Posted on 06/12/2017 8:37:34 AM PDT by Bogle
One autumn evening, someone saw a burning brightness as if the church was on fire. A fire brigade was called in. It was no fire, however.
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
Considering the KGB background of both Putin and the Moscow Patriarch, I wouldn’t say that Communism didn’t survive in Russia.
It's even more ironic that during the Soviet era, the Russians demolished the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow to build the Palace of the Soviets as a showcase for Communism, but Stalin's plan never came to fruition. Instead, this church was rebuilt and reopened in 2000.
Never forget. “The earth is the Lord’s…the world, and all that dwell therein.” (Psalm24:1)
It was especially true in Poland.
I know Orthodox Christians who lived in the USSR and Albania. Besides these kind of miracles, there were miracles of a more subtle kind — the kind that showed the spirit of God moving among those people and sustaining the faith.
Back in the 1980’s, the score for Rachmaninoff’s music for the Divine Liturgy, considered lost, was found in the archives of an American monastery. An American choir learned it and performed it on their tours. In 1989 or so, the choir performed in the USSR. I saw the performance on TV. When they got to the “Our Father,” everyone in the audience, young and old, including Red Army soldiers, sang along.
In Albania, all expression of religion was banned and all houses of worship were closed in 1968. Between then and the fall of the communists, there was essentially an entire generation that supposedly had no exposure — at least publicly — to religion. Shortly after the communists were overthrown and Albania opened up, a young woman from Albania visited our church and sat in with the choir. She had a beautiful voice and knew all of the hymns. I never had the chance to ask her how she had learned them. I have to be satisfied with knowing that God was at work in that darkness, and courageous believers took the risk of being open and faithful to Him.
Hollywood movie with Andy Garcia FOR GREATER GLORY depicts the true miracle of successfully thwarting Communism in Mexico. (aka CRISTIADA en espanol). DVDs are in both English and Spanish.
See it to understand where those of Mexican ancestry in the US are coming from.
On the “Incorrupt Bodies” - The Soviets spent so much time and money on Lenin’s body, cleaning and embalming it. They wanted everyone to think that their leader was just as “holy” as those Christian incorrupt bodies they had found.
In China, the government sends agents to Christian services, and they keep getting converted.
Rock and roll played a significant part too.
In our “Rockin’ the Wall” (2010) documentary, we show the testimony of a Ukranian woman who came to Jesus after seeing “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which the Commies for some reason let in.
Bookmark
There is more building of Churches in Russia right now, seminaries and schools also. And Putin is doing nothing to prevent it.
I would say that all the consecrations have had their effect.
Russia has stopped spreading its errors, now we've got to clean up our act.
Years ago, I worked with a wonderful woman from Poland (in Aslip IL).
She said that they pretended not to go to church, and the Police pretended not to see them there.
The video is called “Rediscovering Rachmaninoff — The Lost Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.” It was on PBS in 1992, hasn’t been digitalized for online access as far as I can tell, but seems to be available for purchase here:
http://store.earthstation1.com/rediscovering-rachmaninoff-liturgy-of-st-john-chrysostom-dvd.html
Thank you for doing that research for me. I really do appreciate it.
That’s probably the way it was in a lot of places — especially where the church was still strong and respected.
But I do remember reading about young Fr. Karol Wojtyla having to sneak out at night in street clothes to meet with people for religious activities not approved by the state.
You’re welcome. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again myself!
There are several versions on You Tube, but they are just the audio, and not that event.
Back in the 1980’s, the score for Rachmaninoff’s music for the Divine Liturgy, considered lost, was found in the archives of an American monastery. An American choir learned it and performed it on their tours. In 1989 or so, the choir performed in the USSR. I saw the performance on TV. When they got to the “Our Father,” everyone in the audience, young and old, including Red Army soldiers, sang along.
In Albania, all expression of religion was banned and all houses of worship were closed in 1968. Between then and the fall of the communists, there was essentially an entire generation that supposedly had no exposure — at least publicly — to religion. Shortly after the communists were overthrown and Albania opened up, a young woman from Albania visited our church and sat in with the choir. She had a beautiful voice and knew all of the hymns. I never had the chance to ask her how she had learned them. I have to be satisfied with knowing that God was at work in that darkness, and courageous believers took the risk of being open and faithful to Him.
Thank you for this EXCELLENT post.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.