Saints in Modern Times: Canonization and Veneration of Saints in the Russian Orthodox Church

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26884001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Religious studies
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHASHI Sanami 北海道大学, スラブ・ユーラシア研究センター, 助教 (50724465)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ロシア / ロシア正教会 / 聖人崇敬 / 宗教社会学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

My research project aims to analyze the process of canonization and veneration of modern saints, who have a significant social influence on the contemporary Russia.
I picked up as case studies St. Ksenia of St. Petersburg, St. Matorona of Moscow and the last Russian emperor Nikolay II and his family.
Believers do not expected to have certain knowledge of the Christian canon and rites, in order to pray to the saints, whose intercessions are to be believed as effective for the resolution of various problems in everyday life. These modern saints are empathetic for the majority of the believers as merciful and wise old women, or pious and harmonious family. At the same time, their images are connected to the nostalgia for the traditional Russian society.

Free Research Field

地域研究