In this story by Leo Tolstoy, a bishop of the Roman Orthodox Church schools three devout hermits seeking salvation by living alone on a deserted island in reciting the Lord’s Prayer. He claims that although that their own prayer ‘Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us.’ encompasses the essence of Christianity, it is insufficient to please God. The bishop is humbled and admits his mistake when they miraculously follow him by gliding across the sea, having forgotten the words. Themes include humility and devotion, religious dogma vs. faith, the nature of prayer.
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