Религиозные практики и храмовое пространство в современной России

D. I. Antonov

D. I. Antonov Russian State University for the Humanities https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8081-4420

Keywords: religious practices, relics, ex-voto, church space, material religion

Abstract

The article discusses current trends in the formation of the church space in post-Soviet Russia. The author focuses on religious practices that result in the presence of symbolically significant objects – relics, votive gifts, donators’ icons, notes, etc., – in churches. These objects build the space of the church as a space of communication with the saints; they form an environment in which parishioners and pilgrims clearly see the channels and means of this communication. Some practices are carried out primarily by the clergy – such as collections of relics and brandea or ordering various reliquaries for keeping sacred objects which the church is either already having or planning to obtain. Collecting relics allows clergy to build the “topography of holiness” in the church, to present the uniqueness of the church in the parish and on the church website. Other practices are carried out primarily by parishioners and pilgrims – this is the bringing of votive gifts, notes, and donators’ icons (sometimes with inscriptions). Various objects that appear in the temple space can serve as affordances for such actions. First, these are wooden icon-cases covered with glass – ‘niches’ in which it is convenient and safe to place gifts. Secondly, these are ‘regular’ gifts – decorations placed on icons by the clergy (as a rule, pectoral crosses and panagia). Finally, the same role is played by the notes, the gifts, and the curatorial icons themselves – the presence of the gift serves as an invitation to do a similar action and bring a note / a jewelry or to order a new icon related to personal or family story (request, need). As a result of such practices, the church space in Russia is actively developing. Reliquaries of various forms are being created; relics are integrated into icons and crosses, turning them into reliquaries; massive icon-cases are ordered for icons, convenient for placing a lot of votive gifts, etc. These processes are sometimes hardly noticeable, but their role in the current church tradition is undoubtedly significant.

Author Biography

D. I. Antonov, Russian State University for the Humanities

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2023-5-1-93-105

Dmitriy I. Antonov
Russian State University for the Humanities,
Russian Presidential Academy of
National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia
antonov-dmitriy@list.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8081-4420

Abstract
The article discusses current trends in the formation of the church space in post-Soviet Russia. The author focuses on religious practices that result in the presence of symbolically significant objects – relics, votive gifts, donators’ icons, notes, etc., – in churches. These objects build the space of the church as a space of communication with the saints; they form an environment in which parishioners and pilgrims clearly see the channels and means of this communication. Some practices are carried out primarily by the clergy – such as collections of relics and brandea or ordering various reliquaries for keeping sacred objects which the church is either already having or planning to obtain. Collecting relics allows clergy to build the “topography of holiness” in the church, to present the uniqueness of the church in the parish and on the church website. Other practices are carried out primarily by parishioners and pilgrims – this is the bringing of votive gifts, notes, and donators’ icons (sometimes with inscriptions). Various objects that appear in the temple space can serve as affordances for such actions. First, these are wooden icon-cases covered with glass – ‘niches’ in which it is convenient and safe to place gifts. Secondly, these are ‘regular’ gifts – decorations placed on icons by the clergy (as a rule, pectoral crosses and panagia). Finally, the same role is played by the notes, the gifts, and the curatorial icons themselves – the presence of the gift serves as an invitation to do a similar action and bring a note / a jewelry or to order a new icon related to personal or family story (request, need). As a result of such practices, the church space in Russia is actively developing. Reliquaries of various forms are being created; relics are integrated into icons and crosses, turning them into reliquaries; massive icon-cases are ordered for icons, convenient for placing a lot of votive gifts, etc. These processes are sometimes hardly noticeable, but their role in the current church tradition is undoubtedly significant.

Keywords: religious practices, relics, ex-voto, church space, material religion

References

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About author

Dmitriy I. Antonov
Dr. Sci. (Historical Sciences), Professor
Director of the Center for Visual Studies of
the Medieval and Modern Culture
Russian State University for the Humanities
6, Miusskaya Square, Moscow, 125047, Russian Federation
Senior Researcher at the Centre for Theoretical Folklore Studies
Russian Presidential Academy of
National Economy and Public Administration
1 Bldg., 82, Vernadsky Avenue, Moscow, 119571, Russian Federation
E-mail: antonov-dmitriy@list.ru

For citation:
Antonov D. I. Religious practices and church space in modern Russia. Journal of Visual Theology. 2023. Vol. 5. 1. Pp. 93–105. https://doi.org/10.34680/vistheo-2023-5-1-93-105