NEW YORK: August 11, 2015
The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad Calls Upon the Mayor of Moscow to Remove Petr Voikov’s Name From the Map of the Capital

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, called upon Mayor Sergey Sobyanin of Moscow to remove the name of Petr Voikov, one of the organizers of the murder of the Royal Family, from the maps of the capital.

“We know of your reasonable and constructive position on this serious and long-overdue matter. We pray and hope that the Municipality of Moscow adopt the only true, lawful and historically-founded decision to remove the name of Petr Voikov from the map of Moscow,” states the letter address to Mr Sobyanin.

The existence of this name on the map of the capital “prevents the healing of wounds brought about by the Civil War, and enables the artificial support of division within the Russian people,” noted His Eminence.

He pointed out that Voikov was “one of the darker and repulsive personas in the history of Russia, and we cannot find a single positive action in his life.”

“Terrorism, the organization of the lawless and beastly vengeance against the defenseless Royal Family and their aides, then the hiding of evidence of this crime through the destruction of the remains of the executed bodies with fire and sulfuric acid, and the subsequent sale of the treasures of the Diamond Fund and the Hermitage’s holdings at a heavy discount are on the resume of this unprincipled and cruel man,” the letter states.

The letter goes on to say that society has unsuccessfully been requesting the removal of Voikov’s name from the map of Moscow for a quarter century, and that “this evokes surprise among Russian people who live in various countries of the world, to foreigners with a friendly, positive and loving attitude towards Russia, who understand her role in the world and wish her the greatness and prosperity.”
Metropolitan Hilarion is especially troubled and bewildered by the “planned naming of the renovated metro station on the Ring Line in honor of Voikov.” As His Eminence noted, this means that “the securing for posterity of the name of this evil terrorist and executioner continues.”

Mayor Sobyanin had earlier declared in an interview with the radio station Govorit Moskva that the municipal authorities are prepared to rename the Voikov Metro Station. This idea was supported by the Russian Orthodox Church and other social organizations.