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Let’s take a breather – the medicines from the basket won’t run away… I will tell you one true story – this was told by a grandson about his grandfather Victor. And he once told the grandmothers at the evening gathering this: Grandfather Victor loved to go to funerals (they say he never missed one), to memorials, panikhidas, which took place in the cemetery (especially on memorial days – when, according to pagan traditions, entire feasts are held on graves), – there they pour drinks and give food (and on memorial days, during grave “festivals,” feasts: here he approached, commemorated, there he commemorated… and at home, the grandfather is already being taken in a wheelbarrow… But memorial days are not often, but funerals, panikhidas… – these were particularly to grandfather Victor’s liking). Think, a lot of work – to sing along a bit with the priest (animator), or say a few good words about the deceased… Therefore, where there is a funeral (or a memorial with a big priestly animation program), – grandfather Victor would take a banner, or a cross, or even help carry the coffin, or just go in the mourning procession as almost the best friend (or the closest relative) of the deceased… And usually at funerals, memorials, panikhidas, or on memorial days at feasts-festivals, such toasts-wishes are heard: “Heavenly Kingdom to him (her)!”, “Eternal peace to him (her)!” etc. (Grandfather Victor already knew all the animation scenarios by heart – he could replace either the priest-animator, or the secular toastmaster, or suggest what should come next, or what words to say now…). Such toasts-wishes grandfather Victor learned to say virtuously (no wonder, knowing all the standard animation priestly and atheistic memorial, funeral scenarios by heart), and always said…
Once grandfather Victor and his grandmother were invited either to a wedding, or a birthday, or a housewarming… (none of the grandmothers remember exactly, but it doesn’t matter). And here came the turn for the grandfather and grandmother to congratulate the honorees of the celebration. The grandmother, being a woman who knew what it meant to be behind her husband (“behind,” not “in front of” or “on” her husband), put the grandfather Victor forward as the speaker, the orator from their family… Grandfather Victor stood up, tilted his head to the side and, sighing sadly (did everything according to the scenario… of a memorial), said: “Well… Heavenly Kingdom to them! And eternal peace!”… And the grandmother, meanwhile, was elbowing the old man in the ribs… (smiling)
They also said about grandfather Victor that he (this strange man) somehow got hold of a calendar, and not just any calendar, but a super-Orthodox one! And its super-Orthodoxy was that in it (this calendar) every day (365 days) was a Holiday – Easter, Resurrection (every page was red). (And, as pagans say, on a holiday or Sunday (Resurrection) – especially on Easter – one should not work). Therefore, as soon as the grandmother forced the grandfather to work, the grandfather would make a pious, devout look and point to the calendar – as if to say, today nothing can be done!? Oh, that grandfather Victor – what a rogue! (smiling) But if you get to the essence of this story, the calendar is indeed super-Orthodox, truly Christian, but the understanding of grandfather Victor was very wrong (no one ever taught him the true Faith – the priests had (and still have) no interest in sitting down to teach-catechize the man…). It is on Sunday, on a Holiday (and on Easter-Resurrection especially) that one must serve-work like an ox (like a slave on the galleys), – to do Good from morning till night and from night till morning!!! And grandfather’s calendar, say what you will, is just super!!!
Remember grandfather Victor in your prayers, at least thank him for such a universal, for all occasions, the best (in the world: both in this life and in the afterlife, that is, in the III phase) toast-wish!!! Therefore, wishing him all the best, let us pray: Lord, grant grandfather Victor the Heavenly Kingdom and Eternal Peace! Amen!