The religious and historical significance
of this location outside Moscow is
enormous as the birthplace
of Russian identity and the power of the
Russian Orthodox Church.
The Russian national government is now
returning almost all churches to the
Russian Orthodox Church which in turn
makes them available as worship places
and tourist locations. Complete freedom
of religion is still a national issue.
The elderly women of Russia saved the
Orthodox Church with the continuation
of worship practices and by hiding much
of the Church art, ikons, and Bibles
during the Stalinist era. Now those same
women are reduced to poverty and asking
for survival gifts at such Churches.
