PATRIARCH KIRILL SUPPORTS BUILDING MONUMENT TO IVAN THE TERRIBLE IN OREL—REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
Interfax-Religiia, 1 August 2016
Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill supported the erection in Orel of a monument to the founder of the city, Ivan the Terrible, the press service of the administration of the region reports.
The position of the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was announced by the governor of the Orel province, Vadim Potomsky, at a staff conference in the provincial administration building on Monday.
Patriarch Kirill expressed his opinion on the matter of building a monument to Ivan the Terrible in Orel during a conversation with the head of the region and Metropolitan of Orel and Bolkhov Antony during his recent visit to Orel province.
According to the report, Patriarch Kirill noted that he does not support the canonization of Ivan the Terrible, just as is the case of the founder of St. Petersburg, Peter I, whose famous monument was built in the "northern capital," because of their methods of state administration.
"They remain forever in history as mighty statesmen. Ivan the Terrible, as the founder of the city of Orel, deserves the erection of a monument here," V. Potomsky quoted the patriarch.
At the present time, a survey is being conducted in Orel among citizens regarding their attitude toward creating a monument. The governor said that as of now the overwhelming majority of those questioned support the building of a monument.
As reported, the opening of a monument to Ivan the Terrible near the local youth theatre was scheduled for 3 August. However the government of the region made a decision to postpone the opening because of protests by local residents.
Metropolitan Antony also expressed his point of view on this matter earlier. "It is as the founder of the city of Orel that a monument to Tsar Ivan the Terrible should be built, and not canonizing or venerating him," he declared. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 August 2016)
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