The Significance of the Local Church

Abstract Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church ( ROC ), has faced criticism for providing religious justification for Russia’s invasion. This study provides foundational research on how the war and the patriarch’s statements are impacting attitudes toward church attendance at ROC parishes in France and the U.S. Based on twenty-seven qualitative interviews across seven parishes, this research explores the central reasons churchgoers hold for continuing to attend ROC parishes, despite many disagreeing with the patriarch’s stance on the war. Reasons for staying center around viewing the local church as a place of worship and community.