Despite naive claims by Billy Graham that the Church in the .Soviet Union is “a free church,” the persecution of Christians continues there unabated. Literally thousands are languishing in concentration camps under in human conditions. The Soviet economy depends on the “free” labor of these slaves-New Testament Israelites forced to work under the painful sting of Pharoah’s whip. These slaves are not only men, but also women, and children.
Swept up in a recent wave of arrests, a young Russian Orthodox woman, Natalya Lazarevo, is facing a possible sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment and 5 years’ internal exile. The story of her life is very moving and deserves the attention of all Orthodox in the West, not only as an inspiring example of courage and fearless confession of Christ in word and deed–but also as a fervent plea to those of us still in freedom to act quickly on her behalf. Details of her life have been made known to the West thanks to fellow members of the “Maria” Club (see “Orthodox America” Sept. 1981) who were expelled from the USSR a few years ago and now conduct their activity from West Germany.
Natalya Lazarevowas born in 1947. Her mother was constantly ill due to injuries suffered during the war and was frequently hospitalized. Natalya was raised in the atheist. environment of state-run children’s homes. Although she was sent at an early age to work in a factory, she managed to complete secondary school where she showed a marked artistic talent. She entered the Leningrad Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography and spent the next few years living from hand to mouth, caring for her invalid mother with whom she shared a damp basement room. Poor living conditions and an inadequate diet took their toll on the health of the young student and since that time Natalya has suffered, albeit unmurmuringly, from rheumatic pains and an ulcer.
Upon graduating from the Institute where she specialized in puppet theater, Natalya was fortunate to find part-time work teaching children pottery and drawing. Unfortunately this lasted less than a year due to lack of funds. In order to avoid arrest as a “parasite”–which threatens all unemployed workers in the USSR—she was forced to get a job as a stoker at a gas works. She continued giving art lessons free of charge to some of the more talented of her former pupils. One of these was the son of the poetess and woman’s rights activist, Julia Voznesenskaya. A close friendship developed and Natalya often visited Julia after work. Tired, with a greyish pallor and glassy eyes after working amid noxious fumes, Natalya would come to life when the conversation turned to art, the communication of ideas, Her soul ached for the freedom to express the truth and she was able in part to satisfy this need through her art, if not in reality, at least in her dreams which always remained full of hope.
Like so many young adults in the Soviet Union in the last 20 years, both women were converted to Christianity. Natalya was baptized in 1975 and her newly discovered faith became the focus of her life. Another “Maria” Club member wrote about Natalya: “Her religious strivings and purity of soul daily revealed themselves in her generosity, openness and a readiness to help others. Living as a pauper herself, she joyfully gave out her earnings to friends,”
Typical of her generosity is one incident in which-Julia gave Natalya money to buy herself a coat; winter was coming and she didn’t even have a fall coat, let alone a winter one. The next day Natalya came smiling to Julia, her arms full of paintbrushes, art pads, and all sorts of material for her young art pupils. She could not live without sharing with others.
In March, 1980, Natalya became one of the founders of the “Maria” Club. It was not long before the authorities brought pressure against the members of this independent Orthodox women’s group. Some were expelled to the West and in September of that year, Natalya was arrested. Thanks to some noisy protest from the West, she received a surprisingly light sentence–10 months. During her trial she conducted herself with calm and courage. “When the judge demanded to know why Lazarevo asserted that the lot of women in the Soviet Union is an exceptionally hard one, she replied simply, “Because I cannot say that black is white.” Her period in camp, among women forced to do heavy physical work and suffering from-constant hunger, was marked by a great deal of truly Christian, selfless activity. She wrote letters and protests against unjust treatment and sentences for women who could not do this themselves, gave them moral support and shared her meager rations with them’.’ (KNS)
Released from camp in October, 1981, Natalya at once resumed her activities in the “Maria” Club, Her freedom was short-lived. In March of this year she was again arrested on a charge of “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda”–most of the “incriminating evidence” was material prepared for the “Maria” Club journal. Needless to say, although she is strong in spirit today, her health is poor and a long camp sentence could be devastating. “Maria”: Club members in the West are appealing to all people of good will–and especially Christian women–to speak out in Natalya’s defense. Above all they ask that · ,we join them in praying for Natalya, that God will preserve her life, health, and most of all — her soul, her warm and loving heart.
Sources: “Three Portraits of Natalya Lazarevo” in Maria, No. 2, Frankfurt, 1982; KNS l44-l45.