Jesus of Ruthenia

I haven't posted in a while...not like anyone cares, but oh well.

Anyway, this past weekend I went camping.
Funny thing was that I didn't even know I was going until two weeks prior to it, and I didn't even know what we were going to do at said place until the night before we were set to leave.
Apparently my family and I were going to go to a monestary for a sort of spiritual retreat type thing.
We were going to be camping with some people we know from another church and church events.
My cousin and his mate were also coming last-minute, so was chuffed about that.

We began the day early, and the night before we boarded the dogs (I feel bad doing that, as they seem to be sensitive poochies), and we were set to pick another girl up at yet another church.
Driving the the grounds didn't take too long, and when we got there, I noticed two large icons outside the entrance of ICXC and OY.
This excited me personally, as most of the time when we attend things like this, all of the people are Latin rite and have no clue about the East.
But this was going to be an entire event with Eastern people!
There is a difference, though.
I am Ukrainian-Greco Catholic.
My family immigrated from Ukraine and etc, and other Eastern churches have the same.
Such as Romanian and Bulgarian.
But back in the day, Ukraine was not officially a country, but rather an empire with different districts.
During that time, people immigrated to the states and they identified with their regions instead of a country that was not yet established.
It would be like saying that I am Southern when I live in the United States.

So they established a Byzantine church of the Americas if you will, which we call Ruthenian.
It has all of the same Liturgical traditions, but there is no heritagal tie involved.
They also have different chants and tones.

Let me just say that I can't fucking STAND their singing.
Apparently it has been a feud between Ukrainians and these Ruthenian-Ukrainians-in-denial.
It's just horrid!
It's like they lament everything in the slowest time signature known to man.

But don't get me wrong. I love them...just not their chants!

That being said, we went to the campground and set up our tent by the family we were meeting.
It brought back memories for me, as the last time I went camping with this particular tent, we were at World Youth Day Toronto in 2000.
(Which I will tell you about at some point, as that was brutal! lol)

The grounds were very nice and massive really!
It was set up in such a way where you could wind round and find little shrines and altars.
I got a schedule and saw that they had various Divine Liturgies throughout the day, also vespers, matins and akathists.
!!

How cool. No Masses and rosary recitation, but Liturgies and akathists!
We went for a little tour of the grounds, and went inside their religious goods store.
It was packed with Eastern items! (yes, I still could not fathom all of the Eastern-ness...)
I looked round and found a medal of OY (the Blessed Mother) which I will get blessed and put on the same chain with my cross, and as I was looking at their amazing icon selection, I found one particular icon that jumped out at me.
It was OY and ICXC (Jesus) in traditional format, but it is so very unique the way He is holding her face.
It stopped me in my tracks.
If I can scan it into the comp, I'll post a picture, as it is truly special.

Having gotten these, we then were going to attend a mini-lecture on the Eucharist, but unfortunately we missed it as we went to eat some lunch.
I really liked how things were very laid back and at everyone's own pace.
What we did was went back to the campground and relaxed.
We sat round and talked, some of them played some American football (bleurgh) and we just sat and waited until Divine Liturgy later on in the day.
The Liturgy was held outside, as was everything else, and I was pleased to see a high attendance of Eastern people, of whom were participating.
Though it was rather difficult for me, as the singing and chanting distracts me to such a degree in which I get angry.
I simply cannot sing with them.
And when I can't sing, I can't pray.
It's screws with everything.
But anyway, I managed to survive.

After this, we went to dinner in the same place and enjoyed.
All the while my cousin's mate (who is actually good mates with me) was having a difficult time, as it's hard for him to get round easily, and there was a lot of walking.
Not to mention that it was inhumanly warm outside, and he had just had his galbladder removed.
We kept telling him not to come! But he didn't listen to us...

We were able to spend more time having fellowship by the tents until the Parastas began at the cemetery.
I did not wish to go to this, as it is too fresh with my Tato's death.
But even still I went against my will, and as I was doing so, the cranky mate decides to take a wizz in front of everyone.
Not only were there very young kids around, but the family we were with are somewhat traditional.
And this is also a religious retreat.
Yikes.
I ran out of there as the father of the family went to talk to him.
Now, I know that he is massively sensitive. And steeped in controversy.
Hence the running.
Apparently he wanted to engage in a fight with the man, but thank goodness he decided against it.
No one really needed his drama during this time!

We were at the parastas when we saw a parishioner from our parish (which was nice! someone from the other side of the mountains!).
We all walked together in the candlelight procession to the outside chapel to have an akathist.
Now this was nice.
I didn't have a problem singing the akathist, as their notes were hardly any different.
After this was done, my brothers, cousin and I attended an adult social...not really to socalise, but rather to get their free pizza...

The social was more a meeting for their youth group, and all they talked about was finances.
It was mega boring, but I had my pizza and couldn't complain.
As we were sitting there, some kid in the back got up to leave and tried to be very cool whilst doing so.
He saluted everyone and bowed, and as he walked out the door, he tripped and fell.
No one took any notice.
And for those reasons, it was one of the funniest moments EVER.
I began laughing so hard to the point of not knowing where I was.
I was trying not to disrupt the meeting, so it was incredibly difficult!
All four of us were laughing so hard that we had to leave...

We returned to the campground for what we call "the bonfire storytime."
Which is essentially a group of people seated round a fire (which incidentally we were not allowed to have at this particular ground) telling bits and pieces of a random story.
It is good fun really.
Let's just say that this particular one involved a storyline of LeBron James as the pope, Polish kobassa being very heavy, little men in cardboard pants, salt-block hats, decoys, marshmallows, air fresheners, Boston cream pies, Barack Obama being reincarnated as various things and swelling to epic proportions...

We went to bed in the tent (very cosy) and were awakened the next day by Liturgies being chanted (no comment) over the speakers.
We had a leisurely morning and afternoon, and we lazed about.
There were confessions going on, and then we went to a lecture on the Jesus Prayer (!).
At 4PM there was the biggest Liturgy of the weekend, in which their eparchs were present, which would be like us having our Patriarch present. (of which they have none, as they are directly under the Pope)
It was again outside, and I survived it once more.
What was very nice was that one of our priests concelebrated Liturgy, and I of course know him!
Also, the priest from our parish and his family came!
I was amazingly relieved to see them!
We spent the rest of the afternoon with them all, and had a little dinner party at the tents with everyone.

My bro found grass in his pie...another seriously amusing moment...
You had to be there then.

We played frisbee, chatted and etc.
Then it was time for another candlelit processesion, but we were set to leave that night, despite the fact that we all wanted to stay another night and actually could.
As they all went for it, we dismakkified the tent and packed up.

A nice time was had by all.
And we hope to go again next year, though we will be significantly better prepared.

And cheers to you if you've gotten through this entire post!
You deserve a rice krispy treat.
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