A story for every day...
A soldier’s unshakable confidence.
A pious soldier told us of a sign of Mary’s protection. It was during the deadly assault on Sebastopol. His regiment was destined to be the first to march; for the majority, death was already certain. Our brave soldier wanted to go to confession and take communion. At his side, his comrades in tears thought they were seeing the sun for the last time; they regretted dying so far from the fatherland, and big tears flowed abundantly and bitterly, on the cheeks of these rough soldiers.
“It was the duty, it was necessary to go in front of death, said the soldier; I resigned myself. I entrusted myself to Mary, but I did not ask her for anything. At noon, the murderous fire began. I was in no way intimidated; all I could see were flaming bombs, cannonballs, and projectiles that darkened the sky. Death was mercilessly reaping its victims. For me, my thoughts were entirely in Heaven and in Mary.”
How great is the goodness of the Queen of Heaven! Carried away by his ardor, our brave soldier having crossed the entrenchments, found himself alone for a moment in front of a column of Russians. At the sudden sight of this danger, he stopped and, oh marvel! the enemy did not fire on him. At the end of that bloody day, only thirteen men of his company remained. The Blessed Virgin Mary had saved him.
