Counteraction of Russian Orthodox Church and the Soviet state in the late 1950-s: mechanism, process, results in the organizational sphere (based on the example of Ulyanovsk-Melekess eparchy)

The article analyses the internal policy of the Soviet state in the sphere of freedom of conscience in 1950—1960-s. The author also reveals the process and results of organizational aspects of counteraction of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Soviet state in the period described. He has examined the tactics of the Soviet officials from the Russian Orthodox Church Council (Council of Ministers of the USSR) on the problems under consideration. The article touches upon the leading role of the Local Authorized Council, in particular on the example of the Ulyanovsk-Melekess eparchy closure in 1959.