Arapov, A. V. Modern Orthodox Religious Poems (in the Voronezh Region)

Abstract: There is practically no succession between religious poetry of the mid XIX century and modern religious poems. Over the past hundred years, many changes happened both in style and content of religious poems. Russian folk culture underwent certain transformations, too, caused by the destruction of the traditional peasant’s culture and traditional life style. Even a peasant himself lives mostly in history but not in reality, to say nothing about a townsman. In the XIX century, life was monotonous and cyclic and following agricultural rhythms for the majority of authors and audience of religious poetry. But in the XX century existential issues became especially important as well as a Christian’s will and life in the alien or even hostile environment. Authors of religious poetry addressed to Jesus’ life as an example for Christians who faced a critical situation. Selected works analyzed by G. P. Fedotov, for instance, had very few poems about the Savior’s earthly life, while modern religious poetry has many poems like that.

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