It was searched. They said that it was particularly exciting to take a tour of the forest soaked in pain and heroism for real professionals, people who daily come into contact with the greatest monuments of history, architecture and spirituality of the Russian North. Talking about those September days, about the fate of missing soldiers to colleagues of this level is a great honor and a great responsibility. The memorial place “Height 168.5” was visited by employees of the State Historical, Architectural and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve “Kizhi”. The eyes of the audience, their sincere interest and deep understanding of the price paid for our freedom, have been the best reward for us.
This was the beginning of a wonderful tradition of mutual support. The Kizhi Museum made our foundation and everyone who honors the memory of the defenders of Petrozavodsk a truly priceless gift – they gave us images of icons.
Thanks to this help, the chapel, erected by searchers on the site of the death of hundreds of Red Army soldiers, found its “heaven”. This year it was filled with special solemnity and grace: there appeared a “holiday series” and several holy images for the “local row”, created on the images of the Transfiguration Church of Kizhi Island.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the management and staff of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve. Special words of gratitude to the director of the museum Elena Bogdanova for sensitivity, understanding the importance of our search work and invaluable help in obtaining images of icons. Many thanks to Nadezhda Kuusela for professional advice, patience and attention to detail in the design of icons for our little chapel.
Now the place where blood was shed in 1941 is consecrated with holy images that bring light and consolation. For us searchers, this is a sign that we are doing everything for good. The memory of the heroes of the 313th Division lives not only in the yellowed archival documents and found medallions, but also in the hearts of people, in the culture of our region, which they helped us to preserve and multiply.
