Photos: Russia’s Orthodox nationalists pray for the Tsar’s return | Hindustan Times
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Photos: Russia’s Orthodox nationalists pray for the Tsar’s return

Updated On Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Russian Orthodox Banner Bearers, a small fringe group of Russian nationalists with no political power that stages processions, rallies and even burns books to promote their views is convinced that Russia should be ruled by an autocratic monarchy, like the one they had under Tsar Nicholas II. Their slogan is Orthodoxy or Death and they believe the coming of a new tsar may be imminent. Unsure how a shift to a monarchy might come about, some members see the change emerging from a social convulsion and others are simply praying for it to happen.

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Leonid Simonovich-Nikshich (R), head of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, prepares for an award ceremony at Church headquarters in Moscow, Russia. “We are striving for the restoration of an autocratic monarchy. Like the one we had under our tsars,” Simonovich-Nikshich said. “It is only possible through the church. In no way is this possible in a political secular way because that would be a dictator.” (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Leonid Simonovich-Nikshich (R), head of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, prepares for an award ceremony at Church headquarters in Moscow, Russia. “We are striving for the restoration of an autocratic monarchy. Like the one we had under our tsars,” Simonovich-Nikshich said. “It is only possible through the church. In no way is this possible in a political secular way because that would be a dictator.” (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Pawel, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, sits in his bedroom where he keeps a collection of icons from the monasteries he has visited, in Solnechnogorsk. The Union is a small fringe group of Russian nationalists with no political power that stages processions, rallies and even burns books to promote their views. Their slogan is Orthodoxy or Death. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Pawel, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, sits in his bedroom where he keeps a collection of icons from the monasteries he has visited, in Solnechnogorsk. The Union is a small fringe group of Russian nationalists with no political power that stages processions, rallies and even burns books to promote their views. Their slogan is Orthodoxy or Death. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Denis, a member of the Union, marches to commemorate 100 years since the killing of Tsar Nicholas II, in Moscow. Clad in all-black and marching with their Orthodox banners, the group pairs a biker club’s aesthetic with the gold of religious icons. They are convinced Russia should be ruled by an autocratic monarch and believe the coming of a new tsar may be imminent. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Denis, a member of the Union, marches to commemorate 100 years since the killing of Tsar Nicholas II, in Moscow. Clad in all-black and marching with their Orthodox banners, the group pairs a biker club’s aesthetic with the gold of religious icons. They are convinced Russia should be ruled by an autocratic monarch and believe the coming of a new tsar may be imminent. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Icons of Tsar Nicholas II are seen at the art studio of Igor Miroshnichenko, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, during a meeting of the members in Moscow. The tsar, his wife and five children were shot on the night of July 16-17, 1918 by Bolshevik soldiers, in the basement of a merchant’s house in the city of Yekaterinburg. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Icons of Tsar Nicholas II are seen at the art studio of Igor Miroshnichenko, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, during a meeting of the members in Moscow. The tsar, his wife and five children were shot on the night of July 16-17, 1918 by Bolshevik soldiers, in the basement of a merchant’s house in the city of Yekaterinburg. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Valeriy, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, collects banners at a church before the procession to commemorate the killing of Tsar Nicholas II. Union leaders say they are unsure how a shift to a monarchy might come about, with some members seeing the change emerging from a bloody social convulsion and others simply praying for it to happen. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Valeriy, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, collects banners at a church before the procession to commemorate the killing of Tsar Nicholas II. Union leaders say they are unsure how a shift to a monarchy might come about, with some members seeing the change emerging from a bloody social convulsion and others simply praying for it to happen. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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A woman marches with a banner supporting the Tsar’s family on the Unity of Nation day in Oktyabrskoye Polye in Moscow. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the state atheism it espoused, the church canonised the Tsar and his family, and his popularity as a historical figure has grown amid a Russian Orthodox Church resurgence under President Vladimir Putin. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

A woman marches with a banner supporting the Tsar’s family on the Unity of Nation day in Oktyabrskoye Polye in Moscow. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the state atheism it espoused, the church canonised the Tsar and his family, and his popularity as a historical figure has grown amid a Russian Orthodox Church resurgence under President Vladimir Putin. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Marching with tall crosses and standards depicting Russia’s last tsar, local churchgoers attend the procession. Russian religious conservatives last year waged a campaign to block the release of Matilda, a Russian movie the Union of Orthodox Banner Bearers described as blasphemous for its depiction of a romance between the tsar and a young ballerina. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Marching with tall crosses and standards depicting Russia’s last tsar, local churchgoers attend the procession. Russian religious conservatives last year waged a campaign to block the release of Matilda, a Russian movie the Union of Orthodox Banner Bearers described as blasphemous for its depiction of a romance between the tsar and a young ballerina. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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Igor Miroshnichenko, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, holds his cross at his studio in Moscow. The group did not attend the main memorial event in Yekaterinburg to mark the centenary of the last Tsar’s murder. It was told it would not be allowed to raise its standards - some of which feature skulls and radical slogans like Orthodoxy or Death - at the event. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

Igor Miroshnichenko, a member of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers, holds his cross at his studio in Moscow. The group did not attend the main memorial event in Yekaterinburg to mark the centenary of the last Tsar’s murder. It was told it would not be allowed to raise its standards - some of which feature skulls and radical slogans like Orthodoxy or Death - at the event. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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A flag belonging to the members of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers is seen at Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. Instead, the group gathered at this monastery of the Saviour in Moscow on July where they marched with tall crosses and standards depicting Russia’s last tsar. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Aug 13, 2018 01:03 PM IST

A flag belonging to the members of the Union of Orthodox Banner-Bearers is seen at Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. Instead, the group gathered at this monastery of the Saviour in Moscow on July where they marched with tall crosses and standards depicting Russia’s last tsar. (Ekaterina Anchevskaya / REUTERS)

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