THE OLDEST HYMN TO THE THEOTOKOS
The oldest prayer we know of dedicated to the Virgin Mary is known as “Beneath thy compassion” (Greek: Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν; Latin: Sub tuum praesidium). The earliest text of this hymn was found in a Coptic Christmas liturgy of the third century. It is written in Greek and dates to approximately 250 A.D. It […]
THE MOTHER OF GOD’S FIFTEEN DAYS OF AUGUST HAS ARRIVED
Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, a great theologian, saw the Panagia in a vision and wrote: With what human words can we describe your God-illumined beauty, Virgin Mother of God? Your grace is impossible to be identified with either words or thoughts. Only her divine vision gives brilliance, joy and exultation. The beauty of […]
YU LAN (HUNGRY GHOST) FESTIVAL IN HONG KONG
The seventh moon in the lunar calendar is when restless spirits are said to roam the earth, and when the believers make efforts to appease the ghosts and ancestors – particularly during the Hungry Ghost Festival itself. In some areas of Hong Kong, visitors can see small roadside fires, where believers burn fake money and […]
YOUNG NO LONGER IN MOOD FOR TRADITION
The cheongsam is one of China’s great contributions to world fashion. Local chain Shanghai Tang and star designer Vivienne Tam have long championed the classy dress, having westernised it for a more cosmopolitan market. Directors Ang Lee and Wong Kar-wai have shown on the silver screen what beauty, when worn by the right actress, the […]
RAIN IN LAHORE TURNS ROADS INTO PUDDLES
LAHORE: Constant and heavy rains in Lahore turned the weather pleasant but filled the roads with water Monday. So far, 120 mm of rain has been recorded in Lahore while many areas are facing power failures and severe traffic jam. Many parts of the upper country including Lahore and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are receiving light and […]