Losy świątyń i wspólnot rzymskokatolickich w obwodzie kamieniecko-podolskim (chmielnickim) w latach 1944-1964
The fate of Roman Catholic churches and Communities in the Kamyanets-Podilsky (Khmelnytskyi) region in the years 1944-1964

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to present the Soviet religious policy towards the Roman Catholic Church in the former Kamianets-Podilskyi oblast in Ukraine in the years 1944-1964, with particular emphasis on the actions of the state authorities aimed at the eradication of Catholic sacred buildings. The action of mass shutting down of temples initiated by the Soviets at the turn of 1946-1947, although not fully implemented, brought tangible results. In the year 1964, out of over 30 Catholic churches functioning after the war, only 11 remained in the Kamianets-Podilskyi oblast (Khmelnytskyi Oblast): in Gródek Podolski, Gołuzubińce, Mynkivtsi, Manikowce, Podleśny Mukarów, Derazhnia, Kitajgród, Letychiv, Struha, Greczany and Polonne. The reasons for shutting down churches were various: lack of a permanent priest, a small number of believers, poor technical condition of the building or too small distance of the temple from other churches. Sometimes a pretext was sufficient, e.g. the allegedly urgent need to establish a community centre, school or library. In accordance with the order of the Council Representative for Religious Cults, the rooms of the closed temples could be used only for cultural and educational purposes. In reality, however, many churches, especially in rural areas, were converted into farm warehouses. Depending on the situation in individual regions, closed churches were intended for cultural, educational and economic purposes, and were often also devastated. In temples taken over by state authorities, crosses were immediately removed. In order to obliterate the sacred character of the buildings, church towers were also demolished and the facades were deformed.

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