a religious and social organization in Russia. It was established in December 1812 by order of the Emperor Alexander I as the St. Petersburg Bible Society; in 1814 it was reorganized into the Russian Bible Society. Its objective was to disseminate the Bible. The propaganda of the Bible Society was linked to the reactionary external and domestic policies of tsarism. It was particularly active after 1816 because of the leading role played by tsarism in the Holy Alliance. Prominent dignitaries and representatives of the higher clergy headed the Bible Society. Prince A. N. Golitsyn was elected president. There was a total of 289 branches of the Bible Society in the country. Its activity came to a halt in 1824, and the society was formally disbanded in 1826.