Saint Stalin?

An online competition to nominate the greatest Russian in history is being used by the Communist Party in St. Petersburg as the base for their petition to canonise Joseph Stalin.

The poll, created by the state run Rossiya channel, shows the Soviet dictator battling for the top spot with Nicholas II. However, with multiple voting allowed, there's little doubt about the final result. It seems even a man responsible for the deaths of millions can rehabilitate his image with a few documentaries, films and books glorifying his name.

However the Orthodox Church is so far not interested in declaring a man that persecuted and killed its leaders and followers a saint. Even while Stalin sought to remove all traces of religion and spirituality in the Soviet Union, the Communists are convinced that "by the end of the 21st century, icons of St. Josef Stalin will be in every Orthodox Church" according to leader Sergei Malinkovich.

The poll will be wrapped up by the end of this year, so only time will tell if the Communists will be able to use the results to substantiate this bizarre ambition.