WWII, the Moscow Patriarchate and the Memory Politics in Russia

• In Event: Orthodox Christianity and War: Religious Narratives of Violence, Memory, and (Self)Justification in Russia

Abstract

In recent decades, the Russian Orthodox Church has redefined its role in WWII, presenting itself as a key force in the war and reinterpreting the Soviet era as a period of divine purpose, particularly under Stalin. The victory in WWII is now framed as “the second Easter,” with Russia portrayed as the Pauline katechon, including its Soviet past. This paper explores how the evolving memory of the Soviet past has shaped the political religion of contemporary Russia, sanctifying the current war and elevating the authorities to the status of divine agents.

Author

• Andrey Kordochkin, Georg-August U Göttingen (Germany)