Fioletovo and Lermontovo are Armenian villages in which communities of Molokans formed in the 19th century, declared sectarian and banned in Russian Empire. At the conference “Problems of Identity in the Context of World Experience”, Diana Karliner, the author of the “Reserve”, spoke with anthropologists of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences Roman Starchenko and Pavel Serin, who this year conducted a study in the villages of Molokans that have preserved traditional way.

- What is your interest in the Molokans in Armenia connected with?

Paul: Initially, we wanted to study the behavior of the Russian-speaking inhabitants of Armenia, but it would be impossible to seek out informants scattered throughout the country due to its specifics: Armenia is a mono-ethnic republic, 98% of the population are Armenians. There are only a little over 12,000 Russians there, and about half of them are Molokans, who live compactly.

Novel: For the expedition, we chose the villages of Lermontovo and Fioletovo, where the Molokans, who moved in the 19th century, retained their traditional way of life. In Lermontovo - 85% of the Russian population, in Fioletovo - only one Armenian family, all other residents are Molokans of various assemblies. Moreover, our institute already carried out research in these villages 25 years ago and issued a number of publications about the Russian sectarians of Transcaucasia.

- Is it ethical to call Molokans sectarians?

Paul: They call themselves that - old Russian sects, spiritual Christianity. They do not recognize crosses and icons, they have a strict ban on the use of alcohol and tobacco. In their organization, in their perception of the Bible, they are similar to Protestants.

- What would you say about their identity? Molokans consider themselves Russian?

Novel: More often, the inhabitants of these villages do not share the concept of "Russian" and "Molokan". For many of them, "Molokan" means "Russian". These concepts exist in such a spike. At the same time, they separate themselves quite strictly from Russians living in Russia. At the same time, this does not prevent them from considering these villages as a corner of Russia in Armenia.

Many Molokans have visited Russia and are proud of themselves for maintaining traditions while living away from Russia. At the same time, the Molokans are clearly aware that Armenia is a god-given, sacred land for them, which accepted them when they were not needed on the territory of the Russian Empire. At the same time, the perception of Russia as a homeland among the Molokans is preserved.

Paul: Imagine that from the first half of XIX centuries, seven generations have changed there - these are all people who were born and raised in Armenia. The Molokans are not newcomers there at all. They clearly realize that Armenia is their country.

Entrance to Fioletovo

Photo: Pavel Serin

“The Armenian language is not imposed on the Molokans”

How is the situation with the Armenian language? Do they speak it?

Paul: Most Molokans in these villages Armenian language do not know him and Soviet years did not know. Now the Armenian language is taught in schools, exams are taken in Armenian. At the local school, in Fioletovo, all education is in Russian. Until 2011, there were two Russian teachers there, now all the teachers there are Armenians, none of them live in these villages. Armenia has Russian-language classes, schools with in-depth study Russian, but such a completely Russian-speaking school is only in the Molokan village. At the same time, the leadership of the school strictly draws boundaries: the school is not Russian, education in it is not according to Russian standards, and it is subordinate to the Ministry of Education of Armenia. But the teachers themselves do not impose the Armenian language on the Molokans. Those who do not live in these villages, but in Yerevan and others major cities, they speak Armenian. Some learn Armenian at school or in the army. Many of those interviewed, for example, said that when contacting government bodies they are immediately provided with an interpreter, and, in general, the Molokans do not feel a great need to learn the Armenian language.

- What is the reason for this linguistic behavior? Why is this happening?

Paul: One should not think that Great Russian chauvinism is manifested in this. The literature indicates that earlier the Molokans spoke the Azerbaijani language, which from the 19th century until the formation of the Republic of Armenia was actually the language of interethnic communication throughout the region. This is also explained by the fact that Azerbaijan language easier to learn than Armenian. It is also important to say that the Russian language is not infringed upon in Armenia - on the contrary, now there is an upsurge in its study. Communicating with Armenians in Russian, Molokans receive some benefits.

Language is not only the knowledge of words, it is etiquette, certain rules of conduct that must be accepted. When Molokans speak Russian, they acknowledge that they remain in their own field and play by the rules of inter-ethnic cooperation.

As an employee of the administration in Fioletovo said, since there are few Molokans in Armenia, the Armenian brothers “make a discount” and switch to Russian themselves. Molokans are well aware of Armenian customs, Armenians also know Molokans, while borders remain between them.

- Have you noticed in the speech of the Molokans words borrowed from Armenian? Or some feature of speech?

Paul: We did not conduct a dialectological study, I cannot say for sure. But some Molokans in Fioletovo have a slight Azeri rather than Armenian intonation. I have not heard this among the Armenians, but I have heard it among the Molokans - they speak with the pronunciation of "Azerbaijanis".

“Why do Molokans have such famous sauerkraut?”

How did the Molokans behave in a situation of conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians?

Novel: The Molokans did not take one or the other position. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Molokans of Armenia and Azerbaijan were in economic relations.

Paul: Moreover, the Molokans of Transcaucasia found themselves between two fires. The Stavropol Molokans, who once moved from Azerbaijan, recall that in the 1920s, when the Azerbaijanis squeezed out the Armenians, they hid in the Molokan villages, and when the Armenians became stronger, they began to do the same with the Azerbaijanis. During the new conflict, there were cases when Molokans acted as mediators between Azerbaijanis and Armenians so that one of the parties could safely leave.

- Do Molokans not have a ban on serving in the army?

Paul: In the 19th century, when universal military service was introduced, the Molokans believed that they could be conscripts, that is, not to kill, but to serve in auxiliary units. In the Soviet years, as you understand, it was impossible not to serve, and it was also an experience for acquiring a profession, obtaining passports. For Molokans, with the concept of military service, everything is quite usual. Previously, there was an unspoken agreement that Molokans were not sent to the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, especially to Karabakh. The son of one of our informants was sent to Karabakh, and he went to deal with it. His argument was understandable: “What if the son from the Armenian army is taken prisoner in Karabakh? He is Russian, do you understand what the international conflict will be like then? Up to the point that Russia supports one side and sends troops to Karabakh.” So the guy was saved.

Novel: Many even aspire to join the army, in which young people are socialized, and there they learn Armenian. As a rule, Molokans prove to be good workers. It is believed that a Molokan is able-bodied and will do quality work.

- Why do you think such an opinion about the Molokans was formed?

Pavel: In the Caucasus, they believe that believers will do it honestly, they will not deceive, as agreed, it will be so. Why do Molokans have such a famous sauerkraut? Because they make it with high quality, without impurities, do not weigh it down.

Molokans are proud of such an attitude to work, but I would not say that they somehow stick it out. But the Armenians often said that the Molokans, for example, are good builders. “The Molokans built my house” sounds like a sign of quality. It's a paradox: in Russia, it is believed that Armenians are good builders, but there it is the other way around.

- Who do Molokans work? Do you know Molokans who hold an influential position in Armenia?

Novel: Molokans are peasants, workers. They do not aspire to high positions. The intelligentsia left in different waves of migration. Many families are engaged in animal husbandry, live on the sale of milk. Of course, some complain that milk is cheaper than soda, but nevertheless it is now more profitable than selling sauerkraut.

Paul: You can hear the phrase from the Molokans: "We transported this cabbage throughout the Union." And it's true, in the Soviet years their business prospered. The same Molokans from Fioletovo could accumulate significant capital and live much better compared to the Armenians of nearby villages. But now everything has changed, because the Union collapsed, economic ties were cut off, plus there was also a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In general, it became unprofitable to sell vegetable products, and many switched to cattle breeding. In addition, cabbage is a seasonal product, and milk is real money every day.

Lermontovo

Photo: Roman Starchenko

Novel: We spent a day on a roam with the head of the local administration. Alexei Ilyich Novikov is such a man Soviet type from films about an honest and strong chairman. He combines work in administration with animal husbandry. Molokan cows graze in alpine meadows. In the spring, when the snow melts, they drive the cows to the mountains, and some family members stay there for half a year.

“Selling land to Armenians is “losing land””

- And how do communities perceive the move to big cities, for example, because of work? Is it a tragedy?

Novel: No, this is not a tragedy, many have already left. They do not move on their own, they usually go where there are communities. Molokans live in Krasnodar Territory, V Stavropol Territory, V Rostov region. Some of them went to America and Australia. Molokans have a clear rule: one day a week must be devoted to attending a meeting (religious service. - Note. ed.), give the day to God. One presbyter told us: "If the family does not support the community, then the community does not support it." If a person does not go to meetings, then the meeting may not see him off last way or refuse him to conduct a marriage ceremony. These rules are not written anywhere, but Molokans for the most part follow them.

- What happens to those houses in the villages where the Molokans once lived and then moved?

Novel: Nobody lives in them. However, these houses are not sold to Armenians. The head of the administration, Alexei Ilyich Novikov, told us that they were ready to sell houses only to Russians.

- Why?

Paul: Residents of Fioletovo and Lermontovo are related to varying degrees. So that the family leaves and there are no relatives left in the family who can look after the house - this simply does not happen. The same practice exists in the Russian villages of Russia, when the elderly are taken to the city, and the land, the garden is given to the neighbors in exchange for the fact that they will look after the house. Since many of them are relatives in the villages, they do not want to “sell houses to strangers”. They say they would sell to the Russians, but the Russians don't buy there, because these villages are not in the sunny part of Armenia, not in the Ararat valley - there is a difficult climate, not a resort at all. In addition, people live by agriculture, and selling land to Armenians is called “losing land”.

Violetovo
- They do not conflict with each other?

Paul: No, there are no conflicts. Now there is no such problem, but earlier Molokans could live together with subbotniks, although this is a completely different direction. The Subbotniks do not have a ban on wine, they allow divorce with difficulty, while the Molokans completely deny it. Nevertheless, there were mixed marriages - the wife passed into the assembly of her husband. Now Molokans can move from congregation to congregation relatively calmly, it depends on the situation in the family and in the congregation itself. Maximists, however, may not agree to the marriage of a daughter with a man from another congregation. But this is also not defined, there is such love - she wanted and left. Of course, if this is the daughter of a chorister or presbyter, that is, a respected person with a certain morality, with social capital, this is a blow for him, contacts between families may be interrupted. But it is always decided personally. It is important to emphasize that Molokans are ordinary living people. None of them are "backward" or "canned". Yes, they have their own habits, their own views, a certain way of life, but they ordinary people in which a lot depends on the relationship.
For Molokans, photography is a sin, and no one wants to be like in a zoo. They live there, the economy is there, the children grow up, and tourists unceremoniously invade personal space. Of course it offends them.

Paul: There are formal prohibitions, and they are not always limited to these two villages. It is rare to find a TV in Molokan homes, because it is a devilish incarnation, while everyone has Cell phones with internet. But recently, at the "Artdocfest" they showed the film "Molokanka" - a very beautiful, well-made film, honest. One of the heroes is the head of the All-Russian Union of Molokans, a presbyter. How did I find out about the film? From the group of Molokans "VKontakte"! And his granddaughters came to the hall. Again, he didn’t have a TV, but he had a phone, and his children are developing a site about Molokans, they want people to know about them. And there they allowed themselves to be filmed, I think, because there is a large community in the Stavropol Territory, they felt at ease.

In Armenia, the Molokans have another problem, which is connected with the state of the republic. There is no one to sell milk, cabbage - there is quite a large labor migration from Armenia, many Armenians left. We were told about Molokans who work at the airport and see queues of Armenians striving to take off - and so they have such a joke: “Armenians, what have we done to you? Why are you flying away?! Stay!” They themselves have grown into these mountains, they have a lot to do with these mountains, they cling to that land.

This is a continuation.

In the first part, I talked about how Rubik Mangasaryan and I decided to make a joint article about the Molokans, and how nothing came of it. Now, apparently, the time has come to tell who the Molokans are and how they ended up in the Caucasus, including Armenia.

(Lermontov shoemaker. Photo by Ruben Mangasaryan)

A bit of history

In the process of preparing the first article on the Molokans, I called the Russian Consul in Armenia to talk about the Molokans. We agreed to meet, and when I arrived, it turned out that Ivan Yakovlevich Semenov was sitting with him. Molokanin, former minister, and at that time - chairman of the Fund for Assistance and Assistance to Russian Compatriots of the Republic of Armenia.

This meeting of ours was the beginning of a very warm relationship that continues to this day. Ivan Yakovlevich seems to know everyone Armenian Molokans. Well, even if he doesn’t know someone or has forgotten because of the prescription of years, then they all know him - that’s for sure. I checked many times.

A little time passed after our first meeting, and Ivan Yakovlevich brought me the manuscript of his future book, The History of the Transcaucasian Molokans and Dukhobors. I don't remember taking great participation in its editing, but when it came out, I was very flattered to see thanks from the author "for helpful tips».

But, I think, the main thing in our cooperation was that the book included more than a dozen beautiful photographs of Rubik.

So, from the manuscript and from the stories of Ivan Yakovlevich, I learned a lot about the history of the Molokans. This was supported by information from other sources, and now I will try to describe it, literally, in a nutshell.

So, in Russia, about XVI century(some researchers think that earlier), dissatisfaction with the official church and especially the church hierarchy increased so much that it gradually took shape, as they said then, into heresy, and now they would say “into a sect”. Actually, it was the direction of "spiritual Christianity", which soon split into two parts - Dukhoborism and Molokanism.

main idea consisted in the fact that for communication with God the church is not needed, priests are not needed as intermediaries between man and God. Spiritual Christians do not recognize church sacraments, do not worship icons. Actually, the Dukhobors, unlike the Molokans, do not recognize the Bible either. All researchers note the similarity of this trend with Protestantism, but which arose on Russian soil.

TO XVII century there are more and more spiritual Christians. They settle in the central provinces of Russia, engage in peasant labor, and according to all sources it turns out that they were wonderful peasants, since their religious communities also played a role economic organizations, and at that time it was a very advanced way of organizing work.

And there are so many Molokans and Dukhobors in the 18th century that it begins to disturb the authorities. And at the very beginning of the 19th century, they were collected from everywhere and evicted to the Taurida province, on the banks of the Molochnaya River. But about thirty-five years pass, and they are again resettled - this time to the Caucasus - to modern Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. There were Molokan and Dukhobor villages in the Kars region, but they were empty even before the First World War.

Arriving in the Caucasus in the middle of the century before last, the Molokans settled, including in the north modern Armenia. So, for example, the city of Sevan was the Molokan Elenovka, Hrazdan - Akhta, Tsaghkadzor - Konstantinovka, Tashir (Kalinino) - Rumyantsev, Dilijan is now on the site of the Molokan villages of Golovino and Slobodka (later Papanino), the famous Sevan Pass was once called Semenovsky, in the honor of the Molokan village of Semyonovka, located at the very top of a dizzying mountain road, and so on.

Ivan Yakovlevich Semyonov told me that back in Soviet times there were more than thirty Molokan villages in Armenia. Now there is only one left - Fioletovo, with a population of just over a thousand people. The village got its name in honor of one of the 26 Baku commissars. Her real name was Nikitino. Nearby is Lermontovo (former Voskresenka), separated from Fioletov by the Armenian Margaovit (former Amzachiman).

But Lermontovo is no longer half Molokan. Both Armenians and Kurds now live there.

These villages are located 15-20 kilometers from Vanadzor (formerly Kirovakan), the third largest city in Armenia. It is only two hours drive from Yerevan.

Semyonov said that there are now less than five thousand Molokans left in the country, and more than a thousand of them live in Fioletovo. And at the end of the eighties of the last century, there were about fifty thousand Molokans in Armenia.

The Molokans have been living in Armenia for 170 years, without mixing with the local population and without losing their language. They managed to build their own little Russia in the new conditions and live in it separately, but not alone.

And the conditions were not favorable - the Molokans had to settle in highland villages, some of which are located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters above sea level, in places with a difficult climate, unfavorable for Agriculture. But the Molokans survived this test, and religion played a huge role in this.

And why, in fact, "molokans"?

The name "Molokans" is interpreted in different ways. There is a version according to which this name came from the fact that the Molokans did not adhere to the fasts adopted by the Orthodox Church, they ate in lean days fast food, mainly dairy products. By the way, Molokans do not really recognize Orthodox posts.

According to another version, the source of the name may be the Molochnaya River in the Melitopol district of the Taurida province, where the Molokans lived in exile for several decades before they were evicted to the Caucasus.

But the most accurate (as it seems to me) version was given by Tsaghkadzor Molokan Alexander Tikunov. On a frosty winter Sunday in 2001, instead of riding skiing, drank tea at his house, and he, quoting the Bible by heart, said that the name "Molokans" should be interpreted allegorically.

In the First Conciliar Epistle of the Holy Apostle Peter there is such a phrase: "... like newborn babies, love pure verbal milk." Tikunov said: "The word Holy Scripture, depending on the spiritual level of a person, produces a different effect. When a person in spiritual concept small, the word of God is like milk to him. Spiritual milk. Hence our name - Molokans.

Molokans believe that every believer should satisfy their spiritual needs, improve their behavior and their feelings. important place in their beliefs is the theory of the transmigration of the soul of Jesus Christ from the Father to the Son. Molokans reject the worship of images - icons, the cross.

“We are considered spiritual Christians,” says Tikunov, “we interpret the Bible allegorically, in other words, we perceive it spiritually.”

My knowledge of the Molokans and their philosophy was quite unexpectedly supplemented by a story
English traveler and member Geographic Society H.F.B. Lynch. IN late XIX century, he visited Armenia and wrote two thick volumes: “Russian Armenia” and “Turkish Armenia”. In the volume of "Russian Armenia" he perfectly describes the Molokans and Dukhobors. Here is a short excerpt from the description of the Molokans:

“God dwells in the living objects of his love… I spoke with an old man, who captivated me with his pretty voice and manner, about the religious beliefs of the Molokans. They revere Moses and the prophets and the Holy Gospel, but practice their religion in their own way. The singing of psalms seems to be the main external expression of their religious feelings. Children are not baptized, but they are brought to the chapel, a chapter from the Gospel is read in the presence of the child, and his name is publicly announced. The marriage union is consecrated by a similar ceremony.

The Molokans live in a closed community. Its members strive to put into practice their social ideals: non-violence, brotherhood, equality, economic cooperation, spiritual perfection. The spiritual leader of the community is the presbyter. He interprets the Bible and is an authority on religious matters and communal, secular matters. But in fact, many no, no, yes, and they will violate the strict prohibitions of the presbyter.

But I think that's enough about religion and history for now. It's time to return to how Rubik and I received our first experience of writing an article about the Molokans, and what came of it.

But that's already tomorrow.

This is one of the articles

The previous issue was dedicated to the central part of Lori province —

This article will focus on the southern part of the province of Lori.

• CONTENT:
• Spitak city (center powerful earthquake in 1988).
• Vanadzor (capital of Lori province).
• Molokans in the village of Lermontovo and in general in Armenia.
• Some quotes about Molokans.
• Molokans in Yerevan.

Spitak

(Spitak). Town, known for that in 1988 there was the epicenter of a very powerful earthquake. Almost all city buildings (and everything above 2-story houses) were destroyed. Private one-story houses were also partially damaged... Neighboring cities (Vanadzor and Gyumri) were less affected, but also suffered.

Almost immediately after this disaster, the construction of new houses for residents began, and within two years the city was rebuilt by the forces of the USSR, and the Armenian diaspora abroad also helped. In the center of the city there is a large interesting monument in honor of the earthquake (moreover, the monument is part of the shops operating in it).

Monument to the earthquake in the city of Spitak and the victims and losses associated with it.

Regarding the overnight stay, there was an appeal to main church city, and the employee of the church took to his home. By the way, the author of these lines has three separate articles on the topic(the link takes you to the first article from the series about free overnight stays in religious organizations).
From Spitak to the east 21 km ...

Vanadzor

(Vanadzor). Capital of Lori province. The third largest city in Armenia (now there are 90 thousand people). Height above sea level - 1425 meters ...The city was officially founded in 1828 and was then called Karaklis (or Karakilise, which in Turkish "Kara kilise" means "black church"). Then the city was renamed Kirovakan (and it was called that in 1935-93).

One of the survivors residential buildings Soviet period in Vanadzor. You can see traces of life on some windows and balconies.

Of the interesting things in Vanadzor, there is a mini-museum and Art Gallery. And also a lot of Soviet-era houses (especially 4- and 5-story buildings, one of which was invited to the apartment for the night by a local guy, for which I thank him) ... Many of these houses have a not very attractive appearance(probably due to the earthquake, and the general poorness of the country), and some of them are about to be abandoned by the residents. But they, apparently, have nowhere to move, so they live.

A traditional Armenian bed sack (19th century) is exhibited in the Vanadzor Museum.

From Vanadzor to the south in 13 km (on the way to Dilijan and Lake Sevan)…

Lermontovo and the Molokans

(Lermontovo) is such a village with a Russian name. The fact is that here (as in the village of Fioletovo, which is 8-9 km to the south-east), Russians live, descendants of immigrants who were forcibly resettled by the tsarist authorities at the beginning of the 19th century.
These are Molokans. They are Christians, but not Orthodox (in the usual sense of the word), but Evangelicals, Baptists and other adherents of similar Christian movements/beliefs. That is, such Christians, who do not recognize icons, priests and all related products.

Molokans simply pray to God, that is, to Jesus Christ (we will not talk about what or who is God). And moreover, they pray very regularly. In my opinion, this is one of the most strict Christian nations in the world. Perhaps, of the Christian peoples I have seen, it is the most strict (in the sense, strictly adhering to the postulates of their faith).
True, it is a stretch to call them people, because they are still Russian and were resettled here (as well as to neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan) from different provinces of Russia at the beginning of the 19th century.

The men in the village of Lermontovo usually wear long beards (even boys and young people are already growing facial hair)… And those who don’t have beards (although there are a minority of such Molokans there, as it seemed), it means that there is a possibility that they are not strict Christians – they don’t pray, they drink alcohol… And for Molokans drinking alcohol is almost the same terrible sin as for Muslims.
Molokan women also almost all wear headscarves. Yes, girls too.

in the village of Lermontovo.

Molokans try to help a person (for example, a traveler) as best they can. However, for last years these 2 villages (Lermontovo and Fioletovo) were visited by many curious (and also such travelers as the author of these lines), who want to stare at "strange" people .. The Molokans are already a little tired of such attention, although the curious do NOT come here every day, but sometimes there are even large sightseeing buses.

As the Molokans in Lermontovo told me, journalists came to their village more than once , who were even invited to the house for tea ... However, later on the Internet they wrote about the Molokans not quite what they really are. Sometimes Molokans were even described in such a way that they live wildly, almost in the 19th century.
And after such cases, the hospitality of the Molokans became smaller. This was noticeable when communicating with the Molokans in the center of the village. They did not burn with the desire to invite them into the house, they simply communicated at the usual Russian level (that is, somewhat cooler than in the Caucasus as a whole), although absolutely without malice.

Since the people did not burn in the center of the village of Lermontovo special desire not only to shelter a traveler for the night, but they didn’t even invite him to tea, then in search of an overnight stay, it was decided to go towards the outskirts of the village ... It was simpler there, but also not as expected before arrival. One feels that if there were fewer tourists and journalists (visiting Molokans and staring at them), they would be more friendly and hospitable.

In one house near the outskirts, they decided to help and escorted their relatives, who come only occasionally, to an empty house. In the following photo of the inside of this house:

Here in this Molokan house I happened to spend the night in the village of Lermontovo. He slept, however, not on this bed, but on another in the next room.

Some houses of Molokans do not have televisions for ideological reasons - because there is too much unnecessary nonsense in modern television broadcasting ... In fact, many modern technologies Molokans try to use whenever possible. Especially agricultural equipment. They are renowned as excellent tractor and excavator operators.(even in Yerevan, where about a thousand Molokans live.

Many Armenians confirmed this, that the Molokan excavator is great master your business. And that in Yerevan, if you see a working excavator, then most likely (or the chances are about 50/50), a Molokan is working on it. In general, Molokans here are considered very hard-working.

Wealthy Armenians also prefer to employ Molokan women as housewives. For, everyone knows that they are very clean, and they definitely won’t steal ... The Armenians also told about this. In general, the Molokans are very respected here. Many Molokans in Yerevan even know Armenian, especially the young ones. In the villages they know less.

In the villages of Lermontovo and Fioletovo every year there are more and more Armenians settling there, often simply buying the houses of those Molokans who left to live in Russia... Especially many Molokans left in the 1990s for hard times devastation. Then the wave of those leaving was smaller. Few people are leaving now... And those who left sometimes visit these native lands.

Immediately upon arrival in this village of Lermontovo, the Molokan cemetery was visited (it is upstairs from the road separating the village and the cemetery), which has gravestonescommemorative stele plates, not quite ordinary ... Well, do not call them gravestones! .. For they are made of tin and wood, but stand on wooden sticks. I don’t even remember where I previously saw wooden racks for tombstones (probably they were called boards before?). Perhaps he did not see them.

Tombstone memorial plates (stands?) at the Molokan cemetery in the village of Lermontovo.

The captions in the previous photo read:

G. A. I. (these are the initials of the deceased person)
Here lies the body of the servant of God Gorchakova Alexandra Ivanovna. Lived in this world for 59 years. She died by the will of God on September 24, 2003 ...And with you brothers and sisters. Amen!

Here rests the ashes of the servant of God Tananaeva Alexandra Petrovna, who lived in this century in 91. She died by the will of God on May 9, 1995 ... And she moved to this century. And with you brothers and sisters. Amen!

Molokan cemetery in the village of Lermontovo.

Some quotes about Molokans

A couple of quotesfrom wikipedia:
Molokans - a kind of spiritual Christianity, as well as a special ethnographic group Russians. In the Russian Empire, they were classified as "especially harmful heresies" and were persecuted until the decrees of Alexander I, dating back to 1803, which gave the Molokans and Doukhobors some freedom.

The Molokans are not a single church, but rather religious movement with a single root, but with great differences in views, chants, teachings, observed holidays.
Among such directions in Molokanism, “wet Molokans” (practicing water baptism), Molokan jumpers, Molokan Subbotniks (observing the Sabbath), spirit-and-life (who place the book “Spirit and Life” on the throne, considering it the third part of the Bible) stand out noticeably ) and others.
(this was a quote from wikipedia)

Settlements of Molokans and other "spiritual Christians" in Armenia(for example, the so-called "spirit-and-lives", subboshirts). Refers to the period from 1950 to 2010. I took the original card. from here and remade a bit, removing English words and adding the Russians... As can be seen from the map, now the Molokans of Armenia live only in Yerevan, Lermontovo and Fioletovo.

Below are some more characteristic quotes about Molokans (taken from):

In Armenia, the number of spiritual Christians - Molokans - has sharply decreased. In the early 1990s, about 51 thousand Russians lived in Armenia, of which half were of the Molokan religion. According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia today only 2872 Molokan Russians live in the country of Armenia (information from April 2017).

There are also changes in the traditional employment of the Molokans. If earlier the Molokans produced sauerkraut “Molokan cabbage”, soaked apples, famous in Armenia, barrel cucumbers, now they sell to buyers just cabbage, potatoes, beets. They also do not hand over milk to collection points, preferring to sell it on the market at a better price than dairies offer.

In the Molokan villages, children study at school in Russian according to the Russian language. educational program and textbooks. A lesson of the Armenian language is also provided for them. In addition to ritual meetings, when solving some issues, the community, headed by the presbyter, convenes meetings, at which the chairman of the village is also present.
During these meetings, issues of providing social assistance to a particular family may be raised. Molokans continue to live in closed society, refusing to use the social benefits provided by the state.

Despite their dispersal among the general population, there are practically no mixed marriages among the Molokans. Their children study in Russian schools or classes. At the same time, everyone speaks fluent Armenian.

The original image is taken from the same page as the quotes above..

I decided not to visit the village of Fioletovo (because the Molokans were tired of tourists who had come in large numbers and did not want to bother them anymore) ... Although, it seems that if you want to plunge into the atmosphere of Molokan life, traditions and beliefs, then you can try to find an option to live with them and work as a volunteer(performing some simple work for several hours a day, and they will provide food and shelter) ... And you can probably find such Molokans who would like to take you on as volunteers.

However, I assume that they are unlikely to take a smoker or drinking man. And it is not a fact that they will take a person who does not profess Christianity.

Molokans in Yerevan

Also, about a week after that, I happened to visit Yerevan (where I went three times in 3 months). And since I didn’t know where to spend the night there (the previous two trips to the capital of Armenia I stayed at the “House for All”, but by my third visit it was closed, as planned), I decided to try to contact the Molokans ... In Yerevan, Molokans usually live in one district (I didn’t even begin to remember the name of the district, forgive me, a sinner, please).

The people (Armenians) who had just brought me up in their car brought me to the Molokans, and even began to intercede for me ... The head of the house gave me a place at his construction site (he was expanding his house), gave me a mattress, tea and treated me to food. Once again, many thanks to all of them!

If you move east from Lermontovo and Fioletovo, then after 16 km (from Fioletovo) there will be a town on an article about which you can go to the specified link.

How did the Molokans (a special ethnographic group of Russians) appear in Armenia, and who are they in general? Journalist Mark Grigoryan helped find the answer to this question.

They cannot be called Old Believers or Old Believers, they belong to spiritual Christianity, close to Protestantism, since they rejected the Orthodox cult. From point of view Orthodox Church, Molokans are sectarians, says journalist Mark Grigoryan, long years who studied the history of the Molokans in Armenia.

The Molokans appeared in the 17th century, but this movement flourished in the 18th century.

“The institution of the church, especially in the 18th century, was powerful and dominating over ordinary people. This trend sought to free itself from this pressure. There are some elements of Protestantism in this,” said Grigoryan.

The Molokans and the Doukhobors (another religious denomination) were at first in the same movement, but soon separated. Popularity among ordinary people even under Catherine led to the decision of the authorities to resettle them. That is how they ended up on the banks of the Molochnoye River in the Taurida province, and in the first half of the 19th century they were already resettled in the Caucasus, on the one hand, in order to send them away, on the other, to increase the Christian population in the rebellious region.

"Now there are about 15 thousand of them in Armenia," says Grigoryan.

According to him, in general, Molokans reject the church as an institution. That is, for them, communication with God is direct, direct. However, at the same time, it is a religious movement that is based on the Bible.

“Especially, the New Testament is confessed very seriously, worship is based on this,” notes Grigoryan.

1 / 2

Photo: Ruben Mangasaryan

Molokans live compactly in Armenia in two villages - Fioletovo (the village consists entirely of Molokans) and Lermontovo (about 80% of Molokans). The journalist and TV presenter said that his first visit to the Molokan village of Fioletovo in Armenia did not go too smoothly. It was not allowed to take pictures and record voices on a voice recorder.

"It felt like we were walking on main road, but on both sides of the wall, through which we can not penetrate," recalls Grigoryan.

He admits that this only fueled professional interest. Grigoryan and Mangasaryan began to work actively, meet with various Molokans in Yerevan, study their religion and customs. During the second visit, everything was also not easy, but we managed to take several dozen photos.

"The next time we handed out photos, it helped to break the ice. In particular, there was a case: one photo of Rubik showed an old man with bushy beard. It turned out that between the time the photograph was taken and when we returned with it, the old man had died. His son told us, “this is the only memory of our father,” Grigoryan said.

Photo: Ruben Mangasaryan

They made friends with several Molokans, Grigoryan even found their relatives in the United States, who practically do not speak Russian, helped them establish a virtual connection - via e-mail, which is new in Fioletovo.

TV is considered no less outlandish. Its absence (at least in prominent places) is also one of the striking features in the houses of the Molokans. Grigoryan explained this by the moral prescription of the Molokans.

“In the eyes of many, TV is a tool that brings immorality, examples of violence, nudity and all this “bad” into the house. Some elders forbid having TVs at home,” Grigoryan said.

However, not everyone strictly follows this prescription. Grigoryan himself was a witness to this.

"On one of our trips to Fioletovo, we noticed that there were large wardrobes in the kitchens. wardrobes. It turned out that TV sets were kept in these cabinets," Grigoryan said.

Thus, they are hidden from "prying eyes". As for the rest of the equipment, the Molokans own it. Grigoryan even knows a doctor of sciences who is engaged in space research.

The attention of guests in a Molokan house can also be attracted by the number of children, there are often many of them. According to Grigoryan, believing Molokans believe that their number depends on "how much God will give", they do not limit themselves in this. And marriages take place mainly between members of the community or with those who have adopted their religion.

The issue of military service and the use of weapons is not as acute for the Molokans as it is for one of the branches of the Dukhobors. Grigoryan said that at the end of the 19th century, the Dukhobors once burned all the weapons in the vicinity of the village of Gorelovka (in Javakhk) as a sign of their peacefulness. For this, the royal authorities severely punished them. Leo Tolstoy came out in their support, writing an article in the New York Times about how heroically they acted.

Concerning modern life Molokans in Armenia, they have a very developed concept of community life, they have managed to integrate into society.

According to the journalist, the Molokans occupied several economic niches in the country. They are respected in these areas. Molokans are famous not only sauerkraut but also high-quality repairs and cleaning. This is a kind of brand of Armenian Molokans.

Little Russia is located. The village of Fioletovo in the Lori region is completely populated by Molokans.

Molokans - spiritual Christians, as they call themselves, have created their own oasis on the territory of the republic, where they have preserved their identity, where they manage to observe their traditions and rituals.

There are practically no TVs and computers in the village, modern technology they consider unclean. Villagers learn news either from each other, or from relatives who have gone to work in the cities of Armenia or Russia, or from grandchildren who, despite the prohibitions of adults, keep mobile phones.

“I’m sitting here, peeling cabbages, and then my granddaughter “sneezes” and takes pictures of me. I tell her, they say, take pictures of yourself, baby, and not me, I also found a beauty. Here’s yours, didn’t find anyone else? Let others takes pictures," says Maria Timofeevna, grimacing, nodding at the photographer.

There is a common opinion that Molokans are secretive, unsociable people, they do not like "strangers". Most likely, this is a myth, since all those Molokans that we met turned out to be very friendly.

"Russian tourists often come to us. Do you know what they ask first of all? Don't the Armenians offend you?" - laughing, says a friend of Maria Timofeevna - Tatyana Ivanovna.

She noted that Armenians and Molokans have been living side by side for two hundred years.

"Armenians are our brothers and sisters. We are already the fifth generation of Molokans living in Armenia. What problems can there be between our peoples?" the woman wonders.

In any city or village in Armenia, you can meet children in caps and T-shirts with the inscription "Spirits" and with the profile of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. In Fioletovo, we did not see children in such clothes. The "Velvet Revolution" seems to have bypassed the village. The villagers did not take part in the revolution and did not feel any change.

"In the neighboring Armenian village (Margaovit - ed.), roads were blocked, some slogans were shouted out. And what about us? We don't know Armenian, would we go there and what? Why should we?" - said the neighbor of our two interlocutors and hurried to the garden.

© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

One of the women asked if it was true that Pashinyan was responding to people's letters.

"If yes, then let's write him a letter, Tatyana Ivanovna. Let him return all the money that Ter-Petrosyan (the first president of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan - ed.) Withdrew from our pension and ate. What if he returns it?" - offers Maria Timofeevna, referring to her friend.

In turn, Natalya Maksimovna, who opened the first and only guest house in Fioletovo, doubts that the revolution will improve the situation in the village. A separate article will be written about her guest house.

"We hardworking people, we even have small children working in gardens, looking after pets. But we have nowhere to sell our good. All neighboring Armenian villages are empty. And the cities too. You have to travel to the capital to trade. Is it really possible for some leader to change this - to return people to the villages where there is no work for them? Probably not," the woman says.

© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

Many Molokans remember with nostalgia Soviet times when they lived in clover, the village prospered, and the young did not have to leave in search of work. They do not believe that the change of power in the republic will somehow change their lives for the better.