European History Commons^™

From Humanitarian Aid To “Counterrevolution”: Foreign Assistance To Pentecostals In Soviet Ukraine And Its Criminalization By The Gpu–Nkvd, 1932–1935, Oleksandr Korotaiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines foreign assistance to Pentecostal communities in the Ukrainian SSR and the mechanisms of its criminalization by Soviet state security agencies in 1932–1935. Drawing on GPU–NKVD criminal investigation files, secret police reports, party-state documentation, personal correspondence, and memoir sources, the study reconstructs transnational channels of humanitarian support, practices of resource distribution, and the transformation of survival strategies into objects of political repression.

Particular attention is devoted to two distinct models of foreign assistance. The Odessa case demonstrates a centralized system connected to the former leadership of the All-Ukrainian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith and transnational Pentecostal networks …

Janusz Krupski And His Times: Moral Rearmament From A Historical And Religious Perspective, Christopher Garbowski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper explores the concept of moral rearmament in contemporary East-Central Europe through the historical and religious legacy of Polish anti-communist opposition figure Janusz Krupski (1951–2010). Responding to sociologist Frank Furedi’s critique regarding the "moral disarmament" of the West, the author contends that religion serves as an essential—and frequently overlooked—pillar in restoring historical consciousness and moral resilience against totalitarian and geopolitical threats.

Focusing on the unique intellectual ecosystem of the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) during the communist regime, the article details Krupski’s pioneering role in establishing an underground publishing movement, most notably the independent Catholic journal Spotkania (Encounters …

The Phenomenon Of Ukrainian Chaplaincy From The Underground Of The 1990s To Officer Ranks In The Historical And Spiritual Experience Of Lieutenant Colonel Of Aviation And Pastor Vasyl Khimich, Valentyna Kuryliak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Vasyl Khimich is a career aviation officer, retired lieutenant colonel, and pastor who combined the discipline of a Soviet officer with the spiritual mission of developing educational standards. This interview is about how faith became a strategic resource of national security. The figure of Vasyl Khimich is exceptionally valuable for the history of Protestantism in Ukraine, as he combines the experience of a Soviet career aviation officer, a pastor, and a developer of the first standards of military chaplaincy in Ukraine. His path demonstrates the complex evolution of the Ukrainian military-Christian movement from underground meetings to official recognition at the …

Book Review: Paweł Włodkowic. Writings (1416-1432): The Struggle For The Self-Determination Of Central Europe, John Grondelski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Paweł Włodkowic. Writings (1416-1432): The Struggle for the Self-Determination of Central Europe. Introduction and edited by Paul Knoll, trans. Charles Kraszewski, foreword Ewa Thompson. Rome/Warsaw: Angelicum University Press/Fundacja Świętego Mikołaja, 2023. PB, pp. 664, ISBN 978-83-67065-44-3.

On The Chekist Front: Little-Known Pages Of The Life Of Ivan Voronaev (Agent "Nepliuev"), Founder Of Soviet Pentecostalism, Oleksandr Korotaiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The figure of Ivan Voronaev (1885-1937), founder of the Soviet Pentecostal movement, occupies a contested place in the history of Eastern European Protestantism. Confessional narratives portray him as an “apostle of the Slavs” and martyr of faith, while Soviet anti-sectarian literature depicted him as a “bourgeois agent” and conduit of foreign influence. Despite their opposition, both approaches largely ignore the Chekist dimension of Voronaev’s biography–his systematic interaction with the Soviet security services and his role in their operational activities as a covert agent.

This article reconstructs previously marginalized episodes of Voronaev’s life on the basis of operational, investigative, and reporting …

Development Of True Orthodox Church In Kyiv Region (1927-1931), Oleksandr Trygub, Oleh Bazhan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The preconditions for the formation and activities of the True Orthodox Church in the territory of the Kyiv region from 1927 to 1931 are studied in the scientific paper. Based on archival documents, the reasons for the emergence of the anti-Sergius opposition among the Orthodox clergy and laity who rejected the Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) on loyalty to Soviet power are analyzed. It is shown that the Kyiv region became one of the centers for the development of the True Orthodox Christian movement in the Ukrainian SSR, where independent communities were formed. The specifics of underground church life are …

Religious And Cultural Dimension Of The "Ringing Cedars Of Russia" Movement In The Context Of Hybrid Warfare, Oleksandr Lukyanenko, Vitaly Dmytrenko, Vita Dmytrenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to a comprehensive religious analysis of the neo-religious movement “The Ringing Cedars of Russia,” based on the works of Vladimir Megre and the image of the prophetess Anastasia. The study covers the ideological and doctrinal foundations of the movement, its socio-cultural practices, the functioning of tribal settlements, as well as mechanisms of influence on individual and collective consciousness. Particular attention is paid to the concepts of “Vedrussia”, the sacralization of “Russian space” and the mythologization of Russia’s calling to revive the “primitive civilization of harmony.” The analysis shows that the movement, while declaring ecological and humanistic …

The Response Of Diaspora And Religious Institutions On The Refugee Crisis: Case Study Of The Republic Of Croatia, Galyna Sagan Dr., Tetiana Kostiuk Dr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article is dedicated to the multifaceted support that Ukrainian diaspora and Catholic organizations in the Republic of Croatia have been providing to Ukrainian refugees since the full-scale Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. The study details the systemic response of such key religious institutions as the Diocese of Križevci, Caritas and the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). Particular attention is paid to integration initiatives, like educational programs developed by the Catholic University of Croatia (HKS), and the provision of spiritual and pastoral care, which remains the unique prerogative of the Church. The study emphasizes coordination between ecclesiastical and state …

Pentecostals In The Ukrainian Ssr During Collectivization And The Holodomor Of 1930–1933: Socio-Adaptive Survival Practices, Oleksandr Korotaiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the social adaptation and survival practices of Pentecostal communities in the Ukrainian SSR under the conditions of forced collectivization, dekulakization, and the Holodomor of 1930–1933. Drawing on criminal-investigative case files of the GPU, top-secret Soviet security service documents, party and state decrees, and testimonies of contemporaries, the study reconstructs individual, family, and communal strategies employed by believers in response to systematic state violence. Particular attention is devoted to Pentecostal communities in the Odesa okrug, especially the village of Holma in the Balta district, where Soviet repressive policies manifested themselves through a combination of economic pressure, religious persecution, …

The Symbolic Language Of Militarized Orthodoxy In Patriarchal Sermons, Architecture, And Pseudo-Historical Memory, Oleksandr Lukyanenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to a comprehensive cultural and religious analysis of the processes of militarization of religious worldview in modern Russia using the example of public speeches of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, as well as the symbolic space of the Main Temple of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Particular attention is paid to the study of the mechanisms of sacralization of war through the integration of historical memory, Orthodox rhetoric and the state ideology of the “Russian world”. The study analyzes the peculiarities of the interpretation of World War II as the sacred foundation of modern Russian …

Lutsk-Zhytomyr Roman Catholic Diocese During The First World War: Charitable And Socio-Political Activities, Olga Bilobrovets, Oleh Sokolovskyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The activities of the Roman Catholic Church were an important factor in preserving and reviving the national identity of the Polish minority in Volyn under the conditions of the Russification and discriminatory policies of the Russian autocracy during the First World War. The Catholic clergy actively worked to aid the Polish population and refugees affected by the war. During the First World War, the Roman Catholic clergy of the Lutsk-Zhytomyr diocese, together with the majority of the Polish population in Ukraine, provided significant aid to war victims and refugees from the Kingdom of Poland and Galicia. Catholic churches collected funds …

From The Monarchy To The Holocaust: The Zahler Family Of Košice/Kassa, Veronika Szeghy-Gayer

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The study aims to map the life and carrier trajectory of a Jewish attorney from the city of Košice between the 19^th century and the immediate post-WWII years. Based on archival documents and materials from the Zahler family archives documents, the different historical contexts in which the Zahlers lived are investigated including the Dual Monarchy, the first Czechoslovak Republic, the wartime Hungarian Kingdom and post-WWII Czechoslovakia. It aims to answer the following questions: How did the Jewish elite from this region of East Central Europe experience the shifting regimes? How did they relate to the minority policy of interwar …

Exchange Of Uoc-Mp Priests For Prisoners Of War In The Context Of National Security And Religious Relations, Liudmyla Shtanko, Igor Makarenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The exchange of UOC-MP priests for prisoners of war is a complex and multifaceted issue encompassing political, humanitarian, and religious dimensions, which have become particularly relevant in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. On the one hand, the exchange of priests can be viewed as a humanitarian act aimed at liberating captured soldiers; on the other hand, it serves as a political maneuver that provokes conflicting sentiments among citizens and religious communities. Considering the situation with prisoners of war, Ukraine sought effective methods to secure the return of its citizens, including through the mechanism of exchanging UOC-MP priests. Although …

Memory And Religious Identity In Ivan Iv’S Letters: Constructing Orthodox Kingship In Diplomatic Correspondence, Srđan M. Jovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the use of religious memory and identity in the diplomatic correspondence of Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible), particularly his letters to the Polish-Lithuanian nobility. Through a detailed analysis of these letters, the article demonstrates how Ivan IV invoked Orthodox Christian imagery, sacred history, and references to past Christian rulers to legitimize his reign and justify his political actions, such as military campaigns and territorial expansion. Ivan’s correspondence not only reflects his self-presentation as a divinely appointed ruler but also illustrates how religious rhetoric played a crucial role in constructing Orthodox kingship and shaping Russian national identity. The …

The Religious Policy Of The Russian Empire In The Captured Territories Of The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (On The Example Of The Volyn Province At The End Of The 18th-The First Half Of The 19th Century), Andrii Shevchuk, Oksana Markevych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article investigates the peculiarities of the implementation of the religious policy of the Russian Empire in the territories that were captured as a result of the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, on the example of the Volyn province in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The role of local administration, in particular governors, in the implementation of the imperial confessional policy and the mechanisms of integration of the Orthodox Church into the state apparatus are analyzed. It is established that after the November Uprising of 1830-1831, religious policy was radicalized, which manifested itself in the forced liquidation of …

The Religious Factor In The Imperial Judicial Policy Of The Right-Bank Ukraine (1797-1830), Andrii Shevchuk, Oksana Markevych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the religious factor in the imperial judicial policy on the territory of Right-Bank Ukraine (1797-1830). The transformation of the region's judicial system after its incorporation into the Russian Empire is analyzed through the prism of confessional relations. On the basis of archival materials and published sources, the peculiarities of the functioning of judicial institutions in the context of religious stratification of society are revealed. The specifics of staffing of judicial institutions by representatives of different denominations, particularly the dominance of the Catholic szlachta (nobility) in the county and major courts, are highlighted. The author traces the evolution …

Ecumenical Dialogue Between Reformers And Orthodox Under The Ottomans (15-16th Century), Svetoslav Svetoszarov Ribolov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Despite the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, the Orthodox Church continued to make contacts with the West. In the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Patriarchs Joasaph II and Jeremias II had ecumenical contacts and theological dialogues with two generations of Reformers. Martin Luther and Melanchthon, and later Martin Crusius, Jakob Andrеä, and their associates in Wittenberg took up the initiative for a serious ecumenical dialogue with Constantinople. Despite a sincere desire on both sides, lack of a common methodological framework in the talks did not allow for significant results. In the end, both sides did not …

“Under The Influence Of Soviet Reality”: The Life And Work Of The Kgb Agent “Goroshko” (Chief Bishop Of The Pentecostals Of The Ussr Gavril Ponurko), Oleksandr Korotaiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article attempts to describe, based on top secret OGPU-KGB materials, the life and work of a KGB agent, a major Pentecostal authority, chairman, and later Chief Bishop, of the All-Ukrainian (in fact, of the all-USSR) Council of Christians of the Evangelical faith, aka Pentecostals (AUCCEF), Gavril Gavrilovich Ponurko (1889–1978). The article presents interesting, previously unknown, facts from the life of Gavril Ponurko, describes his life milestones and the reasons that led Ponurko to cooperate with the special services. The article also cites the dogmatic teaching of Pentecostals in relation to the Soviet and Nazi authorities, approved by them in …

Review: Oliver Jens Schmitt, Biserica De Stat Sau Biserică În Stat? O Istorie A Bisericii Ortodoxe Române, Editura Humanitas, București, 2023, Csaba Szabó

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A review of Oliver Jens Schmitt, Biserica de stat sau biserică în stat? O istorie a Bisericii Ortodoxe Române, Editura Humanitas, București, 2023. 457pp.

ISBN: 978-973-50-7919-2

Still Sticking To The Big Brother: History, German Protestantism, And The Ukrainian War, Katharina Kunter

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

It has often been revealed, in the great historical upheavals of contemporary history, that a quick, situational ad-hoc assessment and reaction is not the strength of German Protestantism. This was the case after the collapse of Imperial Germany (Kaiserreich) and the sovereign church regiment (Landesherrliches Kirchenregiment; summus episcopus) in 1918, as well as after the end of the Second World War, when German Protestantism was long at odds with democracy and Adenauer's ties to the West.4 The Peaceful Revolution in the GDR in 1989 (during the civic uprisings of 1989/90 in the other Central European countries) also surprised the leaders …

Confession As A Multifunctional Holy Sacrament Of The Ukrainian Orthodox Population Of The 17th-19th Centuries, Olena Borodenko, Vasyl Fazan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Цель. Статья посвящена проблеме многофункционального исследования конфессиональной обрядности мировоззрения и религиозной принадлежности украинского православного населения XVII-XIX вв.

Методы исследования . Междисциплинарный интеллект строится с преимуществом формально-логического метода познания в истории религии, социально-религиозной истории и интегрируется с избранными направлениями психологии и философии.

Основные результаты.Святое Таинство Исповеди представлено как проявление искреннего покаяния верующего в своих грехах, с верой в Бога-Творца, в Его милость, с надеждой на исправление жизненных проступков через отпущение грехов священником. По признанию, одним из побудительных факторов можно считать страх и набожность человека. Главной целью религиозного обряда было укрепление соблюдения в обществе христианских нравственных норм нравственности и гражданского права. …

Fooling The West: Top-Secret Work Of The Kgb Manipulating Protestants Of The Ussr Regarding Religions Outside The Ussr, 1954-1957, Oleksandr Korotaiev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article presents the issue of the use of the Protestant clergy by the Soviet special services in matters of intelligence and counterintelligence work abroad and among the Baptist World Alliance delegations that visited the USSR in the 1950s. The article contains the names of KGB agents and their secret pseudonyms and describes for the first time the specific areas of their intelligence work, which they conducted under religious cover in the interests of the KGB, the Soviet regime abroad, and in the USSR. The article also publishes excerpts from a top-secret KGB document (“Measures to strengthen the intelligence and …

Conflicts In The Families Of Parish Priests In 18th Century Ukraine, Oleksandr Lukyanenko, Vitaly Dmytrenko, Vita Dmytrenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The study demonstrates how the religious worldview of early modern man influenced the formation of family values and relationships in the families of church and clerics. The paper is based on the analysis of religious texts that were the basis of the contemporary Orthodox idea of the ideal family, comparing them with notes on the daily life of religious figures of the early modern period and with archival sources. The thesis analyses the conflicts in priests’ families in Ukraine in the early modern society that was lenient with the “dosed” violence of the father in the family. The priest chose …

"The War Factor" In The History Of The Late Protestantism In Ukrainian Lands Via The Policy Of The Russian Autocracy, Roman Sitarchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article explores the impact of war on the movements of late Protestantism on the territory of Ukraine. The study is based on the three largest Protestant denominations in Ukraine: Baptists, Pentecostals, and Adventists. Due to the refusal of the Protestants to do military service and fight with weapons, the Russian autocracy suppressed and created difficult conditions for believers of the Protestant denominations on the territory of Ukraine. Before the First World War, the refusal of Protestants to engage gave the state an argument for why the Protestants were not reliable members of society. This study uses as a basis …

Analysis Of Letters From Representatives Of Religious Bible Student Groups (Badaczy Pisma Świętego) In Poland During The Nazi Occupation, Roman Orlovskii, Denys Shpak

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The founder and leader of the International Bible Students movement was Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916), an eminent religious figure, the first president of the Watch Tower Society. After his death, the denomination he created split into a number of communities: Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as various groups of Bible Students who refused to recognize the authority of the Watch Tower Society under the rule of subsequent presidents. The followers of these groups, who recognized only the works of Charles Taze Russell, lived in different countries of the world, including in Poland. There are practically no scientific works devoted to the …

Sacred Architecture And Interreligious Dialogue In The Concept Of The “Russian World”, Oleksandr Lukyanenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article continues a series of studies illustrating the formation of the idea of the “Russian world” in the religious discourse of Orthodox Russia. The main attention is paid to ideological stamps used by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow during sermons and public speeches. The study summarizes the idea of the exclusivity of the Russian spiritual path in contrast to the West, which supports the annexation geopolitical policy of Vladimir Putin. The article provides examples of falsification of historical facts in the religious and political spheres in order to create a powerful propaganda background in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. …

Strategy And Tactics Of Soviet Security Bodies In The Fight Against Religion And Religious Communities On The Territory Of Ukraine, Olha Shakurova, Oksana Vysoven, Yuriy Figurnyi, Natalia Varodi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the strategy and tactics of state security agencies in the fight against religion and religious Protestant communities on the territory of Soviet Ukraine. It was revealed that the communist totalitarian system, in order to maintain its dominant position in society and master fully the consciousness of its population and influence its spiritual life (strategic task), shortly after the end of the Second World War, in 1946 in the system of the newly formed Ministry of State Security of the Soviet Union of the Socialist Republics and its republican departments created new special operational departments endowed with extraordinary …

Christian Denominations On The Territory Of Ukraine In The First Half Of The 20th Century (1900-1939), Fedir Prodanyuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article examines the state of Christian denominations in the territory of Ukraine in the first half of the 20th century. It has been established that the Christian religion occupied an important place in the life of Ukrainian society. However, the period of prosperity and oppression simultaneously fell in the first 40 years of the 20th century. The confessional policy of the Soviet Union, which came to replace the tsarist authorities, gave a limited privileged position for some Christian churches while creating harsh conditions for other denominations. As a rule, these were Protestant movements, but the Orthodox Church also experienced …

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church: Foundation And Beginnings In Post-War Germany, Vladyslav Fulmes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) met many obstacles regarding its activities from the Soviet and German occupation regimes. Due to persecution and oppression, the hierarchy and clergy of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church decided to emigrate. Preserving the canonical episcopate, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church began a new stage of existence in emigration, ushering a new period of activity of UAOC. This study is relevant to modern historical science since the study and introduction into the scientific sphere of new archival documents and memoirs of contemporaries gives an opportunity to establish a coherent picture of the activities of the UAOC …

Aspects Of The Holocaust During The Slovak Autonomy Period (October 6, 1938, To March 14, 1939), Madeline Vadkerty

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Antisemitism was not a new phenomenon in Slovakia and can be traced back to the Middle Ages and beyond. Looking at the more recent past, after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise in 1867, Jews became equal citizens in the eyes of the state. The Hungarian Parliament passed an Act of Emancipation for Jews that same year, mainly for the purpose of economic development, which was beneficial for the Jewish population. A year later, Hungary's Nationality Act was issued as part of an active policy of magyarization (Hungarianization). However, it did not affect Jews, who were considered a religious group and not a …