After a protest by the Orthodox bishops in the USA, Archbishop Elpidophore canceled a planned ordination

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18 July 2022

After a protest by the Orthodox bishops in the USA, Archbishop Elpidophore canceled a planned ordination

An unprecedented protest by the Orthodox bishops in the USA against the decision of Archbishop Elpidophorus (Ecumenical Patriarchate) led to the suspension of the episcopal ordination of archimandrite Alexander (Bèlya) of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. He was to head the newly created “Slavic Orthodox Vicariate”. This vicariate was established as a bishopric (but without precise territorial boundaries within the United States) headed by a bishop – vicar of the archbishop. It will unite under the authority of the American Archdiocese (KP) some Orthodox Slavs who are not under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church in America (a former Russian metropolis that received autocephaly from Moscow in 1970, but is not recognized by most local Orthodox churches), nor of any of the national diasporas in the USA from canonical Slavic churches – Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, etc. The term “Slavic” first appears in the official names of canonical Orthodox entities (bishoprics, dioceses, etc.) and is probably intended to avoid a possible conflict between Russians, Ukrainians, Carpathians, etc. in a similar church formation.

In the last two months, there has been an active correspondence between the archbishop. Elpidofor and the other members of the Assembly of Orthodox Canonical Bishops in the USA, where the Bulgarian Metropolitan of the USA, Canada and Australia Joseph is also a member. The very creation of the “Slavic Vicariate” only prepared the ground for opposition, but the cup overflowed with the election by the Fener Synod (which elects the bishops of the Ecumenical Patriarchate everywhere in the world) of Archimandrite Alexander (Bèlja) for Bishop of Nikopol on the proposal of the Archbishop Elpidophore. This happened on June 16 of this year, and his ordination as a bishop was scheduled for July 30 in Florida.

In their letters, the Orthodox American bishops from the non-Greek jurisdictions point to the fact of the overthrow of Archim. Alexander from the synod of the RPZC, which took place on February 18, 2020, as well as a number of canonical and moral violations. They threaten to interrupt the Eucharistic communion with the archbishop. Elpidophorus and the dissolution of the Assembly of Orthodox Canonical Bishops in the USA, which otherwise works successfully and is a form not only of cooperation, but also of Orthodox unity in the difficult times experienced by world Orthodoxy in recent years.

Initially, Archbishop Elpidophorus responded by saying that these were “unconfirmed allegations”, but after tensions between the American Orthodox Episcopate grew significantly, it was announced that the Alexander’s ordination for bishop was being postponed for the time being.

Background: Alexander Belya was born in 1981 in Western Ukraine. His father (with same names) was a priest and secretary of the Hust Diocese of the UOC-MP. Alexander Jr. graduated from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Presov in Slovakia in 2003 and then completed his doctorate in Olomouc, Czech Republic. There he became an associate of the local Orthodox bishop Simeon, who in February 2011 ordained him as a celibate (celibate) deacon and presbyter for one week, and gave him the distinction of abbot. At the end of the month Alexander is already in the USA, where he accompanies the archbishop. Christopher, then head of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. There he met the head of the RPZC Mitr. Hilarion (Corporal), and after his return to the Czech Republic he was also promoted to Archimandrite (that is why in the photo he is wearing a crown without a cross, which is the Russian practice, note ed.). By the end of 2011, however, he was already a cleric of the RPZC, starting to serve in a new ecclesiastical community in Florida, named “St. Matrona of Moscow”. He made a good impression on the superiors, and in December 2018 the synod of the RPZC decided to ordain him as bishop of Miami, vicar of miter. Hilarion (Corporal). The decision was also approved by the synod in Moscow in August 2019, but dissatisfaction among the local clergy thwarted the ordination and only two weeks later the cleric was placed under interdict, and in the church entrusted to him “St. Matrona” begin inspections.

It was then, in September 2019, archimandrite Alexander moved with the parish he led, which is the largest Russian parish in Florida, to the Greek American Archdiocese, and this caused sharp dissatisfaction of the RPZC. He was banned from worshiping and was released from his posts, and the procedure for his episcopal ordination was suspended. In February 2020, he was deposed, but immediately in March of this year, Archbishop Elpidophorus appointed him vicar of the newly created Slavic Vicariate (which includes two church communities and one monastery, headed by the Bèlia family – Alexander Bèlia-son in Florida and of Fr. Alexander Bèlia-father in Brooklyn, who had emigrated to the USA in the meantime). During these months of 2022, the promotion of the overthrown archim was also set in motion. Alexander in the episcopal degree, but it met with the opposition of the Orthodox episcopate in the USA and his episcopal ordination was stopped for the second time.

Photo: Archimandrite Alexander (Belya)

Ernesto Wendy releases Wendy!

By

Bro O'Sullivan

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18 July 2022

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Here we try to find new gems, sometimes not yet known from the public, but which we think should have a chance to get into the mainstream, or at least find their public. That is what we found with this new track.

Ernesto Wendy just released the single Wendy. It’s a very interesting track which blends some traces of glam rock with a punchier alt rock vibe. While listening, you can’t avoid asking yourself where the inspiration comes from. Well, the guy is living in Paris, comes from Chile, sings in Spanish, and his music is definitely British.

When asked about the musical influence he is caught into, he will cite King Crimson, or Luis Alberto Spinetta. There are harmonies and disharmonies in this track that take you into a dreamlike and bizarre world without making you nauseous. It’s definitely rock, the guitars are crunchy (Ernesto is the guitarist), the drums powerful, and the vocals intoxicating.

For once, you are dealing with a real musician, with a real band, and the track sounds terribly live, even if the careful production assures us that we are not at a grunge concert in the Parisian suburbs. But the different parts of the piece follow each other perfectly and at no time do we experience the boredom that sometimes awaits us when we listen to today’s rock bands.

It’s modern vintage, well done, punchy, very rock, and frankly deserving of a passage in your rock playlists.

Discover more about Ernesto Wendy on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Listen to the track now:

Launched new book on Euthanasia and Secularism

By

Newsdesk

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18 July 2022

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Euthanasia and Secularism – Every year, Derecho y Religión (Law and Religion) analyses monographically some specific issues related to the external manifestations of religion, from a strictly legal perspective.

Each volume consists exclusively of doctrinal works, with the editor responsible for selecting the authors responsible for developing the contents.

Published by Delta Publicaciones in collaboration with the Instituto Metodológico de Derecho Eclesiástico del Estado (IMDEE) (Methodological Institute of Ecclesiastical Law of State), it is aimed primarily at university jurists and has a vocation for international presence, which is why the languages in which it is published are Spanish and English.

The XVII volume, published this 2022, had a very controversial issue and its implications with other rights and freedom, this is Euthanasia and secularism, and has been coordinated by Prof. Santiago Cañamares Arribas (UCM), Prof. Salvador Pérez Álvarez (UNED) and Prof. Marcos González Sánchez (UAM).

Table of Contents

Law and Religion Review “Euthanasia and secularism”, vol. XVII, 2022

This volume 2022 of the Law and Religion Review analyses the regulation of euthanasia in various countries. Passing euthanasia laws is consistent with the idea of an ideologically neutral state in religious matters, but it entails ethical problems in society.

The papers in this volume examine the impact of these laws on health professionals directly involved in the provision of aid in dying through euthanasia practices. One of the main issues addressed is the conscientious objection of healthcare personnel.

The medical conscientious objection can therefore be defined as a health professional’s refusal to perform a medical act or to cooperate directly or indirectly in its performance because he or she considers it to be contrary to his or her conscience.

Conscientious objection allows health professionals not to do what is contrary to their medical obligation, which is to help people to live. Indeed, the purpose of medicine is not to cause the death of the patient, but for citizens to lead a dignified life – rather than a dignified death.

It also examines the functions of the Euthanasia Guarantee and Evaluation Commissions in which some health professionals participate. These Commissions have the final say in a request for euthanasia and their favourable resolution implies the execution of the right to the service.

CONTENTS vol. XVII (2022)

Considerations on Organic Law 3/2021, of 24 March, regulating euthanasia.
regulation of euthanasia – (Consideraciones sobre la Ley Orgánica 3/2021, de 24 de marzo, de regulación de la eutanasia) ISIDORO MARTÍN SÁNCHEZ, Autonomous University of Madrid

Twentieth anniversary of the euthanasia law in Belgium: a new critical balance sheet (Vigésimo aniversario de la ley de eutanasia en Bélgica: nuevo balance crítico) -ETIENNE MONTERO, University of Namur

Euthanasia in the Netherlands. History, developments and challenges – MARTIN BUIJSEN, Erasmus University Rotterdam

Palliative sedation and limitation of life-sustaining treatment (LTSV). (LTSV): Alternatives to euthanasia? (Sedacción paliativa y limitación de tratamientos de soporte vital (LTSV): ¿Alternativas a la eutanasia?) – SALVADOR PÉREZ ÁLVAREZ, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Spanish Open University)

Euthanasia, End of Life Care and Children: Democratic Dilemmas in England and Wales. – JAVIER GARCÍA OLIVA, University of Manchester; HELEN HALL, Nottingham Trent University

The right of patients to request the provision of assisted dying services.
aid in dying. Scope and limits (El derecho de los pacientes a solicitar la prestación del servicio de ayuda a morir. Alcance y límites) – SALVADOR TARODO SORIA, University of León

Euthanasia Law: general aspects and institutional or ideological objection (Ley de eutanasia: aspectos generales y objeción institucional o de ideario) – GLORIA MORENO BOTELLA, Autonomous University of Madrid

Euthanasia in the Netherlands: Recent Legal and Religious Considerations – THEO A. BOER, Protestant Theological University

The conscientious objection of health personnel to euthanasia (La objeción de conciencia del personal sanitario ante la eutanasia)- MARÍA JOSÉ CIÁURRIZ LABIANO, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Spanish National University of Distance Education)

Euthanasia law in Spain in the light of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
conscience (La ley de eutanasia en España a la luz de la libertad religiosa y de conciencia) – DIEGO TORRES SOSPEDRA, University of Valencia

Some notes on the Commissions for the Guarantee and Evaluation of euthanasia (Algunas notas sobre las Comisiones de Garantía y Evaluación de la eutanasia) – MARCOS GONZÁLEZ SÁNCHEZ, Autonomous University of Madrid

The winding path to the decriminalization and regulation of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in Portugal / and / Assisted Suicide in Portugal: ethical questions, legal options – M. PATRÃO NEVES, University of the Azores; CÍNTIA ÁGUAS, Bioethics Institute, Catholic University of Portugal

Dignity in life and death. On euthanasia (Dignidad en la vida y en la muerte. Acerca de la eutanasia) – JOSÉ MARÍA PUYOL MONTERO, Complutense University of Madrid

Euthanasia and palliative care: current situation in Spain (Eutanasia y cuidados paliativos: situación actual en España) – ÁLVARO GÁNDARA DEL CASTILLO, Coordinator of the Palliative Care Unit at the Jiménez Palliative Care Unit of the Jiménez Díaz Foundation

The child is a small mirror of your family

By

Gaston de Persigny

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18 July 2022

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New research related to mirror neurons has confirmed the fact that if you observe someone engaged in a certain activity at the moment, then you activate exactly the same neurons as the person at work. Thus, by simply remaining aloof, you are able to feel and experience analogous emotions.

So our neurons mirror those of others. In other words, if someone eats ice cream in front of you, their neurons produce a specific taste. When we observe this person, our neurons activate analogous sensations.

Imagine what our lives would be like if we could look in the mirror and change what we see in it. Perhaps this will help people seriously improve their lives and transform their own perceptions.

But since we can’t do that, we still have a chance to improve our children’s lives.

These are little mirrors that reflect our behavior. Children visually project the image of those in front of them. If you want to see your parent image, then just look at the living mirror you have – your own child.

The good news for parents is that they can control their behavior and emotions to positively influence their children. They will be able to feel better through your efforts. And this is the main task of every parent.

We are born with this ability and highly dependent on it. As a child, we are a reflection of what we see in the people closest to us – in our parents. The most important thing is not what they say, but what their brain projects and, accordingly, what information they convey to us.

This can be a salvation for those parents whose children are far from the most pleasant character. That is why it is so important to be happy people.

The main task of the parent is to focus not on the child’s problems, but on his own.

Many recommendations of psychologists suggest this approach. You must devote time to the upbringing of the child in the same way as yourself. After all, the children are you. Before it’s too late, you have a chance to change their worldview, their feelings, and much more.

It is important to be true to yourself because as a parent you are facing a mirror that reflects everything you do and feel. As soon as you do a certain act or experience a series of emotions, your child picks it up and reproduces it independently in his life.

Mirror neurons never lie. Your thoughts, feelings and behavior will be reflected by the children.

The ability of mirror neurons, which you cannot control in any way, can work in your favor. Or rather for the sake of the children. On the Internet, you can find many videos that confirm the workability of this technique. You may be inspired by them and start taking concrete steps to build your children’s well-being.

Remember that your behavior “talks” and your child’s mirror neurons are always “listening.”

What are panic attacks?

By

Gaston de Persigny

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18 July 2022

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A panic attack has different faces. Most often, a classic panic attack is associated with shortness of breath, the inability to take a deep breath, as well as stabbing pains in the heart area, which, however, are very characteristic because they are at a certain point. Unlike true heart pain, which is pressing, tight, and felt in the center of the chest rather than the heart area, a panic attack usually has pain that is focused on a specific point in the heart area and is felt on -like a dagger. In some people, this may be accompanied by a strong heartbeat, an increase in blood pressure may occur.

A panic attack can be expressed in an inability to control your actions, in a feeling of weakness in the legs. In more acute panic attacks, a person may even fall into a temporary state of shock, during which they may lose hearing or vision.

You mentioned that a panic attack is a temporary condition. How long can she last?

The duration of a panic attack can be from a few minutes to half an hour. When it goes on for too long, it starts to worry people and many of them seek medical help.

What are the causes of panic attacks? Are there specific situations that unlock them?

It is very common to talk about the possible causes of panic attacks, such as those related to specific fears of people – the loss of something material (work, home) or the loss of a loved one. But this is not so.

True panic attacks are more related to internal blockages related to certain emotions. These emotions can be, for example, uncertainty about the future, worries related to the present or memories of the past.

There is also a belief that a person can have a panic attack when they feel a sense of shame – from being weak, different, from not being able to cope. Very often, people, in an effort to please others, set unrealistic goals, which can also be the cause of a panic attack.

A panic attack can also be expressed in fear of something specific, but this type of panic attack is characteristic of people who have phobias. When you face the cause of this phobia, you may have a panic attack – for example, on the plane.

Another possible reason is the suppression of feelings, conformist behavior – you agree with what you have to accept as a situation, as a behavior, although internally you do not agree – the unexpressed disagreement creates internal tension, causes thought whirlwinds.

Therefore, it is very difficult to determine the specific causes of a panic attack. They can be very different. In any case, however, what is most characteristic of all panic attacks is the feeling of fear at the moment you experience it. Panic is an emanation of fear, its strongest form.

Are women or men more likely to suffer from panic attacks?

It is very wrong to think that panic attacks are generally characteristic of women. I would say that in terms of percentage they are equal. Women are the ones who more often seek help and support in this condition, while men, in their worry that others will find out that they are experiencing a panic attack, which at a subconscious level for them means to feel fear, they prefer to keep these very strong emotions hidden inside.

In the last two years of the pandemic, has there been an increase in the frequency of panic attacks?

Yes, that is definitely the case. Whenever there is an increase in general anxiety levels, it leads to an increase in the frequency of panic attacks. The most characteristic of panic attacks is that they appear suddenly, and it is not necessary that a person has fallen into a specific dramatic situation concerning him personally. Very often, panic attacks occur even in people who seemingly have no problems, people who feel secure in a purely material sense and yet experience panic attacks.

If a person has one panic attack, does that mean they will automatically have more panic attacks in the future?

No, sometimes a panic attack can be a single one or not occur again for a very long time. It depends on the specific reasons in the given person that made him fall into a panic attack. It is important to note that a panic attack is rarely, if ever, related to something specific that is happening to you right now. It is mostly related to something we carry inside ourselves – some unconscious fear, insecurity, guilt.

Of course, in this case it is extremely important to seek help. It all depends on the psycho-emotional balance of the person.

How can a panic attack sufferer seek help or try to help themselves?

When it comes to dealing with the panic attack itself, some people react instinctively and change their breathing. Slow and deep breathing is an action that people often do without thinking and thus help themselves to get out of the panic attack faster.

Pandas have had two thumbs for millions of years

By

Gaston de Persigny

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18 July 2022

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They are less efficient than humans, but enough to catch and eat bamboo, scientists say

Fossils unearthed in China help scientists better understand one of the wonders of evolution: the giant panda’s false thumb, which helps this vegetable-loving bear grasp and chew the bamboo that makes up most of its diet , reported Reuters.

Researchers report finding near the city of Zhaotun in northern Yunnan province fossils of an extinct panda called Ailurarctos, about 6 million years old. These fossils preserve the oldest known evidence of a makeshift extra finger. It is actually a greatly enlarged wrist bone called the radial sesamoid bone.

The appendage closely resembles the false thumb of modern pandas, but is slightly longer and lacks the internal hook at the end that is present in extant species and provides even greater ability to manipulate bamboo stems, shoots and roots while feeding.

The false thumb is an evolutionary adaptation that complements the existing five true toes of the panda’s paw.

The bear’s paw lacks the thumb characteristic of humans and various primates, which can be opposed to the other fingers and allow objects to be grasped and manipulated. A similar function is performed by the false thumb.

“The false thumb is used as a very crude opposable thumb for grasping bamboo — kind of like our own thumbs, except it’s located on the wrist and is much shorter than humans,” says the paleontologist at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Xiaoming Wang, lead author of the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The ancient pandas of the genus Ailurarctos were the evolutionary ancestors of modern pandas. They were smaller, but with anatomical features indicating a similar lifestyle, including a bamboo diet.

The modern panda fake thumb has some advantages over the earlier version.

“The hooked false toe provides a firmer grip on the bamboo and makes it easier for the panda to walk. For this reason, we think it has become shorter, not longer, in modern pandas,” says Wang.

The strong grip allows the panda to break food into pieces more quickly, the scientist explains.

Researchers first discovered a bone from the paw of Ailurarctos in 2010, then in 2015 they found teeth and a false thumb. This gives them a clearer picture of the ancient animal. The oldest known evidence of this thumb-like structure dates back to about 102,000 – 49,000 years ago in fossils of the same panda species that lives today.

The false thumb allows pandas to hold bamboo to eat, but not rotate the food as a real thumb would allow.

“One of the most important features of humans and primates is the evolution of a thumb that can oppose the rest of the fingers for precision grasping. The panda’s false thumb is much less efficient than a human’s, but it is sufficient to provide it with the ability to grasping to eat bamboo,” said paleontologist and study co-author Tao Deng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.

Pandas, one of eight bear species in the world, once inhabited vast territories in Asia. Now they live mostly in temperate forests in the mountains of Southwest China. Their number in the wild is estimated to be less than 2,000.

Pandas’ diet is 99 percent vegetarian, although they do occasionally eat small animals and carrion. Due to their inefficient digestive system, they consume large quantities to meet their nutritional needs – 12-38 kg of bamboo, eating up to 14 hours a day.

Researchers say the false thumb was not present in another closely related bear that lived about 9 million years ago.

“This is a great innovation – turning an insignificant bone into an element that is useful for a specific purpose,” said Harvard University paleobiologist and study co-author Lawrence Flynn.

Akhmetov told what will happen to the employees of the media group after he leaves the business

By

News desk

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18 July 2022

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After Rinat Akhmetov leaves the media market in Ukraine, workers will be fired in several stages, the first wave will begin on July 18, reports “Ekonomicheskaya Pravda”.

This was reported in the press service of the SCM.

Each employee of “Media Group Ukraine” will also receive a severance pay in the amount of 3 to 12 monthly salaries, depending on the number of years of work in the group. For the calculation of salaries, the average monthly salaries of employees for 2021, that is, before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, will be taken as a basis. It is noted that all outgoing payments are guaranteed by SCM.

“The process of completing the cooperation of the media group with our employees will take place in several stages. The first one, which starts on Monday, will concern those who, as of July 11, were not involved in the production processes. The next ones will be notified separately,” the company explained.

Reminder:

The billionaire Rinat Akhmetov announced the “forced exit” of his investment company SCM from the media business to comply with an anti-oligarchic law passed last year. A few days earlier, the Verkhovna Rada voted to terminate the powers of People’s Deputy Vadim Novinsky.

As a result, he got out of two criteria for recognition as an oligarch, in particular, thanks to the drafting of a deputy mandate by his business partner Vadim Novinsky.

Turkey has discovered the second largest deposit of rare metals in the world

By

News desk

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18 July 2022

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uranium ore in mine, mineral radiation concept, radioactive energy

Type of an exclusive deposit of terrestrial elements in the central part of Anatolia, reported Daily Sabah. About the reserve, it claims to be the largest in the world. It is available after decades of research and observations, which are periodically reported, but for a long time do not seem to give definitive results.

The president of Turkey, R. Tayyip Epdogan, stated in front of the local media that the huge deposits of fossil elements are estimated to have reserves of around 694 million tons. It is at the melting point of the ice, China, where the largest deposit of trace elements is found, with reserves of 800 million tons. Precious metals are used in areas such as aviation, construction, chemical industry and biomedicine.

The mining company Eti Maden commented that initially around 1,200 tons of ore will be processed annually at the deposit. He expects this figure to reach 570,000 tons with a major investment in higher index production in the near future.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Typia Fatix Dunmez commented that it would be extremely cheap to mine the elements since the deposit is extremely close to the ground.

“Of the 17 artificial parent elements, we will be able to produce 10 of these,” he said.

The purchase will allow mass domestic production of the parent elements, which will be used primarily in the industry of Turkey, but also for export.

“Achillion” – the palace of an empress with a good soul, but with a sad fate

By

Petar Gramatikov

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18 July 2022

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It is a real architectural masterpiece, but it is also a monument to a sad story about a mother’s grief over her lost child

On the eternally green and unearthly beautiful island of Corfu, there is a palace that hides both an interesting and a sad history.

It is a true architectural masterpiece both outside and inside, but it is also a monument to a sad story about a mother’s grief over her lost child. “Achillion” is the palace of an empress with a good soul, but with a sad fate – Elizabeth or better known among the people as Sisi.

Who is Empress Sisi?

In December 1837, Elisavet-Amalia-Evgenia was born in Munich, who history will remember as Sissi. She is the daughter of Archduke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and Archduchess Ludovica. The girl’s childhood years were spent near Munich, and she learned about Greece from her father, who was a great Grecophile.

At the tender age of 16, Elisabeth met the Emperor of Austria – Franz Joseph I Habsburg, who was then 23 years old. The spark of love quickly ignited between them, and before long the emperor proposed marriage to the young Sisi.

On April 24, the wedding of the innocent Sisi and the young emperor Franz Joseph was celebrated in Vienna. The girl in love does not realize at all what kind of family she is “entering” and what misfortunes and sorrows await her in the future, mainly caused by her mother-in-law Sofia.

The death of Princess Sophia

Sisi gave birth to three children of the emperor – Gisela, Sophia and Rodolphe (heir to the throne), and later another girl – Maria-Valeria. But this is not enough for the evil and demanding mother-in-law. Little Sofia falls ill and Sisi decides to go with her to Hungary to try to improve her daughter’s condition. Unfortunately for her, the little princess died at the age of two. Almost everyone blames Sisi for her death, including herself. After this unfortunate event, the mother-in-law takes full care of Gisela and Rodolphe.

How an infidelity leads Sissy to the island of Corfu

The sufferings of the beautiful Sissy do not stop here. Soon after Sophia’s death, she finds out that Franz Joseph is cheating on her, which further brings darkness to her already tortured soul. To restore her strength and spirit, she decides to travel. One of the places she visits is the island of Corfu, which she instantly falls in love with and spends a lot of time there.

The tragic end of a princess

Empress Sisi’s death was as tragic as her life. She is murdered by an anarchist in Geneva, bending down to smell the flowers he gives her, unaware that he suddenly pulls out a small file and plunges it near her heart. A little later she died in the hotel where she was staying.

A turning point in the life of the empress and how Achillion Palace was built

Sissy was known for her beauty and impeccable appearance, which she took great care of. However, inside, happiness had long since left her. To top off all her suffering, her beloved son Rodolphe, the heir to the throne, is found dead with his beloved Maria Vecera. The mother’s grief is so great and inconsolable that Sisi leaves Vienna and goes to her beloved island of Corfu. There she buys the villa in which she often stays, destroys it and builds a beautiful palace in its place, which is called “Achillion” or “Achilio”. The palace was named after her favorite character from Homer’s Iliad saga.

History of the palace

The palace was built in the period 1889-1891 in the village of Gasturi, on a hill with a wonderful view of the sea and the island. The building was built in the Pompeian style. Sissy visited the place twice a year. After her death it became the property of one of her daughters and was closed for nine years. Maria-Valeria (Sisi’s youngest daughter) then sold it to the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. He himself made quite a few additions, extending the gardens and moving some of the statutes.

During the First World War, the palace was used as a military hospital by the French and Serbian troops. After the end of the war and the defeat of Germany, the Achillion Palace entered the borders of the Greek state. During the Second World War, the palace was used as a military headquarters.

In 1962, the palace was given a concession to a private company, which converted the upper floors into a casino, which turned out to be the first in Greece, and turned the ground floor into a museum.

In 1983, the management of Achillion was taken over by the Hellenic National Tourism Organization. In 1994, it was used for the needs of the European Union. After that, the palace is used for tourist purposes, for visits and organizing various events.

A tour of the beauties of “Achillion”

At the entrance to the palace there is an imposing iron gate, on which are written the name and the years in which the palace was built. To the left of the entrance itself are two buildings. One nowadays sells entry tickets, but was formerly used as a porter’s office and then by the gendarmerie. The second was built by the Kaiser and was then used by casino guests.

The palace is full of interesting sculptures both in the garden and on its facade. On the balcony of the first floor there are two exquisite marble centaurs, and on the balcony of the second floor can be seen four nymphs – givers of light. The door of the main entrance itself is decorated by the Italian house Caponetti and rests on Doric columns. Various scenes and images from Greek mythology can be seen throughout the palace. There are even two rather imposing statues of Achilles himself in the courtyard. On one, he is depicted standing upright, and on the other, he has already fallen to the ground after being struck down by Paris’s arrow.

Gardens of Achilleion

There is no denying that the palace is a true architectural jewel both inside and out, but its gardens are not to be underestimated either. There is a veritable extravaganza of flowers and rare plants in them, which were planted as early as the time of Sisi, and then of the Kaiser.

On the colonnade in the palace garden, there are quite a few statues that give the palace an even more imposing appearance. Among them you can see Apollo, Aphrodite, all the muses and others.

A statue of Empress Sisi can also be seen in the palace gardens. There is one of hers at the very entrance of the building.

Even the Sisi statues look sad.

The Achilleion Palace is a real masterpiece, built with a lot of craftsmanship, attention to every detail, but also a lot of pain. Despite its beauty, it hides a sadness, an incurable pain. The palace seems to have been built to be a temple to this very pain, the most terrible of all – the loss of a child. However, the end result is more than impressive.

Mythical treasures of the ship “San Jose” turned out to be real

By

Petar Gramatikov

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18 July 2022

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Colombia, Spain and a Bolivian tribe dispute whose galleon and its riches sunk in the Caribbean sea

At the end of May 1708, the Spanish galleon “San Jose” set sail from Panama for the homeland. There is a huge treasure on board – the holds are filled with over 200 tons of gold, silver, coins, emeralds, etc., collected from the colonies in the Caribbean. King Philip V relied on these resources to finance the War of the Spanish Succession. However, on June 8, “San Jose” encountered enemy British ships. In the midst of the battle, a fire breaks out and after hours the ship takes its last journey – to the bottom of the sea, dragging the 600 crew and the treasure. The Spanish galleon and its countless riches became a legend that never ceases to intrigue archaeologists and treasure hunters.

The galleon had 64 cannons, the barrels of which were decorated with unique engravings of dolphins. In 2015, the government of Colombia sensationally announced that the galleon had been discovered. “This treasure is the most valuable ever discovered in human history,” exulted the then president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos. But the great depth makes exploration difficult and slow. It was only on November 27, 2018 that the REMUS 6000 robotic submarine of the US-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution approached the ship and managed to take photos of the wreckage, including the unique bronze cannons engraved with dolphins. Some of the underwater photos were shown only days ago. They show coins, ornaments, porcelain, ceramics, etc. artifacts. Also visible are the bow of the galleon and parts of its hull covered with seaweed and shells.

Authorities in Bogotá are keeping the location secret, but the San Jose is believed to be lying on the bottom about 40km from the port city of Cartagena de Indias. Its cargo is said to be worth between $1 billion and $2 billion at today’s prices. Everything is still in the research phase and estimates of the value of the treasure are quite conditional – the finds and their fate are shrouded in secrecy, and their extraction will be an extremely difficult and expensive operation.

Whose treasure is it?

This has been debated for many years. Colombia thinks it has all the rights, since the “San Jose” was discovered in its waters. But Spain also has claims – after all, the crashed ship was part of its fleet. The Indians of the Khara-Khara tribe of Bolivia also believe that part of the treasure belongs to them, since it comes from the bowels of their lands and was mined by their ancestors (Bolivia is home to the largest silver mine in the world).

The authorities in Bogotá are also arguing with private companies, who are even trying to prove in courts and arbitrations that they are entitled to a share of the valuable finds lying at the bottom. The American company Sea Search Armada (SSA) claims to have located the ship back in the early 1980s and as the first finder they are entitled to 50% percent of the assets. The SSA did have an agreement with former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to share the treasures, the Supreme Court in Bogotá confirms. But the American company fails to prove that it is the first discoverer, because the coordinates indicated by it do not match the true location of the galleon.

Another dispute arises – with Maritime Archeology Consultants (MAC), who want a 45% share, because they got a concession and participated in the successful search works. The court ruled that the 45% in question does not refer to everything discovered, but only to the unimportant assets – everything valuable in “San Jose” is part of the national cultural and historical heritage of Bolivia and is not subject to “division”. The dispute reached a state court – the private company filed a lawsuit for 17 billion dollars, insisting that Colombia owes it the colossal amount for costs of organizing the underwater expeditions and for non-fulfillment of the contract… But the claim was rejected as untenable.

Authorities in Bogotá have plans to make a museum in Cartagena to display the treasures and other exhibits from the wreck of the legendary ship. And not only from him – near “San Jose” the divers came across two more sunken ships, as well as 13 other objects that are yet to be studied. It is believed that there are hundreds of ancient and old vessels on the seabed around, which are also waiting to be discovered.

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