The event in the metro occurred in late autumn; in late winter there happened what Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh called “the meeting” – being a young atheist and reading the Gospel of Mark (“to finish with the whole issue of Christianity”) the future Metropolitan suddenly realized, with an absolute clarity, the presence of Jesus Christ in front of him.
Although my knowledge about Him was at that time limited to seeing the movie Jesus from Nazareth by Franko Zeffirelli I felt that I found what I called “something beyond”. I.I.A. whom I excitingly told about the movie responded calmly “it’s better if you read the Gospels Anna – they are far more than the movies”. I was covering myself: I phoned her not because of the movie but because of Christ but I felt too ashamed to say it. Nevertheless, I knew that I had to do something with all this and somehow I knew what or may be I did not know but something was leading me. I went to the church nearby our apartment and bought a few thin books, one of them about confession. I learnt that the Great Lent was about to start and that I must confess to prepare myself for partaking Holy Communion, the Body and Blood which are Jesus Christ. After reading the brochure about confession I became anxious and apprehensive but something that was leading me kept pushing me towards the Church. I began fasting and attended the Liturgy in a few weeks.
I remember that moment very clearly: I have never heard Church Slavonic before but somehow I understood it; furthermore, I understood what was happening in the church. I confessed my sins expecting that I would not be allowed to receive Holy Communion but to my surprise the priest said “go forward, soon will be communion”. In the evening of the same day I had the experience which sealed me with the knowledge of the absolute reality of God and the reality of my person to God. That was it – I knew I had found what I was looking for.