Religious studies students help revive village churches
The Department of Religious Studies of the Institute of Social and Philosophical Sciences and Mass Communications is included in the implementation of the federal project “Learning through Community Service”.
KFU’s partner in this is the Where the Creeks Lead project, whose team, with the support of volunteers and local residents and with the help of voluntary donations and grants, is engaged in carrying out emergency repairs and preservation of ancient rural churches in Tatarstan.
One of these temples is the wooden church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa (1896) in the village of Russkoe Khodyashevo, Pestretsy District of the Republic of Tatarstan. The place was somewhat known from vlogs and was deemed unrepairable – mistakenly, as it appears.
Last year, with the financial support of concerned citizens, clearing and emergency work was carried out, the roof and floor in the altar and the central space of the temple were built, and the first Divine Liturgy since the closure of the temple was held. It is now necessary to clear and cover the refectory and to strengthen the bell tower – these are planned for June 2025.
Students will also have to work in the archival funds of the State Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan and local history points of Pestretsy District, gathering information about the history of the temple, photographic materials, collecting firsthand spoken stories about the temple and the life of the village among the population and natives of Russkoe Khodyashevo and neighboring settlements.
On 27 April, students of religious studies, accompanied by the head of the Department of Religious Studies Yelena Kuzmina and Associate Professor Yuliya Smirnova, made their first trip to Russkoye Khodyashevo. The volunteers brought back photo and video materials and records of memories about of local residents. Now there is work to be done on transcribing, writing, and video editing.
“I really enjoyed the trip, I delved into the atmosphere of an old village – the residents, their thoughts, memories, emotions – very cool! I liked the church itself too, as it left a feeling of something mighty hidden under a half-collapsed collection of logs… I saw the work done and the hopes of the locals that the church would be restored,” shares freshman Andrey Zhukov.
