In the late thirteenth century Russia was devastated by the Tartars. Thus the site of the town of Kursk (300 miles south of Moscow) had become a wilderness. Now it happened one afternoon in September 1295 that a man out hunting there noticed an ikon lying face down at the root of a tree. Surprised, the hunter picked it up and saw that it was an image of the Mother of God of the Sign. From the place where the ikon had been picked up a clear spring of healing water gushed forth. This happened on the 8th September, the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. With the help of friends the hunter built a small chapel and placed the newly-found ikon in it. When news of this spread, many people came to this chapel to venerate the ikon and pray about their sorrows and needs. The Mother of God healed all who came to her with faith.

A local prince, hearing of the ikon, demanded that it be brought to him. With great solemnity it was carried to the town gates and a huge crowd gathered to greet it. Only the prince was missing, since, lacking faith, he did not consider it necessary to greet the ikon myself and, for his impiety, was struck blind. Acknowledging his error, the prince ran out to meet the ikon and publicly confessed his sin. He was healed immediately and promised to build a church in honour of the Nativity of the Mother of God, which was done. However, it soon became obvious that it was not the will of the Mother of God that the ikon remain there. Each time it was in the new church, it was miraculously transported back to the now deserted chapel.

As the years passed, veneration of the Kursk Ikon of the Mother of God grew. Thus a pious local priest often used to visit the chapel and hold services there, especially on the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, the anniversary of the ikon’s discovery. In 1385 Tartars again invaded the area. Finding the chapel in the woods where the priest was praying, they tried to set fire to it. Three attempts to burn it down were made, but to no avail. The Tartars were sure that the priest was putting out the fire by some sort of magic. When the priest explained that the reason for their failure was the miraculous power of the ikon, the Tartars took the ikon from the chapel and chopped it in half. One part they threw into bushes nearby, the other they carried a mile deeper into the forest and threw away. Then they proceeded to burn down the chapel and took the priest prisoner.

While in captivity, the priest did not lose heart. He resisted the efforts of the Tartars to make him renounce his faith, relying on the prayers of the Mother of God: his prayers were not in vain. Once, while the priest was tending sheep and singing hymns to the Mother of God, a group of Orthodox Christians overheard him and, paying his ransom, they took him home.

At the first opportunity the priest began to search for the ikon. To his great joy he found both pieces, after much searching. Placing them side by side, he was amazed to see that they immediately grew together, leaving only a fine line where the split had been. He hurried to spread the news and the ikon was triumphantly returned to the church. Yet again it miraculously travelled back to the place of its discovery. This happened several times and it was decided to restore the chapel in the woods, where the ikon remained for some 200 years.

Its fame spread far and wide in Russia and it became known as the ‘Kursk Root Ikon’, as it had been found at the root of a tree. In 1597 it was solemnly brought to Moscow and met by a great multitude. The ikon was placed in a special gilt frame on which were depicted the Lord and the Old Testament prophets, holding scrolls in their hands with prophecies of the future conception and birth of Christ by the Holy Virgin Mary and prefigurations of the Most Holy Mother of God. Then the ikon was returned to Kursk and a large sum donated for a hermitage to be built on the site of its discovery. This was called the Kursk Root Hermitage.

On account of the dangers of renewed Tartar invasions, the ikon was transferred to the city of Kursk. There it remained until 1615. In its absence, in 1611, the Tartars completely destroyed the Hermitage. The ikon was then taken to Moscow for safekeeping. A year later Kursk itself was besieged, this time by Poles. The townsfolk prayed fervently to the Mother of God, vowing to build a monastery in honour of the miraculous Kursk Ikon in their city in case of victory. Their prayers were heard, for several townsfolk and captive Poles clearly saw the Mother of God with two radiant monks on top of the town wall. She sternly chased away the besiegers and as a result the siege was lifted. A monastery in honour of the ikon was built and the people of Kursk urgently pleaded for the return of the miraculous ikon, for it was still in Moscow. In 1618 the Tsar agreed and also the Kursk Root Hermitage was rebuilt.

Many pages of history are associated with the Kursk Ikon. Cossacks were blessed by it in 1676. By special decree copies of the miraculous ikon accompanied armies and in 1812 people prayed before such an ikon during the invasion of Russia.

The Kursk Ikon features in the life of the much loved Russian saint, St Seraphim of Sarov. He was born in Kursk in 1759. When he was nine years old, he was very sick and the doctors were quite unable to find a cure for his malaise. I happened that a religious procession carrying the Kursk Ikon was passing his family home. His mother took the child out to venerate the ikon and, through to solicitude of the Mother of God, he was cured.

In 1898 atheist revolutionaries tried to destroy the Kursk Ikon by placing a huge bomb in the Cathedral, where it was kept. They wanted the bomb to go off during the Vigil Service, thus killing many people. However, the bomb went off during the night instead. Worried monks ran to the church and were shocked at the devastation. The gilded canopy above the ikon was destroyed and the marble steps leading up to the ikon smashed. A massive cast iron door was torn off its hinges and thrown outside, where it had cracked an outside wall. All the windows were shattered. Yet, despite this, the ikon was untouched, even the glass in the frame was intact. The anarchists’ intention had been to ridicule the ikon, but in fact it was glorified all the more for this double miracle: the ikon had been preserved and no one had been hurt.

After the 1917 Revolution the Kursk Ikon was rescued from Russia by the leader of the White Russian army, the great General Wrangel. Surviving intact, and the ikon accompanied those Orthodox Russians who were fleeing the greatest persecution and martyrdom the world has ever seen, in which millions were slaughtered for their Faith. The ikon was carefully carried from place to place until 1927, when it was placed in Holy Trinity Church in Belgrade in Serbia.

During the Second World War Belgrade was bombed mercilessly. Whole quarters of the city were flattened and many were killed. Yet houses visited by the Kursk Ikon were miraculously spared. Air raids occurred during services, yet the Church of the Holy Trinity containing the miraculous ikon was safer than any air raid shelter.

After the Second World War the ikon was taken to Germany, where it remained for five years, comforting the Orthodox flock all over Western Europe, wearied by the tribulations of the War. Then it was taken to America. Initially it was kept at a hermitage, but later it was moved to the Cathedral of the Mother of God at the headquarters of the Synod of the Church outside Russia in New York City.

Today the Ikon is taken from Orthodox parish to parish all over the world and its fame is international. It is known for countless miracles, healings and for assistance in misfortunes. It is significant that St John the Wonderworker (of Shanghai & later of San Francisco, where his shrine of located in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow), who was recently canonised by the Orthodox Church, died before this very ikon. We should venerate this great and remarkable ikon! It is a well-spring of miraculous grace which is offered to us through God’s mercy by the Mother of our Lord, the Mother of all faithful Christians. For at least seven centuries faithful people have prayed before the miraculous Kursk Ikon of the Mother of God and received help according to their faith.

Preluare:Parintele Liviu Barbu si Parintele Andrew Bond

”Dragi romani,

Mai jos este un mesaj primit de la parintele diacon Andrew Bond, de la biserica ortodoxa “Joy of All Who Sorrow” din Mettingham, Suffolk (aflata la aprox. jumatate de ora de Norwich). O icoana facatoare de minuni a Maicii Domnului se va afla la biserica respectiva in seara zilei de luni, 21 iunie, orele 18:30. Daca puteti, veniti sa va inchinati Maicii Domnului.  Adresa bisericii este :

The Church of the Mother of God: Joy of All Who Sorrow (Biserica Maicii Domnului: Bucuria Tuturor Celor Necajiti) The White House Mettingham Suffolk NR35 1TP

Pentru acces folositi intrarea principala de la White House. Biserica se afla in gradina, in spate, in partea stanga a casei.”

Doamne ajuta!

Parintele Liviu

Visit of the Wonder-working Kursk Ikon to Mettingham on Monday 21 June 2010 To quote the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” June bulletin –

“……if miraculously the ikon does arrive here in Mettingham, we will do our utmost to let everybody know.” Dear friends, we are very fortunate. Although there is a very tight schedule, Fr Nikolai Savchenko will be bringing the ikon to Mettingham on Monday afternoon – 21 June. There will be a service (Compline and the Akathist to the Mother of God) at 6.30pm in our church here in the grounds of The White House, Low Road, Mettingham. Thus we will have the great privilege of praying before the ikon and venerating this ancient and holy image. We appreciate that this is very short notice but please make a special effort to join us on this ocassion and tell all your friends. If you would like anybody commemorated in the service, please let us have the names as soon as possible so that we can prepare a list. Remember, we just need the Christian names, not surnames.

http://www.cotidianul.ro/116267-Grupul_nababilor_romani_de_pe_Coasta_de_Azur

Regina Marii Britanii Elisabeta a II-a a cerut, luni, prima mărire de salariu din ultimii 20 de ani. Cererea Reginei a stârnit mânia parlamentarilor britanici, în contextul în care noua coaliţie de guvernare va anunţa un pachet sever de măsuri de austeritate, prin care se urmăreşte economisirea a 6 miliarde de lire sterline, scrie Daily Mail.

Casa Regală britanică primeşte anual o indemnizaţie de la buget de 7,9 milioane de lire sterline, sumă insuficientă pentru cheltuielile actuale. În consecinţă, reprezentanţii Casei Regale au cerut o mărire cu 6 milioane de lire sterline a sumei.

Susţinătorii Reginei susţin că aceasta a trebuit să intre în “banii pentru zile negre” ai Casei Regale pentru a-şi putea permite să îşi plătească angajaţii, să organizeze evenimente oficiale şi să îşi întreţină reşedinţele. De asemenea, ei au mai precizat că Regina îşi merită toţi banii, în condiţiile în care Casa Regală îl costă pe fiecare plătitor de taxe mai puţin de o liră sterlină pe an.

Sursawww. romani-online.co.uk

Si cum spune Cronica Carcotasilor :

Regina Angliei a cerut majorarea indemnizaţiei. 8 milioane de euro pe an nu îi ajung. E de rău … va ajunge în mizerie … o să-şi vândă coroana unor chinezi bogaţi, o să renunţe la paznici şi o să-i fure românii caleaşca … aia stire!

Dr Silvia Baciu, in varsta de 43 de ani, a lansat aceasta acuzatie sustinand ca a fost supusa unui tratament insultator si amenintator deoarece este europeana alba, relateaza cotidianul londonez Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1163503/romanian-doctor-suspended-calling-asian-colleagues-orang-utans.html). Dar trustul public de sanatate pentru care lucra a acuzat-o de rasism, iar GMC a criticat-o pentru “comportamentul rasial inacceptabil”.

Dr Baciu a lucrat ca anestezist principal la spitalul din Basildon, Essex, sud estul Angliei, din iunie 2004 pana in noiembrie 2005. Dupa parasirea departamentului ea a cerut o intalnire cu trustul de sanatate publica pentru a discuta acuzatii de discriminare din partea colegilor, prezentand in sprijinul acuzatiilor un document de 12 pagini. “Nu e vina mea ca in capul colegilor mei asiatici nu e nicio diferenta intre o femeie alba educata si un magar. Nu e vina mea ca m-am nascut in Europa si nu in sud-estul Asiei, ca alti stagiari. Nu e vina mea ca sunt alba,” a reiesit din documentele prezentate GMC. “Îndraznesc chiar sa sugerez, monser, ca unii doctori sunt scutiti de cerintele legilor imigrarii. Barbatii asiatici inteligenti din acest departament nu se pot plasa deasupra legii,” ar mai fi declarat dr Baciu.
GMC a fost informat ca dr Baciu ar fi avut probleme in a se adapta in Marea Britanie. Craig Ferguson de la GMC a afirmat ca abilitatea sa de a comunica si de a intocmi evaluari scrise a generat preocupare. Dr Baciu a declarat ca termenul “urangutan” nu se referea la aspectul doctorilor ci la comportamentul lor agresiv, atat in public cat si in privat. Dar dl Ferguson a contrazis-o: “Orice referire la un grup etnic care difera de grupul majoritar in Regatul Unit din cauza culorii pielii este rasist, iar orice sugestie contrara nu se poate sustine.” “A sustine ca asa ceva e altceva decat rasism e o prostie.”

În sprijinul deciziei de a o suspenda pe dr Baciu pe timp de sase luni, presedintele comisiei GMC, Ralph Bergaman, a spus: “Perioada de suspendare va va permite sa reflectati la comportamentul dumneavoastra inacceptabil, sa faceti pasi pentru a deveni mai constienta de caracterul inacceptabil al comportamentului rasist si sa aratati viitoarei comisii ca ati dobandit gradul necesar de constientizare.” Dr Bergman a adaugat ca decizia dr Baciu de a nu comparea in fata comisiei este preocupanta. GMC i-a recomandat sa participe la un curs de diversitate inainte de reanalizarea cazului sau pe parcursul acestui an.

Sursa: http://www.gmcpressoffice.org.uk/apps/news/events/detail.php?key=3260Dr. Baciu

Obiceiuri din Vinerea Mare

Vinerea Mare (Vinerea Pastilor, Vinerea Seaca, Vinerea Patimilor) este zi de mare doliu a intregii crestinatati pentru ca in aceasta zi a fost rastignit si a murit Mantuitorul lumii. Zi aliturgica, pentru ca Liturghia reprezinta jertfa nesangeroasa a lui Hristos, in chipul painii si al vinului, iar cele doua jertfe nu se pot aduce in aceeasi zi. In seara acestei zile se oficiaza denia Prohodului Domnului.

In mijlocul bisericii se scoate Sfantul Epitaf (care-l inchipuie mort pe Mantuitorul, inconjurat de Apostoli si Maica Domnului) pe sub care toata lumea trece, pana in dupa-amiaza zilei de sambata. In zorii zilei de Inviere este dus din nou in Sfantul altar si este asezat pe sfanta masa, unde ramane pana in miercurea dinaintea Inaltarii Domnului. Se spune ca pe cei ce trec de trei ori pe sub Sfantul Aer nu-i doare capul, mijlocul si salele in cursul anului, iar daca isi sterg ochii cu marginea epitafului nu vor suferi de dureri de ochi.

Acestei zile i se spune si Vinerea Seaca, pentru ca batranele posteau post negru, iar seara, la Denia Prohodului Domnului, luau anafura de la biserica. Dupa cantarea Prohodului Domnului se inconjoara de trei ori biserica de tot soborul, cu Sfantul Epitaf, care apoi este asezat pe masa din mijlocul bisericii. La terminarea slujbei, femeile merg la morminte, aprind lumanari si-si jelesc mortii. La sfarsitul slujbei, era obiceiul ca preotul sa imparta florile aduse, care erau considerate a fi bune de leac. Lumea, in trecut, pleca acasa cu lumanarile aprinse pe drum, ca sa afle si mortii de venirea zilelor mari. Ocoleau casa de trei ori si intrand, se inchinau, faceau cate o cruce cu lumanarea aprinsa in cei patru pereti sau doar la grinda de la intrare si pastrau lumanarea pentru vremuri de primejdie.

In popor se crede ca daca ploua in Vinerea Mare anul va fi manos, iar daca nu, nu va fi roditor. Unii cred ca, daca se scufunda in apa rece de trei ori in acesta zi vor fi sanatosi tot anul. Femeile nu umplu bors in acesta zi, sa nu se scalde Necuratul in el; nu coc paine sau altceva, sa nu arda mainile Maicii Domnului; nu cos, ca sa nu orbeasca; nu tes, nu torc, nu spala, pentru a nu o supara pe Sfanta Vineri; afuma casa cu tamaie, inconjurand-o de trei ori, in zorii acestei zile, pentru ca ganganiile si dihaniile sa nu se apropie de casa si de pomi. Copiii aduna flori de pe camp si le duc la biserica.

Inaltatoare zi de doliu, tacere si meditatie, Vinerea Mare este cinstita mai ales prin participarea la slujba Prohodului Domnului. Asa ramane ea in constiinta romanilor contemporani.

dr. Iuliana Bancescu

http://www.crestinortodox.ro/datini-obiceiuri-si-superstitii/68811-obiceiuri-din-vinerea-mare

Prima sotie al lui Henry VIII a fost o printesa spaniola ,CATHERINE  of ARAGON ,care a  fost sotia fratelui lui Henry VIII,Arthur,insa acesta moare .Casatoria a avut loc in 1509.Catherine a fost insarcinata de multe ori insa doar o fiica a supravietuit,Mary(Regina Mary I a Angliei).Disperat ca nu are un fiu ca succesor ,Henry a anulat casatoria cu Catherine in 1533.Anularea casatorie a fost posibila numai in momentul in care Henry a renuntat la catolicism si s-a proclamat singur ”Head of The Church of England!’‘