June 22, 2010

A Ukrainian Monastery and Its Orphanage


Форпост from Yordan Vasilev on Vimeo.

The documentary above titled "Outpost" is about a Priest-Monk named Mikhail Jar that established, with four other monks, the Holy Monastery of the Holy Resurrection in the village Banchen, near Chernigov, Ukraine. He is appointed guardian to 29 children in the orphanage he built in 1994 and has 3 children of his own from his pre-monastic life. Some children at the orphanage have special needs. The little baby in the beginning of the movie walking between monks during the service was diagnosed with AIDS. He was healed through the prayers of the monks and this boy was able to move into the orphanage. There is also a mute child who communicates with the Priest through hand movements. The Priest has worked so hard that he has suffered heart attacks, but he keeps giving all of himself for these children. This is a Russian documentary film which has won major awards at several international film festivals. Though it is in Russian, you really do not need to understand it to enjoy it.