New Russian Cathedral To Feature Putin, Stalin Mosaics

The Moscow Times reports:

The walls of Russia’s new Orthodox cathedral dedicated to the Armed Forces will be decorated with the faces of President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Soviet leader Josef Stalin, the MBKh News website reported Friday.

The 95-meter Armed Forces cathedral, a symbol of close defense-church ties in Russia, is expected to open on May 9 — the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II — at a sprawling military-themed park near Moscow. Once completed, the building will become one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world.

Following MBKh News’ report, the Russian Orthodox Church confirmed that the cathedral’s interior will depict Stalin and of the Crimean annexation, calling the depictions “appropriate.”

The Russian Orthodox Church last appeared on JMG when a host on its television network offered gay people a “one-way plane ticket out of the country.”

Prior to that, the head of the church appeared here when he sprinkled holy water on government computers to prevent hacking by enemies of the state.