Telling the True Story

The pictures below were painted in the basement of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in St. Petersburg, Russia after the church was restored to the congregation. It shares the basement space with the cement swimming pool that was in last week's post. The pictures tell the history of Lutherans under the Soviet control. I'll repeat the story behind the pictures.




People were brought before government officials and questioned about their faith. 



The churches were seized and desecrated by the steeple torn down or other atrocities. Children were taught that religions were bad and should not be listened to.










Men were seized and forced to go on transportation trains east to Siberia. 













During the cold winter days in Siberia, the prisoners were forced to cut trees and work in the woods for the government.






The exiles were kept in a Soviet gulag - a forced labor camp - behind a fence because they were prisoners.









With all the men shipped to Siberia, the Lutheran women had to meet in secret in homes to worship God. Church was illegal under the Soviets. 


Can you tell that the artist lived through this experience first hand? These pictures tug at your heart for the people who lived or died during this time.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Home Sweet Home" - Not American Version

The Golden Domes of Riga

Why Roosters?