WAR AGAINST GOD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 9

WAR AGAINST GOD

STRANGE DEMONSTATIONS IN MOSCOW

EVE OF RUSSIAN EASTER

(United Service)

Reed. 9 a.m. LONDON, Monday. The Union of the Godless and other organisations are unprecedentedly active on the eve of the Russian Easter. It is patent that the Russians are keeping what they consider the most sacred festival of the year, in connection with which there are elaborate church services, to last all night, says the “Manchester Guardian’s” Moscow correspondent. The trade unions have bought up the capacity of all the theatres and opera houses, and distributed tickets to their members. The performances wall begin at 10 p.m. and end at 3 a.m. on Sunday.

During the intermissions there will be speeches, games and dances, while the cinemas will be open all night with special programmes of entertainment.

Meanwhile, the anti-God offensive is being carried on in the streets. Platforms have been erected in the large city squares, where all night there are free anti-religious talks and films. Mounted militia patrol the vicinity of the churches. The Soviet also arranged, near the famous Novo de Vichie Monastery, a special torchlight carnival in which masked figures ridiculed the priests and rabbis, burlesqued the religious ceremonies, and jeered.