Religion in Circassia

Religion in Circassiarefers to religious presence in historicalCircassiaand modern-dayAdygea,Kabardino-Balkaria,Krasnodar KraiandKarachai-Cherkessia.The majority of ethnic Circassians today are Muslim while a minority retain Orthodox Christian or pagan beliefs.^[1]^[2]

History[edit]

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

Paganism[edit]

The ancient beliefs of the Circassians were based on animism and magic, within the framework of the customary rules ofXabze.Although the main belief wasMonistic-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 theevil 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[edit]

During the 8th century, some Circassian tribes converted toJudaism,as a result of good relations with theKhazar Khaganateand 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 inSochi.^[7]

Christianity[edit]

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 theApostle Andrew,^[8]but recorded history suggests that, as a result ofGreekandByzantineinfluence,Christianityfirst spread throughout Circassia between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD.^[9]^[10]^[11]The spread of the Catholic faith was only possible with theLatin Conquest of Constantinopleby 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 ofSt. 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).

Christianityin 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 theCaucasus Imamate.^[12]Sufi orders including theQadiriandNakshbandiorders gained prominence and played a role in spreading Islam.^[13]AmongChristians,Catholicism,originally introduced along the coasts byVenetianandGenoesetraders, today constitutes just under 1% of Kabardins,^[14]notably including those inMozdok^[15]and some of thoseKursky district.^[16]Notable Circassian Christian figures includeTeresa Sampsonia,^[17]^: 390^[18]Alexey Cherkassky,^[19]Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky,^[20]andMaria Temryukovna.^[21]

Islam[edit]

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[edit]

Religion in Adygea as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)^[26]^[27]

Russian Orthodoxy			35.4%
OtherOrthodox			1.4%
OtherChristians			3.8%
Islam			12.6%
Spiritual but not religious			29.8%
Atheismandirreligion			9.2%
Other and undeclared			7.8%

Adygea[edit]

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

Kabardino-Balkaria[edit]

Religion in Kabardino-Balkaria as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)^[26]^[27]

Islam			70.8%
Russian Orthodoxy			11.6%
OtherChristians			4%
Circassian paganism			1.8%
Spiritual but not religious			5.6%
Atheismandirreligion			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 toIslam,11.6% to theRussian Orthodox Church,1.8% toCircassian paganismand other indigenous faiths, 3.8% areunaffiliatedgenericChristians.In addition, 12% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious",5.6% isAtheistor follows other religions including Jehovah's Witnesses.^{[citation needed]}

Krasnodar Krai[edit]

Religion in Krasnodar Krai as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)^[26]^[27]

Russian Orthodoxy			52.2%
OtherOrthodox			0.9%
Old Believers			0.5%
OtherChristians			3.5%
Islam			1.3%
Spiritual but not religious			22.5%
Atheismandirreligion			13.2%
Other and undeclared			5.9%

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

Karachay-Cherkessia[edit]

Religion in Karachay-Cherkessia as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)^[26]^[28]

Russian Orthodoxy			13.2%
OtherChristians			1.8%
Islam			64%
Circassian paganism			2%
Spiritual but not religious			10%
Atheismandirreligion			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 toIslam,13% to theRussian Orthodox Church,2% to the Karachay and Circassian native faith, 2% areunaffiliated 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% areatheist,and 6% are other/undeclared.^[26]^[27]

References[edit]

^"Refworld | Moscow Uses Russian Orthodox Church to Divide Circassian Activists".
^""Our Ancestors were Orthodox". A story of a Kabardian, former Muslim ".
^Чамокова, Сусанна Туркубиевна (2015). "ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ РЕЛИГИОЗНЫХ ВЗГЛЯДОВ АДЫГОВ НА ПРИМЕРЕ ОСНОВНЫХ АДЫГСКИХ КОСМОГОНИЧЕСКИХ БОЖЕСТВ".Вестник Майкопского государственного технологического университета.
^^a ^bÖvür, Ayşe (2006)."Çerkes mitolojisinin temel unsurları: Tanrılar ve Çerkesler"(PDF).Toplumsal Tarih.155.
^Khabze.info.Khabze: the religious system of Circassians.
^"Circassian Religion and Beliefs"(PDF).
^"Meet the Sochi Jewish Community: Still Putting Down Roots".
^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.
^The Penny Magazine.London, Charles Knight, 1838. p. 138.
^Minahan, James.One Europe, Many Nations: a Historical Dictionary of European National Groups.Westport, USA, Greenwood, 2000. p. 354.
^Jaimoukha, Amjad M.(2005).The Chechens: A Handbook.Psychology Press. p. 32.ISBN 978-0-415-32328-4.Retrieved28 June2017.
^Richmond, Walter.The Circassian Genocide.Page 59.
^Svetlana Lyagusheva (2005). "Islam and the Traditional Moral Code of Adyghes".Iran and the Caucasus.9(1): 29–35.doi:10.1163/1573384054068123.JSTOR 4030903.{{cite journal}}:Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help)
^"Главная страница проекта" Арена ": Некоммерческая Исследовательская Служба СРЕДА".Sreda.org. 19 October 2012.Retrieved20 August2013.
^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.Retrieved15 October2011.
^James Stuart Olson, ed. (1994).An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires.Greenwood. p. 329.ISBN 978-0-313-27497-8.Retrieved15 October2011.
^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.
^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.
^Allworth, Edward (1994).Central Asia, 130 Years of Russian Dominance.Duke University Press. p. 9.ISBN 0-8223-1521-1.
^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 – viaWikisource.
^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.
^^a ^bNatho, Kadir I.Circassian History.Pages 123–124
^Shenfield, Stephen D. "The Circassians: A forgotten genocide". In Levene and Roberts,The Massacre in History.Page 150.
^Richmond, Walter.The Circassian Genocide.Page 59.
^Serbes, Nahit."Çerkeslerde inanç ve hoşgörü"(PDF).
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g"Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia".Sreda, 2012.
^^a ^b ^c ^d2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps."Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017.Archived.
^2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps."Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017.Archived.

[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.

[:2-4] Övür, Ayşe (2006)."Çerkes mitolojisinin temel unsurları: Tanrılar ve Çerkesler"(PDF).Toplumsal Tarih.155.

[Khabze11051-5] Khabze.info.Khabze: the religious system of Circassians.

[6] "Circassian Religion and Beliefs"(PDF).

[7] "Meet the Sochi Jewish Community: Still Putting Down Roots".

[autogenerated952-8] 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.

[autogenerated23-9] The Penny Magazine.London, Charles Knight, 1838. p. 138.

[Ref_ab3-10] Minahan, James.One Europe, Many Nations: a Historical Dictionary of European National Groups.Westport, USA, Greenwood, 2000. p. 354.

[Jaimoukha20052-11] Jaimoukha, Amjad M.(2005).The Chechens: A Handbook.Psychology Press. p. 32.ISBN 978-0-415-32328-4.Retrieved28 June2017.

[12] Richmond, Walter.The Circassian Genocide.Page 59.

[Lyugasheva-13] Svetlana Lyagusheva (2005). "Islam and the Traditional Moral Code of Adyghes".Iran and the Caucasus.9(1): 29–35.doi:10.1163/1573384054068123.JSTOR 4030903.{{cite journal}}:Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help)

[Sreda-14] "Главная страница проекта" Арена ": Некоммерческая Исследовательская Служба СРЕДА".Sreda.org. 19 October 2012.Retrieved20 August2013.

[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.Retrieved15 October2011.

[Greenwood-16] James Stuart Olson, ed. (1994).An Ethnohistorical dictionary of the Russian and Soviet empires.Greenwood. p. 329.ISBN 978-0-313-27497-8.Retrieved15 October2011.

[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 – viaWikisource.

[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.

[NathoIslamization22-22] 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).

[2012ArenaAtlas-26] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g"Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia".Sreda, 2012.

[2012Arena-religion-maps-27] 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps."Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017.Archived.

[2012Arena-religion-maps2-28] 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps."Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017.Archived.

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