Kust/Куст (Куста, Ваджэньне Куста) Kust or Kusta (“Bush”) is a pre-Christian Belarusian fertility and initiation rite still celebrated during the second or third day of Trinity in a few villages in the Pinsk and Luninets Districts of Western Polesia (Pripet Marshes).  A group of village women choose a young girl, take her to the woods,… Continue reading Photo of the Day for July 8, 2010

Kust/Куст (Куста, Ваджэньне Куста) Kust or Kusta (“Bush”) is a pre-Christian Belarusian fertility and initiation rite still celebrated during the second or third day of Trinity in a few villages in the Pinsk and Luninets Districts of Western Polesia (Pripet Marshes).  A group of village women choose a young girl, take her to the woods,… Continue reading Photos of the Day for July 7, 2010

The Extraordinary in the “Ordinary” III: Inheritance / Надзвычайнае ў “звычайным“ (частка ІІI): Дарога расьце ўсё жыцьцё It is exceptionally moving to see how carefully and steadily Belarusan parents and especially grandparents pass on traditions to their children and grandchildren — in the household and in ancient rites. Асабліва кранае тое, з якой стараннасьцю, з якім цярпеньнем… Continue reading Photo of the Day for July 6, 2010

The Bench II/Лаўка (частка ІI) What can seem more prosaic than the plain wooden bench in front of almost every village house in Belarus?  And yet the bench is the pivot of social life, the village agora, the permanent observation post.  The bench is the witness to the changing fortunes of the village and at… Continue reading Photo of the Day for July 5, 2010: The Bench II

Zapjasochcha 2010/Запясочча 2010 год

Navasjolki 2010/Навасёлкі 2010 год

Celebratory Mass, annual Marian pilgrimage to Budslau, July 2, 2009/Урачыстая сьвятая імша, пілігрымка ў Будслаў 02.07.2009 год.

Bishop Uladzislau Blin Greeting Pilgrims from Vitebsk Diocese, Annual Marian Pilgrimage to Budslau, July 1, 2009/Біскуп Уладзіслаў Блін вітае пілігрымаў з Віцебскай дыяцэзіі, Будслаў 01.07.2009 Thousands of pilgrims travel by foot for up to nine days from all corners of Belarus to the Bernardine church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Budslau,… Continue reading Photo of the Day for July 1, 2010

Ljubavichy 2010/Любавічы 2010 год A father with three of his four children.  With large families and an ethic of sobriety and hard work, the long-rooted Evangelical Christian communities in the Central Prypjats’ region of Polesia (Pripet Marshes) are exceptionally productive.  Many members of these communities have relatives in the Spokane, Washington area.

Waiting for holy communion, Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29), Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Staryja Vasilishki 2008/Сьвятых апосталаў Пятра й Паўла, Касьцёл Сьвятых апосталаў Пятра й Паўла, Старыя Васілішкі 2008 год Annual attendance is massive from the surrounding region for the name-day feast of Saints Peter and Paul in… Continue reading Photo of the Day for June 29, 2010