Russia: Bishop blesses city from hot air balloon

Natalya Mihailova | 13 June 2015
Nizhny Novgorod. A Russian church leader has delivered a blessing to his entire city while soaring above it in a multi-coloured hot air balloon, BBC reported.
Russia: Bishop blesses city from hot air balloon
Photo: http://nn-now.ru/
Hundreds of people gathered to watch Metropolitan Bishop Giorgy take flight over the city of Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday evening, the Progorodnn.ru website reports. He had on board 20 litres (35 pints) of holy water, along with an assistant, an instructor and a cameraman who captured the proceedings for a live feed watched by people on the ground below.
Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Prior to lift-off, Bishop Giorgy told crowds that he hoped the mid-air prayer service would help the city to prosper. The balloon rose to a height of 1.5km (0.9 miles) above the ground during the event, but he seemed unfazed. “My father was a military pilot during World War Two,” he told reporters. “As the son of a pilot, I ought not to fear heights.”

DSC_0231-1024x683

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

He’s not the first man of God to use his imagination for religious services. In June 2014, the head of Romania’s Orthodox Church was photographed blessing a new TV studio using a paint roller dipped in holy oil, stuck to the end of a long pole. At the time a church spokesman said the “sanctification rod” helped Patriarch Daniel to anoint areas that were otherwise out of reach

DSC_0228-1024x683

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Photo: http://nn-now.ru/

Since you are here…

…we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong.

Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable.

For example, 5 euros a month is it a lot or little? A cup of coffee? It is not that much for a family budget, but it is a significant amount for Pravmir.

If everyone reading Pravmir could donate 5 euros a month, they would contribute greatly to our ability to spread the word of Christ, Orthodoxy, life's purpose, family and society.