Religious Views of the Peasants of Vladimir Guberniya in March-October 1917

The religious representations of the peasants of Vladimir Guberniya in 1917 under the revolutionary events of the year are analysed in this article. Relying upon the analysis of archive documents and periodicals of Vladimir Guberniya and the conclusions of the national historiography, the author reveals the degree of religiosity of the peasantry in March-October 1917, the image of the clergy in the local press, the attitude of the peasantry towards the clergy and the specifics of interaction with them. The author concludes that the religiosity of the peasants of Vladimir Guberniya during the Russian revolution of 1917 is difficult to challenge. Women were especially religious. A retreat from Orthodoxy was mostly observed among seasonal workers, soldiers and growing young people, that is, groups of peasants who were long away from the village and actively interacted with the city. In 1917, the propensity to duality was preserved in the peasant mentality, too. The revolutionary events organically intertwined in the rural residents' Christian picture of the world. At the time, the political and religious consciousness was merging, which resulted in the so-called Christian socialism. It is noteworthy that, in the cities and villages of Vladimir Guberniya, the change of power was celebrated according to a similar scenario, with the altering sequence of events. First, with the chimes of the bells, the solemn procession carrying red flags and revolutionary slogans went to a worship service and then moved to a rally. Not only references, but also colorful descriptions of such holidays can be found in the local press. However, the attitude of the villagers towards the clergy was completely different. Historical sources show the growing anti-clerical moods of the peasants of Vladimir Guberniya in the period under investigation rather than the secularization of consciousness. Remaining deeply religious throughout March-October 1917, the peasantry had a negative attitude towards the clergy, considering them dependents. In the eyes of the villagers, the church as an institution remained primarily a landowner, whom the revolution was to equalize with the ordinary members of the community. The local press also poured fuel on the fire by forming the image of a cunning, greedy priest, an opponent of the new way of life. However, it is important to note that various kinds of pogroms against church-monastic land ownership and property were not common in Vladimir Guberniya.

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