The children had much to wonder at. The fortress set their imagination alight as they thought about what it would be like to attack such massive defenses. They all noticed that the architecture of St Nicholas Cathedral in the local monastery (a place with a very rich history) was different from churches they had seen before. Visiting the most northerly stone church of the pre-mongol period (12th century), they were all struck by the fact that the church appeard to be in a pit. It was a memorable demonstration of how archeology works with older artifacts in deeper layers of soil.
This gives just a flavour of a very packed day in this small, but ancient town. The picture of the fortress above looks very cold, so to balance it, here is a picture of the group enjoying the food at the cathedral’s cafe.
With your help we can continue to serve children living with poverty or disabilities in Kondopoga. We help the parish provide food parcels, educational opportunities, and social inclusion.
