The relations between Church and state in Czechoslovakia in 1947–1949: New archival documents

Thanks to the opening of Vatican archives concerning pontificate Pius XII, it is possible shed light on how between 1947 and 1949 Secretariat State Holy See faced with crisis Communist government Czechoslovakia Catholic Church. In context secularisation after Second World War, Church in a wave anti-religious persecution by members Party Czechoslovakia, which gradually gained prestige society from 1946 up events February 1948 (the so-called “Victorious February”) when Communists assumed leading positions political system country. This study, based archival data, provides an insight into following aspects these critical years: deeper understanding chronological links events; reasons aims modi operandi local episcopate; bilateral relations bishops their interaction opposing anti-church policies state; why number adherence “Catholic Action” movement was much lower than that expected Czechoslovakia; XII’s closeness clergy believers Czechoslovakia.