Was Stalin an Atheist?

Probably, most people are sure that Stalin was an atheist. However, this matter is not so clear.

Stalin was Georgian and his real last name was Jugashvili. The traditional religion of Georgians is Georgian Orthodox church. Actually, Orthodox churches (Greek, Russian, Georgian, and others) have the same doctrines and rituals, but independent administration. Stalin studied 4 years in the Church School in Gori (a Georgian city near South Ossetia where he was born). There he had the excellent marks in the Old Testament history, New Testament history, catechism, church service, and church singing. After the graduation, he entered the Georgian Orthodox seminary in Tbilisi where he studied 5 years. He had good marks there, but did not finish the full course of the seminary because of his interest in communist ideas.

In 1920s - 1930s, many churches were closed and many priests were sent in prisons. However, in 1940s, during the World War II, Stalin's attitude to the church was changed. He met the leaders of Russian Orthodox church. Many churches were reopened and persecutions stopped.

Stalin did not write any atheist or anti-church article. His adopted son Artyom Sergeyev who was brought up in Stalin's family, said that Stalin had never said anything negative about the church or religion. According to Sergeyev's words, Stalin was knowledgeable in the religious matters, had many religious books, and even wrote articles against destruction of churches and imprisonment of priests. His bodyguard Yuri Solovyov said that he saw Stalin praying in a church in Kremlin.

A number of priests including two patriarchs (the highest leaders of Russian Orthodox church) Sergy and Alexy I considered him to be a secret believer. After his death, Russian Orthodox church held a funeral service. This was the only time when Russian Orthodox church held a funeral service for a leader of the Soviet Union. In Russian Orthodox church, funeral services are held only for Orthodox Christians.

There are some poems that supposedly were written by Stalin. One of them was written in 1949 and is called "Novices" (as religious term):

Let us talk about eternity.
I am surely guilty in many things.
However, somebody ruled my life.
I felt that omnipresent look.

He did not let me sleep or rest.
He lived in me and was above me ruling over me.
And I, as a slave of the universal sovereignty,
Ruled the country with the strong will.

Who was my secret highest master?
What did he want ruling over me?
I, as a slave, judge, and executive,
Was everything in this poor country.

And everything was incomprehensible then:
Where did the power, will, and authority came from?
My soul, as a wheel of a machine,
Ground desires of millions.

And only then, in the spring of 1945,
He quietly whispered me,
"You have been my novice, my soldier,
And you will rest soon!"

Note: This poem was written 4 years before Stalin's death.