My good friend, the very fine poet Pavel Chichikov, sent me the link to an encouraging news story about a relic of the Blessed Virgin being venerated in Russia. Surely there is hope for the future of Russia if this astonishing phenomenon is a sign of the times. Here’s the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45419128/ns/world_news-europe/t/russians-flock-see-virgin-mary-relic/#.TtDvnvKwU91