Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments] ]References
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