KEMEROVO, December 11. /TASS/. The authorities of Russia’s Kemerovo Region are taking measures to warm up the house of Old Believer recluse Agafya Lykova, who has been living in the taiga all alone since her father died about 30 years ago, the press service of the regional administration said on Tuesday.
Reports state earlier on Tuesday, Kemerovo Region Governor Sergei Tsivilev visited the Old Believer. On Monday, she used a satellite phone to call Andrey Grishakov, member of the Russian Geographical Society and a documentary filmmaker, asking for help since she was running out of food and had no fodder left for her goats.
On Tuesday, a helicopter flew the governor to the remote taiga refuge, also airlifting food for Agafya and fodder for goats and chickens.
"The hermit revealed the house where she lives, her garden, and the grave of her father - Karp Lykov. Tsivilev noticed that the windows in the house were very old and the wind was blowing in. The governor gave orders to immediately measure the window openings and replace them," the report said.
Agafya also got a puppy from the governor as a gift. "The recluse spoke with Sergei Tsivilev, talked about how a bear was harassing her. In addition, she complained that her hand was aching. Right there was a medic on board who examined Agafya Karpovna leaving different ointments for her," the report said.
The statement referred to the governor who pledged assistance to the Old Believer from the local authorities. "She is a unique person and we will never abandon her, but will be helping her in every possible way and will sponsor Agafya Karlovna," the governor was quoted as saying.
Agafya Lykova is the only surviving member of the Lykov family that belonged to the so-called Old Believers, the section of the Russian Orthodox congregation that refused to accept the Church reforms of the mid-17th century and fell into disfavor with the hierarchs of the Church and, consequently, with the state authorities.
Repressions against the disciples of the old Orthodox rite forced hundreds of thousands of them to flee to Siberia where they would form over time strong secluded communities loyal to the pre-reform type of Orthodoxy and would give rise to a highly original culture.
Agafya’s family was tracked down in the Western Sayany mountains by a group of geologists in 1978. They went into a self-imposed exile in the rugged mountainous terrain in 1937 and severed all contacts with the outside world to save themselves and their faith from any outside, alien influence.
At the time when she was discovered, the family consisted of the Father, Karp Lykov, his sons Savvin, and Dmitry, 36, and the daughters Natalya, 42, and Agafya, 34. Three of the children died one after another in 1981 and Karp Lykov died in 1988.
Agafya Lykova and the then Governor of the Kemerovo Region, Aman Tuleyev, became friends many years ago. At his request, foodstuffs were airlifted to babushka Agafya on a regular basis.