Sergei Semionovich Troitsky

August 8, 1881 ~ November 2, 1910

Memory Eternal ~ Вѣчная Память

Friend and Intended Life-Companion (Спутник Жизни, “Husband”) of Pavel Alexandrovich Florensky

My meek one, my radiant one! Our vaulted room greeted me with coldness, sadness, and loneliness when I opened its door for the first time after my trip. But, alas, I entered it alone, without you. But you are not with me, and the whole world seems deserted. I am alone, absolutely alone in the whole world. 

Мой кроткïй, мой ясный! Холодомъ, грустью и одиночествомъ дохнула на меня наша сводчатая комната, когда я въ первый разъ послѣ поѣздки открылъ дверь въ нее. Теперь,—увы!—, я вошелъ въ нее уже одинъ, безъ тебя. Но нѣтъ тебя со мною, и весь мïръ кажется запустѣлымъ. Я одинокъ, абсолютно одинокъ въ цѣломъ свѣтѣ.

“I know he will rise on the day of resurrection, the last day.” Nevertheless, with a kind of tranquil grief, I repeat before our cross, which you made from an ordinary stick and which our gentle Elder blessed, I repeat, “Lord! If Thou hadst been here, my Brother would not have died.”

«Знаю, что воскреснетъ въ воскресенïе, въ послѣдный день». И все таки, съ какою-то умиротворенною мукой, повтворяю предъ нашимъ крестомъ, который тобою сдѣланъ изъ простой палки, который освященъ нашимъ ласковымъ Старцемъ: «Господи! если бы ты былъ здѣсь, не умеръ бы Братъ мой». Read More

Stefan Kleinhenz

During the Trump era, Republicans have struggled to exhibit compassion. The GOP touts its principles, but without compassion those principles are worthless.  

President Trump ordered 5,000 soldiers to be sent to the U.S.-Mexico border to defend the country from a migrant caravan of women and children. In 1957, President Eisenhower gave similar orders, but he sent the Arkansas National Guard to protect and defend nine African American students and their rights to attend school with white kids.

A time will come (and it may already be here) when the populace, regardless of policies and values, will look to public leaders to embody compassion. The Democrats have mastered the game of emotions and, whether they are sincere or not, people are drawn to leaders that at least appear to possess the basic human qualities of love. People are drawn to leaders that care.

The GOP must prioritize humanity over policy, and if it can’t, Republicans risk being voted out. In a number of humanitarian issues, Republicans hurt themselves.When it comes to gun violence, Republicans tend to spend very little time, if any, on the human impact of the tragedy. They immediately jump to the defense of the Second Amendment instead. With health care policy, Republicans allow themselves to be painted as leaders who don’t care if certain Americans won’t be able to afford treatment because it’s more important to have a smaller government. And with immigration, Republicans show no compassion for the families seeking a better life for their children, reverting instead to the talking point that the immigrants are illegal aliens and lawbreakers. Read More

Constantinople’s Decision on Ukraine Part of Global Plan to Destroy Russian Church
Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia says the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople’s decisions on Ukraine are part of a global order to destroy the “island of freedom,” as he described the Russian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow

“The stakes are very high, and the order to destroy the unity of our Church is an order that has a global dimension. This is not just a fight for jurisdiction, this is a fight to destroy the only powerful Orthodox force in the world. When we’re talking about 150 million [Orthodox believers], this is truly so,” Patriarch Kirill said at a meeting with participants in the Faith and Word festival in Moscow on Tuesday.

“Certainly, someone had to deal a blow to this island of freedom. Why do I call Orthodoxy an island of freedom? Because we are free from global brainwashing and the dominance of someone else’s thoughts over us,” he said.

“The tragedy of Ukraine goes beyond the boundaries of politics and has a mystical dimension,” the patriarch said.

He also discussed details of the preparations for his closed meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul on August 31, which he said was the last attempt to settle the conflict with Constantinople over Ukraine diplomatically.

Patriarch Kirill said he proposed to Constantinople that Bartholomew and he meet on neutral territory, such as the Swiss town of Chambesy, but the latter insisted on meeting at his seat in Istanbul. The patriarch said some in Moscow tried to talk him out of the visit as being too humiliating. Read More

OCTOBER 2018

Inter-Orthodox Feud Deepens over Ukraine

If Kavanaugh Were Orthodox

Call for Papers: Theology & the Star Wars Universe

Same-Sex Marriage Ban Fails in Romania

In Memory of Eric Iliff on His 37th Birthday

The Orthodox Church: The Loneliest Closet of All

Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Announcement re: Ukraine

A Response to Metropolitan Paffhausen re: Ukraine

Moscow Breaks Communion with Constantinople

The Wonder of Words Read More