Parrésia XVIII-XIX - Revue pro východní křesťanství (2026)

This double issue of the annual Parrésia review is devoted to the phenomenon known as Russian Palestine, an extensive and long-running project of Russian presence in the Holy Land that, from the mid-19th century, combined the religious, cultural and political ambitions of the Russian Empire. The studies examine the creation and operation of an elaborate system of Orthodox pilgrimage, spiritual and social care, and the construction of churches, schools and hospices, as well as the systematic acquisition of land and archaeological activity involving both the state and the Church. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission and the changes in its work amid the major political upheavals of the 20th century. The publication shows that the phenomenon cannot be confined to the years 1847–1917. Despite the fall of the tsarist regime, the end of the British Mandate and the establishment of the State of Israel, Russian Palestine continued in various forms, with efforts to partially restore it re-emerging after 1991. The Czech-language volume offers a deeper understanding of the historical connections that continue to shape the region’s religious and geopolitical map.