The income of the parish churches in Moscow after the revolution

Borisyuk Andrey

The article analyzes the income of the Moscow Orthodox parish churches of Moscow in the first years of Soviet power. The specificity of the revenue part of the parish budgets is investigated, changes in the structure of parish incomes before and after the revolution are revealed, the volumes of funds entering the churches are compared, the financial and economic conditions of the Church's existence in the atheistic state are analyzed. Based on the analysis of archival data, the author concludes that the most serious blow to the budgets of parish churches in Moscow occurs as a result of the liquidation of rental income. Shrinking budgets also occurs as a result of global financial crisis that gripped the whole country. The author shows that the crisis situation is complemented by a rapid outflow of believers from churches. The found material allows to estimate the first years of the Soviet power as the most difficult period for Church in the financial and economic plan. However, even in the most difficult years, despite poverty, churches remain open, and Church service continues. The parish Councils act as an effective governing body. Meanwhile, the parish priesthood has to go through many difficulties and financial hardships during the period under review.

Keywords:History of Russian Church, History of Moscow, Orthodox Parishes, the Parish Council, the revenues of the Church, the financial situation of the Church, the financial situation of the priesthood, persecution, revolution, Patriarch Tikhon.