XI. Посещение Преосв. Макария и его неожиданный приезд в Рудново. – Приказание строить храм. – Возведение общины в монастырь и посвящение м. Евфросинии в сан игумении. – Освящение храма в Руднове

In July 1899, His Eminence Macarius, who was at that time Bishop of Kaluga, visited the community. He deeply revered the memory of the Elder, and he himself told how, while still a young priest, he visited the Elder in Optina Pustyn, and he gave him a book about monasticism for his blessing. The visitor considered this to be a mistake, but subsequently understood the Elder’s foresight in this. After staying in the monastery for two days, Vladyka left for the neighboring village of Kurynichi. The road lay past the Rudnovsky farm and Matushka, thinking that he would not go there, decided to follow Vladyka in the carriage. And in fact, seeing the buildings and the nuns greeting him at the gate, Vladyka wanted to get out of the carriage, and then, having learned that the Elder often visited this dacha, he went straight to his hut. The sisters, who did not expect such a turn, timidly sang “Worthy.” Entering the hut, Vladyka prayed and sat down on Father’s bed and, after a short silence, said: “What an extraordinary, blessed place this is; I thank the Lord that He has vouchsafed me, a sinner, to be here.” I also visited St. well, washed, drank water and, returning to get into the carriage, turned to Mother and seriously said: “God bless you, Mother, to build a church here.” Struck by these words, Mother replied that this was out of the question, since the church in the monastery was not yet finished, but the Right Reverend, as if not listening to her, continued: “Begin, Mother, I myself will come to consecrate it.” So, Father’s prediction that the Rudnovsk sisters would have to sing for the bishop came true exactly - and it was fitting for God to fulfill his other words so quickly and unexpectedly that Rudnovo would have its own church. Nobody thought about the church in Rudnov, but two years later it was ready, of course with the assistance of the same benefactors. In 1901 On July 8, on the day of the church holiday, the Kazan women's community was elevated to the level of a cenobitic monastery and renamed the Kazan Amvrosievskaya Hermitage. This celebration was performed by the same Eminence Macarius of Kaluga, who arrived at the monastery the day before. In the morning there was liveliness everywhere. The sun looked cheerfully from above; It was festive everywhere. People arrived from all directions. At 9 o'clock, Vice-Governor D. B. Neidgart arrived from Kaluga. Finally they started mass, and soon a procession appeared from the house where the bishops usually stay: ahead were the choristers, then the clergy, and after all the Vladyka in a robe and with a staff. The look of the Vladyka was prayerfully serious as he went to perform a bloodless sacrifice... After reading the usual entrance prayers, the Vladyka put on his vestments and the divine liturgy began. They sang “In Thy Kingdom...”, a solemn moment arrived. The archdeacon approached Mother Superior and, taking her by the arm, led her to the royal doors. Having made the usual bows to the throne and the Lord, Mother rose to the step of the pulpit; The kamilavka was removed from her, and the Vladyka, laying his hands on his head, read a prayer, calling on divine grace, delivering her “to the abbess of the monastery of the Most Holy Lady Theotokos”... and then said: “Axia,” which was repeated by the servants, and Mother Abbess returned to her place. Who could have expected this? How many times have bishops found it inconvenient for a leader to rule without sight, but by the will of God no one decided to resist. No lie and slander could move the one that was installed by the elder, pleasing to God - the bishops changed, and the blind abbess managed everything - and finally “Axia” was solemnly recognized as abbot. At the end of the liturgy, Vladyka spoke a word that breathed with the power of faith and was warmed by sincere love. Then a religious procession set off from the church to the middle of the monastery; A tent was erected in the square, beautifully decorated with greenery, and a thanksgiving service was performed in it for many years. Upon returning to the church, Vladyka undressed and, going out to the pulpit, handed Matushka the abbot’s staff. At the same time, a golden pectoral cross was laid, presented to her by her loving sisters. The solemn ringing of bells assured the spiritual celebration. Then there was a meal. The next day, another celebration took place - the consecration of the church in Rudnov. From 4 o'clock in the morning, sisters, singers, guests began to go there and the necessary things were taken; final preparations were being made. It certainly turned out that something had been forgotten, something was missing - notes flew every now and then to Shamordino, with returning crews who, having brought one batch to Rudnovo, returned for another. They were fussing and fussing everywhere; all over the garden there were elegant crowds, the crosses of abbots and archpriests glittered. Those who came again went to inspect the church, which for an hour bothered the sisters quite a bit: they would either walk along the bishop’s carpet and drag sand onto it, then they would block the passage when something needed to be carried in, or they would pester them with some question at the moment when there was some other omission. But the sisters have a good-natured attitude towards everything, they are so full of their joy that they want everyone to feel good and happy. Finally they let it be known that the Right Reverend had already left Shamordin, and the ringing began in Rudnov. Instantly all the fuss subsided, everyone settled down decorously, waiting for the archpastor. Soon the carriage rolled up to the porch and Vladyka, upon meeting, put on his clothes and began the rite of consecrating the church. When St. the throne was clothed, the Lord, having accepted the paten with St. with an antimension on the head, he went in procession around the church. The picture was wonderful; There was silence in the air, the soft, harmonious sounds of bells flowed from the thicket of the garden, the sun shone brightly, playing on vestments, crosses and banners. The procession moved slowly and smoothly in solemn silence, as if giving way to another invisible choir surrounding the carried shrine. Returning through the western doors and stopping in front of the curtain that separated the church, the Lord said three times: lift up the gates of your princes, lift up the eternal gates and the King of Glory will enter. Each time the choir inside, as if perplexed, asked: Who is this King of Glory? The answer was the solemn words: The Lord of Powers, He is the King of Glory! The curtain, at this exclamation, opened and everyone entered the new church - the village of the glory of God. Mass began - the first mass in the Rudnovsky Church, celebrated by the saint - what could be more joyful than these minutes! The harmonious sounds of the choir rushed from above, and the thought was carried far away; – the image of the Elder, who so loved this secluded corner, involuntarily rose in my memory. So recently he walked here, lived and was, it seemed, an ordinary person - and in these sacred moments he was already looking from the heights of heaven at the work of his hands, at his children... And everything, absolutely everything that happened and is happening in his monastery after his blessed death, is irrefutable proof of his bold intercession at the Throne of God.