Church singing of Mari region in the Soviet period (1917‒1941)

This article studies the history of church singing in Mari Region (1917‒1941). This study allows us to solve a number of important problems in the history of Mari region. These include the church singing culture, the position of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Soviet period, the activities of the Mari intelligentsia, it infl uenced not only the processes of christianisation and education of the indigenous Mari population, but also the culture, mentality and the very quality of life of local residents. The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries were fruitful in this regard. At that time, a foundation was formed, which, during the years of Soviet persecution of the Church, revealed new martyrs and confessors of the Orthodox faith among local clergy, monks, laypeople, as well as choir masters, sextons, and choir members. The study of the mentioned topic allows us to state that the church-singing culture of the Mari land, as well as of other regions of the country, was in a very diffi cult situation. The traditions of church singing, laid down in the pre-revolution period, were virtually interrupted during these years. Many people had to go through hardship associated with the antireligious persecution. Very few were able to endure all the trials and remain to work in the “field of Christ” or at least remain in the Church. Nevertheless, the culture of church singing, ousted from the Church, continued in many secular choirs. Masters of church-singing art now worked in various choirs. In such diffi cult conditions, church singing in many churches remained for more than a dozen years, almost until the end of the 20th century.