▁by ▁execution ▁or ▁in ▁prison ▁ 1 9 1 8 – 1 9 2 9 , ▁plus ▁an ▁additional ▁ 4 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 – 1 9 3 9 . ▁Mon ks , ▁n uns , ▁and ▁related ▁personnel ▁added ▁ ▁an ▁additional ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁dead . ▁ ▁The ▁state ▁propag anda ▁machine ▁vig or ously ▁promoted ▁at he ism ▁and ▁den ounced ▁religion ▁as ▁being ▁an ▁artifact ▁of ▁capital ist ▁society . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁Pope ▁P ius ▁XI ▁de cri ed ▁the ▁attacks ▁on ▁religion ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁only ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁churches ▁remained ▁open . ▁The ▁early ▁anti - rel ig ious ▁campaign s ▁under ▁Len in ▁were ▁mostly ▁directed ▁at ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁cz ar ist ▁government . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁however , ▁all ▁faith s ▁were ▁target ed : ▁minor ity ▁Christian ▁denomin ations , ▁Islam , ▁J uda ism , ▁and ▁Buddh ism . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁long ▁run ▁at he ism ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁many ▁sou ls . ▁Religion ▁strength ened ▁under ground ▁and ▁was ▁rev ived ▁to ▁help ▁fight ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁It ▁fl our ished ▁after ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁Commun ism ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁As ▁Paul ▁Fro ese ▁explains : ▁A the ists ▁w