Historia dwudziestowiecznych prześladowań Rosyjskiego Kościoła Prawosławnego przedstawiona na ikonie Soboru Świętych Nowych Męczenników i Wyznawców Rosyjskich
The History of the Twentieth-Century Persecutions against the Russian Orthodox Church as Depicted on the Icon of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church

Summary/Abstract: The paper analyses the concept of “the new martyrdom” functioning today in the Russian Orthodox Church. Through this prism, presented on the icon of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russian Church, we examine the official Orthodox perception of the Soviet past, especially the period of persecutions in 1917–1937. Attention is paid to the way the historical facts are shown and to the narrative which is thus created. The authors conclude that the icon and its official description create a glorious vision of history, emphasising the uniqueness of new martyrs’ testimony and abolishing questions about the cause of the revolution and the persecutors. The huge number of martyrs becomes evidence of the spiritual greatness of Russia, whereby victims are treated instrumentally, to give a spiritual meaning to the persecutions, perceived as a part of the eternal struggle between good and evil.

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