ABSTRACT

One stereotype is that monastics do not use mobile phones and in general are behind the times. In some Russian monasteries, it is forbidden to own mobile phones for personal use unless they are required for work; however, in many others, monastics possess modern gadgets, read e-books, use mobile applications and run Facebook accounts. Monasteries are one of the most hard-to-reach fields in the study of religion, which implies certain difficulties regarding access. The archive provided by Sister Mercuriya includes approximately 680 images that vary from artistic photographs taken with a camera to quick mobile shots. Taking photographs of monastics can be seen as a sign of aggression towards them. Within the arsenal of visual sociology, there are several methods to minimise or avoid this. This includes asking for permission to take photographs, involving informants in the research process and allowing them to photograph or using informants’ photo archives.