Orthodoxy or death!
{{short description|Russian nationalist and religious fundamentalist slogan}}
File:Flag of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers.svg. "Orthodoxy or death!" is written in Russian above and in Greek below.]]
"Orthodoxy or death!" ({{langx|ru|Правосла́вие или смерть!|translit=Pravoslaviye ili smert!}}; {{langx|el|Ὀρθοδοξία ἢ θάνατος!|translit=Orthodoxía í thánatos!}}) is a political slogan used by Russian nationalists and Eastern Orthodox fundamentalists. Since 2010 it has been recognised as part of the Federal List of Extremist Materials and banned in Russia.
History
The slogan "Orthodoxy or death!" was first used by the Esphigmenou monastery in 1972, after it cut ties with the Eastern Orthodox Church as a form of protest against the Church's leadership entering into dialogue with Pope Paul VI. To the present day, it continues to ignore the broader Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as the Greek government.{{Cite book |last=Asproulis |first=Nikolaos |title=Fundamentalism or Tradition |publisher=Fordham University Press |year=2019 |isbn=9780823285808 |pages=180 |chapter="Orthodoxy or Death": Religious Fundamentalism during the Twentieth and Twenty- first Centuries}}
"Orthodoxy or death!" entered into Russian religious and political discourse following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. According to Russian theologist Roman Lunkin, the slogan grew in popularity among conservative members of the Russian Orthodox Church, bolstered by support from celebrities who supported its use, such as Ivan Okhlobystin and Konstantin Kinchev. Additional supporters of the conservatives within the ROC came from Russian monarchists.{{Cite news |date=16 May 2011 |title=Лозунг "Православие или смерть!" признали экстремистским |language=ru |trans-title="Orthodoxy or death!" slogan recognised as extremist |work=Pravda.ru |url=https://www.pravda.ru/news/society/1077068-slogan/ |access-date=26 December 2023}} A religious almanac under the name "Orthodoxy or death!" was published from 1997 to 1999.{{Cite web |title=Русская христианская повременная печать в фондах Синодальной библиотеки |trans-title=Russian Christian periodical printing in the collections of the Synodal Library |url=http://www.ortho-rus.ru/cgi-bin/ns_file.cgi?2+1_303 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819235934/http://www.ortho-rus.ru/cgi-bin/ns_file.cgi?2+1_303 |archive-date=19 August 2014 |access-date=26 December 2023 |website=Ortho-rus.ru}}
A number of Orthodox political organisations in Russia also use the term, namely the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers.{{Cite web |date=3 February 2011 |title=Признан экстремистским лозунг афонских монахов |trans-title=Aphonite monk slogan recognised as extremist |url=https://www.sova-center.ru/misuse/news/persecution/2011/02/d20906/?print=1 |access-date=26 December 2023 |website=SOVA Center |language=ru}} Its usage has been opposed by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who said in a 2009 to not trust individuals using it.{{Cite news |date=10 March 2009 |title=Глава РПЦ назвал волками в овечьих шкурах приверженцев лозунга "Православие или смерть!" |language=ru |trans-title=ROC head names "Orthodoxy or death!" users wolves in sheep's clothing |work=NEWSru |url=https://www.newsru.com/religy/10mar2009/orthodoxia.html |access-date=26 December 2023}} After it was banned, however, some priests of the ROC, particularly archbishop {{ill|Pitirim (Volochkov)|lt=Pitirim|ru|Питирим (Волочков)}} of the {{ill|Diocese of Syktyvkar|lt=Diocese of Dykytvkar and Vorkuta|ru|Сыктывкарская епархия}} spoke in defense of the slogan.{{Cite news |date=15 July 2010 |title=Сыктывкарский епископ вступился за лозунг "Православие или смерть!" |language=ru |trans-title=Syktyvkar archbishop speaks for "Orthodoxy or death!" slogan |work=NEWSru |url=https://www.newsru.com/religy/15jul2010/pitirim.html |access-date=26 December 2023}}
On 21 December 2010 the Cheryomushki District Court of Moscow said in a decision that the slogan "Orthodoxy or death!" was extremist, and ordered that it be placed on the Federal List of Extremist Materials.{{Cite news |date=2 February 2011 |title=Футболку "Православие или смерть!" признали экстремистской |language=ru |trans-title="Orthodoxy or death!" t-shirts recognised as extremist |work=Lenta.ru |url=https://lenta.ru/news/2011/02/02/extremesale/ |access-date=26 December 2023}} Its number on the list is 865.{{Cite web |title=Федеральный список экстремистских материалов |trans-title=Federal List of Extremist Materials |url=https://minjust.ru/ru/extremist-materials |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812001919/https://minjust.ru/ru/extremist-materials |archive-date=12 August 2015 |access-date=26 December 2023 |website=Ministry of Justice (Russia) |language=ru}}
References
{{Russian nationalism}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Orthodox fundamentalism
Category:Political catchphrases
{{Russia-politics-stub}}