St Panteleimon Monastery… the Russikon… the seat of Russian monasticism on the Mountain for 1,000 years
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HH and VVP with the Brotherhood of St Panteleimon Monastery… most of them are younger men now
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President Putin standing in a place of honour during services
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HH and VVP on the monastery grounds
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President Putin speaking inside the monastery katholikon
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Greek President Prokopis Pavlopouos and VVP with Athonite fathers
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President Putin and HH went to the Mountain to celebrate the millennium of the Russian presence there. The holy fathers greeted VVP enthusiastically, as they did on his earlier visit in 2005. Methinks that they prefer Russia to the USA in the current imbroglio over the “Ukraine”. It’s also clear that they don’t share the POV of the Washington apparat that Putin is a “peckerwood” (even more reasonable members/former members of the apparat have to repeat that line chapter-and-verse… typical Anglo bullshit, no?). Like it or not, HH and VVP are the leaders of the Orthosphere… most Orthodox (both Oriental and Eastern) accept them as such. It’s the old New Roman duopoly reestablished. Emperor and Patriarch stand together, each in their own sphere, each wielding their own power, holding the other up. The so-called “monarchists” amongst us are chock fulla shit. Vladimir Vladimirovich is a tsar in all but name… labels don’t interest him (he’s the polar opposite of such prancing poseurs as Chilly Hilly and Trump the Chump).
As late as ten years ago, the majority of pilgrims to the Mountain were Greek. Now, Russians make up 50 percent of those coming. The Russikon has built a new guest hostel with 500 beds… Russia has put right the post-1917 disrepair, as the photos testify. It sure looks like that the Pre-Revolutionary situation is returning to the Mountain… that is, the majority of the monks and pilgrims will be Russian in due course. The Phanar has little actual control over the Mountain… it’s clear from the photos what the Mountain thinks of the Centre’s place in Orthodoxy. This wasn’t just celebrating the millennium of Russian monasticism on the Mountain, it was a gambit in the continuing Great Game between the MP and the EP… it sure doesn’t look good for the Phanar from this vantage point…
America hates both VVP and HH and wants to take them down… for they stand in the way of American crapitalist hegemony. I stand with VVP and HH… NOT the Washington/Western media apparat. I’m not alone…
BMD
Voices from Russia 
13 July 2016. Where Is VVP? He’s on Otpust… We’re Christians; That’s What We Do
Tags: Christian, Christian pilgrims, Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Kirill Gundyaev, Kirill I of Moscow, Moscow Patriarchate, Orthodox, Orthodoxy, Patriarch Kirill, Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev, Patriarch Kirill I, pilgrimage, pilgrims, political commentary, politics, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Russia, Russian, Russian Orthodox Church, Valaam, Valaam Monastery, Vladimir Putin
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Earlier this month, the Western media speculated on where VVP was. If they had half a brain, they’d remember that he goes on otpust to Valaam every year right around this time. The above image shows VVP and HH confabbing in Valaam… reports also had it that he met with “Ukrainian” industrialists and public figures at the monastery. Firstly, VVP is a devout Orthodox Christian, and going on otpust is one of the things that we do. Secondly, Valaam gives him a venue to meet with people away from the media and public, well-secured and off-the-beaten-track. Besides, this is a regular part of his agenda… every year, he goes on otpust to clear his mind and attend to his religious duties.
The Western media doesn’t understand Christianity nor does it want to… as for VVP, he simply goes on otpust every year… we’re Christians; that’s what we do…
BMD