December 8, 2010

American Family Moves To Russia To Be In A More Orthodox Environment


December 8, 2010
Interfax

Pavel and Betsy Pritup emigrated from the USA to Russia to bring up their children in the Orthodox faith. They have lived in the Karelian village Vedlozero for almost a year.

"We want to bring up our children in national Russian traditions, in Orthodoxy. We had prepared for moving and got acquainted with young families from Karelia on the Internet," the housefather was quoted as saying by the Rossiyskay Gazeta on Wednesday.

Pavel was born in a small Siberian village not far from Irkutsk, finished school in Ukraine and received higher education in the States. He got acquainted with his future wife Betsy in the University; she specialized in History, including Russian.

The two elder sons, five-year-old Nikita and tree-year-old Ilya were born in the USA, and the youngest Mikhail was born in Petrozavodsk.

"We learn with our mum every day. Here is our schedule, in English. We start the day with prayer, then math, writing and reading," Nikita says about his day, and adds that he loves Russia, but wishes "towns were cleaner."