Your Guide: Father Ilya Gotlinsky
     Born in Riga, Latvia to a Russian Family, Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky (29) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 1998 by His Eminence Archbishop Peter of New York and New Jersey. He serves the parishes of the Orthodox Church in America and is currently Rector of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church in Binghamton, NY.
     His personal interests include but are not limited to reading, traveling, studies in Church History and Sacred Art.
     In the years 2001, 2002 and 2004, Fr. Ilya has been leading unique pilgrimages to Russia, for groups numbering about 20 to 30 people. Over the years he has developed his own network of contacts and thus he prepares the pilgrimages himself.

Dr. Emory Gonzales
     Says Dr. Gonzales: "As an iconographer and having visited Russia 11 times* now, I feel that I have a good understanding of what fellow travelers want to see and do there. Since Fr. Ilya is Russian and developed many excellent contacts when he was in the theological academy, this will be a unique opportunity to see and go places where very few are allowed".
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* Including 3 trips with Fr. Ilya