Russian man builds church of snow for village without chapel

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In this image made from video, a chapel made of snow is seen in Sosnovka, Russia, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017. Sosnovka resident Alexander Batyokhtin has built a church in this village in Siberia made entirely of snow. Batyokhtin was constructing the chapel each day for nearly two months even temperatures plunged below minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit). He used 12 cubic metres (424 cubic feet) of snow to make it in the village in the Omsk region. (AP Photo)

SOSNOVKA, Russia – A village in Siberia that did not have a church until this winter is getting a lesson in faith and life’s ephemeral nature.

Sosnovka resident Alexander Batyokhtin spent nearly two months building a village church entirely out of snow. The structure will vanish with the season.

Batyokhtin worked on the chapel every day, even when temperatures plunged below minus 30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit.) He used 12 cubic metres (424 cubic feet) of snow to make it.

Batyokhtin says the work wasn’t difficult. His biggest challenges were fashioning the altar and a cross for the roof.

“The main thing is to say a prayer and keep a fast for some time, then just go and do it,” he says.

Sosnovka administrator Yuriy Kirsh says the church “means a lot to our hearts and souls” despite being temporary.

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