A case of Orthodox conscience

[anglomedved]

Every Christmas season for the past six or seven years, the Sisters of Minsk have descended on Brussels selling a mixture of books, religious artifacts and the like to support their social work in Minsk.  They are as much part of Christmas as the decorations on the Grand'Place. And not only in Orthodox churches, but in Catholic churches and bookshops as well.

 I wish them well, BUT, dare I question the overall effect in terms of the image of the Russian Church in the capital of Europe, basically under three headings:

       1)      the quality of the produce – geared, excuse the expression, to Russian lower middle class taste, many times on the edge of kitsch. For examples see http://simply-tatiana.livejournal.com/787279.html#comments

2)      the physical appearance of the sisters, often looking pale, badly nourished and simply not happy. Again what message does this give?

3)      and here I am going to make myself unpopular, I know, but …… should any part of the Russian church be seen going begging outside Russia – which is to a large extent what the sisters are doing? People buy as much because they feel they ought to support a good cause - or to be ecumenically correct - than because they need the objects on sale.  I know that Minsk is not Russia, but most western minds are not going to make the fine distinction between Russian and Belarus.   

Comments

[yakov-krotov.livejournal.com]

Мы с женой вчера были на "православной ярмарке" на ВДНХ - всё то же самое и хуже, п.ч. там монастыри представлены из абсолютно нищих регионов. Измождённость - это и есть православие в его нынешнем понимании. Бледность - признак долгих молитв. Не то что упитанные западные христиане... Да оне ещё и весёлые... Значит, точно антихристы...