The meaning of the council for religious affairs in the Orthodox encyclopedia tree. ​Commissioner for Religious Affairs: “The Sovereign’s Eye” for the Church Provision of Commissioners for Religious Affairs 1975

In December 1965, a new state body was created, which was to play an important role in the implementation of religious policy in the last decade of the USSR. The formation of the Council for Religious Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the Council - I.M.) under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, which arose by combining the Councils for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church and for the Affairs of Religious Cults, did not arouse widespread public interest within the country, but received resonance in the foreign press, which regarded this act as a reflection of the desire of the CPSU to establish complete control over all spheres of human activity. The Council was subordinate to the USSR Council of Ministers, but carried out the instructions of the ideological department of the CPSU Central Committee and was in contact with the department for combating ideological sabotage of the KGB of the USSR.

In historical scholarship, there are ambiguous assessments of the role of the Council in the religious policy of the Soviet state. Using a historical analogy, M. I. Odintsov saw in his activities a revival of the system of the pre-revolutionary chief prosecutor, since not a single issue regarding the activities of religious organizations could be resolved without the participation of the Council.

According to G. Stricker, the Council exercised functions of control over religious societies, and the Canadian historian D. V. Pospelovsky argued that it became an institution that persecuted believers and suppressed their struggle for their rights. It turned out to be possible to clarify the historical role of the Council based on the analysis of archival documents, which until recently were inaccessible to a wide range of researchers. They contain information about the state of the religious network, personnel of clergy and their training in religious educational institutions, religious rituals, the organizational and financial-economic state of the Church, the safety of religious values, the situation of believers in the USSR, etc. The archival collections contain predominantly information about the relationship between the Council and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), which remained the dominant denomination in the country.

The structure of the Council was finally formed by the mid-1980s. The central apparatus included: management, organizational and inspection department, departments for the affairs of Orthodox churches, Muslim and Buddhist religions, Protestant churches, Jewish religion and sects, Roman Catholic and Armenian churches, as well as a department for international relations, a department for relations with Muslim countries ( it was abolished in 1988), International Information Division, Statistics and Analysis Division, Legal Division, First Division, General Division. In addition to the central apparatus, the Council had representatives in the union and autonomous republics, territories and regions. The powers of the Council included the right to make decisions on the registration and deregistration of religious associations, on the opening and closing of houses of worship and houses, as well as the right to monitor compliance with legislation on cults. The Council checked the activities of not only religious organizations and clergy, but also government bodies and officials in terms of their compliance with relevant legislation.

The Soviet state viewed the registration of religious associations as recognition of the rights of believers and a guarantee of satisfaction of their religious needs. From the point of view of the authorities, the fact of registration meant that the religious association, while acting within the framework of the law, at the same time became under its protection. However, the registration procedure became a means of state control over the religious life of the country. The procedure for registering or deregistering religious associations was completed by decisions of the Council based on the conclusions of local authorities, which were drawn up based on statements from believers. The Council then informed religious societies or groups of believers about the decisions made. At the same time, the procedure for registering and deregistering religious associations reflected a change in the course of the Soviet state in relation to religion and the Church. Thus, during the “Khrushchev Thaw”, when the Council did not yet exist, deregistration took on the character of a mass campaign to close churches. During 1960 - 1964 More than 40% of the existing network of religious societies of the Russian Orthodox Church was deregistered, i.e. An average of 1,270 parishes ceased to exist annually. In subsequent years, the number of religious societies deregistered decreased: in 1965 - 1985. there were about 40 such cases annually, and in the decade 1975 to 1985. this figure fell to 22. It is characteristic that, as a rule, religious organizations were deregistered as having ceased their activities.

Closing of churches in the 1970s and 80s. was no longer widespread, but refusals of registration became widespread. A typical occurrence was the Council's protocols with similar content: "Minutes of the SDR No. 2 of 02/19/1970. Consideration of proposals for registration and deregistration of religious associations. Heard: Submission of the executive committee of the Odessa region. Council of Working People's Deputies of 05/28/1970 on the refusal of the request of believers to resume activities de-registered the religious society of the Orthodox Church in the village of Gederim, Kotovsky district, in 1962 and returned to them the building of the former church, converted into a village club in 1930. Decided: to accept the proposal of the Odessa Regional Executive Committee to refuse the petition to resume the activities of the Orthodox religious society in the village of Gederim, Kotovsky district, deregistered in 1962, given that believers can satisfy their religious needs in the church of Kotovsk, located 6 km from the village of Gederim." The number of religious associations continued to gradually decrease until 1976: if in 1966 there were 11,908 of them, including Orthodox - 7,481, then in 1976 - 11,615 and 6,983, respectively. Chairman of the Council V. A. Kuroyedov repeatedly informed the CPSU Central Committee about the facts of gross violations of the legislation on cults in various regions of the RSFSR, committed by local authorities. So, in 1965, he reported, for example, that in many villages of the Rostov region. Churches were illegally closed and even destroyed, and religious objects (iconostases, banners, vestments, icons, crosses, Bibles, Gospels, liturgical books, etc.) were taken to the steppe and burned. Believers wrote to the Council:

“Why is this attitude towards us? Help restore justice. We do not want or do any lawlessness. We are not fascists, not enemies of the people, we are believers, we pray for the well-being of our children, our beloved Motherland, government and for peace on earth. We are old, we have little time left to live. Open our temple!"

Registration of religious associations resumed in the late 1960s. (first Protestant, in the second half of the 1970s - Old Believers, Catholics, Lutheran and Muslim, and in 1972, after a 20-year break - Orthodox). But the closure of prayer buildings continued. Only in the mid-1970s. The situation has changed, and there is a tendency towards an increase in the number of registered companies. The state's interest in the religious sphere of social life is confirmed by the text of the 1977 USSR Constitution. In Art. 52 recognized the importance of the principle of freedom of conscience for a socialist society. The existence and activity of religious associations are beginning to be viewed as a necessary condition for ensuring freedom of religion, and this, in turn, is one of the components of the complex of “human rights”.

From 1974 to the mid-1980s. The Council carried out an action to streamline the religious network in order to put the functioning of all religious organizations within the framework of the law and to achieve the cessation of the activities of those that do not recognize the legislation on cults. In the early 1980s. It became obvious to the leadership of the Council that the results of the action turned out to be contradictory, and in part even contrary to the original plans. As a result of the reduction in the number of registered religious societies (especially in rural areas), the position of urban parishes was strengthened and the number of their parishioners increased, which caused a significant increase in cash receipts, as the population of “churchless” areas began to satisfy their religious needs in the cities. A new phenomenon has emerged - the urbanization of religious life.

On the one hand, the consolidation of religious societies as a result of the reduction of the religious network strengthened them materially. On the other hand, the ability of believers to fulfill religious needs was reduced. Therefore, the consequence of refusals and deregistration of religious societies was the rebaptism of Orthodox believers, especially in cases where there were no conditions to satisfy their religious needs. Employees of the apparatus of the Commissioner of the Council for the Byelorussian SSR, together with scientists, established that among the newly converted in sectarian communities, 31.6% were yesterday's Orthodox believers. The number of sectarian formations began to prevail over the total number of Orthodox churches in the North Caucasus, Central Asia and Kazakhstan, Siberia and the Far East. In the Altai Territory, for example, until the 1960s. There were about 200 associations of the Russian Orthodox Church, and by the mid-1980s. there are 6 of them left. Moreover, where Orthodox believers did not have the opportunity to satisfy their religious needs in existing churches, they became the object of sectarian missionary work. In addition, the number of unregistered societies that did not cease their activities increased.

In 1981 (as of January 1), there were 116 ROC unregistered societies operating in the country, including 32 in the RSFSR, 76 in the Ukrainian SSR, and 5 in the Kazakh SSR. In many regions of the country, due to the refusal of local authorities to register religious associations, a difficult situation developed. For example, in the village. Diveevo, Gorky region. There was not a single registered Orthodox church, but there were up to 10 unregistered Orthodox religious associations. To satisfy their religious needs, believers were forced to turn to churches located 60 - 65 km from the village. Diveevo. There was a constant increase in religious rituals in the area. There were up to 200 believers in the village, but local government officials did not take measures to streamline the network of religious associations. Trying to find out the reasons for this phenomenon, the leadership of the Council discovered many facts of local authorities provoking the collapse of registered religious societies by creating artificial obstacles to their activities. Attempts to arbitrarily close churches were also identified.

In the secret information of the Council for the Central Committee of the CPSU, it was suggested that local authorities in a number of territories and regions refuse to register actually operating Orthodox religious societies due to the reluctance to spoil the “prosperous” statistics, as well as due to fear of an increase in the number of petitions from believers, quantitative growth registered associations and revitalization of their activities. In 1983, V. A. Kuroyedov reported to the Central Committee of the CPSU: “Many officials prefer not to notice the existence of illegal religious associations. Sometimes they put up with their illegal activities. Regardless of the real situation, they categorically reject requests from believers to register their associations, considering it a concession to religion, a "minus" in ideological work. A particularly intolerant situation has developed in the Muslim cult. Unreasonable refusals to register religious associations occur in relation to Orthodox and Catholic societies. The most loyal, patriotic believers are often denied registration, which creates tension, not contributes to the cause of civic education of believers."

A natural result of the reduction of the religious network was the disappearance of numerous historical and cultural monuments. As in the 1920s and 1930s, a threat to the safety of Orthodox religious architecture and icon painting arose again, as large-scale measures began to reclaim and demolish empty religious buildings, which were considered by the Council for Religious Affairs as “important political work.” Officially, this action was explained by the process of Soviet people moving away from religion and the cessation of the activities of religious societies that did not receive the support of the population. In this regard, the “development” of religious buildings began, i.e. their use for socio-cultural and economic purposes. It was considered expedient to demolish or dismantle dilapidated buildings. But the activity of “restoring order” with religious buildings, from the point of view of the leadership of the Council, also had an ideological orientation. The disdainful attitude of the authorities towards the fate of churches that had lost their original purpose influenced the feelings and moods of believers. They arbitrarily occupied empty churches, repaired them, applied for registration of associations and applications for the transfer of empty premises to believers for their restoration and resumption of religious activities (Ukrainian, Moldavian SSR, Stavropol Territory, Vologda, Voronezh regions, etc.).

In addition, the presence in the country of a large number of church buildings that have ceased to fulfill religious functions attracted the attention of foreign opponents. As international tourism developed, the interest of foreign guests in Russia's historical past increased. Thousands of abandoned religious buildings “worked” against the Soviet regime, “were used by hostile forces in the ideological struggle against socialism.” The experience of “developing” inactive religious buildings showed that using them for economic purposes meant turning the church into a warehouse, a garage for agricultural machinery, a stable, a store, a workshop, etc. Almost everywhere, such religious buildings were in an unsightly state, were not repaired and turned into ruins. If a religious building was intended for socio-cultural purposes, then it became a museum, concert hall, cultural center, club or library.

The council stated that in the work on the use of former religious buildings, “formalism and haste were often allowed, and the religious situation and the real needs of the believing population were not taken into account.” Solving religious issues by administrative means, in particular the development of religious buildings, their demolition without appropriate preparatory work in a number of settlements in the Lviv, Ternopil, Transcarpathian regions. Ukraine and the Moldavian SSR led to opposition from believers. So, the church building in the village. Kocherovo, Radomyshl district, Zhitomir region. was dismantled on the eve of the Christmas holidays, which caused outrage not only among believers, but also among many village residents.

Such facts were condemned by the Council as “ill-considered actions,” “campaignism,” and “mismanagement on the part of individual officials.” In many closed churches, icons and church utensils remained, which became the object of interest for criminals. Since the mid-1970s. Numerous thefts of religious property, primarily icons, were recorded. The robbers were active in the Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Yaroslavl, Kurgan, Kostroma, Kaluga, Kalinin, Tula, and Gorky regions, as well as in Moldova, Belarus, and the Baltic states.

The organization of accounting and preservation of religious property occurred at a slower pace compared to measures to reduce the network of churches and reclaim empty religious buildings. In August 1977, the commissioners of the Council received a special letter in which they were asked, in contact with local authorities, to take measures to establish order in the protection and accounting of religious property and to report every fact of theft of religious property to the Council. In May 1980, he approved the instructions “On the procedure for recording and storing cultural property in the use of religious associations.” The instructions were drawn up in order to strengthen the protection of works of art and antiquities of artistic, historical or other cultural value that are in the use of religious associations. The work to identify and register objects of certain historical and artistic value was carried out by the Ministry of Culture of the USSR, the ministries of culture of the union and autonomous republics and their local bodies with the involvement of employees of art, historical and local history museums, as well as specially created groups of expert experts. Control over compliance with this instruction by religious organizations, as well as Soviet bodies and departments, was to be carried out by authorized representatives of the Council. Although the measures to take into account religious values ​​were not completed, this action made it possible to preserve a significant part of the country’s cultural heritage.

The control and supervisory powers of the Council made it possible to check the activities of religious associations. Particular attention was paid to accounting and control of the financial and economic condition of the Russian Orthodox Church, the largest denomination in the country. The documents of the Council recorded the annual increase in cash receipts of the Russian Orthodox Church: by 1985 they amounted to 211.1 million rubles. (in 1966 - 85.036 million rubles). There was an increase in the sale of religious objects, income from the performance of religious rituals and voluntary donations. Cash receipts per church increased (in 1964 this figure was 10.6 thousand rubles, in 1974 - 20.7, and in 1985 - 29.1 thousand rubles). In this situation, the Council, in line with state policy towards religion, implemented a system of measures to limit the financial activities of the church. This action in the documents of the Council was called the “removal of fat deposits” of the Church, and it was emphasized that this “delicate matter” must be carried out within the framework of the law.

The main objective of the restrictive measures was to curb the growth of church expenses for the maintenance of clergy, service personnel, choristers, repairs and maintenance of prayer buildings, and contributions to religious centers. The Council pursued a policy of using the financial resources of the Church in the interests of the state. The state annually received from the Russian Orthodox Church up to 70% of gross income from the sale of candles, income tax on cash salaries of all categories of clergy and service personnel (on a national scale - more than 20 million rubles), land rent, tax on buildings, insurance payments, deductions to funds for peace and protection of historical and cultural monuments. The commissioners were given repeated instructions to organize voluntary contributions from religious associations to the Peace Fund. As a result, they have increased significantly. In 1984, the Russian Orthodox Church contributed about 16% of its income to the Peace Fund and the Fund for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments (in the late 1960s - about 10%). In some regions and autonomous republics of the RSFSR, these deductions from the Russian Orthodox Church amounted to more than 20% of the gross income of churches.

Exercising constant control over the financial activities of the Church, the Council nevertheless, in April 1980, petitioned the Council of Ministers of the USSR to reduce the taxation of ministers of religious cults and members of the executive bodies of religious societies. Servants of religious cults, being essentially hired persons of religious societies, received fixed salaries, on which taxes were levied at an increased rate - from 25 to 80% of their earnings. Rent and utilities were charged to them at four times the normal rate. But the bulk of the clergy received relatively small salaries, on average up to 200 rubles. per month (the tax on this amount was 70 rubles). The Council drew the attention of the highest government bodies to the position of clergy, which caused discontent among them, and was interpreted abroad as discrimination against the clergy in the USSR. In June 1980, the Presidium of the USSR Council of Ministers accepted the Council's proposals to change the procedure for collecting income tax and rent from the clergy, despite annual losses of the state budget of up to 3 million rubles.

A special area of ​​the Council’s activity was “political and educational work” with the clergy and the study of their sentiments. The Council took over the task of “putting the Church and clergy in patriotic positions” from its predecessor, the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was assumed that as a result of the work of the Council's commissioners, the clergy would pay more attention to issues of protecting peace and support the foreign policy of the Soviet government. Back in 1955, an instructional letter to the commissioners of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized that working with the clergy is not a campaign, but a daily and systematic activity, which “requires great skill, tact and a careful approach from the commissioner.” A mandatory condition for working with the clergy for all authorized persons is “prevention of administration, interference in the internal affairs of the Church (dogmatic, canonical, administrative and organizational), ill-conceived and unnecessary recommendations, and the imposition of individual events.” The Council not only did not give such instructions, but always demanded that the authorized representatives not interfere in the internal affairs of the Church. But not every commissioner followed these recommendations. The leadership of the Council made significant efforts to resolve conflicts between individual representatives of the episcopate and their authorized representatives, condemning those of them who did not take measures to create business relations with the bishops.

The Council monitored the process of reproduction of clergy personnel and took measures to streamline admission to the seminaries and the ordination of laity to the clergy. It was concluded that, given the demand for clergy, it would be more expedient to satisfy it through theological schools, where a certain system of patriotic work and instilling respect for the legislation on cults has developed. The Council examined questions about the number of applicants to religious educational institutions, motives for admission, age and educational level, national composition, membership in the Komsomol or the CPSU, the content of educational programs and cultural and educational work among seminarians. The documents of the Council stated an increase in the number of people wishing to become seminarians. Among the applicants, the percentage of Komsomol members remained high, and there were also communists. For example, in 1985, 54% of applications belonged to Komsomol members. Among the applicants to the Moscow and Leningrad theological seminaries in 1976 - 1980. 8% had higher or incomplete higher education (teachers, engineers, artists, doctors, economists, musicians), 85% had secondary technical or secondary education, and only 8% had incomplete secondary education. By social origin, applicants most often came from workers (about 50%) or peasants (about 20%), less often from employees (about 10%), from families of clergy (about 13 - 20%). Not only the seminary commission, but also representatives of the Council participated in the selection of candidates.

Work with the Orthodox clergy was carried out by the department for the affairs of Orthodox churches in various forms (conversations of commissioners with the clergy, meetings of the episcopate, clergy, church executive bodies with the leaders of regions, territories and republics, holding seminars and meetings of the clergy, at which industry experts and scientists spoke). The management of the department carried out individual work with members of the Synod of the Russian and Georgian Orthodox and the leadership of Old Believer churches, with ruling bishops, abbots of large monasteries, rectors of theological schools and other heads of synodal institutions. The focus of the Department for Orthodox Church Affairs was the preaching activities of the clergy, since it was considered as “the main mouthpiece of Orthodoxy, an effective means of promoting religion.” The Council Resolution of October 31, 1979 “On the study of the preaching activities of clergy” obliged the commissioners to take measures to improve the work of studying it, to know the nature of the sermons, their ideological and political orientation, and also to consider this task one of the main ones in their work. The representatives of the Council were obliged to suppress the attacks of “individual fanatical preachers trying to incite hostility towards non-believers and atheists,” who “introduce elements of fanaticism into religious life,” call on believers to isolate themselves from society and “renounce everything earthly,” and spread slanderous fabrications about the policies of the Soviet Union. states in relation to religion, incite believers to illegal actions. A study of the mood of the clergy convinced the leadership of the Council that the overwhelming majority of clergy showed loyalty to the political structure of society. Considering the presence among the clergy of circles that are oppositional to the state authorities and the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church, the commissioners, talking with the clergy, tried to find out their attitude to the domestic and foreign policy of the state. Information about the responses of the clergy and believers to various events was regularly provided to the central office of the Council, and then transferred to the Central Committee of the CPSU.

The Council was particularly interested in the study of modern theology, reviewing theological scientific works and church periodicals. The Council coordinated the information and analytical work of scientists and graduate students of leading research and educational institutions in order to study the problem of modernization of theology. More than 300 theological dissertations were studied annually. Council experts drew attention to the increasing use by Orthodox theologians of secular historical, philosophical, art history and even atheistic literature as sources and noted an increase in the level of preparation of dissertations, as well as a variety of topics, forms of presentation, nature of argumentation, i.e. noted a tendency to improve the qualifications of theology. In theological dissertations of the 1960s - 1980s. The conclusion was often voiced that the destruction of churches and monasteries impoverishes the cultural heritage. All authors cited speeches of the secular press in defense of ancient monuments, welcomed their restoration and restoration, and called for the preservation of at least the remnants of the former civilization.

The most important activity of the Council was monitoring compliance with Soviet legislation on cults and coordinating the corresponding work of its representatives. In the 1960s - 1980s. qualified as a violation of the law: participation of clergy in economic activities, performing religious services without appropriate registration and registration, holding services in prohibited places (services at holy springs, funeral services for the dead in the houses of believers, participation of priests in funeral processions, listening to religious audio recordings in the houses of priests by believers) , selling photocopies of icons, performing baptisms at priests’ homes, involving children in church services, baptizing children without the consent of both parents. The executive church bodies allowed in their activities prohibited charity (for example, issuing money to fire victims), illegal spending and misappropriation of funds, illegal business transactions, staged “thefts” of money from the church treasury, issuing money to church activists and clergy in the form of bonuses, medical, holidays, etc. It is also important to note that the Council identified and suppressed violations of the law by officials who infringed on the rights of believers, denied religious associations registration and satisfaction of their legal requests, and made illegal demands. The Council condemned the illegal imposition of fines on priests by local authorities, their demands from religious societies to make contributions to the Peace Fund and the Fund of Historical and Cultural Monuments, purchase lottery tickets, make contributions for the improvement of villages, fulfill obligations for the maintenance of cemeteries and road construction, etc.

The secret certificates of the Council provided specific examples of identified violations of the law in relation to believers: “Local authorities forced believers, under the threat of deprivation of pensions, to leave the “twenty”, after which the church was closed under the pretext of the “collapse” of the religious society... The regional executive committee obliged the chairmen of city and district councils to take measures to prevent children and youth under 18 years of age from visiting churches and houses of worship, performing rituals... The local press fosters a contemptuous, mocking attitude towards believers, they are called “fanatics”, “obscurantists”, “hypocrites” ", "fanatics", "rabid elements"... For years, applications from believers to register religious associations have not been considered... Local authorities have given instructions to stop services in the church until all icons and other church utensils are impregnated with a fire-retardant compound ... There have been cases of expulsion from educational institutions and dismissal from work for religious reasons... They refuse to award the title “Mother Heroine” to I. I. Bobkova, who gave birth to and raised 10 children, among whom there are excellent students, only because the reason is that she is a believer, and her husband is a priest of the Old Believer Church... Believers are also often deprived of the opportunity to participate in the movement for communist labor, deprived of the title of drummer for religious reasons.

Certain officials subject believers to administrative sanctions, resort to threats and intimidation for attempting to defend their rights..." It is not surprising that the Council annually received numerous complaints from believers, the flow of which was increasing. In the resolution of October 31, 1979, "On the state of work with letters and complaints from citizens" The Council demanded that its employees "provide an attentive, sensitive, principled and businesslike approach to the analysis of each letter and complaint, giving motivated, comprehensive answers to them. Take all necessary measures to satisfy fair requests and complaints of citizens, exercising effective control over their timely, high-quality consideration and resolution." In 1982, Kuroyedov, addressing the CPSU Central Committee with his next report, emphasized: "The desire to resolve purely ideological issues by administrative means, to replace an ideological struggle against religion, a struggle against the Church and believers, seems deeply erroneous."

However, in the mid-1980s. local party and government officials still continued to use methods of administrative influence on religious associations. In particular, K. M. Kharchev, who replaced Kuroedov as chairman of the Council for Religious Affairs in November 1984, wrote about this in one of his secret notes to the CPSU Central Committee. Analyzing the religious situation in the country, he noted that in a number of places believers are deprived of the opportunity to calmly satisfy their religious needs; they are prevented from registering their societies and purchasing prayer premises. In thousands of settlements, groups of believers of various faiths hold services illegally. Many of them have been applying for registration of their associations for years, but their requests, as a rule, are unreasonably rejected (Moldavian, Tajik, Turkmen, Uzbek, Georgian, Azerbaijan SSR, a number of regions of the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR). Legitimately operating religious societies are often prohibited from repairing houses of worship, using electric lighting, or sending a priest. There are facts of dismissal from work or expulsion from educational institutions on religious grounds, deprivation of believers of incentives for good work and infringement of their other rights.

The Council's statistical materials indicate that the quantitative indicators of registration of religious societies were very insignificant, since deregistration continued. In 1984, 99 religious societies were registered throughout the USSR as a whole, in 1985 - 65, in 1986 - 67, in 1987 - 104, including 34, 23, 28, 44 in the RSFSR, respectively.

The situation changed only after the January (1987) plenum of the CPSU Central Committee on issues of perestroika and personnel policy, which made decisions on the democratization of society and reform of the party. The following month, Chairman of the Council Kharchev presented to the CPSU Central Committee an analytical note “On some issues of implementing the party’s policy regarding religion and the Church at the present stage.” The author of the note emphasized that over the past decades, significant changes have occurred in this area of ​​public life, requiring appropriate adjustments in the forms and methods of management, and a restructuring of the thinking of personnel. Kharchev believed that a materialistic worldview was firmly established in the public consciousness, although a certain part of the population still remains “under the influence of religious ideology and morality.” However, “mostly these are honest Soviet workers, patriots of their country.” According to the Council's forecasts, this group of the population (10 - 20%) will exist for a long time, and the departure from religion will develop as "a process of evolution of their consciousness, erosion of religious values, displacement of them by the ideals and moral norms of socialism." In general, the position of religion in the country has stabilized. By 1987, more than 20 thousand religious associations of different faiths operated in the USSR. In the last quarter of the 20th century. The level of religious rituals practically did not decrease. Confessions have significantly strengthened their material base. Cash receipts from believers and income from the sale of religious objects more than doubled. About 600 houses of worship were reconstructed, purchased and built. The personnel of the clergy was updated, its educational level increased, the number of clergy increased to 30 thousand people.

Referring to the decisions of the 27th Congress of the CPSU, Kharchev emphasized that the main means of combating religion should be the active involvement of believers in labor and social activities, the promotion of a materialistic worldview, the choice of such forms of state regulation of the activities of church organizations that would suppress religious extremism without offending at the same time, the feelings of believers and without violating the principle of freedom of conscience. However, local party and state cadres continue to fight against religion, on the one hand, using methods of abstract education, and on the other, administrative pressure. A significant part of party and Soviet workers show hostility towards believers, a desire to limit and infringe on their civil rights, while another part shows indifference and conciliation towards religious manifestations. Rough administrative control over the religious situation led to negative structural changes in the relationship between different religions. Over the last decades of the existence of the USSR, the number of parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church decreased by almost half, but sectarianism, especially Baptistism, intensified, extremist elements became more active, and their missionary activity increased.

With the relative stability of the number of adherents of Catholicism, outbreaks of religious activity of Uniates seeking to legalize their activities are noticeable. New forms of religiosity are emerging, primarily among young people and the intelligentsia - mystical organizations and sects preaching pseudo-eastern teachings. Religiosity remains highest in areas of traditional Islam, where the process of ousting religion from the sphere of mass consciousness will take a longer time. But local party and government officials, not wanting to lag behind in the “cause of atheism,” do not register many religious associations and clergy. The situation is aggravated by the fact that, while maintaining a network of houses of worship and Orthodox churches visited by non-indigenous people, local authorities often close mosques, thereby provoking anti-Russian nationalist manifestations.

The consequences of a “cavalry charge” on religion, according to Kharchev, can lead to the growth of unregistered and uncontrolled religious communities, where extremist sentiments are most often born. The number of such unregistered communities in 1987 had already reached several thousand. Although in the 1970s - 1980s. the unjustified reduction of the religious network was suspended, and in a number of places the registration of the most active societies was even resumed; nevertheless, the practice of using administrative methods to combat religion remained. Kharchev’s conclusion was disappointing for the country’s political leadership: “All this suggests that there is a real danger of weakening the role and influence of the state in managing the processes occurring in the activities of religious associations and contributing to the reproduction of the religiosity of the population.” Possible consequences of this could be, firstly, the growing protest of believers, their uncertainty about the sincerity of the state’s policy on a religious issue, and secondly, the strengthening of “imperialist and clerical propaganda, imposing on world public opinion the image of the USSR as a totalitarian, anti-democratic state,” which would hinder the strengthening of the country's authority in the international arena.

The Council proposed that “along with every possible strengthening of atheistic education, not to aggravate relations with the Church” and, for this purpose, to revise the legislation on cults and improve the practice of its application, i.e. recognize for religious associations the right of a legal entity, and for parents - the right to raise children in a religious spirit, the right of believers to perform religious rituals at home and in hospital, the right of religious associations to conduct religious propaganda. To do this, it is necessary to abandon the hostile denunciatory tone towards religious associations.

An important problem in the activities of the Council during the perestroika years was the consideration of applications for registration of religious associations. In the country, about 16% of religious associations operated for a long time without registration, including: 52 societies of the Russian Orthodox Church, 74 Old Believer, 26 Catholic, about 300 Protestant, more than 320 Muslim, etc. Therefore, on January 28, 1988, the Council adopted a resolution “On the facts of violation the established procedure for considering applications for registration of religious associations." Analyzing the religious situation in the country, Council workers came to the conclusion that the majority of societies seeking registration recognized Soviet legislation on religious cults, but the applications of the founders of more than 260 such associations for registration were unreasonably rejected by local authorities, often with the connivance of Council commissioners. Local authorities of some regions did not consider the applications of the founders in the prescribed manner (Lvov, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Khmelnitsky - in the Ukrainian SSR, Grodno, Brest, Vitebsk - in the BSSR, Perm, Lipetsk, Ryazan - in the RSFSR, Moldavian SSR, etc.). There were serious violations of the deadlines for considering applications from religious citizens for registration; complaints from believers and clergy often went unanswered.

In 1987, the Council received 3,015 complaints - almost 30% more than in 1986. Only from 5 regions of Ukraine (Volyn, Lvov, Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytsky and Chernivtsi) in 1987, 556 letters were received, from Moldova - 115 letters, many of them were repeated. In 1987, 1,713 believers (808 groups), mainly from the RSFSR, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, attended receptions at the Council. Thus, believers from the village of Ilemni, Ivano-Frankivsk region. came to the Council 7 times, from the village. Radoai of the Moldavian SSR - 8 times, etc. The Council informed the highest and local government bodies that delays in considering applications from religious citizens were a gross violation of the legislation on religious cults. The local staff of the Council was instructed to take measures to eliminate violations in the procedure for considering applications for registration of religious associations and to achieve its practical implementation.

In February 1988, the Council at its regular meeting considered questions about the draft charter of the Russian Orthodox Church and the holding by the Moscow Patriarchate of the Pre-Conciliar Bishops' Conference, the Local Council and the anniversary solemn act dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. The draft charter was presented by Patriarch Pimen and members of the Synod, and it was adopted as the basis. One of the important new statutory provisions was the recognition of the independent economic interests of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Moscow Patriarchate received the consent of the Council to hold the Pre-Conciliar Bishops' Conference, the Local Council and the anniversary solemn act. The commissioners of the Council for the Union Republics were instructed to carry out explanatory work with the episcopate, aimed at supporting projects developed by the Moscow Patriarchate during the bishops' conference and the Local Council. The leadership of the Council feared complications in the internal political situation due to the celebrations on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. Therefore, in March 1988, the Council gave instructions to intensify preventive work with believers, especially those with “extremist sentiments.” Local units of the Council, together with party and Soviet bodies, were instructed to develop, taking into account local conditions, measures to prevent negative manifestations in connection with the anniversary, create appropriate working groups and inform the leadership of the Union Council at least twice a month about the religious situation on the ground.

The Council also considered the issue of regulating the production of church utensils and religious objects in connection with the introduction of the law on individual labor activity. A letter from Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Pimen addressed to Kharchev stated that, according to the results of an inspection by the Main Financial Directorate of Moscow, there are already numerous groups of citizens manufacturing and selling church candles, icons and utensils without the appropriate permits from the Councils of People's Deputies. The activities of this category of persons are not controlled by anyone, and taxes to the state budget are not collected from them by financial authorities. The Patriarch reported that, according to current legislation, the workshops of the economic management of the Patriarchate contribute 69% of their income to the state budget, which amounts to an annual sum of 39 million rubles.

“Thus,” the Patriarch concluded, “the current legislation and practice of collecting taxes do not correspond to the interests of the state and society, the Russian Orthodox Church.” The Patriarch proposed adding to Art. 13 of the Law “On Individual Labor Activity”, paragraph 7, prohibiting the production of candles, icons and church utensils. As a result, the Council decided to submit a petition to the government of the USSR to adopt legislative measures prohibiting the production for the purpose of subsequent sale of church utensils and religious objects within the framework of cooperative and individual labor activities.

At the same March 1988 meeting, the Council decided to increase the circulation of religious publications in 1989 (the desktop calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church to 180 thousand, and theological works to 15 thousand copies). At the suggestion of the Department of International Relations, the Council increased the estimated expenses of the Moscow Patriarchate to 2 million foreign currency rubles in connection with the upcoming anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. (in 1987 - 1,591,450 foreign currency rubles). The publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate was allowed to receive 500 thousand copies of the “Orthodox Prayer Book” in Russian as a gift from the Evangelical Church of Germany.

At the same time, non-Orthodox religious organizations were allowed to receive literature (Bibles, collections of spiritual songs, reference books, etc.), paper and materials for the repair of religious buildings as a gift from European religious organizations.

On the eve of the 1000th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity, the activities of the Council began to attract media attention. In May 1988, Ogonyok magazine published material about one working day of Council Chairman Kharchev, presenting him as a fair, responsive person, trying to help the Church and believers. In March 1988, he gave a speech to students at the Moscow Higher Party School, which caused a mixed reaction. Thus, the historian D.V. Pospelovsky considers Kharchev to be a cunning and proactive apparatchik who developed measures to “domesticate” believers by the state. Kharchev, for example, stated: “According to Lenin, the party must keep under control all spheres of life of citizens, and since believers cannot be avoided, and our history has shown that religion is serious and for a long time, then it is easier for the party to make a sincere believer also believe in communism "And here we are faced with the task of educating a new type of priest; the selection and appointment of a priest is a matter for the party." It seems, however, that the Canadian historian was somewhat biased in his assessment of Kharchev’s personal qualities when he mentioned his cunning.

The initiative of the “perestroika” chairman of the Council leaves no doubt. After all, the meeting in the Kremlin between M. S. Gorbachev and Patriarch Pimen and members of the Holy Synod took place on April 29, 1988 precisely on the initiative of the Council, which played a leading role in its holding. During the meeting, the state’s turn to dialogue with the Church and believers was confirmed and a decision was made to celebrate the approaching millennium of the Baptism of Rus' not only as a church anniversary, but also as a socially significant anniversary. Gorbachev responded with consent to the Patriarch’s official invitation to attend the anniversary celebrations, declaring that the Baptism of Rus' “is a significant milestone on the centuries-old path of development of national history, culture, and Russian statehood.”

At the beginning of May 1988, the Council informed the CPSU Central Committee about the religious situation in the country on the eve of the anniversary, noting that the majority of believing citizens of the USSR supported the course towards updating all aspects of the life of Soviet society. In church circles there was a growing tendency towards active cooperation with the state in the sphere of domestic and foreign policy. The attention of the clergy and believers to the problems of strengthening the family, conscientious attitude to work, combating drunkenness, preserving cultural heritage, etc. increased. The desire to democratize the activities of religious communities and to streamline the network of unregistered associations on the basis of the principle of freedom of conscience became increasingly persistent. Preparations for the anniversary revived the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the Old Believer Church, which was manifested in strengthening the organizational structures of religious institutions, increasing expenses for repair and restoration work, raising questions about the opening of new prayer and business premises, and increasing the circulation of religious publications.

In religious practice, there was a noticeable increase in the solemnity of divine services, the desire to emphasize the priority of the Church in the formation of moral values, to present it as an integral part of socialist society, a necessary element of national culture and statehood. The requirements of departmental instructions that contradicted the law on the mandatory presentation of passports by parents when baptizing children and the prohibition of ringing bells were abolished. All this contributed to the normalization of the religious situation within the country and caused a wide resonance abroad.

For 5 years - from 1985 to 1990. - 4,552 new religious associations were registered. A twofold or more increase in their number was noted in Georgia, Moldova, and Tukmenia; by a third or more - in the RSFSR, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Armenia. The situation in the Baltic states remained stable. These differences were explained by the fact that on the eve of perestroika in the republics of the USSR there were different conditions for the activities of religious associations, and the degree of commitment of authorities to administrative methods in solving problems in the religious sphere was also different. At the same time, the increase in the number of religious associations occurred in all faiths, but the changes were especially significant in the Russian Orthodox Church (3,402 parishes reopened, an increase of 49%), in the Georgian Orthodox Church (218), Roman Catholic (219), in the Muslim cult (382). ). The number of associations of Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Hare Krishnas, etc. has increased significantly. There were 77 monasteries operating on the territory of the USSR, of which 57 belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church. Among the registered religious associations in 1991, Greek Catholics, Baha'is and Apocalypticists appeared for the first time.

However, at the end of the 1980s. Differences arose in the religious policies of the union and republican centers. The republics of the USSR always had their own vision of resolving religious problems. The representatives of the Council in the Union republics, while formally subordinate to the Council, actually carried out the will of the local authorities. The latter sought to destroy the existing system of bodies for religious affairs and create independent de jure and de facto republican structures. Back in 1974, the Council for Religious Affairs was formed under the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR, and in 1987 - under the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR. At the end of the 1980s. Almost all republics of the USSR expressed their desire to form bodies for religious affairs accountable to them. The result of this restructuring was the confrontation between the union and republican (RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR) Soviets, which was due to the divergent political courses of the leadership of the USSR and the named republics.

In July 1990, the consideration of religious issues was entrusted to the Committee of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR on issues of freedom of conscience, religion, mercy and charity, which consisted mainly of representatives of various faiths and the Christian Democratic movement. The committee was headed by Orthodox priest V. S. Polosin. It seemed to the committee members that it was enough to destroy the previous system of relations between the state and religious organizations, repeal Soviet legislation on religious cults, and remove previous barriers to the activities of religious organizations - and the religious issue would be resolved. At the initiative of the committee, the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR and the positions (apparatuses) of its local representatives, as well as the fifth department (for combating ideological sabotage), which included the fourth (church) department in the KGB system, were abolished.

Significant changes also occurred in the activities of the Union Council, which was reflected in the new regulations on the Council for Religious Affairs under the USSR Cabinet of Ministers, approved on April 26, 1991. The 1991 regulations deprived the Council for Religious Affairs of all its administrative and control functions. He no longer considered materials on registration, refusal or deregistration of associations, on the opening or closing of houses of worship, on monitoring compliance with the USSR Constitution in terms of legislation on cults, checking the activities of religious organizations, etc. It was transformed into a body ensuring the right of citizens to freedom of conscience, equality of all religions and denominations before the law, and implementing the principle of separation of Church and state. The Cabinet of Ministers abolished the institution of Council commissioners in regions, territories, autonomous and union republics. In the conditions of the accelerating process of decentralization of the USSR, the Union Council had less and less influence on church policy in the USSR as a whole and in individual republics. With the formation of the CIS in December 1991, the Council for Religious Affairs was also abolished. Each of the republics began to independently decide the question of the advisability of having a state body for relations with religious organizations. To date, almost all former USSR republics have recreated them.

An analysis of the activities of the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR shows that its main content was determined by the policy of the Communist Party and the Soviet government, which during this period was no longer aimed at forcing religion out of the public life of the socialist state, but at curbing the spread of religious views and strengthening positions ROC. In line with this policy, the Council carried out a set of restrictive measures to control the activities of churches, monasteries, clergy, and religious associations of believers. At the same time, the Council was the center of information and analytical work on the study of modern religions and the level of religiosity of members of society. Many of the conclusions contained in his documents were predictive in nature, determining the prospects for the development of the religious situation in the country for decades to come. In the system of the state apparatus, the Council carried out not only control and supervisory, information and advisory, but also human rights functions. It is historically unreliable to consider this body only as an institution that controlled and limited the lives of believers. The Council played a prominent role in protecting the rights of believers within the framework of existing legislation on religious cults.

By presenting annual information reports on the state of Orthodoxy and other faiths to the CPSU Central Committee, the Council drew the attention of the party and state leadership to strengthening the loyalty of the Church and clergy towards the Soviet state. Noting the reproduction of religiosity in new generations, the Council emphasized that a modern believer is a citizen of the country who loves his Fatherland and has the right to satisfy his religious needs. This conclusion was constantly present in the Council documents. The information provided by the Council to the highest authorities prompted the authorities to rethink relations with the Church and believers, a fundamental change in which occurred in the second half of the 1980s. Therefore, the Council, whose analytical work showed the political leadership an objective picture of the religious situation in the country, has a special role in preparing the state and society to turn to dialogue with believers.

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Books

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• Diaries. Saratov diocese. In 2 parts (set of 2 books), Archbishop of Saratov and Volsk Pimen (Khmelevskoy). With this collection we complete the publication of the diaries of Archbishop of Saratov and Volsky Pimen (Khmelevsky). The release includes recordings from 1965-1993, when Bishop Pimen ruled Saratov...
• Diaries. Saratov diocese. In 2 parts: Part 1: 1965-1984. Part 2: 1985-1993 (number of volumes: 2), Archbishop of Saratov and Volsky Pimen (Khmelevsk. With this collection we complete the publication of the diaries of Archbishop of Saratov and Volsky Pimen (Khmelevsky; 1923-1993). The issue includes entries from 1965-1993. , when Vladyka Pimen ruled...

a union body formed in 1965 for the purpose of consistent implementation of the Soviet policy. states in relation to religions. State control over compliance with the requirements of Sov. legislation on religious cults is one of the main guarantees of freedom of conscience in the USSR. Before the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45, the central body in charge of monitoring compliance with this legislation was the Standing Commission for the Consideration of Religious Issues under the Presidium of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR; in 1943 the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church was created, and in 1944 - the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR. In 1965 they were transformed into a single body - the Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR.

The Council monitors compliance with the Constitution of the USSR, which guarantees freedom of conscience, the correct application and execution of the laws of the USSR concerning religious practices; checks compliance with the legislation on cults by religious associations, central and local religious organizations; makes decisions on registration and deregistration of houses of worship and houses; provides clarifications on legislation on cults; issues mandatory orders to eliminate violations of this legislation; carries out communication between the government of the USSR and religious organizations in cases of issues arising that require permission from the government of the USSR. The Council has authorized representatives in the union and autonomous republics, as well as in the territories and regions, who are subordinate to it. They perform their duties in close cooperation with the republican, regional and regional bodies of Soviet power. The Council assists religious organizations in implementing international relations, participating in the struggle for peace, and strengthening friendship between peoples.

V. G. Furov.

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