Послание 10. К Николаю, ученику

Since you, my spiritual son Nikolai, by the grace of God, have been elevated to the rank of abbot, you must observe everything commanded to you in this letter. Unnecessarily, do not change in any way the order or rules that you accepted from your spiritual abode. Do not take anything from this world and do not save a single piece of silver for yourself. Do not waste your soul and heart in cares and concerns, except for those entrusted to you by God and care for those who have become your spiritual sons and brothers, nor for those who were previously close in the flesh, nor for relatives, nor for friends, nor for comrades. Do not use the property of your monastery, neither during life nor after death, nor in the form of alms, nor in a will, for your relatives and friends mentioned above. For you are not of the world and should not have communication with the worldly, if only one of them wishes to move from public life to our rank, then take care of them following the example of the Holy Fathers. Do not acquire a slave either for your needs, or for the monastery entrusted to you, or for your fields - a man created in the image of God, for this is only allowed for the laity. You yourself must serve as a slave for your unanimous brothers according to your own will, although outwardly you are considered a master and teacher. Do not have female animals for official needs, as someone who has completely abandoned women, neither in the monastery nor in the fields, since none of our Reverend and Holy Fathers had them, and nature itself does not allow it. Without necessity, do not ride horses and mules, but, following the example of Christ, walk; when this is impossible, then let the colt be your animal to bear. Make sure that everything in the brotherhood is common and indivisible and that nothing in particular becomes the property of a private person, not even a needle. Your body and soul, not to mention anything else, must be divided by equal love for all your spiritual sons and brothers. Do not exercise authority over your two brothers and my sons: neither in authority nor in laying on of hands do anything without the permission of your father. Do not enter into fraternal fellowship or succession with the laity, as one who has withdrawn from the world and marriage, for there is no example of this among the Fathers, and even if there were, it would be rare, and this is not the law. Do not share meals with women, except for your mother according to the flesh and your sister, if there is one, I don’t know what the need and necessity is, as the Holy Fathers command. Do not undertake frequent absences and travels, unnecessarily leaving your flock, while even in your presence the most diverse verbal sheep who are on many paths can hardly be saved. Try without fail to teach catechetical teaching three times a week in the evenings, for this was handed down from the Fathers and is saving. Do not give a small, as they say, schema, and then after a while another, as if great, for there is one schema, like Baptism, - this is how the Holy Fathers used it. Do not break the laws and rules of the Fathers, especially our holy father Basil. Whatever you do or say, do it as if you had the testimony of the Scriptures, or as if according to the custom of your Fathers, without transgressing the commandment of God. Do not leave your flock to go to another or achieve higher dignity without the permission of your father. Do not enter into friendship with a virgin, do not go to a nunnery, and do not talk alone with a nun or laywoman, unless necessary, and then in the presence of two persons on both sides. For being alone, as they say, gives rise to slander. Do not open the doors of the sheepfold for the entry of any woman unless absolutely necessary, but if you can receive her without mutual contemplation, then this is not reproachful. Do not set up an inn for yourself or for your spiritual sons - a worldly house where women frequent, which you would often visit, but try to stop on the way and satisfy the necessary needs of pious men. Do not prefer to keep a young student in your cell, but use a non-suspicious person and various brothers to serve you. Do not wear decorated and precious clothing, except when performing sacred services, but, following the example of the Fathers, dress and put on modesty. Do not be luxurious either in spending on yourself or in receiving guests, for this is characteristic of the sensualists of real life. Do not store gold in your monastery, but give any surplus to the poor, opening your courtyard, as the Holy Fathers did. Do not hold a safe place in your power and do not worry about economic matters, but let all your worries be about souls. And give the gold and necessary things to the steward, the cellarer, and whoever is responsible for each position. And you, of course, will have power over everyone and transfer each position to one or another person at will and demand an account for each service, as you ordered. Do not do anything and do not dispose of anything at your own discretion: neither regarding travel, nor regarding selling and buying, nor regarding the acceptance or expulsion of a brother, nor regarding a change of position, nor in any other of the bodily matters, just as in the case of mental offenses, without consulting with the brethren who are superior in knowledge and piety, one, two, three or more, depending on the case, as commanded by the Fathers. Observe and preserve all this and other things that you have received, so that it may prosper you (Ex. 20:12), and may you prosper in the Lord all the days of your life. Let there be nothing contrary to this, either in words or in thoughts. You might be interested in: