A Very Special Gift: + Larissa's Psalter

This afternoon we were given some of +Larrisa's cherished belongings and the biggest thing I was given was her Psalter.  

It had her Psalter, the Canon of St Andrew of Crete, 

an older copy of 

the Akathist for the Repose of those who have fallen asleep, 

icons, a bookmark, and many letters, 

most of which we wrote to her. 

 One I had mentioned my Husband's birthday,

 she highlighted that; another I said when 

we were on holiday in July-August and 

she had underlined that.  

She really loved us. She called me before we left on holiday;

 it was after this, when we were still on holiday, 

we found out that July 14 she had gone 

back to the nursing home with fluid in her lungs.  

When she called me I could tell she was getting out of breath.... 

These icons were from me, 
I had mailed them to her at different times. 

She had (above) marked the prayer to pray about the pandemic. 

***

This copy of the Canon of St Andrew of Crete

was with her Psalter too. 

When I saw the above and how she marked the part about having no health and of life ebbing away, I realized that somehow she knew, recognized, what was happening to her.  

She marked that one (above) too.  I will keep those there.  What a treasure I have in this.  I am greatly comforted. 

I read this Akathist through tonight, trying to learn a little of it by heart, the message of it, the beauty, the depth.  And I realized that Larissa had given me, in this, part of what I need for my writing project.  (Now I am trying to date it, I am guessing 1960s?).  It's really wonderful.  It really captures all of life and all situations of people who need prayers... 

She wrote this small note, that compuction = remorse on a folded up reciept that was from 2011.  

Here the service was printed in 1969 and

 in 2011 she was still reading/studying it.  

That really struck me, seeing her prayerfulness. 

She mainly hid it, I have a feeling that I most defineetely saw this Psalter with her in the nursing home the first time she was there.  I had no idea, of course, what was inside it! Such hidden repentance, beautiful.... 

Psalms to pray for Lent and for vespers marked out... She once told me in church, as we were leaving, that she prayed vespers at home...

This prayer above was in it as well.

Such a beautiful prayer. 

And this handwritten list of various Psalms for

various things, so practical and beautiful.

I loved how she double underlined some, including

DIRE STRAITS which I can just hear her saying... 

***

I think she suffered a lot, mostly silently without 

others knowing... I know once she had been to the doctor

and she did not want to bother me about it and so

did not tell me, other than that she did not want to bother me

about it.  Later I knew a bit more, as I helped her when I could...

I only wish we could have done more... 

***

She loved our letters, told my Husband to pleae keep them coming

and thanked him many times for them. 

***

I can't fully explain the sense of relief I have from being

given this Psalter.  Now she is close by, now she is giving me

some of the greatest consolation and instructions I 

can have.  I am so thankful.

***

We received some other things as well,

as I am able, I hope to share them here.

***

She had no family to pass things on to and that I have some 

of these things is very meaninginful.

***

May God bless and save us!

And one day, may there be people who will pray for us

when we have, like Larissa, departed this life...

She who used to pray for the departed now we pray this for her...

Lord have mercy on us, save us, comfort us

and give us hope in the midst of life's difficulties!