Faith growing in Siberian prison (punishment, churches, preach, believe)

[stephen santanu goswami]

Faith progresses in those walking the way of cross.
Russian priest Nicodemus surrendered himself to Christ after his wife died. To redeem souls he became priest and served various parishes of Russian Orthodox Church for 50 years. But he was frustrated as he felt that very few are brought to real faith by church prayers, celebrations and liturgies in those grand churches. Even he felt that his faith is too weak to bring others to real faith. To get real faith he must go through cross.
Soon it came by the onslaught of communist. Majority priests and almost all parishioners compromised by submitting to communist.

Eighty year old Fr. Nicodemus refused to obey communists as he knew the value of cross. Imprisoned and tortured he was transported to a far off prison by nine days rail journey in a cramped cattle wagon. He strove to preach and pray there ignoring inhuman cramped condition and treatment. He said latter that Holy Spirit dwelt in him as never before in that wagon parish.
Arriving in a confiscated church converted into prison, he lived in three tired bunkers. Thieves, filthy bandits, fallen officers and clergy dressed in rags, lice-covered and starving were his secret parishioners there.

He was a good story teller and they heard him attentively after hard day’s work, ignoring hunger and fatigue. The most appreciated story was of prodigal son. Sobs and exclamations followed as he repeated the story. There was a smoke blackened desecrated wall fresco of prodigal son in that church-prison. This helped much in healing and reconciling souls. Fr. Nicodemus often remarked that it was his best parish and church. He worked with Holy Spirit given strong faith and zeal. He disobeyed repeated warnings and punishments of the communists.

At last the final cross came. Exasperated communist officers arrested all the new faithful who were celebrating Christmas in that cell secretly. They were stripped and put in the death cell. Very few became Judas to save them. It was minus 20 degree there. They piled mattresses over them to ward off cold. Food and water were denied. But they prayed and sang for three days. On the last night they kissed each other before sleeping, never to wake up. They achieved the glorious martyrdom sought by true Christ-followers.
Faith is matured step by step as we obey Christ and accept the crosses progressively.

[Verna Perry]

Originally Posted by stephen santanu goswami

Faith progresses in those walking the way of cross.
Russian priest Nicodemus surrendered himself to Christ after his wife died. To redeem souls he became priest and served various parishes of Russian Orthodox Church for 50 years. But he was frustrated as he felt that very few are brought to real faith by church prayers, celebrations and liturgies in those grand churches. Even he felt that his faith is too weak to bring others to real faith. To get real faith he must go through cross.
Soon it came by the onslaught of communist. Majority priests and almost all parishioners compromised by submitting to communist.

Eighty year old Fr. Nicodemus refused to obey communists as he knew the value of cross. Imprisoned and tortured he was transported to a far off prison by nine days rail journey in a cramped cattle wagon. He strove to preach and pray there ignoring inhuman cramped condition and treatment. He said latter that Holy Spirit dwelt in him as never before in that wagon parish.
Arriving in a confiscated church converted into prison, he lived in three tired bunkers. Thieves, filthy bandits, fallen officers and clergy dressed in rags, lice-covered and starving were his secret parishioners there.

He was a good story teller and they heard him attentively after hard day’s work, ignoring hunger and fatigue. The most appreciated story was of prodigal son. Sobs and exclamations followed as he repeated the story. There was a smoke blackened desecrated wall fresco of prodigal son in that church-prison. This helped much in healing and reconciling souls. Fr. Nicodemus often remarked that it was his best parish and church. He worked with Holy Spirit given strong faith and zeal. He disobeyed repeated warnings and punishments of the communists.

At last the final cross came. Exasperated communist officers arrested all the new faithful who were celebrating Christmas in that cell secretly. They were stripped and put in the death cell. Very few became Judas to save them. It was minus 20 degree there. They piled mattresses over them to ward off cold. Food and water were denied. But they prayed and sang for three days. On the last night they kissed each other before sleeping, never to wake up. They achieved the glorious martyrdom sought by true Christ-followers.
Faith is matured step by step as we obey Christ and accept the crosses progressively.

Amen.

[santanu goswami]

Originally Posted by Verna Perry

Amen.

Thanks!
I believe that many such Christ-like self-sacrifices are still happening arround the world. But the Pride-Devil dazzled world blind their eyes to those.