Significance:
1. Leadership of the St. Petersburg Assembly of Russian Factory Workers: Gapon established and led the St. Petersburg Assembly of Russian Factory Workers, an organization aimed at addressing workers' grievances and improving their living conditions. Through this organization, Gapon became a popular figure among the working class and gained their trust.
2. Petition to the Tsar: Gapon played a pivotal role in organizing a peaceful march to present a petition to the Tsar, expressing the workers' demands for better working conditions, political reforms, and civil liberties. The petition sought improvements such as an eight-hour workday, increased wages, and the establishment of a popularly elected national assembly (Duma).
3. Bloody Sunday: The march turned into a tragedy known as Bloody Sunday when the Tsar's troops opened fire on the unarmed crowd, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. Gapon's involvement in organizing the march and his reputation among the workers made him a symbol of resistance against the autocratic regime.
4. Loss of Faith in the Tsar: The violent response to the workers' peaceful protest shattered the belief among many Russians that the Tsar would listen to their grievances and enact reforms. Bloody Sunday led to widespread social unrest, protests, and calls for political change across the Russian Empire.
5. Symbol of Workers' Struggle: Gapon became an iconic figure representing the oppression faced by the working class and the demand for social justice. He inspired other revolutionary movements and organizations, contributing to the growing revolutionary sentiment in the country.
6. Assassination: Gapon's role in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday made him a target of the Tsarist secret police. He was assassinated in 1906, allegedly by members of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, due to his perceived betrayal of the workers' cause by cooperating with the authorities after the massacre.
In summary, Father Gapon's significance lies in his leadership of the workers' movement, his role in organizing the peaceful march that resulted in Bloody Sunday, and his subsequent symbolism as a figure representing the workers' struggle for social justice and political change in early 20th century Russia.