jacksson2009.11.02 [01:51]
At least you had a church. I know of cities with 100,000 people without an Orthodox church within 50-60 miles here in California, USA. And, we don't have the mechanism to evangelize. It is very difficult to tell people about Christ and His church and then tell them that they have to drive a long ways to attend church. I complained to my spiritual father about this and he replied "We have a LOT of work to do. But start exercising a real diaconate, ordained or not, in finding a way for the church to organize outreach services. That is the key"
He told me this after telling me about the "city of Batumi (Georgia), on the Turkish border. The bishop there is a real go-getter. He took over the diocese 15 years ago after the Soviet desolation, when there was only one or two functioning churches, and 80%+ of the population was Muslim. He not only has built 60+ churches, monasteries, an old age home, orphanage, and multiple church schools. They have baptized 80% of the population (of 200,000) in the last 15 years. Pray for Metropolitan Dmitri. The tide of Islam is not necessarily permanent! People turned to the Church because they could see the Church cares for them: schools, orphanages, old age homes, etc. The churches were so packed that it took crowd control to get in and out, with people nearly getting crushed to get a blessing."
VladiN2009.11.02 [01:38]
For instance I was born and christened in a small church in a town of 35 000. After that I lived in a city of 500 000 and there was also one church (Например, я родился и был крещен в маленькой церкви в небольшом городке с 35 000 жителей. После окнчания школы я перехал в большой город на 500 000 жителей, где также работала одна церковь)
VladiN2009.11.02 [01:32]
Anyway a lot of churches (very small part of all ) were not closed especially in the country and in the suburbs. The most prominent ones in the cities were converted into museums and nowadays are being got back to the church (Тем не менее большое количество церквей (в процентном отношении это была очень небольшая часть) не закрывалось, особенно в сельской местности и в пригородах больших городов. Наиболее выдающиеся из церквей были превращены в музеи, сейчас они возвращаются церкви, хотя некоторые так и остаются в совместном ведении церкви и музея)
jacksson2009.11.02 [01:13]
Beautiful church, glad it is still there after the Soviet era.
