I was struck by the fact that despite the complicated political context and the contradictions existing in the Ukrainian society, an absolute majority of the people cherish the Orthodox faith and spiritual values defined by this faith. These are the same values that are cherished in Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova and other places. These are the values that outline the parameters of a very important cultural and civilizational notion which I would describe as the Russian World.
I think that potentially, a merger can occur, for instance, of two parishes in a single city, as has already happened in Australia, in the city of Newcastle, New South Wales. The believers of the already-united St Nicholas Parish live together, and, I should note, live amicably. As far as the proposed unification of separate parishes in Germany, I believe that this decision is entirely in the hands of the ecclesiastical authorities. With time, of course, discussions can be held on this matter. At the same time, it is my opinion that there is no need to hurry in this direction. Such complicated matters must be decided upon peacefully, cautiously, and most of all, with love.
Moskovskaya Troika, the company he launched just two months ago, has already built a dedicated following among the city's Russian Orthodox. Its drivers are all devout believers, who are more likely to share a prayer than rant about traffic or the weather.
George Andreadis
Rating: 6,7|Votes: 15
When the Ottomans of Asia Minor heard of the Greek insurrection, there was a fierce backlash and Trebizond’s governor, Hesref Pasha, gathered the city’s professed Christians into the Ottoman citadel, the Leontokastro, intending to execute them. They were saved only through the efforts of the Ottoman Muslim military commander, Pasha Satir Zade, who warded off the unjust slaughter. Although the news of the Peloponnese revolt was welcomed in the crypto-Christian community, the initial joy was overshadowed by the death of the patriarch, and Kromni’s crypto-Christians worked quickly to counter attempts to fanaticize Kromni’s Muslim neighbors against the professed Christians.
Rating: 10|Votes: 3
There was also, for us, the humorous and long-standing belief of the Turkish Muslims in the surrounding areas that the air of Kromni was very good because no one ever died there! This was because the crypto-Christians held their funerals after dark in their house chapels. In the countryside, people had (and still have) the legal right to bury the dead on their own property, so in Kromni, the crypto-Christians were buried with Orthodox rites in their own gardens. Muslim outsiders never saw the burial services.