Road to Polesia. Дарога на Палесьсе.
Even after 75 round trips during the past eight years from Mjensk to Polesia, the road through Slutsk and Ljuban’ reveals itself to the photographer in new and wondrous ways each time. See, for instance, the photos of the day for February 11-13, 16 and 19, 2013.
The photos of the day for the next two weeks chronicle the surprises and old scenes freshly-perceived along this route on an afternoon journey at the end of April.
The journey included a slight detour from the main Mjensk-Slutsk highway to Khatljany, about 35 miles (60 kilometers) south of Mjensk. A few days previously, on a photo excursion to the west of Mjensk, I had stopped to chat with three ladies, who told me how much they missed their former priest in Slavjensk (photos of the day for July 15-16, 2014). Father Vital’ had been appointed to Khatljany; after his arrival the historic wooden church in Khatliany had burned down in January 2013. He was now working mightily and remarkably swiftly to rebuild it, they said.
It can take years to build or rebuild a church. Thus the progress to date on rebuilding the church is extraordinary, although not surprising, given that Father Vital’ is from Rubjel’, the font of scores of outstanding priests serving throughout Belarus and farther afield.
Fragment of the porch of the old church which survived the January 2013 fire, with new church under construction in background. Khatljany 2014. Частка ганкі згарэлай царквы. На фоне будуецца новая царква. Хатляны 2014 г.
Layer-by-layer construction of the new dome. Будаўніцтва новага купала.
