Personal Narratives Of Religious Transition In 1990–2020s Russia

This document is provided as primary source material for academic and social research in autoethnography, the sociology of religion, and personal narrative studies. It contains an authentic first-person account of lived experience within the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in the Russian Federation from the 1990s to the 2020s. The text details the internal dynamics of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) from the perspective of an altar server and explores the complex process of a religious exit. It examines the transition toward personal and creative autonomy, providing a unique look at institutional experience and post-exit identity formation. The events and experiences are presented as they were lived and interpreted by the author, Aleksei Makarenko. To protect the privacy of individuals mentioned, all names and identifying details have been changed.