THE CHURCH IN THE LATVIAN SSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R009200040003-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 10, 2005
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 17, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT The Church in the Latvian SSR
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PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UHITED STATES WITI{IN THE NEARING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT SO
US. C., SI AND_32, AS ARE$DED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY RAM ER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRO-
HIBITED BY LAW. REPRODUCTION OF THIS__FORM IS-PROHIBITED,
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was Lutheran, comprising 57 percent of th gious denomination in Latvia
a HOUT
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17 Oct, 1951
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION,
Prior to world War II, the predominant reli
that, as of October 1950 the e population. It is estimated
population of Latvia could be classified
by religious denomination as follows:
Lutheran 47 percent
Roman Catholic 42 percent
Ihodo_K S percent
Other denominations
(Baptists, Adventists, etc.) 3 percent
The decrease in the percentage of Lutherans can be explained by the re-
patriation. of Latvian-Germans, i,e,, the so-called "Batts", who were mostly
Lutherans. These repatriations amounted to approximately five percent of
the total population of Latvia, Another factor contr?buting to the decrease
is the fact that the Latvians from the wealthier districts and those of the
urban middle classes who were most affected by the deportations from Latvia
to other parts of the USSR belonged to the Lutheran denomination,
2, All churches in Latvia are in general use, Sue exception, however, is the
Lutheran church in Ilukste (55 AT
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3.
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, 6-1(E), which has been converted into
a dance hall because of the very small number of Lutherans in the district.
On Sundays an adult usually has to participate in some public work, such
as clearing rubble from factory yards or bomb sites, or working in public
parks. School children are kjtpt away from church on Sundays by compulsory
attendance at special theatre or cinema performances, rehearsals at school
for some singing or theatrical production, sport functions, and similar
events. Such activities always take place during the hours of church
services,, ,from, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and never in the afternoons. Pupils
who do not participate in these activities are looked upon by the school
authorities with disfavor, and their future education is handicapped. Only
old people can go to church without fear of reprisals. Women may go to
church since the Communists seem to show tolerance toward women church--
goers, but church attendance for young people or men is regarded as ev_i-
dence of anti-Communist feelings.
Riga is the center of the Roman Catholic Church in Latvia.
rest of the couearding the
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in the southeastern province of Latgale, with centers in Daugavpils
(55-52N, 26-32E,), Rezekne (56-30N, 27-20E), Kraslava (55-53N,. 27-O8E),
Ilukste (55-57N, 26-17E), and Jekabpils (56-30N, 25-50E). The Catholic
priests in these areas are experienced and careful in their relations
with,State officials, not giving the latter a chance to find a pretext
or 4ustification for turning against the church or any of its members.
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4. There seems to be no marked difference in the treatment by the Soviet
authorities of the Roman Catholic Church in Latvia as distinct from
any other denomination; - the Soviet administration is equally severe
toward each and all of them. Neither the Lutheran, the Orthodox, nor
the church of. any other denomination in Latvia has ever shown any
willingness to cooperate with the Soviet regime. then the Metropolitan
.of Moscow arrived in Riga in the summer of 1949 and also visited other
Orthodox churches in Latvia, he was strongly guarded by the MUD to pre-
vent his being attacked, because it was an open"secret"that members of
the Orthodox Church in Latvia regarded him as a Soviet "stooge". The
Orthodox churches on that occasion were filled to capacity, as many
people of that faith took the opportunity of going openly to church.
I levery religious service, of
whatever congregation, is attended by observers from the M.G?B...
5. Roman Catholic monasteries are known to be still in existence in Riga,
Aglona,`and Ilukste, where new priests are still being trained.
6. The financial situation of the Roman Catholic Church in the province of
Latgale is very weak, since the parishes consist mostly of very poor
kolkhoz farmers who can hardly support themselves, let alone the church.
The. church has to pay heavy taxes to the State,a burden which makes its
existence more and more difficult. In addition to financial difficulties,
there is strict State control and censorship of correspondence between
the churches and the Curia.
7. The following are some. leading personalities of the churches in Latvia:
Roman Catholic Church
a_4 -
Bishop Anton Springovics Appointed by Rome before the war and
still in office.
b. Lutheran Church
Bishop Gustav Turs Appointed by Moscow
Pastor Saukwns
Father' fan',Garklav
Note: Dean Irbe was deported.
At the Domkirche, Riga.
c. Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Benjamin A Ukrainian,
pointed by Yo
viously repre
Exarch Sergei Voskresenski Appointed to Latvia by the Patriarch of
Moscow in 1940, was put to death by the
Germans in 1944 as a "Moscow agent."
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Appointed Bishop of Latvia in 1943 by the
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