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Burning last year’s cloths (dressing of crosses) in anticipation of Easter (II/IV).  Holy Saturday, Daniljevichy (Homjel’ Region) 2015. After removing and burning last Easter’s cloths from the cross in the center of Daniljevichy, the grannies, helped by Maja, repeat the rite at two crosses in the cemetery. Спальваньне тканін (пераапрананьне крыжоў) у чаканьні Вялікодня (II/IV). … Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 14, 2015

Burning last year’s cloths (undressing of crosses) in anticipation of Easter (I/IV).  Holy Saturday, Daniljevichy (Homjel’ Region) 2015. This rite combines both Christian reverence for shrines and roadside crosses and a deeply pre-Christian rite of spring.  On Holy Saturday women in Daniljevichy remove and burn the cloth decorations which they had used last Easter to… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 13, 2015

A new church bell for Tsjerablichy (I/II).  Новы звон для Церабліч (І/ІІ). What embodies our European heritage, our Christian faith, more eloquently than church bells? Andrej Sulkouski’s roots are in Tsjerablichy but he lives 4,000 kilometers away in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.  He donated all the church bells of Tsjerablichy’s new church.  This year… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 11, 2015

Holy and Great Saturday Matins (Lamentation at the Tomb — Plashchanitsa) II/II:  Procession.  Azdamichy 2015.  Men of the parish lift the Winding-Sheet (Plashchanitsa) icon from the temporary altar table, which symbolizes Christ’s tomb, and carry it over the head of the priest.  The procession, celebrating Christ’s triumph over death, proceeds around the nave and then… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 10, 2015

Orthodox Holy and Great Saturday Matins (Lamentation at the Tomb — Plashchanitsa) I/II, Azdamichy 2015. To mark the death of Christ and his repose in the tomb, the priest sets up a temporary altar table in the nave to symbolize Christ’s tomb.  The priest has an icon commemorating the dead Christ — the Winding-Cloth (Plashchanitsa… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 9, 2015

Family farming in Polesia:  spring cleaning.  Tsjerablichy 2015. Сямейнае фермерства на Палесьсі:  асістэнтка.  Цераблічы 2015 г.

Family farming in Belarus:  Misha Naskjevich grafts apple scions in accord with the last wishes of his wife’s grandmother Vul’ljana, who died in March (see photo tribute on March 18, 2015).  Tsjerablichy 2015. Сямейнае фермерства на Палесьсі:  Міша Наскевіч прышчапляе яблычныя шчэпы паводле апошных пажаданьняў жончынай бабулі Вульляны, памерла ў сакавіку (гл. фатаграфічную даніну памяці… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 7, 2015

Spring in Central Polesia:  family farming in Tsjerablichy 2015.  Усходняя Століншчына ўвесну:  сямейнае фермерства ў Цераблічах 2015 г. Preparing hothouses for planting cucumbers.   The crop is exported to major Russian cities.  Падрыхтоўка парнікоў для гародніны. Lapping plastic sheeting to enclose the hothouses.  Прыляпленьне плёнак на пакрыцьцё парнікоў. Covering hothouses.  Families and neighbors pool their… Continue reading Photos of the Day for May 6, 2015

Polesian Way, Spring 2015.  Палескі шлях, вясна 2015 г. Crosses of Belarus (part XXVII):  Vjalikaje Maljeshava 2015.  Крыжы Беларусі (частка XXVII):  Вялікае Малешава 2015 г. This cross is the first one to greet the traveler after he turns from the Stolin road into Vjalikaje Maljeshava and begins the final leg home to Azdamichy or Tsjerablichy. … Continue reading Photo of the Day for May 5, 2015