Mother of God, Banish Putin

The incident became a pretext for three members of the band, who were identified, to be arrested. They were then held in custody for months and two of them were convicted in a show trial, sentenced to two years in prison and then sent to the toughest penal colonies.

A closer look reveals that this story has multiple layers. Both convicted artists were students of philosophy and their seemingly naïve activism was based on a thought-out relationship to art, emancipation of women and the Russian society. Their intervention was a response to the 2011 electoral manipulation in Russia, which resulted in protests. Their performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour also pointed out the pro-regime, extremely conservative character of the Russian Orthodox Church headed by a former KGB agent and a secret billionaire, Patriarch Kirill. The protest was also aimed at the peculiar business activities carried out at the cathedral. Pussy Riot’s performance shows traces of the biblical theme of the clearing out of the Temple. That is connected to the form of the Marian “punk prayer,” as the band members called their song.

Playwright and director Jiří Adámek Austerlitz decided to render the context of this original protest in an original radio form. His composition, Mother of God, Banish Away, features three gentle female voices in a varied stream of litanies, statements, quotations and singing. They ask why Russian society is so attached to the dictator, Vladimir Putin, and why it is so difficult to banish him from Russian hearts and minds. Who actually blasphemed in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow? And against what?

Listen to the Drama at the Prix Bohemia Radio festival!

When: Tuesday 21st October 2025 | 09:30 – 10:20
Where: Film hall, Arts Centre UP
Entrance: Free admission with accreditation

Look at the detailed program of the listening session.

Join us in going green! Download the scripts of drama into your mobile device and be paperless.