Nationalism or patriotism?

On February 8, 2012, the opinions of the clergy on Russian nationalism were published.

According to Hieromonk Macarius (Markish), it is important to distinguish between nationalism ("like hatred for strangers") and patriotism ("like love for one's own").

Archpriest Sergiy Shastin, rector of the Krutitsy metochion, is convinced that there should be fewer accusations of Russian nationalism. "As soon as a Russian emphasizes his nationality, he will immediately be declared a nationalist in an abusive sense," he said. "Of course, this is an unhealthy situation. This is necessary And if the head of state is not afraid to talk about it, then that's great."

Archpriest Alexander Lavrin (Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" in Tsaritsyn) believes that "anti-Russian rhetoric passed to us by inheritance from the Soviet era," and "the concepts of Motherland and Fatherland" were "devalued in the Yeltsin era."

Archpriest Boris Danilenko, director of the Synodal Library, recalls that "emphasizing Russianness in the sense of nationality is offensive to other peoples inhabiting Russia." In his opinion, it is important to remember that the peoples that were part of the Russian Empire were united precisely by Russian culture".   Sources

• Priests about "nationalism in a good way" // Regions.ru. 2012. February 8.