Lipovenesc, the photographer's project "adopted" by the Jurilovca community

Marian Sterea came to spend Easter in the Delta, and now he is renovating a house built in 1893

“The Lipovenesc Project started from a love of beauty, but especially from the curiosity to discover a culture that I didn't know much about. Thus, I slowly, easily fell more and more in love with the Lipovenesc area of ​​Dobrogea.”

Who is Marian Sterea? 

To get to know each other better, I'll start with what I like to do. I like horses, I like riding and probably, in the near future, I'll buy one. I'm passionate about the caval, a Romanian wind instrument used especially by shepherds who sang their longing when they were away from home for a long time. I find myself most in nature and I like the destinations in Romania , without choosing them. Simply, sometimes I go for a walk, with a destination chosen at random. I haven't forgotten, I'm a photographer! Event, family and portrait photography are the main categories that suit me. I've been practicing this profession for more than 10 years and in 10 years I would still see myself as a photographer, probably with a different approach.

How did an event photographer become a promotional agent for a town in the Danube Delta?

My wife Dana and I, when we want to relax, we don't go overseas, but we choose to wander around Dobrogea, this magical land that transforms from one week to the next throughout the year and makes you discover a different story every time. You can't help but fall in love with Jurilovca, picturesque old houses, opening to the Razelm-Sinoe Lagoon makes it special, as do the fortresses in the area that complete the fairytale landscape, the local gastronomy, the traditions preserved by the Lipovans and just a stone's throw from the Black Sea . What more could you want?

How did the Lipovenesc project start?

The Lipovenesc project started from a love for beauty, but especially from the curiosity to discover a culture that I didn't know much about. Thus, I easily, easily came to explore as much as possible and fall more and more in love with the Lipovenesc area of ​​Dobrogea.

Being an ethnic group of Slavic origins, the Lipovian Russians are the descendants of the Starovers, i.e. followers of the Old Rite Orthodox faith in Russia, who left their homeland in the 1652th-1658th centuries, following the schism in the Official Russian Church, as a tragic consequence of the reform of cult initiated by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (father of Peter the Great) and Patriarch Nikon of Russia (1654-1667). The reform, started in XNUMX, which aimed to modify the church ritual, was adopted by the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in XNUMX. Those who did not obey the new canons were anathematized, being considered heretics, rascals (erroneously called so, because they did not they were the ones who initiated the schism)

The Lipovi community is quite closed. How did you manage to make these tough Delta people into characters in your photos?

I knew it was a closed community, but that they are warm people if they understand that you mean well and want to discover them. We were lucky with our friends Alina and Alex, who invited us to spend Easter with them in 2018. We went to the Church in Sarichioi for the Prohod service, but also on Easter day.

I was captivated by how the warm light of the candles fell on people's faces and they welcomed us with warmth in their hearts, and that made me want to discover them even more. I think that was the moment I fell head over heels in love with this community.

Why a house in Jurilovca and what destination will it have?

We traveled all over Dobrogea for 8 months looking for the perfect place. We contacted everyone who had houses for sale in the area but we couldn't find the perfect place, all this until one day when the stars aligned. We arrived in front of the house, where we met the owner. When we entered, we realized that this was where we wanted our place to be. Luckily for us, the house was sold with absolutely everything inside, old photos, furniture, birth and marriage certificates, absolutely everything. For starters, we want it to be our country home, where we can offer unforgettable experiences to everyone who crosses our threshold.

For us, it was more a work of the soul and not of expense, of course we could not have afforded an enormous investment, but we also had the understanding of the owner who agreed to pay in installments. What can I say, everything is connected!

Every year, you bring dozens of photographers to the Danube Delta for a training course. What is the impact of their photos once they reach the social media pages?

In my case, marketing was an intuitive thing, not something I studied in college and then applied in my field. I can say that the feedback has been great because people are thirsty for quality images that convey emotions. 

Although you are not a travel agent, how do you see your vacation at Jurilova? What must not be missed by the tourist who arrives in this area?

There are many areas that should not be missed, such as Gura Portiței. For those who do not know, Gura Portiței is a coastal cordon that separates the lagoon from the sea, an isolated area of ​​rare beauty. A kayaking trip to Capul Doloșman, a bike ride to Enisala where the most beautiful sunsets in Dobrogea are, the local gastronomy is not to be neglected, and sport fishing can be an option in this area.

A project like yours should go beyond Romania's borders. How many times have you been called by someone from the Ministry of Tourism to make you a collaboration proposal?

Up to this point, I have not been contacted by anyone from the Ministry of Tourism, but I have had the support and appreciation of the authorities in Jurilovca and the Lipovean Russian Community in Romania , to whom I thank. At the moment, the most active entity in terms of promoting the Danube Delta is the Danube Delta Tourist Destination Management Association. They promote quality tourism, and they also emphasize the experiences of those who visit the Danube Delta. Also, the locals have understood that for a coherent development of tourism, more is needed than… a little seasoned with a drink.

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Lipovenesc, the photographer's project "adopted" by the Jurilovca community. Marian came to spend Easter in the Delta, and now she is renovating a house from 1893