A. V. Sipeikin

LEGAL CASES AND INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTS AS SOURCES OF THE HISTORY OF THE SOVIET ANTICHURCH POLICY

Authors

A. V. Sipeikin

Keywords:

LEGAL CASES AND INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTS, SOURCES OF THE HISTORY OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, SOVIET ANTIRELIGIOUS AND ANTICHURCH POLICY

Abstract

This article is focused on analysis of legal cases and investigative documents against priests as a historical source. Author thinks that study of these materials lets to trace the history of persecution of priesthood. In addition, the legal cases and the investigative documents contain valuable information about political stance of priests, character of interrelations between them and ordinary believers, and daily life of the Orthodox parishes. The study of the legal cases and investigative documents allows revealing an important information about conflicts between local Soviet officials and the Russian Orthodox Church, and about clashes inside parishes. While studying these problems it is very important to compare data of the legal cases and the investigative documents with information from other kinds of sources. This method allows bringing out great number of out-ofcourt reprisals against priests and ordinary believers.

LEGAL CASES AND INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTS AS SOURCES OF THE HISTORY OF THE SOVIET ANTICHURCH POLICY