RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OF THE TOWN OF TOLYATTI IN SAMARA REGION IN 2002–2010

DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2024-5-4-66-84

УДК 281.9(470.43)

ББК 63.3(2)64-22

Vadim N. YAKUNIN

Key words: Samara diocese, deanery, bishop, clergy, believers, community, organization, parish.

The years 2002–2010 are of interest for the study of church life, since during these years there was an increase in registered religious organizations both in Russia and in the town of Tolyatti, which began in the late 80s of the XX century. The article examines the religious situation in Tolyatti and interaction of religious organizations with Tolyatti city administration in 2002–2010 on the basis of internal documents of Tolyatti city administration and Samara diocesan administration.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the situation, activities and number of religious organizations in 2002–2010, to evaluate the results of their interaction with municipal authorities.

Materials and methods. Implementation of research tasks was achieved on the basis of using documents extracted from the funds of the current archive of Samara Diocesan Administration. The research methodology includes a document analysis method and a statistical method, which is necessary to analyze data related to the increase in the number of religious organizations. In working with periodical materials, the method of synchronous comparison with documentary material was applied.

Research results. The relationship of religious organizations of Tolyatti with Tolyatti city administration in 2002–2010 was studied, the situation, activities and number of religious organizations, the number of their adherents were analyzed. Tolyatti municipal authorities preferred Orthodox religious organizations in religious policy, which is confirmed by their financing, allocation of land plots to construct temples, and media coverage of intra-church events. In 2002–2010, a special, trusting relationship between the heads of Togliatti city administration and the heads of Orthodox religious organizations (the Russian Orthodox Church) developed.

Conclusions. In 2002–2010, representatives of four confessions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism) from more than 80 religious organizations and groups with numerical superiority of the Russian Orthodox Church parishes (20 parishes in 2010) carried out their activities in Tolyatti. The government of Samara Region and Tolyatti city administration found opportunities to help in the construction of Orthodox churches, a Muslim mosque and the construction of the Volga Orthodox Institute. Allocation of funds to Orthodox parishes from Tolyatti city budget took place without any competitive procedures. Protectionism of local authorities towards the Russian Orthodox Church manifested in allocation of the best land plots to construct Orthodox parishes and institutions. The clergy of Tolyatti sought to strengthen their influence through various events that were supported by local authorities informatively, organizationally and in some cases financially.

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About the author

Vadim N. Yakunin – Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Department of Humanities and Socio-Economic Disciplines, Moscow Institute of Art and Industry, Russia, Moscow (vadyak@mail.ru; ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0464-2938).

For citations

Yakunin V.N. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OF THE TOWN OF TOLYATTI IN SAMARA REGION IN 2002–2010. Historical Search, 2024, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 66–84. DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2024-5-4-66-84 (in Russian).

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