Molokane in Georgia, 2001 — 18 Photos

Photo Story, June 2001,
by Gogi Tsagareli, PakerPhoto:
Photo Documentary-Photo Journalism

Every Sunday Molokane of Saburtalinian community gather for divine service in a chapel in the silent Lvovskaya street in Tbilisi. For the last years the number of Tbilisian Molokane have greatly decreased. The youth has moved to live abroad, old men have died or moved to live with their children. Article is available.

Tbilisi
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Every Sunday the adherents of molokanism gather for divine service in a chapel in Lvovskaya street in Tbilisi. They pray, recite biblical texts, sing psalms and listen to the prebyster Vladimir Zheltkov's (center) sermon. They gather small donations under the white cloth after prayers.
 A member of the Molokan Saburtalinian community. An old Molokan woman, member of Saburtalinian community .
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Every Sunday the adherents of molokanism gather for divine service in a chapel in Lvovskaya street in Tbilisi. They pray, recite biblical texts, sing psalms and listen to the prebyster's sermon. The members of the community address to each other as "brothers and sisters". For the last years the number of Tbilisian molokane have decreased. Saburtalinian community used to have 700 men, whereas now only 44, mostly old people.
 During common dinners the members of Saburtalinian community cook borsch, noodles, meat, raisin porridge, eat cheese, fruit and drink tea. Molokans' tea-drinking ceremony goes back to the times of prohibition. Molokan men do not use alcoholic drinks.
 During common dinners the members of Saburtalinian community cook borsch, noodles, meat, raisin porridge, eat cheese, fruit and drink tea. Molokans' tea-drinking ceremony goes back to the times of prohibition. Molokan men do not use alcoholic drinks.
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Molokan women are preparing tea for tea-drinking ceremony, which goes back to the times of prohibition.
 A member of Saburtalinian community making tea in an antique samovar, which is very popular among molokane. Saburtalinian community presbyter Vladimir Pavlovich Zheltkov. "The youth has left either for Russia or the USA and Australia, old men have died or moved to live with their children. The number of members in three Tbilisian communities makes about 100 people", he says.

Krasnogorka
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Pavel and Olga Remizovs, members of Molokan community in village Krasnogorka. Members of Molokan community walking down the street of village Krasnogorka. Presbyter Remizov standing at a tombstone.
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A Molokan boy going down the street in village Krasnogorka
 A little Molokan boy in the street of village Krasnogorka.
 A little Molokan boy in the street of village Krasnogorka.
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Remizova (82), a member of Molokan community, holding a portrait of her father.
Remizova (82), a member of the Molokan community.
 Village Krasnogorka not far from Tbilisi, where Georgian Molokans live.