From Charles: Inside St. Basil's (July 10)

As Edna mentioned, St. Basil's Cathedral was beautiful. We all took great photos of this church that mercifully was one of the few large Russian Orthodox cathedrals NOT destroyed by Stalin in the 1940s/50s. Sadly, we heard it was once used for munitions storage, but it is now more like a church again, but it is not used for worship services. It is more like a museum and there is a small admissions fee (125 rubles, which is about $6.00). We went inside today and saw the hundreds of beautiful Orthodox religious art (icons) everywhere. In one of the rooms, there was a small chorus that sang ancient Russian chants. It was so peaceful, despite a relatively large group of folks touring it on this beautiful Moscow summer day! (see http://www.moscow-taxi.com/churches/st-basils-cathedral.html).

The biggest highlight for me in St. Basil's happened at the end of our time. Near the exit, there is a small gift shop, but before you get to the gift shop, there is a small table with Russian Orthodox icons and a quiet elderly woman (called a "Babushka", or grandmother, in Russian) who minds this table. I stopped, because I recognized the icon of St. Nicholas (an important figure in Russian relgious life), but I didn't look very closely at the two figures beside him on this three tiered wooden panel. I quickly asked the woman (since I was the only one at the table at the time) who the other figures were.

It took her awhile, since she didn't have her glasses with her, but she read the small Cyrillic letters and said, pointing to the first one: "Pytr," or Peter. She then looked at the second one, but I had figured by then that it must be Paul. She confirmed this. I said "Spasiba bolshoi" (thank you very much), and she smiled.

I looked around a bit more and waited for Edna and the boys to buy some cards at the gift shop. While I waited I ventured back and looked at Nicholas again. She recognized me and said (in broken English), "Take it." I shook my head at first, and then she said, "Are you a traveler?"
"Da (meaning 'yes' in Russian)," I said.
She replied, "Nicholas likes travelers; take it for your travels."

Well, I did take it, but I paid her the full price (only 120 rubles, which is about $6.00), and said again "Thank you very much" (Spasiba bolshoi).

So, even though I paid for it, I feel I've been given a gift. I can't explain it, but in one of the oldest structures in Moscow, near the middle of Red Square, I sensed God's presence in a little old lady who loves Jesus, even cares for tourists, and wants to remind people that "Nicholas likes travelers."

It was a "God moment", and the beauty of that little woman's heart outshined even the majesty of one of the world's great cathedrals.

Blessings,
Charles