Critiquing the Orthodox Church at Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

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Cathedral of Christ the Saviour facade

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is the ultimate symbol of the Russian Orthodox Church. Standing at 103 metres tall, and centrally-located near the Kremlin, this Cathedral is one of the most dominant buildings in Moscow’s aesthetic. 

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Pussy Riot's "Punk Prayer" demonstration in Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

 

On 21 February 2012, feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot staged a performance in front of the altar, as a protest against the Church’s support for Putin’s 2012 re-election. Security guards eventually halted the Pussy Riot’s act but they created a music video of their performance titled “Mother of God, Drive Putin Away” or “Punk Prayer”(1). They are seen wearing colourful balaclavas, jumping on the spot and punching the air. The music video begins with a melody from Rachmaninoff’s Vespers, “Bogoroditse Devo (O Virgin Mother)” with lyrics reworked to argue their point. The Rachmaninoff melody is interspersed with segments of outspoken metal statements criticising the church, and specifically Patriarch Kirill, for their influences on the election and blind support of Putin. This demonstration was followed by the arrest of three members, two of whom were subsequently imprisoned for two years(2).

This protest went far beyond the Free Elections movement going on in 2012. More than a protest against Putin, this was a direct attack of the Russian Orthodox Church. The protest could not have been located in a place that would insult the church more; Pussy Riot’s use of the altar in this very cathedral was invasive and shocking. The Patriarch subsequently went as far as to frame the incident as an embodiment of spiritual warfare, saying: “the Devil laughed at us”(3), demonstrating just how powerful this demonstration had been.

Citations

(1) Lipman, Masha. “The absurd and outrageous trial of Pussy Riot.” The New Yorker, 3 Nov 2012.
(2) --. “Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism.” BBC, 17 August 2012.
(3) Amos, Howard. “Russian punk band were doing devil’s work, says leader of Orthodox Church.” The Guardian, 25 March 2012.