After Mass, Maundy Thursday, Church of St. Casimir, Ljepjel’ 2007.  The church, which the Soviet regime had closed from 1935-90, was painstakingly restored through the efforts of then-priest Father Mieczislaw and the parish.  The stain on the lower-right wall is grease left over from the Soviet authorities’ use of the church as a garage and… Continue reading Photo of the Day for April 21, 2011: Maundy Thursday / Вялікі чацьверг

Church of St. Andrew, Slonim 2006.  Photo published in “Vjarovitsa” (“Rosary”), with poems by Ryhor Baradulin and music by Aljes’ Kamotski.  See also post for March 21, 2011. Касьцёл Сьв. Андрэя, Слонім 2006 год.  Фатаграфія выдана ў кнігі “Вяровіца“, з вершамі народнага паэта Рыгора Барадуліна й музыкай Алеся Камоцкага.  Гл. таксама 21.03.2011.

Portraits of Belarus XVIII.  Партрэты Беларусі (частка XVIII). A tribute to Ryhor Shpakjevich and his family. Stoicism, modesty, and quiet devotion to family and tradition are the hallmarks of the Polesian character.  In this photo Ryhor Shpakjevich (third from left) his wife Vjera (fifth from left) and members of their family have just been through… Continue reading Photo of the Day for April 19, 2011: Portraits of Belarus XVIII

Women of Polesia XXX.  Паляшучкі (частка ХХХ). Halina and Vjera, Tsjerablichy 2011.  Спадарыні Галіна й Вера, Цераблічы 2011 год.

In honor of Palm Sunday.  З нагоды Пальмовай нядзелі. Iuje 2009.  Іўе 2009 год.

Several times a year Belarusans tidy up their forefathers’ graves in preparation for commemorative visits.  Here villagers from Kalodnaje in the Stolin District of the Central Prypjats’ region clean the graves and the cemetery in preparation for Easter and the major commemorative feast of Radaunitsa. Kalodnaje 2010.  Калоднае 2010 год.

Signs of Spring, Chareja 2007.  In the background a man turns the soil of his plot.  In the foreground jars gather birch juice, a favorite Belarusan drink, from tree taps. Знакі вясны, Чарэя 2007 год.

Christening in Church IV.  Хрышчэньне ў царкве (частка IV). Triple Christening, Al’homjel’ (Ohljamjel’) 2011.  The priest of the Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene arranged to christen three families’ newborns — Jaroslav, Cyril and Sofia — at the same time.  Here the priest clips strands of hair from four places (representing the four points of the… Continue reading Photo of the Day for April 14, 2011: Christening in Church IV

Afternoon Mass, Church of St. John the Baptist, Ms’tsibava 2011.  Пасьляпаўднёвая імша, касьцёл Сьвятога Яна Хрысьціцеля, Мсьцібава 2011 год.

Condolences.  Спачуваньні.