Women of Faith

• Outside, the first woman Zosima greets is named Nastasia, who was grieving for her dead three-year-old son. Zosima tells her that it's a good thing that she's weeping because it shows what a good mother she is, but she ought to return to her husband and care for him. Nastasia is comforted by his words.
• Next up is a widow whose son Vasenka is serving in the military out in Siberia. She hasn't heard from him in a while and heard a superstition that if she put his name on the church's list of prayers for the dead, he'll contact her. Zosima tells her that would be a sin and to patiently await her son. He further predicts that the son is alive and will either return or send her a message.
• After that, Zosima greets a woman who walked four miles with a baby to see him. She gives him some money to distribute to the poor, and he blesses her and her child.