White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal

Russian Shrines: Cathedral Of Saint Demetrius In Vladimir

Voice Of Russia; February 21 2012

For the majority of Russians the word “shrine” is self-explanatory. It is a place of religious devotion, veneration, a place precious to the Russian heart. Russian monasteries, churches and cathedrals are Russia’s true shrines. Today, we are going to speak about the amazing Cathedral of Saint Demetrius in Vladimir, a masterpiece of the Russian architecture inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCORead moreOld Russian Book Part Of Memory Of The World

By Olga Bugrova; Voice Of Russia; January 30 2012

The Ostromir Gospels, the second oldest dated East Slavic book, has been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme, an international initiative launched to preserve the documentary heritage of humanity. The Voice of Russia’s Olga Bugrova reports.

The Ostromir Gospels was written in Church Slavonic in 1057 for St.Sofia’s Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod. The book was created by deacon Gregory for his patron, Posadnik Ostromir, possibly as a gift for the monastery. Though classified as the first Russian book, in fact, it isn’t. The Novgorod Psalm Book discovered in 2000 was written several decades earlier. It consists of four wooden plates covered in wax with the text scribbled over it with a sharpened stick. Researchers have yet to establish the exact date of the Novgorod Psalm Book.

The Ostromir Gospels has survived in good condition, which makes the manuscript still more valuable. All 294 sheets covered with large Church Slavonic characters used for solemn occasions have been preserved in full. The book is richly studded with miniatures and gems. At present, the monument is kept at the Russian National Library in St.Petersburg. Alexei Alekseev, who heads the Library’s manuscript department, comments:

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