The Bishop and Other Stories

Set during the evening service on the eve of Palm Sunday, the story unfolds in the Old Petrovsky Convent, where Bishop Pyotr struggles with fatigue and illness amidst a dimly lit, crowded atmosphere. As he distributes palm branches, he becomes overwhelmed by the uniformity of the faces in the crowd and the oppressive heat of the church. In a moment of emotional delirium, he hallucinates seeing his long-lost mother, which evokes a poignant response as tears flow down his face, blending themes of memory, spirituality, and longing.