Author ORCID Identifier
Giorgi Sosiashvili - 0000-0002-2406-8662
Aleksandre Mgebrishvili - 0000-0002-4275-2417
Abstract
This article examines the profound impact of Bolshevik repression on Georgian society following the establishment of the Soviet regime in 1921, focusing particularly on the Orthodox Church and other religious communities. The Bolshevik government implemented a series of oppressive measures, including the closure of over a thousand churches and the systematic persecution of clergy, drastically reducing their numbers from thousands to just a few dozen. Key documents, such as Decree #22, exemplify the state’s efforts to strip the Church of legal rights and property, thereby eradicating its influence. The article highlights the formation of the "Union of the Godless," a campaign targeting the Orthodox faith, and details local revolutionary committees' arbitrary confiscation of church property and harassment of clergy. Case studies from Shida Kartli reveal the dire consequences for clergy members, many of whom were coerced into abandoning their religious vocations. Additionally, the article discusses the wider implications of these repressions, including the forced closure of churches, discrediting of clergy, and eventual executions of prominent church leaders. Through an analysis of archival documents and personal accounts, this study sheds light on the complex interplay of faith, politics, and social dynamics during this turbulent period in Georgian history.
Recommended Citation
Sosiashvili, Giorgi Prof. Dr. and Mgebrishvili, Aleksandre Prof. Dr.
(2024)
"Persecution of Clerics in Shida Kartli During the First Years of Soviet Occupation,"
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe: Vol. 44
:
Iss.
10
, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55221/2693-2229.2582
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/ree/vol44/iss10/5