Back in the U.S.S.R.- Vladikavkaz (9 min video)
Indradyumna Swami: After the freezing tundra of Siberia and the cold steppes of the Ural’s we arrived in Vladikavkaz in Southern Russia on a warm spring evening. Vladikavkaz is only 450 kilometers from the Caspian Sea, where Srila Prabhupada noted in a room conversation that the great sage Kapila Muni had his ashram in ancient times. We enjoyed several days of programs with devotees in the city and mingled with the local population. One highlight was a visit to a Christian monastery in the foothills of the nearby Caucasus mountains. We spoke at length with the head priest there who shared with us the history of the church in that region. He explained that the apostle, Saint Andre ( Andrew ) introduced Christianity in that area not long after Jesus Christ was crucified. He said at that time the area was inhabited by the Aryan race, referring to people of Vedic culture. He mentioned there was no conflict between Saint Andre and the Aryans because both believed in one God. We experienced the same harmony at our programs in Vladikavkaz which were attended by people of other faiths, including a prominent Muslim leader.