National Archives of Karelia : Archival Mosaic of Karelian Culture

Petrozavodsk Catholic Community

Catholic community in Karelia was not numerous. According to the data of the first All-Russian census of the population (1899) there were 351 Catholics living in the Olonets province, 145 out of this number – living in Petrozavodsk.

First Catholics appeared after the defeat of the uprising in Poland in the thirties of the 19th century, and their number increased considerably after the uprising in 1861.

During many years Catholic Community was having recourse to the exile priests’ services, and only in 1895 they got the first permanent priest Yu.Yazvetsky.

Since Catholics organized their community it became necessary to build a temple for performance of religious rites. In 1862 Catholics living in the Olonets province appealed to the Governor with e request to build a Catholic temple in Petrozavodsk. The documents from the National Archives of the Karelian Republic witness that the permission for building a temple was given only in 1897.

On June, 13, 1898, ceremonial laying of the foundation-stone of the permanent Roman Catholic temple took place. In 1904 the building was finished and the temple was sanctified. On January, 18, 1927, the church was closed in accordance with the resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialistic Republic.

Presently, there is Catholic Community in Petrozavodsk, though it is not numerous.

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National Archives of Karelia : Archival Mosaic of Karelian Culture