Soviet Civil Ceremonies

Abstract

Soviet civil ceremonial rites, ceremonies introduced at different periods in Soviet history, have drawn little attention from students either of the Soviet Union or of religious phenomena. Provided here is an overview of events significant in the development of the ceremonies, an overview of the descriptive features of the most important public and private ceremonies, and an examination of the question of the success of the ceremonies in Soviet society. Whereas there is little doubt that most of the public ceremonies-such as the anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution and May Day-have achieved wide acceptance, the Soviet private ceremonies of birth, coming-of-age, and marriage have also achieved a measure of genuine success. The Soviet funeral ceremony has, however, achieved little acceptance. The new Soviet private ceremonies, with the exception of the funeral ceremony, should be seen therefore not as meaningless and empty, but as genuine competitors of their religious counterparts, and as particularly adaptable to urban conditions within the R.S.F.S.R.