Russian Orthodox Autonomous
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Otradnoe (near Armavir, Kuban region, South of Russia)
This is church in the village of Otradnoe near the city of Armavir. As you can see, Father Nicolas built it from a usual house. Now he is building bell-tower near it.
This is winter on this picture (no leaves on the trees).
Protopriest Nicolas Hirnij who serves in Otradnoe. He had serious problems with local authorities, but Moscow Patriarchate helped him in unusual way. The local MP cathedral asked for a huge amount of money from the city, saying that they need to cover the domes with gold. The investment was given to them, but only the smallest dome of the cathedras was covered with gold, the rest of the money disappeared. After that the local authorities started to respect Father Nicolas because he is honest and very open. Now he even now teaches the history of religions in the University. He wears his ryasa in the university, the students like him and they call him Father Nicolas, that is unusual for a Russian school.
Still, fahter Nicolas has problems. He was an engineer, and now he is a pensioner, but they do not pay him a pension that he is supposed to receive. They say that they will pay him this pension only if he stops serving as a priest.
Father Nicolas consecrates the cross built by the Cossacks in the stanitsa (village) of Nevinnomysskaya. June 2, 2001. The cross was built for the memory of the Orthodox soldiers that lost their lives on the wars (starting from 1825) and were buried far from their native land.
