The religious identity of the Aleuts of Russia: from the arrival of the first missionaries to the present day

The religious identity of the Russian Aleuts is a complex phenomenon formed during the eventful religious history of the Commander Islands. The purpose of the study is to analyze the transformation of the religious identity of the Russian Aleuts in the time perspective and identify its key characteristics in the XXI century. Based on the historical and cultural approach, the study identifies and analyzes the main milestones of the religious history of the Aleuts of the Commander Islands. It has been established that at the present stage Orthodoxy performs a multifunctional role for the Russian Aleuts: it acts not only as a creed, but is also an important element of historical memory, as well as one of the markers of ethnic identity. The study demonstrates the deep integration of Orthodoxy into the cultural identification processes of the Russian Aleuts. The results obtained are of practical importance for the development of strategies for the preservation of cultural heritage and support for the ethnic self-determination of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Far East.