"Lord, Help me to Pass the exam": Orthodox Practices of Soviet Pupils in the 1940s-1960s

Abstract

The relevance of the research topic is due to the need to reflect the process of functioning and reproduction of traditional legal culture in the USSR in the humanities, as well as the importance of an adequate academic understanding of the spiritual world of the "Soviet person". The purpose of the paper is understanding the phenomenon of mass involvement of Soviet pupils (schoolchildren, students of colleges and universities) in Orthodox practices in the 1940s-1960s. Objectives: analysis of the the extent of the spread of Orthodox practices among Soviet youth in the post-war decades; studying the forms of participation of schoolchildren and students in the church life of the period under review; identification of the degree of stability of these forms in conditions of state opposition to the development of confessional culture. Methods. The main methods that were used in the course of the research were historical-analytical, historical-genetic and historical-statistical methods, as well as elements of micro-historical analysis. Results. The paper shows that the degree of familiarization of Soviet pupils with Orthodox practices in the 1940s-1960s was significantly higher than Soviet propaganda tried to imagine. Church services were attended not only by representatives of the older generation, in the post-war decades they were actively attended by school-age children and students. In places where was a clear shortage of Orthodox priests and churches, young people were involved in spontaneous practices of a folk worship. Conclusions. The paper concludes that the main moments of the transfer of confessional traditions to children and young people in the USSR were religious holidays, primarily Christmas, Epiphany, Easter. The Day of Knowledge also had a religious dimension for some schoolchildren. State policy had a significant impact on the forms of introducing children and young people to church life. The anti-religious actions of the authorities reduced the level of pupils' presence in the public church space, but did not destroy the interest of young people in Orthodox culture. An important role in maintaining this interest was played by the semi-patriarchal way of life that persisted in many Soviet families in the post-war decades.