The head of the Russian Orthodox church--the official state religion of Russia, has died. It's like the Pope dying for Roman Catholics, I suppose. Happened several days ago, apparently.
And do you want to know how I found out?
Yesterday, I was lost and looking for a McDonald's (as an aside, about fifty percent of my Moscow stories seem to begin with me "lost, looking for a McDonald's", so from this point onward I will abbreviate this situation as LLFAM. Should save some time.)
Anyway, I was wandering down the street, and noticed a crowd of people lining the sidewalk. I wondered if it could be an accident, but there were too many people, and they were staring a little TOO intently. I mean, the people were lined up at least three deep, and standing on window sills. Curious, I removed my headphones and was greeted by almost no sound at all. It was eerily silent. Just the sound of fat raindrops hitting hundreds of umbrellas. Then the church bells began. Initially, I just heard the bells nearby, but then noticed th at between peals, you could hear the bells of all the other churches in the area and beyond, clanging away as what I assumed by now was a funeral procession made its way through crowded central Moscow.
So I stayed, and I waited. I waited for as long as I could in the cold rain, the bells, and the wordlessness, before I had to head to class. Though every once in awhile, I could hear the snatches of a conversation, and over and over the word "stranne" (strange). And it was. But still, I didn't know to whom we were all paying our respects.
Finally, I heard it and honed in--English. I waited until the gentleman was off his phone, and then asked him to explain what was going on. He told me, and asked what I was doing in the city, to which I reply that I live here, but can't really watch the news or read the papers, so hadn't heard of this.
It was, apparently, a very big deal for many here. And whether you cared or not, the news was everywhere, apparently.
I had no clue.
None.
And just as I begin to believe that my life is becoming normal and simple here, I realise how very far from possible that will for me, for a very long time.
And do you want to know how I found out?
Yesterday, I was lost and looking for a McDonald's (as an aside, about fifty percent of my Moscow stories seem to begin with me "lost, looking for a McDonald's", so from this point onward I will abbreviate this situation as LLFAM. Should save some time.)
Anyway, I was wandering down the street, and noticed a crowd of people lining the sidewalk. I wondered if it could be an accident, but there were too many people, and they were staring a little TOO intently. I mean, the people were lined up at least three deep, and standing on window sills. Curious, I removed my headphones and was greeted by almost no sound at all. It was eerily silent. Just the sound of fat raindrops hitting hundreds of umbrellas. Then the church bells began. Initially, I just heard the bells nearby, but then noticed th at between peals, you could hear the bells of all the other churches in the area and beyond, clanging away as what I assumed by now was a funeral procession made its way through crowded central Moscow.
So I stayed, and I waited. I waited for as long as I could in the cold rain, the bells, and the wordlessness, before I had to head to class. Though every once in awhile, I could hear the snatches of a conversation, and over and over the word "stranne" (strange). And it was. But still, I didn't know to whom we were all paying our respects.
Finally, I heard it and honed in--English. I waited until the gentleman was off his phone, and then asked him to explain what was going on. He told me, and asked what I was doing in the city, to which I reply that I live here, but can't really watch the news or read the papers, so hadn't heard of this.
It was, apparently, a very big deal for many here. And whether you cared or not, the news was everywhere, apparently.
I had no clue.
None.
And just as I begin to believe that my life is becoming normal and simple here, I realise how very far from possible that will for me, for a very long time.
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