Visitors to Russia, if they are observant, will see an unvarnished wooden cross set up wherever a house is in course of building. This also is an Ikon, and it will not be removed till the house is built and the priest comes and performs an opening service. Then the ritual of the sign of the Cross is most potent in Russian life. It is prayer without words, the assigning of implicit faith. Nothing is possible without aid from on high.
Prayer concentrates the faculties.
Pereplotchikof told me a story of a peasant servant who had taken a place at Moscow, and his master kept two pet wolves. The servant was called by his mistress, and came suddenly upon these two wolves stretched in the passage like sleeping dogs. He was quite familiar with the physiognomy of wolves, and so was struck with terror. He had to pass them to get to his mistress ' room. He hesitated a moment, crossed himself, and then ran for it.