This was said on May 31, 2022 by the spokesman of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Boris Cheshirkov
Bulgaria was one of the first countries in the European Union to register all Ukrainian citizens in need of protection.
This was said in Varna by Boris Cheshirkov, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He specified that the delegation of the organization is in Bulgaria at the invitation of the government.
The EU ‘s response to the granting of temporary protection to refugees
is unprecedented, Cheshirkov added. He assessed that our country has very quickly managed to activate mobile groups and open special offices. Currently, there is no Ukrainian citizen who has wished to be registered for temporary protection, and this has not happened, added Cheshirkov.
There are currently more than 100 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, the first time in history, he added.
“In fact, by the end of 2021, that figure was 90 million, but with the conflict in Ukraine it exceeded 100 million,” Cheshirkov said.
According to him, there are over 8 million internally displaced people and more than 6 million refugees, 110,000 of whom have arrived in Bulgaria.
It is important to find the most vulnerable people among the refugees and to be the first to receive support, the expert added.
He appealed to the leaders of the Ukrainian community in our country to continue to work actively and to encourage their compatriots to trust the efforts of the Bulgarian state.
“We will continue to monitor the processes in Bulgaria and give support to the government, and at the moment we are specifying how we will be most useful,” Cheshirkov added.
He confirmed that there are already Ukrainians returning to their homeland, not only from our country, but also from Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. According to him, however, it is still too early to say that this return is permanent, because many return only to see their loved ones or whether their homes are still intact.
Patriotic posters calling for women’s help during World War II have led thousands of women to volunteer for the military or choose to work in positions traditionally held by men.
How were women portrayed during World War II?
As conscientious workers, committed to the cause and their country. American posters from the 1940s called on American women to take part in the war or to take positions that would help their husbands return faster from the battlefield. How? By supporting the economy.
“For the good of your country today – for the good of yourself tomorrow”
This was one of the popular posters for the recruitment of servicemen from the US Armed Forces from the mid-1940s. It depicted four women in various uniforms – Marines, women admitted to voluntary service in emergencies (WAVES), women from the Army Corps (WAC) and women from the Coast Guard (SPARS)).
Are you a girl with a star-studded heart?
A 1940 Women’s Army Corps (WAC) recruitment poster depicting a woman in uniform against the backdrop of the American flag.
Uniforms
On wartime posters, we can often see women in various uniforms. They are portrayed as soldiers as good as men. They had their own body and often the look on the posters was cheerful and smiling – a sign that they are happy with the fact that their position in society can be equal to that of men. But was that so?
The recruitment of women for various types of military service was largely voluntary. That’s why the posters showed them as cheerful and calm ladies.
The wife
The other role of women that we can find in this type of World War II testimony is that of supportive and loving wives who expect or rejoice in the arrival of their husbands.
The idea of ​​these posters is also to recruit staff for various volunteer organizations – for the emergency service, for the infantry.
The worker
Over time and as the war progressed, labor in various production facilities declined, so companies began to need women for hard physical labor.
Then posters of women with drills and in various workshops appeared, urging them to rethink their place in society as a whole.
Certainly, there were great expectations of women during the Second World War, which they managed to meet to a large extent, and the result of this can be observed in today’s modern society.
Source: StarsInsider
Photo: Poster for the recruitment of servicemen from the US Armed Forces from the mid-1940s
On December 29, the Moscow Patriarchate announced a surprising decision – for the first time in its history, it formed a patriarchal exarchate in Africa. Formally, this is done through the admission of “one hundred and two clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria” serving in eight African countries. The new church structure will consist of two dioceses – North and South Africa – and will be headed by the Bishop Leonid (Gorbachev).
The decision of the Moscow Synod is an undisguised criminal act against the Patriarchate of Alexandria for recognizing the autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine in 2019, and the Patriarch of Alexandria in August last year. Theodore served for the first time with the Kiev metropolitan Epiphanius.
In practice, the Russian Exarchate creates a rift in Africa, not just the parallel existence of two Orthodox jurisdictions. From now on, there will be no Eucharistic communion between local African clergy. Firstly, because the Moscow Patriarchate has unilaterally cut off Eucharistic communion with the Church of Alexandria (a similar decision by the Church of Alexandria could also be expected), and secondly, because many of the African clergy joined have unsettled canonical status. the rest are to be punished by the Church.
Background
As early as the end of September 2021, the Russian Synod made this plan public. The reason was also announced – requests were received from African clerics who want to join the Moscow Patriarchate. At this stage, the decision provided for a “study of the appeals received”, and this task was entrusted to Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz.
Of course, no information was received about the results of this “study”, which provided information on the canonical status of the clergy – whether they were under guardianship or overthrown, or whether they belonged to the clergy of the canonical Church of Alexandria.
It is obvious that the canons in this case are of secondary importance – the Russian side is ready to accept any clergyman, as long as it creates even a minimal “administrative basis” for the spread of the new structure of the continent.
The truth is that this idea began to be launched in the media (via Interfax) even a year earlier, by the same archbishop. Leonid, and this obviously reflected already active processes.
In this context, the words of the official statement of the Patriarchate of Alexandria that she was blackmailed sound understandable: “In the last two years” we have suddenly faced the anti-canonical and immoral invasion and intrusion (into our territory) of the Russian Church ” in order to blackmail and avenge us. “
The reactions
The Patriarchate of Alexandria reacted almost immediately. In his statement, the Alexandrian St. The Synod described Moscow’s actions as a “non-fraternal blow by fellow Russians,” but said it was not surprised by two years of attempts to interfere in the patriarchate’s internal affairs. However, the main instrument for “influence” on the African clergy by the Russian Church is clearly defined – the financial one. For two years, the Moscow Patriarchate has been trying to bribe our clergy, the bishops said.
Without saying whether the number of one hundred and two, announced by the Ministry of Justice, corresponds to his information, the Synod of Alexandria states that this group consists “of self-separated clergymen under ecclesiastical punishment, or of other, of unknown origin, self-proclaimed Orthodox but never belonged to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. ” More specific was the Cameroonian miter. Gregory, who said many of these clerics belong to different Old Calendar factions that have settled in different African countries for decades. Ironically, he noted that Russian church policy prefers not to delve into the canonicity of the ordination of these people, and they will be accepted without examining the schismatic structure from which they come.
There is also a theological argument in the opinion: the Russian church action is “an attempt to change the Orthodox ecclesiology in many of its features, but especially with regard to the question of the boundaries of the administrative division of Christ Church structures by criteria far from Orthodox Tradition. We find with pain that all these things are due to sinful causes infected with the “virus of ethnophiletism” condemned by the Council of 1872.
The main reason why, according to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the “Russian invasion” in its jurisdiction will not succeed is the colonial spirit that these actions carry and to which the local population is particularly sensitive. The success of the mission of the Patriarchate of Alexandria is due to the “sacrificial spirit of Orthodox and Holy Tradition”, which is possible because evangelization is not accompanied by selfish economic and political interests of any colonial power – as is the case with the Moscow Patriarchate.
The official statement also said that the Patriarchate of Alexandria would send letters to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and local churches describing our “plague” attack on “Christ-born children”, believing Africans, as a result of overt and covert actions. of authorized representatives of the Russian Church. ” Unofficially, information appeared in the Greek media that synaxis was possible (meeting at the level of primates), but only for the so-called “ancient patriarchates” of the Pentarchy – the Ecumenical, Alexandrian, Jerusalem, Antioch, and the Cypriot Church, as based on universal fair.
All violators will be subject to “the provisions of the divine and sacred canons of ecclesiastical punishment,” the synod said in a statement. Analysts point out that violators include both local clergy who move to the new exarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate, represented by “Patriarchal Exarch Klinski Leonid “, whose actions, however, are still pending. In ecclesiastical terms, it is not the stated intention that matters, but the performance of worship in a foreign jurisdiction – which is not yet a fact on his part.
A few words about the biography of the new African exarch
The new African exarch, Leonid (Gorbachev), will be named “Klin, Cairo and North African, patriarchal exarch for all of Africa.” Officially, he is Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Ministry of Justice, headed by the Mayor of Volokolamsk. Hilarion (Alfeev), and is currently his right hand man.
The “church biography” of Metropolitan Leonid is interesting. His first mission abroad as a clergyman was as part of an airborne brigade with the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He went on missions to Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa, and Cairo, where he always worked with Russian embassies and intelligence services.
In 2013 he became Bishop of Argentina and South America. It was then that he first came to the attention of the Russian media on an unpleasant occasion – in connection with the biggest drug scandal in recent Russian history, when in 2016 twelve suitcases of cocaine were found at the Russian embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The main figures are two “Russian Orthodox patrons” who carry drugs disguised as church utensils. In the case he was interrogated and ep. Leonid, who says he has nothing to do with the “patrons” and even refused to sign a “Memorandum for the supply of church utensils” with them. Shortly afterwards, however, he was recalled to Russia and headed the Vladikavkaz diocese of the ROC.
In the last few years, Archbishop. Leonid became the right hand of the Volokolamsk miter. Hilarion (Alfeev) and his personal vicar. The special “specialization” of his foreign church service is impressive: he was sent to “head” new church structures of the Russian Church outside the traditional lands of its activity with a disputed jurisdiction.
In October 2021, for example, he headed the new “Yerevan-Armenian Diocese” of the ROC, surprisingly established. The reasons for the formation of this new structure outside Russia were again political and “punitive” – ​​the decision was provoked by the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and came just two days after a failed meeting of spiritual leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow.
The fruit of the same “line” is the Russian-Georgian scandal of early 2021, when a clergyman of the same Vladikavkaz diocese “entered” not without the consent of his bishop in the jurisdiction of the Georgian Church, serving Christmas in Tskhinvali Cathedral , Abkhazia. The act provoked a sharp reaction from the Georgian Patriarchate and accusations of violating jurisdiction.
It is interesting to note that in December 2019 Archbishop Leonid was also in Bulgaria, where he served in the Russian court in Sofia and met with the Russian ambassador to Bulgaria to “discuss issues of mutual interest.”
According to Metropolitan of Klin Leonid, already as exarch in Africa, “the core of the new structure will be forged in Moscow” and thus will seek “a solution to the personnel issue, which is paramount.” This means that the Ministry of Justice intends to use the local parishes that have joined them as a base to send Russian priests. This policy is in clear contradiction with populist promises to local clergy that separating them from the Alexandrian Patriarchate is a path to the formation of an autocephalous African church.
For now, H.E. Leonid will not make an “archpastoral visit to Africa” ​​due to the “epidemic situation”. On the other hand, he received the “courtyard of the African Exarchate in Moscow”, where his residence will be.
“Where there is opportunity and need, Russian temples will be built in Africa,” he was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti. He promised that a “network of theological schools” would be built for its own staff.
The Russian Synod may also consider appointing new bishops in Africa, both Russian and local, but for now locals are only required to sign an “oath of allegiance” that threatens eternal condemnation and loss of salvation. clerics promise never to leave the Moscow Patriarchate on any occasion.
The Orthodox mission in Africa today
Among the retaliatory measures of the Patriarchate of Alexandria is the internal reorganization of the bishop – in the first days of the new year the Synod of Alexandria announced a number of changes such as election of bishops, promotion of bishops to metropolitans and transfer of minor metropolitans to major metropolises ( this is permissible under the statutes of most Orthodox churches). Hierarchs with a strong missionary charge and administrative skills were sent to more critical points. Among the new names is the longtime missionary in Africa, Archim. Chrysostom (Maidonis) from the Diocese of Ierisso and Mount Athos, who is known for his extensive experience of working with young people, which is the predominant flock of the Church of Alexandria.
At present, the Orthodox mission on the African continent is supported in terms of staff and finances, mostly by the Greek Church. The Greek state is also involved. In 2006, for example, the Greek government solved the problem of medical, pre-hospital and hospital treatment of the clergy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria through a special legislative change. The Patriarch of Alexandria, Theodore, then expressed his great satisfaction with the words: “Thank you very much to our Greece, which always supports the apostolic work of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.”
Lay people – men and women, monks, nuns and clergy from Greece and Finland in the past 20th century worked very hard for the Orthodox education of the local population. The Orthodox mission also bears fruit such as the famous missionary nun Tekla, called the “mother of Tanzania’s children”, who has spent thirty-five years of her life serving the poorest and most disadvantaged. Huge funds were raised and invested from donations for the construction of churches and schools, medical centers, water supply, etc. The Orthodox Churches of Greece, Cyprus and Finland participated with both staff and many funds in support of Orthodox Africans. Thus, hundreds of thousands of inhabitants of the “black continent” were attracted to the Orthodox faith, tens of their young people graduated in theology in Greece, Russia, Romania, the United States and other countries and became clergy among their tribes and peoples. There are already several local bishops in the hierarchy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, although most of the bishops are from Greece and Cyprus with an almost exclusively African flock.
Apart from the traditionally strong missionary charge of the Orthodox Churches in the mentioned countries, an important prerequisite for the success of the mission is the fact that the locals do not find in the Orthodox missionaries representatives of any colonial power that seeks to expand its political and economic influence. and seizing the resources of the Black Continent – a historic trauma for the African population, but still a pressing issue.
That is why the words of the Cameroonian miter do not sound unfounded. Gregory, who expresses his skepticism about the success of the “Russian mission” in Africa precisely because of ignoring the peculiarities of the local mentality and history: “Given the unsuitability for the African mentality of the so-called Africa Corp “Africa” ​​I foresee the failure of the entire Russian theological arsenal used so far for propaganda purposes against the recognition of the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine and against the Ecumenical Patriarch, as well as the fall of the generals. Even Rommel was defeated in Africa, having one of the most disciplined and organized armies in the world. Lucky are those who have already decided to write a doctorate on the Russian operation. “
* This text with author Zlatina Ivanova was published in Bulgarian for the first time in the magazine Christianity and Culture, issue. 1 (168), 2022, pp. 69-74 (Еd. Note).
In Ukraine, damage due to the destruction of sports facilities is calculated.
The Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Vadim Gutsait spoke about the financial losses in the country in question.
“73 sports facilities with roof damage have been completely destroyed. We have already estimated the damage at approximately $ 110 million, which is the cost of 73 sites today.
We are collecting data, a group is already working to restore the sports infrastructure and sports in general. We have already calculated what we will have to restore, what we will have to build, what conditions we will have to create for the athletes.
There are many plans, because it is necessary to keep the sport with the highest achievements in order for Ukraine to be competitive at the Olympic Games not only in 2024, but also in 2028 and beyond, “said the Minister of TSN.
Good deed from a pharmacist in the Turkish city of Edirne
The manager of a pharmacy in Edirne, Aytach Yashin, found 10,000 EUR in the site and went looking for their owner, 24rodopi.com reported.
He looked at the security camera footage and came across Bulgarian businessman Faik Donat, who lost money while buying drugs. The recording showed Faik taking a credit card out of his bag to pay the bill, but did not notice how the money fell out of the bag, Turkish media write.
Yashin managed to contact the Bulgarian, who was already traveling to Bulgaria and did not even suspect that he had lost a large sum of money. “Everyone says the Turks are reliable people. I made sure of that myself today. “I am very happy,” said Faik Donat.
The Scandinavian countries are known as expensive destinations for which tourists have to prepare a higher budget for all their experiences – from accommodation and transport to food and museums.
Denmark is no exception, but at least when it comes to transport, this summer fans in the North have the opportunity to save and redirect this part of their budget to other pleasant things.
The popular Rejsepas ticket for locals and tourists for an 8-day unlimited train ride returns this summer. It costs 399 kroner (about 53 euros) and allows each adult to travel unlimited on the trains of the Danish national railway company for 8 consecutive days.
The ticket is also valid for Arriva buses and trains, for the Copenhagen metro and S-trains, as well as for the Letbane system in Aarhus and a number of local trains.
The ticket price is almost equal to the price of a standard train ticket from Copenhagen to Aarhus.
The ticket also has a version for children under 16, and its price is 199 crowns (about 27 euros). But if an adult travels with the 8-day ticket, he is entitled to take up to two children under the age of 12 for free. Does this sound like a plan for an epic family trip to Andersen’s country?
With the ticket you can spend a few days in Copenhagen, which you can combine with a tour of cities and landmarks in the diamond region of Aarhus (European Capital of Culture in 2017) and Odense (the birthplace of the children’s writer, where his new museum is located). .
The ticket is intended for summer travel and must be used between June 25 and August 7. Rejsepas goes on sale on June 1, and the number of tickets is limited to 75,000, so it’s a good idea to buy yours early.
Two climbers were killed and nine others were injured by falling pieces of ice in the Alps in southern Switzerland, Reuters reported on 28 of May 2022.
Police in the canton of Valais received a signal for the accident shortly after 6 o’clock local time. Seven rescue helicopters were sent.
The ice floes fell on a group of 17 climbers at an altitude of 3400 meters. Two of the climbers, a 40-year-old Frenchwoman and a 65-year-old Spaniard, died on the spot.
Police said nine other people had been taken to hospitals and two were seriously injured.
Other climbers were evacuated by helicopter.
The prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to establish the circumstances of the accident.
Any cat owner would be heartbroken if for some reason the cat ignores him. People can really get sad if we play with our pet, take care of him, pet him and try to make his life fun, but he somehow doesn’t pay attention to us.
Cats are much more independent animals when compared to dogs and can actually spend a lot of time alone and that is good for them. While most pet animals are actually social, some of them can really just be…terrible.
How do we know if our cat is angry about something or wants to be left alone?
Your cat wants to spend time alone
Just as we humans sometimes need to not talk to other people for a number of reasons, affectionate friends can also have these moments.
Cats can be quite independent animals and have their own emotions and moods. Some people, like people, are influenced by the weather and when autumn comes, they may not be in the mood to play or cuddle you, but prefer solitude. If your cat does not have a health problem – eats normally, is not aggressive, uses his toilet, but does not pay much attention to you – maybe he just wants to be alone. As sad as we are, we have no choice but to respect that.
We can always try to lure her with a fishing rod or a toy, but we should not bother her too much so as not to incur her wrath.
Your cat is stressed
Many cats will choose to ignore something they perceive as a threat or stress. If the purring friend has a negative experience in the past with people who have quarreled with him or even hurt him – maybe he will be skeptical of you at times, even if you have never treated him badly.
Sometimes cats are offended by some of our actions – for example, if you accidentally stepped on it and it hurt – your cat will certainly hiss, and may not be so friendly for a while.
If something has changed in your home – you have moved, you have adopted another kitten, a new person has come to live with you, you have given birth to a baby, etc., then your cat may experience this change in its own way. Purring animals are adaptable, but the transition is certainly not easy for everyone and they need time. Some representatives may become a little more rude to you in “protest” and choose to ignore you and ignore you.
Make sure you have a place for your cat that is only hers and give her time.
Your cat is not feeling well
It is not uncommon for purring animals to become more lonely when in pain. Too many cats will not make it clear that something is wrong and will seem to be hiding their symptoms. If your cat has suddenly started to behave and no longer responds to your voice (and used to), does not greet you at the door and may seem a more lethargic idea – it may be good to visit the vet.
Your cat is angry or offended
These friends can often be quite vindictive. Many of them “offend” their owners when they go on vacation for a few days and “abandon” them. In such a situation, you go home, waiting to see your pet, but he ignores you because he wants to show the pain you caused him.
These animals can be very sensitive and understand much more than we think. They are not evil and will certainly forgive you, but maybe you should try to deserve it – maybe with more games, food and of course treats.
Older people may have problems
Ignoring behavior may be more typical of adult cats, which little by little they no longer feel in their prime. Some gradually begin to become deaf or lose their energy and prefer to spend their time asleep instead of playing as you are used to.
This is a normal stage in the lives of these friends, so as they get older they may become calmer and less excited about your presence. However, if you suspect that your purring friend is in pain or something is wrong with his health – be sure to visit the vet.
If your cat has been ignoring you almost since the day she lived with you – maybe she just has that character and, apart from learning how to communicate with her and respect her privacy – you have no choice. On the other hand, if the purring companion has suddenly lost interest in you – it may be good to check his health.
Hundreds of English people with a fake ticket or no pass at all
The chaos and the huge organizational blunder that marked the final of the Champions League continue to be a leading topic in the days after the most important match in European football for the season.
The topic even displaced the match itself, in which Real (Madrid) beat Liverpool and on the 14th step on the football throne of the Old Continent.
Unprecedented in recent decades, the match has been delayed by more than 30 minutes.
The reason was that thousands of Liverpool fans had not yet taken their seats in the stands, but were pushing and forming huge crowds in front of the very few remaining open entrances to the Stade de France in Paris.
The situation also led to tensions, there was the use of tear gas by the police, and eventually thousands of fans later joined the tribune. Some have never been able to do so.
Naturally, after such a huge blunder, the accusations began immediately.
Initially, UEFA and the organizers blamed the English fans for leaving the stadium too late, underestimating the traffic in Paris and the slower entry into the stadium itself.
Of course, the respondent said that the organization was under criticism, and for several thousand supporters only one open entrance was provided.
“The whole problem arose because of the massive attempts of Liverpool fans to enter the stadium either without a ticket or with a fake one.
They merged with the crowd, pushed past people with regular passes, and were difficult to identify. Besides, it was these violators who caused the tension.
“I sincerely regret that the tear gas of the police injured women and children, which will leave a stain on Paris,” he said.
UEFA continues to insist that the cause of the commotion is the late arrival of fans in the area of ​​the stadium.
Eldest granddaughter of king Simeon II (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) of Bulgaria married.
The ceremony took place in Palma de Mallorca.
The 27-year-old Princess Mafalda is the first daughter of Prince Cyril and the Spanish noblewoman Rosalio Nadal.
Her chosen one is the British financier Mark Abusleiman, with whom their love ignited during their studies in the United States years ago.
Mark’s family has Lebanese roots, and he was born in London. He holds a degree in computer science from Priest and works in the financial sector. The wedding ceremony took place in Palma de Mallorca and was closed to the media.
On the eve of the wedding there was a party for the guests in the mansion of Prince Cyril, which was attended by representatives of various royal families, writes the Spanish press.
Mafalda is named after the sister of her grandmother – Princess Mafalda of Savoy. The Wedding of Princess Mafalda of Savoy (wearing the Hesse Ears of Wheat Tiara), daughter of King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, and Prince Philipp of Hesse took place at the Castle of Racconigi in 1925. The couple had four children and remained happily married until the middle of WWII, when both of them were arrested separately, and Princess Mafalda died in a concentration camp in 1944, and Prince Philipp never remarried. Royal Guests and Relatives in attendance included King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena (in the Crown Pearl and Diamond Tiara), Queen Mother Margherita (wearing her Diamond Wreath Tiara), King George II of Greece (first cousin of the groom), Crown Prince Carol and Crown Princess Helen of Romania (in the Romanian Greek Key Tiara), Princess Irene of Greece (wearing her Diamond Tiara), Prince and Princess Paul (wearing the Vladimir Fringe Tiara) of Yugoslavia, the Prince of Piemonte, Princess Jolanda of Savoy, Countess Calvi di Bergolo, The Duke and Duchess of Aosta (wearing the Savoy Aosta Knot and Star Tiara), the Dowager Duchess of Aosta, Princess Xenia of Montenegro, Prince Cristopher of Greece, and the Duke of Genoa.
