The meeting of the organising committee for preparation and celebration of the 400 anniversary of the birth of proto-priest Avvakum was held on September 13 in the Administration of the Borovsk district of the Kaluga region. It was led by deputy-minister of culture of Russian Federation Olga Sergeevna Yarilova. Metropolitan Korniliy, representatives of the secretariat of the Moscow Metropolis, the dean of the Old Believers’ church of Borovsk Artemon Shendrigaylov, representatives of other Old Believers’ denominations took part in the meeting.
It is not by chance that Borovsk was chosen as a place for the meeting. The representatives of ministries and institutions who are the members of the committee got to know this centre of the Old Faith better. Many of those present saw the chapel built in commemoration of Noblewoman Morozova and her co-prisoners, visited the Cathedral of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, which is now in the process of restoration.
The organising committee supported the suggestion to give the names of proto-priest Avvakum, Noblewoman Morozova and other Old Believers to streets and squares in major Russian cities. The Ministry of Culture plans to from a list of object for naming and renaming by the end of this year.
The Russian Orthidox Old Believer Church will be given support by the Ministry of Culture in solving the problems of restoration of religious objects, as well as in publishing printed matter, films, devoted to proto-priest Avvakum and Old Faith in general. Special consultations in the Ministry of Culture devoted to these subjects are planned for the nearest future.
The governments of the Kaluga and Low Novgorod regions fully support all planned events devoted to the 400th anniversary of proto-priest Avvakum. Thus, in Borovsk of the Kaluga region the 3rd day of the International Old Believers’ Forum will take place in October 2020, which will become the final event of the celebration. In Low Novgorod it is planned to open a unique exhibition of ancient Old Believers’ books. In the native village of proto-priest Avvakum Grigorovo of the Low Novgorod region for June 2020 large-scale festivities are planned which will be organised by the administration of the region.
