Orthodox leader urges ban on Lenin’s works

Russia/Int'l : A top Russian Orthodox leader has backed calls by the Russian Church abroad for the works of the Soviet Union's founder, Vladimir Ilich Lenin (1870-1924), to be banned because of their incitement of "hatred and extremism".

"Clear evidence has been offered of Lenin's extremist and terrorist views before and after the October Revolution," said Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Church's foreign relations director. 

"The Church hopes a Russian investigative committee will soon, on the basis of these arguments, give a legal assessment of the statements and acts by this ‘leader of the revolution' whose policies cost the Russian people so dearly."

The 46-year-old metropolitan was reacting to an initiative by the autonomous Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.