The Church of the Holy Spirit was built in 1900 - 1905 in a small village Talashkino, in the estate of a philanthropist Maria Tenisheva who was a great patron of avant-garde artists. A famous artist Nicholas Roerich was invited to fresco its walls. The church walls were inlaid with mosaic according to Roerich’s sketches. His frescoes are unique and differ very much from traditional church painting. The fact is that during the early 1910s, Nicholas Roerich developed an interest in eastern religions. His commitment to occult mysticism steadily increased. The influence of Theosophy, Buddhism, Vedanta and other mystical strains of thought can be seen in many of his paintings, including his frescoes for the Church of the Holy Spirit in Talashkino.