sˈoʊ, ðə pˌɜːsɪkjˈuːʃənz ðæt bᵻfˈɛl ðə tʃˈɜːtʃ ˌʌndɚ sˈoʊviət ɹˈuːl wɜː lˈaɪkənd tə ðə pˌɜːsɪkjˈuːʃənz ʌvðə fˈɜːst sˈɛntʃɚɹiz ʌv kɹˌɪstɪˈænᵻɾi.
So, the persecutions that befell the Church under Soviet rule were likened to the persecutions of the first centuries of Christianity.