Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar Thanked Those Who Saved Jews from the Nazis in World War II

Moscow, 28 January 2008 (Interfax):

During the ceremonies on the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, Rav Berel Lazar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia, gave thanks to the many “Righteous Gentiles” of all nationalities who risked their lives to save Jews from deportation to the Nazi death camps. “I think that when we recall the Holocaust we should not only remember the shootings, the gas chambers, and the belching smoke of the crematory furnaces. We must also reflect on the shining exemplar of humanity shown by the Righteous Gentiles of all nationalities”, Rav Lazar said, per a press release transmitted to Interfax. “We shall never forget the tragedy of the Holocaust. Likewise, we shall never forget those who risked their lives bravely to save Jews from becoming victims of the Holocaust. We thank them sincerely, unto the ages of ages”, Rav Lazar emphasised.

He called fascism “the direct consequence of the atheism that spread throughout Germany and other European states in the first half of the twentieth century”. Rav Lazar reminded his audience that the Nazis attempted to revive Teutonic paganism and that they threw not only Jewish rabbis, but, also Christian priests, into their concentration camps. “Everywhere and always, atheism always leads to mass repressions and genocide. This happened in Germany under Hitler, in Russia under Lenin and Stalin, in Kampuchea under Pol Pot, and it is happening today in Mynmar”, he said. However, Rav Lazar added, the people of the world “made their choice in spite of the pressing circumstances. They were not led by cold reasoning and logic, but, they were inspired by the warmth of their hearts and souls. This is clear proof that there is a tendency to good in the soul of man, even if the risks involved are great and there are no material benefits to be gained. Our wise elders taught us that a righteous man is the foundation of peace on earth. When war raged over the entire world, when millions of people were coarsened and lost the semblance of humanity, the righteous not only saved lives, they preserved the peace of God in and around themselves. They helped their families, their friends, and their neighbours to withstand the test of the war years. In the final analysis, it was precisely such people, who showered the light of peace over all around them, who allowed the world to be set right after that terrible catastrophe”, Rav Lazar said in conclusion.

Interfax-Religion

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AN URGENT APPEAL FROM ENGLAND

present chapel of St John the Wonderworker, Felixstowe, England

Parish of St John the Wonderworker, Felixstowe, England
Registered Number with the UK Charity Commission: 1081707, under the name Felixstowe Orthodox Church

After over ten years of existence, the ROCOR Parish in Felixstowe is the only parish in Western Europe dedicated to our beloved wonderworker of Shanghai. For twelve years St John was our Archbishop, regularly making pastoral visits to England. Almost every Wednesday evening we sing a moleben and akathist to him, before a small relic and his paraman.

Within the Diocese of Archbishop Mark, we are the only ROCOR parish in the whole of eastern England and provide a spiritual home for all Orthodox here. Our flock is made up of several nationalities and services are conducted in a mixture of languages, mainly Slavonic and English. Fr Andrew is the only priest outside London who confesses and preaches in Russian. This meets a growing need, as more Orthodox from Russia and the Ukraine settle here.

After over ten years of renting, we at last have an opportunity to buy excellent premises close to Felixstowe town centre. A building of 1900, called St John’s Church Hall, has come onto the market at the price of £200,000 ($400,000), together with conversion and repair costs, as calculated from a survey undertaken. Nearly 3,000 square feet in area and with all facilities, we have little hope of ever obtaining a better building in the immediate region at this price.

Unfortunately, we have been given only two months in which to raise such a sum, of which at present we have available only one quarter, that is £50,000. Therefore we are appealing to generous souls to help. If, miraculously, you think you can help or know people who can help with such a huge sum and in such a short period of time, please contact me at: frandrew_anglorus@yahoo.co.uk (link on home page). We can only continue to witness to the Russian Orthodox Tradition in this area with your help. We know that this website has helped people in the past, hope against hope we are now asking for your help. We earnestly pray that God’s Will may be done, whatever the outcome may be.

May the Lord keep you by the prayers of our holy father John.

The Trustees:

Priest Andrew Phillips
Jack Sardo
John Andrews

27 January 2008

Editor’s Note: This is quite legitimate. Fr Andrew is a priest in good standing of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia under the omophor of Bishop Mark of Munich. Do NOT contact this website. Contact Fr Andrew directly at the link given if you can help. God bless all of you who can help this parish in this venture. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Muslim Magomayev… Doroga Moya (My Way). arranged by Muslim Magomayev

This is an instrumental arrangement of the Frank Sinatra standard by the multi-talented Russian performer Muslim Magomayev. He is not only a singer, he is a composer, pianist, painter, and writer as well. Yet, he is a humble man, well worthy of our respect as human being, not only as an artist. It is my tribute to my favourite Russian pop performer. In Russia, unlike America, there is much crossover between the pop and classical worlds. Muslim has done opera, and the opera star Dmitri Khvorostovsky has done pop. This makes for a richer cultural life. The photos are of Muslim and his family. We are the richer for their presence amongst us.

The life of Muslim Magomayev illustrates why I oppose extreme nationalists. He was able to expand his horizons because he was part of the Empire. The nationalists wish to squash individual freedom so that they can have their “place in the sun”. I prefer the way that allows the Muslim Magomayevs to soar free, not fettered by nationalistic limitations.

Thank you, Muslim. You have enriched my life (and that of all other Russians as well!).

27 January 2008. A Thought from Father Vsevolod…

One more “Poltava tale”…

There was a well-known bishop, Feofan Bystrov (a play on words in Russian, “bystry” means “quickly”), in the local cathedral. He was short in stature, he loved ancient vestments, and his crown was simple like those of the Old Ritualists.

An old baba (grandma) came to town to sell cucumbers. When she got there, they told her, “Today, the bishop is serving in the cathedral. Take a look, he is very impressive”.

She went, she saw the service, and she returned to her remote native hamlet. She said to her neighbours, “Dearies, I saw the bishop today! I have never seen such an impressive clergyman! His belly… big! His beard… big! He had this wide red band across his chest and he waved the censer about in wide circles… what a sight! The bishop was standing in the midst of the people, yes, wearing a gold cap trimmed in sable. Kiddies! He swung the incense, he chanted, and he incensed some more!”

For those of you who haven’t guessed already, she was talking about the stately protodeacon of Bishop Feofan. You see, the saintly bishop was standing inconspicuously in the back of the church with the people.

Not all that is gold glitters…

Fr Vsevolod Chaplin

Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate

Interfax-Religion

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Cherez Shurshaya Travu… (Through the Rustling Grass…) music by Tamara Sinyavskaya

A popular song performed by the mezzo-soprano Tamara Sinyavskaya is matched with wildlife photos by Igor Shpilenok. Ms Sinyavskaya is the wife of the justly-famous and multi-talented Muslim Magomayev. What a couple! Russia (and the world) has been enriched by their joint talents.

Deacon Andrei Kuraev Thinks That Vladimir Vysotsky was the “Ironic Conscience” of an Era

Moscow, 25 January 2008 (Interfax):

Deacon Andrei Kuraev, a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy and a popular preacher, believes that the songs of Vladimir Vysotsky made a great change in his life. He regretted that the singer suffered such an early and tragic death. “Vladimir Vysotsky… his was the way of human freedom. Unfortunately, most people abuse their freedom and it leads to their degradation. Only rare people use freedom to transform and create. Vysotsky did that”, Fr Andrei stated to Interfax on Friday. “Vysotsky had many talents. He had a gift as a creative poet, as an actor, and the gift to be a genuine human being. However, he set his experimentation above his well-being, which destroyed his life and led to his tragic early death”, he added.

Deacon Andrei admitted that when Vysotsky was alive, he knew him only through listening to his records. “If it were not for Vysotsky, I would not have seen the danger signs; I would not have searched for a path in life different from that held out by the Komsomol. We have learned from those close to him of the pain he endured, not only the ordinary pain of mankind and the persecution he suffered from the authorities, but, also, the pain of his addiction that is all too familiar to millions of druggies in post-Soviet Russia. Eternal Memory to the servant of God Vladimir, but, we should not imitate all the characters of his songs or emulate his personal life. Now, the most meaningful line from Vysotsky for me is, ‘I must puke, kids! You! Run out, go, and light a candle for me!’” Today, at the end of a service for Vysotsky on the 70^th anniversary of his birthday, Deacon Andrei carried out “this request of Vladimir Semyonovich”.

Deacon Andrei is noted for his sermons at rock concerts, and he advised contemporary young people to listen to the lyrics of Yuri Shevchuk, the leader of the rock group DDT. “The creative spark that came from Vladimir Vysotsky in the 70s is probably found today only in the songs of Yuri Shevchuk. It is not desirable to imitate Vysotsky’s life, but, if we look amongst contemporary rock musicians for one with the same ‘ironic conscience’ as his, we have to say it is Yuri Shevchuk. This is because of musical style and the nature of fate, and on the sensations of time, peace, and genuineness he gives”, Deacon Andrei said.

Interfax-Religion

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The Orenburg Diocese Shall Institute a Telephone Hotline Outreach

Orenburg, 25 January 2008 (Interfax):

The social outreach section of the Orenburg Diocese shall institute a telephone hotline on 29 January. Fr Aleksandr Azarenkov, the press secretary of the diocese, told Interfax on Friday that the service shall operate four days a week, and a priest on duty shall answer caller’s questions about church life. People can learn anything about Orthodoxy by ringing in. They can ask the priest questions about the principles of the faith, the rules of confession, how one should behave in church during services, the sacraments of baptism and marriage, or even personal spiritual concerns. The hotline shall operate Tuesday to Friday from 17:00 to 19:00. “Unfortunately, not all who wish to attend church can do so. Some are weighed down with troubles and others cannot get out of bed due to illness. The hotline is a good way to reach such people. We cannot operate a 24-hour service at present, but, I think that we shall be able to do so over the course of time”, Fr Aleksandr noted.

Interfax-Religion

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Orthodox Activists from “Nashi” Prepare to Hold an Anti-Abortion Rally in Moscow

Moscow, 25 January 2008 (Interfax):

Activists from the Orthodox Section of the youth group Nashi shall hold an anti-abortion rally in the centre of Moscow with the theme “Do Not Murder” on Monday. “We wish people to think about the fact that when we convert abortions into ordinary affairs it is not only against the commandments of Christ, but, it is also in opposition to the best secular values as well. Abortion is murder, a murder without mitigation. Man ‘chooses’ who shall have ‘the right to life’… even before the baby comes into the world. We would also desire that people would think of the cost to our country over the past 10 to 15 years because of the scourge of abortion”, said Boris Yakemenko, the head of the Orthodox Section of Nashi, in a press release given to Interfax. The rally shall be held on Novopushkinsky Square, and activists shall erect 200 crosses with the inscription, “Here could have been a great mathematician, physicist, or philosopher”. Funereal music shall play in the background of the rally location. The organisers wish that the public shall ponder the question of abortion not only as a moral dilemma, but, also as a social problem.

Interfax-Religion

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The Last Stand of Baron Wrangel: Turkish Authorities Open Access to a Unique Archive of White Guard Material

In May 2008, in Turkey, where White Guard Russians emigrated after their defeat in the Crimea in November 1920, a monument shall be dedicated in Gallipoli to the army of Baron Pyotr Wrangel. Recently, when a joint delegation of the St Andrew the First-Called Foundation and the Centre of Russia’s National Glory came to Gelibolu (the Turkish name for Gallipoli) to lay a capsule in the base of the future memorial, Turkish authorities allowed them access to a collection of photographs nearly ninety years old. They were a mute witness of the story of how the exiled remainders of the armies of General Kutepov and Baron Wrangel settled for a time in Turkey.

History tells us that the regular army and Cossack cavalry of General Wrangel could have taken all of the Ukraine, and Russia in due course, but, internal feuds and divisions amongst the White leadership helped the Red Army under Mikhail Frunze to break the back of the White movement. The Reds defeated the forces of Denikin at Oryol, and routed the troops of Wrangel in the environs of Kharkov. The successful Red assault on Perekop was the harbinger of tragedy for the White Guard Russians.

On 15 November 1920, the remnants of the White Guard forces left Kerch and Sevastopol aboard 126 ships. Some 200,000 exiles (25,000 military) settled in Turkey. The ships crossed the Black Sea and moored at the Gallipoli Peninsula in the Straits of the Dardanelles. Can one imagine the broken morale and sadness of the exiled soldiers? Nevertheless, they preserved their discipline and élan. A veritable tent city grew up on the peninsula. Baron Wrangel, in particular, gave a shining example of composure and devotion to duty.

Baron Wrangel was the descendant of a Danish mercenary in the Russian service, and even after his departure from Turkey never went over to the camp of the enemies of Russia. He did not emigrate to Denmark or Sweden, although this was possible. Some 22 of Wrangel’s ancestors fell in the Battle of Poltava… on the side of Sweden. Wrangel always carried himself in the Cossack fashion, a habit he retained even in the emigration. After being moored in Gallipoli for about a year, the White Guards departed for Europe. Many settled in the Balkans or in France. Many of the Russian ships were interned by the French. Baron Wrangel and his staff left for Belgium, where he finished his days. This emigration was a tragic page in the history of the White Guard movement. However, this period in Gallipoli, when Russian soldiers in a hopeless situation demonstrated a true show of spirit, was a real exploit. Until now, this episode of the bitter end of General Wrangel has been little known by modern Russians.

17 January 2008

 

Timofei Borisov

Тимофей Борисов Российская газета 17.01.2008 № 8

Website of the St Andrew the First-Called Foundation (in Russian)

http://fap.ru/press.php?pt=publ&id=12242

Russian Students Celebrate the Feast Day of St Tatiana

Восторг, восторг, питомцы муз!
В сей день благословенный
Наук и счастия союз
Мы празднуем священный!

Rapture, rapture, the wards of the Muses!

On this blessed day,

Learning and Happiness unite

In our reverent celebration!

Poem by Aleksandr Polezhaev declaimed on 12 January 1826 on the anniversary of the foundation of Moscow University.

With every passing year, the celebration of the feast day of St Tatiana (the patroness of students) spreads further in Russia in both religious and secular colleges and universities. Increasingly, there are more and more activities planned to mark this well-loved holiday. There is already a tradition to hold the Divine Liturgy in the chapel of St Tatiana attached to Moscow State University (MGU) on the morning of 25 January. Viktor Sadovnichy (the rector of the MGU), professors, and fellows of the Russian Academy of Sciences shall be present at the service.

Virtually all Orthodox parishes in Russia shall mark the feast day of St Tatiana on 25 January with not only liturgies, but, also with moliebens to St Tatiana for the needs and intentions of all Russian students. Of course, there shall be a special intensity to the prayers offered in the chapels attached to Russian universities, institutes, academies, and colleges. Most of these chapels were founded on the initiative of the students themselves, without help from higher authorities. As a rule, college chapels in Russia are dedicated to St Tatiana. During the day of 25 January a student procession shall take place in the Sparrow Hills above Moscow. At the monument to Lomonosov a symbolic cup of knowledge shall be lit, after which event Rector Sadovnichy shall personally pass out medovnik (a honey drink) to the student participants.

The celebration of St Tatiana Day in St Petersburg shall begin with public prayer in the Cathedral of St Isaac. Students will be entrusted with the signs of their heavenly patroness. There shall be a salute fired form the Petropavlovsk Fortress in honour of the students at noon, and there shall be a première of a four hour-long musical show at the urban ice palace. The police promised that they would not interfere with the revelry of the students. Aleksandr Chekalin, the First Deputy Minister of the MVD, said that in the pre-revolutionary days the police would “look the other way” when celebrating students were playing pranks.

25 January 2008

Interfax-Religion

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