The former St. Nicholas Church in Zamość as a Russian “lieu de mémoire”

The former St. Nicholas Church in Zamość, Poland, serves as a Russian 'lieu de mémoire' (site of memory), reflecting the complex historical and ideological layers imposed upon it. Originally built for Greek and Ruthenian communities, the church became a symbol of Orthodox unity during the 18th century but was later ideologized by Russians during the Partition period. They sought to reverse its association with the Union of Brest and instead promote it as a unifying symbol for local populations and Russian elites, portraying Zamość as an eternal part of Ruthenian lands. This study uses Pierre Nora's concept of sites of memory to analyze how the church's history was manipulated to serve Russian nationalist narratives, appearing in books, albums, and postcards to foster a sense of 'new Rus' identity.

Korneluk, P. (2022). The former St. Nicholas Church in Zamość as a Russian “lieu de mémoire”. Quart, (2(64)), 122–143. https://doi.org/10.19195/quart.2022.2.94072