Voices from Russia

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

Moscow Patriarchate Cools the Vatican: “New Greek-Catholic Challenges” in the Ukraine

00 Uniate icon of Yushchenko 01

Uniates slobber over this… you can see why they’re enemies of Christ’s Church…

______________________________ 

The MP denied the words of the nuncio in the Russian Federation, according to whom relations between Orthodox and Uniates have improved. Archpriest Dmitri Sizonenko denounced expansionism and support for schismatics.

The question of Greek-Catholics in the Ukraine (Uniates) continues to hinder ecumenical dialogue between Rome and Moscow. Archpriest Dmitri Sizonenko, MP Secretary for Inter-Christian relations, reiterated this in speaking to Interfax-Religion. He commented on the optimistic declarations about the improved relations between Orthodox and [so-called] Ukrainian Catholics (who recognise the authority of the Pope of Rome), made by the Apostolic Nuncio in the Russian Federation, Monsignor Ivan Yurkovich. The latter, interviewed by NG-Religii, stated, “The difficulties of the early 90s have been overcome in many ways, and, today, there are many points of contact between the two Churches, especially of an informal nature”. Rev Sizonenko agreed that some problems were solved, but warned that, today, “there are new challenges”. He related that the First Hierarch of the UOC/MP expressed “concern” about attempts by Uniates “to establish and develop structures in regions with an Orthodox majority”.

Sizonenko also added that the Greek-Catholics said that they work for the unity of the Orthodox in Ukraine, but then “do the opposite”. As an example, he recalled the fact that the Major Archbishop of Kiev, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the Uniate leader, recently declared that he accepts baptisms done in the churches of the “Patriarchate of Kiev”, which is unrecognised throughout the Orthodox world. Fr Dmitri pointed up, “In the context of the current situation in the Ukraine, this sounds like proof of an interest to strengthen the position of the schismatics”. After the end of the USSR and the independence of the Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has faced strong divisions that led to the coexistence of three Orthodox Churches with parallel hierarchies:

  • UOC/MP, under the Patriarchate of Moscow and all the Russias (albeit with wide autonomy, the only one recognised by the other Orthodox Local Churches)
  • “Patriarchate of Kiev and all the Ukraine” (formed around the figure of Philaret, a defrocked MP cleric)
  • Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (strongly nationalistic)

11 February 2013

Nina Achmatova

AsiaNews

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Moscow-Patriarchate-cools-the-Vatican:-new-Greek-catholic-challenges-in-Ukraine-27101.html

Editor’s Note:

Discount the Blunder’s cooing to the papists. This is the real deal. As a Cabinet member told me:

Do NOT forget Benny Ratz’s support for “canonising” the monster Cardinal Alojzije Viktor Stepinac of Zagreb, the “Josaphat Kontsevich” of the 20th Century. The Local Churches of Serbia, Bulgaria, Moscow, and even the submissive Phanar are outraged over this insult and blasphemy. Still, our “professional” Orthodox and half-converted “experts” continue to indulge in heavy petting with Catholics.

Quite. The Uniates aren’t our friends. There are all too many priests and faithful killed and injured by American-financed Uniate mobs… all too many Orthodox churches stolen by the Uniates. That’s why you should never take anything on the website Byzantine Texas as truth… and do spam anyone signing themselves as “Josephus Flavius” in your commboxes… he’s a nasty Uniate who just wants to argue and cause upset amongst Real Orthodox. Oh, yes… his website is a fave amongst konvertsy… which is proof that the konvertsy have NEVER converted in their heart-of-hearts and that we should never ordain them (especially, not former clergy). It’s not “nice” out there, but it’s “what is”… and we ignore reality at our own peril.

BMD

Monday, 21 January 2013

21 January 2013. Great Russian Kolyadka… Нова радость настала (Nova Radost Nastala: Newborn Joy is Here)… Performed by Egor Strelnikov and Mitya Kuznetsov

01a carolers Russia

******

______________________________

Russian contemporary folk performers give a new twist on an old Russian kolyadka. It’s NOT exclusively Ukrainian… don’t listen to Galician Uniate nutters…

Monday, 14 January 2013

13 January 2013. It’s Old New Year’s Eve

01e-old-new-year

______________________________

Belarusians shall celebrate the Old New Year. The tradition of observing Old New Year appeared in 1918, when the new calendar was introduced in Russia. The difference between the two styles was 13 days. This tradition is also observed in Russia, the Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Click on the first URL below for a 36-second video (on the page presented, click on “watch”, it’ll download… and you can play it, and, then, delete it). Even if you don’t know Russian, it has good visuals.

In the evening of 13/14 January people will celebrate the Old New Year by singing shchedrivky. On this day, people gather as family, cover the table with a generous variety of food, and go carolling. What else does one need to do to ensure success for the whole year? Our correspondents visited a rehearsal of the celebration at the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life for the Svyatki (Holy Days). It was at a typical village house, typical of those found in Kopyl Raion, showcasing the traditional rituals of the Christmas period. One of the customs was that you’d try to “steal” your neighbour’s decorations, but, of course, you’d have to return them the next morning. It was believed that if the person who stole them wasn’t caught, they’d have good luck on their farm for the next year. Only here, in the open-air museum by village Ozertso, can you witness a folklore festival and learn how our ancestors celebrated prosperity and success in the New Year. The organisers invited groups from all parts of Belarus. One, from the north, in Lepel Raion, another, from the south, was the ensemble Chornabrytsy. Many in  the crowd warmed up dancing and singing, whilst others learned the basics of making Christmas stars, and one did a little Christmas goat… a good luck charm. From now on, for the rest of the week, the museum will present carolling with shchedrivki. Click on the second URL to download a three-minute video with interesting visuals. By the way, notice that the people are singing songs claimed by Ukie nationalists… NEVER argue with such sorts… it’s not only pointless, they use such arguments to accuse YOU of “hate speech” (what a laugh)… take that threat seriously, these people aren’t wrapped too tightly and they’re fanatics.

For the twelfth year, the Minsk House of Mercy brought together residents and visitors for a Christmas pageant. On Old New Year’s Eve, Ded Moroz is once again in the spotlight. He showed up at the House of Mercy on Frantsiska Skorina Street. Ded Moroz and Snegurochka flew in by helicopter; his landing was the highpoint of the celebration. Joyful kids met the magician after his voyage. Archpriest Fyodor Karpov, the rector of All Saints Chapel at the House of Mercy said that families coming to the House of Mercy for this pageant have started a good tradition. After all, spirituality in the family is the key to its well-being; by the way, I think that most would agree that’s the point of the holiday. Click on the third URL to download a three-minute video with good visuals.

This is how “nasty” and “dictatorial” Belarus keeps the feast. C’mon… aren’t most of you ashamed of supporting those who hate them? It’s clear that Belarus isn’t Hell on Earth… it isn’t the Lap of Luxury, either, but it isn’t the cesspit depicted by the Western media and some Western political factions. They DO have a noxious, put-on, and deceitful agenda, after all (amply illustrated by the likes of Rod Dreher, Terrence Mattingly, and Freddie M-G, amongst others)…

13 January 2013

Belteleradiocompany

http://www.tvr.by/eng/society.asp?id=81279

http://www.tvr.by/lib/news.video?id=81277

http://www.tvr.by/lib/news.video?id=81308

Saturday, 12 January 2013

12 January 2013. A Photo Essay. It Happened on Orthodox Christmas in 2013…

00a Orthodox Christmas 2013. Jerusalem. Patriarch Theophilos. 12.01.13

Most Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas on 7 January. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos Giannopoulos of Jerusalem served on Christmas Eve in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in Palestine.

******

00b Orthodox Christmas 2013. Cairo. Patriarch Tawadros. 12.01.13

Coptic Orthodox believers came to St Mark Cathedral in the Abbassia District in Cairo for a service led by newly-elected Patriarch Tawadros Sulayman of Alexandria and all Africa.

******

00c Orthodox Christmas 2013. Ethiopia. 12.01.13

Ethiopian Orthodox believers celebrated the holiday.

******

00d Orthodox Christmas 2013. Serbia. Badnjak. 12.01.13

In Šabac, west of the Serbian capital of Belgrade in Mačva Okrug (Šumadija and Western Serbia Region), believers took part in the badnjak, a traditional Serb Christmas Eve custom.

******

00e Orthodox Christmas 2013. Belarus. Verbovichi. 12.01.13

Believers in Verbovichi (Gomel Oblast. Narovlya Raion), a town south-east of the Belarusian capital of Minsk, at Christmas services. Most Orthodox Christians follow the Julian Calendar for calculating the feasts of the Church Year. There isn’t any such thing as the “Revised Julian Calendar”… that’s just a cobbled-together pseudo-intellectual abortion consisting of the Julian Calendar for calculating Easter and the Gregorian Calendar for fixed feasts… neither fish nor fowl, it isn’t defensible in scholarly terms, nor is it logically-sound in its argument or application, and it shows a lack of charity towards the faithful majority of Orthodox believers who continue to follow the Received Tradition.

******

00f Orthodox Christmas 2013. Russia. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Patr Kirill. 12.01.13

Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias served at Christmas at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow (he visited Maternity Home nr 3 afterwards to bring holiday cheer to the mothers, families, and staff).

******

00g Orthodox Christmas 2013. Russia. Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Dmitri Medvedev. 12.01.13

Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev was amongst the believers that attended Christmas services at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

******

00h Orthodox Christmas 2013. Russia. Krasnoyarsk. 12.01.13

Fireworks were part of the celebrations outside the newly-built Church of the Nativity of Christ in Krasnoyarsk in Siberia.

******

00i Orthodox Christmas 2013. Gaza. Palestine. 12.01.13

In Gaza, Greek Orthodox believers attended Christmas service at St Porfirios Church.

______________________________

Over 80 percent of all Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas on its traditional date. The rest should reconsider their position. Don’t you want to be in union with the rest of Christ’s Church? What the heterodox do is of no moment to us… they do what they do, and that’s that, and it has NO relevance to the Church. There are three midwinter holidays called “Christmas”:

  • Xmas: C S Lewis used this term for the secular midwinter holiday… it’s a good distinction. When most people wish you “Merry Christmas”, this is what they refer to. Show them kindness and charity… say, “Thank you, and the same to you and yours”. Orthodox can keep this as a secular holiday… we keep all the rest of ‘em like the Fourth of July, Fête du Canada, Australia Day, and the May Day Bank Holiday, don’t we? In any case, to give your kids some gifts on this date is good, as it allows them not to feel out-of-place amongst their mates at school. It’s a secular bank-holiday… keep it as such.
  • Catholic Christmas: This is the 25 December religious holiday. The Proddies keep this date, too, as they’re the bastard children of Rome. This is a heterodox celebration, and the Church enjoins us to show respect to other religions and their believers. If you’re wished “Merry Christmas” in this sense, again, show charity (for that’s what Christ’s Church COMMANDS you to do), and say, “Thank you, and the same to you and yours”. Many religious people will be hip to the fact that Orthodox Christmas is a different day. Be kind… show respect to their holy day. Oh… don’t forget to break the opłatek with the Soloniewiczs down the street and get the scungilli and calamari for Nona Sophia next-door (she’ll call ‘em scungil and calamad in Sicilian). You might get an invite to the feast… accept and show your gratitude… that’s what real true-blue down n’ dirty Christians do.
  • Orthodox Christmas: This is on 7 January on the civil calendar for the rest of this century (it’ll be 8 January in 2100). Most Eastern and Oriental Orthodox believers keep this date; this is Orthosphere Christmas. Don’t you wish that all of us celebrated together on this day?

If you’re not keeping Orthodox Christmas… you should. Most Orthodox who follow Catholic Christmas are guiltless… they didn’t decide to do such… that was the work of notional and misguided heretics such as Meletios Metaxakis and Aleksandr Schmemann. All Russian Orthodox believers in the diaspora should follow the Mother Church… we should not only celebrate when she celebrates, we should be as one, and scrap all the foolish divisions that split us now. The OCA, Paris Exarchate, ROCOR, and MP Abroad are false and pernicious artificial constructs. We should be as one, under the omofor of our Mother Church. God willing, that day will be soon…

Христос раждается!

Славите его!

BMD

Next Page »

Theme: Rubric. Blog at WordPress.com.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 497 other followers