Once on the feast of St. Nicholas in the St. Nicholas-Khamovnichesky Church, parishioners who stood until the end of the all-night vigil were given a special reward. The bell rang, the central doors opened, and Metropolitan Chrysostom of Myra of Lycia entered the temple with his retinue and escort. Without vesting, he went to the altar, venerated the altar, and after the dismissal of the first hour, addressed a brief word of greeting to the people.
Before us stood the living successor in the department of St. Nicholas! We were happy. The Metropolitan said a good, inspired word, blessed the people with a general blessing and went to the exit. According to the Russian subdeaconal habit, both I and the second deacon began to move the people aside so that the Metropolitan could freely walk to the door. Bishop Myra of Lycia stopped, began to say something to the translator, and he translated for us:
— The Metropolitan says that there is not a single parishioner in his church, only tourists visit the temple. He is so glad that our Russian believers do not let him out of the temple. Let them push him, and he will bless everyone.
We stepped aside and decided that if His Eminence asks, then indeed, let his parishioners push him…
Author: Archpriest Sergius Pravdolyubov
Holy Land Charitable Foundation
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