It actually makes perfect sense. The encouragement of cults of personality is a fundamental feature of hard-leftism. Since communism can be described as an 'atheistic religion' with the state as its object of worship, it stands to reason that its leadership are 'prophet', 'apostle' and 'saint' analogs.

These pathetic primitives, however, remind me more of a 'cargo cult': they're simpleminded supplicants who've marked themselves with the image of 'He, who will rain down freebies-from-above, for those who believe in Him'.