Floating Churches

Increasingly, the Orthodox Church is using itinerant churches to feed the spiritual needs of Russians living in distant regions and not otherwise served by parish churches. Three floating churches are active in the Volgograd eparchy. One of them, named St. Innokenty, has been plying the Don for eight years.

I.

Donskaya stanitsa* is submerged in a deep, post-prandial dream. It is so hot that not a soul is wandering the streets. Even the chickens are hiding in the shade. I peer into fenced yards for quite awhile, trying to find someone who might be able to point me toward the missing church. I finally find a grey-haired old fellow sitting on a bench.