Religion in Circassia

Religion in Circassia refers to religious presence in historical Circassia and modern-day Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Krasnodar Krai and Karachai-Cherkessia. The majority of ethnic Circassians today are Muslim while a minority retain Orthodox Christian or pagan beliefs. ^{[1] [2]}

History

Circassia gradually went through following various religions: Paganism, Christianity, and then Islam. ^[3]

Paganism

Main article: Circassian paganism

The ancient beliefs of the Circassians were based on animism and magic, within the framework of the customary rules of Xabze. Although the main belief was Monistic-Monotheistic, they prayed using water, fire, plants, forests, rocks, thunder and lightning. They performed their acts of worship accompanied by dance and music in the sacred groves used as temples. An old priest led the ceremony, accompanied by songs of prayer, consisting of meaningless words and supplications. Thus, it was aimed to protect the newborn babies from diseases and the evil eye. ^[4] Another important aspect was ancestors and honor. Therefore, the goal of man's earthly existence is the perfection of the soul, which corresponds to the maintenance of honour, manifestation of compassion, gratuitous help, which, along with valour, and bravery of a warrior, enables the human soul to join the soul of the ancestors with a clear conscience. ^[5]

Judaism

During the 8th century, some Circassian tribes converted to Judaism, as a result of good relations with the Khazar Khaganate and the settlement of approximately 20,000 Jews in Circassia. ^[4] However, the practice of Judaism later declined significantly, following conversions to Christianity and Islam.^{[ citation needed ]} The Circassians have co-existed with Jewish community of Nalchik for years. And during the 1990's the jewish population in Circassia declined in most areas due to Immigration to Israel ^[6] Today there is a small but growing jewish population in Sochi ^[7]

Christianity

Saint Nicholas cathedral in Cherkessk

It is the tradition of the early church that Christianity made its first appearance in Circassia in the 1st century AD via the travels and preaching of the Apostle Andrew, ^[8] but recorded history suggests that, as a result of Greek and Byzantine influence, Christianity first spread throughout Circassia between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD. ^{[9] [10] [11]} The spread of the Catholic faith was only possible with the Latin Conquest of Constantinople by the crusaders and the establishment of the Latin state. The Catholic religion was adopted by the Circassians following Farzakht, a distinguished figure who greatly contributed to the spread of this religion in his country. The pope sent him a letter in 1333 thanking him for his effort, as an indication of his gratitude. For Circassians, the most important and attractive personality in all Christian teachings was the personality of St. George. They saw in him the embodiment of all the virtues respected in the Caucasus. His name in Circassian is Awushidjer (Adyghe : Аушыджэр) or Dawushdjerdjiy (Adyghe : Даущджэрджий).

Christianity in Circassia experienced its final collapse in the 18th century when the majority of Circassians were converted to Islam. The ex-priests joined the Circassian nobility and were given the name "shogene" (teacher) which over time became a surname. Many Circassian families are descended from these priests, some of Greek origin and some of Roman.

Significant Christian and pagan presence remained among some tribes such as the Shapsugs and Natukhai with Islamization pressures implemented by those loyal to the Caucasus Imamate. ^[12] Sufi orders including the Qadiri and Nakshbandi orders gained prominence and played a role in spreading Islam. ^[13] Among Christians, Catholicism, originally introduced along the coasts by Venetian and Genoese traders, today constitutes just under 1% of Kabardins, ^[14] notably including those in Mozdok ^[15] and some of those Kursky district. ^[16] Notable Circassian Christian figures include Teresa Sampsonia, ^{[17] : 390  [18]} Alexey Cherkassky, ^[19] Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky, ^[20] and Maria Temryukovna. ^[21]

Islam

A small Muslim community in Circassia has always existed since the Middle Ages, but widespread Islamization occurred after 1717. ^[22] Travelling Sufi preachers and the increasing threat of an invasion from Russia helped expedite the process of the Islamization of Circassia. ^{[22] [23] [24]} Circassian scholars educated in the Ottoman Empire boosted the spread of Islam. ^[25] Circassian elders saw some elements in Islamic tradition as the influences of foreign culture and rejected them, and while Circassians were Sunni Muslims officially, most Circassians were non-denominational and only accepted the Sunni practices after being exiled.

Contemporary era

Religion in Adygea as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas) [26] [27]
Russian Orthodoxy			35.4%
Other Orthodox			1.4%
Other Christians			3.8%
Islam			12.6%
Spiritual but not religious			29.8%
Atheism and irreligion			9.2%
Other and undeclared			7.8%

Adygea

According to a 2012 survey which interviewed 56,900 people, ^[26] 35.4% of the population of Adygea adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 12.6% to Islam, 3% are unaffiliated Christians and 1% are Orthodox Christian believers who don't belong to church or are members of other Orthodox churches. In addition, 30% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 9% is atheist, and 8.6% follows other religions or did not answer to the question. ^[26]

Kabardino-Balkaria

Religion in Kabardino-Balkaria as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas) [26] [27]
Islam			70.8%
Russian Orthodoxy			11.6%
Other Christians			4%
Circassian paganism			1.8%
Spiritual but not religious			5.6%
Atheism and irreligion			4.4%
Other and undeclared			1.8%

According to a 2012 survey which interviewed 56,900 people,^{[ citation needed ]} 70.8% of the population of Kabardino-Balkaria adheres to Islam, 11.6% to the Russian Orthodox Church, 1.8% to Circassian paganism and other indigenous faiths, 3.8% are unaffiliated generic Christians. In addition, 12% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 5.6% is Atheist or follows other religions including Jehovah's Witnesses.^{[ citation needed ]}

Krasnodar Krai

Religion in Krasnodar Krai as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas) [26] [27]
Russian Orthodoxy			52.2%
Other Orthodox			0.9%
Old Believers			0.5%
Other Christians			3.5%
Islam			1.3%
Spiritual but not religious			22.5%
Atheism and irreligion			13.2%
Other and undeclared			5.9%

According to a 2012 survey^{[ citation needed ]} 52.2% of the population of Krasnodar Krai adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 3% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 1% are either Orthodox Christian believers who don't belong to church or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches, and 1% are Muslims. In addition, 22% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 13% is atheist, and 7.8% follows other religions or did not give an answer to the question.^{[ citation needed ]}

Karachay-Cherkessia

Religion in Karachay-Cherkessia as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas) [26] [28]
Russian Orthodoxy			13.2%
Other Christians			1.8%
Islam			64%
Circassian paganism			2%
Spiritual but not religious			10%
Atheism and irreligion			3%
Other and undeclared			6%

According to a 2012 survey which interviewed 56,900 people,^{[ citation needed ]} 64% of the population of Karachay-Cherkessia adheres to Islam, 13% to the Russian Orthodox Church, 2% to the Karachay and Circassian native faith, 2% are unaffiliated Christians, unchurched Orthodox Christian believers or members of non-Russian Orthodox churches. In addition, 10% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 3% are atheist, and 6% are other/undeclared. ^{[26] [27]}

References

1. "Refworld | Moscow Uses Russian Orthodox Church to Divide Circassian Activists".
2. ""Our Ancestors were Orthodox". A story of a Kabardian, former Muslim".
3. Чамокова, Сусанна Туркубиевна (2015). "ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ РЕЛИГИОЗНЫХ ВЗГЛЯДОВ АДЫГОВ НА ПРИМЕРЕ ОСНОВНЫХ АДЫГСКИХ КОСМОГОНИЧЕСКИХ БОЖЕСТВ". Вестник Майкопского государственного технологического университета.
4. Övür, Ayşe (2006). "Çerkes mitolojisinin temel unsurları: Tanrılar ve Çerkesler" (PDF). Toplumsal Tarih. 155.
5. Khabze.info. Khabze: the religious system of Circassians.
6. "Circassian Religion and Beliefs" (PDF).
7. "Meet the Sochi Jewish Community: Still Putting Down Roots".
8. Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles: in two parts, by Taylor, Jeremy, 1613–1667. p. 101.
9. The Penny Magazine. London, Charles Knight, 1838. p. 138.
10. Minahan, James. One Europe, Many Nations: a Historical Dictionary of European National Groups. Westport, USA, Greenwood, 2000. p. 354.
11. Jaimoukha, Amjad M. (2005). The Chechens: A Handbook. Psychology Press. p. 32. ISBN   978-0-415-32328-4 . Retrieved 28 June 2017.
12. Richmond, Walter. The Circassian Genocide. Page 59.
13. Svetlana Lyagusheva (2005). "Islam and the Traditional Moral Code of Adyghes". Iran and the Caucasus. Brill. 9 (1): 29–35. doi:10.1163/1573384054068123. JSTOR   4030903.
14. "Главная страница проекта "Арена" : Некоммерческая Исследовательская Служба СРЕДА". Sreda.org. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
15. Jamie Stokes, ed. (2009). Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East: L to Z. Facts on File. p. 359. ISBN   978-0-8160-7158-6 . Retrieved 15 October 2011.
16. James Stuart Olson, ed. (1994). An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires. Greenwood. p. 329. ISBN   978-0-313-27497-8 . Retrieved 15 October 2011.
17. Lockhart, Laurence (1986). "European Contacts with Persia: 1350–1736". In Jackson, Peter; Lockhart, Laurence (eds.). The Cambridge History of Iran. Vol. 6: The Timurid and Safavid Periods. Cambridge University Press. pp. 373–412. ISBN   978-0521200943.
18. Chick, H.; Matthee, Rudi, eds. (2012). Chronicle of the Carmelites in Persia: The Safavids and the Papal Mission of the 17th and 18th Centuries. I.B.Tauris. p. 144. ISBN   978-0-85772-206-5.
19. Allworth, Edward (1994). Central Asia, 130 Years of Russian Dominance. Duke University Press. p. 9. ISBN   0-8223-1521-1.
20. Андреевский, И. Е., ed. (1891). "Бекович, Девлет-Кизден-Мурза"  [Bekovich, Devlet-Kizden Murza]. Энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона (in Russian). Vol. 3: Банки – Бергер. St. Petersburg: Семеновская Типо Литография (И. А. Ефрона). pp. 356–357 – via Wikisource.
21. De Madariaga, Isabel (2006). Ivan the Terrible: first Tsar of Russia (First printed in paperback ed.). New Haven London: Yale University Press. p. 147. ISBN   9780300119732.
22. Natho, Kadir I. Circassian History. Pages 123–124
23. Shenfield, Stephen D. "The Circassians : A forgotten genocide". In Levene and Roberts, The Massacre in History. Page 150.
24. Richmond, Walter. The Circassian Genocide. Page 59.
25. Serbes, Nahit. "Çerkeslerde inanç ve hoşgörü" (PDF).
26. "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia". Sreda, 2012.
27. 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived.
28. 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived.