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hunterV Says: Since the khutor of Yelan is very small, liturgies at the local church are not frequent.You can follow the liturgy schedule and read the information on the board located on the church fence.The biggest liturgy is St.John the Evangelist's Day - the Feast Day of the local...
hunterV Says: School Street is the main street of Yelan.There are two other streets: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Round Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Free Street~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~School Street leads to the century-old school building. There was an elementary school there, but now only three school...
hunterV Says: There is no restaurant or bar in this village.We had a fine welcome as pilgrims at the church hotel in School Street. I called the hotel St.John's after the name of the church - - - - - - - - (¯`'•.¸•°▪♥ ♥▪°•¸.•'´¯) - - - - - - -St.John the...
Church Courtyard: Pilgrims' Lunch
hunterV Says: We were among more than 150 pilgrims who were treated to traditional lunch after the liturgy on the Feast Day of St.John the Evangelist in the yard of the church bearing the name of the Great Disciple. Golden soup, porridge, fish soup
St.John the Evangelist's Church: Evening Contemplation
hunterV Says: We sat outside our hotel and comtemplated looking at the night sky.We were thinking of the events of the day and spoke about them sharing our impressions.After the priest had left, we were invited to supper to the priest's house.The house has two rooms and lots of icons on...
School Street Hotel: Tranquil and Safe
hunterV Says: The nightlife in this khutor is limited to - eating and drinking at home or at your friends';- listening to music at home;- watching TV with your local friends; - star watching outside;- sitting on the bench that many houses have at their entrance.We went outside and sat on...
hunterV Says: There is little traffic on the roads in Yelan.A horse-drawn cart still remains a very reliable kind of transportation around the village, although very rare.If you are lucky and see one, why not ask the owner to give you a lift?It's a great experience I am sure.
hunterV Says: The only reliable connection to this village used to be a local train from Luhansk.The train is called Communarsk - Luhansk - 122nd km.As of August 15, 2011, the train to Yelan has been cancelled...This is what we had before:It departs at 8.20 a.m. from the railway station...
Railway Station Market: At the Market
hunterV Says: The railway station market is open from 11 a.m. to noon when the train to Luhansk departs.The passengers who arrive from Luhansk and those who depart to Luhansk can do some shopping there.Although it is Russia, you can pay with Ukrainian hryvnias here. Milk, cottage cheese,...
hunterV Says: There are several silver poplars (Populus alba) in the village, the majority of them are in the main street - School Street.The locals explain that those trees were planted by schoolboys in Soviet times during the Plant-A-Tree campaign.The poplars were planted in the Stalin...
hunterV Says: The liturgy dedicated to St.John the Evangelist, the Great Disciple, the Disciple of Love, lasts for about two hours and is followed by a cross procession around the church.Father Sergiy conducts the service assisted by a number of priests and two nuns from a nearby nun's...
hunterV Says: The local church celebrates the Feast Day of St.John the Evangelist on October 9, on the day when the Great Disciple passed away.St.John the Evangelist is revered here as the Disciple of Love.On the eve of the Feast Day, on October 8, there is an evening liturgy starting at...
hunterV Says: Lots of people like gathering wild mushrooms. They call it silent hunting.We have never seen any silent hunter on our way to Yelan and back from it because the silent hunting is done in the forest located on the other side of the railway road.But last time a strange thing...
hunterV Says: Roads in Yelan are a great disappointment.They tend to be broken by the fall.After the harvest is gathered and all the agricultural machines have ceased breaking the local roads we, pedestrians, could see the result of their tireless activities in summer: broken roads full...
Helpfulness
When you find out there is a pond here, you will feel like bathing, especially on a hot summer day.
We went to the pond in the afternoon and saw there were very few people bathing there: only some seasonal residents who have datchas there. They didn't seem to care about the bottom covered with silt. I would. Therefore we decided not to take any risk and just to stand on the beach and do some people watching.
There is a table on the beach where you can sit and have a picnic.
I saw some local children bathing on the opposite shore. I am sure they know "a cleaner place", although I doubt if there is any.You can watch my short video of the old pond here.
You can hear Gregory's voice at the end. He says,"There used to be lots of geese and ducks here, but now there is none..."
Unique Suggestions: After you pluck up your courage and dive into the old pond, run to your local friends' house and take a shower.
Ira, Lena's daughter, told us it was the way the local bathe in the pond.
Fun Alternatives: Why not simply sit on the beach?
People watching is what we did at the beach, although I had swimming pants with me and intended to bathe there. Upon seeing the water I decided not to.
There is a table on the beach where you can merely sit, have a picnic and enjoy the views.
Updated Oct 17, 2010
Helpfulness
Luggage and bags: I had two bags with me with all the stuff I needed.
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: The soil is sandy, so tennis shoes are OK here.
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Take whatever you might need with you, do not leave anything behind.
It's a very rural area of Russia and you might not be able to buy what you need here.
Toilet paper is a good idea.
Photo Equipment: I had my digital camera Samsung ES25 and I wishes I had a handicam there.
Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: If you intend to bathe, take your bathing suit with you.
A good mountaineering rope attached to your rucksack would be a good idea.
Carrying a rope would enable you to tie up a tipsy hooligan if need be...
Miscellaneous: a torch is a must here since there are no street lights and you might have to go out at night.
Updated Mar 19, 2012
hunterV Says: During our second pilgrimage we also paid a visit to the former Elder Philip's House at 19 School Street.The villagers say Elder Philip used to come to the village quite often. He was offered that house to stay in when he had a longer stay in Yelan.The house dates back to...
hunterV Says: Why not take a walk along the main street and to the surrounding hills?It's so nice to enjoy the quiet morning atmosphere...Get ready to take tons of nice pictures or videos of the cattle on the pasture or of a pheasant flying out of her nest. good walking shoes and a great...
hunterV Says: - Visiting the places where Philip of Luhansk used to walk and meeting Euphrossinia Bodrukhina in whose house he used to stay in the thirties;- praying at St.John the Evangelist Church; - people's hospitality;- fresh air;- clear and cold spring water;- talking to local...
hunterV Says: There are two gas pipes on the territory of Yelan, but no gas in the village itself.The villages have to make reserves of firewood and coal for the cold winter.There is a gas deposit not far from Yelan. Tarassovsky County is well-known for its gas reserves.There are only...
In the Footsteps of Elder Philip
My friend Gregory and I revere our local saint Philip of Luhansk. We are parishioners of the Chapel of Philip of Luhansk. Gregory used to visit Elder Philip of Luhansk at his home since 1936 and...
Build your own Yelan' page
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