Keywords
pilgrimage
Russian Orthodox Church
parish
gift
church offering
flowers
material religion
post-Soviet religiosity
How to Cite
Abstract
The article addresses one of the widespread but under-theorized religious practices of contemporary Russian Orthodoxy – the tradition of bringing flowers to churches and leaving them at icons and relics. This practice is considered as a form of gift exchange that is significant for religious life, parish economy, and tourist infrastructure. Based on field data collected between 2021 and 2025 in fifteen regions of Russia, the author demonstrates how the practice of “flower offering” varies depending on context and differs between rural and urban parishes, as well as between little-visited churches and popular tourist and pilgrimage centers. The article describes the functions performed by flowers, which may serve as ordinary ornamentation, a personal gift to a saint, a votive offering, or an element of festive decoration. Special attention is paid to the role of church actors (priests and church workers), who act as moderators of this practice by setting rules for the placement, purchase, and disposal of flowers. It is concluded that, in the context of the development of religious tourism, flowers are becoming an important element of the symbolic economy of the church. They function not only as material evidence of veneration but also as commodities in church shops, as well as special symbolic resources – brandea (contact relics). Through the distribution of flowers consecrated by relics and icons (as in the Moscow Pokrovsky Monastery), sanctity is disseminated, which enhances the sacred status of the place and attracts pilgrims. The article shows that mass attendance and tourist activity are becoming key factors in the transformation of local religious cultures, prompting Orthodox actors to reconcile traditional forms of religiosity with contemporary socio-economic realities.
References
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