The domes of St. Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral catch the eye, and all is lovely and still this Thursday. Only a handful of people are to be seen. Two of the faithful settle on a bench across from the church and engage in intense conversation with a priest. Two more depart the cathedral. Facing the door, they cross themselves and then walk silently down the steps toward their waiting car.
Peace settles across the complex like a soft blanket.
Farther along the corridor, in the Freewood Acres section of the township, the scene is equally tranquil at the three Tibetan Buddhist temples maintained by the Kalmyk community, established here in the early 1950s. The Orthodox cathedral and the Buddhist temples are emblematic of the diverse religious nature of the township. Former Councilwoman Pauline Smith, who has lived in Howell for 37 years, thinks Howell is one of the most religiously diverse communities of the Jersey Shore, something that pleases her to no end. We've always been a welcoming community, warm and comfortable. Over the decades, the township has welcomed, among others, large numbers of Russians and Kalmyks who fled communism in their homelands in successive waves.