www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Alex Visits a Russian Store

Well, I visited my favourite Russian store today. They have wonderful little icons and devotionals.

Haven't been there in a while but today I was truly sickened by what I saw.

There were dozens of USSR flags, T-shirts and souvenirs with the hammer and sickle - side by side with the icons. Also, they were selling AK-47 "souvenir" bullets and also bayonets, which the labels attached to them said were for affixing to AK)47 rifles. Posters of Lenin, Stalin ... in short, a great hankering for the "good old days" when the USSR was around and the Church was persecuted. Except now they seem to think that the Church can live alongside that same nostalgia.

They never had anything like this before and I visited a few more such stores which also sported the same things.

I wonder what anyone without any familiarity with Slavic traditions would think if they wandered into such a store?

Would they think the religion of such a people is also not a religion of peace, icons and prayerbooks notwithstanding?

Alex

Alex, where is this shop situated? I think, if you want to look for icons better to go to the monastery and not to the souvenir shop...
I'm in Ukraine now, in Kiev, and it is really an experience to be here. I'm Russian looking for the things going on here, compassionating the Ukrainian nation and, telling the truth, it's a shame to be Russian now! I feel very disappointed.
I will visit the Lavra http://lavra.kiev.ua soon, I will look for some icons too. If you want any icons from this Saint place or other churches in Kiev (also Byzantine-Catholic), just tell I can purchase and send you.

Syncretism with nationalism....some serious First Commandment issues there.

Dear Nataly,

It is so wonderful to know that you are in Kiev!!! You have nothing to be ashamed of, my dear!

Thank you for your kindness also - if you see a small prayer rope at the Caves Lavra, I will pay you many times over for it!

But please don't concern yourself with it!

Have a blessed time!

Alex