The Bishop and Other Stories

In the quiet hush of an evening Palm‑Sunday service, a weary bishop drifts through the dimly lit convent, his senses blurred by fever and fatigue. The crowd moves like a tide, faces indistinguishable, until a fleeting, tender vision of his long‑absent mother appears among the faithful, offering him a palm branch and a fleeting smile. The encounter sparks an unexpected flood of tears, turning the solemn ceremony into a moment of fragile, shared weeping.

Later, as the bishop returns to his monastery beneath the cool April moon, a lay brother delivers a startling message: his mother has indeed arrived, accompanied by a small granddaughter. The bishop’s joy mingles with disbelief, his body still heavy, his mind racing to reconcile the apparition with the reality now knocking at his door. This delicate opening sets the stage for a quiet exploration of duty, memory, and the tender ties that bind a man to his past.