History of the Roman Catholic Church in the Northwest of Russia in 1917-1941 According to Documents of the St. Petersburg Archives

Article is devoted to the review of sources on history of the Roman Catholic Church in the Northwest of Russia in 1917-1941 and to statement of her highlights during this period. The most considerable documentary material is stored in the Central state archive of St. Petersburg. The main part of these documents is in funds of administrative divisions of regional bodies of the Soviet power which exercised control of activity of Church. One more considerable complex-documents on the repressed Catholic priests-contains in archive of Management of Federal service of safety of the Russian Federation across St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. Here the documents withdrawn by security officers in April, 1920 which were used for the organization of investigative business of the archbishop Ioann Tseplyak subsequently are of special interest. Also valuable source is represented by investigative affairs of other Catholic priests of the 1920s-the 1930s. As a result of antireligious repressions from 31 temples by 1941 in the region I remained only one acting. In general materials of the St. Petersburg archives allow to light rather fully history of the Roman Catholic Church in the Northwest of Russia during the interwar period.