The meeting
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.
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