Following the Example of the Upper Classes – Russian Sisters of Mercy Serving on the War Fronts in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (until 1918)

The article is dedicated to the participation of the sisters of mercy, operating within the Red Cross, in armed conflicts with (direct or supporting) participation of the Russian Empire from the 19th century until the end of the First World War. The establishment of communities of sisters of mercy, whose mission was to assist the poor, orphans, widows, and the sick, was initiated in the mid-19th century by members of the ruling family and representatives of the Russian aristocracy. This aid was especially critical for the ill and wounded soldiers on the front lines of military conflict. In addition to women of noble birth, representatives of other social strata also joined the rapidly growing Russian communities of sisters of mercy. During times of war, they were deployed to frontline hospitals and field infirmaries, where they carried out their ministry with selfless devotion, often perishing or succumbing to various illnesses in the course of their service. The unrestricted activities of vital communities of sisters of mercy continued in Russia until the October Revolution of 1917.