Yakut Artists Bring the Book of Ecclesiastes to Life in Historic Recording

A new audio recording of the Book of Ecclesiastes is set to begin in Yakutsk on November 28. The project, organised by the Institute for Bible Translation (IBT), will take place in the Church of the Icon of the Sign at the Yakutsk Diocese. Well-known Yakut artists will lend their voices to the recording as part of wider efforts to preserve and promote biblical texts in the region.

Separately, the IBT has also finished dubbing *The Covenant*, a film featuring Old Testament passages, into the Yakut language.

The recording of Ecclesiastes will involve three respected narrators: Konstantin Semenov, Elena Potapova, and Afanasy Nikolaev. Both Semenov and Potapova hold the title of Honored Artists of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), while Nikolaev is recognised as a People’s Artist of the same republic. Their participation highlights the cultural significance of the project.

Behind the scenes, Faina Makarova will serve as the reading proofreader, ensuring accuracy in the narration. Jeanne Büthel, the theological editor, will oversee the script’s alignment with biblical texts. Shavkat Dusmatov, an IBT cameraman, will document the recording process. Meanwhile, Svetlana Leontyeva confirmed the completion of *The Covenant*’s Yakut dub. The film, which draws from Old Testament stories, received the blessing of Roman, Archbishop of Yakutsk and Lensk. Its release follows the ongoing collaboration between the IBT and local religious authorities to make scriptural content accessible in Yakut.

The audio recording of Ecclesiastes will start later this month in a historic Yakutsk church. The project brings together experienced artists and scholars to produce a faithful Yakut-language version of the biblical text. With The Covenant now fully dubbed, the IBT continues its work to expand religious and cultural materials for Yakut-speaking audiences.