This article examines endeavors of Metropolitan Iosif (Semashko) (1798-1868), who was in charge of the Lithuanian Orthodox eparchy, in the field of the public education. His activities are considered in the context of his convictions, his ideas about history of the Lithuanian-Belarusian Provinces and about theirs community with Russia. The article focuses on his role in reform of the public school in the North-Western Provinces of the Russian Empire in the 1840-1860s. In particular, in 1863 Metropolitan Iosif suggested to achieve the “merger” of government schools of the Vilna educational district and parish schools of the Lithuanian Orthodox eparchy.