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RUSSIA / 1923 / BATUM RIOT
The Orthodox cathedral of Batum is converted into a cinema. Locals riot and destroy the screen and equipment. Date: 1923
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Media ID 20149495
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Batum Cinema Converted Destroy Locals Orthodox Riot Screen 1923
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This evocative photograph captures the chaotic scene of the Batum Riot in 1923, which took place in the port city of Batum, located in present-day Georgia, but then part of the Russian Empire. The image shows the Orthodox cathedral of St. Mary Amachaberidze, which had been recently converted into a cinema. The Soviet authorities, eager to modernize and secularize the region, had seen the cathedral as an ideal venue for a cinema, much to the dismay of the local population. The photograph was taken during the riots that erupted in response to the desecration of the cathedral. The locals, many of whom were deeply religious, were outraged by the conversion and saw it as an attack on their faith. They gathered in front of the cathedral, determined to put a stop to the cinematic activities. In the photograph, we see a sea of people, mostly women and children, storming the cinema. They are shown tearing down the cinema screen and destroying the equipment. The once-sacred space is now filled with anger and defiance. The atmosphere is tense, with police officers trying to maintain order amidst the chaos. The Batum Riot was a significant event in the history of the Soviet Union and the Georgian Orthodox Church. It marked the beginning of a long and complex relationship between the two, one that would be marked by resistance, accommodation, and ultimately, a degree of compromise. The photograph serves as a powerful reminder of the deep-rooted emotions and tensions that accompanied the Soviet Union's efforts to modernize and secularize the region, and the determination of local populations to preserve their cultural and religious heritage.
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