Clash of Cultures

As we sailed in the Baltic Sea towards St. Petersburg a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. It reminded me of Genesis 9:17 “And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth”. 

Rainbow appearing in the Baltic Sea

Equestrian monument to Nicholas I at Isaakievskaya Ploshchad (St. Isaac’s Square) St. Petersburg Russia

Friday, 26th June 2015- St. Petersburg.

Our Captain’s Log:  “As we approach the pilot station this morning, we completed our steering and engines checks, ringing standby engines at 0315. At 0325 with our pilot onboard we proceeded through the St. Petersburg Dam, passing Kotlin Island and the city of Kronstadt on our port side at 0407. Under the direction of the pilot we followed the narrow channel towards St. Petersburg. At 0540 we made a tug fast aft which helped us manoeuvre into position alongside our berth in the city. We were all fast by 0645 and ready to commence passenger operations”.

Approaching St. Petersburg.

On this very day as we arrived Saint Petersburg a deeply divided Supreme Court Of The United States (SCOTUS) delivered a historic victory to the gay rights movement ruling (5 to 4) that same-sex couples be allowed to marry nationwide. The White House was bathed in rainbow colours to celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision…the same rainbow colours appeared before us in the Baltic on the other side of the world. The White House issued a statement: “Tonight, the White House was lit to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to progress and equality, here in America and around the world. The pride colors reflect the diversity of the LGBT community, and tonight, these colors celebrate a new chapter in the history of American civil rights”.

It is not of my choosing but it is incumbent upon me to write about this in “Clash of Cultures”.  Not so long ago ( when we still believed in the Scriptures) my American friends used to say to me: “Love the sinner, hate the sin”. However our position (including that of the incumbent American President and at least one aspiring 2016 Presidential candidate) on this marriage issue has evolved at warp speed over the last few years. I know that some of my gay relatives and friends still do not believe in nor do they support same-sex marriage but many in the secular world do. We misquote : “Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis”  (Times change and we change with them) even though we know that truth is constant!

Truth never evolves! Why then has our view evolved suddenly?… So what was on my mind after SCOTUS handed down its 5/4 decision? I posted on my Facebook Wall: “Did the majority in SCOTUS fall short in discernment by granting ostensible right to self-serving individuals against the interests of the community thereby driving the final nail into the coffin of common good?” I posted this because I believe same-sex marriage is not for the common good. I believe and understand that the paraclete intercedes only for the common good.

On the other side of the world (in a different culture) the real rainbow came out for us. As we journeyed towards St. Petersburg we received the following important notification:  

I do not understand why (by “coincidence”?) I was notified of this Russian Law on the very day SCOTUS (with ostensible authority) “legislated” the complete opposite. I have journeyed into and experienced (in a profound way) many other different cultures traditions and beliefs. I know that we do not call others “haters” simply because they hold a view different from ours. I took cognizance of this “coincidence”. I disembarked constantly reminding myself that I needed to respect others’ cultures and traditions and to obey their laws and regulations (bearing in mind the lessons learned by the westerners who stripped themselves naked on Mount Kinabalu). I would have failed miserably if I had kept quiet and not write about this incident. Suppressing the news of this incident would be a distortion of the truth of my own struggle. 

Modern day St. Petersburg

For many years I have tried to understand Eastern (Greek) Orthodoxy. The Russian Orthodox Church officially ranks fifth in the Orthodox order of precedence right under the four Greek Patriarchates of the Greek orthodox Church (those of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Jerusalem). The Primate of the ROC is the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia.

The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood…Architecturally this Cathedral differs from St. Petersburg’s other structures. The Saviour on Spilled Blood harks back to medieval Russian architecture even though the city’s architecture is predominantly Baroque and Neoclassical.

I am given to understand that “In the Eastern Orthodox Church, candles are lit before icons, usually of Jesus Christ or the Holy Theotokos. Usually Orthodox churches only use long, thin candles. These are usually placed in round containers, having either various sockets to hold the candles, or in a container filled with sand, in which the worshippers place their candles. Orthodox churches will usually have a separate place to put candles lit for the departed; Anglican and Roman Catholic churches make no such distinction.”

Russian Orthodoxy  (geopolitical importance of Russia aside) has fascinated me since I learned of the event that occurred on May 13 1917 in Fatima Portugal-refer my blog on Fatimah. The story of Fatima began at the backdrop of the First World War which involved Europe in one of the most horrific warfare the world had ever known. The year 1917 was also a major turning point in Russian history and also the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian revolution dismantled the Tsarist autocracy that led to the eventual rise of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire collapsed with the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II … The beginning of this civil war would plunge Russia and later Eastern Europe into the oppression of atheistic governments for the next six decades. The Bolsheviks took power in October 1917. For the first time in its history the Russian Orthodox Church found itself without official backing of the State. This led to a marked decline in the power and influence of the Church. Many leaders of the Church supported the White Movement which would ultimately turn out to be the losing side. The Soviet government stood on a platform of anti-religion. It viewed the church as a “counter-revolutionary” organization and also as an independent voice with tremendous influence in the Russian society. I was given to understand that openly religious people could not join the Communist Party which meant that they could not hold any political office.

The Church and the government remained on unfriendly terms until 1988.   A pivotal point in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church came in 1988 – the millennial anniversary of the Baptism of Kievan Rus. Throughout the summer of that year major government-supported celebrations took place in Moscow and other cities. Many older churches and some monasteries were reopened. For the first time in the history of the Soviet Union people could see live transmissions of church services on television.

Another magnificent Orthodox church came into view as we proceeded along the Mosovsky prospect.

So putting aside politics I entered St. Petersburg (Russia’s “Window on the West” ) with the same thrill and excitement felt at the time I held Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” in my hand. St. Petersburg remains (for me) one of the great metropolises. It has provided a historic world stage since the day Peter the Great ordained its construction on the banks of the Neva. In its relatively short history St. Petersburg has witnessed the rise and fall of Imperial Russia three shattering revolutions and a devastating civil war. It became a symbol of Russian resistance to the Nazi invasion and survived a long and tragic siege during World War II. Perched on the banks of the Neva the city is crisscrossed by canals. Peter the Great instilled architectural and building ideas in his successors making the then capital of Imperial Russia one of the architectural treasures of the world.

Looking at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral or Isaakievskiy Sobor in Saint Petersburg (the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the city). It is the largest orthodox basilica and the fourth largest cathedral in the world. The cathedral is a Late Neoclassical rendering of a Byzantine Greek-cross church.

The Rostral Column. The architect of the Old Stock Exchange Jean-Francois  decided to build the towers in the style of Roman rostral columns – victory columns on which the prows (“rostra”) of captured enemy ships were mounted.

The Catherine Palace (a Rococo palace) located in the town of Tsarskoye Selo(Pushkin) 25 km southeast of St. Petersburg.

View from the Hermitage Pavilion

View from the garden (south side).

Inside the Catherine Palace

Two great architects (Rastrelli and Carlo Rossi) helped bring Peter the Great’s vision of St. Petersburg to life. The rich architecture that resulted feature a mixture of styles from ornate Russian Baroque churches to neo-classical palaces. St. Petersburg to me is without doubt one of the world’s most exquisite cities. It has also been the cultural soul of Russia and a home to poets musicians and composers ranging from Pushkin to Shostakovich. Although not easily observed it is however still flanked by meretricious modern design encircled by buildings constructed during the brutal Soviet-era.

Life in modern Russia after the brutal Soviet-era

A bridal car

A Limo

Venetian inspired canals

The golden domes and spires of St. Nicholas Cathedral soaring towards the heaven…

However as I walked along the Nevsky Prospect catching sight of the city’s coloured buildings or watching in awe the golden spires of fairy-tale fortresses and domes of heavenly churches lit by the sunlight I had the enduring feeling that this is no longer an urban purgatory. Perhaps Russia has already been consecrated? The consecration of Russia to her Immaculate heart was reportedly requested by the Virgin Mary on several occasions beginning in Fatima Portugal in 1917. Ignoring differing political views do we believe Russia has already been consecrated”?

Despite our political view “has Russia been consecrated”?

My thought: In the word of the White House this is “pride colors”. As a follower of Christ I need to be gracious to others and be tolerant of disagreement over disputable matters but discern the truth. I believe however that “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom- Proverbs 11:2 (KJV). Biblical cross-references  (common denominators) are : “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” and “Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honour. ”

I am also instructed that people of faith do not seek to understand in order to believe but they believe in order to understand. That “the wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” Psalm 10:4 (KJV). “and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thessalonians 2:10 (KJV). “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble James 4:6 (KJV).

We are to contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints Jude 1:3 (KJV). “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” Titus 1:9 (KJV).

Paul says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:7-8 (KJV)

“If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them” Jeremiah 18:10 (KJV)

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV)

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 (KJV).