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“Boom!” The thunder of a massive explosion rolled across the settlement. Maria’s sobbing came from the bedroom. Irina ran to her daughter. “They’ve blown up the church! They destroyed it!” Maria cried again and again in hysteria. “Hush, hush,” Irina whispered, holding her daughter close as she tried to calm her. “Be strong. We will pray before the icons at home. God in heaven sees everything. No one can destroy Him—or our faith.” — Volodymyr Shablia, Stone. Book Three Context note: Set in the 1930s during Stalin’s anti-religious campaign, this scene reflects the Soviet regime’s systematic destruction of churches and persecution of believers. Across the USSR, thousands of religious buildings were demolished as part of the state’s effort to eradicate faith—yet for many families, belief survived behind closed doors, becoming an act of quiet resistance.” — Володимир Шабля