USSR Couldn’t Snuff Out Easter—Now Russians Reap Hope

Last updated on: April 17, 2025 at 10:49 am by Guest Contributor

USSR Couldn’t Snuff Out Easter—Now Russians Reap Hope 2025-04-17T10:49:01-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Generations of great-grandparents and grandparents carried forth Easter traditions such as egg-coloring, baking kulich (a special Easter yeast cake) and making paskha (a pyramid-shaped cottage cheese cake) for their Soviet grandchildren. Artwork by Russian-Soviet painter and scenographer Boris Kustodiev (March 7, 1878–May 28, 1927). The Easter Tradition (1912), Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

By Bob Burckle

When Joseph Stalin initiated Russia’s communist rule in 1917, his objective to stamp out all religion became a priority. Stalin represented the new “socialist man,” free from religious oppression, modern and atheistic.

His rule seemingly wiped Christianity from Russia, paving the way for the USSR’s birth in 1922 as atheism became the state religion, suddenly forcing the church underground. Yet, although millions of Christians were persecuted, imprisoned, brutalized and murdered by USSR forces, the secret church prevailed.

Paskha is a pyramid-shaped cottage cheese cake traditionally used in Russian Easter celebrations. | Image courtesy of Mitrius, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

When EEM’s Bible distribution ministry began in 1961, our mission was to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain to reach these Russian Christians. This was of course long before that late December day in 1991, when the Soviet hammer and sickle flag finally lowered for the last time. Previous to this, the ministry would hide small ‘Marlboro’ pocket Bibles (because they were the size of a pack of cigarettes) in pant pockets, jackets, suitcases and purses to reach the Russian people with the message of hope.

However, I recently learned about an unexpected opportunity for Russian evangelism and seed planting that took place during the USSR’s reign. Our ministry partner Oleg, born and raised in Russia, shared that amid this dark some 70 years, Easter never left. While the regime mercilessly aimed to delete Christianity and all forms of worship, the one thing it didn’t snuff out was Easter and its long-held traditions.

As Oleg shared, “Easter is perhaps the only religious holiday that was somewhat celebrated even then.” Generations of great-grandparents and grandparents carried forth Easter traditions such as egg-coloring, baking kulich (a special Easter yeast cake) and making paskha (a pyramid-shaped cottage cheese cake) for their Soviet grandchildren.

These joyful traditions of Easter not only offered a lighthearted bit of fun but also served as a gateway to share the hope and redemption of Christ to the young generations born into communism.

These very traditions are woven into Easter celebrations across Russia today, serving as reminders of God’s grace and sovereignty, despite all persecution and opposition to His Word. A solemn yet joyful act of reverence, the Lent season is marked by a 40-day fast, concluded by Orthodox Christians’ evening services and the procession of the cross on the eve of Easter. As Resurrection Sunday commences, Christian families in Russia gather for breakfast feasts, worship and joyous celebratory activities.

What a beautiful legacy to carry on! From hiding the lamp of God’s Word with but one holiday that couldn’t be extinguished—to freely worshiping on Easter Sunday altogether, reading God’s Word, primed for evangelism opportunities to better explain these traditions of old.

Our efforts in this region of the world continue today. Since the fall of the USSR, our ministry has evolved while the core of our mission remains the same. Though we no longer need to secretly smuggle Bibles to those in Russia, our task remains to get the Word of God into the hands of others.

Today, EEM supplies Bibles to Russia and its nearby nations, and the people of this region continue to grow in awareness and knowledge of God’s Word, learning the story of Jesus and sharing this message with others—not only on and around Easter but throughout the year. We continue to pray for the people of Russia and other former communist bloc nations, that the Gospel would continue to spread and bring peace and salvation to this region of the Globe.

Bob Burckle is President of EEM (Eastern European Mission), which has been delivering God’s Word to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961. Today, EEM publishes and prints Bibles and New Testaments as well as Teen Bibles, Children’s Bibles and coloring books, distributing them through a vast network of partner churches and organizations reaching 32 countries in 26 languages.

General Christian

Religion News

History and Religion

Uncategorized

About Bob Burckle

Bob Burckle is President of EEM (Eastern European Mission), which has been delivering God’s Word to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961. Today, EEM publishes and prints Bibles and New Testaments as well as Teen Bibles, Children’s Bibles and coloring books, distributing them through a vast network of partner churches and organizations reaching 32 countries in 26 languages. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

February 14, 2025

Jesus and Time: “I Have Overcome the World"

Next Post

July 28, 2025 Can Your Prayers of Intercession Help Save the Middle East?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Culture Slideshow Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2026 October 2025 July 2025 April 2025 February 2025 October 2024 August 2023 June 2023 March 2023 February 2023 November 2022 April 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 October 2018 August 2018 June 2018 May 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz