God survived in Russia. Communism did not.
Communist governments don’t like religion. They are not even too fond of their own people. Death comes easily and frequently to their citizens.
The global communist body count is estimated to be over 149,469,000 citizens killed or starved to death by their own governments since 1918. That tally does not even include victims of war.
On paper, communism is supposed to be a utopia. An equal share and equal opportunity for everyone! The caveat is that the state has to be in control. People can’t be trusted and neither can God. Especially God. It’s a given that the Church will be persecuted under communism.
(...)
Blood Ran for Days
Bishop Leontii reported another widely known event in the village of Kalinov. A detachment of mounted police had been unable to disperse a large crowd outside a church. Frustrated, one of the retreating officers turned and shot at a nearby large crucifix made of metal. The bullet hit the collarbone and blood gushed forth. The crowd fell to their knees and began praying. The police officers took off.
In the following days, officers came twice to remove the crucifix but they said an inexplicable force would not let them get close. Articles in propaganda newspapers said it was just rusty water that had seeped out of the metal. But the blood ran from the crucifix for several days. People came in processions day and night.
At the very first opportunity, the Soviets destroyed the bleeding crucifix and all the adjacent crosses. Their account was that the priests duped the poor peasants. A government commission produced a report claiming the dark fluid coming out of the bullet hole was not blood.
The newspapers depicted pilgrims as drunkards and illiterate fools. One article claimed: “Allegedly the cross simply disappeared after the churchmen and other interested elements had made enough money from the pilgrims. The mass kissing of the crucifix was said to result in several thousand outbreaks of syphilis and mass robberies.”
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been an upsurge in affiliation with Orthodox Christianity in Russia. Between 1991 and 2008, the share of Russian adults identifying as Orthodox Christian rose from 31% to 72%, according to Pew Research Center.
God survived there. Communism did not.
The global communist body count is estimated to be over 149,469,000 citizens killed or starved to death by their own governments since 1918. That tally does not even include victims of war.
On paper, communism is supposed to be a utopia. An equal share and equal opportunity for everyone! The caveat is that the state has to be in control. People can’t be trusted and neither can God. Especially God. It’s a given that the Church will be persecuted under communism.
(...)
Blood Ran for Days
Bishop Leontii reported another widely known event in the village of Kalinov. A detachment of mounted police had been unable to disperse a large crowd outside a church. Frustrated, one of the retreating officers turned and shot at a nearby large crucifix made of metal. The bullet hit the collarbone and blood gushed forth. The crowd fell to their knees and began praying. The police officers took off.
In the following days, officers came twice to remove the crucifix but they said an inexplicable force would not let them get close. Articles in propaganda newspapers said it was just rusty water that had seeped out of the metal. But the blood ran from the crucifix for several days. People came in processions day and night.
At the very first opportunity, the Soviets destroyed the bleeding crucifix and all the adjacent crosses. Their account was that the priests duped the poor peasants. A government commission produced a report claiming the dark fluid coming out of the bullet hole was not blood.
The newspapers depicted pilgrims as drunkards and illiterate fools. One article claimed: “Allegedly the cross simply disappeared after the churchmen and other interested elements had made enough money from the pilgrims. The mass kissing of the crucifix was said to result in several thousand outbreaks of syphilis and mass robberies.”
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, there has been an upsurge in affiliation with Orthodox Christianity in Russia. Between 1991 and 2008, the share of Russian adults identifying as Orthodox Christian rose from 31% to 72%, according to Pew Research Center.
God survived there. Communism did not.