The position of the Russian Orthodox Church during the Khrushchev's «thaw»

In thisarticle the author examines the situation in which the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) during , N S Khrushchev ministry was. It has enteredinto a study of history and journalism as the period destalinization, liberalization of various social and political life aspects. On this background,the author of article notices, the policy, concerning the religious organizations and the Russian Orthodox Church, carried out byKhruschev's management looks rather strange. It is known that in 1958 religious communities rights were limited again. Universal closure ofchurches, the reduction of religious schools and monasteries began. Tax burden on the parishes, priests was increased. Struggle against religiousholidays and ceremonies and those who executed them became more active. For example, a tax on church candles and their productionincreased so much that the churches were forced to abandon them, but it was an essential attribute of Orthodox worship. Under the pressureof State the Council of Bishops in 1961, created new «Position about Russian Orthodox Church management» which limited the rights ofpriests to supervise over church arrival essentially. Thus, Russian Orthodox Church position during the period from 1958 to1964 was not theheaviest in the ХХ century (persecutions didn't get the scales comparable to 1920-1930 years), but difficult enough. Why did Nikita Khrushchevtried to liberalize Soviet life, but was so hard regard to Russian Orthodox Church ? The author suggests not to search the answer tothis question in his personal qualities of the first party and state head, and even not in his communist convictions. Attacking the church,Khrushchev, «corrected» the Stalinist course, according to which Stalin definitely allowed recover to the ROC in the 1940s. Besides, fromthe end of 1950 the party proclaimed the idea of communist society construction in the USSR. In which, according to Marxist dogma, placesneither for religion, nor for church, and believers weren't.

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