Who Needs Disney? -- Watch a Lovely Traditional Christian Film from Russia: "Patroness"

Working overtime to combat the liberal drift in today's television industry, family-conscious filmmakers in Russia continue to create quality, wholesome videos, promoting traditional Christian values.

If your kids loved the full-length movie, Seraphima's Extraordinary Adventures, and they also enjoy watching other Orthodox Christian cartoons, then they are bound to enjoy this beautiful half-hour program, as well.

This story takes place in medieval Russia, during the time of the Mongol invasions. A young child struggles with a lack of courage, growing up in the midst of a land torn apart by war. Having been taught the Christian Faith by his parents, and having seen good examples set by others, young Simeon discovers the strength that comes from embracing that Faith himself.

The following video has English subtitles. If you enjoy this video, and you would like to see more films like this, please share your thoughts in the comments section, and let us know.

Here is a video transcript:

Patroness

These events took place during the time of the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus.

My Mother told me that I had come into the world during a thunderstorm, and that I was desperately crying, afraid of the claps of thunder. I was a cowardly child.

The thing that I wasn´t afraid of, and that I loved with all my heart, was my dovecote with its mourning inhabitants.

One day the songs of my clay birds reached the prince’s windows, and the young Mikhail recovered from his illness. I was called to the court to entertain Mikhail.

The Prince Mikhail was a little bit unusual; he had the eyes of an adult, and a quiet character. He read the Scriptures, and spent a lot of time in church.

Sometimes it seemed to me that this small boy knew something about this world that I wasn’t aware of, as if he had some secret. We became attached to one other, as good friends.

I was really afraid of thunderstorms. My Mother told me that I was afraid of them, not because of the claps of thunder, but because I didn’t pray enough, and didn’t put enough trust in our God, the Creator. But I didn't understood these words until much later.

One day a misfortune came: The Tatar army reached our town. The Prince’s troops had marched far away, and there was nobody who could defend our town.

The Tatars had grown weary of numerous long battles, so they agreed not to attack, but they wanted to have Prince Mikhail as a hostage. I, Simeon, his servant, was to be imprisoned with him.

I got frightened. Because of fear, I was ready to sink into the earth, to turn into a mouse, an ant, a frog, or a water snake. To accompany the Prince meant going to my doom, so I hid.

I knew that I was betraying my town and my people, but I felt powerless to do anything about it.

The town was silent. Nobody was searching for me. Everyone forgot about me. And then I understood that I couldn’t 
change anything I had done, and that I would be a betrayer forever. So I left the town.

I left that place, where everything reminded me about Prince Mikhail, and my betrayal. I roamed the world for a long time, and I felt as a dry leaf, driven by the wind.

Then there was a drought, and a great heat wave. I saw the Seekers — I saw those who didn’t lose their trust in God, and who were asking the Virgin Mary for rain. "Patroness, please help us!"

I remember how, on another day, in another village, one woman was giving birth to her child. The delivery was difficult, and she was going to die. The woman’s family was asking God for help. "Patroness, please help her!" And God helped her, thanks to the prayers of the Virgin Mary. The woman had her child, and survived.

Once, I saw a terrible fire. It was like a sea of fire. It seemed like there was no salvation to be found. But salvation came. It came, thanks to the icon of the Virgin Mary. It was a miracle, a real miracle.

Thus, God was leading me along difficult roads, but I didn’t know where those roads would finally lead me.

It was a really great day in my life when I saw Prince Mikhail again! Mikhail was breathing hard, with his eyes closed. His lips were whispering: "They are making arrows; they are saddling their horses; Hurry! Hurry! We need to arrive on time."

Mikhail was so weak that I fell into despair. "Do I have enough energy?" "Will we have enough time to warn our people?"

"Patroness, please help us!" I said this without thinking. And suddenly I felt that the cowardly fear I had been living with all my life, left me in that moment.

When we reached the Russian camp, we saw the enormous Tatar army. The Tatars had overtaken us. They were already on the Ugra river; their arrows were whistling above our heads. Two shores. Two worlds. The defenders, the invaders, and only a river between them.

The struggle was a long one. The Tatars were waiting for the first frost to arrive, so they could easily cross the frozen river. The river began to freeze. The Tatars were lying low, like an animal does before it pounces. I almost forgot how to breathe.

Then a prayer started forming in my heart:
in the voices of the people waiting for rain,
in the voice of the dying woman,
in the screams of the citizens in the burning town,
and in the revelation of the miracle of the Virgin Mary's great help,
my soul opened, and the world changed forever.

"Rejoice! Mother of God, Pour out your maternal love for us sinners."

"Hail! Your strength makes up for our weakness."

"Rejoice! Teach us to understand the mercy of God."

"Hail! Show mercy unto us."

"Rejoice! Bind the fear of God into the hearts of the faithful."

"Hail! Call sinners to repentance."

"Rejoice! Virgin Mary, we honor the icon of Thy mercy."

~

Producer - Dmitry Dorofeev

Screenwriters - Dmitry Orekhov, Elena Venzel

Director - Nataly Fedchenko

Production Designer - Vadim Vasiliev

Composer - Dmitry Chizhevsky

Voices - Albert Filozov
 

Did you enjoy this video? Would you like to see more films like this? Please share your thoughts in the comments section, and let us know.