The world-famous stauropegic monastery near the city of Kozelsk in the Kaluga province, better known as Svyato-Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage, became famous for its abbots - wise elders, to whom pilgrims came to bow, both from the entire vast Russian Empire and from abroad. Eminent Russian citizens, future great writers, for example, Nikolai Gogol, Fyodor Dostoevsky and others, have also been here.
The elders of the Optina Monastery knew how to comfort, guide on the right path, predict what awaits a person, what he should fear and where to direct his strength and will, were able to heal the soul, and therefore the body of the bereaved. Pilgrims who come to Optina Pustyn listened to and even wrote down for some elders their prophecies regarding the future of Russia and the world as a whole, for example, the abbot of the monastery Bartholomew became famous for such a gift of a seer.
He said a lot about the future of Russia, but today the words of this wise old man regarding the current difficult political situation in the world are especially important and interesting for us. But Bartholomew predicted it, saying that many years would pass and there would be a war, terrible in the east, terrible in the south, and the west would not bypass it dashingly. The heavens will light up, and a lot of people will end their lives on earth, only Mother Russia will emerge from this fire unharmed. Evil inhumans who will rule the world will bring many peoples to their knees, but not Russia. She will not submit to any enemies, on the contrary, she will outlive them all and begin to live well and rule the world herself, rule justly and God pleases.
So it seems that Russia has nothing to fear. This, of course, in no way promises Russians an easy and carefree life when wars are raging all around, but the very fact that our country will emerge victorious in a clash with the global obscurantism that we are witnessing today inspires hope in the heart and soothes the soul.