Apocryphal Tales. The Path to Moral Heights

This collection features works by the famous Russian writer Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov (1831–1895), dedicated to spiritual and moral improvement, as well as the apocryphal tale «The Descent into Hell» — an article first published in 1894 in the «Petersburg Newspaper» that tells about the origins of Russian icon-painting. Analyzing the plot of the icon «Resurrection with Descent», the writer establishes that it is based on the contents of the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus — a unique early Christian source. Contrary to popular belief, the spiritual path is not a narrow trail leading up steep mountainsides, but a bumpy road with many forks. And the direction we choose determines where we will go. The heroes of N.S. Leskov's stories included in this collection behave strangely, contrary to custom, however, behind their behavior lies deep wisdom and knowledge of the laws of life.