The march of the Immortal Regiment, in which nearly 1 million people participate in Moscow and in cities all over [[Europe]], has been raised to a religious-like ceremony. Marchers carry portraits of family members who fought and died in the [[Great Patriotic War]]. The status of those family members is raised almost to [[saint]]hood in the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] which extensively uses [[icon]]s. Since 2022, participants in some of these marches have also begun carrying portraits of [[Russian]] soldiers who died in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]]—portraying them as the successors of their grandfathers who fought the [[Nazi]]s.<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2025/04/20/in-ukraine-ultra-nationalists-are-the-good-guys/ In Ukraine, Ultra-Nationalists Are the ‘Good Guys’], by Natylie Baldwin, ''[[Consortium News]]'', April 20, 2025. </ref> | The march of the Immortal Regiment, in which nearly 1 million people participate in Moscow and in cities all over [[Europe]], has been raised to a religious-like ceremony. Marchers carry portraits of family members who fought and died in the [[Great Patriotic War]]. The status of those family members is raised almost to [[saint]]hood in the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] which extensively uses [[icon]]s. Since 2022, participants in some of these marches have also begun carrying portraits of [[Russian]] soldiers who died in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]]—portraying them as the successors of their grandfathers who fought the [[Nazi]]s.<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2025/04/20/in-ukraine-ultra-nationalists-are-the-good-guys/ In Ukraine, Ultra-Nationalists Are the ‘Good Guys’], by Natylie Baldwin, ''[[Consortium News]]'', April 20, 2025. </ref> |