Living with a 400 year Russian Byzantine Icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrator of Sinai.
As a British-Asian entrepreneur domiciled in Finland, in 1984, by sheer accident I was invited by Professor Gury Ivanovich Marchuk President of the USSR Academy of Sciences, advisor to Mikhail Gorbachev General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to discuss a Scientific Exchange project. The project did not materialise due to political reasons between Finland & Russia.
The Soviet authorities who were dejected, invited me to a trading adventure which launched me into a multi-million dollar Tax & Duty Free trading in Helsinki - Moscow - Leningrad - Vyborg, supported by Ministry of Shipping (MinMorflot), Ministry of Railways, Central Chamber of Commerce, and the Ministry of Defense. Of course, the entire operation was closely controlled by the ever present KGB.
Having given an exclusive Right-to-Trade, competed only by the USSR owned Beriozka, my Swiss-registered Fixpo Ag, enjoyed a profitable operation, with only one KGB condition that, I will be a 100% "clean" company.
During this period between 1984 - 2001 of 16 years, I helped the poor, and children, specially those needing medicare and essentials.
With the excellent connections I enjoyed, I decided to apply to the Communist Party to grant me permission to hold the First Catholic Mass in 1990, and invited a French Priest who spoke Russian, to hold the service. Late Reverend Father Guy Barbier was a prisoner of war held in a Russian prison in Leningrad for many years.
First Catholic mass was held in my office, attended by about 30 Russian Catholics, many other perplexed observers, including officials from the KGB.
Then I was invited by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Niphon (Saykali), The Antiochian (Archbishop) Metochion in Moscow, Russia, to attend Sunday service and read the Gospel in English, in his Cathedral.
Russians who visited me, to seek help or favours, sometimes brought me gifts of Russian Icons, or offered me various objects-de-art, for a financial consideration.
One of the persons whom I helped with medicines and equipment to help his ten (10) year old daughter, knowing that I collect Russian Art, gifted me the 17th Century Byzantine Russian Icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrator. This valuable Icon has been in a Russian Church in Leningrad and in several other cities, where the Russian Orthodox Christians offered millions of candles during 400 years.
The original Jesus Christ Pantocrator, is at the Saint Catherine's Monastory in Egypt for over 1500 years, is said to be the oldest work of art of Jesus Christ.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Pantocrator
The 17th Century Byzantine Icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrator which resides in my office in Russia and now in my home, with other 50+ Icons, have a prominant place, with a candle lit, daily.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MiraculousTrioGrotto/
Now I plan to build an open-air Grotto to Our Lady of Lourdes, with St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, St. JohnPaul of Poland, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Jude Thaddeus of Jerusalem, in the garden of St. Mary's Church Helsinki, as a place of Meditation, Prayer, Hope, open to Interfaith.
First Grotto - Our Lady of Lourdes & Blessed Mother Teresa in Finland, built in my home garden.
Recommended Stories
I am a British citizen of Sri Lankan ethnicity, living in Finland.
My family is dedicated to promoting the Catholic Church, and mainly Our Blessed Mother, with special prominence to Our Lady of Lourdes, and Blessed Mother Teresa.
As a personal dedication, I help and support the Missionaries of Charity of Blessed Mother Teresa in Finland and in Sri Lanka.
I created the first Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes Finland (in my garden) with Missionaries of Charity of Blessed Mother Teresa.
Grotto - Our Lady of Lourdes & Blessed Mother Teresa ...
Perhaps it may be relevant to state that the Catholic Church in Finland is in a critical stage financially, and we are trying to help the Bishop of Helsinki to repair some of the Churches.
