18 November 2017. Heroes of the Russian Land

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Today is the 118th birthday of my grandfather, the famous polar aviator, Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Vasilyevich Vodopyanov. He was a self-motivated man… he dreamed, worked selflessly, and so achieved his dreams. He made numerous difficult flights in the Far North, including being the first pilot in the world to land directly on the North Pole. He not only made pioneering flights on far-flung air-routes, he participated in one of the first long-range bombing raids on Berlin in August 1941. He was sincere! He was genuine and driven, a pilot with a burning heart! Eternal memory and glory to Mikhail Vasilyevich!

18 November 2017

Svetlana Boldyrev

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13 March 2016. A Right Braw Scots Lad with the Russians at the Geographical North Pole

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People forget that Scotland isn’t part of England… the Scots were allies of the French in the Hundred Years War; the Auld Alliance was no joking matter. Therefore, the modern Anglos shouldn’t count on the Scots always being on their side… after all, history tells us that they often were not… contemporary Russia WOULD be a trusty counterweight against England, just as France was in earlier times…

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Famous Traveller Fr Fyodor Konyukhov to Plant Orthodox Cross Made By Belarusian Artisans at North Pole.

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The famous traveller Fr Fyodor Konyukhov will take an Orthodox cross with him on his new expedition. He’ll travel 4,000 kilometres (2,486 miles) by dog sled, to become the first man to pass over the North Pole to the other side of the Arctic Circle using this method. The cross will go to Moscow next week where the famous traveller Fr Fyodor Konyukhov will take possession of it. Konyukhov has made four around-the-world trips and more than 50 unique marine expeditions. The new expedition’s kickoff is due in April 2013. Konyukhov expects to complete his new expedition in August. Together with the Karelian traveller Viktor Simonov, Konyukhov will traverse the Arctic region.

Fr Vladimir, a parish priest at Epiphany church in Minsk, who carved the North Pole cross, said, “The idea to plant Orthodox crosses in remote locations is an old one. One of the crosses made in Bobruisk by Fr Fyodor’s friends is at Cape Horn in Chile; the other is in the mountains in Ethiopia”. Konyukhov will plant the new cross near the site where all the Earth’s meridians and time zones converge. Fr Fyodor spoke about the idea of leaving an Orthodox cross at the North Pole in an exclusive interview to our channel in November.

Fr Fyodor Konyukhov not only has spiritual connections with Belarus, but also secular ones. Forty years ago, he studied woodcarving in Bobruisk. Now, he’s not just an artist and a traveller, but also a priest. Konyukhov brought a charity exhibition of his paintings to Minsk. All the funds raised were for the construction of the Epiphany Church in the Loshitsa district of Minsk. It took Fr Vladimir, who’s been a woodcarver for many years, about two months to create the cross. Its height is 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) and it’s made of wood specially brought from Irkutsk Oblast in Russia. Fr Vladimir made two identical crosses. One will go with Konyukhov to the North Pole, and the other will remain in Epiphany church in Minsk. Today, you can see the second cross at Epiphany church.

8 February 2013

BelTelRadio

http://www.tvr.by/rus/society.asp?id=82692

 

22 December 2012. It’s Two Days to Western Christmas Eve… Can You Hear the Sleigh Bells Outside?

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The jolly fellow in the picture isn’t Santa Claus per se, he’s the Norwegian Julenisse. He doesn’t come down the chimney; he knocks on the front door to leave his gifts. His reindeer don’t fly… they’re ordinary sorts. He doesn’t come from the North Pole; he lives in the forest near Pasvik in Sør-Varanger in the far north of the country (his home has the largest concentration of Brown bears in Norway). He talks with Santa and Dede (and all the other holiday wizards)… so, he KNOWS who’s who and what’s what.

My good wishes to all my friends, but especially to my secular friends… I bow before you and apologise for all the nastiness that “Christians” have heaped on you. My faith teaches me to love my neighbour… no matter what their faith, yes, even if their faith is in humanity, and not in a god. My God teaches me to accept you as you are… I have no warrant to “convert” anyone. Take my hand… come, it’s a joyful season, isn’t it?

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