Russian Saint under Construction

How to analyze the process of creation and promotion of a new type of saints, the so-called startsy (the elders), which emerged in the Russian Orthodox Church at the end of the 1990s? The debates about the “styles” of sanctity addressed by the term starets are supported by different groups of believers. These groups support different strategies to articulate the charisma embodied in starets in terms of its legitimization and characteristics. These tendencies are studied, using as an example the “career of starets” of the village priest from a remote island in the Pskovskoe lake that is located 30 km from the Russian-Estonian border.Comment analyser le processus de création et de promotion d'un nouveau type de saints, appelés startsy (les anciens), qui est apparu dans l'Église orthodoxe russe à la fin des années 1990 ? Les débats concernant les « styles » de sainteté contenus dans le terme starets sont cautionnés par différents groupes de croyants. Ces groupes soutiennent différentes stratégies pour articuler le charisme incarné dans les starets en termes de légitimation et de caractéristiques. Ces tendances sont étudiées en utilisant comme exemple la « carrière de starets » d'un prêtre de village d'une île du lac Pskovskoe qui se trouve à 30 km de la frontière russo-estonienne.¿Cómo analizar el proceso de creación y promoción de un nuevo tipo de santos, lo llamados startsy (los ancianos), que emergieron en la Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa a fines de los años 1990? Distintos grupos se han concentrado en debates sobre los “estilos” de santidad, relacionados con el término starets. Estos grupos sostienen distintas estrategias para articular el carisma encarnado en los starets en términos de su legitimación y características. Estas tendencias son estudiadas, usando como ejemplo la “carrera de starets”, de los sacerdotes del pueblo de una remota isla del lago Pskovskoe, ubicado a 30 km. de la frontera de Rusia con Estonia. Primero se destacará el campo de significados adscripto al término starchestvo

A new ‘Great Schism'? Theopolitics of communion and canonical territory in the Orthodox Church

This article examines the recent ‘schism’ in Eastern Orthodoxy to show how religion and politics are strongly intertwined in disputes over territory and sovereignty. It argues that two logics are at play in this conflict: one grounded in the theological-political concept of ‘canonical territory’, the other in the notion of ‘communion’ at the basis of the Christian fellowship. The first is deployed in claims for national sovereignty as well as imperial domination, while the latter can make or break communities of faith. Drawing a parallel between the post-socialist revival of religion in Ukraine and the current mobilization on the ground, it shows how these contradictory logics shape the fate of people, churches and states.Published versio