From the Archives we dug up the following
“expression” of sorrow:
From Patriarch Alexey I (Simansky):
"To the Council of Ministers of The
USSR:
In the name of the Russian Orthodox Church
and in my own I express my most deep and most sincere condolences on the
occasion of the repose of the unforgettable Iosif Vissarionovich STALIN, the
great builder of people's happiness. His repose is also a great sorrow for our
Fatherland, for all the people that populate it. His passing is being felt with
great sorrow by all the Russian Orthodox Church, which will never forget his
benevolent attitude toward ecclesiastical needs. His radiant memory of him will
live on, inerasable, in our hearts. With a special feeling of never-ending
love, our Church intones to him "Memory Eternal." Alexey, Patriarch
of Moscow and All Russia" (Izvestia, March 10, 1953)
Would
you like to read some more? Then read the following eulogy of Patriarch Alexey
I on the day of Stalins funeral.
Eulogy of Patriarch Alexey I,
in the Patriarchal Cathedral on the day of Stalin's funeral:
"The Great Leader of our
people, Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, is no more. A great force has disappeared,
both a moral and civic one; a force, by which he guided himself in his
constructive efforts and measures, with which he gratified himself during many
years. There is not an area into which the deep gaze of the Great Leader did
not penetrate. People of science were amazed at his deep scientific knowledge
in the most varied disciplines, his generalizations were of genius; military
people -- by his military genius; people of all different types of labor
unfailingly received from him mighty assistance and valuable advice. As a man
of genius, he discovered in each thing that which was invisible and unreachable
for the common mind. About his
concentrated concerns and struggles [podvigi] during the Great Patriotic War,
about his direction of military actions with genius, which gave us victory over
a powerful enemy and against fascism in general; about his multi-faceted
unencompassable everyday labors in administration, in the directing of
governmental affairs, it has been widely and convincingly written in the press,
and especially expressed during today's final parting at his funeral, by his
closest associates. His name, as a fighter for peace in the whole world and his
glorious deeds will live into the ages.
We, also, who have gathered here for prayer about him, cannot pass with
silence about his always benevolent, participatory attitude toward our
ecclesiastical needs. There was not one question that we directed to him that
was refused by him; he satisfied all our requests. And much that is good and
beneficial, thanks to his high authority was done for the Church by our
Government.
In these days that are so sad
for us, from all the parts of our Fatherland, from hierarchs, clergy and the
faithful, as well as from abroad from the Heads and representatives of
Churches, both Orthodox and heterodox, I continue to receive a large number of
telegrams, in which are reported prayers for him and expressions of condolences
on the occasion of this loss, so sorrowful for us. We prayed for him when we received word of his grave illness. And
now, when he is no more, we pray for the peace of his immortal soul. Yesterday, a special delegation, consisting
of the Most Reverend Metropolitan Nikolai; the representative of the hierarchy,
clergy and faithful of Siberia, Archbishop Palladiy; the representative of the
hierarchy, clergy and faithful of the Ukraine, Archbishop Nikon, and
Protopresbyter Fr. Nicholas, placed a wreath at his coffin and bowed down in
the name of the Russian Orthodox Church to his remains. Prayer which is filled with Christian love,
rises up to God. We believe that our prayer, as well, about the one who
reposed, will be heard by the Lord. And
to our beloved and unforgettable Iosif Vissarionovich we prayerfully, with
deep, fervent love intone "Memory Eternal." (Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1953, No. 3)
Again, comments are not necessary.
With love in Christ,
Fr. Alexander