Two Ethiopian pilgrims walk next to carved church in Lalibela, Ethiopia. (Credit: Shutterstock/Stewart Innes)
“The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as well as the inherent right to life are fundamental human rights recognized in international law. They are above political consensus, as their direct source is the inalienable human dignity of every human being. It is the responsibility and the duty of political authorities, including the European Parliament, to protect, defend and promote them worldwide, as well as all the other internationally recognized human rights rooted in the human dignity set forth in the International Bill of Human Rights.
Any attempt to undermine the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the right to life through abusive interpretations that unduly restrict their legitimate scope or to subject them to newly created and non-consensual “so-called human rights”, including abortion, constitute a serious violation of the international law that discredits the European Union before the international community and before millions of European citizens.
Any treatment of these human rights as second-class rights contradicts the Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, which calls on the international community to consider all human rights “in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis”.
Furthermore, this motion for resolution, in its current wording, will not be of help for millions of religious believers who are victims of persecution because of their faith, in particular vulnerable women and girls, as their situation will be obscured and rendered invisible by prioritizing other political interests.”
As part of the Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE) project, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) conducted a training in Vienna for church leaders, church staff, and worshippers, helping them to ensure safer and stronger communities in Austria.
The training was held on 26 April, especially in the context of the 2020 terrorist attacks in the country, which have since resulted in high level security measures.
Austria is the fifth country where the SASCE project was introduced to local churches. During the training, video materials, security guidelines, and a Guide for Law Enforcement were given to the representatives of the Ecumenical Council of Austria, Executive Board of the Council and the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE).
Dr Elizabeta Kitanovic, CEC Executive Secretary, responsible for coordinating the SASCE project at CEC, together with Ophir Revach, CEO of Crisis and Security Center (SACC) by the European Jewish Congress, led the training in the meeting held at the CPCE premises.
The training was a first step to understanding proactive security policy. The participants discussed how to prevent possible emerging threats, and explored the value of having functional crisis management teams in parishes, dioceses and metropolis. Methods of effectively creating multipliers of the SASCE project on various levels and generating solidarity among religious communities, where they take a lead in implementing security policy for the protection of worship places, were also discussed.
While presenting the SASCE project, Dr Kitanovic underlined the importance of solidarity among religious communities during a crisis, stressing that all religious communities are safer together.
“Working together for a safer environment is key for success in achieving stronger security and safety for all people. We now have an example of solidarity among religious communities in a time of crisis, as observed in the case of Ukraine,” said Ophir Revach.
The Ecumenical Council in Austria will nominate a SASCE ambassador who will have the task of regularly reporting hate crimes or any damage to church property, individuals, church leaders and the community in general. The SASCE ambassadors will be further trained during the CEC Summer School taking place from 13 to 16 June 2022 in Malmö, Sweden.
Funded by the European Commission, the SASCE project is an outcome of European interfaith partnership, representing Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities. CEC is working together with religious partners to assist in the protection of places of worship across Europe.
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister: Turkey and Ukraine have not received the necessary support from the EU
We need to look very carefully at the reasons why Russia started this war, he said
Bulgaria’s refusal to pay for gas in rubles and the subsequent shutdown of natural gas poses various alternatives to our country. For all of them, it is clear at the moment that there is gas, but its price will certainly be higher than before, as admitted yesterday in “Speak Now” Energy Minister Alexander Nikolov. One of the possibilities for gas supplies is Turkey. Whether we will be able to become a major gas distributor depends on the connection with our southern neighbor, as requested by Deputy Prime Minister Asen Vassilev in Brussels this week.
What are Ankara’s plans and does it expect the country to re-warm its relations with the European Union, said Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Farouk Kaymakci:
Bulgarian National Television (BNT): Mr. Kaikamci, we are in the office where Kemal Ataturk also worked as a military attache in Bulgaria. He says something that we can to some extent connect with the forum you visited in Bulgaria and reads: if the Balkan Union is created, it can open the way to the creation of the European Union. Does it sound relevant to you today?
Interestingly, Ataturk is among the leaders who first used the term European Union. The year is 1932, and the place is Ankara, where he talks to journalists from Balkan countries. Then he imagines an alliance that has its own parliament and even its own army. We can now say that the European Union is one of the most successful examples of unification in the world. I am extremely proud that we are having this conversation in Ataturk’s office, and I would like to add that the other thing he dreams of is peace in our country and peace in the world. Today, Turkish diplomacy is making efforts to do just that. The Balkan countries must become part of the European Union. Among them is Turkey, whose membership I think is a little late. If this had been the case 10-15 years ago, many conflicts and wars today might have been prevented. As in Iraq and Syria. Maybe the war that Russia started against Ukraine. Turkey is important to the European Union both in terms of security and in NATO-EU relations. Unfortunately, our membership is delayed because of the Cyprus issue, and this is hampering fruitful NATO-EU cooperation.
BNT: A message came from Turkey that the country does not approve of the idea of deploying NATO forces in the Black Sea to deter Russia and calls on Bulgaria and Romania to act with restraint. What is behind this?
What is important here is this: there is a war, and Turkey’s desire for a ceasefire as soon as possible and for peace to be achieved. Of course, as one of the important forces in NATO, we also want the Alliance to be strong. However, it is important to avoid actions that would deepen the conflict.
BNT: What is the most important lesson we need to learn from the war in Ukraine?
We need to look very carefully at the reasons why Russia started this war. In my opinion, the most important of them are Russia’s specific policies. But for me, the most important lesson is that we must be unanimous when it comes to protecting and securing Europe. And when we talk about that, the issue of Turkey’s EU membership is even more important. Looking back, Crimea is the other issue on which NATO and the European Union have failed to be more decisive. In the context of what has been achieved. This indecision is among the bad examples. Indecision is one of the reasons why those who want to go to war feel braver. The other lesson is that countries like Turkey and Ukraine, which are important for both the energy and economic security of the European Union and even in terms of emigrant pressure, have not received the necessary support. If Ukraine had been a member of the European Union, we might not have witnessed all this today, and those who started the war would not have been able to stand up to a united and united Europe.
BNT: What were the messages you heard in Sofia? In my opinion, the most important thing seems to be that when we talk about the European Union, we can no longer talk about Ukraine.
For me, one of them is that some Member States must not block enlargement in the name of their national interest. Bilateral disputes must be resolved between the countries concerned, without prejudice to EU membership. This does not contribute to their development. Nor does it benefit the European Union. This will not get us anywhere.
BNT: However, you are talking about the normalization of relations between Turkey and the European Union. What do you mean?
If we compare the situation of the last 4-5 months with that of earlier, now the relations between Turkey and the European Union are much livelier. The European Union sees the importance of Turkey and its weight in foreign policy. Over the last 3 years, relations have been frozen and strained – both in terms of dialogue and in terms of the fight against terrorism and emigrant pressure. Now, in the wake of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Turkey’s important role in Europe’s security has been seen again and more is being discussed. The other topic on the agenda is energy security. Turkey is one of the four important energy links for the European Union. One of the gas corridors passes through our country. Turkey has been talking for years about including Mediterranean deposits in the corridor. Amid tensions over gas and oil reserves near Cyprus, Turkey has proposed organizing a Mediterranean conference and launching co-operation, but no progress has been made two years ago. Now there is talk again of diversifying sources and increasing interest in those in the Mediterranean. With regard to the economy, we need to think about the recovery of the economies after the pandemic, and the signing of an updated customs agreement will contribute to that. We are one of the EU’s five most important trading partners. In addition, as Turkey’s EU membership prospects step up, it will boost reforms in the country. This is true for all countries that are candidates for membership. The results of the latest polls show that 79% of the Turkish population supports our country’s membership in the European Union, and 65% are convinced that we can meet the criteria. At the same time, we expect fair treatment.
BNT: Will Turkey become the new energy power in Europe?
We have always said that we are among the key countries for Europe’s energy security. In an hour and a half by plane you can reach 70% of the world’s hydrocarbon reserves. We are an energy hub. Unfortunately, because of the Cyprus issue, we have not been able to make progress on energy cooperation for years. I mean, that important gas corridors pass through our country, and when do we have this opportunity, when we have such sources in our hands, because we are going to immerse 8 billion euros in the Mediterranean? This is not reasonable at all. In addition to hydrocarbon deposits, we need to talk about the transition to a green economy. We are also at the forefront in terms of renewable energy sources. 54% of our energy is renewable and by this indicator we are in fifth place in Europe. We also have serious potential in terms of green energy.
Reuters: Bulgarian company in a scheme to import US missile components to Russia
Russian missiles attacking Ukraine may contain American computer chips reaching Russia through a Bulgarian company. This was reported by Reuters, according to revelations in its own investigation into the path of the components specialized for missiles from the United States to Moscow, quoted by Tribune.bg.
At the center of the events is Moscow businessman Ilias Sabirov, who has been supplying the Russian military with high-performance computer chips made in the United States for years. His business became more complicated in 2014, when Russia took over the Crimean peninsula. At the time, the United States was pressuring Russia with a number of new sanctions and export controls. They severely restrict the sale of chips that Sabirov has been providing to his country’s army for so long. Sabirov won significant sums by supplying these special chips to the Russian military machine, and sanctions have not stopped him from procuring more. The chips are specially designed to withstand radiation and extreme temperatures. These are military, critical components of missile systems and military spy satellites.
In the spring of 2015, Sabirov received a package of over 100 chips. U.S. prosecutors say the chips were supplied by a U.S. company in Austin, Texas. This company is “Silicone Space Technology” or SST for short. Radiation-protected chips were sent to Russia through a Bulgarian company in a bid to circumvent the US export embargo, prosecutors said.
In 2015, Silicone Space Technology changed its name to Vorago Technologies after their work became public.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, the United States and more than 30 other countries responded with another huge round of sanctions and restrictions on Putin’s government’s exports. The story of how sensitive American computer chips get from Texas to Russia serves as a signal of how even the strictest controls can be circumvented.
A criminal case is underway against Sabirov and two Bulgarian businessmen – his accomplices, and new details about the manner in which the fraud was carried out are coming to light. Together with Sabirov, Bulgarians Dimitar and Milan Dimitrov are accused in 2020 of illegally exporting chips to Russia and money laundering. From 2014 to 2019, illegal exports were carried out with the help of the three men. A careful investigation revealed a chain of suppliers, fictitious companies and false allegations in the export forms stating that the items were intended for civilian use only and not for military use. In addition to electronics, however, the Russians received from the United States and precision instruments to be used for military purposes. The manufacturer was fined nearly half a million dollars.
U.S. Department of Defense spokeswoman Sue Goff says radiation-resistant chips play a significant role in military communications, intelligence and surveillance.
She said: “The acquisition of radiation-protected technology by aggressive nuclear-weapon states such as Russia may encourage them by increasing the destabilization of international security. That is why protecting these chips is critical to US national security.”
Greg Slavens, who recently retired after 30 years as head of HSI’s anti-proliferation unit, said: “The Russians are constantly increasing their efforts to obtain chips for missile and space technology.”
So far, the Kremlin has not responded to a question about US accusations that it is using fraudulent schemes to circumvent Western sanctions and export restrictions. Sabirov denies involvement in the scheme, as well as links to Bulgaria for chip exports. Milan Dimitrov also denied the allegations, and his father, Dimitar, was not available for comm
Turkey supports Ukraine, but on the other hand is preparing to receive many tourists from Russia, the Ukrainian president said
In an interview with Greek television ERT, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “offended” by Turkey for accepting Russian tourists to the country, the Turkish newspaper Haberler reported.
On the one hand, Turkey is acting as a mediator and supporting Ukraine with important steps, but on the other hand, we see that they are preparing to receive many tourists, especially from Russia. As President, I want to say that if we want to have friendly relations, this must not be allowed, because it means applying a double standard to Ukraine. This is not right. Are you for the truth or not? You have to make a choice, Zelenski said, Haberler said.
The ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey reacted sharply to the statement, as the Ukrainian president has repeatedly spoken positively about Turkey’s role as a mediator in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
One of the most active members of the Justice and Development Party, Shamil Tayar, wrote an extremely angry message on Twitter, describing Zelensky as a “stupid comedian”.
Since ancient times, people have intervened in nature, trying to “adjust” it to their needs. Modern gardeners are also attracted by new hybrid varieties of vegetables and fruits: pear-flavored apple, apricot-flavored nectarine and others. Characteristics of hybrid trees Hybrid is a new species, a variety of vegetables, trees and shrubs obtained by genetic cross-pollination in various forms. Scientists and amateurs conduct research, experiments and get a lot of exotic plants, such as a tomato that smells of lemon, an apple with a grape flavor and so on.
Hybrids have both positive and negative properties, but still have more advantages. Among the advantages of growing hybrid plants are the following: ·
fruits grown on the same plant have approximately the same shape; ·
large enough mass, up to 150-170 g; ·
high yield; ·
high resistance to insect pests, various diseases; ·
self-pollination, no need to plant a number of special pollinators; ·
unusual taste. Taste characteristics It is more of a plum than an apricot, as it has “inherited” 3/4 of the characteristics of the plum and only 1/4 of the apricot. Therefore, the fruits look more like large plums, with the same smooth, fluffy, green, pink, yellowish, purple, burgundy, lilac skin. The pulp is sweet, juicy, slightly fibrous, can be both light (almost white) and dark (pink-cherry, orange, burgundy) shades. It tastes like both plum and apricot, although there are still more hints of plum, but the aroma is closer to apricot. At the same time, the stone inside the fruit is very small. The composition of the fruit includes various substances useful for the human body:
· Vitamins A, B, C, P;
· Fiber and fiber;
· Proteins;
· sugar;
· Microelements;
· Coumarins;
· Pectins;
· Enzymes;
· Other biologically active substances.
The fruits can be eaten both fresh and as part of various dishes: fruit salads used to prepare sauces, jellies, mousses, sorbets. From them compotes, jams, cans are prepared, marshmallows are prepared, they are used as a filling for baking. They are used in the production of various alcoholic (wine) and soft drinks (juices, fruit drinks). Despite the high sugar content (7.2%), the plum-apricot hybrid belongs to the category of low-calorie fruits. Its use on an empty stomach can irritate the gastric mucosa. It is necessary to limit the amount of fruit consumed by patients with diabetes, liver problems, gall bladder and gastritis. The amount of harvest depends on how hard the gardener has taken care of the trees. In late autumn, after the harvest has been harvested and the fall has ended, the fallen leaves are collected and the soil around the stem is dug up. This is a very effective way to control insect pests, many of which remain to winter under the leaves in the ground. In early spring, the excavation is repeated.
Ancient Chinese writing mentions a celestial phenomenon, which turns out to be the oldest known evidence of potential aurora borealis, preceding the next oldest by about 300 years.
The celestial event mentioned in an ancient Chinese text is a recent study by Marinus Anthony van der Sluijs of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology and Hisashi Hayakawa of the University. This finding was recently published in the journal Advances in Space Research.
The bamboo annals, or Mandarin Joshua Jinien, describe the history of China from the earliest legendary time to the 4th century BC, when they were most likely written. In addition to historical events, unusual observations of the sky sometimes appear in the text. Although historians have known about this chronicle for a long time, a new look at such old documents can sometimes give surprisingly new insights. In this example, the authors consider a reference to a “five-colored light” observed in the northern sky at night near the end of Zhao’s reign in the Zhou Dynasty.
Although the exact year is uncertain, researchers have used current reconstructions of Chinese chronology to establish 977 and 957 BC as the two most likely years, depending on how Zhao’s rule is dated. They found that the recording of the “five-color light” was consistent with a large geomagnetic storm. When the glow of medium width is bright enough, it can present a multicolored spectacle. Researchers cite several examples of this from historical records much closer to our time. It is known that the Earth’s north magnetic pole was inclined to Eurasia in the middle of the 10th century BC. about 15 ° closer to central China than at present. Therefore, the auroral oval could be visible to observers in central China at times of significant magnetic disturbance.
This would be the earliest dated evidence of aurora borealis. The discovery comes just two years after the previous record was set on cuneiform tablets by Assyrian astronomers between 679 and 655 BC. Some scholars have also linked Ezekiel’s vision, now dated 594 or 593 BC, to aurora borealis in the Middle East, but it must be warned that its reliability is questionable. Otherwise, in the astronomical diary of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, another dated record of a possible aurora borealis for 567 BC was found.
Why did it take so long for scientists to recognize the radiance in the five-color light of this chronicle? One of the reasons is that bamboo annals have a colorful history. The original manuscript was lost, rediscovered in the 3rd century AD. and lost again during the Song Dynasty. In the 16th century, a version of the text was printed in which the object in the sky was not a five-colored light, but a comet. Now a new study shows that this may not be the original recording.
It is amazing in itself that popular stories about the Northern Lights can be traced so far. However, such historical information is useful for other purposes as well. It helps scientists model long-term models of space variability and solar activity over decades to millennia. Understanding these variations can help humanity prepare for potential future large-scale solar flares and technological infrastructure disruptions that they may bring.
This record is now the only known historical reference to an event in space time before Homer’s Great (Sun) minimum (810-740 BC), which should actually be called the Neo-Assyrian Great Minimum due to the controversial historicity and dating of Homer. .
Reference: “A candidate auroral report in the Bamboo Annals, indicating a possible extreme space weather event in the early 10th century BCE” by Marinus Anthony van der Sluijs and Hisashi Hayakawa, 17 January 2022, Advances in Space Research.
DOI: 10.1016 / j.asr.2022.01.010
Source: A “Five-Colored Light” Seen in the Sky: Earliest Record of a Candidate Aurora Found in Chinese Annals
Nagoya University
Photo: Fragment of bamboo annals. Credit: National Diet Library of Japan.
Joint Press release (Women in the Fire Service UK & Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service)
NOT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Embargo date: 09.00, BST, Friday 6th May 2022
Uroosa Arshid, a Firefighter for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has been named winner of the ‘Young Person Role Model Award’ in the Women in the Fire Service Awards 2022.
Uroosa, who joined Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2019 as an apprentice firefighter, also became the first hijab-wearing firefighter in the UK. Stationed at West Bridgford Fire Station, Uroosa was nominated in the national awards for remarkable contributions to the Fire Service.
The ‘Young Person Role Model Award’ category recognises individuals who demonstrate being excellent role models. Who have engaged in, and inspired conversations, actions and outcomes around equality and diversity issues and actively embody the motto “if you can see it, you can be it”.
About Uroosa
Damien West, Uroosa’s colleague, and nominator described her as having overcome many barriers and challenges to achieve her lifelong ambition of being a firefighter. As the first hijab-wearing firefighter in the UK, he revealed how Uroosa sharing her story with the world led to her becoming a role-model to many people because of her passion, enthusiasm and determination to succeed.
Damien told the panel how Uroosa’s story had received coverage around the world and had inspired many young people to chase their dreams, many of whom wrote to her to thank her for sharing her story.
The award submission explained how Uroosa was a role model in so many ways and to so many people. How determined she was to show young people that they could succeed at whatever they put their minds to. And how Uroosa was passionate about ensuring young people could see a young role model, who looked and sounded like them, working in the fire service.
Craig Parkin, Chief Fire Officer at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “It is great news that Uroosa has been named winner of the Young Person Role Model award.
“Uroosa is a fantastic firefighter and being able to tell her story has now given young people around the world hope that they can achieve their dreams of becoming a firefighter, no matter who they are.
“On behalf of everyone at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, we want to congratulate Uroosa on this amazing award.”
Speaking on the notification of the award, Uroosa said:
“It is such an honour to have been nominated and to have won this award. It is an overwhelming feeling because it is not something I set out to do, I just wanted to achieve my dream of becoming a firefighter. However, my story has helped inspire other people, which is something I am extremely proud of.
“Thank you to my family and colleagues, as this wouldn’t have been possible without their ongoing support.”
About women in the Fire Service
Women in the Fire Service UK is a not-for-profit organisation who works in partnership with its corporate members to advance equality in the sector.
WFS Patron, Dany Cotton QFSM, said:
“I am so delighted that Uroosa has won the Young Person Role Model award. She is an outstanding role model whose positive attitude has inspired so many people. I can’t wait to meet her!”
Category sponsors of the ‘Young Person Role Model Award’ were Cold Cut Systems Ltd, who said: “The winner of the Young Person Role Model award shines a light on the importance of representation, showing that regardless of one’s background, role models that young people can identify with makes a real difference in daring to follow one’s dreams. The determination and strength required to pursue a dream, and to pave the way for others of a similar background, is the essence of being an inspiration to others.”
Jo Dawson, of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, was also nominated in the awards. She recently took on the role of WFS Local Rep after 14 years as a Firefighter. Since then she has fully embraced WFS and its aims, becoming a role model within her service, locally and nationally. She has helped to set up Nottinghamshire’s first women’s support network and through this, also set up a female sports team for women wanting a physical activity to do with colleagues. She has also helped to organise events in support of International Women’s Day – one with Derbyshire FRS, the other with Nottinghamshire Police. Jo was described as an asset to her Service and WFS and “always available to support others and always smiling”.
Winners and runners-up receive prizes, as well as an invitation to attend a special award ceremony in June.
There were a total of sixty nominations across five categories from twenty-five Fire Services.
8 nominations in the Young Person Role Model Award
18 nominations in the Bright Light Award
9 nominations in the Firefighter Rising Star Award
17 nominations in the Dany Cotton Inspiring Leader Award
8 nominations in the Exceptional Allies Award
Award Sponsors:
Cold Cut Systems Ltd – Young Person Role Model Award
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service – Dany Cotton Inspiring Leader Award
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service – Firefighter Rising Star Award
Serve and Protect Credit Union – Bright Light Award
Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service and the National Fire Chiefs Council End Point Assessment Partnership – Exceptional Allies Award
The Women in the Fire Service Awards opened to entries in November 2021
and closed on 15th March 2022. The Award Ceremony takes place at The Fire Service College on Friday 10th June 2022.
#WFSAwards22
Women in the Fire Service UK is a volunteer-led, not-for-profit organisation which exists to advance equality, addressing gender imbalance in the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). Women are vastly underrepresented in firefighting. Government figures (2021) show just 7.5% of firefighters in England are women.
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Women in the Fire Service UK, on Sunday 1 May, 2022. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
The official condition for church marriage is the union of faith – ie. the affiliation of the spouses to the Orthodox Church. The definitions of the Laodicean (Rule 10 and 31), Carthage (Rule 21), Fourth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils (Rule 14 of Chalcedon, Rule 72 of Fifth-Sixth) forbid marriage between Orthodox and non-Orthodox. and recommend the dissolution of such marriages if they are registered with the civil authorities.
But of course, this is not a formal issue. The common faith makes marriage truly Christian. Of course, even if you do not belong to a Church, it is possible to enjoy friendship, share mutual interests, feel true unity and “abide in love” for one another. But the whole problem is whether it is possible for all these human relationships to change and become a reality of the Kingdom of God if they are not enriched by the experience of belonging to the Kingdom, if they are not strengthened by common faith. Is it possible to become “one body” in Christ without communion with His Eucharistic Body and Blood? Is it possible for a married couple to enter into the sacrament of marriage – a sacrament relating to “Christ and the Church” – if the spouses do not participate together in the sacrament of the Divine Liturgy?
These are no longer formal questions, but fundamental problems that need to be answered by anyone facing the problem of intermarriage. Certainly the easiest solutions are confessional relativism (“there are not many differences between our churches”) or simply the removal of the Eucharist as the center of the Christian life. Unfortunately, the modern practice of marriage, which does not distinguish between single and mixed marriages, is treading on the above path. We have already said that this practice stems from the gradual desecration of marriage, and the separation of the wedding from the Eucharist is the ultimate expression of this process. In the Ancient Church, the canons forbidding mixed marriages were understood by all – everyone knew that Orthodox and non-Orthodox could not participate together in the Eucharist through which marriage was blessed. This already controversial issue has been further complicated by the recent Protestant practice of “intercommunion” (common communion between representatives of different denominations) among divided Christians, a practice partially embraced by modern Catholics. Personal and general responsibility for the visible Church of Christ in her Eucharist can here in practice be replaced by vague and passive religiosity, in which the sacraments play a mostly secondary role [1].
By renouncing “intercommunion”, the Orthodox Church does not deny Christian unity. On the contrary, it defends true and complete unity and denies all its surrogates. Therefore, with regard to marriage, the Church desires the spouses to enjoy complete unity in Christ, and therefore considers only those marriages in which two beings are united in a perfect unity of faith, sealed by the seal of the Eucharist, to be truly sanctified.
Recently, “mixed” marriages are a common occurrence. In our pluralistic society, where the Orthodox are a small minority, mixed marriages make up a large (and ever-growing) percentage of all marriages that are blessed in our churches and also, unfortunately, outside of Orthodoxy. We all know that some such marriages lead to happy families and it would be unwise and superficial to ban them. In practice, some mixed marriages turn out to be healthier and happier than Orthodox marriages, in which the two have never heard of the true meaning of Christian marriage and have not taken on any Christian responsibility before God.
This indisputable truth does not belittle the fact that the Gospel calls us not to a partial revelation of the truth or even to “happiness” in the conventional human sense. The Lord says, Be perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48). Christianity is inconceivable without the struggle for perfection. Religious indifference, or the acceptance of the Christian faith as a secondary aspect of life, in itself precludes the pursuit of perfection of which Christ speaks. The church can never come to terms with indifference and relativism.
Therefore, an Orthodox priest cannot bless a marriage between Orthodox and non-Orthodox. It is also obvious that pronouncing the name of Jesus Christ to a person who does not acknowledge Him as His Lord is meaningless. Such a prayer would be disrespectful not only to God but also to man and his beliefs (or lack of beliefs). When a participant in a future marriage is a baptized Christian, the blessing of the Orthodox Church is justified by the apostle Paul’s conviction that the unbelieving man is sanctified by his believing wife and that the unbelieving wife is sanctified by her husband-believers (1 Cor. 7:14). But these words probably refer to a marriage in which one of the participants subsequently turns to the true faith, and not to one in which a member of the Church is combined with a person who does not recognize the Church. In any case, the Church hopes that religious unity in the family will be restored and that the day will come when both spouses will be united in Orthodoxy.
The rule adopted by some Orthodox dioceses – to require participants in mixed marriages to make a written promise to baptize and educate children in Orthodoxy – is (at least for the signatories) very dubious both from a principled standpoint and from the point of view of efficiency. There can be no compromise here: either the Orthodox husband must be strong enough in his convictions to pass on his own religious understandings to the children and confidently bring his whole family to the Church, or he must renounce any action. . For those who marry outside the Orthodox Church, the pastoral attitude must be fully defined. Such a marriage is seen as a betrayal of the mysterious grace received by the Church in baptism, which is in fact incompatible with belonging to the Church.
Many misunderstandings related to mixed marriages would be resolved for both Orthodox and non-Orthodox people if the ancient practice of uniting marriage and the Eucharist were revived. Then, in the wedding of mixed couples, a completely different ceremony, independent of the Eucharist, should be used (as in the second or third marriage between Orthodox). The impossibility of blessing mixed marriages during the Liturgy would in itself be eloquent enough and would show: first, the true nature of the marriage sanctified by the Church; secondly, the pastoral tolerance shown by the Church in the blessing of mixed marriage, and finally, thirdly, the Church’s desire for mixed marriage to take the path to perfection in the union of faith and joint participation in the Eucharist.
[1] For the Orthodox view (quite negative) of “intercommunion” between divided Christians, cf. in St. Vladimir’s Seminary Quartery, vol. 12, 1968, Nos. 3-4.
People certainly remember vividly all the pets we had. It happens that we raise and live for some time with a purring friend, but we have to separate and entrust it to someone else. Whether it’s because we have to go to university or work or we have developed an allergy, the decision is certainly not an easy one for us.
However, if the pet has “stayed the family” – he has lived with relatives or close friends, we would certainly be very happy to see him when we have this opportunity!
Months or even a year pass and you see your favorite cat for the first time, and a very important question certainly comes to mind – does my cat remember me?
Let’s talk a little about cat memory
A 2015 study published in National Geographic shows that many animals do not have short-term memory. In this study, scientists tested 25 species of animals – from dolphins to bees, cats, dogs and others.
Cats, like other animals, use associative memory to store information that helps them survive.
This also explains why they remember where they received help or food from someone. Thanks to these associative memories, pet animals act in a certain way at certain moments – for example, they will run to you as soon as they hear the opening of the food cabinet.
This associative memory is probably the way your cat remembers you. She may not have memorized specific interactions with you, but she may associate you with the memory of giving her food and caring for her, which is actually very key to cats.
Cats feel sad for us
Many researchers suggest that her cat is sad for her owners if she is left alone for a while. In fact, this can be confirmed by many owners who observe strange behaviors of their pets when they go on vacation for a few days, and after returning – the purring friend is apparently very happy.
Many cats are stressed when left by their owners, even for just a few days, and signs of this are:
• Urinating or going to the toilet
• Changes in eating habits
• Destructive behaviors
• Loud meowing
The purring friends are really very anxious when they are left alone for a few days and another person they do not know well comes only for about an hour a day to take care of them. Think about it, this is a very big change for the cat, which is used to a certain regime and your presence every day, even if it is only in the morning and evening, because you are at work during the day.
It is a big mistake to scold our cat when she has done damage while we are gone. The purring friend did not do this to get revenge, but simply because he was under stress, because of your absence.
If you travel often – maybe your cat will get used to the fact that at some point you are not. On the other hand, in order not to give her a reason to break or scratch your belongings – make sure to put away all objects that would provoke interest in her. Leave lots of toys and her favorite items to play with to make her feel as engaged as possible.
It is difficult to say exactly how much the cat will remember you after not seeing you. Certainly this is strictly individual and depends on both the relationship you had and the character of the purring friend. Surely, if you see your cat after a while, you will feel for yourself whether she remembers you or your scent or behaves as if you are a complete stranger.
