A continuation of an interview with a Russian dissident, Alexander Ogorodnikov
In the last issue, we told the story of how Alexander Ogorodnikov, an atheist, found his way to God and to the Church. At first the devout Christians could not believe that he was genuine. But they accepted him and then he began to spread the Goodnews fearlessly-resulting in many strange events. One of which we recount here.
An interview with Russian dissident Alexander Ogorodnikov
Alexander Ogorodnikov was born in the Soviet Union in 1950. At age 17, he was a lathe operator at a clock factory. Three years later he began philosophy studies at the University of the Urals in Sverdlovsk, only to be expelled in 1971 for “a dissident way of thinking”. He then went to Moscow where he studied at the Institute of Cinematography. He founded the Christian Seminary in 1974. From 1978 he was a prisoner, finally released at the order of Gorbachev. Since his return to Moscow, he founded the Christian-Democratic Union of Russia and the Christian Mercy Society, a group assisting the hungry and homeless with a special concern for children and adolescents. The group following conversation with him was recorded in Amsterdam on April 25 following the Liturgy at St. Nicholas of Myra Russian Orthodox Church.
