Esta serie narra la apasionante historia de vida de un hombre que se convirtió en un líder espiritual y un símbolo de esperanza en tiempos difíciles. Sigue su viaje desde sus primeros años, a través del desarrollo de su fe y misión, hasta su vida posterior, donde inspiró a innumerables personas. Es un retrato profundamente humano y espiritual que explora el poder de la fe, el coraje y la devoción frente a la adversidad. La narrativa ofrece una visión de la vida en Rusia durante el tumultuoso siglo XX.
Father Arseny became prisoner no. 18376 in the brutal special sector of the Soviet prison camp system. This narrative, compiled from the accounts of his spiritual children and others whom he brought to God, gives glimpses of his life in prison camp and after his release.
The second volume, A Cloud of Witnesses, contains 16 additional first-person contributions, material that became available following publication of the first collection. These are statements and recordings by priests, poets, a psychiatrist, a secret service agent, and "ordinary" people who experienced Father Arseny’s transformational and inspirational influence on their lives. Well-known academic psychiatrist Dmitri Melikov was deeply moved by Father Arseny’s insightful compassion, perspicacity, and feel for humanity. Melikov regularly returned to him for consultation. These accounts of Father Arseny’s life, career, and death complement and substantiate the stories in the first volume.