Hundred years elapsed since excommunication of Leo Tolstoi but the interest to the event has not extinmguished as yet. The author undertakes the attempt to reconstruct Tolostoi own thoughts and feelings aroused by his excommunication. To attain the goal Tolstoi’s attitude to the Church and faith in general is considered. The author comes to conclusion that the basis of L. N. Tolstoi’s own ethical and religious teaching is the belief that a human being has to treat other persons in a way he would wish to be treated by other people. It is a rule which is easily explained by the reason, and Tolstoi elevates this principle to the universal law level, to the level of irreal belief. Following his convictions Tolstoi would have to regard the Synod’s decree with a contempt and indignation. And his «Reply to the Synod» proves that Tolstoi reacted to the decree precisely in this way. However the author points out that it is wrong to explore Tolstoi’s outlook only on basis of «The Reply». Such approach would be too one-sided, biased, distorted. The author finds signs of deep spiritual movements experienced by Tolstoi in his diaries and correspondence. The author is disposed to suggest that the cause of the inner shock experienced by Tolstoi were doubts in the system of moral values created by himself. Tolstoi’s diaries for the period contain information on these doubts.