| About Pages Проекты «Правмира» Raising Orthodox Children to Orthodox Adulthood The Daily Website on How to be an Orthodox Christian Today Twitter Telegram Parler RSS Donate Navigation Cyprus’ Christian, Muslim leaders offer peace talks support Source: Lancaster Online Menelaos Hadjicostis 10 September 2015 NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Talks between the heads of Cyprus " Christian and Muslim communities and the leaders of the ethnically split island " s Greek- and Turkish-speaking communities give " great hope " that religion can better contribute to peace, an official said Thursday. Photo: Petros Karadjias Religion has never been at the root of the Cyprus conflict, said Peter Weiderud, who heads a Swedish Embassy-sponsored program that aims to get Cyprus’ religious leaders more actively engaged in peace-building. But religion and the right to freely worship have become victims of it. More than 500 churches and monasteries — many hundreds of years old — were left to ruin, looted or converted for other uses in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of the island after Turkey invaded in 1974 and split the island along ethnic lines following a coup aiming at union with Greece. In the internationally recognized south, only a fraction of the 110 mosques operate. Weiderud said that the meeting not only served to advance the principles of freedom of religion or belief, “but also how religion and dialogue of the religious leaders can better contribute to sustainable peace on the island.” The meeting which Weiderud said is the first of its kind in Cyprus offers a rare example of Christian and Muslim religious leaders banding together to promote peace in a region engulfed in war and violence often underpinned by sectarian hatreds. Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and breakaway Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci met Thursday with the heads of Cyprus’ Orthodox Christian, Armenian, Maronite and Latin Catholic churches as well as the Turkish Cypriot Grand Mufti. Very few church services were held in the north after the island’s division as the two communities had virtually no contact until 2003 when crossings opened. But the past year has seen a spike in Christian faithful flocking to abandoned churches to worship for the first time in decades. |
| People say heavy equipment will ruin their roads. They fear fracking will cause earthquakes and pollute their water, risking their health, their cattle and their vegetable gardens. " If they put wells they will destroy farming, " said Andrei Popescu, 22. Prime minister Ponta has spoken of potential shale benefits, especially for a poor area like Vaslui county, which includes Pungesti. It receives heavy subsidies from the state. " Without investment, we can " t pay wages and pensions. Projects can be improved ... but we cannot block investment, " Ponta has said. He toppled a previous government in May 2012 partially on an anti-shale message but his government has since thrown his support behind the project. Chevron said studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Ground Water Protection Council had confirmed no direct link between hydraulic fracturing operations and groundwater contamination. It says direct benefits include jobs and payments to contractors and suppliers and, during the production phase, taxes and royalties. Some local people say they doubt the project would generate many jobs, or that they are qualified for them. If there is to be progress and investment, they say they would prefer a vegetable processing plant, abattoir or wind energy park. " They could do anything else, why settle on underground gas, " said Daniel Ciobanu, a 40-year-old farmer. CAMPAIGNING PRIEST For all the concerns in Pungesti, many people in eastern Europe welcome shale gas. Governments in Poland, Lithuania, Romania and Ukraine are all keen to encourage exploration, although in Bulgaria it is banned. In Poland, the industry " s biggest shale gas hope in mainland Europe, exploration drilling is underway on several concessions. The country, with a history of conflict with Moscow, sees shale gas as a way of reducing dependence on Russian gas imports. Yet even in Poland, some local people, backed by environmental campaigners, have staged protests. At one of Chevron " s Polish shale gas concessions, near the village of Zurawlow, local people occupied a work site when contractors started trying to erect a fence. |
| The mass media can play various socio-political roles by both being a unifying, enlightening and peace-making force in society, as well as by being a destructive and inflammatory force inciting enmity and hatred. Unfortunately, modern-day tendencies show that journalism can be easily transformed into a weapon for the manipulation of human consciousness. Today we Christians of both West and East are confronted by many challenges and problems which our conscience has to respond to. “The power of the word is stronger than the power of money or arms. All that has happened in history, all great transformations began with the word … The word contains within itself the potential for salvation and the potential for ruin, and the past twentieth century illustrated in an astonishing way the power of the word,” His Holiness Patriarch Kirill The average person today mainly believes that which he/she reads in print or in the electronic media, or sees on television. A script read aloud in authoritative tones on television accompanied by a video footage has no need of proof. It is not the conclusions that convince but the reader’s intonation and pictures on the screen. The paradox of the modern-day world is that in an apparent surfeit of information, people and society as a whole are in receipt of less concrete, evidential and proven information and become ever more victims of mythalogization and manipulation. It is these devices which are often used by new so-called religious organizations and fundamentalists for whom the recruiting of new followers is the primary objective. We mean here totalitarian sect It is within this new reality, when the volume of news reports overwhelms the consumer of information and he/she has no time to check their veracity, that ‘fake news’ is more often used. The technology of creating fake news is varied but, as a rule, by applying the discernment approach it is possible to recognize a fake. The problem is that people today, weighed down by the cares of their day-to-day lives, lack time to analyze the information they get and to determine what is true and what is a lie. |
| Pun în aceste cuvinte sentimentele speciale ale unei persoane, care s-a nscut în familia persoanelor aflai în blocad, care a rmas în via printr-o minune pe parcursul acestor 900 de zile de foame, frig i pierderea practic a tuturor legturilor cu lumea înconjurtoare. Eu m-am nscut în anul 1946, imediat dup rzboi. Eu in minte Leningradul cu cldirile sale distruse. Eu in minte faa blocadei. Eu in minte aceste culori gri, negre, ale oraului. Dar, de asemenea, am fost martorul faptului, cât de rapid i cu ce energie, în lipsa utilajelor i mecanismelor contemporane, s-a refcut oraul. În doar câiva ani nu a rmas nici o ruin, nici o grmad de gunoi – totul a fost curit i oraul a aprut în toat frumuseea lui. În legtur cu data menionat, consider important s mai spun odat c aprarea Patriei, cârmuirea pstoreasc a ostailor i grija pentru bunstarea lor moral este una din direciile prioritare ale activitii bisericeti. Cu mila lui Dumnezeu azi are loc renaterea instituiei clerului militar. Conform evalurii Ministerului aprrii al Federaiei Ruse acest proces exercit o influen evident pozitiv asupra strii moral-psihologice a componenei Forelor Armate, pentru aceasta a vrea s-mi exprim mulumirea ministrului aprrii Rusiei Serghei Cujughetovici oigu. În baza experienei acumulate, consider necesar s fie introduse în state funcii corespunztoare i pentru Forele de interne ale MAI, care îndeplinesc o sarcin important pentru pstrarea pcii i linitii în ar. Anume aceti ostai deseori au posibilitatea s se ciocneasc cu moartea, realizând operaii de contracarare a actelor de terorism. Inima mea se umple de bucurie, când în catedrala „Hristos Mântuitorul” tinerii, puternici i curajoi, sunt prezeni, în componena a câtorva batalioane, la Liturghia oficiat de Patriarh cu deplina contientizare a faptului ce se întâmpl, având o expresie deosebit a feii – aceasta se vede, se simte – când se apropie de Sfântul Potir. Consider c anume în aceste trupe trebuie s fie organizat în mod minuios i planificat în mod raional activitatea preoilor. |
| It didn’t happen, of course. The Turks won their war of independence. On November 24, 1934—the same day that Gazi Kemal was proclaimed Atatürk (“Father of the Turks”)—the Turkish Council of Ministers decreed that the Ayasofya Mosque should be turned into a museum: “Due to its historical significance … its conversion to a museum will cause humanity to gain a new institution of knowledge.” The secularization fit with Atatürk’s vision to reshape Turkey as a part of Western civilization. But one wonders if it came as a compromise, a defensive strategy when facing the unified desires of the very Christian West. Seventy-nine years later, the Hagia Sophia remains the most popular museum in Turkey. All this might seem like ancient history but for recent events in Turkey. Early in 2012, the identically named Ayasofya in Iznik (Byzantine Nicaea) was reopened as a mosque. Originally the church of Hagia Sophia and the setting of important Church councils, the building had been converted to a mosque with the Ottoman conquest. But it had fallen into disrepair long before the foundation of the Republic, and stood as a roofless ruin. For decades it had functioned as a museum and recently had begun to attract Christian pilgrims. Then Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arinç found a loophole in the law, insisting the building had never officially been deemed a museum, and that allowed its conversion. Reaction has been predictable: secularists and academics have decried the move; Islamists are delighted. Locals expect tourism to decline, even though admission fees are no longer collected. The reconversion of one Ayasofya has spurred efforts for others. In May 2012, thousands of devout Muslims, organized by the Anatolian Youth Organization, prayed outside the Istanbul monument, shouting, “Break the chains! Let Ayasofya Mosque open!” As their leader explained, “Keeping Ayasofya Mosque closed is an insult to our mostly Muslim population of 75 million. It symbolizes our ill-treatment by the West.” |
| The most wonderful element in the legacy of the monks Sava and Simeon—son and father—was their joint effort to bring to the Serbian nation a spiritual center in which prayer and committed Christian life would be the eternal flame and vigil lamp guiding the Serbian people to the Kingdom of God. This eternal torch and divine light was Hilandar Monastery. Hilandar Monastery was once a small monastic settlement which had fallen into ruin for many years. The property was owned by Vatopedi Monastery. Due to Sava " s virtuous life and his representation of the Vatopedi brotherhood at the Imperial Court in Constantinople, and also because of Simeon " s generous material support of the Monastery, the ruins of Hilandar, by Imperial decree, were given to the Serbs as an independent and self-governing property to be used as a monastery. This was made official by two foundational charters: the chrysobull of Byzantine Emperor Alexis III Angelos of Constantinople in June 1198, and the charter of Hilandar Monastery " s co-founder, Zhupan Stephen Nemanja—monk Simeon—in late 1198. Hence, the idea of a Serbian monastery on the Holy Mountain became a reality when father became obedient to son, when both of these spiritual pillars of the Serbian people became totally dedicated to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Holy Orthodoxy. Hilandar Monastery - Mount Athos In May 1199, the main church, dedicated to the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple (November 21st), along with several other buildings necessary for the Monastery to function properly, were completed and consecrated. The Typikon of Hilandar (rules and regulations governing the communal prayer life of the monastery) was based upon the Greek Typikon of the Monastery of the Theotokos the Grace-giver in Constantinople, St. Sava " s favorite Imperial monastery. St. Sava himself translated the Greek text of this typikon into Old Slavonic for use at Hilandar. When monastic life at Hilandar began, there were only fifteen monks, but within a short period of time the number grew to ninety. There was no doubt that the Hilandar community would be successful as long as the great Sava and Simeon were leading the way: that is, by being totally dedicated to Jesus Christ they were able to attract many candidates to the radically devoted monastic lfe m Christ led by the Holy Spirit. Hence, Sava saw another blessing and miracle develop before his very own eyes: the arrival of many young Serbian ascetics desirous, as he was in his youth, of the totally committed life in Christ. |
| Fill the lined mould with quark mixture Cover with cheesecloth Place a light weight on top Place the paskha-mould in refrigerator for overnight, letting the extra liquid run out into a bowl underneath the mould (see pictures above). The longer you strain the quark in advance, the less liquid will come out of the final paskha, resulting in a firmer, more even-shaped dessert. On the next day, uncover the paskha mould and place a serving platter on top of it. Holding the platter firmly against the mould, turn the mould and the platter upside down. Open the mould and carefully remove it, letting the paskha slide on the platter. Gently peel off the cheesecloth from the surface. Store the unmoulded paskha in refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. It will keep for a few days. Paskha is traditionally served spread thickly on a slice of kulich – a special Russian Easter cake. In picture on right: paskha on a slice of kulich. Note: instead of kulich, you may serve Italian panettone bread or some other rich, soft and flavourful sweet yeast bread with paskha. Never use vanilla extracts or essences to flavour paskha. Because the essences are made by steeping vanilla pods in alcohol, they always give a strong, bitter taste of alcohol to the paskha mixture, overpowering the very delicate taste of sweetened quark. The quality of the essence/extract has no significance, even the best products will ruin the dish. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Easter recipes: Kulich Paskha admin During the great Easter fast of Greek Orthodox church it is forbidden to eat meat, eggs, butter or other dairy products. On Easter Sunday ... Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. |
| Sin embargo, los «habitantes» comunes, como ya lo dijimos, hablan comúnmente del cristianismo con cierto respeto. «El Cristianismo, oh! – es evidentemente una doctrina importante y elevada. ¿Quien podrá discutirlo?» Así, más o menos, se refieren al cristianismo. Pero, al mismo tiempo, se considera signo de buena modalidad estar, a menudo inconscientemente, en una especie de oposición contra todo lo eclesiástico. En el alma de muchos contemporáneos nuestros, no sabemos cómo, conviven en paz el respeto al cristianismo y el menosprecio a la Iglesia. Por lo menos, a nadie lo incomoda llamarse cristiano, pero no quieren saber nada de la Iglesia y se avergüenzan mostrarse adeptos a la Iglesia. La gente, que en sus certificados de bautismo, aparecen como «de religión cristiana ortodoxa,» señalan de un modo incomprensiblemente malicioso los defectos, a veces reales, pero a menudo inventadas, de la vida de la Iglesia, y no se lamentan de estas imperfecciones, como lo dice en sus preceptos el Apóstol: «Si un miembro padece, todos los miembros se duelen con él» ( 1Cor. 12:26 ), sino, justamente, se alegran maliciosos. En nuestra prensa, así llamada «progresiva» hay muchas personas que se ganan el sustento por medio de la calumnia, exclusivamente, dirigida a la Iglesia y sus instituciones, a los representantes de la jerarquía eclesiástica. Calumniar todo lo de la Iglesia se hizo para algunos simplemente una profesión rentable. Pero en esta notoria mentira se apuran a creer, y sin mostrar alguna duda, aquella gente que se considera verdaderamente cristiana. Con la gente mala sucede, que al escuchar algo ruin sobre sus enemigos, se apuran a creer todo lo malicioso, como temiendo, de que esas ruindades resulten mentiras. Algo similar, precisamente, se puede observar en cierta gente con respecto a la Iglesia. Para ellos la Iglesia representa algo así, como un enemigo, de cuyas imperfecciones le resulta tan grato al pecador tener noticia. Aquí volvemos a ver con qué amplitud se ha difundido la separación del cristianismo y de la Iglesia: se consideran cristianos, pero no quieren ni escuchar nada bueno sobre la Iglesia. |
| Moreover, the Church of Christ, through its teaching and the grace of the Holy Spirit abiding in her, enables the faithful to perfect themselves morally and make their conscience more discerning and sensitive. This is one of the high goals of our Christian life, as Jesus Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: «Blessed are those whose hearts are pure; they shall see God» (Matt. 5:8). Through a clear conscience, as through a clear crystal, God " s light enters our soul and permeates its every corner. As long as this light remains in us, it guides our thoughts, elevates our feelings, strengthens our will, and helps us in every good undertaking. Through this blessed illumination, many Christians become instruments of God " s providence. When this happens, a Christian not only enjoys spiritual blessings, but also becomes an instrument of salvation to others. Church history illustrates this with innumerable examples in the lives of its Saints like Seraphim of Sarov, John of Kronstadt, Elder Ambrosy of Optina, Saints Herman and Innocent of Alaska, Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, Archbishop John of San Francisco [Maximovich], and others who saved so many souls. In conclusion, a clear conscience is a well-spring of all Divine blessings. People with clean hearts enjoy inner peace; they are gentle and benevolent. It seems that already in this temporary life, filled with trials and turmoil, God gives them a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven. As Saint John Chrysostom puts it: «Not fame and wealth, not great power and physical strength, not a magnificent table and elegant clothing, not any other human advantage can bring true happiness. This comes only from spiritual health and a clear conscience.» Some quotations about conscience There is no witness so dreadful, no accuser so terrible as the conscience that dwells in the heart of every man (Polybius, c. 208–126 BC, History, bk. XVIII, 43). Wisdom entereth not into a malicious mind, and science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul. (Francois Rabelais, c. 1494–1553, Gargantua and Pantagruel, bk. II, 8) |
| Chapter 21.– Utterances of the Prophet Isaiah Regarding the Resurrection of the Dead and the Retributive Judgment. The prophet Isaiah says, The dead shall rise again, and all who were in the graves shall rise again; and all who are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew which is from You is their health, and the earth of the wicked shall fall. Isaiah 26:19 All the former part of this passage relates to the resurrection of the blessed; but the words, the earth of the wicked shall fall, is rightly understood as meaning that the bodies of the wicked shall fall into the ruin of damnation. And if we would more exactly and carefully scrutinize the words which refer to the resurrection of the good, we may refer to the first resurrection the words, the dead shall rise again, and to the second the following words, and all who were in the graves shall rise again. And if we ask what relates to those saints whom the Lord at His coming shall find alive upon earth, the following clause may suitably be referred to them; All who are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew which is from You is their health. By health in this place it is best to understand immortality. For that is the most perfect health which is not repaired by nourishment as by a daily remedy. In like manner the same prophet, affording hope to the good and terrifying the wicked regarding the day of judgment, says, Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will flow down upon them as a river of peace, and upon the glory of the Gentiles as a rushing torrent; their sons shall be carried on the shoulders, and shall be comforted on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so shall I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall rise up like a herb; and the hand of the Lord shall be known by His worshippers, and He shall threaten the contumacious. For, behold, the Lord shall come as a fire, and as a whirlwind His chariots, to execute vengeance with indignation, and wasting with a flame of fire. |
|
|
