Kyrgyzstan has a proud and storied history. From its nomadic origins to the Soviet era and onto the present, many diverse ethnicities have their own special place in the country's rich culture. According to the CIA World Factbook, ethnic Russians make up 12.5% of Kyrgyzstan's population, and most of them are concentrated around Bishkek and the northern part of the country. So it's not surprising that the Russian Orthodox Church in Bishkek is a vibrant institution. I walked to the Church from the Hyatt Hotel on Sovetskaya Street . It took about 20 minutes and was very pleasant experience, taking me through the city's beautiful parks. I arrived at the church in the late morning, and there was a mix of visitors and parishioners on the grounds. Before I started my tour, I headed over to the snack bar, where a woman was selling tea and homemade cookies, cake, and bread. The hot water for the tea came from an ornate looking vat, and the cookies were like nothing I had ever tasted. I chose what looked like a sugar cookie, but it was about three times thicker than anything I had ever seen. I guess I would describe it as a cake/cookie hybrid. It all tasted excellent, exuding the freshness my American big box store cookies sorely lack. After my snack, I checked out the exterior of the church. The first thing that came to my mind was the church's similarity to Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, right next door to the Kremlin. The signature onion domed roofs were exported all over the Russian territory, including Bishkek. According to a religious teacher I was speaking with, the church was constructed in 1945. He said that this church was the main Russian Orthodox Church for Kyrgyzstan, and there are about 48 others scattered around the country. After I checked out the ornate exterior of the building, I went inside. The interior was really stunning, with lots of hand painting and elaborate details. Many of the paintings and artifacts looked to be very old, pre-dating the church itself. Just as I was panning across the church, the woman who was cleaning up started to furiously wave her arms at me. I assumed she was trying to tell me that photography was banned inside the church -- fair enough. Outside, there were many photos celebrating Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. Other photos included Bishkek's Bishop and Priests serving Kyrgyzstan. While the Patriarch and Bishop had somewhat ornate robes, the Priests dressed very simply. One thing that struck me was the age of the Russian Orthodox Priests in Kyrgyzstan -- many of them were quite young. That's something of a rarity in the United States. As I was about to leave, I asked the religious teacher if it would be alright to attend a service the next time I am in town. I told him that I don't follow the Russian Orthodox way of life but it would be very interesting for me to observe. He said that they would welcome me and told me when the services are held. I'm looking forward to visiting the Bishkek Russian Orthodox Church again, they were certainly very welcoming!

• published: 24 Oct 2012
• views: 711