Rules of the Round the world sailing regatta 2017

Dear members of the Bible Yacht Club!

We're making our “Round the world sailing regatta on the Holy Scripture” under the new rules in 2017.

In 2016 participants of the Grand Regatta fully read all the books of the Bible (or accomplished some part of the route) with the help of God, and the participants of the Minor regatta – all the New Testament except for the book of Revelation.

Having so taken the first introductory plunge into the biblical text, this year we are to commence a deeper and more thorough study of the texts of the Holy Scripture. This time round the volume of the sacred texts offered for reading will be significantly less than it used to be, however additional literature will be also recommended to all the members of the Yacht Club as a must-read: interpretations of the Holy Fathers of the Church and theological commentaries on the Holy Scripture.

 

1. How the 2017 regatta will be held?

The regatta will be held in two stages in 2017.

First stage – Great Lenten – covers the period from Forgiveness Sunday till Palm Sunday inclusive and actually involves reading of the Bible texts and interpretations thereof.

Second stage – Paschal – is to be held on one of Sundays during the Easter afterfeast in the form of final intellectual game to determine the winners of the regatta.

 

2. First stage of the “Round the world sailing regatta” (Great Lenten)

All participants of the regatta – both Grand and Minor – shall stick to a certain course of sailing on the Bible text.

Regatta reading will be divided into stages-tasks, corresponding to the weeks of Great Lent. So there will be a certain task per each week, consisting of a fragment of the Biblical text, patristic interpretation and theological commentary on it.

Once a task for the week is accomplished (i.e., after all the texts of the week required having been read), a member of the club is to report to the secretary of the Yacht Club about the completion of the stage by email regatavoshod@mail.ru in the following format: “A so-and-so yacht has completed the first/second third / ... stage of the Grand / Minor regatta”.

Ideally, members of the club are to timely implement the task provided for a week. Meanwhile, in case any member of the club cannot finish the stage in a week for whatever reason, s/he can continue the journey following some comfortable schedule, but, by all means, s/he is not to forget informing the secretary of the club about the completion of each and every stage.

Full list of must-read texts for the participants of the 2017 regatta is as follows:

Grand regatta:

I. Books of the Old Testament:

  1. Genesis
  2. Exodus
  3. Leviticus
  4. Numbers
  5. Deuteronomy

II. Books of the New Testament:

  1. The Gospel of Matthew
  2. The Revelation of St. John the Theologian (Apocalypse) – it is not required for reading but recommended to the extent possible.

III. Explanatory literature:

  1. “The Commentary on the Pentateuch” by venerable Ephrem the Syrian
  2. “The Holy Scripture of the Old Testament” by archpriest G. Egorov – section dedicated to the Pentateuch
  3. The Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew by St. Theophylact of Ohrid
  4. The Commentary on the Book of the Apocalypse of St. Andrew of Caesarea

Open the weekly reading breakdown of the Grand Regatta.

Minor regatta:

I. Books of the New Testament:

  1. The Gospel of Matthew
  2. The Gospel of Mark
  3. The Gospel of Luke
  4. The Gospel of John
  5. The Acts of the Apostles

II. Explanatory literature:

  1. The Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew by St. Theophylact of Ohrid
  2. The Commentary on the book of the Acts of the Apostles by archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Open the weekly reading breakdown of the Minor Regatta.

 

Beginning from the second week of Great Lent, weekly yacht rankings will be published on our website with the indication of stages, which have been passed by the participants. Thus, in case you forget to inform the secretary of the Yacht Club that a certain level has been successfully completed, your yacht may rank last! Please, do not forget to timely report once each level is accomplished.

Please, also remember that every seaman is required to keep a logbook, notes from which (around 5-7 sentences) containing the most vivid impressions of the journey, are to be sent to the Organizing Committee of the Yacht Club together with the information on the stage completion.

 

3. Second stage of the “Round the world sailing regatta” (Paschal)

Those members of the Bible Yacht Club who will manage to successfully pass the entire route during the time of Great Lent, will be able to take part in the second, the Paschal stage of the regatta, which is to take place during one of Sundays in the period of the Easter afterfeast.

The second stage of the regatta will be in the form of a team intellectual play on the topics of the sacred books read in the course of the first stage – separately for the participants of the Grand regatta and separately – for the participants of the Minor one. During the second phase winners of both Grand and Minor regattas will be determined.

The rules of the game will be posted on our website later.

 

4. What is required in order to take part in the 2017 regatta?

All the people willing to participate in the 2017 regatta – both those who are about to enter the Yacht Club “Voshod”, and the participants of the 2016 regatta – have to fill in the application form of the Bible Yacht Club participant.

The last year participants can indicate the previous name of the boat in the section “Name of the yacht” of the application form or come up with a new one, if desired (bearing in mind that the new name should be agreed upon with the Chairman of the Yacht Club).

 

5. Which awards shall winners get?

The Grand regatta participants:

  • Winners of the first phase of the Grand Regatta – captains of the three yachts who completed the route first – shall receive commemorative badges for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places (gold, gold filled, silver), as well as bricks, which will be put by the winners and prizewinners of the regatta into the foundation of the future Cathedral of St. Prince Dimitry Donskoy at a later stage.
  • The second stage winner of the Grand regatta will get the challenge cup and a trip to the Holy Land.
  • The winning team members of the second stage will receive cross pendants with the ground of Gethsemane, consecrated on the Holy Sepulchre.

 

The Minor regatta participants:

  • Winners of the first phase of the Minor Regatta – captains of the three yachts, who completed the route first – shall receive commemorative badges for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places (gold, gold filled, silver), as well as bricks, which will be put by the winners and prizewinners of the regatta into the foundation of the future Cathedral of St. Prince Dimitry Donskoy at a later stage.
  • The second stage winner of the Minor regatta will get the challenge cup and a trip to the Orthodox summer camp.
  • The winning team members of the second stage will receive cross pendants with the ground of Gethsemane, consecrated on the Holy Sepulchre.

 

6. Reminder of reverent attitude to the Bible

All sailors are reminded that the Holy Scripture should be treated with reverence: we are to commence and complete reading by making the sign of the cross and devoutly venerating the sacred book (kissing it).

 

7. About the Cathedral prayer

The chairman of the Bible Yacht Club “Voshod” calls on all the travelers to specially pray to the Lord for help with the construction of our temple complex.

 

We wish you a guardian angel for the journey!