[jeaccatty]

Please let us try and keep this discussion on track. There are a number of different rabbit trails developing here. The discussion should focus on the presence of Stalin in an icon of a saint and by extension the presence of other enemies of the Church depicted in icons of saints. The related topic which has arisen of the relationship between Church and state is more appropriately discussed by introducing a new topic here or here. The topic of the recent unpleasantness between Russia and Georgia and who is at fault is outside the scope of this forum and thus should be dropped altogether.

Fr David Moser