The line is miracle

The two -kilometer queue for the relics of Nikolai the Wonderworker in the XXS unites the Orthodox, atheists, gypsies, lover of selfies, beer lovers, supporters of Navalny and sunbathing visitors to the Seagull basin. And thereby doing a miracle

“Is this a queue? This is a sanatorium! The sun shines, the river shines, boats. Here, I remember, in November 2011, we stood to the Belish of the Virgin, it was a completely different matter. November, the cold is hellish, and it was necessary to get up with the Luzhniki. And here is just the Crimean bridge. Lepota! " - Elena rejoices, passing through the framework of metal detectors under the Crimean bridge. Elena arrived from the city of Aleksina of the Tula region to bow to the relics of St. Nicholas and ask him to quickly end the repair of asphalt on the road leading to her dacha on the oka. "Anyway, such a shrine, it is a sin to miss."

The queue is organized by pieces on the sidewalk along the Prechistenskaya embankment. Some part of the way people stand, some go. It is unclear whether this is specially invented for humane reasons, but it is much easier to stand - every 15 minutes the police misses a new batch and lets her go until the next fence.

The line for the relics of Nikolai Wonderworker Photo: Yuri Kochetkov/EPA/Vostock Photo

Along the line, empty regular buses with open doors are parked: you can go into them and sit if you do not want to stand. But most people stand, especially at the beginning. “We must survive so that this is not so simple,” says Olga, in a scarf and with the Bible in her hands. - This is the smallest that we can do for a meeting with the shrine. Stand, endure and pray. But there is no ice cream, ”and squints at another woman who has just bought a seal in the“ drinks and ice cream ”tent, who are as many as buses, fire engines and toilets. The infrastructure is very thought out.

“I am standing to ask Nicholas for Navalny,” says Moskvich Mikhail. - I know that Alexei is a believer, I follow his blog, and he is unlikely to have time to stand here himself, he needs to open new headquarters. So he decided to come and ask for a miracle - so that he would win the presidential election next year. It is unlikely, of course, but Nikolai is a miracle worker! Perhaps a miracle will happen. ”

"I am standing to ask Nicholas for Navalny to win the presidential election next year"

From the metro “Park of Culture” along the entire line and in the temple itself, people in bright vests with the inscription “Orthodox volunteer” work. These are mainly women. They explain what's what, and in the intervals of the embankment, where people do not stand in line, but go, shouting on a license: "Christ is risen." At the beginning of the queue, people cheerfully answer “truly risen”, and already closer to the temple they gather and pray. Some to make the sun go away and become cooler, the latter, so that the rain does not go, and the third, so that it is more likely to go to the temple.

Orthodox volunteers periodically ask people in strollers, with crutches and small children. The closer to the temple, the more reluctantly they are allowed. "My legs are sick!" - the elderly woman screams, running on the side of the crowd with a coward, and behind her is another ten. “Wow sick,” the other is indignant and puts her banding with his cane. The skirmish begins, the police urge not to swear and not push. Both women, shouting and reconciling, pass the side, overtaking.

Olya came from Vyshny Volochka to ask the relics that her friend finally succeeded in getting pregnant. “She has been trying for two years, all in any way. Here, I came to ask for her. " Then Olya admits that she does not believe in God, and her friend, too. "But suddenly?"

Believers are in line for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where until July 28 there will be an ark with the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Photo: Evgeny Novozhenin/RIA Novosti

In one of the buses, a company of men and middle-aged women sits, they chat lively and drink something from the bottles that hide in bags. When the line moves, they move to the next bus. In one of the buses, a crowd of gypsies gathered - elegantly dressed men, women and children. On top of their clothes, their golden crosses shine around their neck.

Two girls in leggings extend their lips, narrow their eyes and put a selfie fad in front of them. “Which hashtag to put? - asks one another. -Queue-to-Svyatyata or Puti-K-Machs? " Nearby stands a lady in the Louis Vuitton scarf, she is contemptuously turning away and baptized. Then he takes out a pink iPhone: “Well, are you soon? I am opposite Peter. No, this is not at the beginning of the line. Well, understand how to find me there. ”

The closer to the temple, the less civilized and more resembles a crowd and crush. Small children scream, people try to pushes and overtake each other. “Well, nothing, another hour or two and let's go swim, don’t worry,” says one elderly tanned lady of the other. Elsa and Nelly actually came to the "Seagull"-an open pool in the culture park, but decided to make a hook and look at the relics. But they did not calculate the strength and time. After three hours of standing, they comfortably comfort each other that soon a pleasant cool of water and a horizontal position await them. “But we were in the center of events,” says one another.

The closer to the temple, the less civilized and more resembles a crowd and a crush

Before entering the temple, the girl in the scarf and vest “Orthodox volunteer” is dreamily looking at the phone and sings “that that one, the same, the same Lost on You” from the popular song of the performer LP. In the temple, the crush continues, the queue is divided into those who want to buy candles, consecrate their icons or buy something in a church shop. “How did I get it,” says the woman with the Bible in her hands and begins to be baptized. "Where are the devils wear you?" - Says a lady in the iPhone in the Louis Vuitton scarf. “Everything will be fine, you will see,” the wife says to her husband, pushing him in front of him in a wheelchair. “I know my love. I know, ”he answers with a smile.

Near a small golden sarcophagus with relics, they are forced to pass quickly, and soon everyone is on the street. “Finally, what heat, how tired I am,” the man says to the woman. “Now urgently beer.” “And I would be white,” she answers him, taking off her handkerchief. “God bless you,” the native of Africa crosses them.

Believers in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the ark with the relics of Nikolai Wonderworker photo is located: Grigory Sysoev/RIA Novosti Religion