21/07/2026
The cathedral fell silent as the Litany of the Saints echoed through the sacred building.
Hundreds of voices prayed.
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us..."
The candidates lay face down before the altar, surrendering their lives completely to God.
Among them was Emmanuel.
As he rested on the cold marble floor, his heart was strangely peaceful.
His mind drifted back through the years.
He remembered carrying water with his mother under the hot sun.
He remembered the day his father died and held his hand one last time.
"Never stop serving God, my son."
He remembered the tears, the sacrifices, the loneliness, and the countless nights spent praying before the Blessed Sacrament.
Everything had led to this moment.
The Litany continued.
The congregation prayed with devotion.
His mother clutched her rosary tightly.
Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks.
Her son was only minutes away from becoming a priest.
Then the Litany ended.
The bishop stood.
The candidates were invited to rise.
One by one, they pushed themselves up from the floor.
The congregation smiled.
Families reached for their phones.
This was the moment they had been waiting for.
But Emmanuel did not move.
At first, nobody noticed.
Everyone was focused on the bishop.
Then one of the candidates glanced beside him.
Emmanuel was still lying there.
Motionless.
He gently touched his shoulder.
No response.
A second touch.
Nothing.
The smile on his face disappeared.
Another candidate knelt beside him.
The choir slowly stopped singing.
A strange silence spread across the cathedral.
The bishop stepped forward.
Priests rushed toward the sanctuary.
Emmanuel's mother stood up.
Fear filled her eyes.
"What's happening?" she whispered.
A priest checked Emmanuel's pulse.
Then checked again.
The cathedral held its breath.
The priest slowly looked up.
His eyes were filled with tears.
And everyone understood.
Emmanuel was gone.
A cry pierced the silence.
It was his mother.
