This is a link to a very good article
Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Saint Nicholas on the Bus
An account from the Soviet Union, 1965
In February, 1965, a bus full of people was
going towards a city. Next to the driver there was sitting an old man with a white
beard, tall, and full of vigor. He wore a heavy coat with a fur collar, and a fur
cap with flaps. The bus was going slowly because of the snow which was falling outside.
At one turn, the chains of the back wheels came off. The bus skidded and almost
collided with another full bus. All these things happened very quickly. The driver
lost control of the bus, and everyone’s heart jumped. Finally the two buses halted
at a distance of barely three-quarters of an inch apart, without any mishap.
Then the old man made the sign of the Cross
and cried out: “Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee! Blessed be thy name, O All-holy
mother of God, who has saved us …” In a few moments the other bus left. The driver
and his assistant went out to put on the chains.
Smiling, one young man opened a conversation
with the old man. “Forgive me elder,” he said, “but I could not hold back from laughing
when I heard you call upon the non-existent Heavenly Powers and saw you make your
Cross. Habit, of course, is second nature. I see that you wear the distinguishing
mark of a scientist. But in our times, in the year 1965, it is an incongruity.”
The conversation attracted the attention of
all. The old man, without becoming troubled, said, “Gladly, My young comrade, shall
I answer you. And if you want I shall make a self-criticism … Wherefore, do you
know what I think? All of us are somewhat hypocrites. All of us pretend that we
are atheists, dedicated members of the Party, with profound knowledge of Marxism
and many other things. And yet there comes a moment every once in a while when the
real man expresses himself. Behold, just as it happened even now! This mishap was
sufficient to demonstrate it. Since you sit in that place, you of course did not
see what happened behind you. I, however, who sit sideways, saw at least another
eight or ten making their Cross. It is something within us which we will never be
able to uproot, because it would be like uprooting our very bowels. Thus, every
day all of us fall into ‘errors-—that is, we remember that there exists a certain
great, unknown, and good Power Whom we pretend to ignore …”
“I assure you that this personally never happens
with me,” said the young man.
The old man chuckled and said, “You will permit
me to prove you false, beloved comrade, because just previously you said, ‘These
things in our times, in the year 1965, are an incongruity.’ What was the reason
for you to remember that one thousand nine hundred and sixty-five years have passed
from the time when the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, was born!”
“This,” said the young man after having been
taken aback a little, “is an evil remnant of an evil past, which must definitely
be wiped out. The way you are speaking, you are going to convince us that even miracles
take place!”
The old man was silent some moments, and afterwards
said, “Yes my beloved one, there are even miracles of God which you yourself will
believe, just as all that are here will also believe. When, however, you see them, you will be obliged
to keep silent because, if you speak, there is danger that they will close you in
some psychiatric clinic.”
The bus had come into the main artery. The
heavy snow stopped and thus the driver was able to increase the speed. At one moment,
all—as many as were looking at and listening to the old man—saw his place empty!
Two or three that were close to his seat made the sign of the Cross, saying, “Holy,
holy is God the Almighty.” One of them turned toward the back of the bus and shouted,
“Do you understand now who saved us from the collision? He himself, the old man
with the white beard, was the Protector of our People … Saint Nicholas!” “I do not
know what we are going to do comrades,” said one other in the meantime, “but wherever
I may be, I am going to tell of this miracle of Saint Nicholas! And let them lock
me in a psychiatric ward if they can. I have you all as witnesses; and especially
you, comrade …” The young communist covered his face with his hands for a long time.
After about two hours, the bus stopped and
all got down to drink hot tea. The young communist approached several of his fellow]passengers,
full of emotion. He asked for their addresses. He also gave them his. All the other
others did the same among themselves. “Do you know what I purpose, comrades?” said
one young woman, “Let us not lose contact with one another. This which we saw today
and heard with our ears is a great thing. Very great. What can it forbode? Certainly
something good, because the little old grandfather was the Protector of our People.”
The above miracle was written by an eyewitness.
“I cannot write more,” he says, “because I am overcome with emotion and am weeping.
I also was on the bus.”
From Contemporary Miracles in Russia
by Archimandrite Haralampos Basilopoulos, 1966. Translated by Holy Transfiguration
Monastery, Jamaica Plain. Massachusetts. Published by Orthodox Life, May-June, 1967. From the Holy Orthodox Metropolis
of Boston.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)