News

Rome, Mar. 5, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Rada Khrushchev, the daughter of the late Soviet dictator Nikita Khrushchev, will visit the Vatican to commemorate the 1963 ceremony in which Pope John XXIII was presented the Balzan Peace Prize.

The Balzan prizes were established by an Italian donor, as a counterpart to the Nobel prizes. In 1963 the international peace prize was awarded to Pope John XXIII-- a decision that had the approval of the Soviet leadership.

The Balzan peace prize was not awarded again until 1978, when it was bestowed on Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The award has subsequently been given Abbé Pierre (1991) and the St. Egidio community (2004); as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (1986), the International Red Cross (1996), and Pakistani activist Abdul Sattar Edhri (2000).

Rada Khrushchev was present in Rome for the presentation of the first Barzan peace prize to Blessed John XXIII. She made the trip in the company of her husband, Aleksei Adzhubei, who at that time was head of the Izvestia news service.

Catholic World News

Forum 18 News

04 December 2022

Joachim and Anna Rejoice

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed, * for God has heard Joachim and Anna * and He promises manifestly that they, against all hope, would give birth to the Maiden of God * from whom the Uncircumscribed One Himself would be born, becoming man, * and he commanded the Angels to cry out to her: * “Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!” (Troparion - Tone 4)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Today the whole world celebrates * the conception of Anne which was brought about by God, * for she gave birth to the one who, beyond understanding, * gave birth to the Word. (Kontakion - Tone 4)

Saint Nicholas of Myra

The truth of your deeds has revealed you to your flock, * as a rule of faith, an image of meekness, and a teacher of abstinence. * Therefore, you attained the heights through humility, * and riches through poverty. * O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, * pray to Christ God that our souls may be saved. (Troparion, Tone 4)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

In Myra, You were shown to be a servant of the sacred things, O Holy Nicholas, * for, fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, you, O Venerable, laid down your life for your people, * and saved the innocent from death. * Therefore, you were sanctified as a great initiate of the grace of God. (Kontakion, Tone 3)