Faith Communities of Tuva and the Mid-1940s Shaping of the Soviet Government-Religion Relations System

Introduction. In the direct aftermath of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet religious policy changed and initially started being characterized nationwide by somewhat mitigated attitudes towards faith movements and religion in general — only to experience another harder line soon. This is evidenced by historical facts at regional levels, including the events witnessed by the then Tuva. After the once independent Tuvan People’s Republic joined the Soviet Union as autonomous region of the RSFSR in 1944, it started being incorporated into the Soviet legal framework and regulated by Soviet legislation. Thus, the Buddhist, Orthodox Christian, Old Believer and Protestant communities of Tuvan Autonomous Oblast became objects of the post-war Soviet government’s religious policy. Goals. The article attempts a review of conditions experienced by Tuva’s faith communities in the context of the 1940s Soviet religious policy. Materials and methods. The study focuses on documents housed by the State Archive of Russia. The newly introduced archival materials cast light on some features inherent to relations between aforementioned communities and government agencies at national and regional levels. Special attention is given to activities of local religious associations and their clergy. Results. The complex, non-linear and ambiguous post-war religious policy aimed at using faith associations in the interests of government resulted in that only Orthodox Christians succeeded in obtaining official registration and the opportunity to conduct legal religious activities. The remaining believers — including the overwhelming Buddhist majority of Tuva — would fail to obtain any official permission for legal existence and had to operate illegally. The paper reviews available historical documents to partially restore the history of faith institutions and the chronology of corresponding events related to religious life across the region in the period under consideration.

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