Circular letter of the Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR to the Council's Commissioners in the republics, territories and regions of the Soviet Union

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*No. 5-109с 25 August 1956 г.*Secret

The Council for Religious Cults under the Council of Ministers of the USSR
possesses material indicating that, of the clergy and religious activists who have
returned from places of confinement, the majority of them behave loyally, not
violating the existing legislation on cults.
A certain portion of these individuals, however, conducts active religious
propaganda among the population. They often exploit the religious convictions of
believers, creating among them unhealthy attitudes toward the activities of
government bodies. In a number of localities, these persons act as organizers of
various groups of believers, engage in these groups in discussing the orders
established by the state, interfere in the activities of registered religious societies,
seeking to steer them toward violating Soviet laws on cults.
Particular activity by these individuals is noted among Pentecostals,
Evangelical Christian-Baptists, believers of the Catholic Church, and those of
the Jewish faith.

The Council for Religious Cults considers that measures must be taken
locally to halt this active activity of clergy and religious activists released from
places of confinement. The measures in this regard, in the opinion of the Council,
must be effective and worked out on the ground by each Commissioner of the
Council jointly with local authorities, taking into account the specific facts of the
activation of these individuals and the local situation that has developed. These
measures must not contravene legality.
For its part, the Council may recommend, for example, such measures of
influence as summons to the district executive committee, summons to the
Commissioner, summons to the regional executive committee for the purpose of
explanation and warning, both of the organizers themselves and of persons
assisting them. While intensifying surveillance over the active activity of
individuals released from camps, in the event that facts of their violation of
Soviet law are revealed, report to the prosecutor’s offices.
In addition, the Commissioners, exercising flexibility, may enlist the clergy
and religious activists of registered religious societies for the purpose of
stopping the said activity.
The Council obligates the Commissioners to organize systematic study of
the religious activity of clergy and persons from the religious activists released
from places of confinement, and to regularly inform about their activity the
governing party and soviet bodies of the region, territory, republic, and the
Council.
Lately, isolated cases have also been noted in which, during visits by
foreign tourists to registered prayer houses, the tourists are given platforms,
which certain foreigners use for agitation and extolling the bourgeois way of
life. Such speeches have taken place in synagogues and in prayer houses of
Evangelical Christian-Baptists.
In order to stop the granting of a platform to foreign tourists in prayer
houses for various kinds of public speeches, the Council obligates the
Commissioners, in necessary cases, to warn executive bodies and clergy of
registered societies of their responsibility for violating the procedure for the use
of prayer houses, according to which the latter are provided for the use of
religious societies solely for prayer purposes and the performance of religious
rites, which may be conducted by registered clergy. Therefore, foreign tourists
must not be allowed to make arbitrary and tendentious speeches. Their brief
greetings, in cases where the tourists’ speech is not predetermined in the plan,
may be conveyed to believers only through the clergy or through the leader of
the prayer meeting of the religious society where they are present.

The Council draws special attention to the fact that the active activity of
certain religious circles and the facts of foreign tourists using a platform in
prayer houses require the Commissioners of the Council to increase vigilance
and prevent misplaced trustfulness.
Periodically inform the Council on the implementation of the instructions
set forth in this letter.
Acting Chairman of the Council
for Religious Cults
under the USSR Council of Ministers V.I. Gostev

GA RF. F.R.- 6991. Inv. 3. File 131. Sheets 6-7. Typewritten copy.

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