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Week of Russian Spiritual Culture in Bulgaria

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008

Eastern Orthodoxy's onion-domed churches are often synonymous with Russian religious culture. The Week of Russian Spiritual Culture in Bulgaria (October 20 to 26 2008) takes a look, through concerts, exhibitions, talks and food, at what exactly this means.

With its official opening at 5.30pm on October 20 at the Russian Cultural and Information Centre in Sofia, at which will be present representatives of the International Orthodox Centre (part of the Moscow Patriarchate), the week starts off with two exhibitions, entitled Contemporary Church Art in Russia, and One Sculptor, One Artist (Contemporary Russian Realism). The first one looks at traditions in icon-painting, pictorial and gilt embroidery, woodworking and celebratory craft works, and how they have changed through the years. A number of the items come from the personal collections of Patriarch Alexius II.

The second exhibition presents works by Tyrtyshnikova and Shulgina; both shows are on until October 26.

The opening of the exhibitions is followed by a concert at 6pm, given by the men's chamber chorus of the Synod Residence of Patriarch Alexius II and the Russian folklore ensemble Otrada.

After the concert will be a presentation – and tasting – of Russian monastic cooking.

On October 21 and 22, the Week of Russian Spiritual Culture moves to Stara Zagora and Plovdiv, respectively, where a musical group will give a concert.

This week of looking at what religion means in Russia takes place in Bulgaria as part of the Year of Russia in Bulgaria (2008); other such weeks have been held in years past in Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany Greece and Syria.

The Week of Russian Spiritual Culture was created by Patriarch Alexius II in 1996, together with the Russian Centre for International Scientific and Cultural Co-operation at Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministry and other state and municipal organisations.

The Russian Cultural and Information Centre is at 34 Shipka Street in Sofia.

Source: Sofiaecho.com