Preserving the Memory of the Great Patriotic War in the International Activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. The African Vector

Abstract

The study analyzed the international activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. These activities were considered in the context of Russia’s humanitarian policy abroad. Key areas and priorities of these activities were identified. These included participation in international interfaith dialogue, cooperation with international organizations, and efforts to establish and maintain spiritual ties between Russians living abroad and the Russian Federation. Their application on the African continent was examined, and these activities were classified by regional focus (in Africa and Russia) and primary target audience (Russians and Africans). The study examined the role of WWII memory in the context of Russian foreign policy, particularly international historical discourse. Conclusions were drawn regarding the significant role of WWII memory in shaping Russia’s foreign policy identity and the priority of this area in the country’s foreign policy. The Russian Orthodox Church’s activities in preserving the memory of the Great Patriotic War were studied, and their main areas were identified: media coverage of church activities, the construction of churches commemorating the war, the canonization of war veterans as new martyrs, the restoration of the biographies of WWII veterans, the creation of museums and exhibitions dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War, the participation of Church hierarchs in various Victory Day events, and assistance with the work of the Russian Peace Foundation, holding religious events in memory of those who died in the war, and organizing events on the theme of the Great Patriotic War. The study concluded that the Exarchate’s activities in preserving the memory of the Great Patriotic War were focused on the priority of Russians as the primary target audience, as well as, the limitations of the image conveyed by the Russian Orthodox Church for Africans to perceive and the lack of a developed strategy for disseminating the memory of the events of the Great Patriotic War.