20 April 2022
Representatives of the Russian intelligentsia write an open letter calling for a halt to the war. At least for a few days.
Source: Novaya gazeta
Holy Week is upon us, the lead up to the most important festival for all Orthodox Christians, the “festival of festivals” – Easter Sunday. Day by day, step by step, we remember Christ’s journey to Golgotha. We remember His glory, His suffering, and His final words – His testament at the Last Supper: “My peace I give to you … In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We remember His terrible death for the sake of humanity. For the sake of everyone: not only the righteous but also every last sinner. Let us not reject His gift. The path to resurrection is through prayer and the repentance of Lent.
The whole of this year’s Lent has been marked by the sounds of gunfire, of bombs, of destruction; by the news of thousands of deaths; by the flight of millions; and by the destruction of everything these people have been building for years and for generations. We understand that you cannot stop the bloodshed just like that, but let us honour Christ’s suffering and the victory of His resurrection. We know first-hand that Christians around the world of all faiths are praying for the same thing every day: a ceasefire. And we are asking the same: don’t shoot! At least for the duration of these holy days.
Olga Sedakova, poet, philologist
Oleg Voskoboinikov, medieval historian
Aleksei Muraviev, historian
Anna Pozhidaeva, art historian
Anastasia Samokhina, designer
Olga Zakharova, art historian
Anna Shmaina-Velikanova, biblical scholar, church historiian
Mikhail Epshtein, philosopher
Yulia Pasko, philologist
Marina Grushetskaya, pensioner
Maria Barulina, housewife
Ksenia Ivanova, psychologist
Anna Popova, teacher
Nina Kreitner, pensioner
Slava Shvets, lecturer, art historian
Zoya Svetova, journalist, human rights defender
Aleksandr Feklistov, actor, director, screenwriter
Irina Varskaya, historian
Vladimir Mirzoev, director
Ekaterina Margolis, artist
Aleksandr Markov, philosopher
Yulia Ratomskaya, art historian
Maria Kornoukhova, florist
Yana Linkova, philologist
Valida Naveriani, chemist
Aleksandr Kornoukhov, artist
Natalya Likvintseva, philologist
Sofia Sverdlova, art restorer
Natalya Kopytko, art historian
Viktor Kopytko, composer
Marianna Voronezhskaya, teacher
Olga Lapshina, actor
Daria Krotova, artist
Mikhail Seleznev, biblical scholar
Ksenia Luchenko, journalist
Translated by Nicky Brown
