Fedorovtsy is the Russian Orthodox commune. It appeared in 1922 as a part of the Underground Church, the movement refused the official Russian Orthodox Church, collaborated with the Soviet state. Members refused to take part in Soviet life and organizations or enroll to the army. They tried to live simple life by subsistence farming and don’t save up the property. Most of them spend years in prisons but kept the old peasant’s lifestyle, relationships and culture disappeared in most of the Russian countryside. Especially they keep tradition of spiritual songs.

Now commune is dying out. In 1970 it numbered about 120 members, in 2008 about 30, and most of them are very old.

In contrast to most of the Russian Orthodox underground and old-believers communities Fedorovtsy are open to strangers. Guests are welcome – especially interested in Russian Orthodoxy or old-believer’s culture. Fedorovtsy are very hospitable and nobody there will ask you for any help - but actually if you can help them in the garden it will be great.

The commune has no telephone but you can come there without an invitation. To get there you have to take a night train to Voronezh (about 10 hours trip from Moscow, Paveletsky train station). Then you have to take a local bus or a taxi (about $5) to the Voronezh central bus station. There you’ll take a bus to Tishanka (about 3 hours). It goes to towns Talovaya or Buturlinovka via Anna. Tishanka is between Anna and Talovaya. Actually Tishanka is a group of villages and khutors. The commune locates in a distant village named Staraya Tishanka (The Old Tishanka). It’s 12 kilometers West from the bus stop. You have to ask local people. Staraya Tishanka is the last point of the local bus which goes twice a day. If you will come to Voronezh until 9am and so come to Tishanka until 1pm - you probably have a chance to take it. Otherwise you'll need to walk or hitchhike. In Staraya Tishanka you have to find the part named Tot Bok. The post office is the best place to ask.

Nobody speaks English in that area - probably except English teachers in local schools. But there are some friends of the commune living in Moscow. May be we can accompany you in the trip. In English write shura.burtin (at) gmail.com, in German - sergey.bykovskyj (at) gmail.com