I love this.
During a soccer match on Easter Sunday, opposing soccer fans chanted at each other.
However these were not the usual taunts one would expect from soccer fans. The opposing fans took turns chanting “Christ Is Risen” and “Truly He Is Risen.”
Awesome.
Moscow, April 5, Interfax – Fans greeted each other on Easter at a Sunday evening soccer match at Moscow Lokomotiv stadium.
At the beginning of the second half of the match thousands of fans of Dynamo team started chanting “Christ is Risen!”, an Interfax correspondent reports.
Thousands of fans of Lokomotiv teeam on the opposite side of the stadium responded by chanting “Truly He is Risen!”
The exchange took place several times.
The correspondent who has attended soccer matches for almost 50 years says it was the occurrence of this kind in the history of Russian soccer.
April 12, 2010 at 2:42 am
GOD BLESS
Wake up Canadians and Americans.
April 12, 2010 at 3:24 am
It is truly amazing, Russia is growing in faith and will be blessed. My own country the USA or Western Nations are fighting to take God out of any public view or utterance, and we will be damned for it.
It is like we are trading places, but we are and always have been a nation were freedom was part of our constitution.
Pray for us People of Russia, us remnant Catholics need it.
April 12, 2010 at 3:24 am
America is AWAKE — Canada, not so sure. But America is — we have a media that is fascist controlled (lamestream) all but Fox News and that is somewhat. So, the World isn't getting the real news that more than 80% of America is fighting the Obama, Usurper, Regime.
April 12, 2010 at 3:27 am
Truly CHRIST is risen. I am 100% American. We are not sleeping!
April 12, 2010 at 3:28 am
God bless His people around the WORLD. Gold bless and keep them safe and FREE in the name of His son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!
I do not understand the Russian language; but if it's true they were yelling "Christ is Risen" "Truly, He is Risen" then yes, Russia is on its way to being very blessed. And I am very proud of these brave Christians! Keep the Faith!
April 12, 2010 at 3:35 am
Our Lady can through, thank you Blessed Mother your son is King.
a servant of Jesus and Mary
April 12, 2010 at 3:49 am
This is awesome….I remember years ago saying this would happen in Russia. I am thankful this coming to pass. Thank you Jesus. I pray the United States comes back to it's roots in it's faith in God.
April 12, 2010 at 4:07 am
As an American Catholic of partial English descent, I have a great devotion to St. George, also to St. Michael and St. Nicholas. So did the Russian people, and the devotion seems to be returning. I think Mikhail (Michael) Gorbachev's grandmother did and is praying for him before and after her death. So have I. The news in this article is wonderful to hear.
April 12, 2010 at 4:11 am
Thank you oh glorious and holy virgin Mother of God!
April 12, 2010 at 4:12 am
As an American Catholic of partial English descent, I have a great devotion to St. George, and also to St. Michael and St. Nicholas. So did the Russian people, and it seems to be returning. I think Mikhail Gorbachev's grandmother did a lot of praying for him before and after her death. I and other Americans have prayed for his conversion and of Russia's, too. The news in this article is wonderful to hear, and we Americans need the Russian Christians' prayerss too.
April 12, 2010 at 4:21 am
Regarding my post of April 11 at 10:49, I forgot to thank the Holy Theotokos (The Virgin Mary), her prayers to her Son through our Holy Rosaries and our chotkis (Jesus Prayer Ropes)work.
April 12, 2010 at 4:48 am
I do hope they keep the sport clean, though, and not use steroids and not have half naked cheer leaders so families can come to their games. Let us pray for that.
April 12, 2010 at 4:49 am
The struggle between the Woman Cloathed with the Sun and the Red Dragon has reached its highest peak. Our Lady is working to finally win this battle. Through Our Blessed Mother's work she has lead Russia to seek the Gospel of Jesus. Let us pray for our Church of Rome to become strong again and to lead the rest of the world to seek God too. Let us pray for Israel and its enemies to end the spreading of violence. Let us pray that all in the middle east come together and pray to return to the spirit of goodness, love, of purity and of holiness. "From the chalice of sufferings never experienced until now, there will come forth the divine sun of a new era, of a humanity heretofore unknown, of grace and holiness, of love and justice, of joy and peace." She promised, but only if we pray.
April 12, 2010 at 8:47 am
Anonymous at 10:28pm – I do speak some Russian, and I can confirm that they are saying "Christ is Risen!" and "Truly he is Risen!"
Not to be the downer here, but guys, please do not count Russia as "recovered" in any sense at all here. They have made strides, yes, but while active Christians are increasing in number, there is A LOT of work to be done. On the bright side, public figures generally do make something of the Orthodox faith being important to them, but culturally there is a lot of work to be done.
Women in Russia tend to have between 3 and 10 abortions; some are reported as having even more than 10.
There are poor social supports for the elderly.
Sometimes traditional supersticion means that children with disabilities are seen as having some dark cause behind their challenges.
Children available for adoption also suffer from supersticious beliefs; I read an article in which a woman actually wore a fake pregnancy stomach to hide the fact that she was adopting a child to avoid the superstition of coworkers and friends.
There isn't much social trust here at all– I'm talking you will not find a grocery store where there are not guards and either lockers or plastic bags in which any extraneous things you're carrying are locked or sealed. You don't even have meters in cabs- you negotiate the price beforehand, because I don't think anyone would trust a meter not to be fiddled with. Most offices have key codes to get into their buildings- even the schools I work with.
And alcohol is a big problem- the life expectancy for men here is waay lower than it should be, and women generally pick up a lot of slack once they marry.
I'm sorry to pour cold water on the elation but I really love this country and we have to know the truth about it if we're going to help. Pray pray pray for Russia, and support ministries like Mary Mother of God in Vladivostok (www.vladmission.com) that do good works, because they need the help spiritually and financially. Russia, like the rest of us, still needs salvation– the battle here is far from won. Moscow is under the protection of St. George (he's on their coat of arms) and Russia as a whole is under Our Lady – ask for their help, and the help of the many Orthodox saints who are from this country.
~Nzie
April 12, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Our Lady wanted Russia to be consecrated to her |Immaculate Heart and Pope John Paul did this. Here's the results'! Magnificent. Let's hope for more to come and that we can all learn something from them.
April 12, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Nazi Where ever they wear in the past this is what is happenibg now .This is a publin statment from there hart and God Bless Russia for the courage to stand up.They say in the USA 80% or more are belivers Cristian.I dont belive it, by name yes not in there harts.we Would not pass the hideous laws we pass if that wear true,We need to pray for the convertion of all.
God Bless Russia,
April 12, 2010 at 7:36 pm
First off, my screenname is Nzie – I know it can be misread, but please, when typing, I do rather distinguish myself from the likes of Hitler, whose deeds I abhor.
I am not trying to diminish the lovely event, but I am trying to point out that the work in Russia is far from done, Your comment nearly implies that an outpouring of religious sentiment at a sporting even outdoes the US for religiosity; the facts I posted above counter that at every turn. Our Lady and the Lord are here working, but this is only a sign of that work, not that it is near completion.
If you truly care about Russia, you will not be blind to facts, but praise God for what he has done, and pray for the conversion of sinners. This is an entirely secular culture, and some shouting at games doesn't change that.
~Nzie
April 12, 2010 at 8:17 pm
There seem to be a lot of very naive people posting comments on this blogsite.
Russia is quite some distance from being converted – n.b. Our Lady requested that Russia be consecrated by the Pope in Union with all of the Bishops of the (Catholic) World to Her Immaculate Heart, and, if so, Russia would be converted (to the Catholic Faith).
The Catholic Church in Russia is of miniscule size. The consecrations of Pope John Paul II did not even mention Russia and were not done in conjunction with ANY of the Bishops of the World.
If you access the website http://www.capd.com.au you will start your journey to discover the Truth of the Catholic Religion.
Yours in Christ
Lawrence (aka Laurie) Myers
Sydney, Australia
email: info@capd.com.au
13 April 2010
April 12, 2010 at 9:35 pm
I wouldn't be too harsh on those who are heartened by a story like this. Some possibly are being naive, but most are simply joyful and are expressing that joy.
I, too, am joyful while at the same time recognizing the wisdom of "Nzie" who paints a realistic picture of the current reality in that sad land. But Russia will return to the Catholic Faith one day. Let us all pray that that day will come soon. Because once they are converted I am convinced, with Dom Geuranger, that many other unlikely souls will follow suit, including Muslims.
I hope that God will take pity on Russia and soon heal their land, and I hope that the Pope will find the guts to do what he was asked to do way too many years ago, and that is to consecrate that poor land of Holy Mary.
Surely we can all pray for that.
April 12, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Hi there Dan,
Presumably then you joined in the Rosary Crusade launched by the SSPX for the Pope to Consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in union with all of the Bishops of the World.
If you access the http://www.sspx.org website you will find the following announcement:
Rosaries Crusade Update
At Econe, during the Pontifical Mass on Easter Sunday, Bishop Fellay announced that the 12 million rosaries have been "greatly exceeded." He also invited all the faithful to pray for the Holy Father who suffers from the media's attacks. [4-5-2010]
So, now that we have a Pope (Pope Benedict XVI) who seems to have some idea as to how Catholic Popes should act perhaps we will see the long awaited Consecration.
Viva La Papa!
Laurie Myers
website: http://www.capd.com.au
Sydney, Australia
13 April 2010