Salacgrīva St. Arsenuis Ortodox Church

Ortodox Congregation began to function in Ainaži in 1889. There always have been few representatives of Russian nationality in Ainaži town. But a long time ago the Russian tsar promised to give land to those people who would accept ortodox religion. And so many latvians and estonians became the members of ortodox church.

In 1893 The Riga Spiritual Consistory awarded the Ainaži parish 24,500 rubles. for the construction of an Orthodox church, school and rectory. The church was built during one year, from 1894 to 1895. year. The church parish was very active during the years of independent Latvia. The activities of the church were stopped during the years of soviet occupation from 1958. The regalia of the church were kept in Salacgriva ortodox congregation. During the 2nd World War the church lost its bell. It was removed and melted down to make gun shots for the needs of German troops.

The congregation regained its church in 1995. The inside of the church was restored and the altar, which was completely destroyed, was reconstructed, the regalia were brought back from Salacgriva. Alexander, the archbishop of the Orthodox Church in Riga and all over Latvia, gave the church new 200 kg and 700 kg bells.
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