The Orthodox chants and prayers resound in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Pentecost, one of the major Orthodox holidays, is celebrated there with a throng of worshipers.
But a lot of people came here to see the masterpiece that was on display. One of Russia's most valuable and ancient Orthodox icons is thought to have been painted by the medieval master Andrei Rublev. It dates back 600 years. It is referred to as The Holy Trinity.
This delicate painting has spent a century in a state museum, Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery. This work of art has been safeguarded and preserved thanks to humidity and temperature controls as well as restoration teams.
However, the Icon was recently transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church by order of the Kremlin. Patriarch Kirill, who is in charge of the Church, is happy.
At the weekend, he addressed worshipers, saying, "This icon returns to the Church at a time when our Fatherland is facing enormous enemy forces.". The icon is returned so that we can pray for our Orthodox president Vladimir Putin, who decided to return the icon, and ask God to aid our nation. " .
The Patriarch might be happy. However, there is debate surrounding the icon's transfer.
A renowned art historian from Russia agrees to meet and discuss the situation. Lev Lifshits was among a group of experts who cautioned against removing the icon from the Tretyakov Gallery and suggested instead leaving it in place because doing so might cause serious harm.
Lev clarifies, "This choice was someone's whim. "The Restoration Council of the Tretyakov Gallery was categorically opposed to this.
"With a team of restorers working on it, the icon was treated like a patient in intensive care while it was in the museum. Modern technology and continuous monitoring were used to keep an eye on it.
The decision was made politically. Powerful people in this place are pleading with heaven for assistance. " .
At the very least, the Church should assist in maintaining public support for Russia's president and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Patriarch Kirill openly supports what the Kremlin continues to refer to as the "special military operation.". He previously stated that the sins of any Russian soldiers killed would be "washed away. " .
Additionally, the Russian Patriarch has asserted that God had preordained President Putin's rule over Russia.
The fate of the nation and the people entrusted to your care is in your hands, and God placed you in office to carry out a special duty and great responsibility.
In that regard, the Holy Trinity icon's return could be seen as a reward for the Church's fidelity.
But that might only tell a portion of the story.
According to Andrei Kolesnikov of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, "the Church is a very important element of his personal ideology.". The ideology of Putin's inner circle and Putin himself is clerical, anti-Western, and imperialist. This ideology's foundation is not Marxism-Leninism, as it was during a previous era of Russian history, but rather religion.
"He's a man of faith. Cruelty, however, is not a part of true Christian values, so this is not a discussion about Christianity per se. In that regard, Putin practices a very particular type of religion. ".
There is a line of worshipers waiting to view the Holy Trinity icon outside the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow. Miracles are something that some people here want. .
With the current special military operation, Valentina explains to me, "It's difficult.". "We are asking for success. ".
Any sane person will hope the conflict is over soon, Antonina says. "I believe God will intervene. ".
The Orthodox Church frequently portrays the conflict in Ukraine as a "holy war" in Russia. " .
to inspire Russians with the notion that God is on their side. Additionally, to bury the fact that it was their nation that invaded Ukraine.
