'We are ready to make changes to the icon depicting Stalin' - Georgia patriarchate
Icon with Stalin’s image
The Patriarchate of Georgia has made an official statement in connection with the scandal surrounding the icon of Matrona of Moscow, which also depicts Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
It is planned to “make changes” to the icon depicting the meeting between Matrona of Moscow and Stalin. The reason, according to the patriarchate’s statement, is the lack of evidence confirming that this meeting actually took place. Therefore “it is necessary to change the mentioned episode and take into account other details related to the canonicity of iconography.”
The Patriarchate appeals to the leaders of the pro-Russian political movement “Alliance of Patriots of Georgia” David Tarkhan-Mouravi and Irma Inashvili, who donated the icon to the Sameba Cathedral, “to make appropriate changes to the icon themselves,” or the Patriarchate will do so.
Statement of the Patriarchate
“Owing to the icon of St. Matrona in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (Sameba), in recent days contradictory conversations and confrontations, which are given a certain political coloring, have not subsided.
The icon has become the object of completely unjustified insulting actions, and tensions have increased even more. Other wrong views are also being spread, because of which we explain the following: in general, based on the canonical rules of iconography, an icon can depict not only a saint, but also real stories related to the life of the saint, depicting any person, including rulers and ordinary people, heretics and persecutors of the Christian faith, even those who tortured the Saint himself. However, this does not mean that the icon glorifies these persons or assigns them any dignity, but such details are a reflection of undeniable facts related to the Saint.
Since Stalin’s meeting with Saint Matrona, due to insufficient evidence, is not included in the canonical text of her hagiography, is not recognized by the Russian Church, which canonized her and conducted a special study on this issue, it is necessary to change the mentioned episode and take into account other details related to the canonicity of the iconography. We urge the donors to make the appropriate changes to the icon themselves or we will do it ourselves,” the statement reads.
- Georgian Dream plans to toughen penalties for desecration of shrines
- Georgia: Members of a pro-Russian group accuse a civil activist of “insulting an icon”
Background
On January 9, social activist Nata Peradze published a video showing an icon of St. Matrona of Moscow being doused with blue paint. The reason for this is probably the image of Joseph Stalin on the icon.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a case under the article on petty hooliganism.
Information that an icon of St. Matrona of Moscow hangs in Sameba, where Joseph Stalin is also depicted, spread in social networks on January 6.
On January 10, aggressive members of the pro-Russian organization “Alt-Info”gathered near the house of civil activist Nata Peradze. The protesters insulted and threatened her. The police who arrived on the scene intervened in the situation.
In its turn, the ruling Georgian Dream party announced about toughening the punishment for desecration of holy sites at the legislative level. This was announced by the Chairman of the Legal Committee of the Parliament Henri Ohanashvili.
According to him, according to the current legislation, the fact that an icon was covered with paint does not provide for proportional responsibility.
