Best of the Spectator

Holy Smoke: Holy War and Antichrist, the rise of extremist rhetoric inside the Russian Orthodox Church

Feb 21, 2025

Yuri Stoyanov, a research fellow at SOAS specializing in Eastern Orthodox studies, and Svitlana Morenets, The Spectator's Ukraine correspondent, delve into the schism within Eastern Orthodoxy sparked by the Ukraine conflict. They discuss how the war has forced Ukrainians to choose between rival church affiliations. Stoyanov highlights Patriarch Kirill's apocalyptic rhetoric, which resonates with soldiers but may not reflect the views of ordinary Russians. They also explore rumors of President Putin's involvement in unusual rituals amid the conflict.

35:06

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Episode guests

Svitlana Morenets

Yuri Stoyanov

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Quick takeaways

The war in Ukraine has deepened divisions within Eastern Orthodoxy, leading many to shift loyalties towards the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill's apocalyptic rhetoric of Holy War resonates with soldiers but largely holds little significance for the average Russian.

Deep dives

The Schism of Eastern Orthodox Churches Amid War

The war in Ukraine has not only resulted in human and physical devastation but has also deepened divisions within the Eastern Orthodox churches. The Moscow Patriarchate headed by Patriarch Kirill, who is perceived as influenced by Vladimir Putin, refuses to acknowledge the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which gained autonomy in 2019. This division has intensified since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, leading to significant splits within the Orthodox community. The complex landscape of allegiances based on historical and ethnic ties further complicates the situation, as many Ukrainian Orthodox Christians now gravitate towards the independent church, contrasting the loyalties observed prior to the conflict.

Intro

3min

Faith and Identity in Wartime Ukraine

11min

Syncretism and Superstition: The Rise of New Religious Movements in Russia

3min

Apocalyptic Rhetoric and the Holy War Concept in Modern Orthodoxy

5min

Shifting Orthodox Allegiances

13min

The subject of Ukraine shattered the unity of Eastern Orthodoxy long before Russia’s full-scale invasion began. In 2018 the Ukrainian Orthodox Church declared independence from Moscow with the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In response, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow broke off all relations with Constantinople, creating arguably the greatest schism in Orthodoxy for 1,000 years.

There are now two main Ukrainian Orthodox Churches: one that supports independence and one still loyal to Moscow. As The Spectator’s Ukraine correspondent Svitlana Morenets points out, Ukrainians who previously didn’t care which church they attended now have to decide which to attend.

Meanwhile, Dr Yuri Stoyanov, a fellow at SOAS, describes the alarming escalation of apocalyptic rhetoric encouraged by Kirill, whose talk of a Holy War against the forces of Antichrist is popular with soldiers but means little to the average Russian.

As we approach the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Svitlana and Yuri join host Damian Thompson to discuss the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in perpetuating the conflict. Has Holy War returned to Europe? And is it true that President Putin has secretly been taking part in bizarre quasi-shamanistic rituals?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Best of the Spectator

Holy Smoke: Holy War and Antichrist, the rise of extremist rhetoric inside the Russian Orthodox Church

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Schism of Eastern Orthodox Churches Amid War

Cultural and Political Conflict Reflected in Religious Divisions

Spirituality and National Identity During Crisis

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts