Saint Demetrius of Rostov and his pastorate

With the blessing of His Beatitude VLADIMIR, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine The book, based on the systematization of vast church-historical material, reveals the pastoral experience of one of the greatest figures of the Russian Orthodox Church, an outstanding hagiographer and inspired preacher, a fatherly caring shepherd and educator of youth, a spiritual poet and a zealous apologist for Orthodoxy - St. Demetrius of Rostov. The book is intended for students of theological educational institutions, priests and laity, all those who are interested in the life and work of pastors of the Orthodox Church. Archbishop Anthony (in the world Vasily Ivanovich Fialko) was born on October 2, 1946 in the village. Dulitsky, Skvirsky district, Kiev region in Ukraine, in a family of Orthodox Christians. In 1960, after graduating from school, Vasily Fialko entered the Kiev Construction College at the Faculty of Industrial and Civil Construction. In 1964, he completed a full course at the technical school and worked in various positions (work manager, engineer, senior engineer) in construction organizations in Kiev. In 1973 he graduated from the Voronezh Engineering and Construction Institute with a degree in “Engineer-builder of industrial and civil construction”. From 1973 to 1974 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army. In 1975, he entered the 4th grade of the Leningrad Theological Seminary, but had to interrupt his studies due to family circumstances. Since 1976 - subdeacon of Bishop Chrysostom of Kursk and Belgorod and reader of the Kursk Cathedral. On April 24, 1976, on Holy Saturday, Bishop Chrysostom of Kursk and Belgorod ordained him to the rank of deacon and appointed deacon of the St. Joasaph Cathedral in the city of Belgorod. On August 14, 1977, Archbishop Chrysostom of Kursk and Belgorod ordained him to the priesthood and appointed rector of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Stary Oskol, Belgorod region. In January 1978 he was transferred to St. Michael's Church in Belgorod. Since June 1978, he has been a clergyman of the Vinnitsa diocese of the Ukrainian Exarchate, and on December 12 of the same year he was appointed full-time priest of the Nativity of the Virgin Cathedral in Vinnitsa. On April 10, 1979, in the sixth week of Lent, in the Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral in Vinnitsa, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, Bishop Agathangel of Vinnitsa and Bratslav, he was tonsured a monk with the name Anthony, in honor of St. Anthony of Kiev-Pechersk. For the holiday of Holy Easter in 1980, Hieromonk Anthony was awarded a pectoral cross by His Holiness Patriarch Pimen. Since 1980, he was appointed dean of the parishes of the 7th district of the Vinnytsia diocese. On April 7, 1982, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, Archbishop Agathangel of Vinnitsa and Bratslav, Hieromonk Anthony was elevated to the rank of abbot with the laying of a cross with decorations. In 1982, Abbot Anthony graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary in the first category, and on November 1 of the same year he was appointed rector of the St. Paraskevinsky Church in the village. Kalinovka, Vinnytsia region, and on September 8, 1983 - rector of the Holy Dormition Church in the village. Murafa of the Vinnytsia diocese. In 1985, on the occasion of Holy Easter, Archbishop Agafangel of Vinnitsa and Bratslav, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, elevated him to the rank of archimandrite. In 1987, Archimandrite Anthony graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy, first class. On the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Anthony was awarded a second cross with decorations by His Holiness Patriarch Pimen. On January 9, 1989, he was appointed secretary of the Khmelnytsky diocesan administration, dean of the 1st district of the Khmelnytsky diocese and rector of the Khmelnytsky Nativity - Mother of God Cathedral. From the first day after his appointment, with the blessing of His Eminence Agafangel, Archbishop of Vinnitsa and Bratslav, who temporarily ruled the Khmelnytsky diocese, Archimandrite Anthony was actively involved in the management of the diocese. During this time of perestroika, the most important issue for the Orthodox believers of the Podolsk region was the construction of a new Holy Intercession Cathedral in the center of Khmelnytsky on the site of the small and dilapidated Holy Protection Church. Possessing organizational skills and experience in construction work (according to secular education and profession), Archimandrite Anthony managed, and then it was very difficult, to begin construction of the cathedral and personally led it. The selfless work of Fr. Anthony earned him the deep respect and trust of the city residents, who elected him as a deputy of the Khmelnytsky Regional Council of People's Deputies. Finding himself at the center of the spiritual and social life of the diocese, with his ministry and works, preaching the word of God, he gained authority among the believing people and authorities and played a major role in the revival of spirituality and strengthening of the Orthodox faith in the Podolsk region. As secretary of the Khmelnitsky diocesan administration, with the blessing of the ruling archpastor, Archimandrite Anthony practically cared for the entire diocese, its clergy and believers. He prepared proteges for ordination to the priesthood and paid much attention to issues of spiritual enlightenment and church construction. Thus, under his rectorship (from January 1989 to April 1990), the construction of the new Holy Protection Cathedral was almost completed, into which he invested all his knowledge, skills, and soul. In 1990, by the decision of the Holy Synod, the Khmelnytsky diocese was made independent under the administration of the Khmelnytsky bishops, and Archimandrite Anthony transferred to the clergy of the Kharkov diocese, where until 1992 he served under the obedience of the rector of the Holy Dormition Church in the city of Zolochev and the dean of the Zolochiv district. In 1992, the episcopate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which in 1990 gained independence in governance, elects a new Primate. Many values ​​in the state are being reviewed and interpreted in a new way, and democratic transformations of society have begun, which also affected the Church. In this difficult time, the Church calls Archimandrite Anthony to a new ministry: on July 27, 1992, he was consecrated Bishop of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky, and the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church appointed him vicar of Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Vladimir (Sabodan), Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and shares his work in governing the Church. On June 22, 1993, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Bishop Anthony was appointed Bishop of Khmelnytsky and Shepetovsky, governing the Khmelnytsky diocese, since the ancient Podolsk see, according to this decision, is divided into two dioceses - Khmelnytsky and Kamenets-Podolsky. Having taken over the administration of the Khmelnitsky diocese, Bishop Anthony zealously set to work. First of all, he took care of completing the construction of the Holy Intercession Cathedral, its painting and decoration, as well as expanding the territory of the diocesan administration. The archpastor pays great attention to issues of spiritual, moral and religious education, publishing activities in the diocese, in particular the publications of the diocesan newspaper “Podolsk Diocesan Gazette”. Bishop Anthony has repeatedly participated in international peacemaking and scientific-secular conferences dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus' and the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ, and other important church and social events. One of his reports, “Common Traditions of the Church and Medicine,” received great resonance in scientific circles. He was also a participant in the official meeting of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, Ecumenical Patriarch Archbishop of Constantinople - New Rome Bartholomew I and His Beatitude Catholicos, Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, which took place in Odessa in September 1997. The bishop's charitable activities, mercy and help to those in need are widely known. Not a single visitor, no matter what problem or request he approaches, leaves without an answer or consolation. Despite his enormous busyness and many matters related to the management of the diocese, church-educational and social work, His Eminence Anthony, Bishop of Khmelnytsky and Shepetovsky, also finds time for scientific and theological works. The result of such labors was the defense in 1998 of the thesis “St. Demetrius of Rostov and his pastorate” at the Department of Pastoral Theology of the Kiev Theological Academy, for which he was awarded the academic degree of Candidate of Theology. Bishop Anthony, for his diligent service to the Church, was awarded the orders of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the Venerable Nestor the Chronicler, as well as the orders of the Local Orthodox Churches. On the feast of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir on July 28, 1999, Bishop Anthony, in consideration of his church merits and for his zealous service to the Holy Orthodox Church, was elevated to the high rank of archbishop by His Beatitude Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. With rigor and justice, sensitivity and simplicity, deep knowledge and spiritual experience, His Eminence Bishop Anthony earned the love and respect of his flock. This publication is being published by decision of the Academic Council of the Kyiv Theological Academy. It is dedicated to the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ and the 25th anniversary of my service to the Holy Church and the people of God. The work presented to the attention of readers, exploring the life and works of St. Demetrius of Rostov, was written by me immediately after graduating from the Theological Academy, but, unfortunately, numerous concerns did not allow me to defend my dissertation and present my modest work to the readers. I thank the Lord, by whose grace the work was finally published, I hope that it will benefit a wide circle of readers who are seeking spiritual guidance, who love God, “Wonderful in His saints,” and especially the shepherds of the Church of Christ, who can learn a lot for themselves from this book. Special thanks to His Beatitude the Beatitude Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Academic Council of the Kiev Theological Academy for the opportunity to publish my work. May the blessing of the Lord be with us all! Archbishop of Khmelnytsky and Shepetovsky