How the East Was Won

As the Communist grip on Central and Eastern Europe has weakened, the various churches have, one by one, emerged into the sunlight after their long stay underground. The first stage of the voyage toward freedom reached a climax this Christmas, with formerly banned churches—as in the Baltic nations—celebrating the holiday openly for the first time in nearly fifty years, and ones that have been permitted to operate—as in Poland—celebrating more hopefully than at any time in recent memory. The grimmest celebration, to be sure, was the one witnessed by all the world: Rumania’s, which was marked by what one observer called the death of the ‘Antichrist.”

Our correspondents report on the celebrations, and on the preparations for the next stage of the battle.

RS

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Radek Sikorski

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As the Communist grip on Central and Eastern Europe has weakened, the various churches have, one by one, emerged into the sunlight after their long stay underground. The first stage of the voyage toward freedom reached a climax this Christmas, with formerly banned churches—as in the Baltic nations—celebrating the holiday openly for the first time in nearly fifty years, and ones that have been permitted to operate—as in Poland—celebrating more hopefully than at any time in recent memory. The grimmest celebration, to be sure, was the one witnessed by all the world: Rumania’s, which was marked by what one observer called the death of the ‘Antichrist.”

Our correspondents report on the celebrations, and on the preparations for the next stage of the battle.