Georgian Patriarchate temporarily bans journalists’ entry to Trinity Cathedral after defacing icon depicting Stalin

The Georgian Patriarchate has temporarily prohibited the entry of journalists to Tbilisi Trinity Cathedral following an incident involving the defacing of the Matrona of Moscow icon with paint depicting Stalin.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the Patriarchate stated that access for media representatives would be restricted for the next two days “without appropriate accreditation”. “The move is aimed at preventing “further misunderstanding and tension”, it added. 

The controversial icon, donated to the cathedral by Irma Inashvili and her pro-Russian political party, has sparked public debates. Critics argue that the depiction of Stalin in a “seemingly positive” context promotes a Russian propaganda message in what they claim “glorifies tyrants”.