The Orthodox Church and the Israeli backpacker.

Complete with a sainted victim and his relics.

Including a romance about the biblical Joseph.

The distance between piety and genius.

Putin’s new “Eurasian” ideology is responsible.

On the destruction of ancient artworks.

The recently murdered politician was born to a Jewish mother.

Why is Vladimir Putin backing Bashar al-Assad? Is it just raw national self-interest, or is there also a religious factor at work, and does he. . .