Orthodox communities of Western Siberia under N. S. Khrushchev's anti-religious policy

Abstract

This article examines the implementation of Soviet state-confessional policy towards Orthodox believers in Western Siberia during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The research is grounded in archival materials from the Historical Archive of Omsk Region, the State Archive of Novosibirsk Region, the State Archive of the Altai Republic, and the State Archive of Altai Krai. Many of these archival documents are being introduced into scientific discourse for the first time, significantly expanding the source base for this study. During this period, the religious life of the population was heavily regulated by numerous decrees and instructions that shaped the state-confessional policy. In addition to economic measures and antireligious propaganda, printed materials discrediting the clergy were widely disseminated. This propaganda campaign coincided with the mass closure of churches in the region, often based on dubious justifications. Simultaneously, there was a simplification of church rites, which were adapted to the prevailing conditions. Most Orthodox believers tended to avoid public displays of their faith. Documents from authorized representatives of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, preserved in the archives, indicate that secret religious practices were common among Orthodox believers in Western Siberia. The research also found that folk religiosity was widespread in the region. To eliminate these «religious vestiges» and promote alternative Soviet traditions, officials actively studied and implemented experiences from other regions in Siberia. By the mid-1960s, the administrative closure of churches and pressure from local authorities led to a noticeable decline in religious sentiment among the population.