Russian Orthodox

The Russian Orthodox Church

History and Influence

A curriculum unit for grades 6-10

Developed by Annalise Blech, Curriculum Specialist, Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies

at the University of Texas at Austin

2008

----------------------------------------------- The Russian Orthodox Church ----------------------------------------

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The Russian Orthodox Church: History and Influence

A curriculum unit for grades 6-10

Draft Version Compilation Date: July 2008

Permission is granted to reproduce this unit for classroom use only.

Please do not redistribute without prior permission. For more information, please see:

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/creees/


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Russian Orthodox Church Curriculum Teacher's Notes ............................................................................................................... 4 Activity 1: Timeline ........................................................................................................ 5 Activity 2: T-Chart.......................................................................................................... 6 Activity 3: Learn the Cyrillic Alphabet............................................................................ 7 Reading 1: Russian History and the Orthodox Church..................................................... 9 Reading 2: The Orthodox Place of Worship .................................................................. 11 Reading 3: Basic Facts about the Russian Orthodox Church.......................................... 13 Reading 4: The Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian State................................... 15 Reading 5: The Russian Orthodox Church in the Nineteenth Century............................ 17 Reading 6: The Russian Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century ............................. 18 Activity 4: Timeline ...................................................................................................... 19 Activity 5: Architecture................................................................................................. 20 Activity 6: The Firebird................................................................................................. 21 Activity 7: The Firebird II ............................................................................................. 23 Map Activity 1: Russian Orthodox Churches................................................................. 24 Map Activity 2: Borderlands ......................................................................................... 25 Reading 7: The Russian Far East ................................................................................... 26 Reading 8: The Russian Orthodox Church Reunification............................................... 28 Reading 9: The Russian Orthodox Church Reunification II ........................................... 29 Summation Activity ...................................................................................................... 31


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Teacher's Notes Goals: • Introduce students to the history and beliefs of the Russian Orthodox Church • Encourage students to understand religious similarities and differences • Familiarize students with the geography and culture of the Russian Federation • Encourage students to compare Russia and the United States Standards This unit is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and National History Standards that cover the impact and influence of religion in culture and history. Assessment Evidence: As students expand their knowledge of different countries around the world, they should develop knowledge of the religious, cultural, and historical influences that have shaped each area of the world. In exploring the vast land of Russia, it is especially vital that students develop an understanding of the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church on the history and culture of the Russian peoples. Learning Activities: • Activities 1-3: These activities provide historical facts about Russian Orthodoxy and

require students to make comparisons with American history. • Readings 1-6: These documents give students an overview of the beliefs, practices,

and places of worship in the Russian Orthodox Church. Each reading is presented with a set of comprehension and analysis questions.

• Activities 4-7: These activities require students to research aspects of Russian culture on their own and to connect culture to religion.

• Map Activities: These maps provide students with visual representations of the Russian lands and ask them to consider the influence of physical geography.

• Readings 7-9: These readings help students to understand the current situation and role of the Russian Orthodox Church both in Russia and abroad.

• Summation Activity: This activity synthesizes the knowledge and predictions the students have gained through the curriculum and asks them to speculate about the complications and influence of history on the present situation in Russia.


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Activity 1: Timeline

Create a timeline of the important dates in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Important Dates in Russian Orthodox History

988 - Kievan prince Vladimir I accepts Eastern Orthodoxy as the official religion of Kievan Rus'

1169 - City of Vladimir becomes the capital of the Rus' state 1271 - Moscow becomes the capital of Vladimir-Suzdal, soon to become the Russian

state 1340 - St. Sergius of Radonezh founds Holy Trinity Monastery 1410 - Rublev creates the Old Testament Trinity icon 1448 - First Russian-born Orthodox bishop, Jonas I 1453 - Constantinople falls to the Turks 1462-1505 - Reign of Ivan III (the Great). Declaration of Moscow as "the Third Rome" 1555-60 - St. Basil's Cathedral is built in Moscow 1589 - Russian Orthodox Church becomes independent of other Orthodox churches under

Metropolitan Job of Moscow 1613 - Mikhail Romanov begins the tsarist dynasty which endures until 1917 1652-1658 - Patriarch Nikon of Moscow revises the Russian liturgy, causing the Great

Schism 1689 - Peter I (the Great) comes to power; builds St. Petersburg, which becomes the new

Russian capital 1861 - Emancipation of the serfs 1905 - First Russian Revolution which establishes a constitutional monarchy 1917 - Bolshevik Revolution; Nicholas II abdicates the throne; establishment of the

atheistic Soviet Socialist state with the capital returned to Moscow 1936 - Stalin's Great Purge 1988 - Anniversary of Orthodoxy in Russia 1991 - Fall of the Soviet Union; beginning of reestablishment of Russian Orthodox

church 2007 - Reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Russian Orthodox Church

Outside Russia


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Activity 2: T-Chart Compare what was happening in Russia and the United States on the dates below.

RUSSIA U.S. 1776

1789

1796

1812

1825

1861

1867

1904

1905

1917

1959

1991


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Activity 3: Learn the Cyrillic Alphabet Russian language is written using a different alphabet from English. The alphabet is called Cyrillic and it is named after a missionary who developed the alphabet when he came to live among the Slavic people. Read the short excerpt below about the Cyrillic alphabet. The Cyrillic alphabet is named after St. Cyril, a missionary from Byzantium who was sent, with his brother Methodius, to convert the Slavs to Christianity. He also decided to transcribe the Bible into Slavonic. The Cyrillic alphabet is based on Greek letters, with several differences relating to pronunciation. The Cyrillic alphabet was created in approximately the 10th century. It achieved its current form in 1708 during the reign of Peter the Great. Four letters were eliminated from the alphabet in a 1917-1918 reform. The Cyrillic alphabet has been adapted to write over 50 different languages, mainly in Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. In many cases additional letters are used, some of which are adaptations of standard Cyrillic letters, while others are taken from the Geek or Latin alphabets. Languages written with the Cyrillic alphabet include: Abaza, Abkhaz, Adyghe, Avar, Azeri, Balkar, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Chechen, Chukchi, Church Slavonic, Chuvash, Dargwa, Dungan, Evenki, Gagauz, Ingush, Kabardian, Kazakh, Komi, Kurdish, Kyrghyz, Laz, Lak, Lezgi, Lingua Franca Nova, Macedonian, Moldovan, Mongolian, Old Church Slavonic, Russian, Ruthenian, Serbian, Slovio, Tabassaran, Tajik, Tatar, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Uyghur, Uzbek, Votic, Yakut, and Yupik. From: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/cyrillic.htm On the next page you will find a chart of the 33 letters of the Cyrillic alphabet and their English pronunciation guide. Try to write out your own name in Cyrillic based on the sound guides given next to each letter. (From: http://www.madmappers.com/htm/Ru_alphabet.htm)


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Reading 1: Russian History and the Orthodox Church Read the passage about the influence of the Church on the events of Russian history.

The Russian Orthodox Church played a leading role in unifying lands under the power of Moscow, freeing them from the yoke of the Golden Horde. When the church's center of power was transferred from Vladimir to Moscow at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the Muscovy Princes profited greatly. As Moscow became a political power and one of Eastern Europe's most potent centralized states, the significance of the Russian Orthodox Church also increased. The voice of the Metropolitan of Rus' began to be heard more and more loudly as Moscow declared itself true defender of the Orthodox faith. Around the turn of the sixteenth century, a new political idea arose in the monasteries of Russia, that of "Moscow, the third Rome." This phrase endured for several centuries as the ideological core of the autocracy of Holy Russia. As the monk Philotheus of Pskov wrote Czar Basil III in 1510, "…All Christian Empires are fallen and in their stead stands alone the Empire of our ruler in accordance with the Prophetical books. Two Romes have fallen, but the third stands and a fourth there will not be." At the end of the sixteenth century, shortly before the first Romanov became czar, a significant event took place in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church. Through the skillful diplomacy of Boris Godunov, then regent for Czar Feodor Ivanovich, permission was granted by the hierarchs of the eastern Church to create a patriarchate (a self-governing arm of the church) in Moscow. While the czar served as leader of secular life, the patriarch became leader of ecclesiastical life. The two supreme political powers in Russia, the monarchy and the Church, were inextricably linked. The Church played a very important role in how the country was run, and at the same time, events decreed by royal proclamations and government edicts were understood by the people to be primarily of a religious character. Throughout Russian history, from the time of the forced adoption of Christianity, religion had permeated society. Over the course of several centuries, relations between church and state were sometimes complicated and conflicting; however, at all times they were governed by the basic principle of "symphonia," inherited from the Byzantine state, where the aim was for balance between the two sides of the administration, the autocracy and theocracy. The linkage between the state and the patriarch lasted for nearly 150 years, until Peter I issued a decree rescinding the patriarchate in 1721, and Russia was under the power of a sole ruler. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum.


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Now answer the following questions about the reading: 1. What role did the Church play in the formation of the Rus' state? 2. What is the significance of the phrase, "The Third Rome"? 3. What is symphonia? Compare how the Orthodox Church helped create the state of Rus' and how religion helped create the United States. What are the similarities in the beliefs? What was different about the pilgrims' experience in America to the early Christians in Russia?


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Reading 2: The Orthodox Place of Worship Read the following description of a typical Russian Orthodox Church.

A typical example of an Orthodox place of worship contains a complex synthesis of various fields: architecture, icon and fresco painting and decorative art of all kinds. The architecture creates the symbol of "heaven on earth," encompassing all of creation. As opposed to a Western architectural tendency focusing the view toward the altar, the Orthodox surroundings drawn one's view upward, toward the central dome, usually bearing an icon of Christ the Patocrator, "the Ruler of all." Every fresco has a theological basis, and each has a strictly defined position in a cathedral. The role of the frescos was not purely didactic. The artistic quality of the medieval frescos played a significant role in inspiring the devotion of worshippers at the cathedral. Icons are very important to the Russian Orthodox Church. The symbolic center of the icon is the countenance of the saint, portrayed in various spiritual states. The eyes and mouth of the saint reflect the spirituality of the saint. The gestures of the arms and the position of the hands are also important. In order that these elements can be clearly seen, figures on icons are portrayed full-face or three-quarter-face. Russian icons are unique not only for their distinct artistry but also for their position in the church. Most icons were set in the iconostas', a unique feature of Orthodox churches. The iconostas' is a wall of icons which separated the altar from the rest of the cathedral. A highlight … is the early seventeenth century oklad of the "Tikhvin Mother of God" icon. In the mid-sixteenth century a monastery was founded on the right bank of the Tikhvinka river near Novgorod. It was built to the honor of an icon of the Mother of God, which was a former sacred treasure of Byzantium. This icon is important because it is closely connected with the transfer of the center of orthodoxy from the Byzantine Empire to Russia. One of the numerous miracles ascribed to this icon was the salvation of the Tikhvin monastery during the Swedish invasion of 1613. The gilded silver covering of the Tikhvin Mother of God icon, with its full décor and varied workings of precious metal, typically reflects the strivings of seventeenth century art for sumptuous designs. Large sapphires and emeralds weighing 90 and 30 carats respectively appear in the halo of the Mother of God. Two 40-carat sapphires and a huge, golden 148-gram topaz on the tsata (pendant) give the oklad and incredible splendor, festivity, and solemnity.Icons of the Tikhvin Mother of God were very popular in Rus', so it would be a particular honor to commission an oklad for this revered icon. Judging by the ornate work on the frame, clearly the work of a Moscow master, the commission may have come from a member of the royal family. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum.


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Examine this reproduction of the Tikhvin Mother of God icon. What do you notice about the icon? Is it similar to other works of religious art with which you are familiar? Who would own an icon such as this? Where would it be placed in a cathedral? What type of cathedral would be able to have this icon displayed? From: http://yya.oca.org/pages/ChurchwidePrograms/Yo_Mail/graphics/0626tikvinicon01.jpg

Now examine this version of the Tikhvin icon. How is it different from the first version? Where would you expect to find this copy of the icon? Who would own an icon like this one? From: http://www.sestry.ru/church/content/jpg/01


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Reading 3: Basic Facts about the Russian Orthodox Church

Read the passage below about the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest religious community in Russia. Their onion-shaped domes are a recognizable feature of the Russian rural landscape. Inside the churches the visual art form of icons and the fine art of a cappella choir singing lead the worshippers' spiritual participation in a highly symbolic celebration, following the cyclical church calendar of feast days. The icons and singing are developed in an orderly fashion, in such a way that the illiterate majority could find meaning and understanding in the Church's celebrations. The expressions of the Orthodox Church have left a strong mark on the Russian character throughout history. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrated its 1000th birthday in 1988. Through ten centuries, it preserved both its dogma and its form of worship in the service of the Divine Liturgy, maintaining the use of the ancient Slavic language. The Orthodox Church teaches that God the Creator is everywhere. Historically, the life of simple Russian people had been measured in the slow rhythms of nature and regulated by the pulse of the cyclical calendar of the Church. "The devil's work is quick," so believed the peasant, "and it is bright and flashing. God works slowly - look at nature." This idea is expressed in the patience evidenced by the Russian peasant. Faith in God was so characteristic that the word for peasant in Russian, krestyanin, means simply "a Christian." The sense of God's presence, of the supernatural, seems to penetrate Russian life more deeply than that of any other Western nation. Church ritual in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries maintained the forms of previous centuries. Feast day services and traditional ceremonies such as baptisms, marriages, and funerals all followed the ecclesiastical canon. However, from the time of Peter the Great, new decrees were issued to regulate Church activities. Restrictions were designed to keep the Church under the control of the State and additional commemorations in the life of the Church were established. One example was the inclusion in the calendar of the "Czar's days." These commemorated the coronation, the name days of the czar and czarina, the birth of an heir, and other events. Printed tables listing such days were distributed to all cathedrals in the country, where they were kept on the altar or in the vestry, with the rubrics of church services following the church calendar. On the Czar's days, services would begin with a prayer for the health of the czar, and the traditional pealing of the church bells was accompanied by cannon and rifle salutes. The facades of houses were decorated with state flags and royal monograms, and the evenings were marked with promenades. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum.


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Now answer the following questions about the reading. 1. What kinds of art and music are found in Russian churches? 2. When was the Russian Orthodox Church founded? 3. Was the Russian Orthodox Church separate from the Russian State? Do some research about other religions around the world. What are some of the different beliefs or practices? Where are these religions practiced? What languages are associated with each religion? How does Russian Orthodoxy compare to: • Buddhism • Islam • Judaism


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Reading 4: The Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian State

Read the passage below about the Church in the eighteenth century.

Ceremonial church services were held to mark the conclusion of military campaigns or to celebrate the anniversaries of past victories. After the conclusion of a peace treaty with Turkey in 1755, during the reign of Catherine II (the Great), a solemn prayer service was held in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg; all the city nobility attended. The street from the Winter Palace to the Cathedral was lined on both sides by two ranks of guards and artillery regiments. When the prayer for long life to the sovereign ended, three volleys rang out, accompanied by a canon salute from the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress, followed by the ringing of the church bells. All evening great crowds of people promenaded about the brightly-lit street. At this time, the Empress Catherine was in Moscow. There the main thanksgiving services were held in the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin (the same location for royal coronations, weddings, and other celebrations). This notable occasion was marked by the richest of royal donations to the Kremlin cathedrals. These included the magnificent collection of liturgical plates made of gold with brilliant-cut diamonds and rubies. For this thanksgiving service, Prince Potemkin, Catherine's "favorite," commissioned about 2000 icons from the Kremlin Armory to be placed on newly constructed iconostases on the south and west walls in the Dormition Cathedral. When Czar Peter I abolished the patriarchate in 1721, he entrusted the Church government to a Holy Synod under his control. This reduced the position of the Church to a department of the Russian State. No longer did the principle of symphonia as inherited from the Byzantine Empire govern the relation between Church and State. Peter the Great's first reforming decrees declared religion "the basis of the prosperity of the State, and the strongest support of the monarch's throne." It must be mentioned that many leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were horrified by the reforms of Peter, which required men in court to shave their beards and wear European-style dress instead of caftans. The terem was abolished as an institution, as were the inherited titles for the boyars - the old nobility. It was whispered that Peter was the Antichrist, leading the country to ruin through his changes. Most of the reforms took effect slowly even through the aristocratic level of society; however, many reforms did not make it all the way through to the peasant levels of society. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum.


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Now answer the following questions about the reading. 1. Who had more power in Russia, the czars or the Church? 2. What kind of changes did Peter I make in Russia? After reading this passage, think about what it would have been like to live at this time in Russian history if you were: • An heir to the czar's throne • A boyar or nobleman • A peasant • A noblewoman • A peasant girl


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Reading 5: The Russian Orthodox Church in the Nineteenth Century

Read the passage below about the changing relationship between Church and State.

In the early 19th century (beginning with Nicholas I), … the importance of the Church and State working together was again expressed more directly as Russian emperors conducted their own policy on the basis of "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality." This theory embodied the Russian belief that the monarch was a czar-batushka, or paternalistic czar. To the Russian people, the narod, the Czar was always the "Sovereign anointed by God," head of both Church and State.

Among the intellectual strata of society, the intelligentsia, the dilemma between the traditional Slavic, pre-Petrine ways and the contemporary more European customs became a formal standoff, known as the conflict of "Slavophiles" and the "Westernizers." Both groups believed in Russia's mission as a world power, but they had different opinions about how to fulfill it. The Slavophiles, or the "God-Seekers," were the segment of society who believed that the key to Russia's future was in her own straight-line thinking - civilization. The Westernizers, or "God-Builders," believed that Russia's mission could be fulfilled in the context of Western civilization, challenging not only Russian culture and Slavophilism, but also religion, society, and absolutely everything. Out of the radical Westernizers came the nineteenth and twentieth century Russian revolutionary movement.

Although the Church held a higher position in the lives of the nineteenth century royalty, the pervading presence of the radical revolutionaries in Russian society, along with the continued function of the Church as a State department, precluded any effective Church power in the country. When Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne in 1917, the Church was finally independent of the monarchy's hold, and re-established the Patriarchate in August of that year. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum. Now answer the following questions about the reading. 1. How did the peasants view the Czar? 2. What were the two competing ideas about Russia's future? 3. Did the Church have more or less power in the nineteenth century than before?

With a partner, debate whether or not the Church was glad about the abdication of the czars. How would the feelings of the people in the Church have changed between February and October of 1917?


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Reading 6: The Russian Orthodox Church in the Twentieth Century

When you read the passage below, think about the situation for ordinary Russians who were Orthodox believers during the Soviet regime.

Under the Soviet regime, which came to power in November [1917], the church

was subjected to severe persecution. Thousands of clergy were killed or driven into exile; most churches were closed and religious education was forbidden. A limited revival of church activity was permitted by Stalin in the 1940s to inspire the war effort, but all religious practice continued to be discouraged and strictly controlled until the end of the Soviet regime in 1991. At that point, the number of Church membership, functioning churches and monasteries was greatly reduced in comparison to pre-Revolutionary figures.

Clergy are now taking part in the political and social life of society at all levels. The Church hierarchy is being renewed, and more and more churches are being returned by the State to the Church. Church activities outside the Divine services, such as community service, charity, and even teaching, were not allowed during the Soviet times, but have now begun again. Bibles and other religious literature once banned in the Soviet Union, are being printed without restriction. From "Treasures of the Czars." An Educational Guide and Video. Kansas International Museum Now answer the following questions about the reading. 1. What happened to the Church under Soviet rule? 2. What is going on now that the Soviet Union no longer exists? Imagine that you live in the Soviet Union and you have a chance to write a letter describing your life to someone in the United States. What would you have to say if you were a: • Bolshevik leader • Orthodox priest • Factory worker • Farmer • Ballerina • Student


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Activity 4: Timeline Compare what was happening in Russia, Europe, and the United States in the arts.

RUSSIA EUROPE U.S.A. 18th Century Painting

18th Century Dance

18th Century Music

19th Century Painting

19th Century Dance

19th Century Music

20th Century Painting

20th Century Dance

20th Century Music

21st Century Painting

21st Century Dance

21st Century Music


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Activity 5: Architecture Use the internet and other classroom resources to find pictures of Russian Orthodox Churches. What kinds of features do they have that are different from churches in the United States? What are some of the most famous churches in Russia? What types of shapes, colors, and sizes are Russian churches? Once you have found several examples, create your own version of a Russian Orthodox church. Where would it be? What would it look like? What colors and shapes would it have? Draw a picture or write a description of your vision of a Russian church. Then compare your idea with those of your classmates. What features are the same or different in your own class? What can you guess about churches across a country as big as Russia?


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Activity 6: The Firebird

Along with religious stories, Russian culture is filled with fairy tales or skazky. This is one of the most popular: The Tale of the Firebird.

Once upon a time a very long time ago there was an orphan girl named

Maryushka. She was a quiet, modest, and gentle maiden. None could embroider as beautifully as she. She worked with colored silks and glass beads, making for one a shirt, for another a towel or a pretty sash. And she was always content with the money she received, however small.

The fame of her skill reached the ears of merchants beyond the seas. From near and far they came to see her marvelous work. They gazed and were amazed, for they never thought to find anything so beautiful. One after another, they tried to persuade Maryushka to come away with them, promising her riches and glory. But she would only lower her eyes and reply modestly: "riches I do not need and I shall never leave the village where I was born. But of course I will sell my work to all who find it beautiful." And with that, although they were disappointed, the merchants had to be content. They left, spreading the story of her skill to the ends of the earth, until one day it reached the ear of the evil sorcerer Kaschei the Immortal, who raged to learn that there was such beauty in the world, which he had never seen.

So he took the form of a handsome youth and flew over the deep oceans, the tall mountains and the impassable forests until he came to Maryushka's cottage.

He knocked at the door and bowed low to her, as was the custom. Then he asked to see the needlework she had completed. Maryushka set out shirts, towels, handkerchiefs and veils, each more beautiful than the other. "Kind sir," said she, "whatever pleases you, you may take. If you have no money with you, you may pay me later, when you have money to spare. And if my work should not find favor in your eyes, please counsel me and tell me what to do, and I shall try my best."

Her kind words and the sight of all that beauty made Kaschei even angrier. How could it be that a simple country girl could fashion finer things than he, the great Kaschei the Immortal, himself possessed. And he took his most cunning tones and he said:

"Come with me, Maryushka, and I will make you Queen. You will live in a palace built of precious jewels. You will eat off gold and sleep on eiderdown. You will walk in an orchard where birds of paradise sing sweet songs, and golden apples grow." From "Land of the Firebird" by Suzanne Massie.


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Now answer the following questions: 1. What do you think Maryushka will do? Will she accept Kaschei's offer? Why or why not? 2. Does the story of Maryushka remind you of any fairy tale that you are already familiar with? If so, which one? What are the similarities or differences? 3. The fairy tale talks about Maryushka's talent at embroidery. Using the internet, find pictures of traditional embroidered Russian linens. How do they differ from the towels and linens that you use on a daily basis? 4. Fairy tales were often used to teach morals to children. What kind of lessons is taught in the tale of Maryushka? What could be the link between fairy tales and the Orthodox Church? How could the Church use fairy tales for their own ends?


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Activity 7: The Firebird II

Now read the remainder of the story of Maryushka and The Firebird.

"Do not speak so," answered Maryushka. "I need neither your riches or your strange marvels. There is nothing sweeter than the fields and woods where one as born. Never shall I leave this village where my parents lie buried and where live those to whom my needlework brings joy. I shall never embroider for you alone."

Kaschei was furious at this answer. His face grew dark and he cried, "Because you are so loath to leave your kindred, a bird you shall be, and no more a maiden fair."

And in an instant a Firebird flapped its wings where Maryushka had stood. Kaschei became a great black Falcon and soared the skies to swoop down on the Firebird. Grasping her tight in his cruel talons, he carried her high above the clouds.

As soon as Maryushka felt the power in those steel claws and realized she was being taken away, she resolved to leave one last memory of herself.

She shed her brilliant plumage and feather after feather floated down on meadow and forest. The mischievous wind covered the feathers with grass and leaves, but nothing could rob them of their brilliant glowing rainbow colors.

As the feathers fell, Maryushka's strength ebbed. And although the Firebird died in the black Falcon's talons, her feathers continued to live, down on the ground. They were not ordinary feathers, but magic ones that only those who loved beauty and who sought to make beauty for others could see and admire. From "Land of the Firebird" by Suzanne Massie

Here is a famous representation of the Firebird skazka from the artists in the Russian town of Palekh. This town is famous for their artistic skills and lacquer boxes with elaborate paintings, like this one. (From http://www.mythinglinks.org/russia~firebird.jp

g)

Now that you have read this story and seen a Russian image, create a nine-part comic strip depicting the main points of the story. Think about what colors are most popular in Russian art and try to incorporate those into your own work.


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Map Activity 1: Russian Orthodox Churches

Look at the map of Russia below. Research different towns in Russia and then plot ten different Orthodox Churches in places in Russia.

From: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/cia07/russia_sm_2007.gif


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Map Activity 2: Borderlands

Look at the map below. What countries border Russia? Compare Russia's borders with those of the United States. What are some of the differences? What difficulties does

Russia face with borders?

From: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealth/russia_rel94.jpg


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Reading 7: The Russian Far East

Use the map in the preceding exercises to locate the province of Kamchatka. Then read the excerpt below about some of the difficulties faced by people who live there.

American ideas and tastes set the agenda for Kamchatka's state-owned fishing industry. One day I spotted a brand-new trawler in the harbor that looked very much like sophisticated Seattle-based trawlers I had seen. "It is just the same, built by the Norwegians," said Captain Valery Sologubov when I boarded the Admiral Zavoyko to get a tour of the spotless fish-processing machinery and a bridge crammed with the latest electronic gear. "We even have a new machine that slices off an extra micro-thin layer of fat under the skin to produce low-fat pollock fillets for the American market. That adds greatly to the value of our catch." The ship is leased to a Kamchatka company by its Liberia-based British owners; the fish is sold to a U.S. fishing company for hard currency. "In our first season we paid the lease and had some profit," said Captain Sologubov. "In eight years we'll own the boat." Ownership. The very idea still alarms many Russians, especially when official policies blur the property lines. "The government is now selling shops to private people - not to the people who worked in them, but the new rich who have gathered capital in some way," said Tatyana Kostynets, a business reporter for the local TV station. "Under the old laws, such manipulations were called crimes. But now, when I wanted to find out about a certain company, a government minister told me, 'You don't count the money in other peoples' pockets. If yours are empty, it's your own fault.' Without clear laws, a lot of us don't really understand what is good or bad." Father Yaroslav Levko thinks he has an answer. He is a 32-year-old Russian Orthodox priest whose hawk nose and wild black beard are softened by brown eyes that say faith is possible, and a gentle smile that says you might even enjoy it. Presiding over a new cathedral overlooking Avacha Bay, he has baptized more than 50,000 adults since he arrived in Petropavlovsk seven years ago. "For so many people with no religious education, I ask them only 'Do you believe in God?'" he told me. "And I ask them only to promise to be kind in their deeds and to visit church occasionally. The main thing is kindness." From Bryan Hodgson's "Russia's Land of Fire and Ice: Kamchatka" in National Geographic, April 1994.


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Now answer the following questions about the reading: 1. Why does Kamchatka have so many American connections? 2. What are some of the differences between how and where people work now as opposed to during the Soviet time? Why do people have to worry about owning their own businesses? 3. The priest in the article only asks people one question. What are the difficulties faced by priests and people in the Russian Orthodox Church after the fall of the Soviet Union?


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Reading 8: The Russian Orthodox Church Reunification Read the following article on the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) officially reunited

with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) on Thursday [May 17, 2007] after 80 years of separation. ROC Patriarch Alexy II and ROCOR head Metropolitan Laurus led the reunification ceremony, which was held in Moscow and attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the service, Laurus emphasized that the reunion of the churches is not a merger since ROCOR will maintain its autonomy and continue to appoint its own leaders. However, this sudden -- and largely symbolic -- reunification has caused many to question the timing, the ROC's loyalty to the Kremlin, and how the church fits into Putin's goal of creating a consolidated and powerful Russia.

The ROC and ROCOR, also known as the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, officially split in 1927, though the two sides had been moving toward separation since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. When the Bolsheviks declared separation of church and state, the ROC found itself for the first time without state backing. The church had long been an essential part of imperial Russia, and it was unsure how to function without playing a role in politics and without the privileges of the government's protection.

In 1927, church Patriarch Sergei formally declared his "loyalty" to the Soviet government, accepting Soviet authority over the church and expressing its commitment to helping root out political and social dissidents. Though this caused the ROC-ROCOR split (ROCOR refused to declare its loyalty to the Russian government), Sergei actually succeeded in saving the ROC in Russia from complete annihilation. It suffered immensely during the Soviet era, but the ROC was never wiped out (though it has had to declare its loyalty to each new leader that has come to power since). From: http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=287803

Now answer the following questions concerning the article: 1. Why are the two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church reuniting now, in 2007? 2. When did the ROC split with the ROCOR? Why? 3. Was the Russian Orthodox Church truly an important part of the Soviet state?


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Reading 9: The Russian Orthodox Church Reunification II Read the continuation of the article concerning the joining of the branches of the ROC.

Talk of the reunification of the ROC and ROCOR began in 1991 after the collapse

of the Soviet Union. But ROCOR came up against a new roadblock: Patriarch Alexy II, who vehemently opposed any changes to the church inside Russia. Under then-President Boris Yeltsin, Alexy II wielded the power of the church, leading a crackdown on non-ROC religions (though mostly sparing Jews and Muslims). Alexy II sought not to expand the authority of the ROC outside Russia but to consolidate and maintain its power within the country. These factors, along with Alexy II's refusal to discuss reunification, ensured that the ROC and ROCOR remained divided.

But Putin brought to the office a new perspective on the church. He knew the church could be useful in consolidating power within Russia -- especially since approximately two-thirds of Russians consider themselves Orthodox, and large institutions outside Russia were looking to reconcile their historic issues with the ROC. It is not uncommon for states to use the church as a political and cultural tool, but this had not been done in Russia since the fall of the empire. Though Alexy II attempted to prevent the Kremlin from using the church in this way, he knew his job would be on the line unless he surrendered to the Kremlin's agenda. Moreover, the Kremlin has lined up a successor, Archbishop Kalinin, in case Alexy II needs to "step down early." Kalinin already has been promoting the Kremlin's agenda abroad, especially with the Roman Catholic Church.

During the past year [2006-2007], rumors of a reconciliation between the ROC and the Roman Catholic Church have surfaced, along with reports that Alexy II could soon hold a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. For his part, Putin has been pushing for closer ties with the Orthodox and Catholic churches, particularly in Italy, where the Roman Catholic Church is deeply embedded in politics and the prime minister is a devout Catholic. Putin clearly sees this as an opportunity to use the church to further his goal of a stronger Russia.

The ROC represents the majority of Russians, so it is only natural for the Kremlin to maintain control over it after reunification. The Kremlin can also use the ROC to push for the development of Russian nationalism under the umbrella of the church. The ROC is politically tied to Orthodox churches inside the former Soviet Union, meaning it wields influence in Central Asia, Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus. However, the reunification of the ROC and ROCOR -- if only under the rhetoric of unity -- will allow the Kremlin to extend its influence to any of the 400 churches outside the former Soviet Union and push its agenda of a more powerful Russia abroad. From: http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=287803:


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Now consider the following questions: 1. Why would the Russian Orthodox Church be less concerned with other religions such as Judaism or Islam in Russia? What religions have historically been at odds with the Russian Orthodox Church? 2. What political goals can be achieved by reuniting the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia with its counterpart abroad? Who benefits from this situation? 3. Why would Putin seek closer ties specifically with the Roman Catholic Church in Italy? 4. Find the following places on a world map: Central Asia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Why would these places be important for the Russian Orthodox Church?


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Summation Activity Divide up into two separate groups. One group will serve as the Russian Government and one group as the Russian Orthodox Church. From what you have learned about the historical relationship and current discussions between these two groups, come to an agreement about the role of each group in making decisions about Russia's future. Questions to consider: • Should there be a complete separation of Church and State? • Should the Church be allowed to help make decisions about political questions? • Should the State be involved in deciding where churches are built? • What complications arise if Church and State are united in governing the country? • Based on historical facts, what are the implications of separating the Church and the

State completely? • Who would be happy about the Church and State uniting? • Who would be upset? • Who would likely encourage separation of Church and State? • What would be the role of the President in each scenario? • What would be the role of the Patriarch? When you have decided what would be best for Russia, come up with a plan for how the change will be implemented. How will you tell Russian citizens what the plan is? How will the new plan affect Russia's relationship with other countries? Come up with as many ideas as you can and present your plan to the class.

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