Slovakia Marks Anniversary of Communist Raid on Monasteries

Slovakia observed the anniversary of a major communist crackdown that occurred during the night of April 13-14, 1950, when Czechoslovak security forces simultaneously raided male monasteries across Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The operation, known as "Barbarous Night," represented one of the most significant religious persecutions under the communist regime that controlled Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1989. The raids were part of the communist government's systematic campaign to suppress religious institutions and eliminate the influence of the Catholic Church, which was viewed as a threat to the totalitarian state's authority.