Russian orthodoxy has evolved over time with the deterioration of some elements and the addition of others, but certain influences in the religion always remained constant. Comparing the “The Life of Archpriest Avvakum by Himself” and “The Life, Acts, and Miracles of Our Blessed Father Sergei of Radonezh” one can see that some aspects of the Orthodox faith did not change despite decades that separate the times in which the two Saints lived. Both figures act humbly and experience suffering without complaint in order to comply with the Lord. In this sense, humility is an important expectation of orthodoxy. Living simple lives they do not focus on riches but survive with the bare necessities. Father Sergius specifically is known not for his lavish…show more content… This self-restraint and denial of humility is portrayed when Avvakum is arrested at Vespers by Boris Neledinsky and his musketeers. Thrown into prison without food or drink, Avvakum subsists until an angel brings him a little bread and some cabbage soup. According to Avvakum the angel says: “Enough. This will suffice for thy sustenance,” and then vanishes. He was given just enough to be nourished. This idea of living with the bare minimum is correspondingly portrayed through Father Sergei. Father is abstinent and refrains from receiving a gold cross encrusted with precious stones, which is given to him by The Metropolitan Alexis: “Forgive me, lord, I have worn no gold ornaments since child hood, wherefore all the more do I wish in old age to continue in poverty.” (Blessed Father Sergius, page 286) Therefore, humility is encouraged and is portrayed as a constant fact of religious life for the daily lives of both Avvakum and Father Sergius. In turn, humility is an enduring expectation in the Russian Orthodoxy and is directly tied to Christian faith, as these two religious figures hold the belief that humbleness and suffering are both vital in leading the life of a…show more content… They are majorly used to portray and teach the values of a religion. Avvakum, for example, recalled a near death experience in which he was saved by the Lord: “Then it was that my bones began to ache, and my veins grew taut, and my heart failed me and I was near death” … “I repented before the Lord. The sweet Lord is merciful; he forgets our former transgressions in view of our repentance. And once more nothing pained me” (Avvakum). Avvakum receives mercy from the Lord because he expresses great remorse for his sins. Miracles therefore create the impression of the rewards or aid that one can receive so long as they remain a pious Christian. On a similar note, Avvakum has a quarrel with a lady who had an ill son. Rather than going straight to Avvakum, the lady sent her son to a witch-doctor. For this, Avvakum prayed to the Lord that she felt remorse for her actions – the next morning she did. After seeing this repentance, Avvakum recalled: “I anointed him and blessed him with the cross. And he – it was God’s action – was healed, and his hand and leg became sound. Observe, you who listen to me, how great a virtue there is in a mother’s contrition; she healed her own heart and restored her child’s health” (Avvakum). Avvakum relates the miracle of healing to the act of repentance towards the Lord. In “The Life of our Holy Father Sergius”, Father Sergius is faced with a boy who has fallen sick,
