Deeply religious people will not see in the strange facts, which will be discussed in this article, nothing new and unusual - because they firmly know: God punishes those who commit evil deeds and gives the righteous. And perhaps it really is …
Death of a schismatic
The idea that lightning only kills sinners goes back to very ancient times. The Bible says that. that God “hides lightning in His hands and commands it whom to strike”. There are many religious stories that mention the death of apostates and detractors of holy people from a striking lightning.
However, this happens not only in myths, but in reality. In the summer of 2009, an event occurred that caused a lot of noise in the media.
Former governor of the Rivne region Vasily Chervoniy, a former Komsomol leader, and then a nationalist, deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Cossack ataman, head of the Rivne organization of the People's Movement, fought against the Russian Church. As you know, another church schism has taken place in Ukraine - some priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church opposed the Moscow Patriarchate, declaring that they are subordinate only to the Kiev Patriarchate. Chervoniy was widely known for supporting schismatics and waging a tough struggle with those priests who did not want to obey Kiev. The Chervoniya Cossacks captured the temples. priests and their families were beaten and driven out of their houses into the street.
In July last year, Russian Patriarch Kirill was going to visit Ukraine. Chervoniy immediately publicly made a statement that he would not let him into his native land, and ordered his assistants to gather the people in order to meet the patriarch with stakes and clubs.
The next day, July 4, Chervoniy went with friends to relax in nature. Suddenly, a strong thunderstorm began, and at exactly 12.30 a lightning struck the nationalist. He was taken to intensive care. but they could not save him …
Promotional video:
Patriarch Kirill arrived safely on Ukrainian soil, there were only a few aggressive nationalists in the crowd, the rest were demoralized after the death of their leader …
Payback for fornication
This is far from an isolated case of a sinner's death from lightning. And sometimes the heavenly judge also strikes those who administer unrighteous justice on earth. It is known that lawyers who are forced to defend murderers and rapists are called devil's advocates. This nickname was very suitable for the lawyer Dani Graves, who worked in a small American town.
Once he had a chance to defend a man, through whose fault two boats collided on the lake, as a result of which three young people died. The audience expected that the culprit of the tragedy would be punished, but Graves so skillfully built a line of defense that, to the surprise of all those present, the offender was acquitted right in the courtroom.
Soon, the lawyer went to the same lake to take a boat trip with friends and celebrate the victory in court. Later, eyewitnesses said that in the midst of the fun, Graves suddenly raised both hands up and shouted: "I'm here!" And at that moment lightning struck from the sky - the blow was fatal. Friends of the deceased claimed that he was calling a girl he knew who was standing on the shore. But the most superstitious residents of the town are convinced that Graves showed God his whereabouts in order to be punished deservedly.
But the gamekeepers of the national park in Virginia, Roy Sullivan, were struck by lightning seven times. Each time he survived, but lost his health - the discharges burned his hair, his left hand almost ceased to work, he began to go blind and deaf. Once lightning struck the ground next to his car, as a result of which the huntsman flew out of the car and spent six months in the hospital with numerous fractures.
Sullivan's acquaintances claim in all seriousness that the lightning strikes were punishment for the huntsman's sins. He was married several times, beat his wives, cheated on them recklessly, and if his wife got pregnant, he kicked out of the house, not in the least interested in where the unfortunate woman would go.
However, perhaps Sullivan did not die of lightning strikes because God was leading him along the path of repentance. In the seventy-first year of his life, the huntsman committed suicide by shooting himself with a gun. In his house, they found a note in which he asked for forgiveness from all women whom he hurt and ruined life.
Good god
However, sometimes lightning strikes have miraculous powers. The life of Saint Artemy of Verkolsky tells how lightning struck this twelve-year-old boy on June 23, 1544. Since in Russia, death from lightning has long been considered a payment for sins, the dead were not buried in the ground. Artemy was buried in a log cabin. A few years later, the villagers noticed that a glow appeared over the log house, and when the wooden crypt was opened, it turned out that Verkolsky's body was not subject to decay.
Miracles emanated from the grave of the youth: the sick were healed, the blind received their sight, and Artemy was declared a saint.
As the life says: "At the age of 12, that crown of holiness descended upon him, which other ascetics acquired with a whole long life of tireless labor." Later, the Artemyevsk monastery was founded on this place. In the 17th century, Artemy Verkolsky was canonized by the church.
In France in the 18th century, another amazing incident occurred. The young pious engraver Opost Dupre took part in the creation of new coins in 1792, which they decided to issue during the French Revolution.
He drew a winged figure on the coinage form, and the coins issued were popularly called the "winged angels". Two years later, a mass terror began in the country, and Dupre ended up in prison. He was sentenced to death by guillotine, and, heading to the place of execution, the engraver clutched a coin with his drawing in his hand and whispered a prayer. Suddenly lightning struck the bell tower, which stood nearby. A commotion began, and the execution of Dupre was simply forgotten. He spent another six months in prison, and then was released, offering prayers to the Lord.
More recently, a truly amazing incident happened in the United States. Edwin Robertson from the American city of Portland was driving his car on the road 10 years ago. And suddenly some cheerful old woman decided to cross the road. Robertson braked sharply, but … The old woman received serious bruises, and Robertson hit his head very hard on the windshield, as a result of which he was almost deaf and blind.
Robertson was a believer. He decided to help the old woman with money, who was also injured - after all, although, in fact, she was to blame, it was he and his car that caused her injuries.
For 10 years, he regularly transferred money to her. And just recently, Robertson was struck by lightning. He spent half an hour unconscious, and when he woke up, he realized with surprise that he suddenly began to see and hear well.
Natalia Trubinovskaya