THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE UKRAINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R014500220012-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2006
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: October 24, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/04/20 : CIA-RDP82-00457R01'4500220012-8
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CLASSIFICATION
CD NO.
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SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT NO.
COUNTRY USSR. (Ukrainian SSR)
DATE DISTR. 24 Oct, 1952'.
NO, OF PAGES 2
SUBJECT The Russian Orthodox Church in the Ukraine
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793
AND 14, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THF, REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
1,
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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*Not graded
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION 25X
The village of Yerki in'the Ukraine had-a Rueeian Orthodox church at one time., but
it had been converted into'a club-for kolkhoi'rorkere by the Communists. The older
people retained their'religious beliefs ' aid' even kept''icons hidden about the house,
Most of the -youth, however; due -to the absence Of' churches and the anti-religious
propaganda of the Soviet Government,-posseeeed feia-'religious beliefs outside of the
teachings'given'them by their parents and relatives. When the Germans occupied
our region in 1941,"the people of the-village immediately set about to convert
t
500 he club into a church again, The church-was quite. large,'accommodating about
people. A Russian Orthodox-priest' 'Father -Nikolay,, who allegedly"had been
affiliated with the Kiev University, became the priest' for the church. When our
region was liberated in the spring of 14319 the'Soviete'permitted?the church to
remain open but sentenced Father Nikolay to a 15-year prison terms presumably for
collaborating with the Germans,
From the time of our liberation until I-was inducted into the Soviet Army in
Ja,iuary'l919 the church stayed open and, judging from the letters I received from
h?me, is still'open,'T At I mentioned, church- attendance was primarily by older
people, although some youths did attend occasionally, Every Sunday the church
was filled to ' capacity,` and a reapect-able representation was also in evidence on
Saturdays On religious halidaya0 particularly on Easter and Christmas, the
churchwae completely"filled and throage_-of people eurroua ded-the church. On'
these occasions most of the 'youth from the surrounding area would also attend;
Although Party members did not attend church services, their families often did
so regularly,
CLASSIFICATION
SECRET
STATE
NAVY
NSRB ISTRIBUTION
ARMY AIR
FBI
Approved For Release 2006/04/20 : CIA-RDP82-00457R014500220012-8
 Approved For Release 2006/04/20 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14500220012-8
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Although the youth did not normally attend church except for
holidays,"most of them were married in church. I believe that
this. was attributable to the insistence of their parents.who
would not recognize any marriage which did: not take place in
church. There was one instance when a Party member's mother
insisted on his being married in church, and he finally
agreed; If he reeeived any disciplinary action from the Party
it was not evident to anyone, because he remained an active
member of the Party.
There is no evidence of Party interference in church affairs.
I have never heard of any eulogies of the Party or of Stalin
..being given by priests. The people of my village think, how-
ever, that the priests are either Party members or. directly
under the control of the Party. I heard some of the kolkhoz
.workers who were Party members speak of the priests as belonging
to the Party, but I have no definite information on this
i
t
po
,.
n
I have heard that'there is a seminary-in Odessa which graduates
Russian Orthodox priests after they complete a five-year course..,
This school allegedly existed before the war on a small scale
brit now has expanded greatly. I know of one engineer, a Party
member, who had completed this seminary in Odessa before the
war; when he returned from the army he became a priest at a near-
by town. This helped convince the people that many priests were
Party members.
When I left for the army my grandmother gave me an icon to carry.
This was taken from-me and I was surprised at the large number;
of youths who also had icons taken from them. Those of us
who had carried icons into the-army were derisLvely berated
by the Zampolit and other officers. The Zampolit would even
jeeringly make references to some soldiers as "believers-' in
an attempt to shame and embarrass them. On several occasions,
however, I heard a Zampolit mention that the Church had . helped
the country considerably during the war. The implication was
that the many contributions given the Church by the people.
went directly to the State. In fact, many people on my kolkboz
had expressed similar opinions about money contributed to the
Church. There were also many who thought that the Party re-
opened the churches both to boost the morale of the people'and
to provide an easy source of income. There are also those who
think that the churches have been permitted to stay open as a .sop to ,conceal the low standard of living and as an aid in'
calling the people in event of another war.
SECRET
Approved For Release 2006/04/20 : CIA-RDP82-00457RO14500220012-8