“Don’t shoot!” Statement calling for a halt to the war.

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

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