Georgia: Members of a pro-Russian group accuse a civil activist of "insulting an icon"
Rally over Stalin icon
A rally is taking place in front of the house of civil activist Nata Peradze in Tbilisi. Supporters of the pro-Russian group “Alt-Info” accuse her of throwing paint on the icon of Matrona of Moscow, which also depicts Joseph Stalin. The protesters are behaving aggressively, threatening and insulting Peradze.
Police units have been mobilized on the spot and are not allowing the crowd into Peradze’s house. Peradze thanked the police, saying that the Interior Ministry is doing its job well.
The Interior Ministry, in turn, published its own statement:.
“Officers are mobilized near the house of a civil activist in Tbilisi in order to protect public safety and law and order.
We urge the organizers and participants of the action not to go beyond the norms established by the law “On Freedom of Speech and Assembly”. Any violation will be immediately prevented by the police, within the framework of the law.”
Yesterday, January 9, the Interior Ministry launched an investigation into the act of pouring paint on the icon under Article 166 of the Administrative Code on petty hooliganism.
Because of the “act of vandalism” the Patriarchate of Georgia restricted access of media representatives to Tbilisi’s main cathedral Sameba for two days.
In the public relations service of the patriarchate, on January 10-11, the entrance of media representatives to the cathedral without proper accreditation will be restricted due to “an act of vandalism against an icon.”
“Such a decision was made to avoid further misunderstandings and tension while in the cathedral,” the patriarchate said in a statement.
Background
In early January, social media circulated a video from Sameba Cathedral with an icon of the Russian saint Matrona of Moscow, where one of the fragments depicts Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Stalin on the icon is depicted in his famous coat, with trademark hair and mustache.
This message caused a big stir in the Georgian segment of Facebook. People vehemently protest against the appearance of a bloody tyrant in the church and demand explanations as to how and why it happened.
Father Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Patriarchate’s public relations service, made the first comment on January 7, Christmas Day. He stated that the icon of Russian Saint Matrona has been in the cathedral for several months, but the issue of Stalin’s image on the icon was allegedly raised specifically now in order to “spoil the Christmas holiday.”
It turned out that the icon was presented to the cathedral, according to their own statement, by the leaders of the pro-Russian political force “Alliance of Patriots of Georgia”.
Secretary General of the Alliance of Patriots Irma Inashvili published a video message on Facebook and said that she was one of those who participated in the transfer of the gift.
Theologian Beka Mindiashvili commented on the situation on Facebook. According to him, “the Patriarchate’s report that Stalin is depicted on the icon as an evil force is a deliberate lie.”
The fact that this icon ended up in the Sameba Cathedral testifies to the “extreme degradation” of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the theologian believes.
Rally over Stalin icon
