Powerful Magnitude 7 Quake Rocks Siberia
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,411265,00.html
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Russian emergency officials say a powerful earthquake has struck a Siberian region that includes Lake Baikal, but no casualties were immediately reported.
The magnitude 7 quake occurred at around 10:35 a.m. (0135 GMT) on Wednesday. Its epicenter was the southern tip of Lake Baikal, west of the Siberian city of Irkutsk.
The Russian television channel NTV reported that the quake caused thousands of frightened residents at apartment compounds and other buildings in Irkutsk to run onto the streets.
A spokeswoman for the local branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry says the quake did not cause any casualties or major damage.
Baikal is the world's largest freshwater lake by volume and a popular tourist destination.
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Friday, September 05, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Irkutsk Gold
Here's a story that I came across from RussiaToday http://www.russiatoday.ru/
Siberian City built on gold and hydro-power
The world's largest and deepest lake Baikal is situated in the Irkutsk region in eastern Siberia, home to some of Russia's most breathtaking natural wonders. Russia's main gold-producing sites also lie along its shores.
The Siberian region is abundant with many other precious metals, as well as having hydro-electric power.“We’d start our shift at 8 am. If you were 20 minutes late, you could get six months in prison!” recalled Efim Veshchev, a gold-digging veteran, now in his 90s.
The hunt for Siberian gold started on the shores of Baikal more than a century ago. The Irkutsk region still remains one of Russia’s main gold-producing sites.Working in the goldmines was tough and risky and few wanted to take such chances. So the job was often done by prisoners and there were plenty of them here.Since Tsarist times, the city of Irkutsk has been known as a place of exile.
By the end of the 19th century, every second man here was a deported convict, many of them nobles. Over the years, the city’s turned into a real melting pot.
During the Communist years the region’s vast natural resources became a magnet for ambitious projects. In 1954 the construction of the Bratskaya hydroelectric plant started and it now provides power to hundreds of homes and factories.
from: http://www.russiatoday.ru/
Siberian City built on gold and hydro-power
The world's largest and deepest lake Baikal is situated in the Irkutsk region in eastern Siberia, home to some of Russia's most breathtaking natural wonders. Russia's main gold-producing sites also lie along its shores.
The Siberian region is abundant with many other precious metals, as well as having hydro-electric power.“We’d start our shift at 8 am. If you were 20 minutes late, you could get six months in prison!” recalled Efim Veshchev, a gold-digging veteran, now in his 90s.
The hunt for Siberian gold started on the shores of Baikal more than a century ago. The Irkutsk region still remains one of Russia’s main gold-producing sites.Working in the goldmines was tough and risky and few wanted to take such chances. So the job was often done by prisoners and there were plenty of them here.Since Tsarist times, the city of Irkutsk has been known as a place of exile.
By the end of the 19th century, every second man here was a deported convict, many of them nobles. Over the years, the city’s turned into a real melting pot.
During the Communist years the region’s vast natural resources became a magnet for ambitious projects. In 1954 the construction of the Bratskaya hydroelectric plant started and it now provides power to hundreds of homes and factories.
from: http://www.russiatoday.ru/
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Earthquake in Irkutsk
I just read that an Earthquake hit Irkutsk a few weeks ago.
Earthquake hits Irkutsk
MOSCOW, May 21 -- Russia's East Siberia was shocked by an earthquake on Wednesday, causing no damage or casualty, local media reported. The quake, measuring from five to six points on the 12-point Mercalli intensity scale, occurred at 03:43 local time (2043 GMT Tuesday) in the Irkutsk region, near Lake Baikal, Itar-Tass said. The epicenter was located under the Lake Baikal, local seismic station said.
Earthquake hits Irkutsk
MOSCOW, May 21 -- Russia's East Siberia was shocked by an earthquake on Wednesday, causing no damage or casualty, local media reported. The quake, measuring from five to six points on the 12-point Mercalli intensity scale, occurred at 03:43 local time (2043 GMT Tuesday) in the Irkutsk region, near Lake Baikal, Itar-Tass said. The epicenter was located under the Lake Baikal, local seismic station said.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Hi Irina!!
We have a Russia dot, so we know that Irina has visited us! We just wanted to say hi to you! We hope that you and your family are all doing well. We will forever be thankful to you for the pictures that you took of Evan on Christmas and for the time that you spent with him while Kirsten was visiting. You will always hold a special place in our hearts.
Thank you,
The Hodges Family
Thank you,
The Hodges Family
Friday, April 04, 2008
Irkutsk History...Moscow Times
This is an article that ran in the Moscow times early this month on the history of Irkutsk.
03/04/2008
"Irkutsk is an excellent city. Quite intelligent. Theater, museum, city park with music, good hotels." Such was the impression of the city written by Anton Chekhov, famous Russian writer at the end of the 19th century. The western gateway to Lake Baikal, and one of the most important cities of Siberia, Irkutsk remains a great cultural and historical landmark.
Eastern Siberia's history is quite similar to the well-known history of American Wild West. Tens of thousands Cossacks, runaway serfs and other dashing individuals striving for a better life fought their way eastwards while engaging into numerous battles with indigenous people like Yakuts, Buryats, Tuvans and countless minor tribes. They were followed by merchants, gold diggers, mobsters and burdensome bureaucrats.
In 1652, in order to collect fur taxes from Buryats and trade gold, Cossack chieftain Yakov Pokhabov ordered the building of a fortress (or an ostrog as it was called then) at the location where the small Irkut River joins the Angara. Irkutsk's economy soared after the Siberian Road (or Trakt) reached Irkutsk in 1790. All goods heading to central Russia from Eastern Siberia and China - including furs, timber, gold, diamonds, tea etc. - traveled first through Irkutsk.
At the same time, as one of the largest trading hubs in Siberia, the distant city on the border of empire became a common place for exile. In the late 19th century, it was reported that there was one exiled person per every two native citizens. Many noble participants of Decembrist revolt of 1825 were sent there. In addition to revolutionary views, they brought much to the city's culture and architecture.
The best time to visit Irkutsk is certainly summer. As the saying goes, in Siberia it is cold for only three months out of the year, and very cold for the other nine. The central square is a strange blend of traditional Soviet-style city administration and Duma buildings, orthodox churches, a Roman Catholic Church and eternal flame.
Spasskaya and Bogoyavleniya churches standing at the corners of a small park fortunately survived the Soviet years. Today, they are interesting examples of Siberian clerical architecture. Meanwhile, an old gothic Polish Roman Catholic Church is not something one would expect to find in Siberia's heartland. The church was built mainly due to funds raised by Polish community of exiled living in Irkutsk at the end of the 19th century. Now the Catholic Church hosts Philharmonic Hall and provides services for Catholics.
The city center fascinates with its old dilapidated wooden architecture. Many run-down former houses of merchants, exiled noblemen, and revolutionaries are now populated by the city's marginalized and illegal Chinese migrants.
However, the other districts still preserve their cozy and warm feeling of an old, well-off city of tradesmen, where every rich merchant tried to show off his premises to the fullest. Despite their poor condition, the cost of these dwellings back then is obvious.
Visitors should make an effort to see two spectacular houses that were owned by the Decembrists Volkonsky and Trubetskoy (on Volkonsky and Dzerzhinsky streets, respectively). Both are open as museums.
After visiting the city center you can take a walk along Gagarina Boulevard to enjoy a magnificent view of the Angara and see a newly erected monument to Alexander III, the emperor who ordered the Trans-Siberian Railway to be constructed. The original monument stood at the same place before the revolution of 1917, but was demolished afterwards.
Take a walk to Karl Marx Street where you will soon find the Trud stadium, built in the 1950s by prison labor. The stadium hosts up to 20,000 spectatos and is said to have a vast cloud of vapors hovering from people's breath during major competitions in winter. Severe frosts do their job pretty well. Stop by the NEP (New Economic Policy) restaurant on Krasnogo Vosstaniya Street to get an impression of what life was like in the Soviet Union in the 1920s.
A large island in the Angara nearby provides another tourist attraction: a children's railroad. Even adults can enjoy a round trip of the island in a miniature but real train that is driven, controlled and supervised by children themselves.
Afterwards, take a stroll down the quay to the Irkutsk dam. Get to the middle of it and you will understand why even exiled Volkonsky's wife wrote to St. Petersburg that she found the city beautiful, the scenery picturesque and the river magnificent - although it was covered with ice. Make sure you do not miss the icebreaker Angara seen from the dam. Ordered in England and brought to Baikal in the last years of the 19th century, the Angara served well for several decades, sank twice and was completely abandoned to become later a museum and city's pride.
One more place of interest is Znamensky Monastery (on Angara Street) with a controversial newly erected monument to Admiral Alexander Kolchak, the ruler of Siberian part of Russia during the Civil War of 1918-1924. Killed by Bolsheviks and thrown into the Angara just a dozen meters from the spot Admiral Kolchak now stands in a uniform jacket, his head uncovered, wrapped deep into his thought.
Visiting Irkutsk is a worthy trip in itself, but it is much better to take another two or three days to see one of nature's miracles, Lake Baikal. It is about a one hour drive away.
TO GET THERE
Regular and frequent S7 and Aeroflot flights, lasting five hours are definitely the best choice. But more passionate travelers who can spare the time can take a train, which will give them an impression of the vast Trans-Siberian railway. It reaches Irkutsk in approximately three and a half days.
By Alexander Usoltsev RELATED ARTICLES17/01/2008 Siberia Braces For Cold13/09/2007 `Shroom Boom in West Siberia10/05/2007 Maiden Trip for Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express© 2007 Moscow News
03/04/2008
"Irkutsk is an excellent city. Quite intelligent. Theater, museum, city park with music, good hotels." Such was the impression of the city written by Anton Chekhov, famous Russian writer at the end of the 19th century. The western gateway to Lake Baikal, and one of the most important cities of Siberia, Irkutsk remains a great cultural and historical landmark.
Eastern Siberia's history is quite similar to the well-known history of American Wild West. Tens of thousands Cossacks, runaway serfs and other dashing individuals striving for a better life fought their way eastwards while engaging into numerous battles with indigenous people like Yakuts, Buryats, Tuvans and countless minor tribes. They were followed by merchants, gold diggers, mobsters and burdensome bureaucrats.
In 1652, in order to collect fur taxes from Buryats and trade gold, Cossack chieftain Yakov Pokhabov ordered the building of a fortress (or an ostrog as it was called then) at the location where the small Irkut River joins the Angara. Irkutsk's economy soared after the Siberian Road (or Trakt) reached Irkutsk in 1790. All goods heading to central Russia from Eastern Siberia and China - including furs, timber, gold, diamonds, tea etc. - traveled first through Irkutsk.
At the same time, as one of the largest trading hubs in Siberia, the distant city on the border of empire became a common place for exile. In the late 19th century, it was reported that there was one exiled person per every two native citizens. Many noble participants of Decembrist revolt of 1825 were sent there. In addition to revolutionary views, they brought much to the city's culture and architecture.
The best time to visit Irkutsk is certainly summer. As the saying goes, in Siberia it is cold for only three months out of the year, and very cold for the other nine. The central square is a strange blend of traditional Soviet-style city administration and Duma buildings, orthodox churches, a Roman Catholic Church and eternal flame.
Spasskaya and Bogoyavleniya churches standing at the corners of a small park fortunately survived the Soviet years. Today, they are interesting examples of Siberian clerical architecture. Meanwhile, an old gothic Polish Roman Catholic Church is not something one would expect to find in Siberia's heartland. The church was built mainly due to funds raised by Polish community of exiled living in Irkutsk at the end of the 19th century. Now the Catholic Church hosts Philharmonic Hall and provides services for Catholics.
The city center fascinates with its old dilapidated wooden architecture. Many run-down former houses of merchants, exiled noblemen, and revolutionaries are now populated by the city's marginalized and illegal Chinese migrants.
However, the other districts still preserve their cozy and warm feeling of an old, well-off city of tradesmen, where every rich merchant tried to show off his premises to the fullest. Despite their poor condition, the cost of these dwellings back then is obvious.
Visitors should make an effort to see two spectacular houses that were owned by the Decembrists Volkonsky and Trubetskoy (on Volkonsky and Dzerzhinsky streets, respectively). Both are open as museums.
After visiting the city center you can take a walk along Gagarina Boulevard to enjoy a magnificent view of the Angara and see a newly erected monument to Alexander III, the emperor who ordered the Trans-Siberian Railway to be constructed. The original monument stood at the same place before the revolution of 1917, but was demolished afterwards.
Take a walk to Karl Marx Street where you will soon find the Trud stadium, built in the 1950s by prison labor. The stadium hosts up to 20,000 spectatos and is said to have a vast cloud of vapors hovering from people's breath during major competitions in winter. Severe frosts do their job pretty well. Stop by the NEP (New Economic Policy) restaurant on Krasnogo Vosstaniya Street to get an impression of what life was like in the Soviet Union in the 1920s.
A large island in the Angara nearby provides another tourist attraction: a children's railroad. Even adults can enjoy a round trip of the island in a miniature but real train that is driven, controlled and supervised by children themselves.
Afterwards, take a stroll down the quay to the Irkutsk dam. Get to the middle of it and you will understand why even exiled Volkonsky's wife wrote to St. Petersburg that she found the city beautiful, the scenery picturesque and the river magnificent - although it was covered with ice. Make sure you do not miss the icebreaker Angara seen from the dam. Ordered in England and brought to Baikal in the last years of the 19th century, the Angara served well for several decades, sank twice and was completely abandoned to become later a museum and city's pride.
One more place of interest is Znamensky Monastery (on Angara Street) with a controversial newly erected monument to Admiral Alexander Kolchak, the ruler of Siberian part of Russia during the Civil War of 1918-1924. Killed by Bolsheviks and thrown into the Angara just a dozen meters from the spot Admiral Kolchak now stands in a uniform jacket, his head uncovered, wrapped deep into his thought.
Visiting Irkutsk is a worthy trip in itself, but it is much better to take another two or three days to see one of nature's miracles, Lake Baikal. It is about a one hour drive away.
TO GET THERE
Regular and frequent S7 and Aeroflot flights, lasting five hours are definitely the best choice. But more passionate travelers who can spare the time can take a train, which will give them an impression of the vast Trans-Siberian railway. It reaches Irkutsk in approximately three and a half days.
By Alexander Usoltsev RELATED ARTICLES17/01/2008 Siberia Braces For Cold13/09/2007 `Shroom Boom in West Siberia10/05/2007 Maiden Trip for Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express© 2007 Moscow News
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Russian Easter
If you saw Maria Ivanovna Zaitseva, a typical Russian babushka, coming out of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Khoroshevo very early on Easter Sunday morning, you would be surprised at how red her cheeks are. But she is not ill -- she has just received dozens of traditional Easter kisses. And she would likely offer you a special greeting this morning: "Khristos voskrese!" -- "Christ is risen!" While Christmas is the biggest holiday in the West, celebrated on a grand scale by both believers and non-believers, Russian Orthodox tradition considers Easter the main event of the liturgical year. It is the most important religious holiday in the country and the third most widely observed holiday in Russia overall, after New Year's and birthdays, according to a 2003 poll conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation. In fact, for the vast majority of Russians, celebrating Easter is not so much a question of faith as it is one of national identity. Preparing for it requires the proper fulfillment of certain customs --many of them religious, but more of them from folk traditions. It is customary to thoroughly clean the house on the Thursday preceding Easter Sunday. On "Clean Thursday," as it known, everyone cleans their homes, even those who only do it once a year. Maria Ivanovna even burns juniper branches in her one-room apartment in the Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district of northwest Moscow to clear out the stuffy winter air. The next morning, her apartment is filled with smell of dough, already rising so it will be ready to go into the oven late in the evening. The dough is for kulichi -- tall cylindrical Easter cakes. She is also busy dyeing eggs. Maria Ivanovna gathers onion peels for the process long before the first full moon in spring, which, along with some other factors, determines the date of Orthodox Easter each year. She might not know why Russians dye eggs for Easter, but she knows exactly how many peels she needs and how long to boil the eggs to get them the right shade of bright red. The results of a public survey on Easter celebrations conducted by the Levada Center in 2006 looks more like a marketing study for egg producing factories than research on religious habits. It revealed that 84 percent of Russians would celebrate the event by coloring eggs and baking kulichi. A total of 53 million eggs are usually sold in the capital on the week before Easter, and around 650 to 700 tons of kulichi are produced by Moscow bakeries, according to data from the the Department of Consumer Marketing and Services.According to Christian tradition, the egg is a symbol of new life, and that it must be red because it is the color of the blood that Christ shed to atone for the sins of the world.Maria Ivanovna usually takes her Easter eggs and her kulichi to the church on Saturday morning to be blessed. After going to church, she comes home and continues cooking, since she expects many relatives and friends to visit her on Easter Sunday. All this cooking is a bit of a challenge since she is not allowed to taste the food. Great Lent, the 40-day fasting period before Easter during which devout Orthodox believers give up sugar, meat and dairy products, will only be over early Sunday morning after the Easter mass. Fasting for Lent is a religious custom followed less widely than the folk tradition of dyeing Easter eggs. Among the 71 percent of individuals who called themselves Orthodox Christians, as few as 2 percent observe Lent strictly, 20 percent observe it "more or less," and 80 percent just ignore it, according to Levada Center research from March 2008. Going to the special Easter mass to celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead is also not very popular. Last year, around 338,000 Muscovites visited the city's churches for the Easter mass, ITAR-TASS reported. For a city with a population of more than 10 million, this is not very many. Maria Ivanovna has never missed the church service on Easter. She arrives at the small church in Khoroshevo on the banks of the Moscow River as soon as she is allowed inside and remains there until the service is over at approximately 3 a.m. When the priest finally proclaims, "Khristos voskrese!" and the crowd responds in unison three times "Voistinu voskrese!" -- "Truly he is risen!" -- she will feel the great solemnity in this moment. It is the most joyful moment in the Orthodox church year, which is often filled with gloom. So it is no wonder that people greet each other with kissing.Maria Ivanova arrives home about 4 a.m. and eats some eggs and kulich since the first foods eaten after the fast should be consecrated ones. Then she will take a nap before her guests arrive. Now the real feast begins at a table overflowing with food. Although the variety of foods may vary, all Russian Easter tables have paskha, a traditional sweet dessert made from tvorog and shaped like a pyramid, and kulichi. Those who had been fasting for so long now can eat as much as they want, and of course they will be joined by those who were not fasting, who will also eat as much as they want. The children in the family will roll Easter eggs around the table, tapping one egg against another trying to find the strongest one. No one will criticize their behavior, and the adults may even join in. Everyone feels like a child on Easter Sunday.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Our Russian Christmas Celebration...Jan 7, 2006
We had a great time celebrating Russian Christmas on January 7th. We take down all of our trees and decorations after our Christmas celebrations except for the ones in Evan's room, we leave those up for Russian Christmas so that Babushka can visit.
Babushka is a traditional Christmas figure who distributes presents to children. Her name means grandmother and the legend is told that she declined to go with the wise men to see Jesus because of the cold weather. However, she regretted not going and set off to try and catch up, filling her basket with presents. A snow storm covered their tracks and she never found Jesus, and that is why she visits each house, leaving toys for good children. Every year Babushka visits Evan and leaves a Russian book. She left, "A Little Story about a Big Turnip" Next year, we will hang the Russian Stocking that Judy Holmes picked up for us in Angarsk for Babushka to leave candy. It can be a little confusing so I pasted a little bit of Russian History at the bottom. Basically, Babushka visits on Christmas Eve and Ded Moroz and the Snowmaiden visit on New Year's Eve. You can read why below...it's pretty interesting.
We went to Dunwoody to visit Russian Calvary Church. We had a great time listening to the music and hearing Russian speaking voices. The sound of Russian voices will always warm my heart and take me back to a place where everything seemed so simple...no jobs, no obligations, no bills, (though it was all waiting for us) but just our family.
After church we went to the Groff's house. You've heard us mention them often. Their daughter Anicka and Evan were in the same groupa in the baby home in Irkutsk. There beds were right across from each other at one time and now they both live in GA. How amazing is God's plan for that!!!
Anyway, we attempted to have a traditional Russian Christmas meal. Russian Christmas is very ritualistic and was a lot of fun to attempt. Here is what we did...
I made Kutya (Kutia) and Kirsten made a Russian type soup. The Wimpy family was also there with their two sons from St. Petersburg. The Kutya is the primary dish and to be eaten fist. The ingredients symoblize hope, happiness and peace. We ate with white on the table to symbolize Christ's swaddling clothes. We brought hay as a reminder of the poverty where Jesus was born and a tall white candle is placed in the center of the Table, symbolic of Christ "the Light of the World." A large round loaf of bread, symbolic of Christ the Bread of Life, is placed next to the Candle.
As following our online instructions...Vince as the head of the household said the Lord's Prayer and a prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year is said and then prayers for the good things in the coming year are offered. Vince then greeted us with the traditional Christmas greeting: "Christ is Born!" We responded by saying: "Glorify Him!" Then this we just said and didn't actually do... ;-) The Mother of the family blesses each person present with honey in the form of a cross on each forehead, saying: "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." This part we did...Following this, everyone partakes of the bread, dipping it first in honey and then in chopped garlic. Honey is symbolic of the sweetness of life, and garlic of the bitterness. The "Holy Supper" is then eaten.
We had a great time and the kids enjoyed playing with each other as always. It had been a few months since we had seen each other and Anicka and Evan have grown so much. It is very important to us that Evan's culture always remain a big part of him and we will never deny that. We are very open with him and his story and where he came from. We want him to learn lots about his Russian Heritage because after all...that's a big part of him.
Babushka is a traditional Christmas figure who distributes presents to children. Her name means grandmother and the legend is told that she declined to go with the wise men to see Jesus because of the cold weather. However, she regretted not going and set off to try and catch up, filling her basket with presents. A snow storm covered their tracks and she never found Jesus, and that is why she visits each house, leaving toys for good children. Every year Babushka visits Evan and leaves a Russian book. She left, "A Little Story about a Big Turnip" Next year, we will hang the Russian Stocking that Judy Holmes picked up for us in Angarsk for Babushka to leave candy. It can be a little confusing so I pasted a little bit of Russian History at the bottom. Basically, Babushka visits on Christmas Eve and Ded Moroz and the Snowmaiden visit on New Year's Eve. You can read why below...it's pretty interesting.
We went to Dunwoody to visit Russian Calvary Church. We had a great time listening to the music and hearing Russian speaking voices. The sound of Russian voices will always warm my heart and take me back to a place where everything seemed so simple...no jobs, no obligations, no bills, (though it was all waiting for us) but just our family.
After church we went to the Groff's house. You've heard us mention them often. Their daughter Anicka and Evan were in the same groupa in the baby home in Irkutsk. There beds were right across from each other at one time and now they both live in GA. How amazing is God's plan for that!!!
Anyway, we attempted to have a traditional Russian Christmas meal. Russian Christmas is very ritualistic and was a lot of fun to attempt. Here is what we did...
I made Kutya (Kutia) and Kirsten made a Russian type soup. The Wimpy family was also there with their two sons from St. Petersburg. The Kutya is the primary dish and to be eaten fist. The ingredients symoblize hope, happiness and peace. We ate with white on the table to symbolize Christ's swaddling clothes. We brought hay as a reminder of the poverty where Jesus was born and a tall white candle is placed in the center of the Table, symbolic of Christ "the Light of the World." A large round loaf of bread, symbolic of Christ the Bread of Life, is placed next to the Candle.
As following our online instructions...Vince as the head of the household said the Lord's Prayer and a prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year is said and then prayers for the good things in the coming year are offered. Vince then greeted us with the traditional Christmas greeting: "Christ is Born!" We responded by saying: "Glorify Him!" Then this we just said and didn't actually do... ;-) The Mother of the family blesses each person present with honey in the form of a cross on each forehead, saying: "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." This part we did...Following this, everyone partakes of the bread, dipping it first in honey and then in chopped garlic. Honey is symbolic of the sweetness of life, and garlic of the bitterness. The "Holy Supper" is then eaten.
We had a great time and the kids enjoyed playing with each other as always. It had been a few months since we had seen each other and Anicka and Evan have grown so much. It is very important to us that Evan's culture always remain a big part of him and we will never deny that. We are very open with him and his story and where he came from. We want him to learn lots about his Russian Heritage because after all...that's a big part of him.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Russian History...Christmas
Russian Christmas History
Why January 7th and not December 25th? Russia customarily uses the old Julian Calendar. January 7th by the Georgian Calendar would have been December 25th by the old Julian Calendar and is therefore why it is still Christmas Day for the Russian Orthodox Church. Many Russians will have celebrated along with the rest of us and will then celebrate again on the Orthodox date.
Christmas is one of the most joyous traditions for the celebration of Eve comes from the Russian tradition. On the Eve of Christmas, it is traditional for all family members to gather to share a special meal.
An old Russian tradition, whose roots are in the Orthodox faith, is the Christmas Eve fast and meal. The fast, typically, lasts until after the evening worship service or until the first star appears. The dinner that follows is very much a celebration, although, meat is not permitted. Kutya (kutia), a type of porridge, is the primary dish. It is very symbolic with its ingredients being various grains for hope and honey and poppy seed for happiness and peace.
Once the first star has appeared in the sky, the festivities begin. Although all of the food served is strictly Lenten, it is served in an unusually festive and anticipatory manner and style. The Russians call this meal: "The Holy Supper." The family gathers around the table to honor the coming Christ Child. A white table-cloth, symbolic of Christ's swaddling clothes, covers the Table. Hay is brought forth as a reminder of the poverty of the Cave where Jesus was born. A tall white candle is place in the center of the Table, symbolic of Christ "the Light of the World." A large round loaf of Lenten bread, "pagach," symbolic of Christ the Bread of Life, is placed next to the Candle.
The meal begins with the Lord's Prayer, led by the father of the family. A prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year is said and then prayers for the good things in the coming year are offered. The head of the family greets those present with the traditional Christmas greeting: "Christ is Born!" The family members respond: "Glorify Him!" The Mother of the family blesses each person present with honey in the form of a cross on each forehead, saying: "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." Following this, everyone partakes of the bread, dipping it first in honey and then in chopped garlic. Honey is symbolic of the sweetness of life, and garlic of the bitterness. The "Holy Supper" is then eaten.
Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive. The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheatberries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest. A ceremony involving the blessing of the home is frequently observed. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity. Some families used to throw a spoonful of kutya up to the ceiling. According to tradition, if the kutya stuck, there would be a plentiful honey harvest.
Traditionally, the "Holy Supper" consists of 12 different foods, symbolic of the 12 Apostles.
1) Mushroom soup with zaprashka; this is often replaced with Sauerkraut soup2) Lenten bread ("pagach")3) Grated garlic4) Bowl of honey5) Baked cod6) Fresh Apricots, Oranges, Figs and Dates7) Nuts8) Kidney beans (slow cooked all day) seasoned with shredded potatoes, lots of garlic, salt and pepper to taste9) Peas10) Parsley Potatoes (boiled new potatoes with chopped parsley and margarine)11) Bobal'ki (small biscuits combined with sauerkraut or poppyseed with honey)12) Red Wine
Ded Moroz (Santa)
The origin of Santa Claus is in St. Nicholas. Due to the suppression of religion during the Soviet regime, St. Nicholas was replaced by Ded Moroz or Grandfather Frost, the Russian Spirit of Winter who brought gifts on New Year's. He is accompanied by Snyegurochka, the Snowmaiden, who helps distribute the gifts. The Christmas tree (Yolka) is yet another tradition banned during the Soviet era.To keep the custom alive, people decorated New Year's trees, instead which is why New Year's is still celebrated. Since ornaments were either very costly or unavailable, family trees were trimmed with homemade decorations and fruit. Yolka comes from the word which refers to a fir tree. The custom of decorating Christmas trees was introduced to Russia by Peter the Great, after he visited Europe during the 1700's.
New Year Eve instead of Christmas.
Few people in Russia remember, but when the communists took power in 1917 they banned the open expression of religion. While it was easy to pray at home, the Russian people were concerned about giving up their traditional Christmas celebration. But where there is a will, there is a way!
They re-invented the New Year's holiday tradition to include a decorated tree, and introduced a character called "Grandfather Frost." Known as "Ded Moroz," Grandfather Frost looked very much like the western "Santa Claus" or "Pere Noel" - except he wore a blue suit...[so if you ever see a Santa wearing a blue suit...we need it]
Actually, Ded Moroz was a character that existed in the pagan culture, centuries earlier. For a time, Christmas was all but forgotten. In fact, it was generally celebrated only in small villages, where the citizenry was far from the prying eyes of the Party.
Today, Christmas is celebrated in Russia again, on January 7. But, to date, New Year's remains the bigger event.
Why January 7th and not December 25th? Russia customarily uses the old Julian Calendar. January 7th by the Georgian Calendar would have been December 25th by the old Julian Calendar and is therefore why it is still Christmas Day for the Russian Orthodox Church. Many Russians will have celebrated along with the rest of us and will then celebrate again on the Orthodox date.
Christmas is one of the most joyous traditions for the celebration of Eve comes from the Russian tradition. On the Eve of Christmas, it is traditional for all family members to gather to share a special meal.
An old Russian tradition, whose roots are in the Orthodox faith, is the Christmas Eve fast and meal. The fast, typically, lasts until after the evening worship service or until the first star appears. The dinner that follows is very much a celebration, although, meat is not permitted. Kutya (kutia), a type of porridge, is the primary dish. It is very symbolic with its ingredients being various grains for hope and honey and poppy seed for happiness and peace.
Once the first star has appeared in the sky, the festivities begin. Although all of the food served is strictly Lenten, it is served in an unusually festive and anticipatory manner and style. The Russians call this meal: "The Holy Supper." The family gathers around the table to honor the coming Christ Child. A white table-cloth, symbolic of Christ's swaddling clothes, covers the Table. Hay is brought forth as a reminder of the poverty of the Cave where Jesus was born. A tall white candle is place in the center of the Table, symbolic of Christ "the Light of the World." A large round loaf of Lenten bread, "pagach," symbolic of Christ the Bread of Life, is placed next to the Candle.
The meal begins with the Lord's Prayer, led by the father of the family. A prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings of the past year is said and then prayers for the good things in the coming year are offered. The head of the family greets those present with the traditional Christmas greeting: "Christ is Born!" The family members respond: "Glorify Him!" The Mother of the family blesses each person present with honey in the form of a cross on each forehead, saying: "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." Following this, everyone partakes of the bread, dipping it first in honey and then in chopped garlic. Honey is symbolic of the sweetness of life, and garlic of the bitterness. The "Holy Supper" is then eaten.
Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive. The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheatberries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest. A ceremony involving the blessing of the home is frequently observed. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity. Some families used to throw a spoonful of kutya up to the ceiling. According to tradition, if the kutya stuck, there would be a plentiful honey harvest.
Traditionally, the "Holy Supper" consists of 12 different foods, symbolic of the 12 Apostles.
1) Mushroom soup with zaprashka; this is often replaced with Sauerkraut soup2) Lenten bread ("pagach")3) Grated garlic4) Bowl of honey5) Baked cod6) Fresh Apricots, Oranges, Figs and Dates7) Nuts8) Kidney beans (slow cooked all day) seasoned with shredded potatoes, lots of garlic, salt and pepper to taste9) Peas10) Parsley Potatoes (boiled new potatoes with chopped parsley and margarine)11) Bobal'ki (small biscuits combined with sauerkraut or poppyseed with honey)12) Red Wine
Ded Moroz (Santa)
The origin of Santa Claus is in St. Nicholas. Due to the suppression of religion during the Soviet regime, St. Nicholas was replaced by Ded Moroz or Grandfather Frost, the Russian Spirit of Winter who brought gifts on New Year's. He is accompanied by Snyegurochka, the Snowmaiden, who helps distribute the gifts. The Christmas tree (Yolka) is yet another tradition banned during the Soviet era.To keep the custom alive, people decorated New Year's trees, instead which is why New Year's is still celebrated. Since ornaments were either very costly or unavailable, family trees were trimmed with homemade decorations and fruit. Yolka comes from the word which refers to a fir tree. The custom of decorating Christmas trees was introduced to Russia by Peter the Great, after he visited Europe during the 1700's.
New Year Eve instead of Christmas.
Few people in Russia remember, but when the communists took power in 1917 they banned the open expression of religion. While it was easy to pray at home, the Russian people were concerned about giving up their traditional Christmas celebration. But where there is a will, there is a way!
They re-invented the New Year's holiday tradition to include a decorated tree, and introduced a character called "Grandfather Frost." Known as "Ded Moroz," Grandfather Frost looked very much like the western "Santa Claus" or "Pere Noel" - except he wore a blue suit...[so if you ever see a Santa wearing a blue suit...we need it]
Actually, Ded Moroz was a character that existed in the pagan culture, centuries earlier. For a time, Christmas was all but forgotten. In fact, it was generally celebrated only in small villages, where the citizenry was far from the prying eyes of the Party.
Today, Christmas is celebrated in Russia again, on January 7. But, to date, New Year's remains the bigger event.
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