The communal Sarov hermitage and the memorable monks who labored in it

Contents Pre-Notice Remembering the commandment of the Holy Apostle Paul: remember your Mentors, who spoke the word of God to you, and as you look to the end of your life, imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7), remembering, I say, this commandment, I could never forget the blessed ascetics of the venerable monastery of Sarov. Therefore, as a sign of special gratitude to them for their spiritual instructions, I decided, to the best of my ability, to collect something, more edifying or less known, from the teachings in the lives of these good leaders who have already passed from earth to the villages of heaven. I did this as much for my own spiritual benefit as for the benefit of others who reverently revere the memory of these desert dwellers. Having lived for ten years in the God-saved monastery of Sarov, I received reliable information both about it and about its blessed, already deceased Fathers, which I now offer to the diligent attention of Christ-lovers seeking salvation. This information, although collected with diligence by me, is, without a doubt, scanty; but it could not have been otherwise, for the blessed Fathers, about whom I am telling, worked for the Lord in secret, tightly closing the doors of their cage behind them. For my part, I was afraid to be an evil, ungrateful slave and to hide the pious deeds of the blessed Fathers, like precious talents, in the earth, to cover them with oblivion, contrary to the above commandment of the Apostle. Any shortcomings that may be found here, as inevitable in all human labors, I earnestly ask you to cover with brotherly love and prayer for the one who has worked. The communal Sarov Hermitage is located in the Tambov Diocese, on the borders of the Nizhny Novgorod and Tambov provinces, at a distance of four hundred from Moscow, from the city of Arzamas at sixty, from Nizhny at a hundred and seventy, and from the city of Murom of the Vladimir Diocese at a distance of one hundred and twenty versts, in a forest, on an elevated mountain, between the two rivers Satis and Sarovka, united together under the monastery. The worldly villages are twenty versts from the monastery, and there is no residence closer than five versts, and that too on one side. The location of the desert is very beautiful and delights the soul of every visitor. Monastic decorum is observed with all strictness; a touching, lengthy church service touches the heart; During the singing of the pillars, according to the rite of Mount Athos, a sweet feeling fills the soul and in the church a special reverence is aroused for the ascetics, who shone with monastic virtues in the community. It can be rightly said about this desert that in the present century it is an exemplary desert. She is not only beautiful in appearance, but also internally decorated with Christian monastic rules and the exploits of the pious life of the ever-memorable men, ascetics of virtue, such as: the pioneer hieroschemamonk John, his successor the disciple and associate builder Demetrius, the pious elder Ephraim, the reverent husband Pachomius, the humble Isaiah, the zealous Pitirim, strict Joachim, truthful Hegumen Niphon, hermit Hegumen Nazarius, hieroschemamonk Dorotheos, schemamonk Marko, hieromonk Seraphim, Hilarion, hierodeacon Alexander and others. The exploits of these men are preserved in the memory of people who honor piety. These ascetics were completely devoted and useful to the monastery; serving as a spiritual decoration for her, in their lives they set an honorable example for the brethren in firm trust in the help of Almighty God, to Whom alone they dedicated their body and soul to serve. They remained in silence and together in unceasing prayer, always conversing mentally with God; with the assistance of the grace of God, they had a wise and subtle knowledge of the human heart and, like lamps, illuminated with the pure light of the teachings of Christ all those who approached them, showing everyone the true path leading to salvation. How holy their souls were adorned with virtues! What spiritual valor they lacked! They are firm in faith, unshakable in patience, inimitable in love for God and neighbor, tireless in prayer, constant in abstinence, even in the difficult pre-death struggle of the flesh, vigorous and strong. Not exhausted in piety, but burning with undoubted faith, with warm prayer they gave their spirit into the hands of the living God. Therefore, it is spiritually beneficial to remember some features from their lives, edifying thoughts that they loved to repeat, and their works for the benefit of the holy monastery of Sarov.