Rejoice that we belong to Christ

Archpriest Nicholas Gurianov

A tiny island of Zalita in the Pskov Lake… People have always been drawn to this place to meet and talk with Elder Nicholas who had so much love and compassion to everyone who was coming to him. Father Nicholas reposed on August 24, 2002, but people are still coming to his small house with a green roof.

We have a tradition in our convent to hold a panikhida on the Tuesday of the second week after Pascha at the tomb of Elder Nicholas. Our spiritual father and several sisters of the convent travel to the island every year. This year was not an exception. Our sisters departed from the convent at 9 pm. They visited Logoisk on their way to dip into the holy spring.

Our sisters were met with love in Polotsk convent, although it was very late (2 am). The guests could have a chance to kiss the relics of St Euphrosinia, hegumenia of Polotsk, and continued their trip.

The Isle of Zalita greeted us with quiet and sunny weather, unusual for this time of year. We all recalled the previous trips when it was cold, rainy and windy… Earlier, we had been unable to find a fisherman ready to transport us to the island because the waves were so big. Father Andrew and the sisters used to pray at the shore then so that the Lord would calm down the weather. This time it was different.

St Nicholas Church could be seen from afar. Father Paisius who serves in the church on the Isle of Zalita now was meeting the pilgrims on the island. The church where Father Nicholas had served was ready for the service. The church as renovated by that time, but a special spirit of old time remains here. “A Liturgy passes so quickly here, on the island. You just do not notice how time flies. One can feel the prayerful presence of Fr. Nicholas in everything…,” the sisters later said.

Father Andrew said a sermon after the service:

Love cannot die. That is why the experience of Life is so important for us when we still are in this world. We come here to get the power to live. It is noteworthy that after his repose, Father Nicholas became even closer to everyone who seeks for God’s love and eternal life. This is to prove that love is alive and acts. The Elder’s holy prayers strengthen us in our life, which is difficult for each one of us; this is because we all really lack love. We can learn everything; we can achieve everything, but love is when a person acquires freedom, inner freedom, and depends on nothing and no one, except God.

May God let us touch Love and keep it in our hearts, remembering an inscription in the cell of Father Nicholas that even in the darkest and the hardest moments of our lives we should thank God, and the Lord will correct everything and help us, and we will not be deprived of eternal life.

We can feel here, on the island, that Father Nicholas is near! He served God and people in this church and on this land… When there is God inside a person’s heart, this cannot be explained rationally. But this acts and has an influence on people’s lives.

There are many thousands of people whom Father Nicholas helped with his love. He helped them not with high-flown words, not with some special prayers, but with simple words, “May the Lord help you! May the Lord save you!” and anointing with holy oil – this was the fullness of love that still helps people and goes on from person to person. So we can see the beauty of Resurrection, the beauty of victory over death.

Christ is Risen!

After the Liturgy a procession with icons and crosses went to the tomb of Father Nicholas to serve panikhida there.

The sisters were especially spellbound when they could come into the house where Elder Nicholas lived. During his life, many people couldn’t even dream of getting into the house. Now we have an opportunity to step over the threshold and enter the cell where Father Nicholas prayed. Everything there is kept just like it was during the Elder’s life: his cuffs and epitrachelion, photos of his relatives and holy icons.

On their way back to the convent, the sisters together with Fr. Paisius visited the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves monastery, where Father Andrew served a panikhida for the reposed Archimandrite John (Krestiankin), Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov), Archimandrite Seraphim et al.

On arriving home, the sisters shared their impressions at the meetings of the Sisterhood and of the monastics. Certainly, they brought home with them the spirit of peace, love and Paschal joy.