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Russia's Valaam Island: A Place Of Pilgrimage And Impending Evictions

Russia's Valaam Island has been a destination for religious pilgrims for hundreds of years. A 14th-century monastery and the natural beauty of Lake Ladoga have attracted visitors including tsars and presidents. But in recent decades, the remote island has been at the center of legal disputes. The monastery and the rest of island's property were returned to the Orthodox Church in the postcommunist era, and officials are now using their authority to evict most long-term residents who are not connected with the church.

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