Dear brothers and sisters, all our readers, followers and supporters.
From our entire Catalog team, we sincerely wish you a Happy Christmas! May this holiday of our Savior’s birth illuminate your life with the Divine light of grace. May it strengthen you in faith and fill your hearts with hope and love.
We sincerely thank you for participating in our Christmas Market and the Secret Angel charity event. Your donations help the development of our ministry and allow us to continue helping our neighbors in need. Thanks to you, many residents of boarding schools, farmsteads and other people in our care will receive Christmas presents.
Thank you very much also for your many comments and responses to our articles. They inspire us to continue working with great joy for you and to the Glory of God!
As a gift, we have prepared for you a true story, showing that around Christmas time miracles are always near.
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This story took place on Christmas 2013 in the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Mednoe, Tver region (Russia). Matushka Elena Sedova recounts:
“As usual, together with the parishioners we built a Christmas nativity scene for the holiday. It was located in the corner of the church and made from scrap materials. This time they happened to be iron window bars. We arranged them in the shape of an open book, tied them together, covered them with a white cloth, and put hay on the floor. We also put a children’s wooden crib inside with a baby doll in it. Someone brought a box of sand and put it on a tree stub in front of the nativity scene. Many began to put candles in this box, as if in front of an icon. Children prayed to the Holy Child petitioning for their parents and ailing relatives; the parents looked at them with affection and also prayed for their intentions. At the night service, the nativity scene was illuminated with colorful garlands that created a festive mood with their glare.
There were many people at the festive service, so at first nobody noticed the amazing visitor, standing out among the parishioners. It was only after the service that the children discovered… a bright black and red butterfly in the nativity scene – and this despite our harsh Russian winter! No one noticed exactly how and when she appeared. The butterfly quietly sat on the “manger” and was not afraid of anyone – apparently, she also wanted to join the great holiday. After sitting a little on the edge of the crib, the unusual guest carefully moved onto the baby’s chest. But she did not stay long there either. Like everyone else she needed to glorify the newborn Christ, because it is not for nothing that the Bible says: “Let every creature praise the Lord.” But how can a small, dumb insect do this? The butterfly acted simply and wisely – she crowned the baby’s forehead.
Everyone, who was present in the church, was amazed by this unusual incident. I think that we have witnessed a real miracle. It was not heat that woke up the butterfly, since the crib was in the coldest place of the temple. The stove that worked there was designed for a maximum of half the temple.
We admired the silent beauty all day. Occasionally the butterfly spread its wings, showing us that it was alive and did not fall asleep. The next day, the summer guest disappeared as suddenly as she appeared. Nobody saw her again.”
It doesn’t matter if you are small or big, whether you have a voice or not. Everyone can glorify Christ on this great holiday.
Story source: https://foma.ru/chudesnyie-rozhdestvenskie-istorii.html
Thank you for being with us!
