Beggars about. John of Kronstadt

Blessed are they of mercy, for they will receive mercy The first Christians, says Father John in one of his teachings, had everything in common: the rich and wealthy voluntarily donated their property and money, and what they collected was kept by the leaders of the church, who used it to support the poor, the strange, those imprisoned and other needy people. “We have a kind of treasury,” writes one church teacher: everyone contributes into it monthly, or whenever he wishes, as much as he can and as much as he wants. These alms are used for food and burial of the poor, for the maintenance of children who have lost their parents, for the elderly who no longer leave the house and cannot work, to alleviate the lot of the unfortunate shipwrecked... Coming together with one heart and one soul, can we abandon the community of property? It can be said without exaggeration that the number of Father John’s “needs” reaches several tens of thousands of people, and he is truly their father, caring not only about their spiritual life, but delving into all the needs of earthly existence, from food, lodging, work and ending with illness. One could only wish that blood fathers would care for and love their children to the same extent as Fr. John cares for and loves spiritual children. Do you, reader, know who these tenderly beloved “children” of Fr. John? - Poor, miserable, drunkards... That, at least, is the name of these unfortunate poor people in Kronstadt, although they are nothing more than deeply unhappy... Father John conceived the idea of setting up an institution that would make it possible to receive help not as alms, but as a reward for work, would provide the opportunity to earn money for basic needs, while at the same time preventing the moral decline of the poor, which alms could never give, which in most cases serves as the cause of parasitism. Such an institution turned out to be the “House of Industriousness” built in 1882 in Kronstadt. At the beginning of 1881, the development of a plan of action began to achieve the good goal set by the trusteeship. Not daring to count on large funds, guardianship is initially limited to the desire to build a small wooden house. The terrible event of March 1, which plunged all of Russia into grief and aroused a nationwide desire to perpetuate the name of the unforgettable Tsar-Martyr, radically changed the modest desires of the guardianship, which sought permission to dedicate the proposed house to the memory of Emperor Alexander II, rightly believing that the best monument to the Tsar-Martyr, Tsar-Liberator would be a shelter for “the suffering and burdened.” Indeed, donations poured in abundantly from that time on, so the trusteeship decided to immediately begin laying the foundation for a stone, 3-story house. On August 23, 1881, the house was mortgaged in the presence of Their Imperial Highnesses Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna and Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich. More than half of the construction was completed when, on December 7, a fire broke out in a neighboring house, well known in the Golovachev case. The house was badly damaged, but the insurance premium did not allow it to perish, so in the spring they began work again and on October 10, 1882 the building was solemnly consecrated. On October 12, 1882, the House of Industriousness opened its doors. 1) two primary schools; 2) a shelter for orphans and a children's day care center; 3) a hospital for visitors; 5) free overnight shelter (in a special building). In addition, there are workshops that provide income to poor people: A hemp workshop, in which 15,812 people worked over the last year and 2,774 rubles were paid for the work. 86 k. A women's workshop, which initially consisted of two departments: fashion and sewing. Later, a new department was added - embroidery and linen labeling. During the year, 28 girls worked in the workshop, and 120 rubles were spent on the workshop itself over the past year. 70 kopecks, the salary of a teacher of a handicraft class in an elementary school is 180 rubles, and a total of 300 p. 70 k. And the income received was 28 rubles. 94 kopecks. The workshop, in addition to orders, performed a lot of work for the inmates of the shelter, both in making new clothes and repairing and correcting old ones. A shoemaker's workshop, in which 12 boys were trained under the guidance of an experienced master and the cost of which was 55 rubles. 63 k. The people's canteen provides free lunches, amounting to 13,194 servings per year, in the amount of 952 rubles. 93 k. The overnight shelter, charging from 2 to 3 kopecks for an overnight stay, gave shelter to 4,616 people during the year. and, in addition, 984 people spent the night for free. 238 rubles spent on overnight shelter for the year. 96 k., and accepted as income 115 rubles. 40 k. Charity for poor women. 12 elderly women who had lost the ability to work found shelter and food, and some of them even received cash benefits. The outpatient hospital used 1,058 incoming patients and incurred expenses of 259 rubles 72 kopecks, while the income received 18 rubles 94 kopecks taken out of mugs, not counting donated medicines and dressings in the amount of 187 rubles. Use of the hospital is free, with the exception of those of sufficient means, who contribute 20 kopecks, putting them in a mug available there. Public readings were and are conducted on Sundays and holidays and consist of an explanation of the Gospel. Listeners eagerly attend these readings, especially interested in the evening readings, accompanied by misty pictures. Admission to these readings is charged 5 and 3 kopecks, but children from orphanages, students from city schools, etc. are admitted free of charge. To be fair, the case was set up perfectly and is capable of attracting masses of people, which is reflected in the usual presence of up to 500 people. Each reading is announced by printed posters. In addition to religious content, readings include the following subjects: Russian history, geography, astronomy and literature. The total number of visitors during the year was 14,400. The parish commission for organizing public readings received 380 rubles. 17 kopecks, and 223 rubles were spent. 73 kopecks The primary school, consisting of three sections, provides primary education to approximately 182 students. This school enjoys extraordinary trust from parents, and the influx of people wanting to enroll there is constantly enormous. The maintenance of the school costs 1,970 rubles. per year. The children's library at the primary school provides free books to visiting students, as well as to shelter children. The number of books issued for reading reaches 1,156 copies. The library has up to 477 volumes, worth 364 rubles. 73 k. Drawing classes provide drawing instruction to 17 children for free, and 127 with a fee. The shelter for orphans and children's refuge contains 51 people. children of both sexes of different ages, ranks and religions. About 2,302 rubles are spent on this institution. per year. Then, in addition to all of the above, cash benefits are constantly issued, in total 3,671 rubles. per year. On the 28th of last March of this year, in the mountains. Kronstadt, the annual meeting of members of St. Andrew's guardianship took place, chaired by Archpriest I. I. Sergiev. From reading the monetary report for 1890, it is clear that, thanks to the generous donations of its chairman, the trusteeship could support not only numerous charitable institutions, but also increase the untouchable capital, which has now increased to 118,000 rubles, not counting the church capital, which exceeded 20,000 rubles. The usual expenses for maintaining a house, shelters, workshops, etc. does not exceed 17,000–18,000 rubles per year. Next, the meeting decided to begin the construction of a large stone 4-story building of cheap apartments for the poor, in view of the extreme unsatisfactoriness of the premises occupied by the poor on towers, basements and similar premises. Construction costs are estimated at 60,000 rubles, which will be provided for this good purpose by the chairman, Fr. John. In addition, it was decided to open a day shelter for poor children at the St. Petersburg Gate. Finally, just the other day (summer of 1891) construction began at the expense of Fr. John's shelter for homeless children. After this introduction, we will introduce readers to the “beggar system” of Fr. John. We borrow this story from the author of many essays about Fr. Ioanne N. N. Zhovotova (newspaper “Den”, May book. “Appendix for 1891”). The east caught fire a little... Coolness came from the sea... Kronstadt was still sleeping and only the “posad’s need” began to crawl out of its “cracks” - dirty, stinking corners, in low, dilapidated houses. “God, do people really live here,” I thought, walking around the town’s slums for the first time, as if they had grown into the ground. It turned out that they not only live, but live denser and more crowded than, for example, in almshouses or barracks. The bunks are made in rows, and in some places even two floors high! Bare boards, a dim, unheated hut, a foul, unbearably odorous atmosphere - these are the general signs of the town's "cracks." I will not describe in more detail the disgusting situation of Kronstadt poverty, because there is nothing exceptional or special in it: the same situation and poverty, and if poverty, then certainly unsanitary dirt can be found everywhere in Russia and wherever there is poverty, there is dirt, where there is poverty there is stench; We don’t have ceremonial, “decorated” poverty, as, for example, in Germany. Although cleanliness essentially costs nothing, among Russians it is the exclusive property of the rich... It had just struck 5 o’clock in the morning when figures, male and female, in some kind of “masquerade” costumes began to jump out of the wretched town huts: some in a sweatshirt and large galoshes, some in a zipun with tufts of cotton sticking out; on the head there is a frame of a top hat, a straw hat with holes in it, etc. Everyone is in a hurry, as if running on business... - If I hadn’t been late, I wouldn’t have left... This is the only thing on everyone’s mind, because if “they’re late” or “he” leaves, it’s a day of hunger strike and spending the night in the open air. Of course, this “he” is Father John, the “father” and the only sad person of all the Kronstadt poverty under the fence... Without him, half of the “posadites” would probably have long been exhausted from cold and hunger, -Where are you going in such a hurry? – I asked one ragamuffin when I first met the “golden company of Kronstadt.” “Get in line,” he answered, whoever is late for distribution will not receive it afterwards. I also went after those who had fled... It was cold outside and still completely dark; There are no streetlights in these streets in Kronstadt, so you have to walk almost by touch. We walked several streets until the dome of St. Andrew's Cathedral appeared on the horizon. – Where to “build?” – the goldmines asked each other... - At Father's, at Father's... He is not serving in the cathedral today. When I approached the house where Father John lives, several hundred ragged people had already gathered there and people continued to flock from all sides. Line up, line up,” voices were heard. Hundreds of gathered Goli began to stand along the fence, starting from the house of Father John towards the “House of Diligence”. Men stood on one side, women on the opposite panel. In less than 5 minutes, a long ribbon of human figures, about half a mile long, was formed. The poor people stood in three columns, that is, three people in a row, so that they occupied the entire panel; there were much fewer women than men. For a long time I walked along the “line”, peering into these emaciated faces, emaciated, ragged figures... On each face one could read a whole everyday drama, if not a tragedy... There were young people, almost youths and gray-haired elders, I came across on crutches, wretched ones, with shaking heads, with disfigured faces... Yes, such a collection of “orphans” is difficult to find; if each of them individually is not capable of touching the viewer’s heart, then the collection of these “children of Father John” can make the hardest heart tremble! Even if most of them are drunkards or vicious people, even if they themselves are to blame for their situation, but these are people... people who have suffered, are suffering and have nothing in the future except suffering! Here is a former student of the medical academy, here is a court councilor, a lieutenant, a former millionaire merchant, here is a family nobleman of a famous surname... This one has a family and a sick wife, this one has an old mother, sisters... They showed me an old man who has been eating only bread and water for twenty years, his right hand has dried up, he has lost the opportunity to work and has been living on the alms of Father John for 20 years. For twenty years he has not had his own corner, has not seen a bowl of soup, and if it were not for Father John, he would have died of hunger long ago. I asked you to show me this old man. The unfortunate man stood at the rear of the “formation” in the first column. “They came to admire,” he venomously turned to me reproachfully when I stopped opposite him... The old man's appearance was stern; drooping gray eyebrows almost covered his eyes, and a scraggly gray beard hung down to his chest; deep wrinkles and a yellow tint of the skin spoke more eloquently than words about what the old man had experienced... His tall figure was somehow hunched over, and his right arm hung motionless... “Take it, old man,” I extended my hand to him with a credit card. “Keep it for yourself or give it to them,” he answered, shaking his head towards the “line” and not accepting my hand, “I’m not a beggar, my right hand has dried up, and my left has not yet accepted alms... - But you’ve been living on alms for 20 years, right? - Lie! Father John has been feeding me for 20 years, but I have not asked for alms and have not accepted alms. - So if you take from Father John, why don’t you want to take from me? “I don’t know you and I don’t want to know you, oh.” John is my father, he gives not his own, but God’s, he gives what he receives for us from God. You give me two kopecks like a beggar, and Father John gives me like a relative; like he gives to a friend lovingly... He would give a thousand rubles if there were fewer of us, for him money does not have the same value as it does to you, sir... I stopped the conversation there, but then I got to know the old man better; His story is so interesting that I will return to him later... It was not yet 6 o’clock when the “father” came out of the gate of a house well known to the “gold miners”... The crowd swayed, but everyone remained in place, exposing only their heads. Father John took off his hat, bowed to his “children,” crossed himself at the church visible in the distance, and walked along the “line.” - One, two, three... ten... twenty... The twentieth received a ruble to share with 19 colleagues. Again: “one, two, three... ten... twenty” and again the ruble. So until the very end of the “build”. As soon as the count ended, the entire crowd rushed from their seats to the “father”. Some knelt down, some caught the “father’s” hand for a kiss, some asked for blessings and prayers; some told their needs... And Father John satisfied everyone, and refused to anyone; it was clear that the venerable shepherd had become close to this environment, understood them without words, by one hint, just as the crowd understood him by just gestures... Surrounded and accompanied by his “children,” Fr. John slowly moves towards the Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called (or the Church of the House of Labor) for the service of early mass. The “father” at the door of the church has disappeared and the crowd disperses throughout the city, only an insignificant part remains on the porch to collect alms. These are professional beggars, of whom, however, there are relatively few, and in vain some people believe that Fr. John multiplies the poor. “Build” the gold miners, as I call the beggars, Fr. John, was formed a long time ago, about 30 years ago, but it has been disciplined, developed and multiplied in recent years. According to the most moderate estimate, the number of poor people living at the expense of Father John reaches a thousand people, and all of them receive a few kopecks every morning and evening. Regardless of this, a shelter, a workhouse and twelve charitable institutions were set up for them at the expense of the Kronstadt shepherd. I mentioned before that the maintenance of shelters, hospitals, workshops and other institutions at the Kronstadt “House of Industriousness” costs Father John 50-60 thousand rubles. annually, not counting morning and evening distributions, as well as random distributions, more or less large. The poor are accustomed to looking at the care of the venerable shepherd for them as something due, almost legal. If sometimes it happens that during the “system” division he receives 2 kopecks. per person. instead of the expected 3, loud protesting voices are heard: - Don’t take anything, guys, don’t take anything, don’t. So tomorrow the priest will give you a penny. Well, are we going to spend the night on the street or something (at the shelter they charge 3 kopecks per person). - Mitrich, go as a deputy to the priest; say that we don’t take less than 3. However, these voices never achieved victory and remained in an insignificant minority. But “Mitrich” and no one else would ever dare to go with a protest, but they would make noise, make noise, take, of course, what they give, and go home. Father John himself looks at caring for the Kronstadt poor as his duty. In recent years, he has not had time to devote to “the system,” but entrusts this to someone close to him, and when he leaves for Moscow or his homeland, he leaves a certain amount for all days so that the poor receive 3 or 5 kopecks every morning and evening. (depending on what resources the shepherd has). “Stroy” adores his “father” and “breadwinner”; his father’s moral influence on him is enormous. One day the following incident occurred. Former police chief Golovachev told Father John that his beggars were engaged in robbery and that one of them tore off Mr. B.’s expensive beaver hat when he was driving along a back street in the evening. On the same day upon receipt of this news, Fr. John gathered his “formation” and announced unpleasant news to him. “Stroy” silently listened to the priest and dozens of voices answered: - This is not our doing, father. Today we will find out and find the culprit. Indeed, on the same day in the evening the beaver cap was presented to Fr. John... In general, it is enough for the priest to hint about any desire for the poor to immediately take all measures to fulfill the will of their “father.” “Story” undergoes quite frequent modifications. One can name several dozen (and maybe hundreds) of poor people who, under the influence of the shepherd of Father John and with his material support and help, have now become, if not rich, then relatively sufficient workers: some received good jobs, others became merchants, others left Kronstadt and St. Petersburg, going to work in the provinces. But there are always more people arriving than people leaving, which is why the number of “systems” is growing every year. Of course, among the masses there are vicious people, there are also professional beggars, but it can be argued that there are more good people than bad people and more unfortunate people than vicious people, even many more. Father John knows about the tares of his flock and tries to ignore them whenever possible, but he never singles them out from the “order” when distributing alms, guided by the general rule: “Give to those who ask you.” And if this “beggar takes alms to the tavern - this is a matter of his conscience, he will be responsible for it. Father John, as we saw above, performs all priestly duties over a long 35-year period, up to and including teaching the law; along with all other priests, he has his own parishioners, services, etc., as in all other churches with one or more priests; but the activity that we will talk about below goes beyond the “parish” of the Kronstadt St. Andrew’s Cathedral, just as in general it goes beyond the responsibilities of the spiritual father and shepherd of the church. This activity is “outside normal,” so to speak, “or above normal,” and it is this that gives Father John that moral image that, like a magnet, attracts the hearts of people, forcing them to look for a priest who is modest and does not stand out in any way in appearance or position. In our place we talked about the extraordinary popularity of Fr. John, who is an example of both virtue and purely Christian modesty, and here we only want to protest against the reproaches of some skeptics who put Fr. John is almost to blame for his popularity. We can testify that Fr. John Sergiev's right hand constantly does not know what the left is doing. He avoids any manifestation of gratitude, hides from various deputations or demonstrations, and repeatedly, at the sight of a crowd of thousands meeting him, he exclaimed: – What should I do with them? Teach me where to hide from them... Tried o. John asked his admirers from the church pulpit to behave more modestly and not arrange triumphs for him; during rare conversations with representatives of the press, he simply begged not to print about cases of healing by his prayers and not to write about his activities at all; Finally, he came up with various secret entrances and exits, but all in vain! The more he avoided publicity and popularity, the more he was persecuted, so that in the end he gave up on everything, he became completely indifferent to everything around him and did not seem to notice what was happening around him. Whether he is crushed by the crowd, he will stand and wait until someone frees him, or the besiegers themselves become more lenient; whether they meet him or see him off, he bows, patiently listens to everything and, like an outside witness, goes on his way. During all 35 years of priestly service, Father John not only never caused any demonstration, but did not give even the slightest reason to suspect him of wanting to become the subject of demonstrative celebration. Moreover, when he noticed only a desire on someone’s part to exploit his popularity (and there were many such attempts), he abruptly and decisively broke off his relationship We say all this to put the charitable activities of the Kronstadt shepherd in proper form. A person who himself asks the “House of Industriousness” how much he sent him or donated at that time; who, receiving a sealed package with money with one hand, immediately hands it to the person asking, without opening it; finally, who gives to the have-nots everything that he receives from the haves, and this “everything” often equals hundreds of thousands of rubles, such a person cannot seek popularity simply because he does not need it for anything. A person who refuses to visit someone who offers him a thousand rubles, but goes to the basement of a beggar, who, in addition to visiting, must also be given material assistance from his own pocket, cannot be suspected of any self-interest... There is no place for petty goals of earthly, perishable wealth. Let us now, after this stipulation, move on to the details of Father John’s charity. We talked about the moral help of a shepherd in the first chapters of our essay. We have seen dozens of cases where the prayer of Fr. Joanna even performed miracles, regenerated the soul and heart of a person, brought about a moral upliftment of a fallen spirit, healed bodily ailments, etc. It would be frivolous to think that every sick person who turned to the prayer of Fr. John, he certainly received healing. Then it would be some kind of clinic that everyone would turn to “in case of emergency,” as they now turn to Baron Vrevsky and various healers. – If it helps, that’s good, but if it doesn’t help, you still have to die – the doctors refused to treat... If we know hundreds of cases when the prayer of Fr. John saved the sick and helped the dying, we also know thousands of cases when they wrote to him and went “at random”, but did not receive any help. Pray, the Lord will help you according to your faith,” Fr. always says. John himself prays in this sense. Obviously, if prayer is approached “just in case,” like a straw that a drowning man grabs at, then there is nothing to expect from Fr. John any help, because he is, first of all, a sincere and deeply religious person, living according to the letter and spirit of the Gospel Scripture. On the contrary, those relatively few who found moral or physical healing from Fr. John, all of them, without exception, were either devout or imbued with emotion at the moment when they spoke with Fr. John, firm and unshakable faith in the possibility of the miraculous power of God, sent down through the prayer of people strong in faith and pious life. Whether they are right or not, whether we are dealing here with the providence of God or a simple accident - we will leave it to everyone’s conscience. Our task is to truthfully convey only the facts, without trying to give them a scientific or canonical interpretation. Let us now move on to another equally interesting and venerable branch of charitable assistance, Fr. John There can no longer be two opinions. The official charitable activities of Father John are focused mainly on the Kronstadt “House of Industriousness” and partly on the “House of Industriousness” built according to the same type in St. Petersburg. From the very moment he entered the pastoral field, Fr. John began to take care of improving the life of the poorest part of the population of his parish and all of Kronstadt. Back in the sixties, he spoke in the press about the establishment of “Houses of Diligence.” In 1874, on his initiative, a parish guardianship was established at St. Andrew's Cathedral. “Church guardianship,” said Fr. John at its opening is the institution of the first Christians of the apostolic times, who, out of brotherly love, cared for each other so much that “not one of them was poor” (Acts 4:34). It is especially necessary here. God grant that you too may have it in the same spirit of unanimity and love.” Soon, under the patronage of the parish church, a wonderful charitable structure arose, based on the unshakable principles: “work and love.” Thanks to the support of such figures (as Baron Buxhoeveden, General Lapshina, Doctor Dvoryashin, etc.), a tree grew from the “House of Industriousness”, covering with its branches up to twenty cities of Russia, in which now poor workers can receive help not as alms, but as payment for their work... We have reports for all the years of the existence of the Kronstadt “House of Industriousness” and from them the main feature of the activities of Fr. Joanna - amazing modesty. Father John is not on the board of the “House”, neither as chairman, nor as an honorary manager or manager; all honorary titles and positions were distributed to others, and yet the participation of these “others” and Fr. Ioann is expressed in the following figures: “others” contribute 1,500, many 2 thousand rubles a year to the society’s treasury, and Father Ioann 50–60 thousand... It is necessary to build an outbuilding or a building to house a night shelter: “others” draw up plans, estimates, manage the construction; and Father John is on the side... he gives money for construction... only! And at the request of Fr. John, his name hardly appears in the reports; Take for example the latest report: Regular income and donations……………………….1943 RUR 15k. % with inviolability. capital………………………………… 2377 » 74 » Income from miscellaneous Sources…………………………………. 6003 » 44 » Temporary donations…………………………………..46911 » 83 » _____________________________________ Total …………………………57236 rubles, 16 kopecks. These “miscellaneous sources” and “temporary donations are made up of the following amounts: Subsidy issued by the Highest command…………………………………………….................... 1000 rub. – k. From Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna ………………………………………………………. 200 » – » From His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich ……………………………………………………….. 100 » – » From the Peterhof Zemstvo Council ………………………..................... 250 » – » From different persons for Guardianship……………………………………… 417 » 20 » From various persons on the installation of a lamp in front of the image of the Savior in the “House of Industriousness” ……………………………………. 350 » – » From various persons under the will…………………………………………….. 175 » – » Membership fee from 103 people …………………………………………… 534 » – » Removed from mugs ……………………………………………………… 975 » 73 » etc. And then modest headings follow: a) Donations of Archpriest I. I. Sergiev: For Guardianship ……………………………………………….. 41963 rub. – k. For the construction of shelters. Shelter …………………………………….. 2000 » – » _________________________________________ Total…………………………….. 43963 rub. - To. b) Based on the publication of conversations of Archpriest I. I. Sergiev. Received from the sale of conversations……………………………………. 2042 rub. 30 k. Received from the sale of cards …………………………………… 296 » 10 » Total…………………………….. 4338 rub. 40 k. Total 46,000 rub. or 90% of all income. And the same thing repeats from year to year. With such “temporary” sums, the “House of Industriousness” could only achieve the successes that we spoke about above. Ettinger Printing House, Kazanskaya, No. 44. In the book and art trade T.O. Kuzina in St. Petersburg, inside Apraksin Dvor, No. 119 The following titles are on sale: 1st » issue Life and biography of Fr. John. 2nd "O. John healing drunkards. 6th » Confessors Fr. John. Conversations given by Archpriest John Ilyich Sergiev, in St. Andrew's Cathedral, in Kronstadt. “On God the Most Holy Trinity”, c. 15 k. and “About God the Provider of the world.” c. 15 k. In addition to the named books, the book trade of T. Kuzin has other publications, and also has a warehouse of folk books and chromolithographic paintings of spiritual and secular content. Sales wholesale and retail. Small books: Lives of saints and various teachings, as well as stories, fairy tales, etc., 32 pages, up to 3 hundred titles, hundreds of 1 rub. 50 k.; separately for 3 k., shipping at the expense of the buyer. A significant concession is made to booksellers on all books. The catalog is sent free of charge. 1 Up to 3. price. St. Petersburg August 9, 1891 Type. Ettinger, Kazanskaya No. 44.