Greetings from the religious leaders to the International exhibition of calligraphy

Dear Mr. Chobitko and Mr. Shaburov,

Thank you for the letter where you tell about the activity of the Union of Calligraphers and Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy aimed at preservation and promotion of Orthodox Christian culture throughout writing.
Unfortunately the primitive “mass culture” of today is imposed upon people as an alternative to national traditions. In such conditions a careful and thoughtful attention to a script word practiced in the Church due to special reverent attitude towards holy writs serves thorough study and enrichment of our historical, spiritual and cultural heritage.
The touching beauty of Slavonic script laid by Saints Cyril and Methodius can unite the representatives of different generations in their faith for the Russian culture and spiritual tradition.
I hope the International Exhibition of Calligraphy and the Holy Writ in Calligraphy contest will prove that Slavonic writing tradition is a precious and ever relevant part of our national culture.
I wish you blessed success in good deeds.
 

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Dear friends!
I whole-heartedly welcome the initiators and participants of the International Exhibition of Calligraphy in Moscow.
Calligraphy is not merely an art. For centuries it has been an act of sacrament. Calligraphers have scribed the Holy Books of all the nations and religions. As for the Jews, the calligraphic skill – “sofer STaM” – is the profession which is taught in religious colleges and institutes. All holy books and significant cult-objects like tefillin and mezuzah can be scribed in parchment only and in a special way. There is a plethora of laws regulating the work of a calligrapher. Every synagogue has the Torah manuscripts designed by the masters of calligraphy. Sometimes it takes several years of hard work to write such a scroll. We are proud the exhibition in Moscow demonstrates the “Tsar-mezuzah”, the unique calligraphy work enlisted in the Guinness World Book of Records.
Today the script tradition is substituted by computers. Then the more valuable the script manuscripts become. Let us remember how happy we were when we received the letters from our friends and family written on paper. What we could read there were not only some facts but the reflection of a sender’s inner world. It is twice as fair when we speak about calligraphy: the experienced people can name the author (sofer) of this or that manuscript at once. Looking at the ancient manuscripts of the Dead Sea we observe the work of the ancient artists, examining the medieval manuscripts we can understand how the art was developing. Thus your exhibition is of special significance – it helps us revive the feelings which the ancient masters of calligraphy attributed to their works.
It is highly symbolic that the exhibit opening clashes in time with the beginning of a new year- long Torah reading in the synagogues of Russia and the world. And Torah is always read off the manuscript. It is also symbolic the show is organized in the Year of Russian Language. All the peoples of our multinational country worship the script word and writing culture. Thus, this show also admits the contribution of Russia, its people and traditional confessions in development of calligraphy as an important means of spirituality development and promotion.
Good luck to the show organizers! And let God hear your praying.

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Dear Mr. Shaburov,
On behalf of the Mufti Council of Russia and Spiritual Administration of Muslims of European Russia I express my respect and greet to the organizers and exhibitors, the calligraphy artists on the opening night of II International exhibition of Calligraphy in Moscow.
Islam worships the pen and admits it significant role. For us, the Muslims, calligraphy is celebration of Lord, and that is why we always treat it as the testimonial of peace and appeal to peace!
The history of writing had known the rises and falls related to all the aspects of human life. Writing is the first result of human attempts to cooperate with the environment and share one’s thoughts and experience with others and the future generations as well. We know that calligraphy hasn’t lost its significance in a quantity of Muslim countries. Though it is considered to be a traditional art at present time it applies calligraphy as a means of thought expression.
The International Exhibition of Calligraphy is one more evidence of humankind unity and makes it possible to bring people together, unite them for the sake of the world, beauty and humanity.

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