Faith · People · Nature
9 June is the feast day of Saint Columba, one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, who lived in the 6th century. By and large, the most important thing you need to know about this much venerated Irish and Scottish saint is this: there exists a written mention of his
Books · Monarchies
A feeble and a crafty ruler, A balding dandy, foe of toil, By chance caressed by glory's favour, Who over us held sway of old. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. On Alexander I, in case anyone was wondering
Architecture · Moscow · Pop Culture · Society Pages
At the Old Stock Greenhouse in the Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the presentation of Roma Uvarov's new upcycled collection. The building is phenomenal, dating from the late 1940s, the core of its plant collection came from the Potsdam greenhouse, received in 1947, and the
NB! · Art · Observations · Nature · Humour
Art · Moscow · Museums · Observations
"Masha Ovchinnikova and Vadim Ginzburg suggested that I take on an exhibition of Rezo Gabriadze and four Moscow women artists with whom Rezo had enjoyed a friendship of many years. Much in Rezo's life was tied to Moscow. He staged plays here (for a time he even
NB! · Faith · Geography · Maps · Observations · Humour
This map marks every European town whose name begins with the root Saint, "Holy" (in the national languages, naturally). One is tempted, of course, to say: France, Spain and Italy, pray for us
Art · Society
The cabinet had earlier directed 3.5 billion to projects in the field of culture and the arts, but First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kiriyenko (who also chairs the committee for the conduct of competitions for presidential grants) has clarified that, for an objective and complete picture, the
Faith · Art · Heritage · Rome
There are two Risen Christs by Michelangelo. The better known statue stands to the left of the high altar of the Roman church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The frenzied churchmen of the Baroque age fitted this sculpture with a hideous bronze loincloth, so as not to be embarrassed by
Faith · Books · Observations · Pop Culture
I heard Armstrong's "Let My People Go" on Radio Monte Carlo. It was Paul Robeson, however, who first performed this spiritual, and his voice came, in this connection, to be called divine. How many times have you sung along to these rhythmic bars without a thought
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NB! · Society · Rome
Rome was the first Axis capital to be liberated by the Allies. On 4 June 1944 American troops entered the city, although the northern regions of Italy remained under Fascist control almost until the end of the war
Monarchies · Society · People
The circumstances of his death remain somewhat unclear: there are reports that the British troopers, in effect assigned to the prince as a guard, were nearby but did not open fire on the Zulus, who were armed with spears and had no armour of any kind. Moreover, the sortie in