Mormons and Quasi-state of Mormonism in Russian Popular Illustrated Periodicals (Early 1870s)

This study examines how American Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) were perceived by the Russian public through articles published in popular illustrated literary, political, and scientific journals such as “Niva,” “Illustrated Review of Countries” (“Zhivopisnoe Obozrenie Stran Sveta”), and “Worldwide Illustration” (“Vsemirnaya Illyustraciya”) during the period from 1870 to 1873. It highlights that the successful colonization of vast uninhabited territories in the region of Great Salt Lake and Rocky Mountains in North America appeared as an unusual phenomenon in the nineteenth century. The analysis reveals that these journalistic accounts primarily relied on information borrowed from foreign sources, including Western European and American press materials. The research demonstrates that many contemporary journalists and commentators failed to comprehend the unique phenomenon of Mormons attempting to implement their religious and social utopia in practice. Articles about the “Latter Day Saints” in Russian illustrated magazines were filled with unchecked rumors and contradictory assessments, praising the evident achievements of Mormons in settling Utah territory and highlighting their industriousness while simultaneously criticizing them for their supposed naïveté and absurd beliefs. Furthermore, it is noted that Russian journalists diverged significantly in their interpretations of Mormonism, ranging from negative and critical attitudes towards the community to neutral or sympathetic portrayals of this religious group.