The Forty-Day Toll Houses of the Soul After Death #
In our time of constant spiritual deception and refined falsehood, it is exceedingly difficult for a person to discern the flood of so-called “prophecies” and “visions” pouring in from all sides. From the infernal depths suddenly arise all manner of seers and prophetesses. Frenzied lies and outright demonic delusions are passed off as truth.
A person who sincerely seeks Christ is surrounded on all sides by unthinkable spiritual distortions. Instead of the Faith of Christ, he is offered some incomprehensible heretical counterfeit, filled with “visions” characteristic of the khlyst ecstatic gatherings. All these Nikonian elders, with their nauseating, oily “discernment,” are repulsive and abominable.
Whom do the Nikonians and other heretics worship? Extremely dubious and dangerous figures such as Seraphim of Sarov—whom the Ober-Procurator of the Synod, Konstantin Pobedonostsev, considered to be a manifest klyst and forbade his “canonization.” Or perhaps John of Kronstadt, as the founder of a new klyst-like sect of “Ioannites”? It was precisely by such ecstatic individuals, who had nothing in common with genuine Christianity, that outsiders came to believe “Nikonianism” to be authentic Orthodoxy. It was this unbalanced Nikonian emotionalism that led the ruling authorities—seeking spiritual support on the eve of revolution—to cling to a distorted substitute.
Only thanks to this spiritual “Nikonianism” did all manner of moral degenerates, like the fornicator Rasputin, find themselves at the summit of power in pre-revolutionary Russia. Even the murder of the royal family was directly tied to the fanaticism of various elders and eldresses. The inner spiritual state of the ruling class had been corrupted by the demonic spiritism of the official church.
Outwardly, Nikonians appear as a typical commercial and bureaucratic agency—a clerical department. Inwardly, it is a breeding ground of corrupt mysticism, a perverse “spiritual vision” of themselves as the “Orthodox.”
In our degenerate age, Nikonian “spiritism” has reached a pathological, at times psychiatric level. It is enough to hear of all these Nikonian “blessed Matronushkas” and “blessed Lyubushkas” and other Nikonian mental patients or outright charlatans, to extinguish in any outsider the desire to seek the Truth of Christ.
All these “blessed visionaries” endlessly “prophesy,” speak of “visions in subtle sleep,” engage in cheap charlatanry, or worse—crude sorcery. A rational person finds it impossible to understand all this “ecstasy,” “tender emotion,” and “beatitude.” And this Nikonian “tangle of delusions” is presented to the respectable public as “genuine Russian Orthodoxy.” Unfortunately, many people fall captive to this rather primitive deception. A sorrowful example of such seduction is the fate of the late Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. An educated and practical German, Empress Alexandra sincerely embraced “Nikonianism” and in her final years degenerated into an ecstatic shouter.
With our short publication, The Visions of Theodora, we aim to show the Christian reader a true Vision. Among heretics, such a genre is often derisively labeled as “apocryphal”—that is, something spurious or doubtful. But for a Christian, there is nothing doubtful in this vision. On the contrary, it presents the reality of our world—and the terrible reality of the world beyond—with harsh truth and unflinching clarity. Human life is brief and fleeting: “as the flower of the field, so shall it wither.” All our sorrows, cares, successes, and vain glories are worthless and insignificant before the Judgment of Eternity. True life begins after the end of this swiftly passing existence. Yet authentic life is always connected to the present life: a person’s actions and deeds determine his future in Eternity. At the judgment there shall be no mercy for those who showed no mercy. There shall be truth that exposes earthly lies, and no crime shall go unpunished.
The salvation of man is possible only in the True Church—and only through a righteous life. Heretics, pagans, and unbelievers are not even granted a chance of salvation. No corrupt spiritism can help them.
Theodora, who served the venerable Basil and who, having taken the monastic habit, departed unto the Lord, was seen in a vision by Gregory—the disciple of St. Basil the New, a witness of many of his miracles and the author of his life. Gregory longed to know where Theodora’s soul had gone after death—whether she had been numbered among the righteous or among sinners, and whether she had obtained mercy from God for her diligent service to the elder. Thinking often of this, he earnestly entreated St. Basil to reveal the fate of the reposed Theodora’s soul. The saint, unwilling to grieve his spiritual son with a refusal, prayed to the Lord, asking that He show Gregory in a vision what had become of Theodora after her repose.
That night, Gregory beheld in a vision the holy Theodora in a radiant dwelling, which God had prepared for the venerable Basil. Theodora had reached that heavenly abode through the prayers of St. Basil. Thus, she who had served him zealously and laboriously in this life was found worthy to dwell in the abode of the one whom she had served, in the life everlasting.
Gregory asked Theodora how she had been separated from the body, what she had suffered in death, what she saw after her passing, and how she had passed by the aerial spirits (the unclean ones), and how she had endured the toll houses. The blessed Theodora told St. Gregory the following:
The Account of Theodora #
When I approached the end of my earthly life and the hour came for my soul to part from the body, I saw a multitude of Ethiopians standing around my bed. Their faces were black as soot and pitch, their eyes like burning coals, and their gaze so dreadful that words cannot express it. They glared at me with wrath and gnashed their teeth, as though they wished to devour me. They laid out papers, as if awaiting some judge, and unrolled scrolls in which all my evil deeds were recorded. My poor soul was filled with unspeakable fear and trembling. Terrible was the sight of the Ethiopians, though no sound came from their mouths.
Completely exhausted, I then beheld two radiant angels of God approaching me in the form of beautiful youths. Their garments shone with light, and golden sashes crossed over their chests. They came to my bed and stood at my right hand, conversing quietly with one another. I rejoiced and looked upon them with gladness. At the sight of them, the Ethiopians shuddered and fell back. Then one of the radiant youths sternly rebuked them, saying: “O shameless, accursed, and wicked enemies of mankind! Why do you always hasten to the dying and with your cries disturb the soul as it parts from the body? Do not rejoice—you shall gain nothing here. God has shown mercy upon this soul, and you have no part in her!”
The Ethiopians shouted furiously and began to point to the scrolls listing the evil deeds I had committed in my youth, crying out: “We have nothing to do with her? And whose sins are these? Was it not she who committed them?” Thus yelling, they waited for my death.
Then death arrived, and my final breath left my lips. The radiant angels took my soul into their hands. I looked back and saw my body lying senseless and motionless. Just as someone who has removed a garment might look upon it, so I looked at my body as at a discarded robe, and I marveled greatly at this.
While the holy angels held me, the demons in the form of Ethiopians surrounded us, shouting: “This soul has committed many sins; let her answer for them!” They began to display my sins, but the holy angels began searching for my good deeds, and by the grace of God they found all that I had done with His help. They gathered all the good I had ever done: if I had given alms to the poor, or fed the hungry, or given drink to the thirsty, or clothed the naked, or brought a stranger into my home and comforted him; if I had served the servants of God, or visited the sick and those imprisoned, and comforted them.
If I had zealously gone to the church of God and prayed with compunction and tears, or attentively listened to the readings and chant, or brought incense and candles to the temple, or filled the church lamps with oil for the illumination of holy icons and venerated them with reverence; if I had fasted and practiced abstinence on Wednesdays, Fridays, and during all holy fasts, or made prostrations and spent the night in vigil; if I had sighed to God and wept for my sins, or confessed them to a spiritual father with heartfelt sorrow and sought to make amends for them.
If I had done any good to my neighbor, bore no anger toward enemies, held no grudges, and endured insults and reproaches with meekness; if I repaid evil with good, humbled myself, sorrowed for another’s misfortune, had compassion on those who suffered, comforted the weeping and offered them a helping hand, supported someone in doing good, or turned them away from evil.
Or when I myself turned my eyes away from vanity, or restrained my tongue from oaths, lies, slander, and idle talk—every one of these, even the smallest of my good deeds, the holy angels gathered, one by one, to place on the scales against my sins. The Ethiopians gnashed their teeth at me, wishing to tear me from the angels’ hands and drag me down into the abyss of hell.
At that very moment, unexpectedly, the venerable father Basil appeared and said to the holy angels: “Holy angels! This soul served much to comfort my old age, and for this reason I prayed to God for her—and God has granted her to me.”
Saying this, he took from his bosom something like a pouch of gold and gave it to the angels, saying: “Here is a treasure of prayers before the Lord on behalf of this soul! When you pass through the toll-houses and the evil spirits begin to torment her, ransom her with this from her debts.” After this he departed. The evil spirits, seeing the gift of St. Basil, were at first bewildered, then they raised a wail of lamentation and vanished from sight.
Then again the servant of God, Basil, appeared, carrying many vessels of pure oil and precious myrrh, which he poured upon me, one by one. And I was filled with spiritual fragrance and felt transformed—I became very luminous. Once again the venerable one said to the angels: “When you, holy angels, have done all that is needful for this soul, then bring her into the abode prepared for me by the Lord. Let her remain there.” After this, he became invisible.
And the holy angels took me, and we ascended eastward through the air.
The First Toll-House: Idle Talk #
As we were ascending from the earth to the height of heaven, we first encountered the spirits of the air at the toll-house of idle talk, where the soul is examined for sins of vain, impure, and disorderly speech. We halted there, and many scrolls were brought forth in which were written all the words I had spoken from my youth that were shameful and thoughtless—especially those which contained anything indecent or blasphemous, as is often found on the tongues of the young.
I saw recorded all my idle chatter, impure language, worldly and shameless songs, unruly shouting and laughter. With all this, the evil spirits accused me, pointing out the time and place when, where, and with whom I had engaged in vain conversation and provoked God with my unseemly speech. Because I had not regarded this as sin, I had neither confessed it to my spiritual father nor repented. I stood silent as one without voice, unable to reply, for the evil spirits reproached me justly.
As I stood there, ashamed and trembling in fear, the holy angels placed some of my good deeds on the scales; and what was lacking, they made up from the treasure given by the venerable father Basil, and thus they ransomed me.
The Second Toll-House: Lies #
From there we ascended higher and reached the toll-house of lies, where all false words are examined—perjury, vain oaths by God’s name, false witness, failure to fulfill vows made to God, insincere and untruthful confessions of sin, and the like.
The spirits at this toll-house were cruel and fierce. They stopped us and began a thorough examination. I was reproached only for two sins: first, that I had sometimes lied about unimportant things and did not consider it a sin; and second, that out of false shame I had at times confessed insincerely before my spiritual father.
But as for perjury, false testimony, and other such lawless deeds—they found none in me, by the mercy of Christ. The holy angels, against my sins, placed some of my good deeds, and even more so, the prayers of my spiritual father ransomed me—and we ascended further.
The Third Toll-House: Judgment and Slander #
We reached the toll-house where souls are tried for judgment and slander. There we were stopped, and I came to understand how grievous a sin it is to judge one’s neighbor, and how great an evil it is to slander, defame, revile, curse, or mock the shortcomings of others. Such sinners are tortured by fierce tormentors as if they were antichrists, having presumed for themselves the right to judge others.
But in me, by the grace of Christ, little of this was found, for throughout my life I had diligently tried never to judge anyone, never to slander, never to mock or revile anyone. Only at times, when listening to others as they judged or slandered or mocked someone, it happened that I would silently agree with them in thought, or from carelessness add a word of my own. Yet even for this slight assent, I would reproach myself and try to stop. But even these small transgressions were counted by the tormentors as judgment and slander.
Here again the angels ransomed me with the treasury of prayers from the venerable Basil and led me higher.
The Fourth Toll-House: Gluttony #
We reached the toll-house of gluttony, and at once the evil spirits rushed out to meet us, hoping to find prey for themselves. Their faces were loathsome, resembling the faces of lustful gluttons and vile drunkards. Circling us like dogs, they immediately produced records of all instances of overeating: times I ate secretly or beyond what was necessary, or ate in the morning without first praying or making the sign of the cross; or when I ate during holy fasts before church services were completed.
They also presented every instance of my drunkenness, even pointing out the very cups, glasses, and vessels from which I had drunk excessively—at such-and-such time, at such-and-such feast, with such-and-such companions. They laid out all the details of my gluttony and rejoiced as though I were already in their hands.
I trembled, seeing this exposure, and knew not what answer to give. But the holy angels, drawing sufficiently from the treasure gifted by the venerable Basil, placed it against my sins and ransomed me. Seeing the ransom, the evil spirits cried out: “Woe to us! Our labors and hopes are lost!” And they cast into the air their scrolls of my gluttony, while I rejoiced—and we went on.
As we walked, the holy angels said to one another: “Truly, this soul has great aid from the servant of God Basil, and if not for his prayers, she would have endured much affliction at the toll-houses.”
Taking courage, I said to them: “It seems to me, holy angels, that no one on earth knows what takes place here and what awaits the soul after death.”
The angels replied: “And does not the Divine Scripture testify of all this? Is it not read in the churches and preached by the clergy? Only those who are attached to earthly vanity neglect these things. Counting daily feasting and drunkenness the highest pleasure, they eat without measure and get drunk, forgetting the fear of God. Making their belly their god, they do not think of the life to come, nor do they recall what is written: Woe unto you that are full now, for ye shall hunger; woe unto you that drink now, for ye shall thirst (cf. Luke 6:25).
However, he who is merciful and compassionate to the poor and needy, and helps those in distress, easily receives forgiveness from God for his sins. Because of his mercy toward others, he may pass through the toll-houses without hindrance. It is written: Almsgiving delivereth from death, and it shall purge away all sin (Tobit 12:9). He who gives alms and works righteousness shall be filled with life. But the one who does not strive to cleanse his sins through acts of mercy cannot escape the dark toll collectors who drag such souls to hell and hold them bound until the dreadful judgment of Christ. You too would not have escaped a terrible fate here, if you had not received the treasure of prayers from the venerable Basil.”
The Fifth Toll-House: Laziness #
While thus conversing, we reached the toll-house of laziness, where sinners are tormented for all the days and hours wasted in idleness. There are detained the slothful, who lived off others’ labors and refused to work themselves, and hirelings who took wages but did not fulfill their duties.
Also examined here are those who neglected to glorify God, who were slothful in attending morning services on feast days and Sundays, or skipped the Divine Liturgy and other sacred services.
Here, too, is judged all spiritual despondency and negligence, both in secular and religious persons. Each one’s indifference to the care of his soul is examined, and many are cast down into the abyss from there. I was much tested at this toll-house, and could not have been freed from my debts unless the holy angels had compensated for my deficiencies with the gifts of the venerable Basil.
The Sixth Toll-House: Theft #
From there we reached the toll-house of theft. We were detained there for a short while, but after offering a small ransom, we were allowed to pass on, for no theft was found in me—except for a few insignificant incidents from my childhood, committed in ignorance.
The Seventh Toll-House: Greed and Miserliness #
We passed the toll-house of greed and miserliness without hindrance, for by the mercy of God, I had never in my life concerned myself with amassing wealth, nor was I greedy for money. I was content with what God provided, and I was not stingy, but eagerly gave what I had to those in need.
The Eighth Toll-House: Usury and Extortion #
Ascending further, we came upon the toll-house of usury, where those are tormented who lend money unlawfully at high interest, and all others who enrich themselves at the expense of their neighbors—bribe-takers and those who appropriate what belongs to others. The tormentors, finding no usury in me, gnashed their teeth in frustration, and we, giving thanks to God, went higher.
The Ninth Toll-House: Injustice #
Before us opened the toll-house of injustice, where unjust judges are tormented—those who, out of greed, acquit the guilty and condemn the innocent. Also judged here are those who withhold wages from laborers, or use false weights and measures in trade, and all who commit any form of injustice. But we, by the grace of God, passed this toll-house without trouble and gave only a small ransom for my sins.
The Tenth Toll-House: Envy #
We passed the toll-house of envy without paying anything, for I had never been envious. Here also are judged those guilty of lack of love, hatred toward brothers, unfriendliness, and malice. But, through the mercy of Christ our God, I was found innocent of these sins. Though I saw the demons gnashing their teeth at me in fury, I no longer feared them—and we continued upward with joy.
The Eleventh Toll-House: Pride #
We also passed through the toll-house of pride, where arrogant spirits torment souls for vanity, self-reliance, contempt for others, and self-exaltation. Here are also judged those who failed to give due honor to parents, to the government, and to authorities appointed by God, as well as those who disobey them. Here we paid very little for my redemption, and I was set free.
The Twelfth Toll-House: Anger and Rage #
Then we came to the toll-house of anger and rage. Although the aerial tormentors there were very fierce, they received little from us. And we passed on, rejoicing in the Lord, under the protection of the prayers of my venerable father Basil.
The Thirteenth Toll-House: Resentment and Vengeance #
Next, we came to the toll-house of resentment, where merciless spirits examine those who harbor anger in their hearts toward their neighbors and repay evil for evil. The mercy of the Lord saved me even here, for I had not borne malice against anyone, nor remembered wrongs done to me. On the contrary, I always, as much as I was able, showed love and gentleness toward those who offended me, overcoming evil with good. We paid nothing here, and, rejoicing in the Lord, we went further.
At that point, I ventured to ask the angels who were leading me: “Tell me, how do these dreadful powers of the air know in such detail all the evil deeds of people—not only the outward ones but also the hidden?”
The angels answered me thus:
“Every Christian, after holy baptism, receives from God a guardian angel, who invisibly protects him and guides him, day and night, toward every good work. This angel records all his good deeds, for which a person may receive mercy from the Lord and eternal reward in the Kingdom of Heaven.
But the prince of darkness, who seeks to draw the entire human race into perdition, likewise appoints one of his evil spirits to each person. This demon follows the person, observing all his evil deeds and, while secretly tempting him toward such acts, records everything evil the person does. This wicked spirit carries those records to the toll-houses, which is how all the person’s sins become known to the princes of the air.
So when the soul is separated and seeks to ascend to its Creator in heaven, the evil spirits attempt to prevent it, presenting the sins it has committed. If the soul has more good deeds than sins, they cannot hold it; but if its sins are found to be greater than its good deeds, they detain the soul for a time, shut it into the prison of ignorance of God, and torment it as much as the power of God allows—until that soul, through the prayers of the Church and the almsgiving of the living, obtains forgiveness.
But if any soul is found to be so sinful and unclean before God that there is no hope of salvation, then the evil spirits immediately drag it down into the abyss, where a place of eternal torment has been prepared for them as well. There, the lost souls remain until the Second Coming of the Lord, and afterwards, when reunited with their bodies, they will be tormented together with the demons in the Gehenna of fire.
Also take note,” the angels said, “that this path of ascent and trial at the toll-houses is traveled only by those who have been illumined by faith and holy baptism. The unbelievers do not come this way at all—for even before their separation from the body, their souls already belong to hell. When they die, the demons seize their souls without trial, as their rightful possession, and drag them into the abyss.”
The Fourteenth Toll-House: Murder #
As we continued conversing, we reached the toll-house of murder, where souls are tormented not only for actual homicide and robbery, but for every blow, wound, or violent act against one’s neighbor—even for angry shoving or striking. We paid a little here and then moved on.
The Fifteenth Toll-House: Sorcery #
We passed by the toll-house of sorcery—witchcraft, enchantments, poisoning, and the summoning of demons. The spirits at this toll-house were like reptiles, snakes, and toads—terrifying and revolting in appearance. But by the mercy of God, they found nothing in me, and we proceeded further, accompanied by the howling of demons: “Just wait until she reaches the toll-house of fornication! We’ll see how she escapes from there!”
As we ascended higher, I dared to ask the holy angels:
“Do all Christians pass through these toll-houses, or is there any way to avoid this ordeal and not be subjected to these trials?”
The angels replied:
“There is no other path to heaven—every soul that seeks ascent must go this way. However, not all are tried as severely as you were. Only those who, like you, did not confess all their sins in full, are subjected to such torment. Out of false shame, some people conceal shameful deeds from their spiritual fathers. But whoever, with a pure heart, confesses all his wicked deeds, sincerely grieves over them, and repents, his sins are invisibly blotted out by the mercy of God.
Moreover, you were greatly helped by the fact that you ceased from mortal sin long ago and spent the remaining years of your life in virtue. But most of all, you were aided by the prayers of the venerable Basil, whom you served with great diligence and devotion.”
The Sixteenth Toll-House: Fornication #
As we conversed in this manner, we approached the toll-house of fornication, where not only all acts of fornication are examined, but also lustful thoughts, mental indulgence in such things, lascivious gazes, sinful touch, and passionate contact. The prince of this toll-house was clothed in filthy and foul-smelling garments, stained with bloody foam, and many demons stood around him.
When they saw me, they were astonished that I had managed to pass through so many toll-houses. Producing scrolls of all my fornications, they accused me, pointing to the persons, places, and times—naming when, where, and with whom I had sinned in my youth.
I stood silent, trembling with shame and fear. But the holy angels said to the demons: “She has long since ceased from fornication, and the latter part of her life she spent in purity, self-restraint, and fasting.”
The demons replied: “We know she ceased long ago, but she did not sincerely confess her sins to her spiritual father and did not receive from him a proper penance for satisfaction. Therefore, she is ours! Either leave her to us, or ransom her with good deeds!”
Then the angels placed many of my good deeds, and even more from the treasure of the venerable Basil, and thus I barely escaped a dreadful fate.
The Seventeenth Toll-House: Adultery #
We came to the toll-house of adultery, where are examined the sins of those who live in marriage but do not remain faithful to one another, defiling the marriage bed; also judged here are carnal abductions and acts of violence.
Most strictly are judged here those who vowed themselves to God—to live for Christ—but failed to keep their purity.
I owed much at this toll-house. The evil spirits had already accused me and sought to tear me from the angels’ hands. But the angels contended with them at length, presenting all my later labors and ascetic struggles, and they barely redeemed me—not so much with my own good deeds, which were all laid down here to the last, but with the treasure of my father Basil, much of which was also placed on the scales against my iniquities. Then, taking me, we proceeded further.
The Eighteenth Toll-House: Sodomy #
We approached the toll-house of sodomitic sins, where are judged all unnatural sins, incest, and other vile acts done in secret—sins shameful even to mention.
The prince of this toll-house was more abominable than all the other demons, fouled with filth and stench. So were his servants. The stench from them was unbearable, their appearance unspeakably hideous, their rage and cruelty beyond description.
They surrounded us, but, by God’s mercy, finding nothing in me, they fled from us in shame, and we passed further.
Then the holy angels said to me: “You have seen, Theodora, the dreadful and loathsome toll-houses of fornication! Know that very few souls pass them without delay and ransom, for the whole world lies in evil, in temptations and impurity, and all people are inclined to lust.
Few guard themselves from carnal impurity and mortify the lusts of the flesh. Therefore, few pass this place freely. Many, having reached the toll-houses of fornication, perish here.
The princes of these toll-houses boast that they fill the fiery abyss of hell with more souls than any other tormentors here. But you, Theodora, give thanks to God that, by the prayers of your spiritual father, the venerable Basil, you have now passed the fornication toll-houses, and you will see no more terror.”
The Nineteenth Toll-House: Heresies #
After this we reached the toll-house of heresies, where are examined false beliefs, apostasy from the right confession of faith, unbelief, doubt, blasphemy, and other such errors. I passed this toll-house without examination, and behold—we were near the very Gates of Heaven.
The Twentieth Toll-House: Hardheartedness #
But then we were met by the malicious spirits of the final toll-house—hardheartedness and lack of mercy. The tormentors here are severe, and their prince is grim—dry and joyless in appearance. Here, without pity, are tormented the souls of the merciless.
Even if someone had performed the greatest ascetic feats, afflicted himself with fasting, prayed unceasingly, and preserved bodily chastity—if he had no mercy, he is cast from this toll-house into the abyss of hell and shall never receive mercy.
But we, by the grace of Christ, passed through this place without trouble—thanks to the prayers of the venerable Basil.
The Heavenly Kingdom #
Thus, having been delivered from the dreadful toll-houses, we finally approached the very gates of Heaven with joy. The heavenly gates were as if made of radiant crystal and shone with indescribable light. There stood radiant youths, shining like the sun, and when they saw me with the angels, they rejoiced that, by God’s mercy, I had been delivered from the toll-houses of the air.
Welcoming us warmly, they led me within. But what I saw and heard there, child Gregory, cannot be expressed. I saw what eye hath not seen, I heard what ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man.
I was brought to the unapproachable Throne of the Divine Glory, surrounded by cherubim, seraphim, and hosts of heavenly powers, all singing the praises of God in ineffable hymns.
Falling down, I worshipped the invisible and incomprehensible God, and the heavenly hosts sang a sweet song, glorifying the mercy of God, which is not overcome by the sins of men.
Then a voice came forth from the All-encompassing Glory, commanding the angels who had led me to show me all the dwellings of the saints, and afterward all the torments of sinners—after which I was to be placed in the abode of the venerable Basil.
So they led me through everything. I saw the beautiful dwellings of the Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Hierarchs, and others. They were of indescribable beauty and vastness, and everywhere I heard the voice of spiritual joy and gladness, and saw the triumph of the saints.
All who saw me rejoiced at my salvation and glorified God, who had delivered me from the snares of the enemy.
After visiting the radiant abodes, I was taken down into the depths, where I saw the terrible and unbearable torments of sinners. As the angels showed me these things, they said: “Behold, Theodora, from what torments the Lord has delivered you, by the prayers of His servant Basil!”
There I heard cries, wailing, and bitter lamentation. Some screamed in agony and cursed the day of their birth, but no mercy was shown to them.
From there, the angels brought me to this dwelling, which you now see, and placed me here, saying: “Today the venerable Basil commemorates you.” And I understood that this was the fortieth day after my separation from the body—and that on this day, I had entered this place of rest.