Nicky and I wish all of you the best for the coming year! Now, if you hear troika bells tonight… Dede is on his way… shall he stop at your house? I hope so!
Archive for December, 2007
A Happy 2008 to all my readers!
Published December 31, 2007 Russian , contemporary , domestic life 0 CommentsMoscow Patriarchate Says that the Dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics in Russia Is Developing Slowly
Published December 31, 2007 Christian , Interfax , Orthodox life , Roman Catholic , Russian , contemporary , inter-Christian relations , religious 0 CommentsMoscow, 26 December 2007 (Interfax):
The Moscow Patriarchate sees no particular progress in the development of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue. ”In my view, today, the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue is going slowly, just as [it did] in previous years”, Fr Vladimir Vigilyansky, a spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, told journalists at a seminar at the Moscow Carnegie Centre. The main reason for this is the [existence of] outstanding [unresolved questions] between the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate. [This situation] prevents a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia [at the present time].
Interfax-Religion
Only Catholic Weekly in Russia Shall Cease Publication
Published December 29, 2007 Christian , Interfax , Roman Catholic , Russian , church in society , contemporary , intellectual , religious 0 CommentsMoscow, 25 December 2007 (Interfax):
Roman Catholic Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of Moscow has decided to close Svet Evangelia (The Light of Gospel), the only Catholic weekly in Russia. ”Given the fact that the structure of the information activity of the diocese is changing, [we decided] to close the newspaper. It will be replaced by other information resources, which we hope will be more relevant to the present state of affairs”, Viktor Khrul, the editor-in-chief of Svet Evangelia told Interfax-Religion on Tuesday.
An editorial under the headline “We do not say farewell forever…” was published in the last issue of the newspaper on 25 December. “You are holding an historic issue of the newspaper Svet Evangelia. This is the last issue. All explanations that we need to be make [about the closing] will be made [at the proper time]”, the editorial read. The weekly Svet Evangelia was established in 1994 by Pezzi’s predecessor, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, now archbishop of Minsk and Mogilyov in Belarus. An Italian priest, Fr Bernardo Antonini, first came up with the idea to establish the weekly. Reporters of the Moscow-based newspaper worked in St Petersburg, Saratov, Sochi, Novosibirsk, Tula, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Magadan, and Vladivostok.
(Editor’s Note: This is an illustration of how information dissemination has changed over the last decade. With the increased use of the Internet for both personal and corporate communication, it is clear that the Catholics in Russia are re-aligning their information strategy to meet current realities. It must be noted that His Holiness Patriarch Aleksei is leading a similar move in Orthodox circles. Is the print newspaper dead?)
Interfax-Religion
The Legends of Russian Rock Music, Part Twenty-two
Published December 29, 2007 Russian , biography , contemporary , music , pop 0 CommentsNick Rock n’ Roll
In his time, the band’s frontman Nick (his real name is Nikolai Frantsevich Kuntsevich), a vivid, frantic, and morbid figure, gained the title of “the Russian Iggy Pop” by making raving scenes with mutilation on stage. Today, Nick Rock n’ Roll plays with the band Trite Dushi/ Rub the Souls, but now performs on very rare occasions. Thanks to various projects of Nick, a number of new stars have risen on the Russian rock stage; he has supported the promotion of subcultural and underground bands and performers.
Website: http://nick.skt.ru/
February 14, 2007
Vera Ivanova and Mikhail Manykin
Russia InfoCentre
http://www.russia-ic.com/culture_art/music/381/#r2
(Editor’s Note: This brings to an end the series, The Legends of Russian Rock Music. I hope that you enjoyed it!)
Department for the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church to Open In Moscow
Published December 28, 2007 China , Interfax , Orthodox life , Russian , church/state , contemporary , inter-Orthodox relations 0 CommentsMoscow, 27 December 2007 (Interfax):
The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate decided at its winter session on Thursday to open a department [concerned with] the Chinese Orthodox Autonomous Church (COAC). The decision by the Holy Synod [accentuates] the need to continue the efforts taken by the Department for External Church Relations in its dialogue with the Chinese [authorities] to normalise the situation of Orthodox believers in China. ”Under difficult conditions, many Orthodox believers in China have retained the Christian faith and their canonical ties with their Mother Church, the Moscow Patriarchate”, the session participants said, and their opinion is cited in the final documents [adopted by] the Holy Synod.
The Russian spiritual mission existed in China since 1713 and it was abolished for political reasons in 1954. In 1956, the MP Holy Synod granted autonomy to the COAC and appointed Archimandrite Vasili [to head] the Diocese of Beijing. Following the latter’s death in 1962, the COAC fell into decay. In 1997, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate said that, under existing circumstances, Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and All Russia would [care] for Orthodox [believers] in China.
Interfax-Religion
Patriarch Aleksei Says That Independence for Kosovo Can Lead to New Tragedy
Published December 28, 2007 Interfax , Kosovo , Orthodox hierarchs , Patriarch Aleksei Rediger , Russian , Serbia , church in society , contemporary , inter-Orthodox relations , politics 1 Comment
Moscow, 27 December 2007 (Interfax):
Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia spoke against a unilateral proclamation of independence for Kosovo. ”The wish to proclaim independence for Kosovo will lead to new tragedy”, the patriarch said in Moscow. ”The Serbian people have suffered tragedy because many residents of Kosovo and Metohija had to flee their homes [and had] to relocate,” he said. ”Today, the future of Kosovo is resolved by people who have never been in Kosovo, people who do not know how sacred this land is for the Serbian people. Think of the Kosovo Field, soaked with the blood of our brethren”, the patriarch said.
He said that Patriarch Pavel of Serbia, who is currently ailing, is a “great zealot who prayed every day for [reconciliation] amongst the [combatants] from the beginning of bloodshed in the land of Yugoslavia”. Patriarch Aleksei wished that Serbs would endure less suffering and grief. ”May God help us so that this year may be peaceful and creative, and let God’s blessing accompany all Serbians”, he said.
Interfax-Religion
The Legends of Russian Rock Music, Part Twenty-one
Published December 28, 2007 biography , music , pop , rock 0 CommentsStantsiya Mir
Stantsiya Mir is rather famous among Russian neo-hippies. Its frontman, Volodya Kozhekin, is one of the leading harmonica players in this country. “For us crazies, space is waiting. So, you’ll stay here, but off we go”, says one of the verses of the band’s most popular song.
Website: (link disabled, sorry)
February 14, 2007
Vera Ivanova and Mikhail Manykin
Russia InfoCentre
Parish in Lyons Is Accepted Into the Moscow Patriarchate
Published December 28, 2007 Interfax , Orthodox life , Russian , contemporary , inter-Orthodox relations , religious 0 CommentsMoscow, 27 December 2007 (Interfax):
The Moscow Patriarchate granted an appeal from an Orthodox parish in France to come under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. It is in the city of Lyons, and was set up by Russian émigrés in the 1930s. The Holy Synod granted the appeal on Thursday, saying that one of the reasons for its decision was the act of reunification between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia that took place on 17 May 2007. For 20 years, the parish of the Protection of the Mother of God in Lyons was under the rule of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul and [usually] held worship services once a month. On 13 October 2007, a parish meeting approved an appeal to be accepted under the omophor of the Moscow Patriarchate. The appeal was initiated by parish council members who wish their parish to maintain Russian traditions of worship. The Synod included the Lyons parish in the Diocese of Korsun [headquartered in Paris].
Interfax-Religion
The Legends of Russian Rock Music, Part Twenty
Published December 26, 2007 Russian , biography , contemporary , music 0 CommentsUmka i Bronevik
The vocalist Umka (her real name is Anna Gerasimova) has acquired the image and status of the queen of Russian hippies (in spite of her dislike of this definition). She has gathered around herself hosts of teenage hippies. Umka is one of the most talented Russian songwriters, although the majority of her songs follow the style of American music of the 1960s and 70s.
Website (in English): http://www.umka.ru/english/
February 14, 2007
Vera Ivanova and Mikhail Manykin
Russia InfoCentre
2,000 Roman Catholics Take Part in Christmas Service at Moscow Cathedral
Published December 26, 2007 Christian , Interfax , Roman Catholic , Russian , contemporary , inter-Christian relations , religious 1 CommentMoscow, 25 December 2007 (Interfax):
A Solemn High Mass was celebrated in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow on Monday night. The service started in the overcrowded cathedral with the singing of Christmas hymns. The church was lit with illuminated Christmas trees. After that, the clergy, garbed in golden and white vestments, processed to the Nativity scene. Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Russia, carried a sculpture of the Infant Christ. When the procession reached the crèche, the archbishop placed the figure of Jesus into the manger, said a prayer, and sprinkled the scene with blessed water. “May the Star of Bethlehem shine!” he acclaimed, and the bells started to ring. After a fireworks display, the procession came back to the church, and the Mass continued. The service was attended by Fr Igor Vyzhanov, the secretary for inter-Christian affairs at the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, and many foreign diplomats. The overall number of worshippers in the cathedral was about 2,000.
Interfax-Religion
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