 <
Figure 1.--Latvia was a predominately Protestant (Lutheran) country, but abour 25 percentnof the population was Catholic. Here we see a group of Catholic children in Riga doing their First Communion in Riga durin the early-1930s. . |
|
Latvia was one of the last European regions to be Christianized. The Baltic area was beyond the control of Rome so ancient accounts offer little information on early religious practices. The earliest records indicate inhabitants of what is now the Baltic republics practiced Baltic and Finnic paganism, but as Christianity spread during the medieval era, this practive gradually declined. As the Germans, Denmark and Sweden became Chrtianized, Latvia fell under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. The neigboring kingdoms as well as the North German Livonian and Teutonic military orders vied for control in what has become known as the Northern Crusades (12-13 centuries). Eastern Latvia (especially Koknese and Jersika) were conquered by Viking Rurik dynasty who had moved east andf adopted Orthodox Christianity (12th century). The Livonian Order conquered the area and imposed Catholicism (13th century). The Orthodox Church thus disapeared until reintroduced by the Russians (19th century). Pagan practices only gradually dusappeared and continued in the countryside for centuries. Small pockets of pagan beliefs were still reported into the 17th century). And while eventually sucuming to Catholocism, pagan infliences survived in traditional holiday celebrations. This is especioally notable for Christmas (Ziemassvētki) and Easter (Lieldienas). The Protestant Reformation brought Lutheranism to Latvia (16th century). German and Scandinavian Protestant influences penetrated deeply into Latvian religious practices. Only Latgale in the southeat remained Catholic, as a result of the strength of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Religion was important in Latvian life before World War II and the Soviet atheist campaign. The importance of religion in Latvian life was substantially reduced by World War II and the ensuing Soviet annexation. The Soviets seized control (1940) as prt of the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact and launched an atheism campign. The Germans invaded as part of Operation Barbarossa (1941). They destroyed the country's Jewish community as part of the Holocaust. The Sovies reentered Latvia (1944) and launched theur atheism campsign in earnest. The impact of Soviet rule and the general European trend of secularization have had a major impact on Latvia. An increasing percentage of Latvians, about 25 percent, now reprt no religious affliliation.
Latvia was one of the last European regions to be Christianized. The Baltic area was beyond the control of Rome so ancient accounts offer little information on early religious practices. The earliest records indicate inhabitants of what is now the Baltic republics practiced Baltic and Finnic paganism.
As Christianity spread during the medieval era, this practive gradually declined. As the Germans, Denmark and Sweden became Chrtianized, Latvia fell under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. The neigboring kingdoms as well as the North German Livonian and Teutonic military orders vied for control in what has become known as the Northern Crusades (12-13 centuries). Eastern Latvia (especially Koknese and Jersika) were conquered by Viking Rurik dynasty who had moved east andf adopted Orthodox Christianity (12th century). The Livonian Order conquered the area and imposed Catholicism (13th century). The Orthodox Church thus disapeared until reintroduced by the Russioans (19th century). Pagan practices only gradually dusappeared and continued in the countryside for centuries. Small pockets of pagan beliefs were still reported into the 17th centyry). And while eventually sucuming to Catholocism, pagan infliences survived in traditional holiday celebrations. This is especially notable for Christmas (Ziemassvētki) and Easter (Lieldienas).
The Protestant Reformation brought Lutheranism to Latvia (16th century). German and Scandinavian Protestant influences penetrated deeply into Latvian religious practices. Only Latgale in the southeat remained Catholic, as a result of the strength of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Religion was important in Latvian life before World War II and the Soviet atheist campaign.
The Russians beginning with the Great Norther War and the Polish partitions gained contol over the Baltics (18th century). The Russians at first did not intefere significantly in the existing social order, including religious observation. This began to change with Tsar Alexander III and his Russificatioin effort. We do not know at tthis time how it affected relgious observation. Finland, Estinia, and Latvia were rare aeeas wigthin the Russian Empire that were predominateky Protestannt.
Latvia like the other Baltic Republics gained its independence at the end of World War I and succed in fighting off the Bolsheviks. Independent Latvia has a high degree of relgious liberty and toleration.
The Soviet Union invaded and annexed Latvia early as aprt of the NAZI-Soviet Pact (1940). The Soviets immediately began to arrest and either kill or deport people who they believed were potentially hostile to Communism. Among those people were priests and other clerics. And they initiated an atheist campaign. They only had a year to conduct these operations when the NAZIs invaded as part of Operation Barbarossa (1941). Although under Genealplan Ost, Latvians were to be largely destroyed, the immediate killing opeations were limited to Jews. Most of the country's Jewish population was murdred as part of the Holocaust. The resurgent Red Army restored Soviet control.
The importance of religion in Latvian life was substantially reduced by World War II and the ensuing Soviet annexation. The Soviets reentered Latvia (1944) and launched their atheism campsign in earnest.
The impact of Soviet rule and the general European trend of secularization have had a major impact on Latvia. An increasing percentage of Latvians, about 25 percent, now reprt no religious affliliation.
Related Baltic Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Estonia]
[Latvia]
[Lithuania]
[Prussia]
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1890s]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Long pants suits]
[Knicker suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
[School sandals]
[School smocks]
[Sailor suits]
[Pinafores]
[Long stockings]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[Return to the Main Latvian religion page]
[Return to the Main Latvian page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Bibliographies]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Girls]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]