The Power of the Rosary: World War II Slovakia
I remember fondly in one of the last times in which I saw my grandmother; she told me a story of unbelievable faith and courage in the midst of the Nazi occupation of Slovakia. It has always been my abiding desire to share this story.
The story takes place around the time during the Nazi occupation of Vinne, Slovakia and the neighboring villages. The heroine of the story is an unlikely peasant woman of undistinguished origin or status. One day this woman realizing that her family needed water to survive made the courageous trek to the neighboring village, Kaluza. The act was inherently courageous because the road was laden with German troops who recently set fire to the neighboring village under the suspicion of the village being a communist stronghold. The atmosphere was explosively tense any wrong move or even the slightest suspicion could lead any of the villagers to jail or even worse execution. Few villagers if not any dared to face their merciless captors even for the most basic of necessities, water. But not our heroine, she bravely decided that she would journey to the village and take her chances. She firmly believed that it was better to die heroically than to die living a life of quiet fear. So she finally went, kissing her family goodbye, prepared with her last parting kiss that this might be the last time in which she saw her family alive. She left, armed only with her steely resolve, a bucket and a rosary in her right hand.
As she made her way to the village she was greeted by the sneering, occupying German force who shouted crude and derogatory statements as she made her way. Undeterred by these comments she continued until she made her way to the well to pick up her water. Surprisingly there was no opposition as she drew the water, and within a few short moments (which must have seemed an eternity in those anxious circumstances) she was done and on her way. As she made her way through the town a group of German soldiers began shouting at her and urging her to stay behind so that they could have a good time with her. Despite their crude sexual advances she continued and choose not to look behind. Than all of a sudden a group of about 5 soldiers began following her. Realizing that her time for heroism was she began earnestly praying the rosary. The soldiers were within several feet when they saw her clutching the mysterious string of rudimentary beads in her right hand. After making several more crude comments one of the soldiers mysteriously commanded them all to leave the woman behind. In a stunning, totally unexpected moment all of the soldiers walked away and the woman continued on her journey making her way at last to what must have been an ecstatic reunion with her family.
In case you were all wondering who that woman was it was my grandmother. I love you babicka, (grandma in Slovak) I am so grateful for your saintly, and brave witness. I have no doubt that you are at the eternal banquet celebrating with our Lord, looking over us.
The story takes place around the time during the Nazi occupation of Vinne, Slovakia and the neighboring villages. The heroine of the story is an unlikely peasant woman of undistinguished origin or status. One day this woman realizing that her family needed water to survive made the courageous trek to the neighboring village, Kaluza. The act was inherently courageous because the road was laden with German troops who recently set fire to the neighboring village under the suspicion of the village being a communist stronghold. The atmosphere was explosively tense any wrong move or even the slightest suspicion could lead any of the villagers to jail or even worse execution. Few villagers if not any dared to face their merciless captors even for the most basic of necessities, water. But not our heroine, she bravely decided that she would journey to the village and take her chances. She firmly believed that it was better to die heroically than to die living a life of quiet fear. So she finally went, kissing her family goodbye, prepared with her last parting kiss that this might be the last time in which she saw her family alive. She left, armed only with her steely resolve, a bucket and a rosary in her right hand.
As she made her way to the village she was greeted by the sneering, occupying German force who shouted crude and derogatory statements as she made her way. Undeterred by these comments she continued until she made her way to the well to pick up her water. Surprisingly there was no opposition as she drew the water, and within a few short moments (which must have seemed an eternity in those anxious circumstances) she was done and on her way. As she made her way through the town a group of German soldiers began shouting at her and urging her to stay behind so that they could have a good time with her. Despite their crude sexual advances she continued and choose not to look behind. Than all of a sudden a group of about 5 soldiers began following her. Realizing that her time for heroism was she began earnestly praying the rosary. The soldiers were within several feet when they saw her clutching the mysterious string of rudimentary beads in her right hand. After making several more crude comments one of the soldiers mysteriously commanded them all to leave the woman behind. In a stunning, totally unexpected moment all of the soldiers walked away and the woman continued on her journey making her way at last to what must have been an ecstatic reunion with her family.
In case you were all wondering who that woman was it was my grandmother. I love you babicka, (grandma in Slovak) I am so grateful for your saintly, and brave witness. I have no doubt that you are at the eternal banquet celebrating with our Lord, looking over us.
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