Page 48 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

Long History in Brief 49

and the diaspora grew distant from each
other and were often in tension; this
situation had a negative impact on the life
of the Armenian Church and people.
In 1917 the Communist party came to
power in Russia. Following the Communist
Revolution and the retreat of the Russian
army from Armenia, on May 28, 1918, the
independent Republic of Armenia was de-
clared on a small portion of the historical
Armenia. In 1922, facing the possibility of
Turkish aggression, Armenia was obliged to
become an organic part of the Soviet Union.
Within the Soviet Union, the Armenian
Church, like all churches and religions,
existed in a state of siege. The polojenie was
abolished and the episcopal synod was
replaced by the Supreme Spiritual Council,
composed of clergy and lay representatives,
and appointed by the catholicos, but always
under the strict control of state authorities.
The Communist rule, being driven by Marxist
ideology, oppressed religion and ignored
human rights. Another form of genocide was
committed against the Armenians: several
churches and church-related institutions
closed, church and community properties
were confiscated, huge numbers of clergy
and intellectuals with nationalistic ideas
were exiled to Siberia, and, when Catholicos
Khoren I Muradbekian died in 1938 at his
residence in St. Etchmiadzin, foul play was