Features of Coverage of Anti-Church Actions in 1922 in Don Periodicals

The article attempts to define the term “anti-Church actions”. Based on the analysis of historiography, it is shown that in the Don region, in contrast to other regions of the RSFSR, the fi rst anti-Church actions were held only in 1922. They were held throughout the territory of the RSFSR and met all the requirements voiced by the Soviet government. Analysis of the newspapers “Soviet South” and “Labor Don” allowed us to determine the genres in which the material devoted to anti-Church actions was presented, and its emotional background. At the same time, it was determined that the newspaper “Soviet South” preferred correct coverage of
events, in contrast to the newspaper “Labour Don”, which demonstrated a sharply negative attitude towards the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Arseniy (Smolents) of Rostov and the clergy.
Coverage of the seizure of Church value items demonstrated the dynamics of the ideological component: publications began with an article by a Rostov priest lamenting the impossibility, despite the funds raised, to feed the starving people who were at the Rostov railway station. His article after a series of publications led to the statement that the Church is in no hurry to come to the aid to the starving, then was shown the misconduct of the clergy under seizure, theft of Church property and their concealment, which caused the arrest of Bishop Arseniy and the clergy and a public trial of him.
In contrast to the seizure of Church value items, the origin and formation in the Don region was covered in a positive way.
Since the Soviet government was interested in spreading Renovationism, the newspaper “Labour Don” expressed support for this movement.
Thus, the Soviet authorities used the Don periodicals as a platform for implementing the policy of the Soviet state regarding the Russian Orthodox Church.