Martyrs Secular and Saintly in Revolutionary Russia

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel looks at how the concept of martyrdom was employed by diverse actors in revolutionary Russia to make sense of political, social, and cultural events over time. From monarchists to revolutionaries, Orthodox priests to Roman Catholic nuns, the idea of martyrdom was one that actors in these tumultuous times latched onto to interpret events from the assassination of Alexander II to World War I, to the Revolutions of 1917. By tracing the use of the word over time, the papers also show the overlaps and differences between this diverse group of actors.

Sub Unit

• History: 1900-1945

Chair

• Ana Siljak, U of Florida

Papers

• Martyr Cults in Revolutionary Russia: An Introduction - George Gilbert, U of Southampton (UK)

• Martyrdom and the Russian Imagination during the Great War - Page Herrlinger, Bowdoin College

• 'The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church': Orthodox and Catholic Depictions of Martyrdom in Revolutionary Russia (1917-1925) - Francesca Silano, Providence College

Discussant

• Ana Siljak, U of Florida