Chernobyl

[Guest psyconium]

I'm not sure from which episode this is but I'll post it here anyway. Frank quotes a passage in the Bible, Revelations 8:11, where a falling star poisons rivers and lakes. The star's name is wormwood. Somebody in the series mentions that the Russian name for wormwood is Chernobyl. I was just wondering if anybody could verify this. Unfortunately I don't know any russian.

[Guest karen]

 i think the episode your asking about is called  "maranatha "       from season 1. when frank helps a russian detective to solve a series of  shootings . which  then leads them to a villan who was responsible for chernobyl ....  ( hope i spelt that right ) .    

[Guest psyconium]

I talked to a friend of mine from Slovakia how knows a bit Russian and he said that Chernobyl might mean Wormwood since the ending -byl means herb or something like that. Don't we have any Russian Millenium-fans out there?

[Bardo Thodol]

In looking for something to confirm this, look what I found.  

United Nations A

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General Assembly A/45/PV.32

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Forty-fifth session

Excerpts from the provisional verbatim record of the thirty- second meeting held at Headquarters, New York on Tuesday, 23 October 1990,

at 10 a.m.

Mr. Kravchanka (Byelorussian SSR ) (interpretation from Russian):

...In Slavic languages, including the Ukrainian and Byelorussian languages, there is a word "chernobyl", which means wormwood, bitter grass. This has striking relevance to

the Chernobyl tragedy. I am no fatalist. I do not believe in the blind inevitability of fate, but who can fail to be moved by these tragic and elegiac words from Revelation, which must leave their indelible imprint on the heart:

"... and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of water;

And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter." (The Holy Bible, Revelation 8:10-11)

Thought this was kind of interesting.

Click here to see the page I found it on.

[Guest MSandt]

Well I wouldn't overreact and praise the Bible for this 'prophecy'. According to my Bible the star's name is 'Koiruoho' which means 'Mothgrass' (direct translation). Doesn't make much sense in either language.

[Guest A N Onym]

Don't we have any Russian Millenium-fans out there?

Hello. I'm from Russia. You can ask me about Chernobyl.  

[Bardo Thodol]

A N Onym,

Welcome!  When I authorized your membership, I was quite excited to see that you were from Russia!  Our MLM community here keeps becoming more and more an international community all the time.  We have members from all over the world.  I think you might be the first from Russia! Welcome!

I would definitely be interested to hear your thoughts on the entire episode "Maranatha."  I have always wondered what Russians would have thought of this episode, as well as what cultural insights into the episode you could offer.  I would be very interested to hear if there actually is folklore surrounding a Yaponchik like character (Here, I am not refering to a real life person like the one I posted the article about in the Real World Forum.  I am specifically asking about folklore, etc)  Also, does anyone from the Chernobyl area (or anywhere else) truly believe that the Chernobyl reactor accident was somehow related to so called "Wormwood" and end times prophesy?  And, basically, are any or all of the cultural references and portrayals in Maranatha true to the culture, etc?

Scott

[Bardo Thodol]

Now that I think about it... it might not have been me that authorized your membership.  Which means, there may be another Russian member that has recently joined TIWWA!  Because I remember the email addy was definitely from a URL for the person I authorized.  Hey, so much the better!

[Guest MSandt]

Also, does anyone truly believe that the Chernobyl reactor accident was somehow related to so called "Wormwood" and end times prophesy?

Of course not. The Bible is as much real-life based as the latest issue of Spider-Man. That accident happened because the Soviets weren't able to do anything right. 'Prophecies' in the Bible are as accurate as Nostradamus.

[Guest A N Onym]

Welcome!  When I authorized your membership, I was quite excited to see that you were from Russia!

Thank you. :)

Our MLM community here keeps becoming more and more an international community all the time.  We have members from all over the world.

I guess, it's very good.

I would definitely be interested to hear your thoughts on the entire episode "Maranatha."  I have always wondered what Russians would have thought of this episode, as well as what cultural insights into the episode you could offer.  I would be very interested to hear if there actually is folklore surrounding a Yaponchik like character (Here, I am not refering to a real life person like the one I posted the article about in the Real World Forum.  I am specifically asking about folklore, etc)

Oh, so many questions and there's no one solution... Well, I'll try to give an answer. First of all, I don't speak English very well, so... I beg your pardon. :)

Well... Unfortunately, MLM isn't very popular in Russia. :( Now MLM re-runs on Russian TV at 1:00 AM every Monday and it has low ratings. That's why many Russians don't know about Maranatha. But Russians who have watched this episode assumed it just like some kind of very interesting, but unreal story. Sorry, there's no folklore surrounding a Yaponchik like character. He isn't synonymous with evil in our minds. Actually, Russians are afraid terrorism and aren't afraid fictional figure of Yaponchik. Of course Russian people don't believe Yaponchik was responsible for Chernobyl.

Also, does anyone from the Chernobyl area (or anywhere else) truly believe that the Chernobyl reactor accident was somehow related to so called "Wormwood" and end times prophesy?

I guess, no. Russians believe the Chernobyl accident was related to workmen's mistake.

By the way, Russian word "Chernobyl" consists of two parts: " Chernaya " and " Bil' " Basic meaning of "Chernaya" is 'black', but there are another meanings, for example, 'bad', 'bitter'. And " Byl' " is old Slavic word. It means 'grass'. So, we have 'bitter grass' - wormwood. Actually, modern Russian name for wormwood is " Polyn' ". "Chernobyl" is very old Slavic word. Is end times prophesy truly?.. I don't know...

And, basically, are any or all of the cultural references and portrayals in Maranatha true to the culture, etc?

Well, there's one big false in this episode. Russians don't believe Yaponchik is a kind of Russian bogeyman. I think, in the Maranatha episode Yaponchik is some kind of avatar of evil. Metaphor. Well, Maranatha is partially fictional story, but it's still one of my favorite episodes.

If you have another questions about Russian culture you can ask me. I'll try to help you. And... pardon my English. :)