Quotes

Always be guided by your heart rather than by your head, and your life will be transformed. Happiness does not consist in living in a palace or enjoying a large fortune; these can be lost. True happiness is something that neither men nor events can take from you. You will find it in Faith, in Hope and in Charity. Try to make those around you happy, and you will be happy yourself.

Have been reading the Bible a good deal lately, and if we believe in the sublime sacrifice of God the Father in sending His Son to die and rise again for us, we shall feel the Holy Spirit lighting our way, and our joy will become eternal, even if our poor human hearts and earthly minds pass through moments which seem terrible.

I am leaving a glittering world where I had a glittering position, but with all of you I am descending into a greater world - the world of the poor and the suffering.

I greet you and I read now from beets. There are white and red beets. Beets are different as roses, roses can not eat. Grancy Baroness has a toothache.

I have a nature of a dog - when I suffer, I hide myself".

I have come to this decision [to convert to the Orthodoxy] only due to my deep faith. I feel that I should stand before God with a pure and faithful heart. How easy it would for everything to remain as it is now, and how fake and hypocritical at the same time! How can I lie to everyone, pretend being a Protestant, and showing it by my appearance, while my soul has already embraced the Orthodox faith? After I've spent six years in this country and already "found" religion, I've been thinking, thinking long and hard, about everything.

The revolution can't finish soon, it may only sharply deteriorate and become something chronic, which is bound to happen. It is my duty to help poor victims of the rebellion. I would rather be killed by a first accidental shot, than stay here doing nothing.

I'm the wife of the man you have killed. Tell me, why did you do this?" "Knowing the generous heart of my late husband, I forgive you.

To my surprise, I almost fully understand texts and services in Slavonic, despite never learning the language. You say that I'm enchanted by the splendor of the churches. But I don't think you're right. I'm impressed neither by anything visual nor by the service itself, but the foundation of faith. Visual attributes remind me of the inner part of it.

Huge waves are going to crash down upon us soon. All the classes, both lower and higher ones, even those who are now at the war, are at the end of their rope! What other tragedies can strike us? What other miseries are in store for us?