The article analyzes the influence of the Orthodox Church on the fromation of the intellectuals and the educational system in the pre-revolutionary Yakutia. The author reveals the role of the educational institutions of the Department of religious affairs in the formation of the first generation of progressives in the area. Translation of religious literature from Russian to Yakut resulted in developing of Yakut writing system and literature. The author considers the role of the oficially established religion, Orthodoxy, in the development of the Yakuts’ national identity.