During a recent meeting with the top commanders procuring the armed operation in the South, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented them with copies of an ancient icon of Jesus Christ. The tradition of icons accompanying military forces, of placing icons on the colors, on walls and towers of fortresses etc., has been widespread in Christian countries since antiquity. 

It has to be noted – contrary to certain claims – that Christinas do not worship icons or any other objects. We worship One God, while His living or painted images help us in our prayer and our Christian way of life. This has been stipulated with absolute clarity as early as in the 8th century by the ruling of the VII Oecumenical Council – and nevertheless, until this very day, Christian mindset gets occasionally confused by ignorance and credulity.

The original of the icon which the President handed to the military commanders has been placed in the main military Cathedral near Moscow. It once belonged to General Peter Vannovsky, a decorated veteran of many wars in the 19th century, who held the position of the Defense Minister of  the Russian Empire for nearly two decades. 

Gen. Vannovsky was instrumental in reforming the Russian Armed Forces and improving their fighting capacities. He is credited with the famous adage: “Russia has but two allies: Army and Navy”.

This icon of Jesus was a gift to Gen. Vannovsky by Emperor Alexander III, father of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. That great ruler raised the might of the Russian Empire to unprecedented heights and took particular care about her Armed Forces. He was nicknamed a Peacemaker, for under his reign Russia did not fight any wars, which was a rare occasion in the 19th century.

However, this outstanding monarch did not heed the advice of his wise Defense Minister: in 1891 he acceded to a military bloc with France, later transformed into the Entente Alliance. That caused a confrontation with Germany, originally disposed towards peace with Russia, which in turn brought about the Russian involvement in the First World War, ruin of the Russian monarchy, Communist takeover, defeat of Germany, Treaty of Versailles, rise of Hitler to power, Second World War…

Quite a few significant historic lessons to learn!