Vera Lyubarova. Play With All Your Heart. 2005

Play With All Your Heart (Vera Lyubarova, 2005)

Deacon Dmitri Voznesensky. A Daydream. 2005

A Daydream (Deacon Dmitri Voznesensky, 2005)

(unknown photographer). Schema-Archimandrite Zosima Sokur: Joy. 2003

Schema-Archimandrite Zosima Sokur: Joy (unknown photographer, 2003)

The late Schema-Archimandrite Zosima Sokur was one of the elders of the early Orthodox revival in Russia. When he died recently, all of his spiritual children were bereft and sad.

“Be in a hurry to do good deeds. Life is so short. May your guardian angel be with all of you…”

Boris Kustodiev. A Nun. 1901

A Nun

Boris Kustodiev

1901

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In many ways, Boris Kustodiev was the “Russian Norman Rockwell“. He painted the lives of ordinary Russian people, and like Mr Rockwell, was accused of being a “mere illustrator”. That is pseudo-intellectual hogwash. They are simply angry that ordinary people can connect with this art, and can understand it. It’s supposed to be opaque, except to the self-appointed cognoscenti. It is why modernists hate all of us who are more traditional. We say that what saved Grandpa and Grandma shall save us, as we are still members of the same sinful-ginful humanity. Oh, horrors… we don’t know the LATEST THING. TFUI! Give me that old-time art and that old-time religion, straight up, no ice, and no mixer, please. Spare a prayer for the good sisters at the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City PA. I know one of the mothers and she is a very sweet lady. If I named her, she would shoot me! So, keep the sisterhood in your prayers, if you would.

BMD