Another magical night in Moscow once again

PUTIN ATTENDED MIDNIGHT MASS WITH HIS FAMILY LIKE ANOTHER PARISHIONER. WITHOUT PRIVILEGES. HE STOOD DURING THE SERVICE

Another magical night that only that mysterious Russia that we love so much, so hated and mocked by the bad guys, usually offers us. We bathed in liturgy and beauty listening to the choirs of a packed cathedral that sang the Nicene Creed and the Lord's Prayer to the beat of the deacon's compasillo.

These are times of war but also of hope. An archimandrite formulated a prayer for the soldiers who suffer and fight, risking their lives in the trenches.

I have seen over the last few months how many infantrymen carry an image of the heart of Jesus on their breastplates as a bullet stopper and the artillerymen place the Virgin of Perpetual Help on the gun carriage - the corporal shouts: "iskra" fire and the explosion is as if a prayer were rising to the heavens.

Moscow television presented us with a young, thriving church, a young clergy and some of the parishioners with veils on their heads who were true beauties.

The gold of the embroidered pluvial capes, the pearls of the episcopal tiaras, the rigorous adherence to the liturgical canons made us radio listeners and television viewers feel that we were not on earth but somewhere in heaven.

I almost cried when the patriarch consecrated the bread prinite adite eto tela maia (take and eat this is my body which will be given for us and for many for the redemption of sins) and take and drink this is my blood… it is the moment of the epiclesis, the moment of consecration, the Holy Spirit arrives at the altar.

The ornaments are beautiful, the ritual full of mysticism.

It is something very great that the Catholic Church has not been able to understand: without liturgy and without tradition Christianity fades away and becomes something routine without soul or warmth.

Blessed be Russia. I carry you in my heart