Doors Open Day was held at all kinds of religious organizations of the Orenburg region. The unusual event marked the World Religion Day established by the United Nations in 1950, as a reminder of the need for harmony and understanding between religions and faiths. Today there are about 4,200 different religions around the world. The main idea of the World religion day is “Religion is there to unite people, not alienate them”.

On that Sunday, January 16, 2022, Orenburg region authorities decided it would be a good idea to hold a Doors Open Day in various religious institutions. Anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, had a chance to visit any kind of religious institution. Anyone could enter a Christian church, or a mosque, or a synagogue, to see what it looks like, how it is built and arranged. Visitors also had an opportunity to learn more about the history of religious beliefs and organizations in the region. 

In a village of Akbulak, an educational tour of the new church dedicated to the Holy Intercession of the Mother of God was also organized for the wider public. About 70 students of a Akbulak secondary school, 20 people of the school’s teaching staff, as well as accompanying persons and parents of the students, visited the new church.

The visitors were greeted by the rector of the parish, the dean of the Akbulak district, priest Vadim Tatus. Father Vadim gave a tour of the church, briefly told the history of Orthodoxy and the history of the construction of the church in the village of Akbulak, then focused on architectural features and decoration of the church, and answered numerous questions.