# Russian Revolution (1917)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1917-russian-revolution
Location: Russia
Themes: Culture

The Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917 creates an officially atheist state. Church property is confiscated, and in the following decades tens of thousands of clergy and believers are killed. At this point in the timeline (1917), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Benedict XV (3 September 1914 – 22 January 1922).

## Why it matters
It began the largest persecution of Christians in modern history and the long era of Soviet state atheism.

Pope at the time: [Pope Benedict XV](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-benedict-xv)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Russian Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Revolution)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Russian Revolution](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Russian+Revolution)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)