At the opening of the monument to Stalin, the priest rejoiced at the many New Martyrs who died in the repressions

The Patriarchate has begun an investigation

The Russian Orthodox Church took control of the situation with the “consecration” of the monument to Stalin in Velikiye Luki. The clergymen took part in this event, without obtaining approval for this. The deputy manager of the affairs of the patriarchate, Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, called this action on the part of the priest outrageous. We are talking about Father Anthony, who rejoiced at the “large number of new martyrs” of the period of Stalinist repressions, who can now be prayed to.

According to the press service of the diocese, the actions and statements of the clergy at the opening ceremony of the monument “are not an expression of the position of the hierarchy” of the ROC and reflect their personal views and beliefs. Therefore, the patriarchate began its verification of the participation of priests in the opening of a monument to Stalin on the territory of the Mikron plant in the Pskov region, writes the press service of the Velikoluksky diocese.

The eight-meter monument was opened on August 15 with the support of the Russian Knight cultural heritage fund. The rite of consecration was conducted by the rector of the temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of the All-Tsaritsa in Velikie Luki, Father Anthony.

“The church suffered during the years of the reign of Joseph Vissarionovich, but thanks to this, we now have many new martyrs and confessors of Russia, to whom we now pray and who help us in the revival of our homeland,” he said at the ceremony.

Honored Artist of Russia Maria Shukshina, who opened the monument to Stalin, noted that during Stalin’s funeral in all Orthodox churches they sang “eternal memory” to the Leader of the Peoples.

Earlier in an interview with us the artist explainedwhy she came to the ceremony, despite the fact that her grandfather was shot during the Stalinist repressions.

– Almost the oldest priest of the Pskov region, Archimandrite Sergius (Sturov), who is now in a wheelchair, insisted on his participation in the opening of the monument. Archimandrite Sergius is an almost sacral figure. Since 1989 he has been serving in Velikoluksky land. And doubt the Orthodox feelings of such a person? – Shukshina is perplexed, offering to refresh her memory of the speech of Patriarch Alexy on the day of the funeral of the “leader of the peoples”. Alexy then, in particular, said: “The Great Leader of our people, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, is gone. A great, moral, social force has been abolished: the force in which our people felt their own strength, by which they were guided in their creative labors and enterprises, by which they consoled themselves for many years. Alexy called Stalin “brilliant” and proclaimed to him “eternal memory”…

From the MK dossier: The government commission for the rehabilitation of victims of political repression found that between 1937 and 1941, 175,000 clergymen were arrested and 110,000 were shot.