Patriarch Kirill supports renaming Volgograd to Stalingrad
The World Russian People's Council headed by Patriarch Kirill supported the idea of renaming Volgograd to Stalingrad
The World Russian People's Council (VRNS) headed by Patriarch Kirill supported the idea of renaming Volgograd into Stalingrad. This is reported by "Interfax" with reference to the statement of the VRNS.
"Regardless of the assessment of Stalin's personality, Stalingrad has become a symbol of our military art and a symbol of the highest courage, at the same time as the Thermopylae and Salamin. It is Stalingrad, not Volgograd, that is known to the peoples of the world as a turning point in the fight against fascism," the VRNS statement published on February 5 says.
The authors of the document explained that in Stalingrad the concept that divided humanity into higher and lower races and "lay the basis of the entire colonial expansion of Western civilization" was questioned. "But for this to happen, it was necessary for the victory of people who reject the ideology of the "herrenmens" over the army of the "higher race". Stalingrad was needed," the VRNS said.
On January 30, the deputies of the Volgograd City Duma adopted a resolution according to which Volgograd will be called Stalingrad six times a year on the days of celebrations. On the same day, activists of the Trade Union of Citizens of Russia and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation handed over 50,000 signatures to the administration of President Vladimir Putin for the renaming of Volgograd to Stalingrad (the name of the city from 1925 to 1961).
The World Russian People's Council is an international public organization operating under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church. The head of the cathedral is Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and high-ranking officials, representatives of law enforcement agencies and public organizations take part in the meetings of the VRNS. In 2008, the cathedral was held in the State Kremlin Palace.
The VRNS previously also made initiatives that caused an ambiguous reaction in society. Thus, in January 2013, the council proposed to ban the adoption of Russian orphans in those countries where same-sex marriages are legalized. Earlier, the council proposed to revive the Soviet practice of fighting alcoholism and recognize theology as a science.
In the photo: Fireworks on Mamayev Kurgan in honor of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad Photo: Kirill Braga / RIA Novosti