G e o_s y n_c h r o n i_c i t y

K'ala, Svaneti, July 28, 2007

Kvirikoba at last. From the bottom:

Lighting candles & sticking them to the outer walls of the church.

Women in the part of the church which they can enter.

People paying the pray-er (see hand holding up money) and bellringer to do their thing all day long, praying for each family and ringing the bell with a loud "Hamen! Hamen!". I was waiting for this to finish in the hope that after it the fabled, fabulous icon of Kririke Church would be revealed for its once-per-year viewing. Maybe it was, but as I had to walk back to Ushguli that day (3 hours of dusty, hot roads), I left too early for that event. Ah well, beter planning nexy time.

A magnificent goat being led off for sacrifice and consumption, joining many animals that day. The smoke at right is from fires with large cauldrons set over them for all that meat.