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The Relationship Between the Soviet Government and the Old Believers’ Concord in the Don Region in the 1920s–1930s
The stages of anti-religious actions carried out by the state in 1920–1930-ies are revealed. A characteristic feature in comparison with other provinces of the Old Believers’ concordances, localized in the Area of the Don Army, was their insignifi cant
number compared to other provinces. The policy of the Soviet government in the fi rst half of the 1920-ies with regard to religious organizations did not cause fundamental changes among the Don Old Believers. The fi rst action of the Soviet government in relation to religious organizations – the implementation of the decree “On the separation of church from state and school from church” concerned exclusively communities that held services in churches, of which there were only three in the Don Region. Nevertheless, the Soviet authorities of the atheistic state considered the Old Believers as one of the religious organizations which existence did not correspond to the concept of creating an atheistic state. However, the Old Believers of the Don Region were not persecuted until the early 1930-ies. Only after the publication of the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars of the RSFSR of April 8, 1929 “On religious associations” in the 1930-ies, all Old Believer churches and prayer houses known to the executive authorities were closed. The deregistration of Old Believer religious societies and the accompanying migration
processes associated with repression, as well as atheistic education in schools and work collectives, caused the termination of the existence of local Old Believer settlements in the region. By 1940, the Old Believers as a community of religious organizations in the Don Region ceased to exist.
number compared to other provinces. The policy of the Soviet government in the fi rst half of the 1920-ies with regard to religious organizations did not cause fundamental changes among the Don Old Believers. The fi rst action of the Soviet government in relation to religious organizations – the implementation of the decree “On the separation of church from state and school from church” concerned exclusively communities that held services in churches, of which there were only three in the Don Region. Nevertheless, the Soviet authorities of the atheistic state considered the Old Believers as one of the religious organizations which existence did not correspond to the concept of creating an atheistic state. However, the Old Believers of the Don Region were not persecuted until the early 1930-ies. Only after the publication of the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars of the RSFSR of April 8, 1929 “On religious associations” in the 1930-ies, all Old Believer churches and prayer houses known to the executive authorities were closed. The deregistration of Old Believer religious societies and the accompanying migration
processes associated with repression, as well as atheistic education in schools and work collectives, caused the termination of the existence of local Old Believer settlements in the region. By 1940, the Old Believers as a community of religious organizations in the Don Region ceased to exist.
Old Believers, Rostov (Don) Region, nationalization, seizure of church valuables, Resolution of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR of April 8, 1929 “On religious associations”; closure of Old Believers' churches and prayer houses