16,951
edits
Changes
m
link
During the first days of the captivity the prisoners, under the offer of Fr. Anatoly partook of the Eucharist with bread that was available for them, consecrating it with their prayers to Body of Christ making it possible to partake further.
From the memoirs of Fr. Sergius, "When we shared the Sacrament, Father Anatoly looked at me with an extraordinary expression. What I saw occur with him was a [[uncreated lightTransfiguration|transfiguration]]. The face of Fr. Anatoly became surprisingly light, his widely opened eyes were full unprecedented light. He said, "Listen, brother, for this happiness is to suffer for the Christ, to die with His name on ones lips"<ref name="p">[http://www.pobeda.ru/content/view/1315/10/ Life of the priest Anatoly Chistousov]</ref>.
After the prisoners were divided from each other, Fr. Anatoly was exposed to torture, but did not surrender himself nor renounced his belief and, as a result, he was shot by bandits. He was martyred in [[February 14]], 1996.
