The Orthodox Apostolic Church of Georgia and Soviet Religious Policy (50s of XX century)

Abstract

The Apostolic Orthodox Church of Georgia has been an integral part of Georgian statehood and has maintained its significance throughout various historical periods. Despite numerous scientific works on the Church of Georgia, the study of the Soviet Union's ideology and its relationship with the Apostolic Church of Georgia remains relevant today. The Soviet system, with its socialist structure, opposed the national church in every aspect because its leaders understood that eliminating religious beliefs and ideas would facilitate the formation of a unified Soviet people. The establishment of the communist regime in Europe popularized and spread anti-religious ideology. Governing nations with different religious denominations became easier if their faiths were declared utopian. Communist ideologues claimed that communism itself was a new kind of faith, distinct from religion. Various studies have explored the history of the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Georgia, focusing on the relationship between the church and the state and the influence of political ideologies on these relations. The objectivity of Georgian Soviet historiography was compromised, preventing an open presentation of the Apostolic Orthodox Church's situation in Soviet Georgia and its struggle for independence. The political regime of the time dictated this bias. The study of the Church’s history entered a new phase in the 19th century with the publication of Plato Ioseliani's A Brief History of the Church of Georgia in 1845. Research became more active in the early 20th century, particularly concerning the restoration of the Church's autocephaly. Notable works by Georgian researchers include: Metropolitan Anania Japaridze: History of the Apostolic Church of Georgia (Vol. IV, Tbilisi 2003), Church Councils of Georgia (Vol. III, Tbilisi 2003), History of the Apostolic Church of Georgia (Tbilisi 2009), Georgia: Collection of Church Laws (Tbilisi 2010). Sergo Vardosanidze: Centennial Chronicle of the Georgian Orthodox Apostolic Church (1917-2017) (Tbilisi 2017), Georgian High Priests in the 20th-21st Centuries (Tbilisi 2010). Akaki Varazashvili: Some Issues of the History and Autocephaly of the Church of Georgia (Tbilisi 1999). Ketevan Pavliashvili: History of the Apostolic Church of Georgia: 1800-1945 (Tbilisi 2008), Georgian Orthodox Church in the 1930s-1940s (Tbilisi 2002). Vakhtang Toradze: History of the Orthodox Church of Georgia (Tbilisi 2006). Givi Rogava: How They Fought Against Religion and the Church in Georgia (1920s-1930s) and Religion and Church in Georgia (19th-20th Centuries). Eka Silagadze: Dissertation, History of the Union of Militant Godless in Georgia 1928-1947.  These studies have provided deeper insights into the challenges faced by the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Georgia and have encouraged further research. This research focuses on the 1950s, a period that has not yet been studied comprehensively. The goal is to highlight the indicators of Soviet atheism and its impact on Georgian society and church life. The 20th century was marked by numerous political events that significantly influenced both secular and religious life. The history of the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Georgia is deeply intertwined with the nation's statehood. The continued study of its past, especially during the Soviet era, is essential for understanding the broader socio-political and religious dynamics in Georgia.