The Church of the Nativity at Magadan

Magadan

Magadan is a port town on the Sea of Okhotsk and gateway to the Kolyma region. It is the administrative center of Magadan Oblast , in the Russian Far East. Founded in 1929 on the site of an earlier settlement from the 1920s, it was granted the status of town in 1939...

 in the Russian Far East

Russian Far East

Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...

 serves local Roman Catholics, many of whom survived Stalin's forced labor camps set up in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s to exploit gold in Kolyma

Kolyma

The Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East. It is bounded by the East Siberian Sea and the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Sea of Okhotsk to the south...

's harsh subarctic climate

Subarctic climate

The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...

. Today the church stands both as a monument to the millions who died or suffered in the camps and as a source of inspiration for the local population.

The church was built largely through the efforts of Father Michael Shields of Anchorage

Anchorage, Alaska

Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...

 who went to Magadan in 1994 specifically to care for those who had suffered in the camps. There are close contacts between Magadan and Anchorage, its twin city.

History

In January 1991, Anchorage Archbishop Francis Hurley helped a small group of Russians establish the first Roman Catholic parish in the city of Magadan. For many years parishioners worshiped in a renovated apartment room. In 1994, Father Shields became pastor of the Parish of the Nativity but was seriously threatened in 1997 when the local authorities tried to prevent his work on the grounds that he was not Russian. Shields took the matter to court and, perhaps rather surprisingly, won the case.

In early 2001, Father Shields and his assistant Farther David Means of St Louis found a piece of land suitable for the construction of a church. As a result of donations received after Fr Shields appeared on EWTN, the Catholic television network, the new building, costing some $750,000 started to take shape. There were serious difficulties with some of the building contractors who had to be replaced before work could continue.

The central part of the structure was completed in 2002, just in time for Christmas mass to be celebrated there. Work on the interior continued in 2003 leading to the church's consecration by Bishop Kirill Klimovich of Irkutsk in 2004.

Remembering the Martyrs

The church is closely linked to the Kolyma labor camps and those who died there. This is apparent in the icons created by Russian artist Svetlana Rjanitcyna especially those in the Martyrs' chapel entitled New Martyrs of Russia and Martyrs of Kolyma. The latter contains all the elements of the traditional orthodox icon but the figures are based on real people who died for the faith. Further examples of the icons and artwork can be seen at the church's own website.

Other missions

The Church of the Nativity contributes much to the Magadan community where it continues to serve former prisoners and other less fortunate residents, particularly alcoholics through its own Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...

 sessions. In addition, it has a mission in the coastal village of Ola, Russia

Ola, Russia

Ola is an urban-type settlement in Magadan Oblast, Russia, located on the Ola River on the shore of the Sea of Okhotsk, east of Magadan. It is the administrative center of Olsky District. Population: 6,842 ; 10,122 ....

, 35 km to the west, where it offers support to the indigenous people who are largely unemployed. There is also a mission in Sokol

Sokol, Magadan Oblast

Sokol is an urban-type settlement in Magadan Oblast, Russia, located 49 km north of Magadan. It is the site of the Magadan Airport. Population 5,199 .-History:...

, near the local airport, offering help to those without employment, including ex-employees of bankrupt Magadan airways.

External links

• Church of the Nativity website