ELIJAH CHURCH

                     A Russian Church That Survived

         In Yaroslavl, Russia the embankment is one of the most pleasant found among Volga towns. Landscaped in the 19^th century it comprises a long promenade bordered by a picturesque green belt referred to as linden alley. The colonnaded gazebo, perched atop the bank, offered wonderful Volga panoramas. The river freezes in winter and all too soon we were to find that very true!

       The industrial city—chemical—is also home to eight state universities catering to 20,000 students. Half of the churches in Russia have been destroyed, but we still visited many on this trip. In Yaroslavl we visited Elijah the Prophet Church, 1647-50, that features an asymmetrical exterior created by five unevenly arranged green cupolas on the main building, covered galleries, a belfry, portico, and a bulky spire of an adjoining chapel. Frescos, painted in 1680, blanketed the interior. The 1696 lace-like iconostasis is regarded as a Russian baroque masterpiece. The 1660 carved wooden czar thrones are superb examples of ancient craftsmanship. The frescos in this church were done by 15 artists in only three months! I swear every church we visited had frescos more beautiful than the previous church.

       In this small winter church we listened to the most fantastic quintet. We stood and listened to them for a long time. I still wish I had bought one of their CDs.

     After leaving the church and the fantastic music we walked through a greenbelt to a statue, the only religious statue in the country.

  The next day we learned that Lake Onega was still iced in. We just laid to for a few hours while an ice breaker caught up to us to clear a clean passage through the very southern portion of Lake Ladoga. It was a clear sunny day so we spent much time on deck enjoying the weather  and ice. The next two stops were cancelled; however, we made a couple of unscheduled stops to small villages which were interesting.