The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-21


churches become fewer. crowds in.
crease In those open during Easter
Russta's one big religious holiday.
The Greek Orthodox church con.
tinues to be suspect politically anc
Is under close watch and supervis-
ion. A priest who exercises politica
influence or expresses anti-Soviet
feelings often does not remain lonf
in his rosition.
Few Catholic Churches
There are few churches Of Other
faith than Greek Orthodox in the
soviet Union. Roman Catholic ser.
vices are conducted in Moscow anC
Leningrad by foreign priests, one
Of whom, In Moscow, is an Ameri-
can, Father Braun.
German Lutheran churches con-
duct services in Moscow and Len
ingrad, but the Moscow church al
present is without a pastor.
Twenty-eight Greek Orthodox
churches were open in Moscow last
Easter, compared with asa which
operated prior to the revolution
Eight had been closed in 1885 and
several others have been closed OF
destroyed since.
Those that still exist are handi-
capped by a schism between the
new" and the "old" churches, and
dwindling congregations must pay
tax to the local Soviets for use
Of state property.
The Greek Orthodox church split
into the two groups after the revol-
ution. Outwardly the main differ
ence was that the Old Church kept
to the Julian calendar while the
New Church adopted the Gregorian,
made some changes in the service
and permitted the priests to cut
their hair.
Struggle For Power
Actually, bitter struggle for pow
er between Patriach Tykhon of the
Old Church and Archbishop WE
densky, head of the New Church,
resulted. The New Church professed
loyalty to the Soviet regime while
the Old Church, particularly until
the death Of Patriarch Tykhon in
1924, had many elements hostile to
the new government.
Many leading Tykhonites were
exiled after the death of their
leader. but gradually the priests,
fearing to speak directly or indi-
rectily against the government, de-
voted themselves to funerals, an
occasional christening and still more
rarely a marriage.
Services now are attended mostly
by old or middle-aged women, fewer
men and a. number Of children
brought by mothers and grandmoth-
ers. Youth Is absent. With the
gradual diminution of congregations
those who had gone over to the
New Church dropped out first and
few New Churches continue to
operate.
Emphasis against religion I'M
doubtedly Is strong In all organi-
cations, and the term "churchgoer"
Is one of condemnation. The press
exerts its influence against worship.
monastery 70 De nhZcu
In connection with the recon-
struction of Moscow, the Central
Anti-religious Museum, which was
situated In the former Passion Mon
astery in the center of Moscow, will
receive greatly enlarged quarters.
The monastery will be RACED as an
obstruction to traffic and the
museum set up in the Church Of
st. Nicholas.
Comsomol Pravda, young COM
munist organ, recently attacked re-
ligious activity in an article under
the heading THE Black Army"
Denying that the new constitution
represented "a decisive turn In the
policy of the, party in respect to
anti-religious work." the newspaper
pointed out that article 124 of the
constitution secures for all citizens
not only freedom of religion but
freedom Of anti-relig.ous propagan-
da.' Representatives of the modern
church, the paper charged, apply
new methods of propaganda. 50 as
to delay the growth Of atheism and
maintain their rcnctionary influence
IN the backward elements Of the
popula ion."
Similar anti-relig'ous articles and
attacks on the acticity Of priests
occur frequently In all Of the Soviet
press in addition to those in the
monthly magazine, THE Goddess,
devoted exclusively to anti-religious
work.