Is it true that actor Dmitry Pevtsov proposed to give Putin the title of the living incarnation of Jesus?

The news about the initiative of State Duma deputy, famous actor Dmitry Pevtsov to introduce the title of “living incarnation of Jesus” and assign it to President Putin was widely circulated on social networks. We decided to check whether Pevtsov said anything similar.

Photos of posts from Dmitry Pevtsov’s Telegram channel can be found on all popular social networks: Facebook users most often refer to this entry, which appeared on the morning of September 9. Many limit themselves to a quote from the same photograph: “Consider this an official parliamentary appeal to the Synod. I propose to introduce the title “Incarnation of the Living Jesus” and be the first to assign it to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.” Post in Telegram received more than 120,000 views, the same posts are also popular in LiveJournal, "VKontakte" And Twitter.

When you carefully study the photo, what immediately catches your eye is not the most ordinary username - @Dima_macho. There is no such channel in Telegram, on Twitter under this username empty account. Not a single post on social networks disseminating Pevtsov’s proposal contains a link to the original source—only a photo of the post.

Using TGStat data, it can be argued that the first mention of news about the title of the living incarnation of Jesus appears on September 8, no earlier than 18:55 (the time shown in the screenshot) and no later than 21:43 Moscow time (the time of the first available entry in Telegram). One of the first about Pevtsov’s proposal writes in her Telegram channel, philologist Tatyana May, who, however, has no doubt that this is a fake. The next day, September 9, at 9:05 in the Telegram channel “Gorod Foolov”, which is hosted by the writer, former professor at Saratov University Vera Afanasyeva, posted already a screenshot of Pevtsov’s alleged recording. But even earlier than on Telegram, the screenshot appeared on Twitter. At 19:44 Moscow time, user Oles Filonenko (9109 readers) posted this screenshot with a short comment: “Dima - are you a fool?” We couldn't find any earlier posts on this topic, so it's possible that this tweet is the original source.

Dmitry Pevtsov started his Telegram channel on November 16, 2021, when he became a State Duma deputy from Moscow in electoral district No. 200. In the first records, which is still enshrined, he promised to share news about his legislative activities. But the username of Pevtsov’s Telegram channel is completely different - Pevtsov_Moscow, and there are much fewer subscribers than in the photo - 8000.

In none of the blogs that Pevtsov maintains (or that are maintained on his behalf) is there any entry about the living incarnation of Jesus - not in TikTok, neither in Instagram, nor on his official website, dedicated, however, to the artist’s concert programs. For September 8, the day when Pevtsov allegedly made his unusual proposal, there were three entries in the Telegram channel: one was a repost about collecting ammunition for Donbass, the rest were religious quotes. 

It can be assumed that those who distributed the photo with Pevtsov’s proposal were influenced by earlier posts by the actor and deputy. Most of his public appearances are devoted to either Orthodoxy or praise of President Putin. In February 2022, Dmitry Pevtsov was one of the first supported invasion of Ukraine, saying that, in his opinion, “the president is doing what should and is needed at this moment.” Nevertheless, the proposal to introduce the title of the living incarnation of Jesus and assign it to President Putin has nothing to do with Pevtsov; it is a fake.

Cover image: website Dmitry Pevtsov

Fake

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