Moscow, January 21, Interfax – Sergey Derevenschikov, a convict of the Rossosh penal colony, who serves a 17-year sentence for double slaying, goes “on business trips” to paint prison churches.

Back in 1997, Sergey killed a local military commander and his friend at an accidental quarrel in his native town Novovoronezh. He started serving his sentence in the Semiluki strict regime colony. Soon colony authorities paid attention to his artistic talents and sent Derevenschikov to paint prison Church of St. Nicholas, the Express-Gazeta reports.

Some time later, the convicted painter was sent to a “business trip” to paint St. Nicholas Church in a strict regime colony in Pereleshino village. After two years of work, the Voronezh and Borisoglebsk Diocese granted Sergey a merit certificate for church painting.

“When I get released, I will paint churches. I decided it for sure and not only because I’m a believer. I just can’t give it up. And as to my past life, I know that I’m guilty and I’m still impressed that prison punishment has given a new impulse to my life,” Sergey says.