"Saratov, a jewel along the Volga" a Saratov Travel Page by Upstate1NY

My first night in Saratov I was still on EDT from New York state. I awoke "bright eyed and bushy tailed" at 2:00 am. I lay gazing at my window at what at first I mistook for the sun. I discovered the "glow" was a beautifully lighted church, just across the plaza from the Solvakia Hotel, only after I got home and read more about Saratov did I find out that this was a famous Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In the morning I could see Trinity Cathedral across the plaza, in all it's glory; but I could also see, "on a hill far away", what appeared to be a cross. I did not ask about this immediatly or directly. My six weeks in St. Petersburg had taught me that while Russians personally where generally people of great personal ethics with "hints" of faith expressed by a cross on a neclace chain, they were wary of talking about that to a westerner. It seems they assumed that an American especially would "look askance" at outward expression of faith. People would only "open up" and talk when I memtioned my church, singing in the choir and being an ordained Decon. THEN, the gates opened up with shared expressions of apperciation of faith.

I had spotted Saratov Catherdral from the base of the memorial when we visited. My friend had to work on Sunday (such is the "lot" of doctors!). I took myself to church only to discover that it was "Standing Room Only" all the way to the street! I GLADLY waited in line, marveling over the number and ages of those wanting to attend church service that they were willing to wait in line half an hour or more to get into the church. (The line was growing faster that people could get in!)