Lubov Sosina (left) and Feodor Neudakhin, both presbyters, or leaders of a local Christian congregation, say a prayer to a Georgian Molokan community during the celebration of Transfiguration Day on Aug. 19th in Tbilisi. Molokans - Russian for "milk drinkers" - stem from a Russian sectarian Christian group that split from the Russian Orthodox Church during the early 17th Century. In the mid 1800s, tens of thousands of Molokans were expelled from mainland Russia into the Caucasus.
Although the Molokan religion prohibits women from preaching, in Georgia, where the number of Molokans has decreased from 10,000 to several hundred since independence from the Soviet Union, the community has no choice. In recent decades, young Molokans have left Georgia, returning to ancestral lands in Russia. So despite Sosina being the married
77-year-old daughter of a deceased presbyter, the community has preferred to have her act as a religious leader instead of her husband. “Probably I was more worthy,” she says jokingly.
Temo Bardzimashvili is a freelance photojournalist based in Tbilisi.
Ramadan is the month-long festival considered to be the most important in the Islamic faith, during which many fast throughout the day in order to reflect and worship. Ramazan, as it is called in Turkish, is celebrated in Istanbul as a joyous festival with daily events held around the city peaking at Iftar, the meal at sundown that signals the end of the daily fast.
Many Istanbulites have been taking Iftar outside to beat the summer heat, making this a very difficult and long Ramadan. Due to the long summer days of August, those who fast are not supposed to eat, drink or smoke from roughly sunrise at 5 a.m. until sunset after 8:30 p.m.Though not all Turks fast, the trend seems to be growing.
Monique Jaques is a freelance photojournalist working in Turkey and Afghanistan.
Two boys restrain a mare as a butcher prepares to slaughter her on July 23 for a Kyrgyz wedding. Never ridden and thus more tender and costly, she fed more than 200 people at the Bishkek celebration the next day.
The butcher has a full-service slaughterhouse in Bishkek’s western suburbs, roasting the ribs and rumps and stuffing the intestines as sausages, all within 24 hours, and then delivering to the wedding venue. Horse meat is slightly sweeter than beef or lamb, and lower in fat, but pricey. This horse cost roughly $1000. Though a popular part of the Kyrgyz diet, due to the cost and size of the animal, horse meat is often reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and funerals.
The slaughter, cooking and delivery cost was $90.
David Trilling is the Central Asia news editor for EurasiaNet.
Yerevan is hosting the Golden Apricot Film Festival from July 11 to 18, attracting international thespians, including Italian actor Claudia Cardinale (top), and directors, including American film maker Rob Nilsson (center). The festival will screen more than 125 films from more than 35 countries, including Iraq, Japan, Bosnia, United States, Venezuela and Iceland. Awards will be handed out best feature film, best documentary and best Armenian film, including “Dialogues” by director Gagik Ghazare (second from bottom).
Anahit Hayrapetyan is a freelance photojournalist based in Yerevan.
