Church in Communist realities.

1. Church in Communist realities. Meeting 16.

2. OVERVIEW Bulgaria – Eastern Orthodox Church 85% (in 1934); 13% Muslim; the rest – Catholic, Protestant, non-religious Repressions; 1951 reconciliation with patriarchate of Istanbul; 1953 Kiril of Plovdid is raised to Bulgarian patriarch –close cooperation with state authorities and Moscow patriarch (subordination to USSR) „The number of Orthodox priests declined from 3,312 in 1947 to 1,700 in 1985. Priests associated with the prewar regime were accused of engaging in illegal or antisocialist activities, supporting the opposition, and propagandizing against the state. Upon taking control of all church property, the state had the choice of maintaining churches or closing them down. Thus, for example, Rila Monastery, the largest monastery in Bulgaria, became a national museum in 1961. In 1987 the Orthodox Church had 3,720 churches and chapels, 120 monasteries, 981 regular and 738 retired priests, 135 monks, and 170 nuns. The church was administered by a Holy Synod. Under communist rule, the synod had the authority to publish limited quantities of religious material such as magazines, newspapers, and church calendars. A new translation of the Bible was published in 1982, but in such small quantities that the size of the printing could not be determined. By 1988 the 1982 edition was being resold at ten times the original price.” http://countrystudies.us/bulgaria/26.htm

3. Czechoslovakia 1945 – 9 major creeds listed in its censuses: Roman Catholic, Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church (called "Uniate"), the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Lutheran, Calvinist, Orthodox, the Czech Reformed Church (the Hussites), the Old Catholic Church, and Judaism. 6 %without religious preference 2/3 Roman Catholics in 1947/8 In the 1950s, more than 6,000 religious people (some old and sick) receive prison sentences of more than 5 years 1948-68 – the number of priests declines by 50% most clergy is over 60 y.o. 1950-1968 Unite church prohibited In 1960s "scientific atheism" had not caught on quite as much as the Communist Party might have hoped after twenty years of party rule. In the traditionally Catholic Slovakia, only 14 % are atheists and 15 % undecided Situation deteriorates after 1968; harsh condictions for all denominations

4. Hungary (http://countrystudies.us/hungary/63.htm) 1986 (Western estimates) 67.5 % Roman Catholic 20 % Reformed (Calvinist) 5 % unaffiliated 5 % Lutheran Other Christian denominations: Uniates, Orthodox, various small Protestant groups: Baptists, Methodists, Seventh- Day Adventists, and Mormons 65,000-100,000 practicing Jews 1945 the Catholic church lost its landed property Religious orders (59 of 63) were dissolved in 1948 Religious schools were taken over by the state. Catholic associations and clubs (about 4,000) were forced to disband. In1950 about 2,500 monks and nuns, about one-quarter of the total in Hungary, were deported. 64 of 68 religious newspapers and journals were closed

5. 1960s – the two sides gradually reached an accommodation. 1964 – the state concluded a major agreement with the Vatican, the first of its kind involving a communist state - oath of allegiance to the Constitution (as long as not contrary to faith) - Papal Institute in Rome filled with priests endorsed by government - filling vacant church posts - status quo and cohabitation 1980s drop of number of priests: 1950 - 3,583 priests and 11,538 monks and nuns; in 1986 - 2,600 priests and a mere 250 monks and nuns 1980s the church had six seminaries After the communist takeover, the historic Protestant churches became thoroughly integrated into the new state system. They were not a source of organized dissent. „Western observers concluded that although the country possessed about 5 million practicing believers, religion did not provide a viable alternative value system that could compete with the predominant secularism and materialism promoted both by the government and by trends within an increasingly modern society. Thus, religion was unlikely to become a vehicle for dissent as in Poland or, in a more limited way, in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).”

6. Romania (http://countrystudies.us/romania/48.htm) 1948 – abolishment of Unite church 1956 – more lenient policy 1965-68 – Nicolae Ceascescu consults Orthodox hierarchy After 1969 – full control „In the late 1980s, the Romanian Orthodox Church, by far the largest denomination, claimed some 16 million members--roughly 70 percent of the total population. The church had some 12,000 places of worship and 9,000 priests and was the most generously supported of all denominations. The most important positions in the Orthodox hierarchy were filled by party nominees, and the church remained patently submissive to the regime” „The Catholic Church in the late 1980s had about 3 million members, who belonged to two groups--the Eastern Rite Church, or Uniates, and the Latin Rite Church, or Roman Catholics. After 1948 the Department of Cults took the official position that "no religious community and none of its officials may have relations with religious communities abroad" and that "foreign religious cults may not exercise jurisdiction on Romanian territory." These regulations were designed to abolish papal authority over Catholics in Romania, and the Roman Catholic Church, although it was one of the sixteen recognized religions, lacked legal standing, as its organizational charter was never approved by the Department of Cults.”

7. Poland 95% baptised Catholics (1939 about 65 %) War losses and role of Catholic church 1947 – loss of property - closing seminars - abolishing the concordat - Priests Patriots - PAX association

8. 1953 21-27 January- court case against employees and priests of the Kraków metropolitan see 9 February- state decree concerning church offices being manned only with approval of state officials 8 March- independent Catholic weekly “Tygodnik Powszechny” closed as a result of not placing appropriate article after Stalin’s death 8 May- Polish Church passes the “non possumus” act 14-21 September- court case against bishop Czesław Kaczmarek and other Kielce priests 25/26 September - Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński, Primate of Poland arrested on charge of supposed conspiracy against the state 1956 24 November- a chain of Catholic Intelligentsia Clubs is called to life in Poland 26 November- Wyszyński released 28 December- Supreme Military Court declares verdict on bishop Kaczmarek void

9. 1957 April – Wit Stwosz’s altar returns to Krakow from Germany 1959 31 July – Mondays declared days without meat by the Ministry of Trade in Poland due to meat shortage 1960 27 April – Demonstrations in Nowa Huta in defence of a cross August – religion removed from schools as a subject of instruction 1965 18 November – Polish episcopate addresses a letter to German bishops: “we forgive and beg forgiveness”, severely criticized by the Party and state organs 1966 3 May – celebration of Poland’s Millenium in Częstochowa (later in Kraków and Warsaw)

10. Millenium 1966

12. 1978 16 October– Polish Cardinal, Karol Wojtyła elected pope in Rome 1979 2-10 June – John Paul II visits Poland 1981 13 May – attempt to assassinate John Paul II in Rome 28 May – primate of Poland, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński dies 1980s Role of the church