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Ah! Oprichniki!

Exactly! We could use a few thousand oprichniki in this country to protect the Church from those, who through their own stupidity, would destroy Her.

Alexandr

You need to read a real history of the Oprichniki. They are the last thing Russia, or the Church, truly need. All Ivan Grozhny did for the Church was shackle her permanently to the interests of the state. Remember St. Filip and the many thousands more martyred by Ivan IV Vasilievich.

Слушай, мой друг, в отличие от вас я хорошо разбирался в беспристрастной истории России. I am well aware of the excesses of the Oprichniki under the direction of Grigory Lukyanovich Skuratov-Belskiy, better known as Malyuta Skuratov. What started out as a loyal Отдѣленіе по Охраненію Общественной Безопасности и Порядка, descended into chaos and terror due to Ivan IV's growing madness. St Filip was a casualty of Ivan's madness. In no way am I saying that we should emulate what the oprichniki became, but rather what they started out as. A paramilitary force dedicated to the protection of God's Holy Church and the government loyal to Her. That is why I am so happy at the rise, once more, of the Cossacks in Russia. Who better to be God's Holy Warriors?

I prefer manly prelates to well, you give it a name. That's all I'm saying.