In our everyday reality miracles sometimes happen, and some of them become known to the whole world. So, in the last century, the event that happened in Kuibyshev received a great response. The people gave him the name "Zoino standing." Now let’s try to figure it out and answer a question that excites many: is it just a beautiful and at the same time terrible legend that is still remembered about, or is it a real fact that was taking place? The theme of our article: "Stone Zoya - is it true or myth?"
How it all began?
By historical standards, this wonderful event happened not so long ago. It was in the middle of the last century in Kuibyshev, now this city is called Samara.
In 1956, on an January day in one of the houses, namely along Chkalovskaya Street, house number 84, an inexplicable phenomenon occurred. Around the house gathered a crowd of onlookers wishing to see this sign. The news quickly spread among people: the girl for some reason turned into a kind of statue. Like a statue, she froze in the middle of the room, but she was alive. Everyone was eager to see it at least out of the corner of their eyes, and a horse detachment was on duty here for a week to stop unrest.

There are already many disagreements in this story from the very beginning. So, according to one version, a simple family lived in the house: a mother and her daughter Zoya. That evening, her faithful parent went to church, and her daughter threw a party at which she was waiting for her fiancé named Nikolai. When the mother returned home, she saw her daughter in a petrified state and lost consciousness. First, she was taken to the hospital, and after the woman came to, she returned home and began to pray fervently.
According to another version, there lived Claudia Bolonkina and her son Nikolai. It was he who was Zoe’s boyfriend and invited her to visit. She kept waiting for him that evening, but he never came. Then the story went according to the same scenario.
Investigation of journalists
Despite the past decades, talk of this event does not cease. During the journalistic investigation, it was concluded that there was no miracle. But what really happened at that time? The fact that a huge crowd was gathering near the house in those January days, attracted by rapidly spreading rumors, was not refuted by anyone. But was there a real miracle then?
The reason for this crowding, according to experts, was the so-called mass psychosis, fueled by certain social conditions that were then in the country. At that time, power changed, the cult of Stalin was a thing of the past, and the powers that be made relief from the church and believers.
This incident was even discussed at a party conference held in the city at the end of January. A transcript has been preserved, in which there were statements by the secretary of the regional committee of the CPSU. In it, he refuted the reality of what happened.
One old woman said that a girl was petrified in that house, who was thus punished for blasphemy. Rumors began to spread rapidly. In addition, the police, then assigned to maintain order, even more attracted the attention of the people, causing excitement. When the law enforcement agencies left there, a crowd of onlookers scattered with them, anxious to see the “miracle”. According to eyewitnesses, only the old woman lived in that house, and there can be no question of any girl.
Based on the investigation, it turns out that this was an invention of the very Bolonkina, who launched false information. The documentary "Stone Zoya" tried to shed light on the reliability of the facts.
Refuting newspaper article
After this event, in one edition, a feuilleton entitled “Wild Case” was printed. He denounced the propaganda workers of the city committee, who forgot about their responsibilities in educating the population and putting scientific knowledge into people's minds. And about the miracles and religion in this newspaper was written as a relic of the past.
Witnesses and rumors
Three decades later, witnesses to this story began to appear, but they were not directly related to what had happened. These were those who just heard a lot about it from other people, but specifically with their own eyes did not see anything. The legend, therefore, began to grow more and more rumors and speculation. According to some, she already had nothing to do with real events.
The fiction may include the information that pointed to the emergency doctors who allegedly came to Zoya, tried to revive her and get rid of this condition with the help of injections. There is also a story about police officers who saw a frozen girl and suddenly turned gray from this sight. They also spoke of a certain holy elder, who then came to the city and talked with a petrified woman. There is no reliable data regarding this information, and, according to some, they are all based solely on gossip. But is it really so? At the same time, the name of Zoya did not appear immediately, but several decades later, later the girl was named Karnaukhov.
Legendary Films
In 2015, they shot a documentary shown on the TVC channel - “The Defense Line. Stone Zoya. ” Also on the basis of these events in 2009, director Alexander Proshkin shot the film "Miracle." Only the action of this film takes place in Grechansk - a fictional city. In this picture, people who were not actually present there were involved. So, here was Nikita Khrushchev, who at that time was the leader of the country.
In the film “Miracle”, scripted by Yuri Arabov, who showed interest in Orthodox subjects, such famous actors as Konstantin Khabensky, Polina Kutepova and Sergey Makovetsky were shot. Many viewers who have watched this picture perceive it as a documentary, but in reality it is based only on a legend, which has not yet been confirmed and has overgrown with many fictitious circumstances.
In addition, a historical detective titled “The Dark Case.” Was shown on NTV in 2011. Stone Zoe: truth or myth? ”
Perpetuating history
In 2010, at the behest of the mayor, a decision was made to establish a memorial sign in honor of the legendary Stone Zoe. It is located on the same famous street. The sculptural image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is a kind of reminder of a long-past event, but the image of Zoe herself is not present here. However, her name is mentioned on the plate that is on this monument. In the temple, located on the outskirts of Samara, people pray for a miracle in front of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. At the edges are miniatures that capture the frames associated with that long-standing event.
This was mentioned in the film “The line of defense. Stone Zoya. ” In those days, people needed a miracle, because the old order collapsed, and something new was to replace it. Religion began to revive, it became a necessary confirmation of its strength. What happened struck many people, and they began to rapidly turn to faith. At that time, even crosses were not enough for those who ask.
What does this legend say?
A certain girl named Zoya, she is also an employee of a pipe factory, walked with her friends at home. They danced and had fun. Although in the Christmas post this was not supposed to be done. Against this venture was the mother of our heroine. The girl had a groom, Nikolai, but for some reason he was delayed, and she continued to wait for him. Unable to withstand, in a fit of anger, Zoya grabbed the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and began to circle with her in dance. The girl said the following words: "If there is not my Nicholas, then I will dance with St. Nicholas." Then the friends present at the party began to persuade her not to do so, because this is blasphemy. But in response to them, she only said: “If God is, let him punish me!”
After that, something inexplicable happened. A whirlwind rose in the room, lightning flashed, a terrible noise arose, and ... Zoe instantly froze, like a statue. She was all icy and pressed an icon to her chest. Her legs seemed to have grown together with the floor, and the girl could not be moved. Despite the absence of external signs of life, her heart was beating. Since then, she did not eat or drink, but Stone Zoya continued to live.
A film about this event was repeatedly directed by the directors, however, these pictures did not give an exact explanation. They tell how people on duty at the post heard the girl scream at night: “Mom, pray! We perish in sins! ” The news of this spread throughout the city, and the phenomenon was called "Zoino standing." Priests were invited to read prayers. But the holy men could not take the icon from the hands of Zoe. On the feast of Christmas, Father Seraphim came to the house and said the following words: “We must wait for the sign on the Great Day.”
There is even a legend that Nikolai the Wonderworker himself appeared to Zoe. On the day of the Annunciation, a certain elder came, for the third time trying to get into the house. The attendants only heard that the old man was asking Zoe if she was tired of standing up like that. Then his trace disappeared, he quietly disappeared. Then there were rumors that the saint himself was then in that room.
So the girl stood 128 days, until Easter. On the eve of the holiday, she again began to cry out for people to pray, for the whole world is perishing in sins. Since that time, Zoya began to come to life and continued to ask everyone to pray for peace. After she woke up, they began to ask questions and ask how she survived for so many days. After all, she could neither drink nor eat at the time when she was in a petrified state. To this she replied that pigeons fed her. The night guards were terrified when Zoya screamed for everyone to pray, as the earth burns, and the whole world perishes in sins. According to legend, on the third day of Easter the girl died, forgiven by the Lord.
There is a version that after Zoya came to life, she was taken to the hospital, where she stayed until the end of her days. There is also the assumption that she later lived in a monastery. Over time, Kamennaya Zoya still lives in the memory of the people. Samara is now associated with many with that long-standing event and the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Eyewitness accounts
After this event, the priest Seraphim was asked questions about his meeting with that phenomenon. He answered evasively, but it became clear that it was he who was then able to take the icon from the girl, of whom the stone Zoya in Samara was.
But there is also the testimony of a witness - pensioner Anna Fedotovna. She, like many then, wanted to see a miracle with her own eyes, but the police guarding the house did not let anyone pass. Then the old woman decided to ask one of the little boys if everything is really so, as they say. But he answered evasively, saying that they were not ordered to report anything. More eloquent than the words were his gray hair, which he showed the woman.
There was also a witness who worked on an ambulance. Then she arrived at the house to help the girl. Trying to give her an injection, she realized that it was all useless, because the needles bent and broke on hardened skin. This woman's name was Anna Pavlovna Kalashnikova, and she was a relative of the priest Vitaly Kalashnikov, who told her about this story. She, like many then eyewitnesses, gave a receipt of non-disclosure. Despite this, the woman told a miracle to many people.

Once, a believer came from Kuibyshev to the temple where Seraphim served. She saw him and immediately recognized him as a priest, who was present at that event. In most cases, he answered evasively and did not give direct answers to questions about Zoin's standing. From the story of Alexandra Ivanovna it follows that she met with Father Seraphim and asked about the whereabouts of the icon that was then in the hands of the girl. At this he only looked at her sternly and said nothing. But there is evidence that the icon is in Rakitnensky temple. Mother Yekaterina Luchina spoke about this, but then it was kept secret, because everyone was afraid of the repeated arrest of Seraphim.
Uncle Svetlana Chekulaeva was then a participant in the feast. He told his family about what had happened, and since then this story has become their family legend. According to his niece, he saw that the girl froze, stopped talking and stood, hugging the icon. Her uncle, like those who were with him at that party then, were sentenced to different terms. These facts were cited in the documentary Stone Zoya (TVC).
The arrest of the main witness
A case was fabricated against Father Demetrius (Seraphim), and the authorities ordered not to disclose the miracle to everyone who saw it. The priest was assigned several years in prison. After serving his term, he was sent to serve in a remote village. In the Pokrovsky monastery, after many years, Archimandrite Seraphim said that after he took the icon, he was arrested for several years, but the Lord brought him out 40 days later.
Thus, in Samara now long past events are immortalized, in which the father Seraphim and the same stone Zoya appeared. A photo of the monument in Samara demonstrates this to us.
Scientific version
From this point of view, such petrification is explained by catatonic stupor. It is with him that a state is observed when a person cannot move, talk and make any movements. There was confirmation of one scientist who did not refute what happened to the girl, but explained it in tetanus. However, with this disease, the symptoms cannot be expressed so strongly. The patient can be moved from place to place, in the same case this was impossible to do.
Conclusion
Like this and every sensational story, there are often many versions and disagreements. This is especially true of miracles, which are becoming known to the whole world. In this case, as a rule, a version is born that in every way confirms the event, and in contrast to it there is an explanation of the skeptics who consider the incident from a scientific point of view, or even completely refute it.

On the one hand, many denials have been put forward regarding the credibility of history. At the same time, there are witnesses who allegedly indicate that they were at that time in the house on Chkalovskaya and did not see anything. But, on the other hand, why did the authorities at that time need to organize a cordon and nail up windows? Why did they arrest Archimandrite Seraphim, as they did with other witnesses of the miracle? Yes, this can be explained by the fact that they thus fought against religion and provocations, but maybe this is behind the fact of a wonderful event that actually took place.
Be that as it may, the standing of stone Zoe, whether it was a compromised or a real miracle, at one time turned many people to faith, gave strength and hope in that difficult time. It was during that period that the people especially needed a miracle, and it happened one way or another.