The Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir the Red Sun, having conceived to change the faith, gathered six great embassies and sent them to foreign lands so that they could find out and see what kind of faith there is and then, based on the impressions of the ambassadors, make the final choice in favor of this or that faith, and that it would be suitable for him and his entourage, as well as for all the people of his rather big principality.
Some time after the embassies were sent, a wanderer, Father Sergius, arrived to the Grand Duke, who was able to get to Byzantium as a boy, and on the holy Mount Athos accepted Orthodox Christianity, took monastic vows and, having lived there until the age of thirty, returned back to his homeland in Kiev. Since at that time Christianity in Russia was not very widespread, the people and closest relatives did not accept it, then he had to wander around the Russian lands for a long time and improve himself in the knowledge of God and study religion in depth. At the same time, he helped people a lot, where with a kind word, where with deed, he did not hesitate to do any work and won a good reputation among the people. Many of his efforts adopted the Christian faith. But every three years, Father Sergius returned to Kiev and visited the Grand Duke there.
Father Sergius was very happy when he was informed about the sending of an embassy to Constantinople, for he was sure that in Russia there should only be Orthodox faith.
Prince Vladimir was very pleased with the arrival of Sergius, but his joy was slightly overshadowed, for he wanted to put Father Sergius at the head of the embassy in Constantinople.
The prince also informed him that he was also preparing the seventh embassy, because in his dreams he was told about seven, but he does not know exactly where it should be sent.
Father Sergius thoughtfully replied to the prince that the main direction was Constantinople, and he did not know other ways, but under the persistent requests of the prince promised to help him. After strictly fasting and fervent prayer, he asked the Almighty to give him an answer to this question.
And on the seventh night of fervent prayers, in a dream, the abbot of the Athos monastery came to him and told him about the ancient legend about Belovodye. The monk, having risen from a dream, thanked the Lord for the message sent down and recalled this legend, which was told in the monastery.
Even at the dawn of Christianity, one of the Byzantine Basileus, came to doubt whether he himself, as well as his numerous people, professed the correct faith. And when making a decision, he summoned all the wise men of his state and asked them to give him advice in which direction the embassy should be sent in order to choose a new, better faith.
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After much thought and debate, one of the sages told him the following that his teacher had told him long ago that a legendary country called Belovodye existed far, far in the East. - a fabulous country of general prosperity and prosperity, and that in his mind, this is where the embassy should be sent. But not everyone can find the way to this country, but only the chosen one - whom the inhabitants of Belovodye themselves will call to themselves.
The king liked the legend very much, and he ordered to prepare an embassy to this unknown country at the same time, and put this sage at its head. For a long time there was no news from the embassy, and after 21 years the sage returned to Byzantium, but he came alone without an embassy, all the others perished. The king with great amazement and delight listened to the sage's story about his journey, and everything was so smooth in his story that the king abandoned his faith and accepted the faith brought from the East. But not everyone believed in these stories, there was too much incomprehensible and unusual in them, and many considered them fables and fairy tales.
The monk conveyed this legend to the Grand Duke, who took the story so closely that he ordered to urgently collect his embassy and send it to the East, in search of the legendary country of Belovodye, and asked him to be the head of Sergius.
And in early spring, exactly after the flood, the embassy set off in great numbers. As the prince and Father Sergius assumed, they would return home in three years. For the first year, news came from them, but then gradually everything fell silent. Three, seven, twelve years passed, and there was no news of the embassy. At first everyone was waiting for him, then everyone began to worry about their fate, and after 28 years they began to forget and time began to erase everything from memory …
* * *
And now, 49 years after these events from Constantinople, with one of the many embassies, an elder arrived in the capital city of Kiev, a monk who lived in secluded places for seven years as a hermit and feeling that his death was nearing, in confession he told a secret secret that is passed from the lips in the mouth, like a secret legend.
“I am the same monk Sergius who was sent 56 years ago by the Grand Duke Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko to look for the legendary country of Belovodye.
In the first year of our difficult journey, everything went well, sometimes our people and livestock died in clashes with the local population or when crossing the seething rivers. We traveled many different lands, overcame two seas and in the second year of our expedition it became much more difficult to move forward: many people and animals began to die, the roads became impassable, guides could not be hired. People began to grumble, and discontent grew. People did not see the final destination of our journey.
Towards the end of the second year of our journey, we began to overcome the desert. The further we went into it, the more we began to come across bones, and sometimes whole skeletons of people, camels, horses and other animals. And then one day we got to a place that was completely strewn with bones and people simply refused to move on, as they were afraid of the unknown, and they greatly feared for their lives.
In the evening at the halt, we held advice and decided that only volunteers could move on with me, and let the rest turn back and move home. And then only two volunteers were found, who continued on their way.
At the end of the third year, both of my companions became seriously ill and I had to leave them in the villages that we came across along the way.
In the village where I left my last companion. From the head of this settlement, I managed to learn that thirty years ago another caravan with many camels and rich gifts for the inhabitants of Belovodye passed through here, and the guide who led them lives in the village, to which it is three days' journey. Without delay, I sent for this guide and persuaded me to lead me along the path of this caravan and hand me over to the next guide if one was found.
Thus, changing the guides, I very slowly moved towards the intended goal. The closer it was to the protected target, the more information was received about its existence. And then I came across a guide who told me that he learned from those traveling from the East that about 70 days of travel lies a legendary country, but only a rare person can get there, and if anyone can get there, then almost no one not refundable
There are many names for this country and "Country of White Waters and High Mountains", "Forbidden Country", "Country of Light Spirits" and others.
And in one of the settlements I was told that the Forbidden Country is three days away. They will be able to take me to its border, but then I will have to go on my own, because for local residents there is an unspoken ban on overcoming its borders, and they may die. And a traveler who decides to further advance, either does not find the road and turns back, or dies, and if he is lucky enough to find the right path, then he remains to live in this country for many years and rarely anyone voluntarily leaves it.
Having fervently prayed to the Almighty and with the last guide, I moved towards the border of Belovodye.
The road, rising, became narrower, in places it was only possible to walk along it with difficulty alone.
The path along which we walked steeply climbed the mountain and became narrower and narrower, and it became simply impossible for the two of us to walk along it. High snow-capped mountain peaks surrounded us.
On the third day of the journey, my guide announced that he would not be able to go further with me, since we approached the forbidden border.
He explained to me that at a distance of seven days' journey, if you keep the way to the top of the highest mountain, there is a village, but only few people reach it.
And so I was left completely alone, it seemed very little remained to the purpose of my trip …
* * *
There is not a single living soul around. I was left alone with my Lord, who throughout my dangerous path supported me and strengthened my strength. And at that moment I felt indescribable happiness, delight and unearthly joy from the mere thought that I would soon set foot on the land of the legendary country.
I went further. Soon there was a crossroads, both paths, it seemed, directed the same towards the highest mountain. I went on the right.
And so I moved forward, soon I met an intersection, both paths seemed to lead towards the top. I chose the right one because it led towards the running of the sun. And with a song prayer I moved forward.
On the first day, I came across two more intersections. On the first, on one of the paths, a small snake lay, as if blocking my path, and I chose the free one. At the second intersection there were three stones, and I took a different path.
On the second day of the trip, I came across an intersection where the path was three-fold, but a butterfly fluttered over one of the paths and I chose it.
At one of the intersections, along the path, a stream ran down with the purest emerald water, and I chose this path.
At noon I went to another intersection, it had three paths. On one there was a mountain in the form of a stone idol, guarding it. It was her that I chose.
At another intersection, I chose the path that was most illuminated by the sun.
And then one evening I heard a sound that flew towards me. Soon I saw a dwelling, which was illuminated by the last rays of the setting sun. It was built of stone, thanking the Creator for the shelter provided to me, I fell asleep serenely.
Just before dawn, voices woke me up. Opening my eyes, I saw that there were two strangers in front of me, they spoke in some unknown language, but miraculously, somehow I understood them, and judging by their answers, they also understood me.
They called me with them, and I obediently followed them.
After a while we came to a village where I had a short time. We talked a lot, on their instructions I did work that brought me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction.
One day they told me it was time to move on.
In another village I was received as a close relative who was absent from home for a long time, I was surrounded by care and comfort. But when the time came, they took me far and further …
During this trip, I simply lost track of time, and to be honest, I just didn't even think about it. After all, every new day brought me something new, wonderful and wise. And sometimes it seemed to me that everything that happens is in a dream.
So time passed, and then one day they announced to me that the time had come for me to return home, and my path must pass through Constantinople.
* * *
In our time, the human mind simply cannot digest everything that happened to me there, what I learned there, what they showed me, until the time comes - the Lord will reveal to the most worthy of us even greater knowledge than was revealed to me.
Lying on my deathbed, I will try to tell you what is possible.
The legendary country of Belovodye is not a myth or a legend or a fairy tale, but a true truth. In the legends and legends of various peoples, it is called differently. In the fairy-tale chambers there dwell the radiant, meek, humble and wisest of the wise - the Collaborators of the Higher World, in which the Spirit of God lives. These great and holy ascetics who unite with our Lord and form one Spirit with him. They work tirelessly with all the heavenly Light Forces, for the greatest benefit of all inhabitants and peoples of the earth.
A great multitude of people, from all over the world, strive to get into this reserved land, but in every hundred years, only seven chosen ones can set foot on its land, out of seven only six can return back to the world, taking with them the secret knowledge and radiance of the soul and heart and I am one of them. And only one has the right to stay in this country forever.
People living there can live as long as they want. For neither time is stopped forever. They know very well what things are happening in the rest of the world, everything is known and heard there. When I became spiritually strengthened, they allowed me to visit both Constantinople and Kiev outside my body.
Those wise men said precisely that the Orthodox faith is most suitable for our people, there is no spiritual and majestic, brighter and more beautiful. Only Orthodoxy is destined to unite together all the peoples inhabiting our lands and to be one and indivisible.
For a thousand years, all the forces of hell with all-crushing fury and strength will strive to destroy and destroy our Russia to its very foundations. But the more terrible the strength and fury, the stronger and stronger our people will be. Because faith unites us and solders us together, and no obstacles will block the path to the Almighty. The forces of light and unearthly fire will defeat our enemies. The living forces of the unearthly Fire will heal the terrible wounds of our country. And the best, the wisest of the wisest will always carry the Words of the Living God to all countries and continents, and will give the world peace, man's favor, and the Gates of Life of the Coming Age will be opened …