Month: July 2015

Photo survey of the architectural patrimony of Mahiljou Region (Karatnitsa, Vyshou (Njezhkau), Mahiljou, Bykhau) with Anton Astapovich, chairman of the Belarusian Association for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments (БДТАПГК), part I/X.  This one-day expedition could cover only a small fraction of the sites we would have wanted to visit. Фотавандроўка па помніках Магілёўшчыны… Continue reading Photos of the Day for July 21, 2015

Cemetery, Orthodox church of the Dormition, Ts’mjen’ 2015.  Могілкі ля царквы Ўсьпеньня Прасьвятой Багародзіцы, Цьмень 2015 г.    

Churches of Belarus (part XCV):  Orthodox church of the Dormition, Ts’mjen’ 2015.  Dating from the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century, this is a splendid example of Polesian vernacular wooden church architecture.  Fortunately, the original domes are so far untouched. Цэрквы Беларусі (частка XCV):  царква Ўсьпеньня Прасьвятой Багародзіцы, Цьмень 2015 г.… Continue reading Photos of the Day for July 19, 2015

Belarus in Faces (part CLXIII):  Orthodox feast of St. Nicholas (Mikola – Мікола), church of St. Nicholas, Rukhcha 2015. Беларусь у тварах (частка CLXIII):  Мікола, царква Сьв. Мікалая, Рухча 2015 г.

Belarus in Faces (part CLXII):  Orthodox feast of St. Nicholas (Mikola – Мікола), church of St. Nicholas, Rukhcha 2015. Беларусь у тварах (частка CLXII):  Мікола, царква Сьв. Мікалая, Рухча 2015 г.

Belarus in Faces (part CLXI):  Orthodox feast of St. Nicholas (Mikola – Мікола), church of St. Nicholas, Rukhcha 2015. Беларусь у тварах (частка CLXI):  Мікола, царква Сьв. Мікалая, Рухча 2015 г.

Orthodox spring feast of St. Nicholas (Mikola – Мікола), church of St. Nicholas, Rukhcha 2015. Мікола, царква Сьв. Мікалая, Рухча 2015 г. Old cross and banners. Some older parishioners prefer to avoid the breathless crush in the nave and wait outside for the procession to form up and circle the church. One of the assisting… Continue reading Photos of the Day for July 15, 2015

Orthodox spring feast of St. Nicholas, Rukhcha 2015.  Мікола, Рухча 2015 г. In a rite with profound pre-Christian elements, parishioners pass under the icon of St. Nicholas at the beginning of the procession. Stages of the procession:  blessing of parishioners and the church.

Blessing of water, spring feast of St. Nicholas (Mikola), Rukhcha 2015.  Асьвячэньне вады, Мікола, Рухча 2015 г. In the middle of the five-hour service, several of the officiating priests perform a blessing of water.  Parishioners will use the water to bless their houses and ward off evil.

Spring feast of St. Nicholas, church of St. Nicholas (1737), Rukhcha 2015.  Мікола, царква Сьв. Мікалая (1737), Рухча 2015 г. The small church is crowded with parishioners and many pilgrims from the surrounding region.