• La Civiltà Cattolica
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
No Result
View All Result
     
Home 2009

In Search of Identity in Post-Soviet Central Asia

Vladimir Pachkov, SJbyVladimir Pachkov, SJ
September 3, 2020
in 2009, Edition, Full Text Article, Politics, POPE FRANCIS AND THE IDEA OF PROGRESS, Subscriber Only Articles
0
view of Karakul lake in Pamir in Tajikistan

Beautiful view of Karakul lake in Pamir in Tajikistan

0
SHARES
11
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

In his book on Central Asia’s golden age, Lost Enlightenment, Stephen Frederick Starr recounts an event that occurred during the civil war in Tajikistan in the 1990s.[1] One day, in Dushanbe, the country’s capital, Starr was crossing one of the city’s central streets when he saw some government soldiers with a brand new flag. He asked them what flag it was, and they told him proudly that it was the new banner of the Republic of Tajikistan. It depicted a crown and seven stars. When asked about the meaning of these symbols, the soldiers could not answer the question, but they told him that they would take him to the person who had designed the flag, who did not live very far away.

And so they took him to that man, a Catholic of Lithuanian origin who ran an antique shop. When Starr asked him how he came up with the idea of including seven stars on the flag, he explained that during his studies in Lithuania he had been very interested in the literature and the history of Persians and Tajiks, as well as Turks. Thus he had learned that the best known personalities of literature and science – the so-called “Persians” – actually came from today’s Central Asia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and eastern Iran (Khorasan). Thus he decided to include seven stars in the flag of the Republic of Tajikistan, which had recently become independent, as a symbol of the writers and scholars of the ancient golden age of Central Asia.

The most surprising thing was that this idea was welcomed with enthusiasm by the Tajiks themselves, who were trying to rediscover their identity and their links with the historical moment when Central Asia was at the center of the world not only geographically, but also intellectually. The end of this opening had meant the end of an era, and the nostalgia to rediscover it was an expression of the will to stand up to religious fundamentalism, which had already stifled the first Enlightenment and was still a danger.

After gaining independence, the countries of Central Asia had to rediscover their national identity, or even invent it, since none of them had ever existed within their current borders. Add to this the fact that, during the period of the Soviet Union, new elites emerged who had little sympathy with the religious ideas of Islam that had prevailed in those regions before the Russian conquest.

This article is reserved for paid subscribers. Please subscribe to continue reading this article
Subscribe

Welcome to
La Civiltà Cattolica !
This article is reserved for paid subscribers
Please login or subscribe to continue reading this article
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE
What is La Civiltà Cattolica?

Tags: Central AsiaFarsiIranKhorasanLost EnlightenmentPersiaStephen Frederick StarrTajikistanUzbekistan
Previous Post

Connection and Compassion: A Biblical reflection

Next Post

Where’s the peace? Colombia without FARC-EP

Vladimir Pachkov, SJ

Vladimir Pachkov, SJ

Teaches at the St. Thomas Theological Institute in Moscow

Related Posts

Russia in the Arctic: Between realpolitik and mythology of the north
Business

Russia in the Arctic: Between realpolitik and mythology of the north

byVladimir Pachkov, SJ
January 27, 2023
Jeremiah lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. Rembrandt, 1630
Bible Studies

‘The Book of Revolutions’: The battles of priests, prophets and kings that birthed the Torah

byDavid Neuhaus, SJ
January 25, 2023
Religious Nationalism and Pope Francis’ ‘Culture of Encounter’
Church Life

Religious Nationalism and Pope Francis’ ‘Culture of Encounter’

byDavid Hollenbach, SJ
January 23, 2023
The Election of Lula and a Polarized Brazil
Church Life

The Election of Lula and a Polarized Brazil

byBruno Franguelli, SJ
January 20, 2023
A moment of the work of the Second Vatican Council (photo: Lothar Wolleh)
Canon Law

The Principles of Discernment of the Second Vatican Council

byGerald O'Collins, SJ
January 18, 2023
Next Post
People line the streets of Bogota, Colombia to protest against the FARC

Where’s the peace? Colombia without FARC-EP

Premium Content

Crisis and the Future of the Church

Crisis and the Future of the Church

January 11, 2023
The Gospel according to Bruce Springsteen

The Gospel according to Bruce Springsteen

May 11, 2018
St Jerome: A modern mind in ancient times

St Jerome: A modern mind in ancient times

December 16, 2022

Browse by Category

Subscription Offers

BEATUS POPULUS CUIUS DOMINUS DEUS EIUS

The most respected digital Catholic journal from Rome. A must-read on all the present issues alive in the Church. Discover top Church scholars interpreting the history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith.

Categories

  Editions
  Church Thought
  Authors
  Church 
 
  Culture
  Perspective Series
  Politics & Socitey

 

About Us

   Contact Us
   La Civiltà Cattolica  
   China Forum
   Feedback
   Terms & Conditions
   Privacy Policy
    Email : [email protected]
My IP Address : 3.235.195.196
Facebook Twitter Instagram

© Union of Catholic Asian News 2022 | All Rights Reserved.
Except for any fair dealing permitted under the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate
SUBSCRIBE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?
Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

laciviltacattolica.com uses cookies and similar technologies to optimize the user experience,  analyze site traffic and communicate with subscribers. To read more about how we use cookies and how you can control them click on settings, or click Accept to start browsing our site.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.