Voronezh priest powerlifts 300 kg barbell while serving disabled community

If you were to bump into him accidentally, say in a store, you«d never guess that this ruggedly handsome man had just taken off his cassock half an hour ago. Father Alexiy — secular name Alexey Goncharov — »shatters stereotypes« of the typical priestly image. Moreover, he believes that a priest shouldn»t sport a belly or a feigned solemn expression, and that caring for physical beauty and health is as important as spiritual care.

Father Alexiy is the young rector of the Church of St. George the Victorious in Voronezh, the only one in the region where services are held for people with disabilities. There are special tactile icons, and the Holy Scripture is read in sign language. The whole country learned about Goncharov after a video spread online: he — right in his cassock — easily lifts a 200-kilogram (441 lb) barbell at a sports festival in Samara. And the fame of the «turbo priest» from Voronezh spread across all of Russia. Although for Father Alexiy, this is a warm-up — he has lifted weights up to 325 kg (717 lb).

At the sports club «Turbo Rusich,» which Goncharov heads, powerlifting is practiced not only by professional athletes but also by people with disabilities — and even children. This is not just a club — it«s a whole philosophical movement.