u/alexeygoncharov

I am writing a book about Paschal Orthodox Church traditions that we practice at home, like baking Kulich, coloring eggs, and thinking to add chapter about cheese paskha with step by step instructions.
I’ve been researching traditional forms that were used to make it. I think this is probably the easiest and was most common in Russia.
So this is the mold I have made and carved.
I thought that probably using rubber bands to hold it together is the easiest.
What do you think?
Also what should I use to seal the wood ? Mineral oil ?

I am writing a book about Paschal Orthodox Church traditions that we practice at home, like baking Kulich, coloring eggs, and thinking to add chapter about cheese paskha with step by step instructions.
I’ve been researching traditional forms that were used to make it. I think this is probably the easiest and was most common in Russia.
So this is the form I have carved.
I thought that probably using rubber bands to hold it together is the easiest.
What do you think?

I wanted to share an interesting story that happened to me this Pascha.

A few months ago, Father Daniel Valle from the Mission of Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco in Nicaragua contacted me after reading my children’s book about Saint John.

He liked the icon and the book, but he said: “The people in my parish would love this book… but most of them do not speak English…”

Then he asked: “Could it be translated into Spanish?”

I was shocked… You can imagine my reaction… asking a Russian Canadian to translate an English Orthodox children’s book into Spanish 🙂

But with God’s help, the help of Spanish friends, Father Daniel, and ChatGPT, it slowly became possible.

And here is the beautiful part:
This Spanish edition was approved by Amazon in just one day and published on Holy Thursday. It felt like a little miracle.

One beautiful thought came to me:
A saint who travelled across countries, cultures, and languages is now reaching even more people in another language too.

I created an educational set about the Holy Theotokos for children and young catechumens.

The idea was to help families spend time together learning about the Mother of God in a hands-on way. The set includes an icon of the Holy Theotokos of Jerusalem, crystals, glue, tweezers, a small book about her life, and instructions showing children how to decorate the icon together with their parents.

I once read that monks asked Saint Paisios of Mount Athos how the Holy Theotokos looked after she appeared to him, and he answered that she looked like the Holy Theotokos of Jerusalem icon. Because of that, I asked the Iliinskaya icon-painting workshop to write an icon inspired by that tradition.

What do you think? Do you like it?

Alex Goncharov

Here is icon of Saint Olga of Alaska. I asked Iliinskaya icon painting workshop to write this icon for me. The idea was to create an educational set for children with some hands on activities (like tundra tea brewing). Do you like it ?

I am working on an educational set that includes Holy Theotokos of Jerusalem icon, crystals, glue, tweezers, and book about Holy Theotokos with instructions how to decorate this icon. I think hands on lessons are always lead to better results (with parents help of course).
What do you think? Do you like this idea ?

I am working on the new educational set about traditional Kulich, colored eggs , and cheese paskha- traditional sweet cheese desert we make for Orthodox Pascha.
The wooden form is ready, but my wife says: “This form is too big! It’s for 3 pound paskha! People don’t eat it in such big amount.” 😉
Oh, well…
What do you think ?
I guess I need to make it smaller.?🙂
Anyone wants to help to proofread the draft ?