And since I’m on the subject of illustrious Patriarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, I want to mention that the only person whom Stalin always came out to greet personally on his frequent visits was the elderly Patriarch. Stalin would hug the Patriarch lovingly and guide him towards his office.
Of course, Stalin had every reason to love the Patriarch. Every Sunday, every church held a service in honor of “our God-given leader Stalin.” And every priest joyfully snitched on parishioners, making sure that everything that was said during confession was immediately known to the KGB.
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