Anti-Catholicism in the Soviet Union
Anti-Catholicism in the Soviet Union, including the Soviet Anti-Catholic Campaigns, refer to those concerted efforts taken by the Soviet Union to defame, undermine, or otherwise decrease or limit the role of the Catholic Church in Europe. History Prior to the Russian Revolution of 1917, Russia had an Anti-Catholic Tradition, dating back to Ivan the Terrible in the 16th Century and before. In the eyes of the Russian leadership, Catholicism was intrinsically linked with the West; therefore, attempts by the Holy See to expand into Russia meant attempts by the West to expand its culture into Russian territory. Particularly during and following the reign of Peter the Great, Catholicism saw much growth in Russia. Russian nobility wanted to be more ‘Westernized,’ and in their eyes, Russia was a ‘backwards’ state. Thus, to be Catholic was to embrace Western innovation and culture. By the time of the Revolution of 1917, there were two Latin-rite Catholic dioceses, one Eastern-rite Catholic exarchate, and 331 parishes on Russian territory. . One confirmed way which the Soviets attempted to gain influence & control in the Catholic Church was via infiltration. For example, some authors establish that the Soviets attempted to eliminate the subordination of local churches