I believe that the following photos need no commentary. Don’t you want to be united with such great Orthodox Christians in the same house? I do! What about you?
Each photo is credited with the name of the photographer. What follows is from the homepage of this website.
BMD
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Orthodoxy Foto is a project with the vocation to unite photographers in the task of testifying to the Truth and Beauty of Orthodoxy to the world by the means of Photo Art. Undoubtedly, in our opinion, photography, as an integral part of modern art, must serve that great purpose that any true art aspires to, basing itself on high Christian values.
“Christianity has formed a truly great culture of humanity that aims at unification with God, but, one that does not disrespectfully neglect Him and His Holy Will. It invariably affirms that works of art are alive only when they help a person find unity with God, though a constant cutting off of all pernicious passions from one’s soul and body, the main of which are arrogance, love of power, and the call of lustful flesh”. (Priest Mikhail Khodakov. Whether we return to God? Moscow, 1998).
This thought of Fr Mikhail Khodakov gives us a true criterion to define such an endeavour as Orthodox Photo. In our opinion, Orthodox Photography is an art that makes us think over Eternity and Death. Hence, it makes us think over the sense of Life, arousing sympathy and aversion towards injustice, giving us peace of mind, silence, and bright joy through the contemplation of the Beauty and Harmony of God’s creation…
It’s clear that the subject-matter of the photographs posted on the site can’t be limited to any formal boundaries, as God can’t be limited to any boundaries in His manifestation to the world…
“There is no God for those people who are looking for Him corporeally, because He is invisible, but, for those who think spiritually, He is everywhere, because He is over all. He is everywhere and nowhere at the same time, that is why He is close to those who fear Him, but, sinners are far from His salvation”. (St Simeon the New Theologian. Theological, Speculative, and Practical Chapters. Moscow, 1998).
Orthodoxy Foto
Aleksandr Shurlakov
http://photo.orthodoxy.ru/gallery/shurlakov/english/indexauto.htm
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Aleksandr Ainetdinov. Two Generations
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Aleksandr Krasotkin. First Communion
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Aleksandr Osokin. Unto Such as These Belong the Kingdom of Heaven
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Alla Dobrsotskikh. Grandma’s Prayer
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Deacon Dmitri Voznesensky. Perhaps, That’s the Way to be…
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Fr Aleksandr Ivlev. Nursing Sister
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Fr Nikolai Katalnikov. Spiritual Affinity
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Irina Sharova. Needlework
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Ivan Vasiliev. Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Belaya Tserkov
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Ivan Vasiliev. Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Belaya Tserkov
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Ivan Vasiliev. Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, Belaya Tserkov
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Kaliningrad Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Blessing
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Konstantin Khodakovsky. There’s a Bird!
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Pavel Bezrukov. You Must Be As a Child
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Vitaly Tsypnyatov. Before the Mystery
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Vitaly Tsypnyatov. Faith
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Yelena Povyshova. Spas-na-Krovi, Yekaterinburg (the Church of Christ the Saviour on the Spilled Blood), a memorial to the tsar and his martyred family. Tsar-Martyr St Nikolai was the generous benefactor of the American Church; we owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid in full.
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Didn’t that just move you to tears? If not, you have a heart of stone.
It is time to come home.
Barbara-Marie Drezhlo
Friday 30 May 2008
Albany NY
