Blacksmiths Fired Up Forges in Donetsk for “Save and Protect” Festival

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The ringing of anvils greeted the Day of the Blacksmith in Donetsk; local smiths held their 17th Festival of Excellence. At the opening, Viktor Burdukov, Chairman of the Donbass blacksmith guild, said:

The central work at the celebration is the sculpture «Спаси и сохрани» (Spasi i sokhrani: Save and Protect)… it’s a metal cross made from the wreckage of the bombed blacksmith atelier Gefest (Hephaestus). Forged roses… Donetsk’s symbol… are atop the cross, along with figures of more than 70 pigeons. The focal point of the sculpture is the Icon of the Most Holy Birthgiver and Mother of God “of Donetsk”, who holds the Infant Christ and a dove.

More than 10,000 people came out to see master smiths work; some got a chance to try their hand at blacksmithing and forging. Bikers from Tatersal MC put on a presentation. Master classes for adults and children were at five different forges. There was even a wedding party at one of the forges. Dmitri and Nastya had a good luck piece forged for them; the groom himself took up the hammer to help. Another event was a demonstration by world record holder Dmitri Khalazhi, from the Triumf Historical Re-enactment Club. The festivities lasted until late in the evening.

19 September 2015

DAN Donetsk News Agency

http://dan-news.info/obschestvo/kuznechnyj-festival-spasi-i-soxrani-razzheg-gorny-v-donecke.html

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2 September 2013. A Picture IS Worth a Thousand Words… The Dignity of Labour… At the Forge in Contemporary Russia

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After my last post left a sour taste in my mouth (and in yours, too, no doubt), I wanted to find something clean, healthy, and positive to post about. In the image, we see blacksmith Valery Kulikov carrying out restoration work on a cross at his forge in the village of Shishkovo, Rostov Raion in Yaroslavl Oblast. Not only does Russia have the most up-to-date industry and technology, it’s preserving the old handicrafts, too. Now, that’s heartening to see on this Labour Day…

BMD