MERCIES
BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS
AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME
AGAINST THEE, THEE ONLY,
I HAVE SINNED
AND DONE THIS EVIL
IN THY SIGHT...
...WASH ME, AND I SHALL BE
WHITER THAN SNOW
MAKE ME TO HEAR JOY AND GLADNESS,
THE BONES THY HAST BROKEN SHALL REJOICE.
HIDE THY FACE FROM MY SINS
AND BLOT OUT ALL MY INIQUITIES.
CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART,
OH, LORD
AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME.
CAST ME NOW AWAY FROM THY PRESENCE
AND TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME
BY THE PRAYERS OF THY HOLY ONES
LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR GOD
HAVE MERCY UPON US!
AMEN!
FATHER ANATOLY! SOMEONE’S PUT
SOOT ON YOUR DOOR HANDLE!
HM, WHO COULD THAT BE!?
PROBABLY THOSE WHO ARE ENVIOUS...
WELL, CLEAN IT!
YES, JUST A MINUTE...
AND GIVE ME SOMETHING TO CLEAN MY HAND!
I GOT NOTHING!
WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOTHING!?
DIDN’T I SUPPLY YOU WITH RAGS!?
REALLY, I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING!
TAKE A LOOK YOURSELF!
SORRY, IT’S A BIT DIRTY, SOOT EVERYWHERE...
OH, FORGET IT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH
YOU GET YOU NEVER HAVE ANYTHING!
I CAME TO YOU WITH A MESSAGE
FROM OUR FATHER FILARETUS
GO RECEIVE HIS BLESSING
AND MOVE OVER TO HIS PLACE
YOU’LL LIVE A HOLY LIFE
AS THE REVEREND DOES.
I CAN’T QUITE UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU MEAN.
FATHER FILARETUS IS DOING YOU A FAVOUR
AND INVITING YOU
TO LIVE AT HIS PLACE
FOR YOU TO GET RID OF YOUR ILLNESS!
AND WHO WILL DO THE HEATING?
NOVICE NICODIMUS HAS BEEN
ALREADY APPOINTED FOR THE JOB
HOW COME? BUT HE’S AFRAID OF FIRE!
WE ARE ALL IN FEAR OF FIERY HYENA
LISTEN, FATHER JOB, BLESS
ME TO STAY HERE, DO
I’M USED TO THIS PLACE,
I KNOW IT WELL...
ONE MUST DO THE HEATING,
IT’S A COLD SNOWY WINTER THAT IS...
ARE YOU DEAF!? FATHER FILARETUS
IS DOING YOU A FAVOUR!
LISTEN, YOU ARE WELL-READ, AREN’T YOU?
IF I WEREN’T, THEY WOULDN’T
HAVE APPOINTED ME AS THE HEAD
AND YOU’VE READ THE HOLY BOOKS?
CERTAINLY, AND I KNOW MANY BY HEART!
WELL, MAYBE YOU COULD REMIND ME,
I QUITE FORGOT...
WHY DID CAIN KILL HIS BROTHER ABEL?
I’M SO FED UP WITH YOUR JOKES!
YOU’D BETTER CLEAN THE DOOR HANDLE!
MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
YEAH! YOU’VE MADE THIS PLACE FILTY! JOKER!
HOW WONDERFUL!
YOU ALWAYS SCARE ME! WHERE DID YOU
LEARN THAT SILENT WALKING OF YOURS!
IF YOU WISH I’LL FIX SMALL HORSE-SHOES
ON MY SHOES FOR YOU TO HEAR ME
YEAH, RIGHT, HORSE SHOES!
THAT’S A MONASTERY, NOT STABLES!
IF EVERYONE PROVIDES THEMSELVES WITH
HORSE SHOES, WILL BE A HYPPODROME!
AND THEN DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BET ON YOU?
WHAT HAPPENED AGAIN?
I BEG TO REPORT...
FATHER ANATOLY...
AGAIN FATHER ANATOLY!?
WHAT HAS HE DONE THIS TIME!?
HERE, I WROTE A REPORT...
I DON’T NEED YOUR SCROLLS,
WE’RE NOT IN A COMMUNIST MEETING,
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY,
JUST SAY IT!
PLEASE DON’T EVER BRING ANY
"REPORTS" TO ME ANYMORE!
FATHER, HONESTLY, I HAVE
NO MORE STRENTH TO BEAR HIM!
FIRSTLY: FATHER ANATOLY NEVER WASHES
NEITHER HIS HANDS NOR HIS FACE...
SECONDLY: HE’S ALWAYS LATE
FOR THE DIVINE SERVICE
THIRDLY: HE KEEPS HAVING
VISITORS FROM THE CONTINENT,
TURNED THE MONASTERY
INTO A PUBLIC PLACE!
YESTERDAY HE CAME TO CHURCH WITH A BOOT ON ONE FOOT
AND A SOCK ON THE OTHER!
AND STARTED SINGING IN A HATEFUL VOICE!
FATHER, THE BROTHERS ARE COMPLAINING!
AND ON HOLY DAYS, EVEN THOUGH
HE TAKES PART IN THE SERVICE,
HE DOESN’T PARTICIPATE IN THE
PRAYERS BUT LEAVES THE CHURCH!
WHICH REPEATEDLY LEAD TO HIM
BEING DEPRIVED OF THE MEAL!
ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! ENOUGH OF THIS,
I’M TIRED TO LISTEN TO YOU!
WHERE IS HE NOW?
WHERE ELSE CAN HE BE?
IN THE BOILER ROOM
DRINKING TEA  WITH THE
LAYMEN... SUGARED TEA...SHALL I SUMMON HIM?
NO NEED, I’LL GO
OVER TO HIM MYSELF.
BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU PASSED ON MY REQUEST
FOR HIM TO LEAVE HIS PENANCE
IN THE BOILER ROOM AND COME
TO SHARE MY CELL WITH ME?
I HAVE.
AND WHAT DID HE SAY?
HE ASKED ME... IF I KNEW... WHY CAIN HAD MURDERED ABEL.
AND WHY HAD HE?
FATHER, YOU ARE OFFENDING ME BY THAT QUESTION...
ALRIGHT, FORGIVE ME, FOR I’M SINFUL...
YOU CAN GO. I’LL DEAL WITH IT.
FATHER, I CAME TO YOU WITH THE PUREST INTENTIONS...