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Russians Flock to See Virgin Mary Relic
MSNBC ^ | 11/23/11 | Mansur Mirovalev

Posted on 11/25/2011 6:55:10 AM PST by marshmallow

Tens of thousands wait for hours in freezing temperatures to kiss belt that Christians believe was worn by Jesus' mother

MOSCOW — Braving freezing cold temperatures and ice-covered sidewalks, tens of thousands of Russians stood in line Wednesday to see and kiss a newly arrived relic of the Virgin Mary in Russia's largest Orthodox cathedral.

The Virgin Mary's Cincture, a belt that Christians believe was worn by Jesus' mother, was brought to Russia last month from Mount Athos, a monastic community in Greece.

Kissing the relic, which is encased in an ornamental box, is believed to help barren women conceive and heal other ailments.

The line of people, mostly women, waiting to enter the golden-domed Christ the Savior Cathedral stretched for 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) along the Moscow River despite temperatures that dropped to below minus 5 Celsius (23 Fahrenheit).

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; History; Orthodox Christian
KEYWORDS: christianity; moscow; religion; russia
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To: johngrace

It’s not a moot point.

Anyone who adds works to intellectual knowledge about God concluding that because they have the *works* they have saving faith is being deceived and in for a very rude awakening.

The pharisees had all the works of the Law down to the dotted *i* and crossed *t*, and Jesus said they were spiritually dead.

Doing works does not guarantee salvation. Salvation guarantees works. Anyone whose claim of having faith isn’t backed up with works that naturally flow from within, really needs to consider if they’re really born from above, for their own sake.


281 posted on 11/26/2011 12:29:56 PM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: CynicalBear

Peter was married.......


282 posted on 11/26/2011 12:32:59 PM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: narses; Quix

We know you are. You can quit announcing it.


283 posted on 11/26/2011 12:34:15 PM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: CynicalBear
1 Timothy 3 1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

And verse 5 is the key. It's obvious based on the scandals of child molesting priests within, that the leaders of the RCC DON'T know how to manage the church.

284 posted on 11/26/2011 12:38:51 PM PST by metmom (For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore & do not submit again to a yoke of slavery)
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To: Celtic Cross

Sampson was a Nazirite not a Nazarene. Big difference.


285 posted on 11/26/2011 12:43:31 PM PST by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: metmom

Try reading comprehension lessons.

Really, you clearly need them.


286 posted on 11/26/2011 12:48:48 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: metmom
>> Peter was married<<

I think the only one we really don’t know for sure is Paul right? I know he was single when he was writing but there seems to be some indication he may have been widowed but doubtful.

287 posted on 11/26/2011 12:55:06 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: RnMomof7
no where does the bible tell us we should make up doctrine or practices from silence..

That's a strawman argument.

The Bible tells us to hold the traditions taught. Some of use obey that; others clearly do not.

288 posted on 11/26/2011 1:02:37 PM PST by FormerLib (Sacrificing our land and our blood cannot buy protection from jihad.-Bishop Artemije of Kosovo)
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To: metmom
If you don’t like the neighborhood, stick to caucus threads.

Sorry, we'll continue to point out when others are bearing false witness against us or our brothers, regardless of how bad the neighborhood has become.

289 posted on 11/26/2011 1:05:38 PM PST by FormerLib (Sacrificing our land and our blood cannot buy protection from jihad.-Bishop Artemije of Kosovo)
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To: count-your-change
Missed that ...good catch .... important to note that Samson was still loved by God even after his disclosure and haircut... He heard the prayer and used Samson to destroy the Philistine temple ..to the praise and glory of His name

Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them." Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there; about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed. Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!" And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. Then Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life. And his brothers and all his father's household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged Israel twenty years.

290 posted on 11/26/2011 1:07:28 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: FormerLib
The Bible tells us to hold the traditions taught. Some of use obey that; others clearly do not.

The Nt was not complete when this letter was written.. All the traditions that God wanted preserved were recorded in the scriptures...everything else is straw ...

291 posted on 11/26/2011 1:09:30 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: RnMomof7
All the traditions that God wanted preserved were recorded in the scriptures...everything else is straw ...

292 posted on 11/26/2011 1:12:45 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: RnMomof7

Tell us again what goofy little sect teaches you these odd beliefs? Oh yeah, you are afraid to identify your own sect, right?


293 posted on 11/26/2011 1:13:29 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: CynicalBear; Rashputin

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.

Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.

Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.

Amen.

She became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child . . . Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God . . . None can say of her nor announce to her greater things, even though he had as many tongues as the earth possesses flowers and blades of grass: the sky, stars; and the sea, grains of sand. It needs to be pondered in the heart what it means to be the Mother of God.

(Commentary on the Magnificat, 1521; in Luther’s Works, Pelikan et al, vol. 21, 326)


294 posted on 11/26/2011 1:15:20 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: metmom
If you believe. You believe. I know my master. The Catholic Church never believed grace after works. IMHO we are splitting hairs.

Praise Jesus for his merits!!

Freeper regards!

295 posted on 11/26/2011 1:47:49 PM PST by johngrace (1 John 4!- declared at every Sunday Mass.)
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To: Quix

Praise be to God! Amen!


296 posted on 11/26/2011 1:49:13 PM PST by johngrace (1 John 4!- declared at every Sunday Mass.)
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To: narses
>>among which she has no equal<<

Then let’s Jesus speak for Himself. I have posted this before but it obviously needs looked at again.

Jesus disagreed with the words spoken about Mary and said those who believed were the ones who were blessed.

Luke 11:27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Nay rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The words spoken to Mary were no different then were spoken to Jael in Judges. In fact, Jael was called blessed above women. Mary was called blessed among women.

Luke 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Judges 5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,

Those words were also spoken of Noah, Moses, and David.

The Greek word charitoó is used by Catholics to try to point to Mary being “full of grace” or “highly favored. The word charitoo according to Greek concordances is: From charis; to grace, i.e. Indue with special honor -- make accepted, be highly favoured. [http://concordances.org/greek/5487.htm]

The word is used twice in the New Testament. Once in Luke 1 and the other in Ephesians 1.

Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

297 posted on 11/26/2011 1:58:24 PM PST by CynicalBear
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To: CynicalBear

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.

Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.

Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.

Amen.

She became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child . . . Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God . . . None can say of her nor announce to her greater things, even though he had as many tongues as the earth possesses flowers and blades of grass: the sky, stars; and the sea, grains of sand. It needs to be pondered in the heart what it means to be the Mother of God.

(Commentary on the Magnificat, 1521; in Luther’s Works, Pelikan et al, vol. 21, 326)


298 posted on 11/26/2011 2:19:02 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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To: CynicalBear
"So give us an example."

Sure, tell me which of the following you do not insist the Catholic Church bases false doctrine on because they do not agree with your personal interpretation of Scriptures.

The Apostles forgiving sins? Those who worship their own intellect say, “The Scripture doesn’t mean what it says”
Baptism for forgiveness of sins? Those who worship their own intellect say, “The Scripture doesn’t mean what it says”
God of the living, not of the dead? Those who worship their own intellect say, “The Scripture doesn’t mean what it says”
Nothing impure will enter heaven? Those who worship their own intellect say, “The Scripture doesn’t mean what it says”
The real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist? Those who worship their own intellect say, “The Scripture doesn’t mean what it says”

299 posted on 11/26/2011 2:21:46 PM PST by Rashputin (Obama stark, raving, mad, and even his security people know it.)
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To: CynicalBear

300 posted on 11/26/2011 2:26:54 PM PST by narses (what you bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what you loose upon earth, shall be ..)
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