Resumption of Church Life in the Stalin (Donetsk) Region Under German Occupation (1941–1943)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the activities of religious associations in the territory occupied by Stalin area. In 1942 in the region there were two diocesan administration: Yenakiyevo (headed by Archpriest Arseny Knyshev) — in the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Alexy (Gromadsky) and Makeyevka (headed by Archpriest Peter Kachevsky) is subordinate to the bishop of Taganrog Joseph (Chernoff). But by September 1943, the area was open 233 churches and prayer houses. The author believes that, despite the fact that the region has been turned into a military zone, the occupiers carried out propaganda of avtokefalizm. But the real basis for action in the field of UAOC was not. In this connection, for the separation of believers, the invaders could use group loannite stefanovtsev and sects.

Keywords

• Reichs-Commissariat «Ukraine»
• the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church
• Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
• religious associations
• diocesan administration
• church
• parish
• parishioners
• bishops
• priests
• split
• sect.