Quiz on Saints’ Lives

One deep night the Monk Sergius was singing the akathist in front of an icon of the Mother of God. Having completed the usual rule, he sat down to rest for a while, but suddenly he said to his disciple, named Micah: ‘Keep awake, child, for we shall have a miraculous visitation’. As soon as he had spoken these words, a voice was heard: ‘The Most Pure One is coming’. The Monk Sergius hastened from his cell into the hay, and suddenly a great light shone upon him, greater than that of the sun: he saw the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by the Apostles Peter and John, resplendent in ineffable glory. Unable to bear the marvellous light, the Monk Sergius fell to the ground, but the Blessed Mother touched him and inspired him with a gracious word: "Do not be afraid, My chosen one, I have come to visit you, because I have heard your prayer. Do not grieve any longer for your disciples or for this place. Your prayer has been heard: henceforth your dwelling shall abound in everything, and not only in the days of your life, but also after your departure to God, I will not depart from your dwelling, giving it all it needs and covering it in its necessities without scarcity." Having said this, the Most Holy Mother of God became invisible. The Monk Sergius remained in a kind of inexpressible rapture, and, having come to his senses little by little, he found his disciple lying as dead from fear, and lifted him up. Micah, throwing himself at the feet of the elder, asked: "Tell me, father, what was this marvellous vision? I almost had my soul cut from my body with fear!" But the Monk Sergius could not yet speak from the emotion of his spirit; only his face glowed with joy.  ‘Wait a little while,’ he said to his disciple, "until my spirit is calmed down by this marvellous vision. After a short time he ordered two reverent men from the brethren, Isaacius and Simon, to be summoned, and announced to them the common joy and hope. All together they made a prayer service to the Mother of God. The Monk Sergius spent the whole night without sleep, listening with his mind to the divine vision, meditating on the grace of heaven.