By Hieromonk Theologos
Last July a small group together with
the Bishop, having heard the story about Helen, chanted a memorial
service for her soul, near the sea, under the pine trees of a ruined
ancient Christian church with beautiful mosaics, which we had just swept
and were in amazement over.
The entire coast of Asia Minor
testifies to the eternal life of our faith and language. There Helen's
friend Anna recounted to us her last days. Later the priest added his
testimony. Let this brief narration be a Memorial that we dedicate these
days to Helen.
Helen Machankova was born in the
great city of Barnaul in Siberia on August 18, 1977. She went to
southern Asia Minor to work, like many of her compatriots, in the
tourist shops where millions of Russians visit every year. She was an
accountant and beautiful. There she met a local whom she married,
according to the Islamic custom, in a mosque. Her family in Russia were
atheists. Her husband considered her a Muslim and was proud of her, but
she began to despise him when he was glad to hear that Muslims were
killing Christians in Syria.
Many
of her Russian friends would regularly go to the only church that
operated in southern Asia Minor, in a large neighboring city. There Anna
directs the choir. Helen also began to attend church, asking to learn
how to pray and to have explained what takes place during the Divine
Liturgy. Then, on 6 January 2013, her husband seriously beat her and she
left her house and went to live with Anna. They went to church together
and then she felt a change within her, and was sad that she wasn't
baptized. She was amazed by the love shown to her by the priest and the
parishioners.
Those who weren't Christians she began to view
differently, without hatred. Anna suggested that she be baptized, and
she accepted. The priest counseled her how to attend church, how to
pray, and he advised her to read the Gospels. With her friends they
discussed the faith and the holy martyrs a lot, and she listened to
everything carefully. Later she travelled to Russia where she stayed for
two weeks with her family. She went to church there also, and purchased
and brought back with her small icons. She complained to her parents
why they didn't baptize her. Her mother told her that they lived as
atheists, but she could be baptized if she wanted. They even gave her a
pendant with an icon of Saint Seraphim of Sarov.
On March 8, 2013 she returned
and lived with Anna. The next day she encountered her husband as she
went to work. He saw the pendant and asked: "You changed your faith?"
She responded: "Yes." He then began to insult her and blaspheme because
she betrayed Allah. He told his friends and they responded: "You think a
marriage in a mosque would make her a Muslim?" Her husband began to
meet her every day after work, or he called her, and he threatened to
kill her. Anna expressed her joy that Helen confessed Christ, but told
her that it was dangerous.
Those days Helen was reading the
life of Saint Matrona, and together with Anna they would drink Holy
Water every morning. She would see the priest often, it was Cheesefare
week and she was going to be baptized on Pascha.
On the morning of March 15th she
narrated to Anna a dream she saw that night: Behind a large open window
there was a man with a very good and beautiful look. Helen approached
him and saw at his side many beautiful animals and behind him was the
sea. He told her that all these things belong to him, since he created
them. Then he opened his hands, saying: "Come to me, my daughter." He
embraced her and gave her his peace, and she became calm because her
husband had threatened her that night over the phone and she was afraid
to go to work.
Anna narrated to us that they
prayed together, drank Holy Water, then Helen left doing her cross. At
3:00pm she called Anna and left a message as if nothing was wrong. Later
Helen told the niece of her husband that he asked for them to meet and
Helen was going to meet him. "Whatever happens, happens," she said.
These were her last words. He received her at the house and he
slaughtered her with a knife. He told the police: "This was my offering
to Allah."
Helen was buried in her homeland, in Russia. May her memory be eternal, together with all the Neomartyrs.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
See also:
The Orthodox Christian sentiment regarding the persecutions of Christians by Islamists
Selected miracles of St. George the Trophy-bearer to Muslims
Selected miracles of St. George the Trophy-bearer to Muslims
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