Holy War: Memory of the Great Patriotic War in the Russian Orthodox Church

Because the Russian Orthodox Church is such a vital part of Russian culture, its views can be an important influence upon the society in which it operates.  During the Great Patriotic War (1941-5) against Nazi Germany, the Church encouraged Christians to resist the enemy and pray for victory.  The Church's memory of the conflict fits with the modern Russian government's remembrance, which upholds the war's Soviet fighters as moral role models.  This dynamic also creates a somewhat ironic memory of the Soviet Union itself, especially considering the Communist government’s persecution of religious believers.  Through the religious historical documents, modern statements, and media productions studied in this podcast, the non-religious Soviet Union is somewhat turned into a "basically Christian" nation that fought the evils of fascism.

Photo by Christian Basar.  Taken in Volgograd, showing a small church and the statue known as "The Motherland Calls."