Facade of the Moskvina Old Believers’ Prayer House Restored

In September, restoration work on the façade walls of the locally significant architectural monument – the Moskvina Old Believers’ Prayer House – was completed. The work was financially supported by the Rietumu Bank Charity Fund, the Preiļi Municipality Council, and donors.

Peter Romanov, chairman of the Moskvina congregation, explained that the old paint was removed from the façade walls, which were then cleaned, primed and painted. The decorative wooden elements of the façade, wooden window frames and foundation flashing were also replaced, and other minor cosmetic work was carried out, including painting the windows and doors. Only minor work to improve the foundation remains. The work could not be completed as quickly as planned because of the rainy and damp weather this summer. More paint than planned also had to be used because the dry, cleaned wood absorbed it like a sponge. However, the congregation members hope that, following this work, the paint will last for another 25–30 years.

The work also revealed interesting historical facts: an expert examination established that over its nearly 150 years of existence, the church has been painted four times – originally yellow, then blue, grey and light grey. Although of a different quality, the original colour resembles the current shade, particularly in the upper part of the building. 

 

The congregation extends its heartfelt thanks for the support provided by Rietumu Bank, the Preiļi Municipality Council, donors, congregation members and everyone who supports the Moskvina Prayer House and helped with the restoration work. The total project cost was approximately 7,000 euros. It received more than 4,700 euros in support through the “Sacred Heritage of Latvia” project competition organised by the Rietumu Bank Foundation; the Preiļi Municipality Council provided co-financing amounting to 15% of the project cost (994 euros), while the remaining amount was covered by donations. 

The Moskvina Old Believers’ congregation also plans, with support from donors, to insulate the corridors because, as the chairman explained, elderly people often rest there by sitting in the corridors during services, but the area is draughty and cold. In preparation for the 290th anniversary of the congregation, which will be celebrated in 2019, the congregation also plans to restore the fence around the Prayer House, which is in critical condition. It is also necessary to build a car park next to the Prayer House, as many people visit the church during services or funerals, while public transport, passenger cars and heavy vehicles pass by. The congregation’s chairman noted that a preliminary design and cost estimate for the construction of the car park had already been prepared. 

Content Editor of the Preiļi Municipality Council website