The article examines the causes, course and results of the Greek-Russian conflict that arose in the first half of the 1870s in the Athos St. Panteleimon Monastery. It is shown that the conflict was caused by the aggravation of a number of contradictions between different ethnic communities in the monastery itself, the general rise in the Greek environment of anti-Slavic and anti-Russian sentiments caused by Russia's position in the Greek-Bulgarian church issue, as well as the actions of British diplomacy which sought to weaken Russian influence in the Balkans and the Middle East. The article considers the emergence of the New Athos Simon-Cananite Monastery in the Caucasus, which became one of the results of the «Greek-Russian Panteleimon process».

The article analyzes the letters, diaries and memoirs of regimental priests who participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878: Bacchus Guryev, Alexander Tsitovich, John Sofronov, Alexander Lebedev, Grigory Lapshin. They reflect the direct activities of army priests, their relations with soldiers and officers, the significance of religion in the life of a Russian soldier, and the perception of Bulgarian brothers by priests. It is emphasized that the notes of the regimental priests contain many valuable observations of the events taking place, and reveal to researchers not so much the external as the internal (everyday, spiritual and moral) side of the war.