Month: August 2013

Radaunitsa 2013:  Tsjerablichy.  Радаўніца 2013 год: Цераблічы. Radaunitsa is one of the most important rites to honor one’s forefathers in the Belarusian cycle of the year.  Now an essential part of the Belarusian Orthodox liturgical cycle, Radaunitsa incorporates deep pre-Christian customs.  Many people attend a church or chapel service, but the focus is on cleaning… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 21, 2013

Apple-Blessing Feast, Azdamichy 2012.  Яблычны Спас, Аздамічы 2012 год. Apple-Blessing is an early harvest rite, observed on August 19, Transfiguration Day in the Orthodox calendar.  In memory of children who have died young, women avoid eating new apples or other newly-ripe fruit before the blessing.  It is a traditional Belarusan belief that deferring the eating… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 20, 2013

Apple-Blessing Feast, Azdamichy 2012.  Яблычны Спас, Аздамічы 2012 год. Apple-Blessing is an early harvest rite, observed on August 19, Transfiguration Day in the Orthodox calendar.  In memory of children who have died young, women avoid eating new apples or other newly-ripe fruit before the blessing.  It is a traditional Belarusan belief that deferring the eating… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 19, 2013

Borderlands.  Памежжа. Near the Source of the River Vilija, Viljejka (Dokshytsy District) 2013.  Не далёка ад вытокі ракі Вілія, Вілейка (Докшыцкі раён) 2013 год. The area either side of today’s boundary between Viljejka and Lahojsk Districts in Mjensk Region and Dokshytsy District in Vitsjebsk Region is, as it was historically, fairly sparsely populated.  In parts… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 18, 2013

Borderlands:  Shamouka from Novaja Viljejka 2013.  Памежжа: Шамоўка ад Новай Вілейкі 2013 год. The area either side of today’s boundary between Viljejka and Lahojsk Districts in Mjensk Region and Dokshytsy District in Vitsjebsk Region is, as it was historically, fairly sparsely populated.  In between heavily-wooded areas the land opens up into broad vistas with wide… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 17, 2013

Borderlands:  Pjachnoje 2013.  Памежжа: Пячное 2013 год. The area either side of today’s boundary between Viljejka and Lahojsk Districts in Mjensk Region and Dokshytsy District in Vitsjebsk Region is, as it was historically, fairly sparsely populated.  In parts (see Photo of the Day for August 4, 2013) the boundary also overlaps with the boundary established… Continue reading Photo of the Day for August 16, 2013

To celebrate the Roman-Catholic feast of the Assumption (August 15).  З нагоды Унебаўзяцьця. As the Orthodox do on August 14 in celebrating the feast of the Maccabees/Honey-Blessing, Roman Catholics in Belarus incorporate a pre-Christian blessing of flowers and the first harvest of fruits into the feast of the Assumption.

Honey-Blessing Festival/Feast of the Maccabees (Makauje).  Мядовы Спас-Макаўе. Three mid-August church feasts in Belarus vivify pre-Christian traditions absorbed into our Christian faith. The first of these is  the August 14 Orthodox Honey-Blessing Festival/Feast of the Maccabees, which inaugurates the two-week Orthodox Dormition fast.  The Orthodox church tries to focus attention on a churchly interpretation of… Continue reading Photos of the Day for August 14, 2013

Belarus in Faces (part LXXXII).  Беларусь у тварах (частка LXXXII). The crowd shifts and, for an instant beyond time, a vision appears.

Belarus in Faces (part LXXXI).  Беларусь у тварах (частка LXXXI). There’s a wonderful mixture of shyness, sense of honor and loyalty to one’s pals, and mischief in these boys’ faces.  Цудоўная сумесь сарамлівасьці, гонару й вернасьці сваім сябрам й падшыванства бачна ў тварах гэтых хлопцаў. Al’homjel’ 2013.  Альгомель 2013 год.