One day, in 1988, a blind pilgrim from Moscow came to our monastery. She so impressed me with her strong and bright faith that I could not resist asking how she came to believe. And I wrote down her wonderful story.
During the Great Patriotic War, I was a scout at the front. She was brave, too. They sent us on a mission once. We crossed the front line, delved into the rear of the enemy and, having successfully completed the task, returned to their own. But not far from the front line we were surrounded by fascists. A fight ensued. We didn’t have enough bullets and grenades to last long. The commander of the group gave the order to disperse and break through one by one. But how to break through if the fascists are behind, and in front of the front line, there is a large minefield. We did not know where the passages were, but to go at random is certain death.
I was an unbeliever, although I was baptized. As time passed, the Nazis had already pinned us to the minefield, and we knew it was the end.
Suddenly, from somewhere, there was an old man in a half-coat, with a machine gun — such a gray, with a beard.
He waved his hand and shouted:
— Hey, who’s after me — pray to the Lord!
And I was already saying goodbye to life, and thinking of my unbelief, suddenly in despair I cried out: “If only the call of this old man could teach me!”
But where did it come from? After all, this is clearly not our scout brother — we are all in the mud, stripped (through the swampy forest we made our way), and he, an old man, is so clean, in a half-coat new. So he turned around and walked silently through a minefield — and I followed him! Around the bullets whistle, and we walk, invisible, and passed through the minefield. And when they got to theirs, my guide suddenly disappeared.
Since then, the question has haunted me: what was this mysterious savior?
And after the war I went into the church and saw the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. I knew who had led me through the minefield.
That’s how I came to believe. And how could it be otherwise, if the saint himself led me to the faith?
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