RELIGIOSITY OF TRANS-BAIKAL BURYATS IN THE CONDITIONS OF ANTIRELIGIOUS POLICY OF THE SOVIET STATE IN THE 1950s - EARLY 1960s

Abstract

In the article, on the basis of archival documents, the features of official, institutionalized religiosity of Transbaikal Buryats in the second half of the 1950s - early 1960s are characterized. The author says that at present the problem stated in the title of the article is practically not studied. Transbaikalia at the time in question is the territory of two subjects of the RSFSR, the Buryat-Mongolian (Buryat) Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and the Chita region. Data on the religiosity of the population of Transbaikalia, in the period under review, can be obtained mainly from the reports of the authorized Councils for religious cults and the affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, and since 1965, the Council for religious affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR. The degree of religiosity of society can be assessed by two components: institutionalized one - officially registered religious institutions, such as religious associations, priests and existing buildings of religious purpose, and non-institutionalized one, i.e. unofficial religious structures. Markers of the measurement of the religious component are: the number of registered religious associations, buildings of religious purpose, priests, their territorial location, the number of registered believers-parishioners, the amounts received from different sources for the needs of religious associations, sacred places, pilgrimages, etc. For the Buryat population of Transbaikalia, religiosity was manifested, for the most part, in the Northern branch of Buddhism - Lamaism. It is noted that, despite the serious antireligious orientation of the Soviet government, the Buryat population largely remained religious. There were registered religious associations, religious buildings, there was a significant number of parishioners.