RUSSIAN MIRACLE STORY

A LONG TIME AGO THE MONGOL ARMIES LED BY GHENGIS
KHAN SWEPT WESTWARD INTO THE RUSSIAN STEPPES, AND LIKE
A GREAT SWARM OF LOCUST(S) DESTROYED EVERYTHING IN
FRONT OF THEM. ALL PEOPLE WHO UNFORTUNATELY CROSSED
THEIR PATH DIED A VIOLENT DEATH, BE THEY MEN, WOMEN OR
CHILDREN. TOWNS AND VILLAGES WERE BURNED TO THE GROUND
AND FELL IN ASHES AND RUIN. ALL PERSONAL BELONGINGS,
LIVESTOCK AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS WERE CAPTURED AND TAKEN.
IN THE DISTANT CITIES THE PEOPLE HEARD AND WERE AFRAID
OF THE WRATH OF THE TARTAR ARMY. PEOPLE FLED IN ANY
POSSIBLE DIRECTION. MANY HID IN SWAMPS, FORESTS, OR
MOUNTAIN CAVES. OTHERS SOUGHT REFUGE IN CHURCHES AND
MONASTARIES THAT WERE SURROUNDED BY THICK STONE WALLS.
HOWEVER, EVEN THESE WALLS COULD NOT SAVE THE PEOPLE FROM
THE BLOOD-CURDLING ARMIES OF GHENGIS KHAN.
THERE WAS HOWEVER, ONE MONASTARY WITH SUCH LARGE
STONE WALLS AND IT WAS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAKE.
THIS ISLAND MONASTARY SAVED ALL PEOPLE WHO SOUGHT
REFUGE THERE. ONE DAY WHEN THE TARTARS APPEARED ON THE
SHORES OF THE LAKE, THE PEOPLE INSIDE OF THE MONASTARY
BEGAN A RELIGIOUS SERVICE. ALL OF THE PEOPLE WERE ON
THEIR KNEES PRAYING FOR SALVATION AND ASKING THE BLESSED
VIRGIN TO SHIELD AND PROTECT THEM FROM THE ENEMY.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SERVICE, WHEN THE BELLS WERE
RINGING A HUGE INVERTED GLASS CHALICE
APPEARED IN THE HEAVENS. THIS CHALICE SLOWLY DESCENDED
TO THE ISLAND AND COVERED THE MONASTARY AND OFF OF THE
PEOPLE WITHIN IT. IN THE TARTAR'S EYES THE ISLAND
THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. THE TARTARS WERE SO ASTONISHED
THAT THEY FROZE IN THE POSITIONS THAT THEY WERE
STANDING IN AND THEN TURNED TO STONE. TO THIS DAY,
THESE STONE STATUES STILL REMAIN ON THE BANKS OF THIS
ALTHOUGH THE WIND, RAIN, SUN AND SEASON HAS CHANGED
THE SHAPES OF THE TARTAR WARRIORS. BUT SOMETIMES
ONE CAN STILL SEE THEIR ARMS CLUTCHING SWORDS OR LANCES
RAISED OVER THEIR HEADS. SOME OF THE TARTARS, ON SEEING
THE SPECTACLE OF THE GLASS COVERED MONASTARY SINKING
SLOWLY INTO THE LAKE, RAN OUT INTO THE WATER UP TO THEIR
KNEES. NOW ONE CAN ONLY SEE THEIR HEADS AND THE HEADS
OF THEIR HORSES. A LEGEND EXISTS NOW AMONG THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN THIS AREA, THAT ONCE A YEAR ON A BRIGHT,
QUIET DAY, IF ONE STANDS QUIETLY ON THE SHORES OF THE
LAKE AND SAYS A PRAYER, YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE DEPTH OF
THE LAKE THE SOUND OF A CHURCH BELL RINGING, CALLING
EVERYONE TO PRAYER. AND ALONG WITH THE SOULD OF THE BELL,
ONE CAN HEAR THE SINGING AND CHANTING OF THE SERVICE.
IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH INTO THE DEPTH OF THE LAKE'S
CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER, YOU CAN SEE THE CROSS AND THE
TOWERS OF THE MONASTARY. THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN AND HEARD
TELL THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL ALIVE AND ARE PRAYING
IN GRATITUDE FOR BEING SAVED.

Submitter comment: THIS LEGEND WAS TOLD TO IVAN ORLOFF, WHO WAS BORN IN
1897 NEAR MOSCOW, BY HIS GRANDFATHER CONSTANTIN ORLOFF
WHO CAME FROM THE WESTERN RUSSIAN STEPPES.

Where learned: RUSSIA ; MOSCOW

Date learned: 00-00-1905