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The Soviet Union further recognises that the internal  
order in each State is its own concern. The Soviet Union also considers   
that religion is & private matter for each citizen. And here, in view of   
the many misconceptions on that particular point I would like to say a   
word or two on the religious situation in the Soviet Union.  
In spite of what is thought by so many, religion in my  
country is not persecuted and every citizen has the right to   
believe or not to believe, according to his or her own conscience. Article   
124 of the Stalin Constitution reads:  
In order to ensure to citizens freedom of cornscience, the church in the   
U.S.S.R. is separated from the state, and the school from the church.   
Freedom of religious worship and freedom of anti-religious propaganda   
is recognized for all citizens."   
   This article is quite clear and it is by no means a dead letter.   
Indeed, in 1940, in the U.S.S.R. there were over 30,000 independent   
religious communities of every kind, over 8,000 Churches, and about 60,000   
priests and Ministers of religion.  Believers practice their religions   
freely, they frequent Services, the marry in Church, christen their   
children, have religious funerals, celebrate religious festivals, elect   
leaders of their conregations.  overnment did not and does not support,   
any one religion in the U.S.S.R. but it puts at their disposal free of   
rent premises for religious observance, exempting all such  
premises from taxation. Soviet Courts of Law punish those who violate the   
rights of believers. Priests and Ministers of religion enjoy equal rights   
with all other citizens, in particular, they enjoy electoral rights to the   
Supreme Soviet and all other electoral institutions of the U.S.S.R. The  
Orthodox Church has the largest. number of followers and is