Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Forex Glossary

Account - a special account with the company staff by a client. This account is used to offset the obligations for the customer and the dealer as a result of transactions under this Agreement.

The story - a complete list of transactions and non-commercial operations of an accounting of certain transactions.

Account Currency - the currency in which the deposit / withdrawal operations are performed.

Advisor - a management algorithm trading account in the form of a program developed by MetaQuotes Language 4 which sends requests and commands to the server via the client terminal (platform).

Balance - the total financial result of all transactions executed entirely and deposits / withdrawals to / from an account.

Base currency - currency of account balances, payments and commissions are appointed and calculated.

Broker - the company that provides credit and dealer support.

Bull market - a market that tends toward growth rates.

Bulls - traders who rely on escalating rates.

Customer - person or entity to perform with the company.

Client log file - file created by the client terminal, which records all requests and commands sent by the customer to a dealer with an accuracy of 1 second.

Client Terminal - Terminal Client - MetaTrader 4 or 5 software product that allows customers to obtain information on the financial markets operate in real time mode (the volume defined by the company), perform a technical analysis of markets, to exploit to adjust / change / cancel orders and receive messages from the retailer and the company too.

Transaction was completed - consists of two opposing business transactions in comparable quantities (position of opening and closing): acquisition, followed by the sale or the sale followed by the purchase.

Contract specifications - general business conditions (such as diffusion, lot size, a minimum volume of business, increase business volume, the initial margin, margin block, etc.) for each instrument.

Currency pair - the two currencies that make up an exchange rate, for example, EUR / USD.

Trading - does not change.

Handling Centre - company that provides access to money.

Developer - "MetaQuotes Software Corp." is a trading platform developer.

Equity - the secure part of the account, including open positions, which is associated with balance and the floating rate (profit / loss) by the following formula: Balance + swap +, ie the client funds account, the lower is the current loss of open positions and the current profit on open positions.

Figure - price change of 100 pips. For example, change the price of the EUR / USD from 1.3770 to 1.3870 - it means that the increase in number.

Circumstances of force majeure - events that could not be predicted or prevented. These include: natural disasters, wars, acts of terrorism, government action, act of the executive and legislative power of the state, hacker attacks and other illegal acts to the server.

Free margin - defines behalf of the State. Calculated using the formula: Equity - Margin = margin free.

Protection - action that protects an asset or liability against the change in the exchange rate.

Initial margin - the funds needed by the company include maintenance jobs.

Intraday trading - profit-oriented business in a day.

Lot size - a quantity of base currency of a party that is specified in the contract.

Margin - The required equity that an investor has deposited collateral position is equivalent to 1% (when the lever = 1:100) is open for filing.

Margin level - that determines the statement. Calculated using the following formula: (Equity / Margin) * 100%.

Trading margin - with money borrowed to buy stocks with the expectation of increasing their profits. Margin trading can bring high returns, but it is also risky.

The opening of the market - the market after the opening weekend, holiday or after the mid-term trading sessions.

Price difference of market opening - one of the following:

- Provides market opening quote is higher than the market closing quotation request;

- Open Market Quote quoteBid to Ask is under foreclosure.

Market makers - the big banks and financial companies have committed to provide liquidity to accept the other side of a trade in an exchange contract, security or in the future.

Non-market activities - deposit and withdraw funds from customer accounts, or credit.

In normal market conditions - the condition of the market that meets the following requirements:

- The lack of significant breaks in the estimation trading platform;

- No rush price dynamics;

- No significant price gap.

Manifest error - open / close positions client or performing customer order at a price that differs significantly from the average for each instrument in the current quote at the time of treatment. Or other activity or inactivity distributor, dealing with the erroneous finding of market prices at present.

Open position - is the first of the stores, in the open position, the customer accepts the following liabilities:

- Performs the opposite operation of a large volume;

- To maintain equity of not less than 10% margin requirement.

Up to order - the customer requests the distributor to buy or sell when the price reaches the order level.

Pips (points) - the smallest unit of price for any foreign currency, also known as points.

Prices do not include market before - closing the bar a minute before bar minutes outside the trading market. Price difference - one of the following:

- Appoint citing Ask before quote is higher;

- Present Ash quote is less than before quoting Bud.

Quote of flow - a sequence of digital data describing the value of the price of an instrument for a given period.

Range - the distance between the levels of support and resistance levels.

Resistance level - the limit of the channel is greater.

The upward trend - occurs when the value of each of the next wave of the curve is higher than the previous rate. Low waves to connect a straight line - trend line.

Server log files - a file created by the server, which logs all requests and commands received from the customer to a dealer, and treatment outcome with an accuracy of 1 second.

Spike - a sudden movement, a pretty high value or down (usually higher than the propagation). Peaks had a recurrence during a specified period of time, for several minutes to several hours. Under the agreement InstaForex offer, all open and closed positions outside the market are to be canceled appointments, ensuring the protection of funds against the peaks.

Spread - difference of points between the bid and ask offers.

The level of aid - the lowest channel of a borderline case.

Swap - an amount deducted or added to an account at an overnight rate.

Ticker - a unique identification number assigned to each open position or a pending order in a trading platform.

Trade volume - the number of lots times the size of the lot.

Trader - a person who is the currency exchange market in order to earn a profit.

Trade Account - unique and personalized statement of operations for registration with the trading platform, which closed transactions, open positions, no market operations and controls are taken into account.

Trade transaction - a purchase or sale of any instrument made by the client.

Trading Platform - the software and technical equipment, providing economy of business information in real time, the implementation of trading activities in relation to the mutual obligations between the customer and merchant, and terms of controls and restrictions. For this option, consists of a "server" and "Client Terminal".

Transaction - commercial operations, where resources move from the base currency for the quote currency, and vice versa.

Trend - direction of the current general price movement.

The trend lines - straight lines with positive slope on a graph of the weaknesses that the trends are increasing, and with a negative slope, driven by the highest points when trends are down, the lines defining the trends online Current trend of the gaps often report trend changes.

Gold as Investment Instrument

Gold investment as an instrument

InstaForex Company invites you to visit a stable and efficient capital equipment savings. Today, virtually every interested person can gain access to markets and invest the money in the world in his / her goods in precious metals. In addition, gold can only be the dead weight, but also a store profitable. You can use the gold future opportunities that will bring tangible returns. It 'very economical to invest in gold during the crisis, when the objects investment can not give the same result.

Gold is the most ancient and more efficient capital and evaluation of wealth. Other precious metals were used for the same purpose. Generations are changing, however, all gold had an equal and a common means of payment and property, at the same time. The "gold standard" system that exerts a great influence on world economic development in the 19 to the 20th century. National borders has been reduced in exchange for gold and served as the main global currency to 70 years of the 20th century. For this reason, transactions with precious metals were under strict control. In general, operations are conducted at state level, "the monetary authorities and international financial organizations.

However, due to contradictions in the system, qualitative changes have taken place and the exchange rate has become floating.As result, the role of gold has changed the legal basis was excluded from the figure of business world currencies. Gold price liberalization began, the rights of individuals "in the physical possession of the metals have been expanded. The precious metals market changed not only the structure of the market but also its members and line operations change. Today, gold is no longer a payment mechanism, but has not left the system of economic relations. Today, the world gold market is a set of national and international markets, which are almost independent of the control government. All this guarantees a yield of 24 hours at a time global precious metals and their derivatives.

The structure of demand in the world gold market may be nominally divided into three sectors: the hoarding of all levels, consumption and industrial and domestic speculation. The offering consists of precious metals, private reserves and the government, the processions of secondary raw materials (gold) and illicit trafficking.

The main sources are gold producers, the main buyers are using it for industrial purposes. Both appear in the market due to irregular factors. However, we stop surges and declines in precious metals market again.

Gold Souk

International gold markets are located in urban areas as well as Zurich, Hong Kong, London, New York, Dubai. Rigorous standards are set at quite a few market participants. They are usually large banks and specialized companies that have a good reputation and credit standing. Range of possible operations in the international market is quite large. No tax and customs control. Large-scale operations, precious metals have made 24 hours a day, which offers customers an extensive network in the gold market. The handles are tightly regulated, because the rules are the players in the market.

The gold markets are domestic markets for one or more countries focus mainly on local investors. They are divided into open and regulated markets. Open markets are almost all markets in Europe, for example, in Milan, Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt am Main. Regulated markets are in Third World countries. National markets, transactions are conducted primarily with small bars and coins in national currencies as payment.

Black market can be found in some Asian countries in the region. Their birth is due to the entire state under the supervision of activities in gold. Black market parallel to them. Closed market is a form of domestic organization radically, with the import and export of gold is banned, and because of taxes, "The prices of precious metals trading is not really possible because of the domestic price above the world price of gold.

The participants of the gold market

Gold workers

Especially primary gold is provided by gold producers. They can be small or large. It is quite logical that the influence of society on the market depends on the amount of gold for it. Consequently, other market participants pay particular attention to the behavior of the major gold producers.

Industry

Industry and jewelry industry as well as companies involved in processing (clearing house of gold).

Stocks

In some countries there are special sections on the largest stocks, dealing in trading of precious metals and gold in particular.

Investors

Different interests of major investors to different types of gold investment instruments. In general, the most popular instruments for the gold market investors are the CFD.

Banking

Domestic banks are the most impressive players in the gold market, are the rules. It is worth mentioning that the sales of gold reserves focus is not their main objective, but show active interest in the use of reserves. Central banks have a significant impact on market conditions, which revealed 90 and 20 century. Domestic banks have a strong impact on market sentiment, which has become particularly evident in the '90s and '20s.

Brokers and dealers

Professional intermediaries and dealers in gold markets are specialized companies and commercial banks. They have one of the main features, like almost all the money goes to their hands at first.

Physical metals market

The largest volume of transactions with physical gold held in London and Zurich. First was the greatest part of all operations in the gold trade in London, which was facilitated by deliveries of metal from the British Commonwealth countries (mainly in the Republic of South Africa). They were attracted by the skillful organization of precious metals trading. The gold was transported from London to continental Europe, and from there was sent to the Middle East.

World Stock Exchanges

Capital Markets

Fair (market securities, bonds, other paper companies) - part of the capital market, securities involved in inventory, over the counter (OTC market).
The fair is an abstract concept to define the whole range of mechanisms that enable operations of securities (stocks, bonds, etc.) trading. You should not misunderstand this term to the concept of the exhibition, which is the organization with the following goals: providing space for trade and control offers the cooperation of buyers and sellers of securities.


NYSE
New York Stock Exchange - the most important fair in the United States, the world's largest. Symbol of American financial power and the entire financial sector. New York, the world famous Dow Jones index of industrial stocks NYSE composite index is defined.
NYSE Composite - One of the most popular stock indices around the world. It reflects the changes of all shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange, including more than 1,500 American companies with the largest total value of over $ 20 billion. That is why the NYSE composite can be used as an indicator of the U.S. economy.

Scholarship was established on 17 May 1792. Since 1975, she became a non-profit company owned by its members in 1336 (this figure has not changed since 1953). Companies can be purchased, the price reached $ 3 million.
Beginning of May 2006 NYSE mergered with electronic stock exchange Archipelago Holdings and the first time in its shares to investors, making it a commercial organization.
Trading in shares of NYSE Group will be held at the fair, the capitalization at the beginning of March 2006 was $ 12.5 billion. Activity of over 1000 of shares are made here. Total value of trading in NYSE companies was $ 26.5 trillion at the end of 2006.
Hours: 13:30 to 08:00 (Monday, Friday) GMT
14:30 until 09:00 in winter (Monday, Friday) GMT
NASDAQ
NASDAQ (acronym of National Association of Securities bid Auto Dealers) - American OTC, specializing in shares of high-tech companies (electronics, software production, etc.). One of the three major U.S. stock exchanges (the NYSE and AMEX ) is a unit of the NASD, is regulated by the SEC. The owner of the stock market is an American company called NASDAQ OMX Group. Apart from Nasdaq, it also has eight European stock exchanges.
At more than 3200 companies, including Russian companies traded on Nasdaq.
The regular trading day on Nasdaq opens in 09:30 and closes at 16:00 (Eastern Time). Trading activities are based on platforms such as beating Super Primex. After the end of the regular meeting, you can continue trading until 08:00 with SelectNet the platform. legislation which the trade is executed on the Nasdaq stock exchange for a different tradition. Number of market makers compete for customer orders execution. Currently there are about 600 market makers here. The main function of the Nasdaq market maker (as with the NYSE), he quotes the continuous supply and maintaining the liquidity of any Shares during the trading group. The market maker must make a reservation at his own expense in any case no corresponding reverse order on the market. Market makers have helped hundreds of stocks, and more - thousands. As a result, on average, certain types of shares are supported by 14 market makers, a different type "of capital - up to 50. NASDAQ quotes are the result of correlation trading, which market makers of alternative trading systems.

Hours: 13:30 to 08:00 in summer (Monday, Friday)
14:30 until 09:00 in winter (Monday, Friday)
NYMEX
New York Merchantile Exchange (NYSE: NMX), founded in 1872, the world's first oil futures trading. Contracts on oil, gas, platinum, palladium, gold, copper, silver, aluminum traded on this. According to Futures Industry Association data in 2006, 216 transactions were executed here miljard. In 2006, earnings NYMEX worth $ 497.3 billion, net income - $ 154.8 billion. Cap - $ 11.4 billion.

LSE
London Stock Exchange - one of the largest European stock exchanges. Was officially established in 1801, but its history back in 1570, when the king's financial agent and adviser Thomas Gresham "Royal Exchange" was built at his expense. LSE is also a public company's shares trade.

Hours: 19:30 until 03:30 in summer (Monday, Friday)
08:30 until 04:30 in winter (Monday, Friday)
TSE
Tokyo Stock Exchange accounted for 80% of sales in the country. Principal dealers are the owners of institutional securities. In Japan, the owner man has only a 20% stake in the stock market and 80% as financial institutions, insurance companies and businesses.

Tokyo Stock Exchange accounted for 80% stake in the sale of land. Principal dealers are the owners of institutional securities. Japan, one owner only 20% involved stock market shares, 80% lied financial institutions, to ensure companies and businesses.
Location not have to rely on dividends (at the beginning of 1990 were 70 times cheaper than market price), but the value of shares and increase the profit on sale of shares at a higher price (the average annual profit of the sale of shares issued from 1980 to 1994 was 34.7%). The main trading method is a two-way open tender. Up to 80% on all stocks traded in the country were bought and sold Tokyo Stock Exchange. Organizations in 1517 by 1.3 to 1.5 million in Japan were fears at all here, but they produce more than 25% of all goods and services.
In 2005, Tokyo Stock Exchange took second place in the classification of first class VSE stock exchange. 2500 companies to report earnings of over $ 3 trillion recorded instruments.


Vienna Stock Exchange is one of the oldest fairs in the world and the only exhibition in Austria. This stock exchange to trade stocks, bonds and derivatives. It was founded in 1771 by Empress Maria Teressa government debt trading. Is a private company.

Volume of transactions - 48 $ 468 billion,
Registration - 110 companies,
Discount - $ 157 358 000 000 000,
Profit - 8.12 million euros.
Working Time: 07:00 to 03:30 in summer (Monday - Friday) GMT,
08:00 until 04:30 in winter (Monday - Friday) GMT.
Frankfurt Stock Exchange FBW is one of Germany's biggest world's biggest trade shows. The operator of this trading floor, Deutsche Boerse AG group. The basic assumption of the existence of this event was considered in 1585 - the year of acceptance by merchants unified exchange in Frankfurt, which has become Europe's largest shopping center at that time. Has occupied the leading position in Germany since 1949. It was transferred to the control of the "Deutsche Boerse Group" in 1993, made at the base.
Main index - DAX, which stock prices of 30 major German companies reflects and is a barometer of the German economy.
Working Time: 07:00 to 03:30 in summer (Monday - Friday) GMT
08:00 until 04:30 in winter (Monday - Friday) GMT.
RTS
Russian Trade System was established in mid-1995 to consolidate regional markets organized financial market in Russia. This is a group of RTS.
RTS is a recognized center of prices of stocks and bonds of a wide variety of issuers. Information on trading on RTS is the main source of data on the situation of the Russian securities market, since it is this exhibition that a substantial part of Russian foreign investment in shares of Russian companies.
Hours: 07:00 to 03:00 (Monday - Friday) GMT.

Exchange rates Markets
FOREX - abbr. Foreign currency. FOREX term is generally used for the exchange of freely convertible currency, but not the full range of foreign exchange transactions. The purpose of foreign exchange trades, speculation, hedging, and control (central bank intervention in currency markets). In RuNet Forex: only speculative currency trading centers dealing with commercial banks, or held by the leverage effect, ie margin trading.
Forex is the international interbank market. Operations are conducted through institutions such as central banks, commercial banks, investment banks, brokers and centers dealing, pension funds, insurance companies, multinational companies, etc. The contract with the supply of real coin on the second (spot market) usually amounts to approximately $ 5,000,000 or equivalent. Value of the conversion fee is 60 to 300 dollars. In addition, approximately $ 6,000 per month paid to the interbank trading terminal information. Therefore, considerable amounts of exchange on foreign currency executed. For conversion of small amounts should contact the financial intermediary (a bank or broker in return), which performs operations for a certain percentage of the transaction. Middlemen do not have to work on the forex market, if they have a variety range of customers and orders another provision. Although they always receive their orders from customers. About the fact that not all customer orders to Forex brokers can offer their customers a lower rate than the direct costs of operations on the currency. At the same time, if the middlemen are eliminated, the change will increase costs for customers.

Current quotes are used for many activities, not always directly in foreign currency. For example, changing the exchange rate by the central bank, which must be stored under the exchange ratio of international currencies according to their proportions in the Forex, even if supply and demand real / country does not match the trends exchange reserves. For example, if the euro is too much supply in the domestic market, while USD Euro / dollar on foreign currency increases, the central bank to raise the price, and not by reducing the stress on a stable force.
Another prominent example is speculative currency margin trading, dedicated fixation of the current forex quotes. Although it is not so real delivery. Almost all brokers offer a direct exchange services, trade leverage speculative currency market. In general, wages for these activities low than for direct conversion, supply contracts that need real conclusion appears rarely and not because of extensive involvement in the volatility of transactions. Such committees often in the form of the spread - the difference between a firm bid offer price quoted at the time. Typically, a chain of intermediaries between foreign "H speculator, where an agent takes all his luggage.
Marginal activity (but not necessarily do) lead to the actual requirement to provide information about the foreign exchange market, in particular short term. They can not develop the general trend of movement classes "rate.
Hours: 24 hours.

MICEX

Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange, one of the great universal for Russia, CIS countries (CIS) and Eastern Europe. Founded in 1992.
MICEX is the leading Russian stock exchange where shares and bonds of Russian issuers 600 with a total value of almost 24 billion rubles will be made every day. List of participants MICEX consists of 650 organizations, professional market makers the number of customers totaling over 490 investors.

MICEX holds 98% of the shares and ADRs transactions of Russian companies with the adoption of the Russian stock market cycle, and 70% based on these securities trading in the world.
During the period 1992-1998 foreign exchange trading took place in an auction on the MICEX, where integration constant rates of the ruble against the dollar, German mark against the dollar for all the participants were of the trading day. In 1997, the electronic trading system Lot (Selten) was launched, it was to work with major trading partners (Auction) crisis of 1998 and has become the largest platform in currency trading then. Currently, trading through eight connect Interbank Currency Exchange Selten in a single session. The following transactions on the dollar, euro, hryvnia Ukrainian, Kazakh Tenge, Belarusian ruble and currency swap operations are performed. Total volume of stock trades in foreign currencies in 2006, equivalent to 25.9 billion rubles or $ 956 million (about half the total turnover of shares in MICEX). Currently, an effective system of risk is determined on MICEX currency market, timely fulfillment of commitments and guarantees by all participants in trade. Another element of the system is "payment against payment" principle, according to the MICEX trading accounts with participating states after just one of her duties. 540 credit organizations are members of the MICEX market.

Forex

Forex is the foreign exchange market, the market share and with the world market. The FX market, the value date specified for delivery are bought and sold. The foreign exchange market is not certain address or location. Forex trading system is a global IT system, large movements of cash flows. Denominated in foreign currency, stocks, oil and metals are traded on the foreign exchange market.

Therefore, in addition to the commodity markets and the stock market is not a global currency, open all day (except weekends and holidays), where trade is maintained primarily through the Internet. The main participants in the Forex are primarily central banks and international commercial enterprises engaged in export and import activity.

Forex market is a decentralized system, where members are linked. The development of modern telecommunications facilities led to the creation of a new type of commerce, such remote operation conducted with the help of electronic systems contractors is gradually replacing the provider of the traditional telephone network.

Forex market, you can conduct business to buy the currency, for example, (EUR) Euro Swiss franc (CHF) or Japanese yen (JPY). Activities and movements in currency markets to determine the relationship of the world in a freely convertible currency rate. All currencies are represented in the commercial market, a floating exchange rate.

Trading on the Forex market has an incredible amount with a daily turnover, equivalent to 3000 billion, surpassing the volume of transactions on the stock market by nearly fifty times. In recent years working on the Forex has become more popular, which today is a popular and profitable form of obsession. About 80% of businesses aims to gain hypothetical performance of the difference in exchange rate quotations.

The foreign exchange market is the most common among the existing platforms today. Participants in the garden a chance to collect a substantial profit in a short period. Normally, there is a small initial capital to trade, as currency in negotiating contracts have a maximum level of liquidity. Thus, any situation where an entrepreneur - an agent of a specific agreement is absent, can occur in Forex.

It is believed that the foreign exchange market is more popular than the stock market. However, this does not mean that trading forex is much easier than shopping with the operating system, although there are fewer subtleties. Moreover, the reason for such access is also a small amount at the beginning of the capital, which has been mentioned previously. Not everyone can reach the stock market, on the contrary, the Forex can start working with a number of deposits in U.S. dollars. If necessary, to make way for the merchant intermediary.

Of course, profit is not so high on the Forex market, but the risk of losing everything is low.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Jorge Luis Images of Books

Jorge Luis Borges Quotes

famous love quotes
 quotes about friendship
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Any life is made up of a single moment, the moment in which a man finds out, once and for all, who he is.
Jorge Luis Borges

Art always opts for the individual, the concrete; art is not Platonic.
Jorge Luis Borges

Democracy is an abuse of statistics.
Jorge Luis Borges

I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does.
Jorge Luis Borges

I foresee that man will resign himself each day to new abominations, and soon that only bandits and soldiers will be left.
Jorge Luis Borges

I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.
Jorge Luis Borges

I have known uncertainty: a state unknown to the Greeks.
Jorge Luis Borges

In general, every country has the language it deserves.
Jorge Luis Borges

In the order of literature, as in others, there is no act that is not the coronation of an infinite series of causes and the source of an infinite series of effects.
Jorge Luis Borges

Life and death have been lacking in my life.
Jorge Luis Borges

Life itself is a quotation.
Jorge Luis Borges

Like all those possessing a library, Aurelian was aware that he was guilty of not knowing his in its entirety.
Jorge Luis Borges

Like all writers, he measured the achievements of others by what they had accomplished, asking of them that they measure him by what he envisaged or planned.
Jorge Luis Borges

My undertaking is not difficult, essentially. I should only have to be immortal to carry it out.
Jorge Luis Borges

Nothing is built on stone; all is built on sand, but we must build as if the sand were stone.
Jorge Luis Borges

One concept corrupts and confuses the others. I am not speaking of the Evil whose limited sphere is ethics; I am speaking of the infinite.
Jorge Luis Borges

Poetry remembers that it was an oral art before it was a written art.
Jorge Luis Borges

Reading is an activity subsequent to writing: more resigned, more civil, more intellectual.
Jorge Luis Borges

Reality is not always probable, or likely.
Jorge Luis Borges

The central problem of novel-writing is causality.
Jorge Luis Borges
The fact is that all writers create their precursors. Their work modifies our conception of the past, just as it is bound to modify the future.
Jorge Luis Borges

The Falklands thing was a fight between two bald men over a comb.
Jorge Luis Borges

The flattery of posterity is not worth much more than contemporary flattery, which is worth nothing.
Jorge Luis Borges

The original is unfaithful to the translation.
Jorge Luis Borges

The truth is that we live out our lives putting off all that can be put off; perhaps we all know deep down that we are immortal and that sooner or later all men will do and know all things.
Jorge Luis Borges

There is a concept that is the corrupter and destroyer of all others. I speak not of Evil, whose limited empire is that of ethics; I speak of the infinite.
Jorge Luis Borges

Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.
Jorge Luis Borges

To be immortal is commonplace; except for man, all creatures are immortal, for they are ignorant of death; what is divine, terrible, incomprehensible, is to know that one is immortal.
Jorge Luis Borges

To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely.
Jorge Luis Borges

To fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god.
Jorge Luis Borges

Writing is nothing more than a guided dream.
Jorge Luis Borges 

Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) 
12th Birthday of Jorge Luis

12th Birthday of Jorge Luis

   Jorge Luis Birthday

Jorge Luis

Jorge Luis
 

 
Argentine poet, essayist and short story writer whose tales of fantasy worlds and sleep are classics of world literature of the 20th Century. Borges was profoundly from the European culture, English literature and thinkers like Berkeley, that no material substance, the only sensible world of ideas, which, if it is perceived, argues influences. Most of the stories by Borges for universal themes - the repeated circular labyrinth is a metaphor for life or a puzzle where the theme is time to see. Although Borges has been called names in speculation about the Nobel Prize, Borges was never awarded a Nobel Prize.

    Towards morning, he dreamed that he was in one of the ships of the Clementine Library hidden. What are you looking for? ask a librarian wearing dark glasses. Seeking God, Hladik said. Lord said the library is one of the letters on the pages of a hundred thousand volumes in Clementine. My parents and grandparents to paper checks, I even look blind. (In "The Secret Miracle", st. Andrew Hurley, collected fiction, 1998)

Jorge Luis Borges was born in Buenos Aires. His family is of British descent, and learned English before Spanish. Jorge Guillermo Borges, his father was a lawyer and professor of psychology, the paradoxes of Zeno in a chess board, showing to his son. In the large house was also a library and a garden, which fascinated the imagination of Borges. Borges' mother, Leonor Acevedo Haedo was a translator, has lived over 90 years. In 1914 the family moved to Geneva, where Borges learned French and German and received his BA from the University of Geneva. According to an article sent Borges's father, worried about her child sexual initiation, he with a prostitute in the red light district, the place of the four Dubourg. Borges does not begin to believe that his father was a "customer" of him. Borg abandoned and probably contributed to their problems of life with women.

After the Second World War the family lived Borges in Spain, where he was a member of the literary avant-garde group ultraist. His first poem, "Hymn to the Sea" which was written in the style of Walt Whitman, was published in Greece. In 1921 Borges was decided in Buenos Aires. He began his career as a writer of poetry and essays published in literary magazines. Among his friends was the philosopher Macedonio Fernandez, whose commitment to language problems affected his mind. The first collection was inspired Borges in Buenos Aires (1923). He contributed to avant-garde review of Martin Fierro and co-founder of the magazine Proa (1924-1926). For decades, Borges was the largest contributor to the South, the most important literary magazine in Argentina, which was founded in 1931 by Victoria Ocampo. He has also served as literary adviser for the publishing house Editorial EMEC as literary editor of the magazine Colors worked tabloids Saturday Review and wrote weekly columns for El Hogar served 1936-1939. As Borges critical shot to fame with the classic interpretation of Argentina. His writings show a deep understanding of European and American literature, especially for writers such as Poe, Stevenson, Kipling, Shaw, Chesterton, Whitman, Emerson and Twain. Orlando has also translated Virginia Woolf, Henri Michaux is a stranger in Asia, Bartleby by Herman Melville, author, and Wild Palms by William Faulkner.

Borges' father died in 1938, a big hit, because the two were very close. Borges suffered a severe head injury. Was developed blood poisoning and almost died. The published experience in the deep forces of creativity and to hospital, where he held several weeks, he wrote some of their stories are important. Her first collection, garden paths, that is bifurcations (1941) nominated for a national literary prize, but a little book, but he made a special problem of the South, where several of his friends and acquaintances expressed their support. Later collections include Fictions (1944), El Aleph (1949), and creator of THE (1960). Borges' interest in fantasy is shared by another famous Argentine novelist Adolfo Bioy Casares, with whom Borges coauthored collections under the pseudonym H. Bustos Domecq some stories.

From 1937 he worked as a library catalog Cane Miguel Borges in Buenos Aires Municipal Library. Labour has no interest, and usually have to read (especially the skull), written and translated. Endless process of cataloging a history of the famous Borges' Library of Babel "(1941), the library catalog believers filled with" thousands and thousands of false catalogs, the proof of the falsity of the catalogs inspired false proof of the falsity of the catalog of the truth. "Borges spent nine years in the library of the suburbs. It was formed in 1946 from his position as the Peron regime and poultry inspector for the municipal market in Buenos Aires, a position he rejected appointed fired.

Borges' political views are not as safe. As a sign of negative attention, was an attempt, the house where Borges lived with his mother bomb. His sister was captured and his mother was placed under house arrest. With the help of Michael Cohen-Miller, a psychotherapist, it managed to overcome her shyness and can accept the offer of conferences Borges. Dr. Cohen-Miller also pointed out that Borges was greatly exaggerated, have a sense of guilt and fear of sex. Later, Estela Canto, which met in 1944, Borges, Borges wrote in an attitude Backlight (1989), for sex, that Borges was one of "panic and terror."

In 1946, Borges took over the direction of the Annals of Buenos Aires, a scientific journal. His first story in English: "Have Forking Paths" was released in 1948 in Ellery Queen Mystery magazine. A deposit of Peron in 1955, Borges became director of the National Library. "I speak of the great ironies of God and gave me a book of 800 and 000 times the darkness," Borges said, alluding to his almost total blindness. Borges was also a professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aires, and taught there from 1955 to 1970th

Borges shared the Prix Formentor with Samuel Beckett in 1961. After the death of his mother, began her constant companion, Borges, his series of visits to countries around the world to death for his tour. In 1967, Borges began a five-year collaboration with Norman Thomas di Giovanni, and became famous again in the English-speaking world. When Juan Peron was elected president again in 1973, Borges became a director of the National Library. Despite his opposition to Perón and then by the Board, its support for liberal causes too vague. "If he thinks like a dinosaur that has nothing to do with my opinion," said the former Chilean poet and Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda. "I do not understand everything that happens in the modern world, and he thinks I am not." In 1980, Borges signed protests against political repression and "disappeared". In 1982, he condemned the Falklands war - "Two men fighting over a comb with a bald head," he commented in the international media was quoted as saying.

Borges, who had suffered a lot of eye problems, is totally blind in his last decades, but never learned Braille. He had a deformity that has influenced several generations of the family of his father. But he went on, several books, including The Book of Imaginary Beings (1967) to publish consultant Brodie (1970) and The Book of Sand (1975). "I need books," he once said. "You are everything to me." In New Orlean developed a passion for jazz.

Borges was married twice. In 1967 he married his old friend Elsa Astete only Milan, whom he met years ago when she was only seventeen years old. Elsa share their literary interests and the marriage lasted three years. One night at Harvard University, was found outside the residence Borges in his pajamas, because she had locked. Since the divorce does not exist in Argentina, signed a legal separation and Borges came with his mother. His last years of life with Maria Kodama, Borges, his assistant, were on 22 Married April 1986, despite his marriage to Elsa had not been canceled. But relations much joy, the lives of the authors have brought. Kodomo previously participated in the group of older studies of English Borges and a Ph.D. in English at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1984 he produced a report on his travels to various countries, with texts by Borges and photographs by Kodomo. Borges moved permanently in 1985 in Geneva, Switzerland. In Buenos Aires, where he died of liver cancer 14th June 1986 and was buried in the cemetery of Plainpalais old.

Borges' fictional universe was born from his erudition and wit in literature, philosophy and theology. He sees the human search for meaning in an infinite universe, as a futile effort. In the world of energy, mass and velocity of light, says Borges central puzzle of the time, not space. "He believed in an unlimited number of times, a growing network, the heady times of various convergent and parallel. This network of times which each forked, approached her, broke or was not aware of each other for centuries for all sorts of time." Gave theological speculations of Gnosticism and Kabbalah, many ideas for his reasons. Borges said in an interview that as a child, he found an engraving of the seven wonders of the world, presented by a circular maze. He was afraid, and the labyrinth has been one of his recurring nightmares. "Almost immediately I realized the" Garden of Forking Paths was the chaotic novel, suggested that read "The future of the various (not all)", a set of branching time, not confirmed in a larger scope of work .. the theory of literary works every time when a man meets diverse alternatives, he chooses one and eliminates the other in fiction Tsui Pen opt - simultaneously - all this creates various futures, various times. Add and fork. "(From" The Garden of Forking Paths)

Another recurring image is a mirror that reflects the different identities. The idea for the story "Borges and I" went double, who came to him - old ego, I know another man who writes his stories, y. a name in a biographical dictionary, real person, "So my life is a point and counterpoint, a kind of escape and fall away - and everything winds have been lost to me, and everything is forgotten, or in the hands of another human being."

Influenced by the English philosopher George Berkeley (1685-1753), Borges plays with the idea that can only concrete reality of the spiritual perception. "Real World" is only possible in an infinite number of realities. These issues are discussed, among other classic stories "garden paths fork" and "Death and the Compass" Borges in which he, his love for the formula of the detectives. Detective in the history of smooth, rational and adventurer Erik Lönnrot (based Lönnrot philologist / writer Elias, 1802-1884, collector of Kalevala poetry) is in the labyrinths of the excellent figure in a city trying to solve a series of crimes caught. But Borges Lönnrot has more in common with C. Auguste Dupin, Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown and his amazing powers of deduction of the same name as the Finn, who traveled to Russia in the north-west of the old poems. Kalevala was founded by Lönnrot, edited by his poems and a number of poems and fragments of each poem, which had received the rune-singers. Also creates a coherent narrative Erik Lönnrot a series of crimes, by interpreting the hidden messages and fill the holes with your knowledge. The stories of detectives led to chaos. Said "In this chaotic period with us," Borges. "One of the classical virtues of humility detective novel, a thriller hold can not be understood without a beginning, a middle and an end ... I say, in defense of crime novel that does not need protection, but now I've read with contempt, there to obtain in times of need is upright. "(" Detective Story ", 1978)

In the "Library of Babel" symmetrical library provides the universe as conceived by man is rational, and books in the library refers to human ignorance. In "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius," Borges invented a completely different world, based on a fictional encyclopedia. Narrator "Tlön is definitely a maze, but it's a maze designed by men, a labyrinth destined to be deciphered by the people."

Moved as an essayist Borges on his European education, and suggested that the ancient philosophers and mystics, gnostics and the Jewish Kabbalists, French poet, Cervantes, Dante, Schopenhauer, and above all English writers like Shakespeare, John Milton, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Thomas De Quincey, HG Wells and GK Chesterton. His most important books were DEBATE (1932), history of Eternity (1936) and other Inquisition (1952). If many American writers address political or social issues, focusing on issues and literary Borges eternal inheritance in the world. Was criticized, however, his friend Pablo Neruda, Borges, an author of more visible politically, all the dictators in South America end, with the exception of Juan Peron, Borges's arch-enemy. "Peron was in power then. It seems that Neruda had a case pending with his editor in Buenos Aires. The editor, as you probably know, has always been the main source of income." (Jorge Luis Borges: A Conversation, ed Richard Burgin, 1998).

    For further information: Paper Tigers: The ideal fictions of Jorge Luis Borges, J. Sturrock (1977), Jorge Luis Borges by GR McMurray (1980), Jorge Luis Borges by Donald Yates (1985), Aleph Weaver by Edna Aizenberg (1984), Jorge Luis Borges, ed. Harold Bloom (1986), poetry and the poetry of Jorge Luis Borges, Paul Cheselka (1986), Borges backlight Estela Canto (1989), a series of works by Jorge Luis Borges Isbister and Peter Standish Rob 1899-1986 (1992), Jorge Luis Borges, Beatriz Sarlo (1993), Dictionary of Borges by Evelyn Fishburn and psyche Hughes (1990), Jorge Luis Borges: A Conversation, ed. Richard Burgin (1998), Borges and his fiction by Gene H. Bell-Villada (1999)

Selected works:

    * The excitement of Buenos Aires, 1923
    * Moonface, 1923
    * Inquisition, 1925
    * TO MY expected size of 1926
    * THE LANGUAGE OF Argentinos, 1928
    * San Martin NOTEBOOKS, 1929
    * Evaristo Carriego, 1930 - Evaristo Carriego: a book of old-time Buenos Aires (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1984)
    * Discussion, 1932
    * THE KENNIGAR, 1933
    * THE UNIVERSAL disgrace History, 1935 - a universal story of shame (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1972) / Universal History of Injustice (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected in 1999, with an introduction by Andrew Hurley translates, 2004)
    * History of Eternity, 1936 - A History of Etenity (in some non-fiction, Eliot Weinberger ed, 1999) -. Ikuisuuden history (polkujen Haarautuvien teoksessa Puutarha, Matti Suomen Rossi, 1969).
    * Virginia Woolf: A Room have their own, 1936 (translator)
    * Virginia Woolf: Orlando, 1937 (translator)
    * Franz Kafka: The Metamorphosis, 1938 (ed.)
    * William Faulkner: The Wild Palms, 1940 (translator)
    * The Garden of Forking Paths SE, 1941 - Garden branch paths (tr Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999) - Haarautuvien polkujen Puutarha (suom. Matti Rossi, 1969)
    DON MONEY * SIX problem Isidro Parodi, 1942 (under the pseudonym H. Bustos Domecq, with Adolfo Bioy Caesarea) - Six Problems for Don Isidro Parodi (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1981)
    * The Garden of Forking Paths, 1942
    * POEMS (1922-1943), 1943
    * Herman Melville: Bartleby, 1943 (translator)
    * Fiction (1935-1944), 1944 -. Fiction (edited and Introduction by Anthony Kerrigan witrh a, 1962) / Fiction (edited and introduced by Gordon Brotherston and Peter Hulme, 1976) / fi (tr Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999) / The Library of Babel (recorded Eric Desmazières translated by Andrew Hurley, 2000)
    * Two memorable fantasies, 1946 (under the pseudonym H. Bustos Domecq, with Adolfo Bioy Casares)
    * Model United Nations PRE Death, 1946 (under the pseudonym B. Suarez Lynch, Adolfo Bioy Caesarea)
    * New Time refutation, 1947
    * The Aleph, 1949 - Aleph and Other Stories (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1970) / Alep (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999) / Aleph (including the prose fictions of the Creator, translated with an introduction Andrew Hurley , 2004)
    * The topics gaucho literature, 1950
    * Death and the Compass, 1951
    * Altgermanischen Literature, 1951 (with Delia Ingenieros)
    * Other Inquisition 1937-1952, 1952 - Other Inquisition from 1937 to 1952 (tr. Ruth LC Simms, 1964)
    * The "Martin Fierro", 1953 (with Margarita Guerrero)
    * Days of Hate, 1954 (screenplay, dir. Leopoldo Torre Nilsson)
    * THE orilleros, 1955
    * Leopoldo Lugones, 1955 (with Betina Edelberg)
    * FANTASTIC MANUEL DE zoologist, 1957 (Rev. ed Book of Imaginary Beings, 1967). - The Book of Imaginary Beings (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1969) / Mad Zoo (tr. Tim Reynolds, 1969) / Book of the human imagination (translated by Andrew Hurley, 2005) - Kuvitteellisten olentojen Kirja (suom. Sari Selander, 2009)
    * Works, VIII, 1954-1960
    * Heaven And Hell BOOK, 1960
    * The manufacturer, 1960 - Tigers Sleep (tr. Mildred Boyer and Harold Morland, 1964) / Creator (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999) / Everything and Nothing (tr. Donald A. Yates et al, 1999). - Unitiikerit (teoksessa Haarautuvien polkujen Puutarha (suom. Matti Rossi, 1969)
    * Personal anthologist, 1961 - A Personal Anthology (tr. Anthony Kerrigan, 1967)
    * Labyrinths, selected stories and other writings, 1962 (edited by Donald A. Yates and James E. Irby)
    * Macedonio Fernández, 1963
    Others he even *, 1964
    * Complete Works III, 1964
    * First six strings, 1965
    * Introduction to English Literature, 1965 (with María Esther Vázquez) - Introduction to English Literature (tr. L. Clark Keating and Robert O. Evans, 1974)
    * Medieval Germanic Literature, 1966 (with María Esther Vázquez)
    * CHRONIC Bustos Domecq, 1967 (with Adolfo Bioy Casares) - Chronicles of Bustos Domecq (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1976)
    * The night mourned SOUTH LO, 1967 - Death Watch in the south (tr. Robert Fitzgerald, 1968)
    * Introduction to Literature Search THE NORTH AMERICAN, 1967 (with Esther Torres Zemborain) - An Introduction to American Literature (tr. Clark Keating and Robert O. Evans, 1971)
    * Personal MOVE anthologist, 1968
    * In Praise of the Shadow, 1969 - In Praise of Darkness (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1974) / In Praise of Darkness (tr. collected Andrew Hurley, the fictions, 1999) / Brodie report, including praise from the shadow of prose ( translated with an introduction by Andrew Hurley, 2005)
    Others he even *, 1969
    * Conquest, 1969 (screenplay, by Adolfo Bioy Casares, Hugo Santiago, dir. Hugo Santiago)
    * Advice EL Brodie, 1970 - Brodie Report (TR Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1972.) / El informe de Brodie / Brodie Report (Tr Andrew Hurley, total fiction, 1999.) Including the Prose of Praise of Shadows (translated an introduction by Andrew Hurley, 2005) - Hiekkakirja suomentanut (Saaritsa Pentti, 2003)
    * Il Mondo Congresso, 1972 - Congress (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1974) / Congress of the World (tr. Alberto Manguel, 1981)
    * GOLD Tigers of 1972 - Gold Tigre (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, in the Book of Sand, 1975) / Golden Tigers: Selected poems later: a bilingual edition (translated by Alastair Reid, 1977)
    * Borges on Writing, 1973 (edited by Norman Thomas di Giovanni, Daniel Halpern and Frank MacShane)
    * Seven Conversations with Jorge Luis Borges, 1973 (with fernand0 Sorrentino) - Seven Conversations with Jorge Luis Borges (tr. Zlotchew M. Clark, 1982)
    * Works, 1974 (ed. Carlos V. Frías)
    * The Book of Sand, 1975 - Book of Sand (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni, 1977) / The Book of Sand (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999) - Hiekkakirja (suomentanut Saaritsa Pentti, 2003)
    * LA ROSA deep, 1975
    * With a Foreword Preface Prologue, 1975
    * The Iron Coin, 1976
    * Book of Dreams, 1976
    * Androgen, 1977
    * The murderer paper, 1977
    * Story Of The Night, 1977
    * THE ROSE Paracelsus, 1977
    * Create an Account Bustos Domecq, 1977 (with Adolfo Bioy Casares)
    * Blue Tigers, 1977
    * Norah, 1977 (with Norah Borges)
    * Obra poetica, 1964-1978 (6 vols.)
    * Completion of work in COLABORARACIÓN, 1979
    * Stories, 1980 (Ed. Barnatan Ricardo Marcos)
    * Full Benefits, 1980 (2 vols.)
    * Seven Nights 1980 - Seven Nights (tr. Eliot Weinberger, 1984)
    * Net, 1981
    Dante * New EXAMINATION, 1982
    * Twenty Agoston And Other Stories, 1983, 1983 - The memory of Shakespeare (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected in 1999)
    * Obra poetica, 1923-1977, 1983
    * And other stories, 1983
    * High, 1984 (with Mary kodomo) - Atlas (tr. Anthony Kerrigan, 1985)
    * The conspirators, 1985
    * Text Captives, 1986 (Ed. Socerio Gari and Enrique Rodriguez Monegal)
    * The Aleph Borgia, 1987
    * Borges, Judaism in Israel, 1988
    * Selected sites, 1988 (ed. Roberto Fernández Retamar)
    * Library staff: Prologue, 1988
    * Complete Works 1975-1985, 1989 - The memory of Shakespeare (tr. Andrew Hurley, the fictions collected, 1999)
    * Selected Poems, 1998 (edited by Alexander Coleman)
    * Stories collected in 1998 (tr. Andrew Hurley)
    * Selected non-fiction, 1999 (ed. Eliot Weinberger, st. Esther Allen, Suzanne Jill Levine, Eliot Weinberger)
    * THE SAME Borges: Poems, 1999
    * Correspondence, 1922-1939, 2000 (ed. Carlos Garcia)
    * This verse Craft, 2000 (Calin-Andrei Mihailescu Ed.)
    * Text RECOVERY 2002
    * Complete Works: Critical Edition. First 1923-1949, 2009 (ed. Rolando Costa Picazo)
    * Complete Works: Critical Edition. Second 1952-1972, 2010 (ed. Rolando Costa Picazo)

Monday, July 11, 2011

Google doodle marks the 450th anniversary of Saint Basil's Cathedral

New Delhi: Google marks the 450th anniversary of Moscow's Saint Basil's Cathedral with a commemorative doodle on its home page. Known by various names, including the Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, Saint Basil the Blessed, Pokrovsky Cathedral, Russian Svyatoy Vasily Blazhenny and Pokrovsky Sobo, it was built by Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible) to commemorate Russia's victories over Kazan and Astrakhan.
The construction of the Russian Orthodox church began in 1554 and was completed in 1561. Originally named the Holy Trinity Cathedral, over the centuries it became known as the place where St. Basil is buried. The church is located at Red Square, the centre of the city of Moscow.
Russia will celebrate the 450th anniversary of St. Basil's Cathedral by opening an exhibition dedicated to the so-called "holy fool" who gave his name to the soaring structure of bright-hued onion domes that is a quintessential image of Russia.




The eccentrically devout St. Basil wore no clothes even during the harsh Russian winters and was one of the very few Muscovites who dared to lambast tyrannical Czar Ivan the Terrible.
Ivan, whose gory purges claimed tens of thousands of lives, feared St. Basil as "a seer of people's hearts and minds," according to one chronicle. He personally carried St. Basil's coffin to a grave right outside the Kremlin. The cathedral, constructed to commemorate Ivan's victory over Mongol rulers, was built on the burial site.
The structure was designed by two Russian architects, Posnik and Barma. Some sources, though, attribute it to an Italian architect who was blinded after the completion so that he could never build anything as majestic again. The structure got its vivid colours, in which we can see it today, in several stages from the 1680s to 1840s.
The building was severely shelled during the 1917 Bolshevik takeover of the Kremlin and was patched up during the subsequent civil war and famine.
Early Communist leaders - who persecuted countless clerics of all faiths and destroyed tens of thousands of religious buildings - wanted St. Basil's dynamited as it blocked the way to military parades, and only the cathedral's conversion into a museum saved it.
A century earlier, Napoleon Bonaparte also ordered St. Basil's blown up during his army's hasty retreat from Moscow in 1812, but a heavy rain put down the burning fuses.
The design of its nine onion-shaped, multicoloured domes combine the traditions of Russian wooden architecture with Byzantine and Islamic influences into a unique structure.
Batalov said the restoration focused on recreating the way the building looked by the late 17th century, when the nine domes were united by a wraparound floor.
By that time, St. Basil's became a symbolic New Jerusalem and the center of Palm Sunday walks, when the Moscow Patriarch approached it sitting on a donkey to recreate Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem.
Google occasionally swaps its logo for an artistic doodle These Google doodles have gained immense popularity over the past few years and the Google doodle team has put out commemorative doodles on numerous events of international or national importance, ranging from news events, civic milestones, birthdays, death anniversaries and important dates in history.
Apart from the static image doodles Google also puts up animated and interactive doodles. The last interactive doodle was to celebrate the 96th birthday of the country and jazz guitarist, songwriter and inventor, Les Paul.

450thAnniversary of St. Basil's Cathedral

Russia will celebrate the 450th anniversary of St. Basil’s Cathedral by opening an exhibition dedicated to the so-called “holy fool” who gave his name to the soaring structure of bright-hued onion domes that is a quintessential image of Russia.
The eccentrically devout St. Basil wore no clothes even during the harsh Russian winters and was one of the very few Muscovites who dared to lambast tyrannical Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Ivan, whose gory purges claimed tens of thousands of lives, feared St. Basil as “a seer of people’s hearts and minds,” according to one chronicle. He personally carried St. Basil’s coffin to a grave right outside the Kremlin.
The cathedral, constructed to commemorate Ivan’s victory over Mongol rulers, was built on the burial site.
Deputy Culture Minister Andrei Busygin said Friday that the exhibition is opening Tuesday as part of anniversary celebrations in the cathedral after a decade-long restoration that cost 390 million rubles ($14 million). The exhibition will display relics and icons of St. Basil and other religious eccentrics, who were known as “holy fools.”
The exhibition will be part of massive celebrations of St. Basil’s anniversary that will also include a service to be held by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and a late-night church bell concert.
“This cathedral is a shrine and a symbol of Russia,” Busygin said. “It’s a miracle that it survived at all.”
The building was severely shelled during the 1917 Bolshevik takeover of the Kremlin and was patched up during the subsequent civil war and famine.
“Those gaping wounds were stuffed with whatever was at hand,” said Andrei Batalov, deputy director of the State Kremlin Museums.
Early Communist leaders — who persecuted countless clerics of all faiths and destroyed tens of thousands of religious buildings — wanted St. Basil’s dynamited because it blocked the way for military parades, and only the cathedral’s conversion into a museum saved it.
A century earlier, Napoleon Bonaparte also ordered St. Basil’s blown up during his army’s hasty retreat from Moscow in 1812, but a heavy rain put out the burning fuses.
Originally named the Holy Trinity Cathedral, over the centuries it became known as where St. Basil is buried.
The design of its nine onion-shaped, multicolored domes combines the traditions of Russian wooden architecture with Byzantine and Islamic influences into a unique structure.
Batalov said the restoration focused on recreating the way the building looked by the late 17th century, when the nine domes were united by a wraparound floor.
By that time, St. Basil’s became a symbolic New Jerusalem and the center of Palm Sunday walks, when the Moscow Patriarch approached it sitting on a donkey to recreate Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem.
St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral

St. Basil's Cathedral