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Title of the article: |
ON THE CULT OF “ST. GREGORY THE NEW” (G. RASPUTIN) IN THE MARGINAL EASTERN ORTHODOXY |
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Author(s): |
Vladimir Yu. Lebedev Alexander M. Prilutskii Roman V. Svetlov |
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Information about the author/authors |
Vladimir Yu. Lebedev — DSc in Philosophy, Associate Professor, Tver State University, Zhelyabova St., 33, 170100 Tver, Russia. E-mail: semion.religare@yandex.ru Alexander M. Prilutskii — DSc in Philosophy, Professor, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Kazanskaya St., 6, 191186 St. Petersburg, Russia. E-mail: alpril@ mail.ru Roman V. Svetlov — DSc in Philosophy, Professor, Russian Christian Humanitarian Academy, Fontanka river embankment., 15, letter A., 191011 St. Petersburg, Russia. E-mail: spatha@mail.ru |
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Section |
Theory and history of culture |
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Year |
2017 |
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Volume |
Vol. 47 |
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Pages |
Pp. 27-39 |
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Received |
June 14, 2017 |
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Date of publication |
March 15, 2018 |
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Index UDK |
008 + 273.99 |
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Index BBK |
71.0 + 86.372-5 |
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Abstract |
The semiotics of modern Eastern Orthodoxy is rather vague and poorly structured which leads to a variety of mythologemes and theologemes often tied to jurisdictions. Oftentimes this leads to para-ecclesial phenomena. The worship of Grigory Rasputin as a saint is an example of the latter. Apart from purely historical and biographical background his figure belongs to marginal religious beliefs. The worship of Rasputin alongside with that of other dubious saints draws upon contemporary culture with its ill-structured hierarchy of the laminar period. Apart from association with the “folk belief”, Rasputin’s phenomenon is connected with the monarchic mythology along with some other mythologies up to overtly occult ones. Rasputin who lived just a while ago turns into a totally mythologized figure. Semiotic transformation of “Rasputin’s myth” is aligned with both sinner and martyr images. Discourse implementation of those images brings about the sets of opposing texts where “Rasputin’s mythology” splits into apologetic and critical. The hagiological status of Rasputin is also far from clear, with the differences in views on his “sanctity” appearing already in the lifetime of the Starets (the Elder) (currently the dominant name for Rasputin). This in its turn is connected with the conspiratorial mythology of his murder and its consequences (up to cultural and civilizational ones). As a result the very fact of murder is sometimes interpreted as foundational for admitting Rasputin’s martyr status. |
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Keywords |
Rasputin, semiotization, myth, sanctity, the Elder, martyr. |
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References |
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