[Old Teufel Hunden]

"This picture perfectly illustrates the power of the church in the feudal times."

You picked a perfect adjective, feudal. For Pre-WWI Russia was still a feudal state and it makes you understand why they were ripe for revolution. Western Europes revolutions and moves away from monarchal society was in the 19th century. Russia was still living under a true monarchy dictatorship at this time. It was an unholy alliance between the Czar and the Orthodox Church. Thats probably what that Church building represented to the poor people of Russia at the time. It sat on the hill and acted as the central authorities eyes watching over all. I've often felt this is why Ayn Rand was an athiest, because of what must have been her experiences with the Church/State of the Russian Czar.

[DariusBane]

The Czar and the Church are Byzantine. The Czar was the true head of the church and defender. The Byzantine Emperor was Christs Vicar on earth. The Patriarch serves at the pleasure of the Czar. But of course intrigues between the Czar and the Patriarch were common.

The architecture of the churches, the dome, was meant to centralize power. The dome represented a portal to heaven and a portal to God, accessed through the church, and vicariously through the Czar, and the Patriarch and the priesthood. Very hierarchical. Even a mans relationship to God was only through the feudal system. Much the same way as the Catholic Church doles out God’s patronage. (zips up flame suit, puts on hood, pulls draw string tight over face, assumes the fetal position).