Orthodoxy, Politics, and Kirillism: Reassessing Post-Soviet Church-State Symphonia in Patriarch Kirill’s Russia

After 1991, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Kremlin agreed to reestablish cordial relations while mutually committing not to interfere in each other’s affairs. This model of church-state relations—referred to as symphonia—appears, under Patriarch Kirill, to be outdated. Drawing on the two priorities articulated by Kirill upon his election in 2009, the author argues that the ROC has successfully managed to penetrate the political sphere. He proposes, therefore, replacing the old church-state symphonia with the concept of kirillism, which more accurately captures the church’s growing influence over Russian politics.

Paul-Henri Perrain is a PhD student in Area Studies at Charles University in Prague. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations in France, he completed his Master’s studies in the Czech Republic, where he specialized in Central and Eastern Europe. He is currently pursuing his doctoral research there. His research interests include the history of political thought, comparative politics, church-state relations, and the post-Soviet space.