June 30
On June 26 and 27, the community of the village of Borodulino received guests from the parishes of the Ural region. The forum “Bearded men in Borodulino” was held there.
Already in its very name one can hear Russian prowess, openness and simplicity. The holiday in Borodulino is not like most Old Believer events. Not everywhere you can practice lifting a pound weight and fight with a comrade in battle with sacks. At the same time, the forum also had a time and place for prayer and for serious conversations within the framework of the conference.
The historical, cultural and entertainment program in Borodulino started with the conference “Old Believers Bearded Men Guarding Traditional Values.” Presentations were made on the preservation of traditional values in the context of globalization, on the tradition of wearing a beard from the point of view of the teaching of the Church and Russian custom, on the role of the father in raising children, on the military traditions of the ancient Orthodox defenders of the Fatherland. The conference participants outlined possible ways for the development of the Old Faith in the Ural Eparchy, talked about informational, analytical and educational work, which helps to form moral guidelines and confidence in the correctness of the Old Faith among the young people.
After the evening prayer, the guests gathered in the open air near the church to listen to the singing. Guests from the neighbouring parish of Sepych became the bright stars of the concert of chants. The parishioners of the Yekaterinburg church – the head of the “Bagrenye” ensemble Georgiy Nesterov and his son Prokhor – sang old folk songs unfamiliar to the majority of those present.
The participants go to sleep for the night – and then pray again in the morning. The service to all the saints in the Borodulino church turned out to be warm and heartfelt. The Divine Liturgy was led by Bishop Yevfimiy (Dubinov) of Kazan-Vyatka and the Urals. Priests Artemy Kazymov from Lysva and Antonin Yablonskiy from the village of Kuzma (Udmurtia) arrived to pray together and support the undertakings of the rector of the Borodulino church, Fr. Vadim Matyash. Having attended the concert of chants the day before of Fr. Nikola Paramanov returned to his parish, village Sepych, for the Sunday Liturgy.
The most lively part of the holiday started after the morning Divine service not far from the church in a meadow with the sweet name Strawberry. The men came together to measure their strength and dexterity. The best of the best had to cover the distance faster than anyone on a wooden horse, knock a comrade off a log with a sack of hay, accurately hit a target from an air rifle, and hammer a nail into a stump with the fewest hammer blows. In the meantime, the girls competed in the fastest weaving braids, unwounding yarn, swaddling dolls and sewing on buttons. Children also had their own competitive play program.
Participants of the contests were awarded medals with the emblems of the festival – huge signs made of a log cut.
Vladyka Yevfimiy also did not stay away from the traditional Russian festivities. He was offered a ride on a horse, and he willingly agreed:
Such events should be held not only here, but also in other places. They help young people come together and teach them to be friends and love. We must teach people not to be afraid of life, of their traditions. Many live with caution: what will people say? what will the authorities say? Our task is to teach young people not to accept everything that the world has to offer, but to make their own choices and build their lives independently.
The festival of the bearded men is held for the third time, but the rector of the Borodulino church, Fr. Vadim Matyash already sees the changes associated with it:
Borodulino is an Old Believer village, but not everyone goes to church, but they like the events: some bring goods to the fair, others come to shoot with a rifle. After the “Bearded men”, local youth began to appear more often in the church and more guys began to grow their beards.
The first Old Believer competitions in Borodulino took place in the winter-spring period. “Vladyka Yevfimiy suggested that we gather in the summer,” explains Fr. Vadim. “It’s even more interesting that way.” The conventions of the bearded men in the Urals are becoming traditional. The organizers hope that the hospitable Strawberry Glade will welcome guests next year again.
