Chapter 58 Rasputin
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What is it about Rasputin, Milady? Lict asked.
I don't know, Vierne looked at him.
You don't know about Rasputin? Galkin gave a dirty look to Lict and Vierne as if they were the dumbest people alive.
No? They said together.
What! Everyone stared at them, He's the biggest Russian historical figure out there!
Give me a break, guys—I'm not Russian! And I haven't ever studied about him or heard of him. Lict defended himself from the raging mob. Then, they turned towards Vierne.
I like fantasy or romance novels. I don't study historical figures or history. Vieren said, Who is this Rasputin?
Rasputin was—
A sexual deviant!
A mystic healer
The queen's lover!
Russia's secret ruler!
A renegade monk!
Everyone was excited to enlighten Lict and Vierne who seemed the least interested in knowing about this man 'Rasputin'
Alright, sit down all of you, The professor calmed them down, I am the professor here not you. As per for people like Lict and Vierne, I will tell you the tale of Rasputin—The man who wouldn't die!
A mortal that can't die? Vierne turned towards Lict and he just shrugged his shoulders.
That is not possible. All mortals die. She said to him.
Maybe he wasn't a mortal, Lict said.
The story starts like this, The professor began the lesson and everyone opened their books, Rasputin was born a peasant in the small village of Pokrovskoye in Siberia. He was not formally educated and remained illiterate well into his early adulthood. He had a somewhat unruly youth – possibly involving drinking, small thefts, and other stuff which has been a mystery. Rasputin travelled to Abalak, where he met a peasant girl named Dubrovina. After a courtship of several months, they married in February 1887. The couple had seven children, though only three survived to adulthood: Dmitry, Maria and Varvara.
In 1897, Rasputin developed a renewed interest in religion and left Pokrovskoye to go on a pilgrimage. And this pilgrimage to the St. Nicholas Monastery at Verkhoturye in 1897 was transformative. There he learnt to read and write, but he later complained about the monastery, claiming that some of the monks engaged in homosexuality and left the place.
Rasputin spent the years that followed living as a Strannik or a pilgrim. He made certain societies including his family members and other peasants where they held secret prayers. It was rumoured that female followers were ceremonially washing him before each meeting and the group sang strange songs that the villagers had not heard before. Rumours also stated that Rasputin had joined the Khlysty, a religious sect whose ecstatic rituals were rumoured to include self-flagellation and sexual orgies.
Oh my God, Vierne said.
It says they are just rumours. There was never a strong proof about him joining a sect.
What is a sect?
It is a subgroup of a religion which gathers a group of people who have broken away from the practices or beliefs of that religion.
And self-flagellation and sexual orgies?
Self-flagellation is when people flog themselves—It is usually done for maintaining a religious discipline. A sexual orgy is like a sex party consisting of at least five members where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained group sex.
That is messed up. Galkin rolled his eyes.
Continuing—The word of Rasputin's activity and charisma began to spread in Siberia during the early 1900s. He travelled to the city of Kazan on the Volga river, where he acquired a reputation as a wise and perceptive holy man, who could help people resolve their spiritual crises and anxieties. Despite rumours that Rasputin was having sex with some of his female followers, he won over the local church officials who gave him a letter of recommendation to Bishop Sergei and arranged for him to travel to St. Petersburg. Rasputin was also introduced to the church leader who was so impressed with him that he invited him to stay in his home.
-To be continued
