In the town of Izmit (ancient name Nicomedia) in northwestern modern Turkey, local utilities are building a new office building. And they came across a whole cemetery underground. Archaeologists from the University of Marmara, led by Hussein Sami Ozturk, then set to work.
Scientists have excavated 37 graves dating from the II-IV century AD. One burial stands out: this is a stone sarcophagus, on which are well preserved not only the bas-reliefs with images of warriors, but also the inscription on the side panel. According to this inscription, Tziampo, the bodyguard of Emperor Diocletian, is buried in the sarcophagus. The full text in translation looks something like this: “I lived 50 years. I do not allow anyone to be buried in this tomb except my son Sever or my wife. I served nine years as a private in the cavalry, 11 years as a captain and ten years as a protector. If one dares to bury another in this tomb, he will pay 20 folis (a Roman and later a Byzantine bronze coin, which devalued strongly under Diocletian) in the fiscal (the emperor’s personal treasury) and ten in the city treasury. found the remains of two people. Scientists are now determining who is the second buried – the son or wife of Ciampo. What is interesting about the sarcophagus? It must be said that the history of the bodyguards of the first persons of the Roman Republic, and then of the empire, is an extremely complicated question: the sources contradict each other, the findings of archaeologists raise more questions than they answer. Interestingly, the first bodyguards of Roman consuls and generals were not Roman citizens. They were recruited from allied forces. It was believed that in this way they acted as a guarantor of the loyalty of their compatriots. These fighters were later transformed into the Praetorian Guard, whose warriors performed the same functions, and the name comes from the term “praetorium” – so called the location of the general’s tent in the army field camp. Gradually, the Praetorian Guard expanded, and it began to include auxiliary units, officials, translators, heralds, and many others. Octavian Augustus increased the number of Praetorians to nine thousand: nine cohorts per thousand men. Of course, such a number was not needed for bodyguards, but Octavian intended these people to maintain public order in Rome. It should be noted that the Praetorians of that time were recruited by the people of Italy, but not by the citizens of Rome.
It was later decided to take in these elite units not only locals on the Apennine Peninsula. Over time, the Praetorians began to take an active part in the political life of the Eternal City – and with force, which is natural for security. Sometimes they were involved in conspiracies, relying on military support. Sometimes they carried out coups themselves. For example, the emperors Caligula and Commodus were killed by Praetorians involved in conspiracies. And the Praetorian Macrinus personally organized a conspiracy, as a result of which the Emperor Caracalla was killed, and he himself sat on the throne. With such defenders, the emperors were not entirely safe. Therefore, under Emperor Gallienus, who ruled in 253-268, a separate detachment of the emperor’s bodyguards was created – protectors (from the Latin protector – “patron”, “protector”). We know little about this unit, but there is information in the sources about the Ciampo protector. This name is mentioned in connection with a man whom today we would call the adjutant of Emperor Diocletian, who ruled in 284-305. nine years, after which he received the title of “ordinarius” (captain), and after another 11 years he became a protector. The title protector, as is often the case, was obtained in two ways: for military merit or through personal connections or bribes. Because of the latter, the emperors had to “cleanse” the ranks of their close bodyguards from time to time, as they apparently did not want to raise another Praetorian. Apparently, Ciampo became a protector thanks to military merit. The discovery of the sarcophagus was the first time that archaeologists knew the exact name of the burial and had the opportunity to study the remains and burial gifts. Let’s just add that the Praetorian Guard was completely disbanded by Emperor Constantine the Great in 312, after the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this battle, Constantine was opposed by the Praetorians, who had previously brought the usurper Maxentius to power in Rome. Constantine ordered the destruction of the Praetorian camp as a “permanent nest of riots.”
Photo: The city of Nicamedia was founded by the Bithynian king Nicomedes I in 264 BC. e.
Note: This settlement was built on the site of the ancient city of Olbia. After 74 A.D. e. Nicemedia became the leading settlement of the Roman Bithynian province. In 286 a.d. e. Nicomedia became the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. From 324 AD e. it was the capital of the empire of Constantine. During the reign of Constantine, many Christian churches and various palaces were built in the city. This was the period of the highest flowering of Nicomedia. Nicomedia did not lose its significance even after Constantinople entered the political arena. In 1337, the Turks captured Nicomedia and rebuilt the city in their own way. The city was renamed Izmit.
Since the start of the war, dozens of people have publicly refused to consider themselves children of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). One of them, the screenwriter and producer Ivan Filipov, tells how his almost forty-year life in the Church ended. We cannot judge the real number of people who left the ROC or even Orthodoxy, but it is a fact that the position of the ROC in these critical times for Russia, Ukraine and the whole world has created a problem for the conscience of thousands of believers.
I have been going to church since I was a child. When I was born, my mother and older sister had already been baptized and for some time went to a popular parish in Moscow. I remember that my father was baptized later – as a child I was strictly forbidden to tell about it to outsiders or to mention it in any way outside the family circle. Although it was the later, freer decade of the 1980s, people could be arrested for their faith, and Dad was a non-partisan, despite working at a research institute affiliated with the Communist Party Central Committee. Anyway, it’s been more than thirty years, and I still remember everything.
I remember being ridiculed in the yard for being a “believer in God” (they stopped after 1991), and once in the swimming pool my swimming coach took off my cross. I remember this episode especially well, because the cross was not on a chain that could be easily broken, but on a string – it was terribly painful.
To be completely honest, as a child I was terribly annoyed by “going to church every Sunday,” by “fasting days,” and by fasting in general. On summer Sundays at the villa — and at least we had a black-and-white TV there — I wanted to watch the Muppet Show instead of going to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with my mother. And when I was in Moscow on Saturday night and Sunday morning, I wanted to go about my business or sleep instead of going to work. But no one wanted my opinion.
Nevertheless, I well remember the feeling that reigned in the churches in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was amazing. While the Church was either banned or in terrible conditions, I remember how differently the priests spoke, how the parishioners burned. But who knows, maybe now I’m idealizing my childhood memories. And yet.
All the time until my admission to Moscow State University, my life was closely connected with the Russian Orthodox Church. I went to church almost every Sunday, confessed and partook of communion. I studied in Sunday school, sang in the church choir, studied in the Orthodox high school. I can still speak Church Slavonic, and if you wake me up in the middle of the night and put me in a crowd, I will probably be able to sing the whole Liturgy from beginning to end.
But my relationship with the Church, sorry for the pun, has never been smooth. For some reason it didn’t go well. What I heard from the pulpit did not exactly match what I saw with my own eyes. A highly respected priest (now a bishop), who required his parishioners to confess first for themselves and then for their friends, confessed me. He wanted us to inform, that’s it. In high school, I was embarrassed when my physics teacher told me he dreamed of bombing all the Buddhist monasteries. It did not seem to me that this was very Orthodox. Or the chemistry teacher, who told us in class that the Antichrist would appear through genetic engineering, and a week later explained that he would come with a flying saucer. When I timidly asked if it was a plate or genetic engineering, she was offended for some reason.
Maybe the story of my relationship with the ROC could have ended when I came of age, but somewhere along the way I found faith. My own, very personal and very important to me. I did not find her when I went to church or in sermons, but she kept me in the Church for many years. Journalist Olesya Gerasimenko came up with, in my opinion, a very appropriate phrase for these situations. Speaking about the current state of the country, she added: “And as an end to my misfortune, I love Russia very much.” In my case, the comma sounds different: I sincerely believe in God, and that faith is very important to me.
I was not the only one who felt a dissonance between what was written in the Gospel and what I saw with my own eyes in church life. But church institutions have always come up with some excuse to explain not only the lack of change, but also the fundamental impossibility of change. For years we lived in Russia, where corruption pervaded all state institutions and every attempt to change something was met with the words “but this is Russia, this has always been the case” and other meaningless and familiar mantras. The same method of complacency is practiced by the Orthodox.
Why do priests, bishops, and finally the patriarch say one thing and do another? Why do they officially call “greed” a sin, and with all their lives show that their only goal is wealth? Why are priests disenfranchised and completely dependent on bishops? Why do they serve the political interests of the state? Why don’t they speak openly against injustice?
My mother always answered these questions of mine, quoting a famous priest: “The church is a place where Christ is crucified every day.” The priests – many of whom I asked the same questions – replied that there was no need to ask questions, it was not my job, I had to be humble. And it’s not just my personal story; this is how the whole Russian Orthodox Church is organized from top to bottom. If they are “crucified every day,” it is an inevitable process, so we reconcile and live as we have lived. Without changing anything.
However, it is better not to get answers to your questions than to come across another tirade by a provincial preacher about the “sins of the West” and, of course, gay parades. An Orthodox priest can, in principle, reduce any conversation to gay parades.
Even in his sermon on the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Patr. Kiril managed to mention the gay parades. He said that the cowardly West demanded that Donbass conduct them, but since Donbass did not agree, we will defend it. In fact, this is my favorite example. Since I was young, I have had many friends among gays, lesbians and gay activists. I want to say that this has never been a topic of conversation. In any case, none of them – and it’s about dozens of people and several decades – talk about gay parades as much as Orthodox priests. I think that in all the time I have spent in these companies, I have heard something about gay parades twice, about the fact that one of my acquaintances accidentally came across a pride in Berlin or Tel Aviv.
This state of affairs suits (or did it suit?) Most of the Orthodox people I know – my friends, relatives, acquaintances. You say to yourself: there is an earthly Church, which is an institution created by people, which is governed by people and contains human vices – after all, as you know, man is a sinner; and there is a Church “as the body of Christ,” a metaphysical Church which performs the sacraments and which is not vicious because it is not connected with men. And when you understand that, you move on. Ignore the shortcomings as much as possible, but believe that there is grace in the Church that allows it to perform the sacraments.
Such moral equilibrium requires, frankly, considerable human effort. I know this from my own experience. In the first place, the problems start with the priests. These problems are two and are closely related.
The first. As soon as an ordinary person accepts dignity, he begins to act as if a higher truth has been revealed to him, which is known only to him. At the same time – and this is the second difficulty – in the vast majority of cases this person knows very little about the world around him. I know many such examples when people I have known since childhood, who were weak students, idiots and even sadists, became priests and were immediately filled with a sense of their own infallibility. It is absolutely impossible to talk to them, let alone argue, because they are unable to assume that they may not be right.
I spent seven years of my career as a journalist, and for the next fourteen years I worked in Russian television and Russian cinema. Believe me, I have met many narcissistic people, stars who are infinitely confident. None of them, in their worst moments, can be compared to Orthodox priests. What a dogma of infallibility of the pope (eternal thorn in the Orthodox world) – try to build a discussion with any priest, much less with a bishop. This is impossible and unbearable. I’ve been trying to do this for decades, and from a few dozen priests I know well, it was as many as two.
And here you are regularly communicating with people who know very little, have never been anywhere, have never seen anything, with very few exceptions have never read or seen anything, do not know foreign languages, etc., but are absolutely sure they are right. It’s hard. But you hold on because you believe.
Most people I know who have left the Church have done so at a relatively young age, but still adults. The problem is that the Orthodox world is like a greenhouse. A closed airtight world in which you are always told from childhood how you should think and that the world outside this airtight greenhouse is “evil”. Then you go out and it turns out that you were lied to. And literally at every turn. It was at this moment of awareness that many of the people I grew up with left the Church.
When you ask why the Church is silent when lawlessness is happening around it, the answer is always the same: “The Church is out of politics.” This is such a desperate lie that I really don’t understand how people still don’t bother to say it out loud. Of course, the Church is part of political life only when it comes to “right” politics. This has always been clearly seen in the sermons and public speeches of various priests. And I don’t even mean the famous pillars of “atomic Orthodoxy” like the late Dmitry Smirnov, but ordinary priests who invariably continue from the pulpits the eternal story of “God’s chosen Russian people” and “sinful West.”
For as long as I can remember, this endless chatter has not stopped, and I remember all my arguments on this subject. Among my relatives was a famous priest – a very good man, but an impenetrable idiot who always argued with me about politics and history. I remember all these conversations: in 1999, for example, he predicted the impending collapse of the dollar. And recently, while reading the military news, I remembered one of his appearances on Radio Radonezh, dedicated to the “nobility of the Russian soldier,” which, of course, contrasted with the “brutal cruelty” of the American soldier.
So no. The ROC has been part of the state propaganda machine at all times and in everything, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, but always as an integral part. It is true, of course, that priests, bishops, and parishioners refuse to think of themselves in such categories.
I have a favorite example of such a church dichotomy. After the scandal that took place in Russia during the premiere in Cannes of the film “Leviathan” by Andrei Zvyagintsev, I and Alexander Efimovich Rodnyansky, for whom I worked for many years, decided to try to understand the reaction of the church leadership to the film . Maybe to understand how to work with the film and in general to understand exactly what we need to be prepared for. Together with Fr. Andrei Kuraev, whom I asked for help, we went to a bishop in the north – to show the film and talk.
The stern bishop watched the film and told us sternly that it was a heinous slander against Russian life, an example of monstrous Russophobia. Of course, there is no such corruption in Russia, much less such horrible alcoholism, and everything shown in Leviathan is a lie. And then the bishop took us to lunch and, sitting at the table, began to complain.
He complained that there were problems with the completion of the cathedral in his hometown: the iconostasis had to be completed. He found a local company that could do it for a million and a half rubles, and a sponsor who was willing to give him the money, but the patriarchate has banned orders from local people and requires them to be ordered only through Sofrino, which wants twenty and five million… And then the bishop began to complain that there were villages in the diocese where his priests could not go without a police escort because all the inhabitants had delirium and immediately started shooting at every stranger with a weapon…
Many times I mentally returned to this conversation, trying to figure out how this was possible. As in condemning the film Leviathan, so in his own words about drunkenness and corruption, this man was completely sincere. How is that possible? I don’t know, but this is the way the ROC has lived for decades.
Were there any dissidents? Of course there was! Many of us who know them have publicly expressed their disagreement. For example, they called for mercy on the Pussy Riot girls, questioned corruption, prison torture, police violence and the authorities. But they were always a minority. People with my convictions saw these priests as a lifeline – if there is one in the Church, say, Fr. Alexei Uminski, so I will stay, so not everything is dead. As long as there is at least one righteous man, I will not let the city perish. While there is Fr. Andrei Kuraev, who speaks and writes boldly, exposing vices, we can tolerate the existence of Fr. Andrei Tkachov, who preaches hatred.
This is a very important question, a matter of principle. I have closed my eyes to the vices in the Church, because I believe that God is in it. Let the Church be terrible, let it be cruel and indifferent, but God also speaks to us through such a church.
Then Fr. Andrei Kuraev was expelled. I remember very well what I wrote on Facebook the other day: the miners took a canary with them to the mine – it detected the presence of methane. If the canary in the cage stays alive, you can work, and if it is dead, you have to run. I think Fr. Andrew plays the role of such a canary in the Church. He helped the ROC not to lose its human face completely. But he was expelled.
I did not leave the Church immediately. I think I stopped going to church after another brutal crackdown on protests. The discrepancy between what was said from the pulpit and what was hidden became too great. It is impossible to talk about love and compassion, about sacrifice and willingness to die for your neighbor from people who are silent when they see violence and injustice.
And then came February 24th.
I was sure that someone would speak. I had no doubt about Patr. Cyril – it would be strange to expect Christian behavior from him, but I had faith in the priests I knew personally. I knew them as worthy and good people. I was wrong. I read the letter from the priests who had publicly spoken out against the war, and found no name of an acquaintance of mine in it. Honestly, it was a shock to me. A real shock.
Today we are discussing many public figures who speak for or against the war and those who are silent. Actors, musicians, bloggers – people who influence millions of citizens, are responsible to society, they must state their position, to announce it, not to remain silent. At the same time, however, an actor, say, has the right to remain silent. After all, he did not promise to be a master of words, but has another profession. However, the priest does not have such a right. The priest is a shepherd, and if the shepherd is silent, he is like salt that has lost its power.
Another context is needed here. When I was studying at an Orthodox school, a NATO military operation began in Yugoslavia. And every day we began with a prayer for our Serbian brothers, who “suffer at the hands of the Basurmans (infidels).” This was spoken of in the churches; the whole Orthodox community talked about it incessantly – very publicly and loudly. And now the Russian army has entered Ukraine, killing and bombing churches (sometimes churches belonging to the ROC). And all the priests I know who so loudly defended the Serbs against NATO are silent… And not only silent – the patriarch, the bishops and a number of priests loudly and publicly support the war…
For a long time I had the feeling in the Church that God had not abandoned her. This no longer holds me back, because I do not believe that God has remained in the ROC. It seems to me that on February 24, He left and closed the door tightly behind Him. And since that’s the case, I’m leaving too.
When I leave, I don’t think about Patr. Cyril or for the bishops, but for the priests I know personally and who kept silent. Some say they speak out against the war in their Sunday sermons, which is probably not a bad thing, but it certainly doesn’t buy public silence.
These people found an opportunity to speak out against the gay parades or the “Leviathan” slanderous slander. They did it publicly and loudly. Therefore, there must be such an opportunity to speak out against the terrible bloody war. Although, frankly, I don’t believe that’s going to happen. Because I remember very well all the tales about “the special Russian history”, “the special Russian spirit”, “the special Russian piety”. I know all too well about the generous donations and the apartments donated by important officials of the presidential administration.
The war that Russia has been waging with Ukraine for two months is in the name and at the expense of all the priests who have remained silent (or supported or sanctified the equipment that went to war). On behalf of Fr. Vladimir and Fr. Ivan, Fr. Alexander and Fr. Philip, Fr. Valentine and Fr. Michael. “Russian peace,” as Putin and his generals understand it, is impossible without the Russian Church. It is no coincidence that the army received its giant, ugly temple, and it is no coincidence that the patriarch blessed the military for the “special operation” in Ukraine. All this is not accidental, but logical. For thirty years, they built new churches, revived monasteries, and engaged in missionary work to make possible Bucha, Gostomel, Irpen, Kharkiv, and Mariupol.
The verses from the song “Russian Christ” (2017) turned out to be surprisingly prophetic:
Spread the good news far:
cold as ice, the heart torn out
clothed in gold, doomed to our world
the Russian Christ is coming!
The Codex Gigas is the largest illuminated manuscript of the Middle Ages. In addition to religious texts, encyclopedic, medical knowledge, and color illustrations, this book contains an image of the devil on a full page, hence the second name of the manuscript. The Codex Gigas is also known as the Devil’s Bible because of its legend. The codex was written between 1204 and 1230 in Latin in a Carolingian minischool, a type of writing popular in the Middle Ages. Scholars believe that the manuscript was created by a representative of the Benedictine Order. The book is 92 cm high, 50 cm wide, 22 cm thick and weighs 74.8 kg. It was originally written on 320 sheets of parchment, believed to have been made from the skins of 160 donkeys. Over time, 10 pages of the Code have disappeared.
In a 2008 National Geographic documentary on Codex Gigas, experts suggested that the book was written by one man. It took about 5 years to write the pages alone, and another 20 years to decorate the pages with silver, gold ornaments and bright miniatures.
“First, the author had to arrange each page and only then start writing the letters,” say the experts in the film. “He probably wrote about 100 lines of text in one day.”
The content
Most of the pages of the code are devoted to religious texts, historical treatises, medical and encyclopedic knowledge. For example, there are the Old and New Testaments, the books of the Jewish-Roman historian Josephus Flavius ”Jewish Antiquities” and “Jewish War”, the encyclopedia of the scholar Isidore of Seville “Etymology”, widespread in the Middle Ages, medical treatises of Hippocrates, there are even descriptions of the ritual exorcism and astronomical calendar.
Historians point out that the Code probably reflected all the knowledge of the world and nature that the Benedictine Order had at the time the book was written. Particular attention is drawn to the location on one side of the Kingdom of Heaven, and on the other – Satan. Apparently in this way the author wanted to show the contrast between the images of Good and Evil. The legend
Legend has it that at the beginning of the 13th century in one of the monasteries on the territory of modern Bohemia lived a monk-scribe who once broke his monastic vows. As a result, the brothers decided to punish him for this act by building it in the walls of the monastery. The monk did not want to die and to avoid punishment, he promised to create a book for one night, which would include all the knowledge gained by mankind and glorify the monastery. While working on the book, the monk realized that he could not do it alone and needed help. He prayed fervently, but not to God, but to the fallen angel Lucifer, asking him to help him write the Code in exchange for his soul. The devil finished the manuscript and as a token of gratitude for the help the monk drew it on one of the pages of the book. Although the devil kept his promise, the author portrayed him in a divided language – this image is used in religious texts to denote a dishonest, deceitful person.
Painted with red horns and two tongues, with an ermine cloak, this creature stares blankly. He is depicted between two towers. It is worth noting that only members of the royal family wore ermine, so this detail defines the devil as the “prince of darkness”. Right next to the illustration of the devil there is an image of paradise, represented by many rows of buildings, which are also located between two towers. What makes the kingdom of heaven alarming is the fact that there are no signs of life there. Without explanation, the author painted a paradise completely devoid of life. These two pages ominously portrayed good and evil side by side. These illustrations are also the only full-page drawings in Codex Gigas.
Another legend haunts the Codex Gigas – it is known as the “Curse of the Devil’s Bible”. In 1477, the Benedictine monastery in Bohemia, known as the source of the medieval manuscript, experienced financial difficulties. Therefore, the monks had no choice but to sell their most valuable property – Codex Gigas. At that time the manuscript belonged to the Benedictine monastery in Brzhevnov. Shortly afterwards, the monastery in Bohemia fell under the devastation of the Hussite revolution.
A brief history of the Code
Scholars studying the Codex and other historical documents have been able to trace the “life path” of the manuscript.
Brief history:
From 1204 to 1230 – during this period the Code was created, the hermit monk Herman worked on it in the Benedictine monastery, which was located in the Czech town of Podlazice.
1295 – The Benedictine monastery in Podlazice pledges the code of the neighboring monastery in Siedlec, which later sells the book to the Brzevnov monastery in Prague.
1594 – The codex falls into the hands of German King Rudolf II, who places the book in his castle in Prague.
1648 – The Swedes plunder Prague. The manuscript ends with Queen Christina of Sweden, who keeps the manuscript in her library at the Three Crowns wooden castle.
1697 – Fire in the castle “Three Crowns”. Nearly 18,000 books and 5,700 manuscripts were burned in the fire. The code survives because the servants manage to throw it out the window. The cover of the book was seriously damaged when it fell.
1768 – The codex is deposited in the new residence of the Swedish monarchs – the Royal Palace in Stockholm.
1819 – The codex is restored: the binding is replaced.
1878 – The codex is moved to a new library building in Humlegarden Park.
2007 – The manuscript was sent to Prague and temporarily exhibited at the National Library.
2018 – The Codex becomes a permanent exhibition at the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm, where it is available to the general public.
If you want to get acquainted with Codex Gigas, you can view the book on the official website of the library. The manuscript is fully digitized.
Isidore, O. S. & Josephus, F. (1200) Devil’s Bible. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1230] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667604/.
Spain has reopened to tourists – its beaches are already receiving the first wave of Europeans and Britons who have “seized” their favorite resorts. For the Russians, we recall, getting to the Iberian Peninsula is problematic – only with the help of connecting flights and transfers. At the same time, the joy of tourists vacationing in Spain is overshadowed by gigantic fines that can follow not only the “balconing” once invented by British vacationers, but also more innocent entertainment. In general, for almost everything. And the fines are serious – they reach up to 3 thousand euros.
Here are some examples of the most severe penalties:
• The aforementioned 3,000 euros are at risk for tourists to pay for a relatively innocent activity – namely, barbecuing on the beach without permission. In some places, for example, in Grenada, for frying sausages, you can “fly in” for a huge fine. In any case, tourists are advised to ask if it is possible to have a barbecue here.
• A little cheaper – but also sensitive to the wallet – a night’s sleep on the beach can cost, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s “wild” camping with tents, or, as the publication puts it, rest “after a long drunken night.” Sleeping on the beach in Valencia can cost you a fine of 1,500 euros.
• Blows on the wallets of tourists also agitate to observe public decency. Tourists are warned that there is an opportunity to sunbathe in what the mother gave birth in Spain – but only on special beaches, including Playa la Tejita and Playa de la Pelada in Tenerife. But those who decide to undress on a non-nudist beach will most likely deserve a fine of up to 750 euros.
• By the way, walking the streets in a “beach” form is also not recommended – tourists face a fine of 300 euros for walking through the streets of the city in swimming trunks or a bikini.
• And, finally, ecology. Tourists are strongly discouraged from washing with soap and shampoo in beach showers. This harms marine life and could lighten the wallet by as much as 750 euros. Smoking on some beaches, by the way, is also prohibited – this applies to beaches in almost all popular resorts – in Galicia, Murcia, Catalonia, Andalusia, Asturias, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. True, the fine is relatively moderate – only 30 euros.
Despite problems with access to Europe, more than a dozen European countries have canceled testing rules and vaccination status requirements for Russian tourists. On May 2, Switzerland joined them. The country has lifted all coronavirus restrictions. This means that travelers can visit the popular country without vaccinations and medical certificates. The corresponding decree was issued by the Swiss government.
Back in April, the Swiss Secretariat of State announced the authorities’ decision to lift entry rules for all travelers. And starting May 2, tourists will only have to comply with basic border measures. “The current entry restrictions will be lifted from May 2. From that date, the normal rules for entering Switzerland will apply,” the agency said earlier in April. This means that absolutely all travelers, including Russians, whether arriving in Switzerland from an EU or non-EU country, can now enter the country without the need to present a valid certificate of vaccination, recovery or tests.
Tourists arriving in Switzerland now are required to follow other entry requirements, such as holding a valid passport or visa, if such a requirement is applicable. It is believed that the Swiss authorities have decided to lift entry rules to make it easier for tourists to visit the country during the peak summer season. In addition, the decision also followed the improvement of the covid situation.
According to WHO data, only 1,747 new cases of coronavirus infection have been registered in Switzerland over the past seven days. In addition, the vaccination rate in the country remains high. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health revealed that as of April 19, a total of more than 15.6 million doses of the anti-COVID vaccine had been administered in the country. Of the total number of vaccinated individuals, 69.1% underwent primary vaccination, and another 42.8% received revaccination.
In addition to lifting entry rules, Switzerland has also already lifted all remaining restrictions from 1 April. Since last month, travelers and Swiss people have been able to visit various public places and events without the need to wear a face mask and observe social distancing measures.
Note that Greece also canceled all its entry rules. Greek authorities have said that as of May 1, all travelers, regardless of their country of origin, are allowed entry without restrictions. This means that Greece no longer requires travelers to present a valid certificate of vaccination, recovery or tests upon arrival.
With the exception of Switzerland and Greece, 11 other countries have also already lifted their restrictions and allowed entry without restrictions to all incoming travelers. These are the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden.
According to an “in progress” article published by DW, the AFP Agency has had access to a document in which can be read that “the sanctions also reportedly target the head of the Russian Orthodox Church”.
Sanctioning head of Russian Orthodox Church for the “metaphysical” meaning of the war
The European Commission, DW reports, has recommended sanctioning the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, according to a document seen by news agency AFP.
The European Times has published a series of documented articles on how the Patriarch ( accused of being a KGB/FSP agent ) has been justifying the war in one way or another. There seems to be a link also on how some of the closest followers of Kiril have been interacting for years with France financed anti-cult organization FECRIS spreading radicalized messages that would “justify” the views on the Ukrainians, but also “against the west”. Now, how come France has been and is financing such an organization, with such strong links to the Patriarch and his anti “west” agenda is another story that the French government should look into as willingly or not, it could be that they have been feeding and institutionally supporting the propaganda machine that now showed to be a danger not only for the Ukrainians but the fundamental rights in Europe.
Back to the sanctions, the measures are part of a new blow of economic measures against Russian government, that were announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The details of the sanctions package are set to be published later in the day.
AFP has reported that the new sanctions list from the EU’s executive branch includes 58 individuals, including Russian military personnel. The proposal also includes the wife, daughter and son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Amid the global energy crisis and worsening climate emergency, the United Nations and partners on Wednesday launched two new initiatives to accelerate action towards achieving clean, affordable energy for all, and the ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions.
The UN-Energy Plan of Action Towards 2025 delivers on commitments made at a high-level meeting in September that laid out a global roadmap for energy access and transition by the end of the decade, while also contributing to net zero emissions by 2050.
The UN-Energy partnership brings together some 30 organizations working on all aspects of energy and sustainable development.
An Energy Compact Action Network was also launched to match governments seeking support for their clean energy goals with governments and businesses that have already pledged over $600 billion in assistance.
Coalitions to support energy access and transition in Nigeria and in Santiago, Chile, were also announced, thus showcasing the Network’s potential.
Sustaining the momentum
The commitments will drive forward achievement of a just, inclusive energy transition, aimed at ensuring all people have access to clean and affordable energy, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Their announcement comes as the world faces what the UN has described as the interlinked triple crises of energy, food and finance arising from the war in Ukraine.
Liu Zhenmin, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and Secretary-General of the 2021 High-level Dialogue on Energy, has welcomed the launch.
“This will help us sustain the momentum by generating concrete action towards clean and affordable energy and net-zero emissions,” he said.
Scaling up action
The UN-Energy Plan of Action sets out a framework for collective action that includes doubling annual clean energy investment globally, and facilitating electricity access for 500 million people, as well as clean cooking solutions for one billion.
It identifies seven areas for work, ranging from scaling up efforts to close the energy access gap, to leveraging the power of data, digitalisation and visualisation for strengthening monitoring, tracking, accountability and communication of results.
The plan could not have come at a more critical time, according to Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN-Energy co-chair.
“The current context has led to a wider understanding of how energy underpins the entire 2030 Agenda. It is paramount that the commitments taken at the 2021 High-Level Dialogue on Energy and COP26 are translated into actions on the ground – especially in support of the most vulnerable,” he said.
IOM/Jorge Galindo
Hauwa’s solar lamp helps her cook and carry out other chores around her home in Nigeria, and it helps her children study.
Collaborating for transformation
UN-Energy will support the Energy Compact Action Network, which brings together nearly 200 governments, businesses, and other civil society partners, to mobilize voluntary commitments made at the high-level dialogue.
Damilola Ogunbiyi, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and UN-Energy co-chair, highlighted the platform’s important role.
“By creating opportunities for collaboration, the Network will transform the billions of dollars in finance and investment committed in the Energy Compacts into on-the-ground action towards the sustainable energy future that we urgently need,” she said.
Powering the future
The launch also featured announcements by several new or expanded coalitions, demonstrating how countries, cities, businesses, foundations, and other partners, can join forces through the Network.
For example, SEforALL, UNDP and Husk Power Systems, are among partners that will support Nigeria’s commitment to provide electricity to 25 million people by 2023, through using solar home systems and mini-grids to power five million homes, schools, hospitals and other public utilities. The move will also generate some 250,000 new jobs.
In Chile, the government of the Santiago Metropolitan Region will work with the multinational energy company Enel, and the Universidad de Desarollo, to increase the end-use of electricity for transport and heating, including to raise the share of the city’s electric buses to 100 per cent by 2030.
The Network will also advance or expand coalitions supporting green hydrogen and a stronger role for women in leading and benefiting from the energy transition.
In this regard, a work plan to strengthen the role of women in the energy transition was launched by partners who include the Governments of Canada and Kenya, as well as the global youth-led organization Student Energy, coordinated by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Parliament is ready to start negotiations on a common charger to reduce e-waste and make the use of different mobile phones, tablets and digital cameras more convenient.
The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee adopted its position on the amended Radio Equipment Directive on 20 April and a plenary announcement confirmed Parliament’s negotiating position on Wednesday morning. Parliament is now ready to start talks with EU governments on the final shape of the legislation.
The new rules would mean consumers no longer need a new charger and cable every time they purchase a new device, and can use one charger for all of their small and medium-sized portable electronic devices. Mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable would have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port, regardless of the manufacturer. Exemptions would apply only for devices that are too small to have a USB-C port, such as smart watches, health trackers, and some sports equipment.
This revision is part of a broader EU effort to make products more sustainable, in particular electronics on the EU market, and to reduce electronic waste.
Clear information on charging
MEPs also want to see clear information and labelling on new devices about charging options, as well as whether a product includes a charger. This would help to avoid confusion and make purchasing decisions easier for consumers, who often own several different devices and do not always need additional chargers.
As wireless charging is used more and more, MEPs want the European Commission to present a strategy by the end of 2026 that allows for any new charging solutions to work in conjunction with each other. The goal is to avoid a new fragmentation in the market, to continue to reduce environmental waste, ensure charging solutions are convenient for consumer and avoid so-called “lock-in” effects created by a consumer being dependent on a single manufacturer.
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Rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba (S&D, MT) said: “With half a billion chargers for portable devices shipped into Europe each year, generating 11 000 to 13 000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium electronic devices would benefit everyone. This truly comprehensive policy change builds on the Commission’s proposal by calling for the interoperability of wireless charging technologies by 2026 and improving information given to consumers with clear labels. We are also expanding the proposal’s scope by adding more products, such as laptops, that will need to comply with the new rules.”
Pramila Patten, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative working to end rape in war, was speaking at a press conference in the capital, Kyiv.
Wartime rape can no longer be dismissed as an “inevitable byproduct of war”. It must be recognized by all parties as a crime that can be prevented and punished. https://t.co/6YYFoJJwQH
— UN Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (@endrapeinwar) May 3, 2022
Standing alongside Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, she expressed solidarity with survivors, saying they are not alone.
“My promise to you is that international law will not be an empty promise. Today’s documentation will be tomorrow’s prosecution. And I want you to know that your rights don’t end when wars begin,” she said.
“Women’s rights don’t end when wars begin. Your bodies are not (a) battlefield and must never be treated as part of the battlefield.”
Interventions and assistance
Ms. Patten and Ms. Stefanishyna on Tuesday signed a framework for cooperation that supports the design and delivery of priority interventions in the areas of justice and accountability as a central pillar of deterrence and prevention.
The agreement also addresses comprehensive service provision for survivors, including sexual and reproductive health services, medical and specialized mental health services, legal assistance, and livelihood support.
Responding to a reporter’s question, Ms. Stefanishyna described sexual violence committed in war as “one of the most silent types of crime”, underlining the difficulty of gathering information on exact numbers.
“Today we have started working to gather this information using volunteers, working with medical facilities, and documenting these cases outside the criminal proceedings,” she said, speaking through an interpreter.
Ms. Patten added that “we cannot expect to have accurate bookkeeping on an active battlefield,” stressing she does not wait for hard data and statistics to act.
Services for men and boys
Although sexual violence is mostly perpetrated against women and girls, Ms. Patten has also received reports of cases involving men and boys in Ukraine, which the UN has not yet verified.
“I am working with the different UN agencies to ensure that there are services adapted to the needs of men and boys, because everywhere in many conflict situations, I have observed that there is a lack of services adapted to the needs of men and boys,” she said.
Preventing human trafficking
The framework with the Ukrainian authorities also covers gender-responsive security sector reform, as well as prevention of conflict-related trafficking, amid rising displacement.
More than five million people have fled Ukraine since the war began just over two months ago, generating the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
“It is a fact that conflict does exacerbate vulnerability to trafficking, and human trafficking of Ukrainian women can be a dangerous by-product of this conflict-fuelled refugee crisis,” said Ms. Patten, emphasizing the critical need for mitigation measures.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefs UN Security Council meeting on women and peace and security (file photo).
Sparing no effort
The UN official also responded to questions about “extremely disturbing” reports of Ukrainian women who were raped before being killed. She has met with the country’s Prosecutor General and said there is “solid” forensic evidence of such incidents.
“This is very serious, and the United Nations, through this framework of cooperation that we have signed, will not spare any effort to bring perpetrators to justice,” she said.
Ms. Patten acknowledged that prosecution for cases of sexual violence committed in war comes with challenges, stating it is “never easy”.
She reported on her meeting with several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Ukraine who have shared anecdotal reports.
“One NGO representative was referring to cases where the perpetrator wore a mask, so identification becomes extremely difficult,” she said.
Ms. Patten stated that “whatever reports are surfacing, they can only represent the tip of the iceberg,” highlighting the need to focus on reporting.
‘Never again’
In this regard, she has also held discussions with the Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights, which could establish “hubs” across Ukraine where people can report cases of sexual violence and also receive medical, psychological and other support.
Having these safe spaces available would also avert the people, who don’t possess the adequate skillset required, interviewing victims, which carries the huge risk of re-traumatization and re-victimizing.
“We have to learn lessons from the other conflicts where this has been the case, with victims interviewed over 10 times, 15 times, with all the inconsistencies in the reports which make their case not tenable in a court of law,” she said.
“Every war, we say ‘never again’. I think this time we have to say, ‘never again” and mean it, and take the necessary action to give justice to these victims of sexual violence.”
The world is watching
The mandate of the UN Special Representative was established by the Security Council more than a decade ago, to tackle conflict-related sexual violence as a peace and security issue.
International human law makes it clear that even wars have limits, said Ms. Patten, and sexual violence is beyond the scope of acceptable conduct even in the midst of combat.
“Wartime rape can no longer be dismissed as an inevitable by-product of war. It must be recognized by all parties as a crime that can be prevented and punished,” she said.
Although deeply concerned about what she called “the emboldening effects of impunity”, Ms. Patten said it was “critical that all actors and parties know that the world is watching.”
1 year after the European Parliament passed a motion to review trade relations with Pakistan, there were 2 demonstrations in Brussels supporting this proposition. The demonstrators are asking the European commission to have more respect for the European parliament.
There were two protests in favor of the European Parliament less than a year after the European Parliament’s decision to suspend GSP+ for Pakistan.
Gary Cartwright is a journalist and colleague of mine. He has been investigating the atrocities people face in Pakistan for years. I have learned a great deal about human rights in Pakistan from him.”
— Andy Vermaut
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, May 2, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — On Thursday, April 28, Brussels was in chaos. No fewer than two demonstrations were planned for the morning regarding the European Union’s trade relations with Pakistan. The activists believe that the European Commission is being too lenient in granting Pakistan preferential trade status, despite the fact that Pakistan is not a model of a nation that respects its citizens’ human rights. The activists were successful in delivering their memorandum to Ursula von der Leyen and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis at the conclusion of the demonstration. Following an initial refusal by the European Commission’s services, the memorandum was received by an employee of the European Commission’s press service following telephone consultation.
Andy Vermaut, co-founder on behalf of the fundamental rights movement Postversa and the International Alliance for the Defense of Rights and Liberties (AIDL) on Schuman explains:”Indeed. On Thursday, April 28, 2022, there was not only an important manifestation at the European Parliament in Brussels in Place Luxembourg organized by the European Association for the Defense of Minorities under the leadership of Director Manel Msalmi. This was just prior to an important conference in the European Parliament by Willy Fautré of Human Rights without Frontiers on the GSP+ Status of Pakistan and this in co-organization with investigative journalist Gary Cartwright of EUtoday.net Parallel to this conference there was a second authorized manifestation on the Schuman Square in Brussels in front of the European Commission and the External Action Service where we, together with several activists including Meena Qasimi, Jamil Maqsood, Sajid Hussain and Malik Bazi demanded more respect for the efforts of the European Parliament. For us, April 28, 2022 was important in this, as it was precisely one year since the European Parliament made a resolution on Pakistan’s preferential trade status with the European union.”
Mutual cross-polination Andy Vermaut:”When the European Parliament was established, it was intended to send a statement to the whole globe. Democracy, which is not just a Western term, is a concept that we can polish, enhance, and expand collectively by collaborating with people of other views, perspectives, and ideologies to achieve unity in diversity. A model that Europe propagates around the globe, where nations that strive to live by and uphold the same standards and values may profit from our unique model and from the moral leadership that it provides.Europe may sound fantastic on paper, but when it comes to respect amongst the institutions of the same European Union, we see that the European Commission ignores the European Parliament’s large majority.Not only do we have the world’s biggest parliament in Europe, we also have a jumble of centuries-old ideas and customs that we know originated in other civilizations; we refer to this as mutual cross-pollination. While democracy has been molded by Western thinking and practice in recent history, it has many essential qualities with the village assemblies that controlled the planet thousands of years ago.”
Courage and heroism Andy Vermaut:”Additionally, all persons have some characteristics. Every single one of us is born into a family and a community. Each of us has an inherent sense of good and evil, a natural moral sensibility, and a conscience. We all appreciate and respect courage and heroism. The kid has an innate desire to satisfy his parents, and the parent has an innate desire to protect his child. This, without a doubt, is what we refer to as human nature. What makes man human is universal and serves as a link between them. Together, we work to guarantee that basic rights – freedom of speech, religion, movement, association, and respect of the law – are not the exclusive property of a set of nations or the distinguishing feature of one culture over another. They are widely applicable. They are at the core of democracy, as they are in Europe, when combined with representative governance.”
Overwhelming majority Andy Vermaut:“Thursday 28 April 2022, we have organized a requested demonstration on the Schuman Square in Brussels, alongside the International Alliance for the Defense of Rights and Liberties (AIDL), Postversa asbl, the European Association for the Defence of Minorities, and UKPNP, in which we call on the European Commission to also respect the resolutions adopted by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament and to refrain from ignoring the European Parliament. Today, when I talk about Pakistan, my heart aches profusely. I observe a deterioration of basic rights and liberties, as well as a populace oppressed by a feudal society. A year ago, the European Parliament voted an overwhelming majority motion calling for a review of Pakistan’s GSP status, citing a “alarming” rise in the use of blasphemy accusations and an increase in online and offline assaults on journalists and civil society groups. Our European Parliament (EP) now has 705 members and represents over 450 million Europeans (including President). The European Parliament is expected to represent the peoples of the Union’s 27 member states and, above all, to look out for the Union’s overall interests. Our European Commission might be thought of as the EU’s ‘everyday administration.’ The European Commission’s members are referred to as ‘Eurocommissioners’. Each Eurocommissioner is in charge of a single or more policy areas. Eurocommissioners are now 27 in number, one for each member state. They compose the College of European Commissioners collectively. Eurocommissioners are responsible for the European Union as a whole, not only for their home nation.”
Sinister powers? Andy Vermaut:”Despite the vast majority, both the External Action Service (our European Minister of Foreign Affairs) and the European Commission ignored the European Parliament’s decision, thereby discrediting the European Parliament. Why is the European Commission disregarding a piece of work that was unanimously approved by the European Parliament? What sinister powers are at work here? That is why we were demonstrating outside Schuman’s office, inquiring as to why the European Parliament is being neglected. We want adherence to the European Parliament’s decision and wish to place the review of Pakistan’s GSP+ status on the European Commission’s agenda.With a rise in the number of blasphemy claims and assaults on journalists and civil society groups, the European Parliament has voted a resolution asking for a review of Pakistan’s GSP+ status. Is the European Union a contributor to the continued poverty of developing economies? Could it be that low-income nations in a specific area are conducting a price war because they would lose all incentives if Pakistan is awarded GSP+ status despite its human rights violations? Is GSP+ only a negotiating instrument for the EU to get greater economic advantages at the price of workers’ rights in countries such as Pakistan, where feudal institutions persist and favour landlords and owners? Since 1947, Pakistan’s minority population has plummeted from 20% to fewer than 5% due to governmental coercion. How justified is the EU in retaining Pakistan’s GSP+ status? Please, Ursula von der Leyen, promote democracy and fight for human rights; respect the European Parliament and refrain from abusing your authority; take a position for human rights and oppose GSP+ for Pakistan, says Andy Vermaut.”
Resolution Andy Vermaut explains a bit more about the conference in the European Parliament that was organized at exactly the same time as his support manifestation at the Schuman square in front of the European Commission:”Yes. As a result of Pakistan’s human rights violations, the European Parliament (EP) held an informal hearing on April 28th to inquire about what the European Commission has done in response to the 28 April 2021 EP Resolution asking for Pakistan’s GSP+ preferential trade status to be suspended. Only three MEPs had objected to the adoption of the resolution, which had been supported by 681 MEPs. “To immediately review Pakistan’s eligibility for GSP+ status in light of current events and whether there is sufficient reason to initiate a procedure for the temporary withdrawal” and “to report on this matter to the European Parliament as soon as possible,” it was requesting the European Commission (EC) and the European External Action Service (EEAS). Fulvio Martusciello, MEP, presided over the session (EPP group). Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, Willy Fautre was a fantastic moderator of this event. I also want to thank Manel Msalmi for all her efforts to make this possible and Gary Cartwright who was our motivator for this conference and our manifestations in Brussels. Gary Cartwright is an investigative journalist and colleague of mine. He has been investigating the atrocities people face in Pakistan for years. I have learned a great deal about human rights in Pakistan from him. Willy Fautre is also a man after my own heart. For years, he has been standing on the barricades for religious freedom in Pakistan and fighting against the oppression that Christians and moderate Ahmadi Muslims have to endure there. The European Parliament should therefore be proud to have such people on their side, fighting for justice for the people of Pakistan. They are the real friends of Pakistan, because they dare to confront them with the truth. Manel Msalmi on the other hand has been fighting for years for the recognition of minorities in Pakistan. I think that the European Commission should also learn to really listen to these people. They have the best interests of the people of Pakistan and the European Union at heart. We want everyone there to fully enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms. That is our ultimate dream, because we all love Pakistan,” concludes Andy Vermaut.
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Andy Vermaut, in front of the European Commission:”We indirectly subsidize regimes that export terror over the globe from Europe.”
