An attempt to close the Orthodox Renovation Cathedral in Sretensk in 1930 as an example of the anti-religious activities of local authorities

The paper describes an attempt to close the Orthodox religious building – the cathedral of Sretensk in the Sretensky District of the Far East (since July 1930 in the East Siberian Territories). The decision of the local authorities, approved by the Far Eastern Regional Executive Committee, was canceled by the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The funds of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (SA RF) contain a separate voluminous file dedicated to this event. It becomes possible, using the example of a specific cult building, to trace the mechanism or procedure of closing from beginning to end. It is concluded that the initiative came from the budgetary authorities, who used two methods of work: intensifying the anti-religious activities of the public and increasing the rent for the land under the cathedral and taxes from the building. The decision of the Sretensky District executive committee was supported by the authorities of the Far Eastern Territory, which in 1930 were aimed at the massive widespread closure of religious buildings of all religious teachings for services. The cancellation of the decision to close the Sretensky Cathedral and leaving it to the community of believers, according to the authors, is predetermined, on the one hand, by the violation of Soviet legislation on cults by local and regional authorities, and on the other hand, by the personalities of individual statesmen who often spoke on the side of believers. The issues under consideration require further study, which implies serious work with sources.