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Post by Cornflake on Aug 31, 2008 22:17:35 GMT -5
I don't think the photo is very good but the subject is. Our church has a sister church in Russia that sent this as a gift. I have no clue what it says.  While I'm at it, here's the sancturary.  |
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Post by billhammond on Aug 31, 2008 22:18:38 GMT -5
I think it's just a Web address, Don.
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Post by jdd on Sept 1, 2008 5:36:43 GMT -5
Either that or the last clue in the da vinci code.
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Post by Marshall on Sept 4, 2008 21:42:20 GMT -5
"Hi. My name is Jesus. I'll be your waiter tonight. Let me tell you about our Special. It's a wonderful fish and bread dinner that can feed a thousand.
Would you care to look at the wine list ?"
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Post by jdd on Sept 8, 2008 5:35:58 GMT -5
"Hi. My name is Jesus. I'll be your waiter tonight. Let me tell you about our Special. It's a wonderful fish and bread dinner that can feed a thousand. Would you care to look at the wine list ?" And I really doubt that was done with a lisp...! |
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,914 
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Post by Dub on Sept 9, 2008 8:40:47 GMT -5
That's very cool, 'Flake. The book is a page from ancient scripture written in the original Church Slavonic. <g> I'm guessing you know that people fluent in Russian often can't read Church Slavonic either. Where is your "sister" church and how did you establish that relationship? Are the two communities in Communion? Is it an Anglican Church? I should know what is written on the pages of the book since, whatever the language, the text in that Icon is fixed by Tradition. There are copies of that Icon in which the text is English but I don't have any image available right now. The Icon depicts Christ as teacher. In an Orthodox Church that Icon is mounted in the Iconostasis just to the right of the Royal Doors. There would also be a large Icon of Christ holding a book surrounded by the dome of heaven, angles and the four Evangelists. The Icon fills the top of the dome in the middle of the nave. It is called Christ Pantocrator. In that Icon, the book is closed. The book represents the Book of Life (now closed) and depicts Christ as Judge of all. - Dub |
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Post by Cornflake on Sept 9, 2008 9:28:32 GMT -5
I didn't know any of that, Dub. Thanks.
"Where is your 'sister' church and how did you establish that relationship? Are the two communities in Communion? Is it an Anglican Church?"
It's an Orthodox church in St. Petersburg, Russia. I attended my only orthodox service there, twelve years ago. I can't recall if we were allowed to take communion. The relationship was established when our then-rector somehow met Father Boris, who was the equivalent for that church. I think some of their clergy have visited our church and our choir performed in theirs, which was the trip I tagged along on. They provided a reception with memorable vodka toasts.
Few of the clergy I have any use for attach much importance to denominational boundaries.
We have a chapel filled with images of this sort, courtesy of them. I think the images are really beautiful.
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Dub
Administrator
I'm gettin' so the past is the only thing I can remember.
Posts: 19,914
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Post by Dub on Sept 9, 2008 14:03:39 GMT -5
... I can't recall if we were allowed to take communion. I would think not. Even Orthodox faithful who haven't properly prepared through confession, fasting and prayer aren't supposed to approach the Chalice. My nephew who went to Carlton spent six months studying in Russia as one of their programs. He took lots of pictures of some of the great old Cathedrals and some were in St. Petersberg. He carefully explained to me that the Soviets had evidently removed all the altars from the churches because he never saw an altar anywhere. I had to explain to him that the altar is in the Sanctuary, behind the Iconostasis and, since there was no service in progress, the Royal Doors were closed. All these things are taken very seriously in the Orthodox Church. Even a priest doesn't enter the Sanctuary without some compelling need to do so. Icons are considered windows into heaven, and aren't meant to be photo realistic in any sense. No one knows what the people depicted actually looked like but there are Traditional representations for them. Often you may find Saints represented in an Icon who lived hundreds of years apart and never could have been in the same scene. The Icon contains a story or lesson, not a painted snapshot. You might, at some time, be inéterested in a discussion on Icons we had some years back on the Mudcat Café. Here's a link... www.mudcat.org/thread_pf.cfm?threadid=68307It talks about the meaning of Icons and their use in the Church. - Dub |
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