Lipovans in Romania celebrate orthodox Easter with ancient traditions

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• published: 31 Jul 2015
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SHOTLIST 1. Wide of people attending Easter religious service in the balcony of the Lipovan church of Carcaliu 2. Wide low angle of the church floor and icons and candles in the background 3. Close low angle of icons and candles, worshippers passing in front of them 4. Close of religious song book written in old Slavonic, zoom out to men finishing religious hymn and kneeling; UPSOUND singing 5. Various of bellringer Cosma Ivan in the bell tower of the church playing several bells with his hands and feet 6. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Cosma Ivan, 65, bellringer: "This bell ringing tradition dates back from our great great grandfathers. And why is that? Because we are old Orthodox believers. A patriarch named Nikon was so against our faith and our elders, according to the church's history, wouldn't accept their beliefs, (called for) their religion to be smashed. And they had to flee and go all over the world." 7. Women holding candles 8. Wide of women holding candles, painting of Jesus in the background, pan to doors opening, people entering with crosses and icons 9. Wide of more Lipovans entering church, pan 10. Priest saying prayers 11. Various of Lipovans with candles, UPSOUND: singing 12. Close up of hands of woman with prayer item 13. Pan of Lipovan women dressed in traditional clothing 14. SOUNDBITE (Romanian) Olga Simionova, 65, Lipovan worshipper: "We are used to behaving like this. And this clothing, this tradition will never disappear as it has lasted from the times our ancestors lived. All you can see, dresses and scarves and everything. And this is the right way." 15. Close up of candle held by woman, pull focus to man holding cross in the background 16. Wide of service STORYLINE In a small village near the Danube, a part of the historical Romanian territory of Dobruja, Lipovan worshippers celebrated their Easter traditions early on Sunday. The Lipovans, a minority Russian ethnic group, settled in Carcaliu over 200 years ago following religious persecution. Since then, they have maintained their religious traditions. They still dress in the same way, they speak Old Russian, and they cross themselves with two fingers instead of three. Cosma Ivan has been tolling the Easter bells since he was 17. "This bell ringing tradition is dated back from our great great grandfathers. And why is that? Because we are old Orthodox believers. A patriarch named Nikon was so against our faith and our elders, according to the church's history, wouldn't accept their beliefs, their religion to be smashed. And they had to flee and go all over the world," he said. Patriarch Nikon introduced reforms to the Russian Orthodox church in the mid 1650s. When many believers refused to adopt the new ways of worship, they were persecuted, while others fled, bringing with them their heritage. "We are used to behaving like this. And this clothing, this tradition will never disappear as it has lasted from the times our ancestors lived. All you can see, dresses and scarves and everything. And this is the right way," said 65-year-old Olga Simionova. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/1bc0b32d49b2e45cbd4592bd2361096e Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork