Вестник Екатеринбургской духовной семинарии (Oct 2024)
Metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov) and His Church Activity during the Khrushchev’s Persecution (1958–1962)
Abstract
The article discusses the outstanding Russian missionary, “Apostle of Kamchatka” Metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov) and his church ministry in Novosibirsk diocese (1956–1958) and Kirovgrad doicese (1959–1962) in the period of persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church under Khrushchev. The work focuses both on the Metropolitan Nestor’s active work to preserve parish communities and churches in Siberia and Ukraine and his relations with the authorized representatives of Governmental Council for Russian Orthodox Church Affairs under the USSR Council of Ministers. The author restores the unknown details of Metropolitan Nestor’s ministry in Harbin, including the circumstances of his meeting with USSR Marshall R. Y. Malinovsky, based on documents from personal files of the hierarch (Fund “Council for Religious Affairs under the USSR Council of Ministers”. State Archive of Russian Federation. Stock P-6991. L. 7. Dos. 83). Furthermore, the author analyses Metropolitan Nestor’s relationships with Patriarch Alexis I, on the one hand, and with V. A. Kuroedov — Chairman of the Governmental Council for Russian Orthodox Church Affairs, on the other hand. Soviet authorities reacted negatively to the activity of Metropolitan Nestor during the period of Khrushchev’s anti-religious campaign. The elderly hierarch was perceived by authorities solely as “a disguised enemy of Soviet power” and “a hardened monarchist”. These circumstances entailed negative consequences for the metropolitan’s future ministry in Novosibirsk diocese, from where he was removed. In addition, Metropolitan Nestor was subject of harassment in the Soviet press in the later period of his career — during the governance of Kirovgrad diocese. Unfortunately, the campaign of metropolitan’s discrediting, organized by the Governmental Council for Russian Orthodox Church Affairs both at the regional and national level, led to the deterioration of his health and largely hastened his death.
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