[Solon]

The USSR was not Orthodox nor was Orthodox tolerated

But the Russian Orthodox Church was not abolished & outlawed as was the Ukrainian Orthodox & Ukrainian Catholic Churches.

In fact, is it not true that the Russian Orthodox Church was the only one to fuction legally in the USSR?

And was this attempt to obliterate rival Eastern Churches done so with the supportive role of the partriarch of Moscow(Aleksei)?

Is it also not true that the Russian Orthodox Church was the recipent of confiscated Catholic churches and to this day not all churches & properties have been returned to their rightful owners?

Interesting standard of toleration you have.

[Destro]

The Catholic Church was "legal" - Islam was "legal, etc. Stalin came down hard on those Orthodox churches you mentioned because the were centered around a Nationalist and sepratist movement. He did not do it in favor of Orthodoxy. Even those churches you mentioned were later re-instated though they were less tolerated. In terms of body bags/martyrs the Orthodox Ukranians/Russians of the Moscow patriarchy outnumbered all faiths, etc. So you gain no special place for your churches by mentioning that Societ hit them - they hit all and then let up and then hit again, etc.

[A. Pole]

But the Russian Orthodox Church was not abolished & outlawed as was the Ukrainian Orthodox & Ukrainian Catholic Churches.

It was abolished & outlawed. Only when Hitler attacked Soviet Union and Russians were not willing to fight for atheist regime, Stalin allowed Orthodox churches to reopen.