Annual Spring Flood in Polesia / Палеская паводка

No one in his right mind takes floods lightly.  Floods can lead to great misery, to loss of life and property.  One is grateful for the efforts of emergency services and volunteers to rescue people and to cope with the damage.  One prays that those whose property has been damaged in this year’s spring flooding… Continue reading Annual Spring Flood in Polesia / Палеская паводка

Photos of the Day for April 15, 2013

Holy Communion, Easter Morning Mass, Iuje 2013.  Сьвятая камунія, Велікодныя імша, Іўе 2013 год. Attendance was so great, spilling out into the churchyard, that it took 25 minutes to distribute communion.

Photos of the Day for April 14, 2013

Easter Morning Mass, Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Iuje 2013.  Велікодная імша, касьцёл Сьвятых апосталаў Пятра й Паўла, Іўе 2013 год. The church was crowded beyond standing-room-only.

Photos of the Day for April 13, 2013

Easter Morning Procession (Part II), Iuje 2013.  Велікодная працэсія (частка II), Іўе 2013 год. The new town-square monument just visible in the background to the left of center of the second photo honors the four religious professions traditionally found in Iuje: Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Judaism and Islam.  The statue on the side facing the camera… Continue reading Photos of the Day for April 13, 2013

Photos of the Day for April 11, 2013

Blessing of Easter Bread on Holy Saturday, March 30, 2013.  Асьвячэньне велікодных страў у Вялікую суботу. Churches in Belarus are standing-room-only on Holy Saturday as parishioners stream in throughout the day to have their Easter foods blessed.   This is a joyous rite which combines the deepest Christian and pre-Christian elements. I set out to… Continue reading Photos of the Day for April 11, 2013

Photo of the Day for April 9, 2013

Skiers, north of Kreva on the Smarhon’ road, March 30, 2013.  Лыжнікі, ля дарогі Крэва-Смаргонь, 30 сакавіка 2013 г. These cross-country skiers were taking advantage of the thick snow cover as winter refused to let go at the end of March.

Photo of the Day for April 8, 2013

Early Spring Gardening, Tsjerablichy 2012.  Ранняя вясна ў агародзе, Цераблічы 2012 год. Uncovering the seed potatoes in cold storage.  The incubator hothouse in the background contains cucumber seedlings.  Families throughout the Stolin District in the central Pripet Marshes grow cucumbers, mostly for export to Russia.  The incubators are heated day and night until it is… Continue reading Photo of the Day for April 8, 2013