The Weaponization of Prayer: An Analysis of the Russian Orthodox Military Cathedral

On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the Bishop H. Losten Center for Ukrainian Church Studies at The Catholic University of America and the Huffington Ecumenical Institute at Loyola Marymount University co-hosted a Zoom webinar event. The event, moderated by: the Very Reverend Mitred Archpriest Dr. Mark Morozowich, Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America, featured two guest speakers were: Mr. Sergei Chapnin (Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University) and Very Reverend Archimandrite Dr. Cyril Hovorun (Huffington Ecumenical Institute, Loyola Marymount University). The speakers primarily analyzed the Russian Orthodox military cathedral itself, its art, military chapels, icons, etc.  constructed in the Moscow region of Russia on May 9,  2020. Mr. Chapnin also provided an overall history/background of the Russian Orthodox church and the merge of the church and state (with politics, religion and military)  in contemporary Russia under Vladimir Putin.  Father Cyril discussed the “battle of images” and how it relates to the war in Ukraine–the imagery of war in supporting it from the Russians  and the imagery of opposing the war from the Ukrainians…both cultures use icons.He further discussed the concept of the weaponization of prayer, images, spaces and saints by Russians and Putin. Video of event here: https://youtu.be/Pj82Pr8Q44c