Holy Week has begun, and Christians around the world are proceeding through the commemoration of solemnity and suffering to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.

The prayers of the Catholic faithful in Poland, the Orthodox in Georgia, the Charismatics in Ukraine — of all believers across the former U.S.S.R. — must be particularly urgent this year, as last week the president of the United States whispered an assurance of “flexibility” to their ancient foe.