Mass Media, Religion, and Politics in Ukraine: The Story of the 'Bloody Pastor'

Oleksandr Turchynov has become one of the symbols of post-Maidan Ukraine. He is known in the media as the “bloody pastor.” Two phenomena of present-day Ukraine are combined here: first, the religious diversity which allows members of religious minorities to hold political power (the “pastor” became an acting president), and second, strong religious patriotism that is common even among those who were until recently called “sectarians” (it was the “pastor” who gave an order to start the anti-terrorist operation in the east of the country). The “bloody pastor” may well fit into the post-secular scenario of the social crisis as a compelling example of the possible role of a religiously-motivated leader and a possible outline of religious-political restructuring. Both Ukrainian and Russian media see him as a spokesman for Protestantism, westernization, globalization, and modernization. They see in him a serious challenge to both the traditionalist forms of religiosity and traditional approaches to post-Soviet politics. In this sense, the image of the “bloody pastor” is the key to understanding several phenomena related to Russo-Ukrainian relations: the Russian- Ukrainian political-military conflict; the social and religious diversity of the two countries; the local versions of post-secularism; and to defining Ukrainian Protestantism as a distinct social category.