Russian Orthodox Church wants Ivan the Terrible a Saint

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2003-06-12 08:32pm

Making a saint on Ivan Grozny (which is how the name is rendered traditionally, I believe) would be par for the course for the Russian Orthodox Church. His cruelties even toward the clergy during his reign would be eclipsed by his being the essential founder of the Empire, his piousness, and his zeal in defending the Motherland from the Tartars and the Poles.

However, the actions of the Russian church are not binding upon the rest of the Eastern Orthodox faith; there is no Papacy such as exists with the Roman church. Each archdiocese is independent, with the church bound only by a common liturgy and a common vision centred upon the Mysteries of the Divine. A diocese is not bound to recognise all the saints in the pantheon of another, but neither will any one diocese declare another diocese which adds a saint or refuses to recognise one heretic either. In this aspect, the Eastern Orthodox church has been a bit more catholic (i.e. universal) in its liturgical traditions than the more authority-driven Roman Catholic church.

The Russian Orthodox church are also driving to elevate Czar Nicholas II and his family to sainthood; presumably as martyrs to the Faith and to Mother Russia.

Next of Kin · Post by **Next of Kin** » 2003-06-12 09:29pm

Would the Russian Orthodox Church been able to put the wheels in motion to make Ivan the Terrible a saint during the former U.S.S.R days?

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2003-06-12 10:57pm

Next of Kin wrote:Would the Russian Orthodox Church been able to put the wheels in motion to make Ivan the Terrible a saint during the former U.S.S.R days?

I severely doubt it as the Soviets were notoriously anti-religion and suppresed the church.

Saurencaerthai · Post by **Saurencaerthai** » 2003-06-12 11:07pm

Iceberg wrote:Bullshit.

A friend of mine, 1/4 Romanian on his paternal grandfather's side, said that Vlad Tepes is a hero because he scared the Turks so much that they went away and never came back.

Seeing hillsides of people on stakes sort of has that power over people...

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-06-13 12:23pm

Next of Kin wrote:Would the Russian Orthodox Church been able to put the wheels in motion to make Ivan the Terrible a saint during the former U.S.S.R days?

Well, maybe if they made a point out of Czarist tyranny forming a source of inspiration for Lenin..

Darth Gojira · Post by **Darth Gojira** » 2003-06-13 08:33pm

NecronLord wrote:Heh. Doesn't that whole "I'm invincible" routine qualify as miraculous?

Let's canonize the Black Knight!