The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-12

THE following is Inc leNt Oh inc IhleINlS"
1 given to a representative Of the "lsvestia"
by the Metropolit of the Greek-OrthodoX
Church Sercius the Metropolit Of Saratov
S7ersohira. the Archbishop of Chutyn Alexius,
the Archbishop of Svenigorod Philip and the
Bishop of Orechovosuyevo Pitirim:
Question: Is there any persecution of religion
in the Soviet Union, and if so, in what form
does this persecution show itself?
Answer: Religion in the Soviet Union is not
subjected to any prosecutions. In accordance
with the decree separating church and state,
all beliefs are free and suffer no persecution
from the authorities. The latest decision of
the Central Executive Committee and of the
Council of Peoples Commissars of the R.S.F.
S.R. concerning religious communities excludes
even the appearance of religious prosecutions.
O. Is it true that the atheists have closed
down churches. and if So what is the attitude
of the believers?
A. Some churches have actually been closed
down. but this was not done by the authorities,
but by the population, and in many cases by
the believers themselves. The atheists in the
Soviet Union are organized in a private So
cioty. end their decisions are in no way bind
ing for the authorities.
Q. Is it true that priests and believers are
subjected to persecution, arrest, Punishment,
etc, for their religious convictions?
A. The action taken against priests and be-
levers by the Soviet authorities is not the
result of the religious convictions of the per-
sons concerned, but the result as in the case
of other persons, of actions committed against
the government. The misfortune of the church
was that formerly, as is generally known, it
was too closely connected with the monarchy.
This prevented the leading circles of the church
from recognising the real significance of the
great social transformation which has taken
place, so that for long time they acted as the
open enemies of the Soviet government, for in
stance under Kotchak, Deniken, etc. The best
heads of the church, for instance the Patriarch
Tichon have recognized the real situation and
have done their best to act accordingly They
have also recommended their followers not to
oppose the will of the people and to be loyal
to the Soviet government. Unfortunately even
today there are some elements in the church
who cannot believe that the past is gone for
ever, and they still act as political enemies of
the Soviet government.
@. Is there freedom for religious propaganda
in the Soviet Union?
A. Priests are permitted to hold their church
services and to deliver their sermons. Unfor-
tunately we ourselves do not show the neces-
sary zeal in this direction 1t is also permitted
Q. Are the reports published in the foreign
press concerning atrocities committed upon in
dividual priests by agents of the Soviet author
tiles in accordance with the facts?
A. These reports are not in the least in ac-
cordance with the facts, They represent in
ventions and ISLANDERS unworthy of the atten-
ton of serious people. Priests suffer no perse-
cutions for their religious activities. Where
priests are guilty of acts hostile to the govern
ment, they are called to account, but not to the
accompaniment Of atrocities and brutality, but
in the normal form used for all other persons
accused Of such offenses.
Q. How is the church administered and does
the administration meet with any limitations?
A. Just as before the revolution the church
consists of central and local bodies. The centre
is the Patriarchate and the Holy Synode, and
in the Doceses are the bishops and the do
cesar councils. In addition, every local COM
munity has committee elected by itself. All
the bishops are at work in their doceses and
up to the present no limitations have been i'm
posed upon the administration of the church.
Does any particular religious denomination
enjoy special privileges, and does any partic-
ular denomination enjoy the support of the
Soviet power?
A. In accordance with the Soviet laws all
religious denominations enjoy the same rights
Q. What do you think are the future pros
poets Of religion in the Soviet Union?
A. 1t is true that the rapid development of
atheism causes US concern, but we are never
theless firmly convinced that the Divine Light
will not go out and that in the course of time
it will once again conquer the hearts of men.
Q. What is the situation with regard to ma
terial support for religion from abroad?
A. Our priests are maintained sufficiently
e ~,
moral possibility for us is that our followers
should support us. Any material support COM
ing from outside and from the followers of
other beliefs would be humiliating for us and
would burden us with moral, and perhaps even
political, obligations which would hamper our
religious activities.
@. Have there been cases of -priests sentenced
to death for non-payment of taxes?
A. Such cases have never come to our know-
edge. There have been cases where fines have
been imposed on priests for non-payment of
taxes but nothing more.
Q. What is the present situation Of the
church?
A. The present situation of the church is
fundamentally different from former times, in
consequence Of the radical transformation of
the economic life Of the country and the re-
placement of old economic forms by new ones
(the collectivization of agriculture the indus
trializStion of the country. The situation of
the church is deteriorating, but we have not
abandoned hope and we believe that with the
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