Lucian Leuştean's volume acts as a veritable gateway to the intricate world of religion and politics in nineteenth-century south-eastern Europe. An outstanding feature of the book, the abundance of primary sources, makes it an enjoyable and instructive read. Each of its six chapters presents us with detailed descriptions of historical events connecting Church, State and nationhood, illustrated with well-chosen excerpts from archival documents regarding the activity of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Churches of Greece, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. The competition between the failing Ottoman, Russian and Austrian empires for the control of the national emancipation movements is, understandably, ever-present. P. M. Kitromilides paints a vivid picture of the Patriarchate of Constantinople as a counter-force to the national movements that were sweeping the Ottoman Empire, providing a valuable insight on the rival world-view dominating Orthodoxy at the time. The intrigues surrounding the creation of the Greek autocephalous Church are discussed by D. Stamatopoulos, who acquaints the reader with key decision-makers and the belief systems inspiring them. B. Aleksov's chapter on the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as Leuştean's study of the Romanian Orthodox Church, highlight the impact of regional differences and the crucial role played by lay elites in fostering national identity. Moreover, their contributions underline a recurrent topic: the fierce ‘battle for education’ which was at the core of national movements throughout the area. Yet another type of approach aiming to respond to people's aspirations is depicted in D. Kalkandjieva's work on the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, where she discusses the struggle of the laity and lower clergy to put in place a national church hierarchy. While Leuştean's introduction establishes the volume's theoretical framework, the postscript justly connects it to the history of the twentieth century. Indeed, explanations for later phenomena, such as the level of religiosity in certain countries or the survival of Churches amidst decades of persecution are there to be read between the lines. The instrumentalisation of myths, symbols and, last but not least, martyrs does not pass unnoticed either; and again, the consequences of these being part of the cultural heritage of the nation-states in the area are visible to this day, for all involved. Going to the roots of nation-building in the region, the book is a much needed contribution to scholarship, having the merit of explaining current realities while steering clear of anachronistic interpretations of nineteenth- century national agendas. In a part of Europe where the links between Church and State are still strong, the beginnings of each national symphonia are worth pondering over.