The Transformation of Religious Consciousness and Spiritual Practices of Ukrainians during the Soviet Anti-Religious Campaign in the Khrushchev Thaw Period

This article examines the changes in religious consciousness and daily religious practices of Soviet Ukrainians during the so-called Khrushchev Thaw, based on sociological interviews. It is emphasized that despite the intensified atheistic propaganda and the closure of churches, religion remained a significant factor in people's lives. Religious beliefs were deeply embedded in the Ukrainian worldview, shaping their way of thinking and everyday life, which, in turn, influenced the norms and patterns of religious behavior. Risking harassment from their superiors or even losing their jobs, people continued to attend services, baptize their children, and celebrate religious holidays. Family upbringing traditions played a crucial role in restraining the state's atheistic influence on people's consciousness, particularly among the youth. Thus, the anti-religious campaign of the late 1950s and the first half of the 1960s, which resulted in a sharp decline in the number of religious communities and sacred sites, did not result in a substantial decline in public religiosity, as the population continued to openly or semi-covertly profess the Orthodox faith.