Last night a man told me the story
of his visit to a mass grave of believers
made by the former KGB in Russia.
As he looked on that scene
his sadness surged into sobs
thinking of the torture and death
suffered by those good people.
But then a flow of joy merged in the moment
as he looked at his Russian hosts
who still carried the faith and fidelity
birthed by the prior generation.
As I listened last night
and now reflect on his story
I am struck by the depth, pathos
and sheer humanity
underneath my friend’s tears.
In that profound moment
the ineffible mixture of sadness and joy
seemed a creature of the spirit -
of an invisible higher realm.
With gratitude to my friend Kevin, a Christian, for sharing this experience with me. As he spoke, I almost stopped breathing, not wanting to miss a moment, a precious particle of this event in his life.
Throughout the history of the Soviet Union (1917–1991), there were periods when Soviet authorities through the KGB, the Soviet secret police, brutally suppressed and persecuted various forms of Christianity. Soviet policy consistently advocated the control, suppression, and ultimately, the elimination of religious beliefs. However, most religions were never officially outlawed.