GO, MY DEAR, I’LL DEAL WITH HIM!
AND FORGIVE ME!
MOTHER OF GOD! OUR HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!
FORGIVE MY SINFUL SELF!
SAVE AND PRESERVE ME! GRANT ME AND
MY BROTHERS HEALTH AND STRENGTH,
MAY THIS DAY BE JOYOUS AND PURE!
FORGIVE ME, HOLY MOTHER!
HAVE MERCY UPON ME, OH, GOD,
ACCORDING TO THY LOVING-KINDNESS...
CREATE ME A CLEAN HEART, OH, LORD
AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME
GRANT,OH,LORD, FORGIVENESS OF SINS
TO ALL WHO PASSED AWAY IN FAITH
AND HOPE IN RESURRECTION
AND REMEMBER THEM IN ETERNITY!
...FOR YOU ARE WORTHY OF BLESSING,
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD...
FATHER! FATHER... HERE, IT’S
ALL HOME-MADE FOR YOU...
PLEASE, PRAY FOR MY DECEASED HUSBAND,
INNOCENTLY KILLED IN THE WAR
SIT DOWN, MOTHER, HAVE
SOME TEA WITH ME. SIT DOWN...
AND TELL ME YOUR STORY.
I STARTED TO OFTEN SEE HIM IN MY DREAMS.
AND WHAT DOES HE SAY TO YOU?
NOTHING. JUST GROANS AND GROANS...
HE PROBABLY CAN’T FIND PEACE THERE...
DID YOU LOVE HIM A LOT?
I STILL DO. WE HAD ONLY
LIVED HALF A YEAR TOGETHER...
AND THEN HE WAS SUMMONED,
AND I’VE BEEN A WIDOW FOR 30 YEARS
OKAY, FOR A LOVE LIKE THAT IT’S
NOT A SIN TO ASK...
I’LL GO TO FATHER
ANATOLY AND GIVE IT A TRY...
ALTHOUGH HE’S NOT A HOLY MAN,HE’S WELL-READ
MAYBE HE’LL GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE
LISTEN, COME HERE FOR A WHILE...
WHILE I’LL BE TALKING TO HIM
THE DOOR WILL BE OPEN,
STAND HERE AND
YOU’LL HEAR EVERY WORD...
BUT REMAIN QUIET!
WHAT’S HIS NAME?
MICHAEL.
AH?
MICHAEL.
FATHER ANATOLY?
THERE’S A WIDOW HERE...
ASKING TO PRAY FOR AN INNOCENTLY
KILLED SOLDIER MICHAEL...
NO USE FOR OFFICE OF THE
DEAD FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE!
HOW COME? SHE SAYS HE
PASSED AWAY IN 1944 IN COMBAT...
NONSENCE, HE DIDN’T PASS ANYWHERE!
HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER!
AND REMAINED TO LIVE
IN FRANCE AFTER THE WAR!
AND NOW HE’S ILL AND WANTS
TO SEE HIS BELOVED WIFE.
BEFORE HE PASSES AWAY...
OKAY, GO NOW,DON’T BOTHER ME!
HEARD IT? NO OFFICE OF THE DEAD
FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE,HE SAYS
YOUR HUSBAND IS ALIVE. HE’S ILL NOW.
YOU MUST GO TO FRANCE.
SEE HIM BEFORE HIS DEATH AND
CLOSE HIS EYES WITH YOUR HANDS.
WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT?
GO DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!
HOW IS THAT, FATHER, ME TO FRANCE?
WHY NOT? HUMANS LIVE IN
FRANCE, TOO, YOU KNOW!
HOW, FATHER, THAT’S A CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY!
NOBODY WILL LET ME OUT!
DON’T DOUBT, IF FATHER ANATOLY
SAID SO, THEY WILL LET YOU OUT!
HOW, FATHER!? HOW ABOUT MY HOUSE,MY FARM,
MY COW,WHO WILL SLAY MY BOAR?
SELL EVERYTHING!
EVERYTHING!?
ABSOLUTELY!
LISTEN TO ME, SELL IT
AND YOU SHALL NOT REGRET!
I HEARD THEY ARE GOING TO
PAY QUITE A PENNY FOR YOUR BOAR!
HE’S A HANDSOME BORE, HE IS!
YOU KNOW, IF I ATE MEAT,
I’D BUY IT FROM YOU MYSELF! REALLY!
ARE YOU MAKING FUN OF ME, FATHER?
DO YOU LOVE YOUR HUSBAND?
SO GO AND DO AS YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD!
LISTEN, DON’T TORTURE ME!
LEAVE, BE GONE NOW, OKAY?
LORD HAVE MERCY UPON ME,
LORD FORGIVE ME!
HELP ME, LORD, ON MY WAY!
MY SOUL IS SO WEARY,
AND SO IS MY BODY,
AND I’M A MISERABLE SERVANT
OF MY SINFUL PASSIONS...
BROTHER, CAN’T YOU
PLACE THAT A BIT HIGHER?
THE SHEETS DRAGGLING IN THE MUD,
THAT WON’T WORK!
WHY ARE YOU SO FEW TODAY?
AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
I’M GOING TO SEND A PETITION
TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
FOR HIM TO ALLOW ME TO
LIVE THROUGH THIS WINTER,
OTHERWISE IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE
BROTHERS TO DIG A GRAVE IN THE ICE!
WELL, PRAISE GOD YOU STARTED JOKING,
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING CRAZY!
WATCH IT SAILING!
PRAY FOR ME, FATHER ANATOLY!
IT IS YOU WHO SHOULD PRAY FOR ME,
MY SINS OVERCOME YOURS BY MANY!
DON’T SAY THAT!
BUT YOU DON’T LOVE ME, FATHER JOB!
FILARETUS LOVES ME, AND YOU
ONLY TRY TO PLEASE HIM.
WHY SHOULD ONE LOVE YOU!?
YOU NEVER PASS MY CELL WITHOUT A STUPID JOKE!
SOOTING MY DOOR HANDLE, OR
LEAVING SOMETHING UNDER MY DOOR!
MAYBE YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW ABOUT
MY SINS WITHOUT YOUR INSINUATIONS!?
OKAY, LET’S FORGET IT, BROTHER!
FORGIVE ME, FOR I’M SINFUL!
FORGIVE ME!
DON’T HELP ME, I’LL MANAGE MYSELF!
OKAY, OKAY! LET ME LIFT YOU ON MY HANDS!
NO, I’LL GO MYSELF!
BE