Yelan' Travel Guide

  Yelan on the map of Rostov region
by hunterV
 
  • Yelan on the map of Rostov region
      Yelan on the map of Rostov region
    by hunterV
  • St.Paraskeva Pyatnitsa's icon in Yelan
      St.Paraskeva Pyatnitsa's icon in Yelan
    by hunterV
  • Axion Estin icon of the Mother of God
      Axion Estin icon of the Mother of God
    by hunterV
  • School Street is the main street in Yelan
      School Street is the main street in...
    by hunterV
  • Local pond (no bathing please)
      Local pond (no bathing please)
    by hunterV
 

Explore Yelan'

Things to Do  

Explore School Street

Explore School Street, Yelan'

 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... 

The Myrrh-streaming Icon

The Myrrh-streaming Icon, Yelan'

 hunterV Says:  Father Sergius, the cathedral dean, took us around the church and told us its story.Three years ago a myrrh-streaming icon appeared in the church.It is the Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God “Axion Estin” (“It is Truly Meet”).This icon's feast day is on June 11.As Father... 

Restaurants  

St.John's: School Street

St.John's: School Street, Yelan'

 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

Church Courtyard: Pilgrims' Lunch, Yelan'

 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 

Nightlife  

St.John the Evangelist's Church: Evening Contemplation

St.John the Evangelist's Church: Evening Contemplation, Yelan'

 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

School Street Hotel: Tranquil and Safe, Yelan'

 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... 

Transportation  

A Horse-Drawn Cart

A Horse-Drawn Cart, Yelan'

 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. 

By a Local Train to Yelan!

By a Local Train to Yelan!, Yelan'

 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... 

Shopping  

Railway Station Market: At the Market

Railway Station Market: At the Market, Yelan'

 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,... 

Local Customs  

Silver Poplar

Silver Poplar, Yelan'

 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... 

Revere St.John the Evangelist

Revere St.John the Evangelist, Yelan'

 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... 

Feast Day

Feast Day, Yelan'

 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... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Roads in the Fall

Roads in the Fall, Yelan'

 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... 

Silent Hunting

Silent Hunting, Yelan'

 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.But last time a strange thing... 

Tourist Traps  

Dangerous Bathing

Dangerous Bathing, Yelan'

 hunterV Says:  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... 

What to Pack  

A Flashlight Will Save You!

A Flashlight Will Save You!, Yelan'

 hunterV Says:  I had two bags with me with all the stuff I needed. The soil is sandy, so tennis shoes are OK here. 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... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Elder Philip's House

Elder Philip's House, Yelan'

 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... 

Sports & Outdoors  

A Morning Walk

A Morning Walk, Yelan'

 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... 

Favorites  

Come Again!

Come Again!, Yelan'

 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... 

Present-Day Yelan

Present-Day Yelan, Yelan'

 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... 

The Place

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The People

 
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 One hot sunny day a lightning struck a pine-tree and as a result there was a huge fire.Pine-trees caught fire and burnt like candles...Now the forest around the... 

 

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In the Footsteps of Elder Philip

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 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... 

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