Religious identity of the population of Pechory district in Pskov region during Soviet times

The article is concerned with the religious identity of the population in Pechory district of Pskov region after the World War II (1954-1991). The purpose of the research is to characterize and analyze the transformation of traditional religious consciousness. The transformation was expressed through orthodox practices. The object of the study is a local community consisting of the Russian and Finno-Ugric population. The community was not covered by the Soviet model of secularization. During the Soviet period, the citizens of Pechorsky District were the keepers of continuous ecclesiastical traditions, which were based on the activity of Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery and 14 churches of the region. Religious practices of the community coexisted with the discourse of the Communist regime. Less frequent and more occasional attendance of the church, reduction of religious practices signified of the changes happening among parishioners. During the Soviet times, religion was one of the main markers of the local community’s identity by which it separated itself from the coming atheists.