I'm glad I found your video tonight. I was at the Smithsonian presentation in 1995 as a guest of Professor Margarita Mazo from The Ohio State University who arranged the presentation "Russian Roots, American Branches." I video taped as much as I could during the several days I was there. I thank God that Fr. Pimen Simon graciously took the time on a very hot and humid summer day to speak with me for a few moments. I was still an Episcopalian at the time but was considering conversion to the Orthodox church. Fr. Pimen's advice was the turning point for me. In Columbus, where I lived, there was no Russian Orthodox parish but there was a Serbian parish where I officially converted on January 6 (New style). I found the devotion to old ways appealing especially because the Episcopal church seemed to change "eternal truths" with the wind. I wanted a stable and traditional faith. Although the Old Believer community was never part of my life the experience in 1995 changed my life forever. I live now in Cincinnati and attend St. George Russian Orthodox parish. Perhaps in the future I can edit some of the video recordings I made and share them on RU-vid.
My husband and I were on our way up to Buffalo, and since he went to Gannon U briefly, he wanted to stop in Erie. We are Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics and we noticed the onion domes in the distance and drove toward them. This is where we first saw your church. We didn't know there were any Old Believers in the US. The video was very interesting; I went to your website and noticed you had a yearly Troika Festival in May. I hope there will be one in 2023; we will absolutely attend.
