Pastoral visits in Rostov Land

How organize pastoral visits in Russia, the country, where most of people declare to be Orthodox , Moslem or Buddhist religion, but in fact they still stay the same soviet atheists or even Pagans have none religious inspirations and negative way influence also local Catholics.

When I appears in some house in sutana the neighbor ever ask if somebody has died? They cannot imagine that visit of priest may be useful also for living beings.

First "foreign" pastoral visits in Christmas time I had in Rostov on Don. I remember very well, as it was today. I got 21 invitations in one and half million citizens city. On Christmas celebration came about 100 of people, half of them foreign students from Africa, the rest mostly Armenians. Liturgy was in the Children Puppet Theatre.

At New Year I was in the same theater, my black skin parishioners were showing Christmas play, not only Three Kings, but most of actors were form exotic lands.

1. One hundred years parishionner.

The parishioners apartments were far away each from others. It was difficult to make plan of visits without a car and knowing the city just a little.

The reason of visiting all these people was very special: to make them again one good understanding each other family. Last permanent priest doing the same activities died in 1936. There was some elderly people still remembering these times.. One of them was Anna Gerasimovna, half Polish half German lady.

History of all Rostov Catholics id connected with three local Diasporas: Armenian, German and Polish. Armenians were in Rostov ever. In 20-ties Rostov was united in one city together with old Armenian settlement Nakhichevan. There were 9 Armenian monophysith churches, even one Bishop. Part of them ever belonged to Catholic Church. In our parish was working fr. Manuel Mashurian. German settlements very numerous around Taganrog and Rostov has about 30 % of Catholic population, the rest were Lutherans and Mennonites. German priests were very popular in Rostov. The most known to me from old records were: fr. Johan Lang vicar priest in Rostov and parish priest in Novocherkassk and fr. Stang in Taganrog.

Polish Diaspora came from Warsaw together with evacuated universities in the beginning of 20-th century. It was the time when Poland was under Prussian occupation. After command of Russian Emperor Polish industry and universities were evacuated mostly on Don. All the professors, students even libraries have gone on North Caucasus. Warsaw University moved to Rostov, Polytechnic Institute to Novocherkassk. The number of parishioners was about 6000, there are some notes that in Rostov once were living 13.000 polish roots citizens, these days Rostov was about 50.000 citizens' city.

The last permanent priest was Stanislaw Kordasiewicz, some of details from his life I got from Anna Gerasimovna memories. I was ministering sacrament of unction during visiting her. She was so fragile person, with aristocratic face and way of talking. The way of dressing was also very poor but special. It was clear that she got very good education and grow in excellent family.

She was 100% "Victorian style lady". She was so warm personality, which warmth was returning to her ever when she started to explain her youth. She was visiting all our meetings in Puppet Theatre until happened accident just on the way on prayer. She broke her leg the way that full healing was impossible in her age. She was looking bad, perhaps she was also preparing herself to say good bye, and it is why she talked to me as much possible like many persons in her situation. She talked much about her brother Adam which was a seminarian in Saratov Major Seminary...once I saw these buildings being in Saratov. There are still Russian soldiers there. The rumors about they may soon move and we may get building back were ever only rumors. Adam did not became the priest. Perhaps Revolution changed his plans, perhaps he got marry or martyred, I do not remember.

Anna was talking with happy face about fr. Kordasiewicz. She told me that he loved all the youngsters and they also liked him. She told me about her fathers polish roots and about her German mother.

During long time Anna was house keeper in fr. Kordasiewicz home so priest was calling her in Polish: "moja Ochmistrzynia". Father these days was parish manager. Anna gave me in deposit on church needs all her treasures hidden in some small envelope from Revolution times. I never opened, because next year came Salezians and I gave them all the church property, but my fingers easily were feeling jeweler goods. There were even some money perhaps. Perhaps gold and silver, she mentioned that all these were last treasures of her mother.

She also gave some Canadian given dollars from her relatives. She was very generous for me. Perhaps she was feeling in me the same spirit or similar accent, the way of talking all the polish people do.

2. Jadwiga

Another old lady was Jadwiga. She was living on Guseva Street(both ladies were living near the main railway station and ever were going together on the Mass, I remember them as friends from very first Mass in Rostow). Her 2 floor house was same wild style as many buildings from soviet times in private section. It was wooden house and decorative bricks inside. It was good place for first priests coming from Ukrainian Fastov and later from Sochi.

Jadwiga was caring about some church property and she was very busy because older and older. She gave all these things to Dominican father Wladislaw from Fastov. Later she was sad when she realized that parish in Rostov may be restored.

The people during pastoral visits make small gift to the church but she was poor so she proposed to me to make juridical document about giving me her house in testament.

She did not understand that as foreigner I cannot accept such a gift and the only possible way was to offer the house to the parish.

She was younger than Anna Gerasimovna and she still was able to walk. Her behaviour words and way of thinking was totally contradiction to Anna Gerasimovna, she was typical child of soviet system, suspicious, superstitious and unfriendly.

She was very unhappy until my follower Salezian priest Edward. He does as she wished. He was more experienced and she got her house in testament. This kind of business was his hobby.

Generosity of the people in Rostov even their miserable conditions of life was difficult to describe. Perhaps they wished from all their hearts rehabilitate church which so much suffered in the past.

3. Cutten heads

There were more touching meetings. I was in house of 90-ty years old Mrs. Zalewska. Her native brother was living in Poland and gave her some photos in dressings of polish officer.

She was not high person, white hairs in glasses. In 30-ties she cut all the heads from brothers photos to keep them, but dressings she put in fire to not be punished for having relatives in "white Poland".

She was showing me these photos, living history and example how difficult these times were for all polish Diaspora in Soviet Union during Stalin leadership.

Her son professor in Rostov University was unfriendly to me, she explained to me that he is still afraid about loosing his job, because of such contact with "foreigner".

The only person from all that family a bit friendly to me was grand-son of Mrs. Zalewska. He was much more curious like many people in his generation, but of course he was declaring him just in the doors and without being asked about that, that he is none Polish and none Catholic. Grand-son of Mr. Zalewska prefers to be Russian and Orthodox. I was accustomed more and more to not believe such declarations.

4. Memories of Aristocrat

These days was still alive Mr. Rzewuski, same generation as Anna Gerasimovna. He was director of Polish School which survived even in Stalin times, but under the name of communist Marchlewski. He testified that his School was closed in 1936 and changed into Russian School. Later that building was given to University, part of church buildings was close to the school and belong to Museum as place for collecting old Museum collection which not belong to permanent exhibition.

Mr. Rzewuski was same aristocrat as Anna, he had optimistic face, he was not afraid to meet me at all. How he avoided repressions I do not know, perhaps he wished not to talk painful stories as Mrs. Zalewska or Jadwiga.

He gave me written testimony about belonging of old buildings to Catholic Church in times of Russian Empire. He was telling us about charitable activities of the Parish and also about Polish Youth organization Sokol. Polish Diaspora in Rostov once was very active, but after Stalin discrimination we have only partial memories.

5. Difficult visit.

Rostov is the city with big number of soldiers. Their families were moving here and there in the entire soviet Empire so in soldier settlements easily you may find people from Byelorussia, Ukraine even from Baltic countries which have catholic roots and ancestors.

Rostov looks like European city, even climate is similar like in Mediterranean especially in the summer time, but presence of Korean Diaspora and many refugees from Caucasus gave special colors to local population. People talk something mix Russia-Ukraine slang.

In these days when I came to Rostov Chechen was more-less peaceful Republic so soldiers were sitting without special activities. One of such family invited me just because their mother came from Ukraine and insisted her children have to marry each other under church rules. Basically I was ready to help her and everything was ready. The problem happened just because these days my dean from Kabardino-Balkaria 10 years older and most experienced man asked me to take him on that meeting. He started ask questions and made clear that the couple has none intention to be good Catholics, they just were under pressing of old mother and she was very sad when finally we hav3e gone without serving Sacrament. Yes, her daughter promised to come some day to the church when she will be sure of her intentions, but half a year passed and she appeared only once and told me about some difficulties from her husband side.

That aeria where I was visiting these people was called "Voenved". I was visiting in the future for many other reasons that place but I never saw them again, perhaps Salezians know more about that family. I got that day 500 rubles from old lady which never mind was thankful for our efforts and for blessing the house.

6. Pastoral visits in Armenian families

On pastoral Christmas visits in Armenian houses was competition of exotic food.

Family Petrosian, especially Hovannes, the host and his children were dancing Caucasus dance which looks like Jewish prayer: shaking body with hands up.

Hosts wife Margaret, was caring about the table. She was a medical sister in hospital, Hovannes was drivers' teacher. They had beautiful private house in the Western part of the city, in the garden was the second small house in which were living two cousins from Georgia. They were also present on our meeting. We enjoyed the time with songs and smile. I got to know some about their history.

Their ancestors came from city Trabzon (today it is Turkish city but in the past it was called Trapesunt and had Armenian population). They immigrate to Georgia 150 years and still keep much Turkish customs and even some sections of vocabulary. They have gone to keep their faith. Catholics were time to time strongly persecuted I Turkey.

Family name Ter-Petrosian has a meaning, that their ancestors were priests: prefix "Ter" in Armenian means married parish priest. Another word Warthapet is used for priests unmarried. Armenian Catholics has such tradition that parish priests may be married. That family was fully continuing their ancestors' tradition in sense of loyalty and loving relationship in connection to church and priesthood. Actually in their native village in Georgia work Salezians from Ukraine. I was hearing about them only good words.

Children of Hovannes: Nerses and Karine first trained me to forget all the difference between Europeans and Caucasus nations. Their father was very glad that his children love me.

Caucasus people like other Mediterranean nations mostly sanguine characters, easily may star yelling each other, but also easily forgive each other. I realized that Caucasus relatives and friends when they meat each other they kiss each other publicly even men. That was surprising me much. Observing them I understood first the biblical behaviors and customs of Jewish people. In my understanding they are very similar.

Especially the custom calling each other brother and sister even they are far away relatives in 4-th or 5-th generation, they still call each other this way.

I knew some brother of Nerses like Arutiun and Petros. Family Shirkhonian and Adamian were also their relatives. So many years past but I still remember their names. They were the most active people in the number of Armenian clan which included 40 families, some of them I met on Christmas liturgy in Puppet theatre.

Another Armenian girl looked for me these days, because she was asked in Moscow to find me. She was studying and helping Italians in Russia Christiana to clean Russian translations of some books before being printed. Her father was professor in Rostov University, both of them came to Bataysk, just in these hot days of "local children's wave" visiting us daily. She insisted me to go in Moscow to have talks about friendship with Don Franco Cassera.

After finishing pastoral visits I took a student from Mozambique and my organist Nicolas and all the three man we have gone on meeting with Giovanna Paravicini. I will talk details in another place.

7. Visiting Africans.

The most exotic were pastoral visits in African Student Houses. I was planning to visit only the most active parishioners from Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Cameroon and Togo.

Slowly the white students realized that something interesting is going on and they also wished to invite us and to bless their flats.

I started with two students of journalistic: Felito and Margarita. Felito was Angolan, very funny full of humor and wise boy. Margarita was from Nicaragua mix girl perhaps Indian blood. Both of them had good missionary qualities. His native language was Portuguese hers Spanish but they were communicating without translation talking own idioms. Both were living in student house on Zorge Street.

In another Student house of Rostov Mechanical University on Gagarina Street my hosts were Wilhelmina and Apolinary, it was young couple from old German colony Tanzania. Both of them were very black people with some Hindu or Arab mix in faces. Apolinary looked bit different race than her wife, but they loved each other very much. I saw during visiting them videotape with their wedding ceremony in Dar es Salaam.

Matrimony was in wonderful gothic cathedral from white stone and the priest was dressed in white he was from Netherlands. Their language was Swahili. Wilhelmina was singing to us some songs and prayers in that language, sounds excellent. I remember until now some verses of Eucharistic song "altareni kwa buana Jesu... Jesus nipokea".

In another student house on Bratski Cemetery, where I was staying first week after coming from Poland and were we were proposed to take a peace of land to build church I had many friends. My hosts were two friends Mateo from Angola and Ernesto from Mozambique. Mateo was ever smiling boy, Ernesto ever nostalgic. Mateo round face, Ernesto small face like Wilhelmina perhaps mix.

Student houses near Railway University our host was Francis-doctor form Togo, about 2 meters high, his native brother was a priest and he was very proud of that..

In students Houses in that aerie were numerous Latino Americans and I got even invitation to baptize one baby which mother was Russian but father from Peru. I have impression it happened only in summer time during first visit of Spanish students which were present on ceremony in private flat in North part of the city.

8. Pastoral harvest

In each place I was with some nuns or my organist Nicolas so ever we were starting singing and reading the Bible about Christmas.

I had many gifts for students as New Testament, rosary, or some other Christian literature. I got from Moscow all the transportation thanks to some students and sisters. Most favor book was about Don Bosco, don Orione and other booklets.

I was planning at first to visit student houses in one single day but in fact it took all two weeks starting in evening during the week and finishing in deep night, according student customs and other obstacles.

We were planting Christian customs in abundant way, giving all missionary enthusiasm and forces. Our sisters were young and brave too. Students helping us were sometime more enthusiastic than we can do. We met people from all over Africa, Latino Americans, Asiatic people from India, Pakistan and philipines.

Rostov these days was the city which has the most numerous foreign student populations in Russia. I was told there was about 8 000 people. It is difficult to describe how beautiful these days were for me and how big job was done.

In summer time during organizing new communities in Novocherkassk and Taganrog my friendly students which have nothing to do in summer time were traveling with me in these places to help me organizing first liturgies. They were teaching my Russian parishioners how to behave and what to sing or answer during the Mass.

Similar testimony gave them a group of Spanish students which same time came first from Madrid as voluntary men. They came just because Sister Giovanna from Russia Christiana, seeing me ever with so huge number of Latinos and African people got idea to invite volunteers talking these languages which may help me organizing pastoral job and keep enthusiasm for long term.

9. Pastoral visit in "Kolkhoz"

Pastoral Christmas visit which will stay forever in my memory was in Kluev, village near Zernograd city. It was rather more exotic than meetings with Armenians or Africans.

Some couple which was living in Poland immigrated to native of Natalia Kubiak, wife of simple polish farmer. They have gone in 1982 in conditions of political crisis and fear under Jaruzelski's Army Regime.

Some Ukraine man, friend of that family informed me that Natasha got sick and perhaps it is mentally sickness because she always thinks about committing suicide.

At first I saw poverty in the deep version never seen before, even I was working the most poor aerie in Poland before and had opportunity to see many picture, no w I was in shock.

In that "polish house" no one thing was telling about Christmas. All the walls of kolkhoz house were cold even hidden by ice. The host was warm and happy seeing priest. I asked where the sick is and started to talk with her immediately. Everybody in that house was talking fluent polish so Natalia also.

Her house some way was similar to mine and I talked her about my personal experience and how believing God I start enjoying life. I talked to her that small Jesus in Betlehem was living in same conditions. Her husband was from my native Polish "Kujawy", but he was uneducated man, she was very educated woman, and she was feeling her alien and alone. Her aspirations to live in Poland collapsed. Trying to find some place to live in Russia was also difficult because the worse times of crises happened also here same as in Poland even worse, so her soul was full of wrong decisions and doings. Their two small daughters had none perspective to become happy people in the future. She was really depressed and it was not easy to find proper words to change her depression just a bit.

I was feeling by intuition that it was God's providence sending me to such a country such a place, that I may be useful for these poor depressed people. I was doing humble efforts, but I was returning with feeling of good job made.

Ukrainian man god young pig as Christmas gift and we got big dug. It was another example of generosity from most poor people given to priest and his parish. Even without having gift we were happy to be useful.

It was real exchange of gifts spiritual and material, which happened daily. I understood that spiritual gifts have real value for local population; even they did not have any such expectations or aspirations before.

10. Comparing with Poland

After 10 years being dismissed from Russia archbishop Ziemba, my superior in Polish Bialystok send me to have a rest in Czarna Bialostocka. I realized that I have loosed polish customs at all. My friendly priests were returning from pastoral visits in the noon time after visiting about 20 families, but I was returning only at 9 PM even once at 12 PM, people were calling to parish priest asking when the pastoral visit will happen and where is the priest they are expecting for.

In fact I was trying to talk each family with missionary zeal trying to ask all their deep problems of soul and faith and it took time because in fact polish population has the same hunger of sharing their spiritual duties with priests as others.

For some people it was looking funny that I spent 2 hours with local orthodox priest family and made blessing of all the shops even gasoline station on my way.

Some people were happy some were sad because most were accustomed to traditional 5 minutes form of visit. Such formalism was for me after Russian missionary experience as nonsense or even crime.

I met in Czarna Bialostocka one Belarus' lady from Minsk and one refugee from Armenia. It was impossible to be hurry in such obstacles, but my friendly priests decided that I will not doing this anymore, three of them were visiting people by themselves and I was praying evening Mass in their absence.

Some days later I saw in bus funny satiric picture representing fat priest on the road symbol "no parking" with envelope obtained during pastoral visit in hands and with big bag of money in second hand. There was written inscription below: "Do you wish, the priest will visit you in Christmas time?" and answer "NO!"

I start thinking with nostalgia about my Rostov pastoral activities and I got nostalgic. Such joke will never happen in Russia to me.

Epilogue

Daughter of Kubiak Family obtained soon in Bataysk sacrament of Confirmation and became our guest in many occasions. She really liked to visit us and she is one of actors in all missionary events these times.

Later she has gone to Poland to grand-fathers in Lubraniec and finished successfully Lyceum and slavisitic philology in Catholic University in Lublin. She was visiting me in Czarna Bialostocka with same pleasure like in Bataysk before.

These days I was depressed after dismissing from Russia with same deep depression as her mother and her coming was for me like returning wave, now I was supported after 10 years, this relationship has continuing by corresponding and visiting in Ukraine.

Mother unfortunately died in similar circumstances I met her 10 years before. Alien and alone. I was asking her to stay alive bit more and I feel some time she was obedient to my prayer.

Supplement
(Historical annotations)

Catholics have appeared in these places in times of "Golden Mongol Empire". Khans were loyal to Venetian and Genoa Merchants. They were opening here free Italian settlements with churches even cathedrals. One of examples was diocese in Tana-Azov which was existing in 1300-1475.

During Empress Catherine the Great times these territories were under Mokhylev diocese until 1851. Later was creates Tiraspol-Saratov diocese. In Soviet times here were existing two Apostolic Administrations and 11-th February was restored diocese in Saratov which includes also Rostov deanery.

Russian rulers were unsatisfied by Vatican ambitions. They started in revenge dismissing most active priests. Rostov Salezian parish priest Mackiewicz, Bishop from Irkutsk, parish priests in Jaroslaw and Vladimir were dismissed. In the number of so called "proselytes" was also my name.

The city on Don is called city of Saint Dimitri from Rostov. It was at first full name of the Cossack stanitsa and defending castle. In Catherine times Russia was growing in new territories opening new Cossack, German or Armenian settlements. These pioneer times were very similar perhaps like discovering Australia or American Wild West. Colonial enthusiasm it was very romantic adventure for all the Russians in Caucasus and Siberia last 2 centuries.

In these times happened a legend about Catherine's favorite Graf Potiomkin, which wished to satisfy Empress by showing her how nice these new territories were and during her travels a group of actors with pictures of houses imitating real villages was traveling before that Catharine may seeing them feel happy. In fact everywhere were the empty steppes.

Dimitri of Rostow according some polish sources is an author of "Russian Hagiography" made with same style as "Zywoty Swietych" of polish hagiographer, bible translator and famous scientist Jakub Wujek. Dimitri was influenced very much by Catholics, he venerated Holly Heart of Jesus, he was praying much and even died on his knees. He was living and died in Rostov the Great near Moscow and never dreamed to have a city in his name somewhere in deep south.

Actually Rostov has one million and half citizens. In 2000 in that city was established one of seven small capitals of Russia according new vertical of power created by Putin.

Under Rostov we have such places in Caucasus as: Kalmyk Republic, Dagestan, Chechen Republic, Ingush Republic, North Osetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Adygeya, Krasnodar Land, Stavropol Land, and Cherkess Republic etc. There are except religious and national conflicts also many acts of: terrorism, kidnappings, selling people etc.

From Lermontow or Graf Tolstoy times, Russian expansion has the same colors and difficulties there. Presence of peaceful activities of Christians is very urgent. There are so many sects which successfully act. Orthodox Priests as ever much more care about own political and material position so people is like sheep without a pastor.

Actual church activities we may compare with Graf Potiomkin efforts to make a show, but not fundamental missionary activities. Actual rulers do not permit us to work seriously and successfully.

Fr. Jaroslaw Wisniewski

14 February 2005, Makeevka-Donbas-Ukraine