The KGB and the Vatican: Secrets of the Mitrokhin Files

The KGB and the Vatican consists of transcripts of KGB records concerning the policies of the Soviet secret police towards the Vatican and the Catholic Church in the Communist world, providing a valuable insight into the relationship between the two entities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 114 pages
Publication date: 08 July 2022
Publisher: The Catholic University of America Press

The history of Soviet rule is rife with irony, particularly when it comes to the relationship between the political police and the Politburo, an officially atheistic state, and the profound attention they devoted to the question of religion. The Soviet government's policies towards religious institutions in the USSR and the non-Communist world reflected this, particularly in their dealings with the Vatican and Catholic Churches, both the Latin and Byzantine Rite, within Soviet territory.

The KGB and the Vatican consists of transcripts of KGB records that provide a detailed account of the policies of the Soviet secret police towards the Vatican and the Catholic Church in the Communist world. These transcripts, provided by KGB archivist and defector Vasili Mitrokhin, cover a range of topics, including the Soviet regime's perception of the efforts of John XXIII and Paul VI to reach out to the Eastern side of the Iron Curtain, the experiences of the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, the religious underground in key cities like Leningrad and Moscow, and the election of John Paul II and its impact on the tumultuous events in Poland in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

This valuable primary source collection also includes a historical introduction written by Sean Brennan, a professor of History at the University of Scranton. The introduction provides valuable context and insights into the historical significance of the documents and their relevance to understanding the complex relationship between the Soviet Union and the Catholic Church during the Cold War era.

In conclusion, The KGB and the Vatican is a crucial collection of transcripts that sheds light on the complex and often fraught relationship between the Soviet Union and the Catholic Church during the Cold War era. These documents provide a valuable insight into the policies and actions of the Soviet government towards religious institutions and the religious underground, and they offer a glimpse into the struggles and challenges faced by Catholics in the Communist world. By examining these transcripts, we can better understand the complexities of the Soviet Union's relationship with religion and the broader geopolitical context of the Cold War.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781949822229