Russian patriarch: don’t forget positive achievements of Lenin, Stalin eras
November 05, 2015
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has encouraged his fellow Russians not to forget the positive achievements that took place in the 1920s through the 1940s, when Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin ruled the Soviet Union.
“There would not be modern Russia, if not [for the] heroism of the preceding generations, who in the 20s and the 30s not only turned up the soil, though it is also important, but founded industry, science and defense power of the country,” Patriarch Kirill of Moscow said on November 4, according to the Interfax news agency.
At the same time, “where there was blood, injustice, and sufferings, we say that it is unacceptable for us, people of the 21st century,” the leader of the largest of the Orthodox churches said.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
-
Posted by: samuel.doucette1787 -
Nov. 06, 2015 7:25 AM ET USA
Sounds like the same apologies for Hitler and Mussolini who made the trains run on time or built the autobahns and autostrada. What's a few million people killed due to racial or ideological impurity? C'mon Patriarch Kirill, you're better than that!
-
Posted by: james-w-anderson8230 -
Nov. 05, 2015 6:59 PM ET USA
I am sure that historians could also find some positive contributions of Hitler. However the positive contributions of these three despots are vastly overwhelmed by their heinous crimes against humanity. If I were a Russian Orthodox, I would be praying for God to provide a new Patriarch.
-
Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Nov. 05, 2015 3:44 PM ET USA
Was it heroism to tolerate a blood-thirsty, tyrannical government, or was it despair? It is beyond question that those who were able to worship in the underground Church were heroic. But how many were not so fortunate as to be within reach of true religion? How does one measure their degree of heroism or contrarily of despair?