Polotsk. The Old Believers Assumption Church

The Old Believers are a Christian denomination that split from the Orthodox Church during the time of Patriarch Nikon. Their strict ancestral faith forbade serving the government and participating in wars for it, so the Old Believer communities sought to get as far away from the tsarist authorities as possible. The Old Believers began to settle in Polotsk since the time of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where they established their settlements, built temples and peacefully engaged in their work.

The priests of the Bespopovtsy are not appointed from above, but are chosen from among the most respected elders who know the Holy Scriptures well and observe the ancient precepts of their ancestors and all unwritten strict rules.

The Old Believers suffered more than other believers during the years of Soviet rule. Working alongside everyone else and defending their Homeland during the Great Patriotic War, the Bespopovtsy faced humiliation and persecution from the authorities. During the war, the Old Believers' church was damaged by a shell, but it was quickly restored and continued to pray. After the war, the temple was demolished, and a nine-story building and a secondary school were built in its place.

In 1994, it was possible to purchase a plot of land for new construction. The community, as usual, began to build a new temple, everyone contributed. Four years later, the church was completed and consecrated. Now this unusual red brick temple attracts the attention of citizens and tourists. Those who managed to visit inside were amazed by the beautiful icons and the unusual interior.

The exterior of the temple, lined with red brick, and its interior, striking in its cleanliness, order and beautiful icons, attract the attention of locals and tourists.