Please join the Harriman Institute for a Russian History Workshop with Nadieszda Kizenko. Moderated by Catherine Evtuhov.
At first glance, Orthodox Christianity seems to be one of the more conservative liturgical traditions in Europe. The rapid changes in Ukrainian and Russian liturgies since 2022, however, belie that ostensible conservatism. This presentation will identify what kinds of changes have been introduced in Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches, analyzing how the different liturgies show different notions and different experiences of history, identity, memory, victimhood, and sacrifice. The ritual and textual innovations (and their limits) also raise the broader question of what happens to liturgy when a nation undergoes trauma, or when an ecclesial tradition is closely linked to a political order, and that political order changes course. Does liturgical change necessarily follow—or do the faithful want liturgy to serve as a respite? Nadieszda Kizenko, Professor of History at SUNY Albany and 2023-24 Fellow at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music will share the results of her latest research on Ukrainian and Russia service books, prayer books, online prayer 'chat groups,' and church ceremonies.
