RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OF TOGLIATTI IN 1989–2001
Authors: Yakunin Vadim N. 
Published: July 2024

The period of 1989–2001 is of interest for the study of church life in Russia, including in Togliatti, since it was at this time that the legislation on religious cults was radically changing, and religious organizations were given freedom for their activities. In Togliatti, this was reflected in the fact that since 1989 unregistered religious organizations came out of hiding and new ones were formed. Religious organizations had the opportunity not only to worship, but also to engage in social activities and to go to the media. The city authorities, instead of strict restrictions and regulation of religious organizations’ activities, were obliged, according to the new legislation, to assist them.

The purpose of the research is to study the situation and activities of religious organizations in Togliatti in 1989–2001, to evaluate the results of their interaction with municipal authorities.

Materials and methods. The study implementation was achieved through the use of materials from the municipal public institution “Togliatti Archive”, periodical press data, memoirs of contemporaries, materials from the current archive of Samara Diocesan Administration closed to the public (reports of the ruling bishop of Samara Diocese to the Moscow Patriarchate), materials from the author’s personal archive: reports of officials on the religious situation in Togliatti. The sources were analyzed to identify patterns in changes in religious life that took place and trends in its formation. The research methodology includes the method of analyzing documents, and the method of synchronous comparison with documentary material was used in working with periodical press materials. The statistical method is used to analyze the data related to the emergence of new religious organizations and opening religious buildings for worship by them. In order to solve the issue of the reliability and representativeness of the sources put into circulation, the history of the origin and the fate of these sources was studied using a content-related and correlation analysis.

The scientific novelty of the research lies in disclosure of the forms and methods of work carried out by Togliatti municipal authorities with religious organizations and believers, the study of the number of religious organizations and their numberedness in 1989–2001.

Research results. Religious organizations effectively took advantage of the new religious legislation, multiplying the number of parishes in Togliatti, as well as forming new religious communities. Togliatti municipal authorities preferred Orthodox religious organizations in religious policy, which is confirmed by their financing, allocation of land plots to construct temples, and media coverage of intra-church events. Most Protestant organizations appeared after visits to Togliatti paid by domestic and foreign missionaries and preachers. Some of them stayed in Togliatti and headed these communities.

Conclusions. In 1989-2001, the number of parishes of various religious organizations in Togliatti increased from 4 to 40. If before 1989 there were registered Orthodox and Baptist parishes and unregistered Muslim and Pentecostal religious organizations in the city, then since 1989 there appeared parishes and communities of the Roman Catholic Church, the Old Believer Church (3 directions), the New Apostolic Church, the Molokan spiritual Christians, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Seventh-day Adventists, the Mormons, witnesses the Jehovah’s Witnesses*, the Buddhists, the Krishnaites, the Sahaja yogis, followers of Vissarion and others. Not all of them were registered. The number of Orthodox parishes increased from 1 to 13, Baptist parishes from 1 to 3, Pentecostal parishes from 1 to 4, and Muslim organizations from 1 to 4.

Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the diocesan leadership were not satisfied with the status of Orthodoxy as one of the religions, they claimed a special status, attitude and funding from the state and local authorities. It follows from here – creation of a dozen church departments covering all aspects of the society’s life and activities, from interaction with the media to presence in correctional facilities. The diocesan and city church leaders opposed the increased activity of non-Orthodox church organizations, sending appropriate letters to the municipal authorities of Togliatti, publishing articles in the media. Togliatti authorities took into account the opinion of the Orthodox leadership even in such cases as allocation of land plots to non-Orthodox religious organizations.