How Stepan Petrovich took communion in front of the Kursk Icon and peacefully departed to another world

There was a wonderful elderly couple at our Russian Washington Temple., who came to the service every Sunday. The wife so touchingly helped her husband, And he, appreciably older than her, even at first glance was that fortress., behind which she could feel safe.

"You definitely need to get acquainted with Stepan Petrovich, who knows the whole history of Russian emigration", Our abbot told me..

"We also pray for the repose of the soul of the newly reposed servant of God Stepan", - and I get it, that is now late forever...

Alas, for some reason I was dragging everything out with that, to take father's advice: then I was embarrassed to approach, then distracted by some more pressing matters. And then at one of the services I suddenly heard: "We also pray for the repose of the soul of the newly reposed servant of God Stepan", - and understood, that is now late forever...

It happened just at that time., when the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God visited us in Washington, which General Wrangel took out of Crimea along with the last group of Russian refugees in 1920 year. She has since become An Odigitria., Guide of the Russian Diaspora. I, as it turned out, it was through her that the Theotokos performed, It's possible, inconspicuous, but an important miracle is not, no healing, but the relief of the torment of the afflicted.

Later wife of Stepan Petrovich, which I did meet, told me this touching story, which has also become instructive for me. Listening to her, first of all I understood, that our Lady Herself chooses, where to go to Her icon. Later it turned out, that she could have gone a very different route that day., but it was there, where she was waiting for her at that very moment, It's possible, most.

Everyone in the parish knew, how Stepan Petrovich loved the Kursk image. I, as it turned out, the last time he took communion was just for 10 hours before his death in his presence.

The last time he took communion was just for 10 hours before his death in the presence of the image of Our Lady so beloved by him.

- Stepan Petrovich was very much looking forward to this shrine. He was a very religious man., a true Orthodox Russian man, His wife told me.. - He had a special attitude to the Kursk icon, she was very dear to him., because she personified the tragic fate of the Russian emigration.

It's been a few years, but she remembers everything by the hour: the priest came to 5 Evening, in 6 the husband confessed and took communion, and in 4 in the morning he was gone.:

- He Confessed, took communion, and then died very easily. Two hours earlier, he had opened his eyes and said: "Kiss Me". It didn't even dawn on me., that in this way he bids me farewell.

Here's how it turned out., that Odigitria accompanied Stepan Petrovich on his last journey, and, I guess, it couldn't have been any other way.. Meeting him in the temple, I've seen, how he felt about the service, how humbly he prayed, how it stood, despite being almost 100 years old, during all prayers.

My wife said, what, when the husband during the last visit to the temple in his life because of pain did not get up during the "Lord's Prayer", she understood, that the end is near:

"He held on very courageously and was so noble., what kept me and others from feeling, how he hurts, She said.. - And he was very sensitive to the divine service., knew by heart almost the entire Bible. He had a babysitter., Russian peasant woman, who taught him, and he remembered a lot of prayers..

As it turned out much later, this story had a continuation, having learned about which, I learned another important lesson for myself.. Was, that our abbot, who carried the icon to his gravely ill parishioner, stuck in traffic jam, I was late for the service and wanted not to make a very significant detour and go straight to the church.. However, his mother, sitting next to me, asked not to change plans after all, Said: "Let's go, suddenly he dies.".

This touch seemed very important to me.. At first, I couldn't understand why.: are there few who are suffering, who cannot come to the temple and are waiting with hope for the miraculous icon to visit them. But then I suddenly remembered the Gospel story., which our abbot always pays attention to: when people brought relaxed into the house, where Christ was, but, having no other opportunity to get to Him for the crowds, dug a roof and lowered their friend from above before Him..

The Lord Healed That Man, but it would have happened., if it were not for the active faith of friends, those who do not hesitate to climb into the house, drag a stretcher there and disassemble the roof? They believed, and were rewarded for it..

I often remember my favorite words from the Gospel: "Faith Saved You". I, it seems to me, they have received confirmation in this private, in general,, stories, what happened in Washington: the priest and his mother believed, that they will have time to bring the icon to the dying parishioner, and he, together with his wife, was waiting for her very much, and before moving to another world received comfort..