# Fall of communism in Europe (1989)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1989-fall-of-communism-in-europe
Location: Eastern Europe
Themes: Politics

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 end state atheism across Eastern Europe. Churches reopen, and Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant communities revive from Russia and Ukraine to Romania and the Baltic states. At this point in the timeline (1989), the Bishop of Rome was Pope John Paul II (16 October 1978 – 2 April 2005).

## Why it matters
It ended seven decades of Soviet persecution and brought a large-scale return of public religion in the East.

Pope at the time: [Pope John Paul II](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-john-paul-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Revolutions of 1989](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutions_of_1989)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Fall of communism in Europe](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Fall+of+communism+in+Europe)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)