EKATERINBURG: October 22, 2018
The Union of the Descendants of the Russians of Gallipoli opens an exhibit on the White Army

On October 27, 2018, the Union of the Descendants of the Russians of Gallipoli will open an exhibition on the White Army in Gallipoli in the city of Ekaterinburg, Russia. The show is called “God is With Us! May Russia Arise!” and will focus on the movement’s service in the diaspora.

After the opening, a pannikhida service will be held for the White warriors, after which a documentary will be screened, titled “To the Home Hearth,” on the life of Russians in the diaspora.

The exhibit will reveal to the residents of Ekaterinburg how Russian soldiers who by a turn of fate found themselves on the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli, continued to serve their Fatherland, staunchly preserving their ideals and traditions.

Archival photographs will allow visitors a glimpse of the tents the Russians lived in in Gallipoli, their meager way of life (turtle soup, pants sewn together from blankets, rancid conserves), and also witness their lofty spirituality. Despite the harsh circumstances, they established theaters and a school and erected more than ten tent-chapels. Empty cans served as candle holders, icon-stands were made from empty wooden crates, yet Divine Liturgy was regularly celebrated in the chapels, spiritually nourishing the Russian refugees.

This show is unique because it was organized by the descendants of the White Army who now live in France, Belgium, Great Britain, Australia and the USA.

During the Soviet period, the names of the participants of the White Movement were erased from history. Sadly, even in our time, the travails of the White Army is neglected and little understood. The Union of the Descendants of the Russians of Gallipoli hopes that this exhibit helps correct this historical injustice.

“For us, the opening of this exhibition on the ground which turned crimson with the blood of the Royal Martyrs in Ekaterinburg is very important. Our ancestors, our parents and grandparents, were reared in the traditions of love and respect for the Royal Family and Russia. Now their photographs will hang in this holy place for every Russian to see,” said Alexei Pavlovich Grigoriev, President of the UDRG.

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