The long-awaited event took place on June 18 this year in the capital of the Altai Republic: the Primate of the Church, Metropolitan Korniliy, consecrated there a church in the name of the icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria of Smolensk. Guests came to the consecration from all over Russia: from Moscow, Barnaul, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Minusinsk, Omsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, Samara, Naberezhnye Chelny, and other parishes, including from abroad.
Unfortunately, not all communities in regional capitals have their own churches yet: the entire Old Believer world followed the construction in Gorno-Altaysk. The community sincerely shares its achievements, needs, and joys on social networks. And for many, the consecration of this church can be called long-awaited. It was the first archpastoral liturgy in Gorno-Altaysk – the community received so many guests for a church holiday for the first time.
After the liturgy, Metropolitan Korniliy cordially congratulated everyone on the consecration of the church:
“I sincerely congratulate you on today’s double celebration: this is both the feast of the Resurrection of Christ and the long-awaited feast of the consecration of this church in the name of the Most Holy Mother of God, the honourable and glorious appearance of the miraculous icon of Smolensk Hodegetria, which is called “Guide on the Way.” Today we consecrated this holy place, which was added to those islands of holiness that already exist on earth. There are few such churches, beautiful, made in the ancient spirit, namely wooden, like the first churches in Holy Russia. This beauty was recreated here. I would like spiritual beauty to be present here along with external beauty. The Kingdom of God must be within us, we come to the house of God in order to prepare ourselves for the Life after temporary life, about which it is said: … The years of our life are seventy,
and if by reason of strength eighty;
yet their length is toil and sorrow (Ps. 89)“.
God’s miracle by human hands
During the festive meal, Archpriest Nikola Dumnov, who had been familiar with Gorno-Altaysk and its Christians for decades, remembered the very first step on the community’s path to its own church. In the early 90-s, even before the first house of prayer appeared in Gorno-Altaysk, Father Nikola was approached with a question. “Father, what if we dedicated a church to the Mother of God Hodegetria? She would help us both build a church and gather a community,” asked one of the local Christians, who had an icon of Our Lady Hodegetria of Smolensk. “Well, Hodegetria of Smolensk is fine,” Father Nikola answered then. The path to consecration was long, but the help of the Mother of God did not abandon the community.
In the 90-s, the Gorno-Altaysk converted a residential building into a church and gathered there for prayer for a long time. Dreams of a full-fledged church remained dreams until 2016, when the community, then headed by Father Alexandr Vershkov, secured the allocation of a plot for construction and began initial work there. The need to begin the construction was prompted by life, for the building of the existing church was gradually falling into disrepair.
The rector’s son, Alexandr Alexandrovich Vershkov, drew up a design for the new church. For a small community, a wooden church was a suitable option. But the construction of a relatively small facility required a lot of financial resources.
On October 2, 2016, His Grace Bishop Siluyan (Kilin) performed the ceremony of founding of the church on the foundation already laid by that time. It was possible to erect the walls and roof of the utility building, but due to the lack of funds, construction was frozen. The health of the rector, Fr. Alexandr, worsened; in 2018, the pastor departed to the Lord.
In the spring of 2019, Priest Vasiliy Andreev was ordained for the parish of Gorno-Altaysk. Since the beginning of 2020, work on the new site was resumed. The son of the late Fr. Alexandr Vershkov continued to actively participate in the construction. To this day, Alexandr Alexandrovich treats the needs of the community with deep care and attention. As a result, the Gorno-Altaysk church complex is thought out in detail and harmonious. The new rector, Fr. Vasiliy, has done a lot with his own hands.
With God’s help, donations from caring people helped to insulate and equip the utility building in a short time. Already at the beginning of August 2019, the community moved from the old church to one of the rooms of the utility building, which was adapted into a church; in the next room there was a refectory, next to it was a carpentry workshop in which Fr. Vasiliy, carved icons, candlesticks, decorative elements of interior decoration, necessary utensils, and furniture for the church with his skilful hands.
In June 2021, the construction of the church moved forward actively. Over the course of a year, the walls grew. By last winter the church was already under a roof. We managed to install the doors before the frost, which allowed us to do a lot indoors. Having learned about significant progress in construction, Metropolitan Korniliy proposed a date for consecration.
From building walls to building the community
The community’s limited resources are currently being spent on construction. Everyday work and services today lie mainly on the shoulders of the priest’s family. Matushka Anna is the main assistant of the priest in the choir. Father Vasiliy himself has to bake prosphora. But personnel issues are gradually beginning to be resolved. There is already someone to read during the service.
Like many communities, the Gorno-Altaysk one is in dire need of an ustavschik who would help not only with Sunday, but also with weekday services.
Local residents begin to pay attention to the magnificent church. They come in and ask questions. Some come back again. About two dozen people have received holy baptism in recent years. For a republic where pagan traditions are strong to this day, this is not so little.
“Alone in the Field”
The example of Gorno-Altaisk stubbornly refutes the Russian proverb “Alone in the field is no warrior.” One can do a lot, if he is a warrior of Christ.
The current rector, sent to serve in the capital of the Altai Republic, arrived, one might say, in an open field. At the construction site at that moment there were an unfinished church house and the foundation of the church. There were no funds. There were practically no assistants. But a great desire to work for the glory of God attracted both helpers and financial resources. Seeing the zeal of Fr. Vasiliy, Christians from all over Russia are trying to make their small contribution to the beautification of the holy place. Many of them arrived for the consecration ceremony.
The program of the celebration was not limited to prayer. Guests are in no hurry to leave: they communicate, share impressions, and get to know the surroundings. The capital’s delegation, led by the Primate of the Church, has a special program. One of its points is a meeting with the authorities and the grand opening of the church common to everyone.
On Monday, the head of the Altai Republic Oleg Leonidovich Khorokhordin and the mayor of Gorno-Altaysk Olga Alexandrovna Safronova, as well as other invited persons, arrived at the church. The joint youth Old Believer choir under the direction of reader Mikhail Dolgov performed forthe guests. At the opening ceremony, Metropolitan Korniliy thanked everyone who took part in the construction of the church and emphasized the importance of this place:
“This church, which was consecrated yesterday and which we open today, is, so to speak, a spiritual fortress, an outpost of Orthodoxy, which we all, the Russian people, need now!”
