Orthodoxity in the center of Lithuania
In the photo from Wikipedia you can see Kaunas Old Believers Orthodox church (built in 1906):
The first Orthodox people in Lituania Propria were Orthodox Russians of Old Faith (starovery) who arrived seeking refuge to this country in the XVIIth century. And some of their communities survived to modern days. In my childhood I met some of them and they surprised me: they usually had old style Russian names such as Agafya, Jevgrafii, etc. , they were devoted Orthodox but mainly ... Lithuanian speakers. Later I had to know that they are very strict in the sense of alcoholic drinks, etc.
So today we will visit two villages in the center of Lithuania that are traditionally called "starovery" villages - Uzusaliai and Rimkai.
These two villages could be seen on the map:
First lets go to Užusaliai. This village is bigger and is some sort of "cultural center". Also Uzusaliai isn't typical old believers village: historically here lived Lithuanian people which were dispersed in 1863. After that then-time Russian authorities began to attract old believers from the region and called the village Alexandrovskaya sloboda. The name wasn't popular and old name Uzusaliai was used in practice.
In 1866 the Orthodox church named to honor Alexander the Nevskyi was built. Church is rather typical for the period:
Facade:
Near the Orthodox church here is Catholic house which is much more modest . It looks strange in Lithuanian context:)
This is general view of the "Russian" village in the center of Lithuania:
Also they have recently renovated community center:
But the cross in front of the center isn't Orthodox ...
Local school - typical product of 1970s:
But on the side wall of the school you can observe the specific of the village: teenagers expressing their emotions in this way :)) - "Rama... krysa" (instead of крыса) :)))
It seems that village has own rich-man:
But the most obvious prove of the village specific is the cemetery. Very different from the cemeteries in neighboring villages:
Newer tombs has monuments similar to Lithuanian villages but with characteristic crosses:
Life cycle never stops ...
And as I said: Pelagyea, Leontyi, Feodosiya, Marfa, etc
Very very old believers future tomb - look to the letters, look to the text ...
New traditions are coming to the life of old believers too ?
On the corner of the cemetery I found this:
But not so simple. Here I found this one:
But most victims are from September 12, 1941. I will try to check this fact:
Now lets go to the village Rimkai. This village is much smaller but has interesting church:
Rimkai is one of the oldest Russian villages in Lithuania. First church was built early in the XVIIIth century but modern one around 1900. Entrance to the church:
From other side:
Unique window:
And finally - the farm of deers on my way home :))
The first Orthodox people in Lituania Propria were Orthodox Russians of Old Faith (starovery) who arrived seeking refuge to this country in the XVIIth century. And some of their communities survived to modern days. In my childhood I met some of them and they surprised me: they usually had old style Russian names such as Agafya, Jevgrafii, etc. , they were devoted Orthodox but mainly ... Lithuanian speakers. Later I had to know that they are very strict in the sense of alcoholic drinks, etc.
So today we will visit two villages in the center of Lithuania that are traditionally called "starovery" villages - Uzusaliai and Rimkai.
These two villages could be seen on the map:
First lets go to Užusaliai. This village is bigger and is some sort of "cultural center". Also Uzusaliai isn't typical old believers village: historically here lived Lithuanian people which were dispersed in 1863. After that then-time Russian authorities began to attract old believers from the region and called the village Alexandrovskaya sloboda. The name wasn't popular and old name Uzusaliai was used in practice.
In 1866 the Orthodox church named to honor Alexander the Nevskyi was built. Church is rather typical for the period:
Facade:
Near the Orthodox church here is Catholic house which is much more modest . It looks strange in Lithuanian context:)
This is general view of the "Russian" village in the center of Lithuania:
Also they have recently renovated community center:
But the cross in front of the center isn't Orthodox ...
Local school - typical product of 1970s:
But on the side wall of the school you can observe the specific of the village: teenagers expressing their emotions in this way :)) - "Rama... krysa" (instead of крыса) :)))
It seems that village has own rich-man:
But the most obvious prove of the village specific is the cemetery. Very different from the cemeteries in neighboring villages:
Newer tombs has monuments similar to Lithuanian villages but with characteristic crosses:
Life cycle never stops ...
And as I said: Pelagyea, Leontyi, Feodosiya, Marfa, etc
Very very old believers future tomb - look to the letters, look to the text ...
New traditions are coming to the life of old believers too ?
On the corner of the cemetery I found this:
But not so simple. Here I found this one:
But most victims are from September 12, 1941. I will try to check this fact:
Now lets go to the village Rimkai. This village is much smaller but has interesting church:
Rimkai is one of the oldest Russian villages in Lithuania. First church was built early in the XVIIIth century but modern one around 1900. Entrance to the church:
From other side:
Unique window:
And finally - the farm of deers on my way home :))