Faith · Society · Rome
On 30 October the Secretariat of State of the Vatican sent bishops around the world this letter on the Pope's words about civil unions for same-sex couples. The text states outright that the statement as presented in Afineevsky's film is, firstly, stitched together from two
Architecture · Moscow · Heritage · Society
Residents of the thirteen-storey Academy of Sciences of the USSR staff block on Dmitry Ulyanov Street urge attention to the construction of a metro line right beneath their buildings. This particular building, dating from 1957 and executed in the style of late Stalinist Empire, is famous as the home
Coming Up · Moscow · Society
The third annual "Bell of Remembrance" event will be held in Moscow and other Russian cities in memory of the victims of political repression. In Moscow, visitors may come to lay flowers and light candles at the memorial to the victims of political repression, the "Wall of
Art · Observations · Mores · Society
A painting by the Soviet woman artist and front-line veteran Raisa Zenkova, called "Drones", 1949. I cannot decide on the tone: is this still passive aggression or already the active kind? But the artist is plainly ill disposed towards at least two of the three heroines of
Monarchies · Observations · Mores · Society
Albert II, King Emeritus of the Belgians, Queen Paola and Delphine of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Barely two weeks after her first-ever meeting with her brother, the reigning King Philippe of the Belgians, Delphine has been received in the house of the father who denied her existence for more than
Art · Museums · Society · People
The musician Vladimir Tarasov has given the Lithuanian National Museum of Art more than 500 works by Soviet nonconformists. Tarasov, who was personally friendly with the authors represented in his half-century collection, will be remembered by future generations if only through the name of the collection, "The Museum
Coming Up · Moscow · Museums · Observations · Society
While we plan our working weeks, I suggest turning your attention to the new programme at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, a series of discussions and closed seminars on "New Ethics, Stigma and Inequality". To my mind, the most interesting thing about this thematic field is its
NB! · Observations · Society · Humour
Faith · Cinema · Observations · Society
Should the Pontiff's remark in the documentary really be considered so sensational? It is at least the third such statement of his. And note that on each occasion the Pope draws a clear distinction between marriage and a union recognised by the authorities, which we too should take
Faith · Cinema · Observations · Society · People · Rome
I see that many media outlets have run headlines along the lines of "Pope recognises gay marriage" or "Pope calls for legalisation of gay marriage". Let us clarify at once. First, today's statement is of a quite different nature, as I wrote earlier; second,
Faith · Books · Society · People
File on Telegram The British Catholic journalist, writer, commentator and biographer of Pope Francis, Austen Ivereigh, gives an exhaustive account of Cardinal Bergoglio's position as of 2010 on same-sex marriage and civil unions, which are not, in fact, one and the same, in his 2014 book The
Faith · Society · Rome
For the sake of clarity, it is fair to note that the position on same-sex civil unions voiced today by Pope Francis I goes somewhat beyond the documents of 1986 and 1994 against the legal recognition of gay couples, addressed to the bishops of the Catholic Church and formally