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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

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The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary--Centralia








Centralia had seven churches, but The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only one that hasn't been torn down by the government. Situated on a hill, it lies outside the fire zone.



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8 comments:

Ian Keenan said...

Apollinaire Osadca the guy who designed St George's the main Ukrainian church in NYC built a little wooden church in Glen Spey NY which is worth checking out if anywhere in the area... all the more peaceful as there never seemed to be anyone in the vicinity when I was there. I have driven by the church looking for it and missed it. It is not in great shape but it's not decaying too badly and hopefully will stick it out as only sticks can.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Volodymyr_Ukrainian_Greek-Catholic_Church,_Glen_Spey,_NY.jpg

I have been detained an afternoon or two by this website on Philly church architecture..
http://www.phillychurchproject.com/church-recaps/

Linh Dinh said...

Man, that is gorgeous.

And here's one of the detroyed Centralia churches.

Speaking of churches, my father's home district of Bui Chu has some of the most beautiful churches in Vietnam.

Ian Keenan said...

There's also an Orthodox church designed by Louis Sullivan in Chicago.. time consuming to get there from the Loop and I've never been, originally commissioned by Russians but in the "Ukrainian village." They're planning to fix up the bell tower next..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity_Orthodox_Cathedral_%28Chicago%29

Ian Keenan said...

I've also never been to St Theodosius in Cleveland (which has a whole bunch of them), 1913 Russian Orthodox designed by local architect Frederic Baird, shown in the Deer Hunter.

http://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/92#.VYtA6kbj8o0
http://hunterphotographic.photoshelter.com/image/I0000VoQh2riMUWI
http://sttheodosius.org/

Unknown said...

Ian: If you can Google-search, & look for Saint Tikhon's, South Canaan, PA. It's the 2nd oldest Russian Orthodox Monastery in North America. Have visited this beautiful Church many times, and South Canaan is the town where Stephen Weed allowed Patty Hearst sanctuary in his home while she was a fugitive, ex-member of the S.L.A.

Most importantly the great Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Nikon visited St. Tikhon's in early 20th Century. Wish you well & thank you very much for comments!

Ian Keenan said...

Chuck, I'm enjoying shots of that interior. Looks like the exterior brick was done in stages after the 1940s.

Unknown said...

Ian: I have attended Mass at St. Tikhon's, when elderly parishioners enter into church, they go prostrate to floor three times, bless themselves three times each descent. Neither chairs nor pews, Tokhon's male choir is beautiful, and the exterior grounds are beautiful; Russian icons, an enormous bell, a chapel/museum, cemetery, and down a hill pathway is an active water well commemorating the Jacob's Well event, and nearby, a tall wood cross.

For 25-years now, I am acquainted with an elderly monk at St. Tikhon's Father Nicodemus, and as "the flesh is weak," some legendary monks (in the past) were known to sneak into town, and partake in "firewater" and maybe touch the flame of a woman.

The owner of a S. Canaan Home Heating Oil #@ Company, a mile east of St. Tikhon's once showed me a rare B&W photograph of Marilyn Monroe, reportedly a gift from a monk in exchange for a bottle of Stolichnaya.

I appreciated your interview with Linh, and with regard to the works of poets of our sick nation & time, the forms of decadence & doom are ultra obvious to me, and many well meaning (?) poets tend to rub the filth in one's face, and I get bored, turned-off. I accept "taste" in poetry as subjective, Ian, and returning to G. Orwell, I find people relate to poems in the form they can understand. Doubtless, it's hard for a Justin Beeber to understand you, Linh Dinh.

I find myself more & more looking at (& admiring) the high artistic way Czeslaw Milosz handled prevailing late 1930-40s social & political abominations. He avoided descent into polemic and rant, instead Milsoz gave us images of mules & peasant carts, stuck in muddy track left behind by armored tank division.

In other words, Ian, too often the restless & doubting American mind gets occupied by catchy poetry, for one totally fictitious example..., Justice Roberts gonna tear down Confederate flags, and use 'em to wipe Harlem asses! No doubt, I like snappy firecrackers in words/verse, but I don't like them when they blow-up in my face, and my mind thoughtlessly fizzles, harmfully sizzles. Wish you well!

Ian Keenan said...

Chuck If Justin B. Burr understands the origin of the universe and the nature of his own existence the day before he understands Linh's poetry, all the better for Linh or whomever else is unearthed that week.