ABSTRACT
The Orel region of central Russia is home to almost two hundred holy springs, sites that have received increasing attention and care in the decades since the fall of the Soviet Union. This chapter considers the history and recovery of these locations, with their stories of miraculous healing and persistence in the face of adversity. Orel’s springs are distributed throughout the region, but the overwhelming majority are in rural areas, often accessible only on foot or by badly maintained roads. Soviet persecution of religious practices had two significant consequences for the springs. On the one hand, with the loss and/or destruction of religious buildings, such natural sites became even more important, often serving as places of covert baptism and the celebration of religious holidays. On the other hand, more broadly shared knowledge about the springs, their locations and the legends/histories surrounding them was often lost or intentionally concealed. These sacred sites reveal links between local memory, vernacular piety, the official church and evolving politics in the context of the Orel region. Along with evidence of pride in local history and the appearance of the miraculous in the most hidden of places, the springs and those who care for them suggest an emerging ethic of environmental care.
