Church of the Holy Archangel Michael to be built in Chukotka

Bishop Diomid of Anadyr and Chukotka blessed the construction of the church of the Holy Archangel Michael in the village of Lavrentia of the Chukotka Autonomous Region.

All the churches and chapels in Chukotka were destroyed after the revolution. However, the divine services have been celebrated here, a Sunday school has been opened, and the parish life goes on. According to the rector of church in Lavrentia Rev. Leonid Tsapok, the divine services are conducted in the building of a former military registration and enlistment office. ‘By now our parish is strong enough to build a church. It will be wooden as it is cold here’, Fr. Leonid says.

For the last three years the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was built in Anadyr, the memorial chapel was constructed in the village of Uelen, and crosses were placed in the Dezhnev’s Cape and on the Ratmanov Island. ‘Chukchi and Eskimos have always lived in this region and Orthodox mission was not a success. Today we should rather speak of the birth of Orthodoxy here than of its revival. A new beautiful church will have an important missionary meaning as beauty leaves no one indifferent especially when it is devoted to God’, Fr. Leonid believes.