Living in an Orthodox Country

I was visiting the largest Orthodox monastery in Ukraine on Saturday, the Kievo-Pecherska Lavra (Kiev Caves Monastery), and was waiting in line to make a deposit on the wrap-around skirt required for women entering the caves. At the same counter that the skirts were being rented out at, there were a variety of icons, candles, and other religious items on sale, and a bunch of calendars with icons on the front were on display on the counter. The woman in front of me put the deposit for her skirt down on the counter.

"Watch what you're doing!" the woman behind the counter snapped, "You're throwing money on the faces of the Saints!"

"Oh, sorry..." the woman apologized, quickly picking up the money.

"Don't apologize to me, beg forgiveness from the Saints!"

I was careful to put my 50 griven ($7) deposit directly into the woman's hand!