WALKING OF THE VIRGIN OF SORROWS

WALKING GOD THROUGH HELL

OR WALKING OF THE VIRGIN OF SORROWS

This text is believed to be a fourth or fifth century product originally written in Greek. The Slavonic version dates to the 12th century. This apocryphon is yet another in the line of the Mary, Mother of God literature.


Holy Mother of God wanted to pray to the Lord our God on the Mount of Olives, that in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit came down and told Michael the Archangel of the flour, the celestial and terrestrial. And when the news of this word, the archangel Michael came down from heaven, and the four angels with him an hundred to the east, a hundred - the west, one hundred - to the south, a hundred - from the north. Fertile and welcomed Michael and the angels, and the angel said, "Hail, the completion of the Father, Hail, the abode of the Son, rejoice, praise the Holy Spirit, rejoice, Christ ... and approval; Hail, David's prophecy, Hail, holy worship, rejoice, the prophets proclaimed, Hail, all standing up at the throne of God. "

Grace said the archangel Michael, "Hail thou, archangel, the first soldier, a minister and a lamp invisible Father; Hail, Michael, the host of the first, the command of the Holy Spirit, rejoice, archangel, seraphim praise, Hail, Michael-Archangel defeating the torturers, and before worthy of the throne of the Lord standing, Hail, Michael, incessant light, Hail, Archangel, the first soldier who wanted to wake up the trumpet shall sound, and the dead from the beginning, Hail, Michael, the chief of all the heavenly hosts, the first who brought fame to the throne of God all the angels. "

Virgin wanted to see how the tormented souls of men, and the Archangel Michael said: "Tell me about it, their existing on earth." And Michael said to her, "What is (...) ask for Grace, I'll tell you." And Holy Mother of God asked him: "How much suffering, tormented by what kind of Christian?" And she said, "Do not call all suffering." Grace asked him: "Tell me, what are they in heaven and on earth?"

Then-chief ordered the angels to come from the south, and rend Hell and saw Lady tormented in hell, and there was a lot of husbands and wives, and they were yelling. And asked Grace Archangel: "Who are they?" And answered archangel: "Those who do not believe in the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, have forgotten God and believe in the fact that God made us for our work, it was nicknamed the gods: sun and moon, earth and water, and animals and creeping things, and all those people made of stones - Trajan, Horsa, whitish, Perun turned into gods, and were obsessed with the evil demon, and believed, and still in the darkness of evil are because there are so obsessed ... "

In another place, she saw a great darkness, and asked the Holy Mother of God: "What kind of a dark and who is there?" And said, Archangel, "Many souls is in the wrong place." And she said to the Holy Mother of God: "Let disperse darkness that I saw and the torment." Angels guarding them, answered: "It is said that they will not see the light until they will be thy blessed Son, brighter than seven suns." Grieve the Holy Mother of God, an angel lifted his eyes and looked at the invisible throne of His Father, said, "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, let dissipate darkness And this that I've seen is a worry." And broke the darkness, and it seemed to the seven heavens, and there was a lot of people, men and women, (...), and could be heard wailing and crying strong. Seeing them, the Holy Mother of God cried out with tears, "What did you do, poor, damned, how you got here, unworthy?" But no voice, no answer could not hear, and said angels guarding them, "Why do not you answer?" Then martyrs said, "O full of grace, we have never seen the light, we can not look up." Holy Mother of God looked at them, and wept bitterly. And they saw the martyrs her and told her, "Why did you come to us, Holy Mother of God? Your son is blessed to come to earth and did not ask us about anything or great grandfather Abraham, nor the prophet Moses or John the Baptist or the Apostle Paul, God's favorite, but you, the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness, you old Christian wall, beg God how did you come to us, the poor? "Then ask the Holy Mother of God at the Archangel Michael," What is their sin? "And Michael said:" It is those who did not believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and in you, Holy Mother of God and they did not want to preach your name and that he was born of thee Jesus Christ, the incarnation, and hallowed ground baptism - that are suffering because of this and they are there. " Again cried Holy Mother of God, and asked them: "Why do you fall into temptation, do not know that the whole creation honors my name?"

Prophesied is the Holy Mother of God, and then covered with a dark them. Archangel asked her, "Where do you want now, Grace, to the south or to the north?" And the answer of grace: "Let's go to the south." Then turned the cherubim and seraphim and the four angels, the Virgin led to the south, where the river of fire flowed, there were many men and women, all immersed in the river - some to the waist, the other up to his armpits, and others to the neck, and the other with his head.

Seeing them, the Holy Mother of God cried with a loud voice and said, Archangel, "Who is that, at times submerged in fire?" And he said, "It is those who curse father or mother, for it is here, damn, suffer." Mother asked again, "Who are those that up to his armpits in the fire?" And she said, "It was a close god fathers and feuding among themselves, while others were doing adultery, for it is here and suffer." Holy Mother of God and asked, "Who are those that neck in a flame of fire?" And the angel said to her: "It is those who eat human flesh, for here and suffer like that." Holy Mother of God and asked, "Who are those that head cast into the fire?" And told her archangel: "These are, Madam, that the cross holding of fair, false swearing by the Holy Cross, and even the angels when you look at it, and tremble fear worship him. These same people, holding a cross, swear on it, not knowing what awaits them flour, because it is so and suffer. "

And when the Holy Virgin husband hanging by their feet, eat worms, and asked the angel, "Who is this? what sin he committed? "And he said, " This is a man who made a profit for their gold and silver, for he suffers forever. "

And when the wife of the Virgin hanging from the teeth, various snakes crawled out of her mouth and ate it. Seeing this, the Virgin asked the angel, "What is this woman and what is her sin?" And answering, Archangel told her, "This woman, lady, went to his closest friends and neighbors, listening to what they say about them, and the quarrel with them, spreading rumors, and suffers because of it. " And the Holy Virgin said: "I wish this had not been born." Michael said to her, "Did not you see, the Holy Mother of God, of great suffering." The Holy Archangel said, "Come and see all the flour." And Michael said, "Where do you want to go, Grace?" Saint replied: "In the north." And turning, cherubim and seraphim and the four angels brought Fertile north. There stretched a fiery cloud, and stood in the middle of a heated bench, and they lay a lot of husbands and wives. Seeing this, the Holy Archangel sighed and said: "Who are they, what have sinned?" Archangel said: "Those who do not stand the Resurrection at matins, and lazy lie as dead, they suffer for it." And she said to the Holy Mother of God: "But if someone can not get up, what sin they have done?" And Michael said, "Listen, Holy, if someone lights a house with four sides, and will pass it around the fire, and burned the man, so can not you get out, it is not sinful. "

Elsewhere, Virgin saw fire and burning tables on them many men and women, and the Holy Archangel said: (...) "Those who are not priests to read, does not get to meet them when they go out of the church of God - because this and suffer. "

And when the Holy Virgin iron wood, with iron branches and twigs, and on top of it were iron hooks, and on them many men and women hanging by their tongues. Seeing this, the saint began to cry and asked Michael: "Who is it, what is their sin?" And he said, "It slanderers and gossipers, separated brother from brother, and husband and wife." And Michael said, "Listen, all holy one, I'll tell you about them, if someone wanted to be baptized, and repent of their sins, these detractors tried to dissuade them and instructed them to salvation, for that they are tormented forever."

And in another place the Holy saw her husband hung by the feet and hands with four sides, the edges of his nails, and he proceeded much blood and his tongue of flame of fire Twist, and he could not breathe either, nor say, "Lord, have mercy me ". Looking at him, the Blessed Virgin said: "Lord, have mercy" - three times - and created a prayer. Approached her angel holding suffering, to free the man language. And they asked him a saint, "Who is this poor man, who so tormented?" And the angel said, "It's the economy and the minister of the church, it is not the will of God did, but sold the vessels and church plate and say," Who is working in the church, one of the Church and feeds ", so he is suffering here." And she said, Holy, "What is deserved, even or better." And the angel again tied his tongue.

And he said-chief: "Come on, lady, I will show you where the priests are suffering," and she saw the priests suspended over the edge of nails on their heads came fire and scorched them. Seeing this, the Virgin asked him, "Who are they and what have sinned?" And Michael said: "It is those who have served the liturgy, and before the throne of God coming, esteeming themselves worthy, and when committed Proskomedia not kept wafer, grains dropped her as the stars of God, on the ground, and then hesitated terrible throne and footstool of God trembled, for they are now so obsessed. "

And I saw the holy man and the winged serpent with three heads - one head was turned to the eyes of her husband, and the other - to his lips. And he said-chief: "This poor man can not take a break from the snake." He added, "He, Lady, the holy book, and read the Gospel, he did not follow them, taught the people, and he is not the will of God worked and lived in fornication and lawlessness."

He said the leader of the forces of the Lord: "Come, Holy, I'll show you where suffering rank angelic and apostolic." And the Holy saw that they were, overcome with a fiery flame and eaten worm incessantly. Saint asked, "Who are they?" And Michael answered her: "They are the ones who have the image of an angel and the Apostles, in the land called famous names of the patriarchs and bishops, and told them:" Bless, holy Fathers, "but they are not in heaven were called saints, because they do not do anything to be angelic and apostolic way, and suffer for it so. "

And when the holy women hanging by their fingernails, and flames came out from their mouths and scorches them, and the snake crept out of the flames and to entwine them, and they cried, "Have mercy on us, as we are all one tormented harder." And, weeping, said, Holy, "What is their sin?" And said archangel: "This priest's wife, who did not honor their priests, and after their death, married, and therefore suffer."

And she saw the Virgin of other women lying in the fire consumed by different snakes, and asked the Holy, "What is their sin?" And Michael said: "This is the monastic novice, that his body betrayed fornication, because here they are suffering."

And he said-chief, "Come, Holy, I'll show you where a lot of suffering sinners." And saw the holy river of fire, and if the blood flowed in the river, which flooded the whole earth, and in the midst of its waters - many sinners. Seeing this, the Virgin Mary wept and said, "What are their sins?" Answer-chief: "It fornicators and adulterers, thieves, secretly eavesdropping, that says a close, it's gossip, and slanderers, and those who reaped the wrong fields and plucked the fruit of other people, those who eat other people's works, separated spouses, drunks, unmerciful princes, bishops and patriarchs, kings, do not do the will of God, who take interest transgressors." Hearing this, the Virgin Mary wept and said: "Woe to sinners!" Archangel She added: "It is such a sinner and do not be born!"

And Michael said to her: "Why are you crying, Holy? Did not you see the great suffering? "And the answer is holy:" I will lead me to see all the suffering. " And he said, Michael, "Come on, Grace, wherever you want, on the east or west, to heaven, to the right or to the left, where a great torment?" And said, Holy, "Let's go to the left side." Holy one said a word, and turned the cherubim and seraphim and the four angels who took her out of the east to the left, and about that river was deep darkness: there were many men and women, and around bubbled like a cauldron, and if the waves broke over the sinners , and when the waves rose, then sank a thousand cubits sinners, unable to say, "The righteous judge, have mercy on us." They are constantly eating worms, and gnashing of teeth was heard. And we saw the Blessed surrounded by angels, and cried out in unison: "Holy, holy, holy, God is holy, and you, Mother of God, bless you, and the Son of God, born to you, because in times past did not see the light, and now see the light thanks to you, Mother. " Once again, they cried together, "Hail, full of grace Hail Mary, Hail, the radiance of eternal light, Hail, Holy Archangel Michael, Lady, praying for the world, we also see tormented sinners and much sorrow."

Mother of God saw that the angels are sad and sad because of the sinners cry holy, and cried out with one voice, "Well, you've come to the darkness to see us and our anguish, pray, Holy, with the Archangel." And, hearing the crying and screaming sinners, she burst into tears, crying, and saying, "Lord, have mercy on us", so that when finished the prayer, the storm subsided and the fiery river waves, and were sinners like a mustard seed. Upon seeing this, cried Holy, and asked: "What is this river and its waves?" And she said, "This whole river resin, and waves it all fire, and those who are suffering, it is the Jews that have plagued our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, it is all the people who were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and claims to be a Christian, believe in demons and abandoned by God and holy baptism, there are those who lust after the holy baptism worked with his Kum (. ..) with their mothers and daughters, and the poisoners who starved people poisons, guns kill people and suffocate their children, for their work and they suffer so. " And she said, Holy, "Let it be so deserved it!" And again flooded their turbulent river and fire wave, and darkness covered them. And Michael said of God: "If anyone gets into this darkness, God will not remember it." And the all holy one said: "Woe to sinners in this unquenchable flame of fire!"

And he said, "Come, Holy, I'll show you the lake of fire, where the suffering Christian race." And she saw and heard their cries and wailing, and sinners themselves to be seen, and asked: "What is the sin of those who are here?" Michael said to her: "These are the ones that cross and cross remembered, and were doing the devil's business and did not have time to repent, because of this they suffer so here. "

And the Holy Archangel said: "The only prayer appealing to you, so that I could go in and mess with Christians because they were called the children of my son." And he said-chief: "Rest in Paradise." And the answer is Holy: "I beseech you, that you called the host of the seven heavens and all the host of angels to pray for sinners, and let the Lord God will hear us and have mercy on them."

"Lord God lives, the name of his majesty, we worship the Lord seven times seven times during the day and at night, when the offer up praise to the Lord and for sinners, please, Madam, but did not hear the Lord." And she said to the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Now we beseech you, the angelic host led me to raise the height of heaven and put before the invisible Father."

And Archangel commanded, and there cherubim and seraphim, and offered Fertile the height of heaven, and set it in front of the throne of the invisible Father, Mother raised her hands to the gracious son, and said: "Have mercy on sinners, Lord, for I have seen and can not stand their suffering, and I'll let him suffer with the Christians. " And a voice said to her: "How I pity them? I see the nails in the palms of my son, and I do not know how to pardon them. " And Mother said, "Lord, I am not asking for the wrong of the Jews, but I beg your mercy to Christians." And there came a voice saying: "I see that my brothers are not pardoned, and those can not pardon." The holy one said: "Have mercy, O Lord, sinners, have mercy, Lord, created by your hands, because they are in all the earth say your name, and in pain, and in all places in all the land, saying," Most Holy Lady the Mother of God, help us, "and when a person is born, says:" Holy Mother of God, help me. '" Then the Lord said to her, "Look, Mother of God, the lady, there is not one person who did not pray to thy name, and I will not leave them either in heaven or on earth."

And she said to the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Where is the prophet Moses, the prophets, and where all you fathers who have never sinned, where Paul, a favorite of God, where the resurrection, the Christian praise, where the power of the Holy Cross, which saved Adam and Eve from the curse?"Then Archangel Michael and all the angels said: "Have mercy, O Lord, sinners." Then Moses cried out, saying, "Have mercy, O Lord, for I have given them thy law." Then he cried out, saying, "Have mercy, O Lord, I am your gospel preached to them." Then Paul cried out, saying, "Have mercy, Lord, Lord, because I gave your message to the churches." And the Lord God said, "Look you are: if my gospel, or to my law and if the preaching of the Gospel proclaimed by John, the messages which brought Paul to judge - that court and accepted. And the angels have for that request only: "Have mercy, Lord - we are righteous. '" And she said to the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Have mercy, O Lord, sinners, as they took the gospel and the law of your savings." Then the Lord said to her, "Listen, all holy one, if one of them did evil, but not repent of slavery - and you're saying is true, that they have learned thy law - and they did evil again when not to pay them for evil, what I say - we have said, and we commend them for their wickedness. " Then all the saints who heard the Lord saying it did not dare say anything.

And when the holy one, that no one has reached the holy and the Lord did not listen, but removes from sinners, His mercy, and the holy one said, "Where is the Archangel Gabriel, who announced to me:" Rejoice, "since he first heard of the Father, he is now the sinners not looking, where the great, the one who is on top of his city, and on a single ground, and the ground because of heinous human affairs with dirt, and the Lord God sent his Son, the fruit of the earth, and approved, where the ministers of the throne, where John the Evangelist? Why do not you pray with us for the Lord Christian sinners? Can not you see me crying about sinners? Come all the angels and all those in heaven come all the righteous who lived Lord, you are allowed to pray for sinners. Come you, Michael, you - the first among the bodiless, standing before the throne of God - all were to fall to the invisible Father, and not rising until we hear that God will have mercy and not sinners. " Then Michael fell down before the throne, and with him all the faces of the heaven, and all ranks of ethereal. And he saw the Lord praying saints, have mercy for the sake of his only Son and said, "Come down, my beloved Son, look at the prayers of the saints and reveal his face to the sinner."

And the Lord came down from the invisible to the throne, and saw him sitting in the dark, and cried with one voice, saying, "Have mercy on us, Son of God, have mercy on us, the king of all time." And the Lord said, "Listen to everything. I planted a paradise and created man in His own image, and made him master of the garden, and give them eternal life, they also disobeyed and in their desire to have sinned, and put to death, I did not want to see the devil tormented creature of my hands came down to earth and embodied in the virgin ascended to the cross to set them free from slavery and from the first curse, ask for water, and gave me gall mixed with vinegar, my hands have created man, and they put me in a coffin, and I went down to Hell, won his enemy, his elect raised blessed Jordan to redeem your first curse, and you have ignored the repentance of their sins. Christians, you are called only in words, but do not keep my commandments - and therefore are in ever-burning fire, and not have compassion on you. Now, for the charity of my Father who sent me to you, for the sake of the prayers of my mother, who cried a lot of you, because of the covenant of Archangel Michael, and for my many martyrs who have suffered a lot for you - I give you, is tormented day and night, rest from Holy Thursday until Pentecost, Praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit. " And said, "Glory to thy mercy."

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.