RELIGIOUS PRACTICES IN CRISIS CONDITIONS: ADAPTATION OF THE ORTHODOX TRADITION DURING WAR

Abstract

The article examines the adaptation of Orthodox religious practice in Ukraine under the conditions of the full-scale war launched by Russia in 2022. The author analyzes how the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) has responded to unprecedented challenges, remaining faithful to theological principles and ecclesial Tradition while simultaneously expanding its field of practice beyond the strictly liturgical dimension. The study considers new liturgical forms and prayer texts developed in response to wartime realities (prayers for victory, for defenders, and for those affected; special formulas for burials), as well as the institutional decisions of the Holy Synod of the OCU of 7 March 2022, which defined pastoral actions for the wartime period: the possibility of celebrating services in bomb shelters, the simplification of ritual practice, a blessing to use ordinary bread in exceptional circumstances, and permissions to abbreviate the funeral rite. The article also shows the transformation of church space into a venue that is both sacred and civic (shelters, “points of invincibility,” sites of national remembrance) and discloses the broader social dimension of ecclesial service: parish-based volunteer and charitable initiatives, humanitarian assistance to the military and internally displaced persons, chaplaincy in military units and medical institutions, and programs of psychological and therapeutic support for the families of the fallen and the wounded. Digital forms of pastoral communication that emerged as an operational response to security threats (streamed services, online preaching, and distance catechesis) are analyzed in terms of their conformity with canonical norms and pastoral prudence. In sum, the article argues that the OCU has demonstrated the capacity to unite tradition and flexibility, the sacramental center and social action: liturgical prayer is extended into the “liturgy after the Liturgy” as service to one’s neighbor, while the church community becomes a space of solidarity, support, and moral authority that provides spiritual accompaniment to the faithful in the extreme circumstances of war and lays the groundwork for humanitarian security and social cohesion throughout wartime and the post-war period.