Historia dwudziestowiecznych prześladowań Rosyjskiego Kościoła Prawosławnego przedstawiona na ikonie Soboru Świętych Nowych Męczenników i Wyznawców Rosyjskich

The paper analyses the concept of “the new martyrdom” functioning today in the RussianOrthodox Church. Through this prism, presented on the icon of the New Martyrs and Confessorsof Russian Church, we examine the official Orthodox perception of the Soviet past, especially the period of persecutions in 1917–1937. Attention is paid to the way the historical facts are shown andto the narrative which is thus created. The authors conclude that the icon and its official descriptioncreate a glorious vision of history, emphasising the uniqueness of new martyrs’ testimony and abol-ishing questions about the cause of the revolution and the persecutors. The huge number of martyrs becomes evidence of the spiritual greatness of Russia, whereby victims are treated instrumentally,to give a spiritual meaning to the persecutions, perceived as a part of the eternal struggle betweengood and evil.