Russian language classes at Belgorod Theological Seminary
In Belgorod Theological Seminary, it has already been more than 3 months that Alla, Katherine, Vera, Peter, Lyubov, Maria and Sofia are persistently studying the Russian language. All seven are citizens of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and have dual names. In China relatives and friends call them by different names. Here however new acquaintances call them by their Orthodox names, those that students were given in holy baptism or anticipate to receive.
Fr Daniel He of Harbin
Alla, Katherine, Lyubov and Maria were baptized already in Harbin. This city is situated in the north-east part of China. Here after 1917 many Russians were forced to flee from arbitrary Bolshevik rule. Very few returned to their fatherland. The majority of them stayed in foreign land. Certainly they were homesick for Russia, former Russia. To extinguish this unquenchable homesickness they started building Orthodox churches on Chinese land. Even on the railroad station Russian emigrants hang a large icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker and when they were going anywhere they prayed passionately in front of it.
Russian emigrant family and the Chinese who accepted Orthodoxy with name Daniel and ordained a priest
With this icon there was an occurrence as follows. Once in early spring in Harbin's railroad came running an elderly Chinese man, wet from head to toe, knelt in front of the icon, stretching his hands and shouting with great feeling. It turns out, that he was walking on ice on the Songhua (Sungari) River and fell into an ice hole. The unfortunate was already pulled under the ice by the current, when he remembered, that Russians always ask for help from the good looking old man, image of whom is hanging in the station. "Old man from the station, old man from the station, save me"-with passion uttered the Chinese, and then he lost consciousness. When he came to the other side of the river, this Chinese man understood that because of the intercession of the "old man from the station" he stayed alive, and ran immediately to the station to thank the saint for his miraculous rescue.
The faith of Russians astonished the local inhabitants so much, that some of them became Orthodox and even priests. In the 1920s, a young emigrant from Russia married a Chinese and conducted herself in such a fashion, that in a short time he was baptized and accepted the rank of priest. The priest Daniel He till the last days of his life served in the church of Pokrov, and was the archpriest of Harbin district. For diligent service for the good of the Holy Church the Chinese priest-father from Harbin was rewarded with medals and decorations.
Lyubov He was a parishioner in the church where her grandfather served
Together with his spouse they were very concerned, that their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have strong Orthodox faith. And disregarding the fact that in China the Communist regime was already established, the granddaughter of Daniel He was baptized in the Orthodox faith with the name of Lyubov. And she in turn tried to do her utmost that her own daughter — great-granddaughter of the priest — would be baptized. During the baptism she was given the name of Maria.
After conducting of the Mysteries in China, certificates of Baptism are granted. These are big sheets of paper where text is written in printed and script form in Church-Slavonic and Russian, with notarized coat of arms Chinese seal. These certificates are very cherished by the mother and daughter.
In the same church Alla and Katherine were baptized (also mother and daughter). This happened more than ten years ago.
The rest of the Chinese students did not have the opportunity to be baptized in Harbin. Already for several years there has been no priest in the Orthodox Church in Harbin. At the end of the 1990s a priest came from USA, but he could not stay for permanent service — in accordance with Chinese laws the priest must be a citizen of PRC.
Maybe, in the near future this problem will be solved. Peter, who is a citizen of PRC, is now studying Russian language in Belgorod and dreams to attend the Theological Seminary. He would like to become a priest. Of course there are a lot of difficulties, but everything is in God's hand. Who from their group would have thought a year ago, that he will travel to Russia, attend Orthodox churches and associate with missionaries from the Seminary? All of this appeared as a dream that could not be fulfilled. But Pavel Andreevich Suslov came to Harbin, being of Russian emigrant stock, quite renowned eye surgeon in USA, very rich man and he arranged in Moscow to assist the inhabitants of Harbin to reach Belgorod and provide them lodging. It was very foresighted — the Chinese citizens were taking to Russia many belongings and provisions. "We had many trunks"- they say. Trunk — is a word from before last century, forgotten by us, but kept by them, as a memory of grandmothers and great-grandmothers.
This is all God's doing — says 85 year old Alla, (she speaks Russian better than all other Chinese students. Alla had a Russian mother and very often in the family they spoke in Russian. Alla is studying and at the same time functions as the translator in her student group) and continues her thinking — did I thought, that at my age I will travel so far. In the train to Moscow we traveled seven days. And then here… Thank God — we were helped.
In Moscow the group was met by 5th year pupil of Belgorod Theological Seminary Andrei Smirnov. When they arrived in Belgorod two more helper—guides were added: 3rd year pupils Alexander Guriev and Maxim Kivelev.
And from 23rd of December (this is the day when Orthodox Church celebrated the memory of Saint Iosaf) dwellers from Harbin are in our city, studying and under the thoughtful tutelage of seminarians are examining the holy shrines of Belgorod. They already went to healing spring in the monastery woods, in the Krestovozdvizhensky church and venerated the miraculous Kosharsky cross, stood at several services in the university church, consecrated in the name of Archangel Gavril. During Forgiveness Sunday the whole group went to Preobrazensky Cathedral of the city of Belgorod. Before that the seminarians explained that in the last Sunday before Lent one has to ask forgiveness from everybody and answered a perplexed question: why this should be done.
When the Belgorod guests entered the Cathedral, they were astonished how many people came here. And the regular parishioners were astonished: how many Chinese are in the Cathedral today! One had this impression, because Harbin's inhabitants were traveling from place to place, to get a better view of everything, and because they always stay together, the impression was, that there are not seven people, but a lot more.
The Radiant Resurrection of Christ in the year 2007. Paschal procession in Harbin
Now the guests from China are preparing for the celebration of the Radiant Resurrection of Christ. They are planning to attend the all night service and be there to the end. In Harbin every year they also celebrated Christ's Pascha. The day before the feast they gathered in the Orthodox Church and brought colored eggs (the colors for paschal eggs were sent from acquaintances in Russia), kuliches (recipes of paschal kuliches are transferred from generation to generation), and fruits. All is taken to the church, because it was done by Russian mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. And even if at this time paschal refreshments can not be blessed by anybody — the descendants of Orthodox emigrants believe: all will be blessed if it stands some time in the holy church.
In the evening they go to the procession with the cross, banners and icons. An elderly reader reads the prayers. After the procession all disband and went home. On Sunday morning, proper day of the feast, they again gather in the church, pray (prayers are sung in Chinese) and all harmoniously go to the dining hall — to celebrate Christ's Pascha …
Without fail they celebrate the remembrance Sunday. On the 9th day after Christ's Resurrection they necessarily go to the Russian cemetery.
"The Chinese people cry in the cemetery. While we go nicely attired, we are going to commune with our mothers, grandmothers..," relate Chinese students.
It is hard for them to express all their feelings and emotions in the Russian language. But they wanted to tell in details, that they know and understand: their Orthodox parents and grandparents, having suffered in exile during their earthly lives, are now seeing the Resurrected Christ and are rejoicing, that means everybody should rejoice. This is victory over death, over evil, over all misfortunes — sadness. "Christ has risen — and there is no way to melancholy".
Veronica Dzhavadova