We have before us a unique book written by the famous confessor of faith and author of many works devoted to the most pressing and painful issues of modern church reality, Archpriest Pavel Adelgeim. This book was written 35 years ago, but in those years it could not be published due to censorship. The author talks about the history of the suppression of the spiritual freedom of the Soviet people in church, public and private life. About the time when the church becomes a “church of silence”, not protesting against interference in its affairs, allowing violations and distortions of church life to please the Soviet government, which is trying to make the clergy an accomplice in the atheistic struggle. History, unfortunately, may repeat itself. And if today the revival of the church is reduced only to the construction of churches and monasteries, everything will return “to normal.”