Until 1956, by God's permission, I suffered from a disease of the nervous system, which did not respond to medical and medical treatment (according to the popular saying, there was damage in me). But by the grace of God, the Mother of God turned her gaze to my sufferings and pointed out the monastery where the elder doctor lived (through a photo of the elder Simeon). I did not go to church at all and was not interested in anything spiritual. Having learned from one woman, who showed me a photograph of Father Simeon, his address, I quickly agreed to go to him in Pechory, not considering him a spiritual doctor, but considering him an ordinary doctor helping patients.
I had no idea either about faith, or about worship, or about fasting and sacred ordinances, I had no religious feelings. Everything was completely closed and incomprehensible and uninteresting to me. Arriving at the monastery towards the end of the service, I immediately went to the elder, as to an ordinary doctor, and began to tell him that I was corrupted. Father gave me a cross to kiss and said: “How do you know that this is damage!”. Then I began to vomit and I felt sick, and inside me someone was screaming, and then I don’t remember what happened to me. I vomited, and the people who were with the priest began to look after me, took out pots with vomit, which was like greenery. Afterwards it became easier for me, and when I received the Holy Mysteries in the morning, I felt brighter and more joyful.
Without the prayer of Father Simeon, I would not have entered the church, the opposition tormented me. At home, before leaving for Pechory, I took a rope to hang myself. But the Mother of God did not allow me to commit suicide, but sent me kind people who directed me to the elder. I lived in the monastery for about a month, and how joyful it was for me and my friends who looked after me during my illness, in whose sight I was healed. Since then, I constantly visit the monastery and thank the Mother of God and the Lord Jesus Christ for the love of our father Simeon.
I had no idea either about faith, or about worship, or about fasting and sacred ordinances, I had no religious feelings. Everything was completely closed and incomprehensible and uninteresting to me. Arriving at the monastery towards the end of the service, I immediately went to the elder, as to an ordinary doctor, and began to tell him that I was corrupted. Father gave me a cross to kiss and said: “How do you know that this is damage!”. Then I began to vomit and I felt sick, and inside me someone was screaming, and then I don’t remember what happened to me. I vomited, and the people who were with the priest began to look after me, took out pots with vomit, which was like greenery. Afterwards it became easier for me, and when I received the Holy Mysteries in the morning, I felt brighter and more joyful.
Without the prayer of Father Simeon, I would not have entered the church, the opposition tormented me. At home, before leaving for Pechory, I took a rope to hang myself. But the Mother of God did not allow me to commit suicide, but sent me kind people who directed me to the elder. I lived in the monastery for about a month, and how joyful it was for me and my friends who looked after me during my illness, in whose sight I was healed. Since then, I constantly visit the monastery and thank the Mother of God and the Lord Jesus Christ for the love of our father Simeon.
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