trip to the Mountain View Orthodox Church
Yesterday, February 1, 2023, the Fermata Arts Foundation visited the Russian Orthodox Church in Schoharie, New York. On the way, I looked at the river polished by the cold, and I tried to imagine what the life of the Native Americans would have been like before Columbus discovered America, it is very interesting how the Indian tribes used the resources of this richest nature and how they transformed the environment into their home.
Soon we arrived at the destination, on the hill to the right of the road appeared a simple building with a Russian rounded church dome on top, whiteness, cleanliness, and silence all around, only the sound of our car engine could be heard, it was difficult for us to go uphill because of the snow, but the most important thing is determination, especially if you are going to the temple. on the way to the hill, I noticed the American and Russian flags waving in sync in the wind, the first time I had seen a Russian flag outside the Russian Embassy, much less with an American flag. We walked up to the church doors. A beautiful view appeared of the mountains, and this view was made even more beautiful by the frozen snow of white February, looking at the dome of the church in this beautiful snowy environment, I thought we had come to Dostoevsky’s Russian world, but we were on a small Russian Orthodox island in this huge western ocean. Archbishop Andronik Kotliaroff met us at the church, and we greeted him, after a while, he offered us a small excursion to the church, and we of course happily agreed, overall the church building was huge, heating of the monastery could not be provided due to lack of funds, that’s why the clergy prayed in a small room. The main hall of the church was unusually simple and beautiful, the temple seemed to lack nothing, and it was perfect with beautiful frescoes, luxurious icons, and a dome, there was also a spiritual father, but it seemed that something was missing, the house of God was not like it is in Georgia, then I realized in the church It was the aroma of emptiness. The congregation, congregation is the heart of God’s house that gives life to the walls and creates spirituality. During the detailed inspection, the archbishop took us into the sanctuary, it was my first time entering the sanctuary and I was very nervous, there was a small window on the ceiling of the vault, and from the window, the sun shone directly on the fresco of the Trinity and created a beautiful mystical environment in the silence.
Bishop Andronik Kotliaroff’s past and work are full of interesting facts. He was born in China, in a family of Russian immigrants who fled the Bolshevik terror and took refuge in China. When he was young, he and his parents moved to Australia. At the age of 16, he came to America and entered the theological seminary, and graduated. he later served in the Holy Land as well, and finally, his destiny turned out to be America.
After the excursion, we entered the dining hall, where the bishop entertained us with tea, I soon started my presentation about Georgia, and after reading part of the presentation, the bishop asked me a question about the role of the Georgian people in the events after the crucifixion of Jesus. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that Bishop Andronik was competent in this part of Georgian history.
Later we all sat down and started talking in a cozy environment, I couldn’t wait and asked the bishop:
– Do you think God has a favorite nationality?
he told me:
– No, God loves everyone equally.
I was a little surprised by this answer because I have often heard in the Georgian Orthodox Church that God’s favorite nation is the Jews, and He chose the Jews to establish a direct connection with the mortal world.
We also talked about the financial side of the church’s support, we asked him how he thought about collecting funds to create basic conditions, the bishop did not give us a specific answer, although his principal position was that he would not cooperate with any state structure. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is a separate institution that tries as much as possible to avoid central control, from the Patriarchate and any state, such a policy allows them to make independent decisions.
What is needed for a huge diocese to survive, is neither funding nor advertising, only God and hope, the hope that tomorrow will be better than today.
On the way back I had a strange feeling, we inspected the temple in detail and talked for 1 hour with the local spiritual leaders, but it was as if I did not see much and did not understand, as if it was all a vague dream that you remember badly in the morning. A small island of Orthodox spirituality stands on the land of the Indians and stubbornly waits for the parishioners who will find honey and spiritual growth there.