Not far from Moscowthere is a village with a strange name "Island".Now it is hard to believe but according to legends, this settlement turned froman ordinary village into an island surrounded by water, becoming some kind ofan ark due to a annual flood of the Moscow-river. The first mention of the Island occurred in Ivan Kalita's ecclesiastical papers inthe fourteenth century. In the sixteenth century Ivan the Fifthbuilt there a church that became monarchic. In 1992 the churchceased to be a collective farm warehouse and started functioning with the leadof reverend father Leonid Grilihes. He has lived there ever since. Near thechurch stands his two-storey house kept by mother Maria and where, though itcan sound old-fashioned, guests are always welcome.
Reverend father Leonid and mother Mariahave 3 daughters, 2 sons and 6 grandchildren, who every year along withnumberless friends of the family gathering their house to celebrate Christianfeasts. And while the reverend father pontificates, mother with guests decidedto stay at home prepares feast dishes, which occupy the whole long hall on thesecond floor during the feast-days. After that father Leonid comes back fromservice, takes the top of the table and feast begins.
Reverend father Leonid and mother Mariahave 3 daughters, 2 sons and 6 grandchildren, who every year along withnumberless friends of the family gathering their house to celebrate Christianfeasts. And while the reverend father pontificates, mother with guests decidedto stay at home prepares feast dishes, which occupy the whole long hall on thesecond floor during the feast-days. After that father Leonid comes back fromservice, takes the top of the table and feast begins.
part of the ongoing long-term project "Russian Feasts"
