Traveling with RIA-Novosti: Icon-washing in Komi Republic

Residents of the village of Krivoi Navolok, Komi Republic, preserve a surprising centuries-old ritual that includes the washing of old icons in the Ker-yu River. Every year, they depart in procession from the village chapel and dip the boards into water. Though they bear no trace of the original painting, it is believed that the ritual serves to infuse vitality in the neighboring villages.

The St. Parasceva Chapel is the main point of interest in the village and the oldest monument of wooden architecture in the Komi Republic.

According to legend, the St. Parasceva Chapel was built in the early 13th century.

During the Soviet period, there were repeated attempts to destroy the chapel. In the 1930s, recalcitrant members of the communist youth movement Komsomol fled to the woods each time their higher-ups ordered them to saw the chapel for firewood. In the 1960s, it was saved by the local collective-farm chairman.

St. Parasceva is venerated as a patroness of women and female labor. She is responsible for family welfare and chastises non-observers of Friday, when women are not allowed to work.

If a woman is infertile or her children die one after another, it is believed that she has been punished by St. Parasceva for some sin. The sin can be atoned for if she makes a pilgrimage to Krivoi Navolok on St. Parasceva Day and takes part in the exclusively female washing ritual.

After the washing ritual, women are allowed to step into water, whereupon a prayer service is held in front of the Votive Cross. Following the service, the icons are taken back to the St. Parasceva Chapel.

The priest from the village of Krivoi Navolok, Komi Republic, during the blessing of waters in the wake of a procession in honor of St. Parasceva.

Krivoi Navolok villagers during the cross-bearing procession in honor of St. Parasceva.