Museum of Cossacks abroad to be opened in Rostov Region

The village of Starocherkasskaya, Rostov Region, has founded the first Russian museum of Cossacks abroad, with the Gate Church, where commemoration services will be held in memory of the Cossacks deceased abroad.

On October 13, the museum building with the Church of the Holy Virgin Protection was consecrated. The building also houses a library, and a picture gallery will be built next to it.

The museum visitors will be welcomed by a big map of Cossacks' exodus. The largest hall in the building is devoted to literary heritage. Here, one can see portraits of Cossack poets, such as Pyotr Krasnov and Nikolai Turoverov, Alexei Kelin (his son was present at the consecration of the church and museum) and Pavel Polyakov. There is also a portrait of Sergey Zharov, who had created the Don Cossack Choir on the Island of Lemnos, which kept touring around the world for 60 years. A maquette of the Cossack camp on this Greek island is also presented in the museum.

The appearance of such a village museum is the merit of the Non-Commercial Foundation of Cossacks Abroad and Rostov entrepreneur Igor Semyonov.

Konstantin Khokhulnukov, head of the Foundation, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "Our aim is not in propaganda of the views of the Cossacks who went abroad (it's clear that they were anti-Soviet), but in presenting the spiritual heritage created by Cossacks away from their homeland to their descendants."