III. Павел Покровский. – Кончина старца Макария. – Иеромонах Амвросий – старец. – Отношение настоятеля к старцу. – Отличительное свойство «истинных монахов»

Comrade Fr. Ambrose Pavel Pokrovsky, with whom he traveled to Fr. Hilarion Troekurovsky and the Sergius Lavra, although he came to Optina to visit his friend, he still could not come to terms with his removal to the monastery, and one day, when Fr. Ambrose turned to him with a request to send him a pound of tea, and answered him dryly and mockingly: “After all, you are a monk now, why do you need tea?” Some time after this, he himself came to Optina with the intention of staying there forever. It was winter, and having become chilled from the road, he went straight to Fr. Ambrose and asked to give him some tea as soon as possible. Fr. was delighted. Ambrose, in response to the arrival of his old friend and especially to his decision to devote himself to the monastic life, lovingly began to take care of treating the guest, although he immediately jokingly reminded him that “it seems that monks should not drink tea.” Remaining in Optina, he became a monk under the name of Plato and was the confessor of the monastery, and subsequently of Elder Ambrose himself; he was distinguished by the severity of his life and sincere devotion and respect for Fr. Ambrose. As the Elder's confessor, Fr. Plato often told how edifying and touching his confession was: “on his knees, with deep humility and tears, he confessed his most insignificant sins, and I myself could not look at the crying Elder without tears.” In 1860, the Optina monks suffered great sorrow; they lost their elder. September 7 Fr. Macarius died, mourned by all his spiritual children and admirers. Since, during his lifetime, Fr. Macarius sent some to Fr. Ambrose, then after his death, Makariev’s orphaned flock began to resort to his student and assistant. The feat of “aging” was long intended for Fr. Ambrose, but nevertheless, in this matter the Lord led him through trials and tribulations; He was not immediately recognized as an elder, but then little by little everyone began to revere him, and the number of spiritual children of Fr. Ambrose increased every day. After the death of Archimandrite Moses, the spiritual son of Elder Ambrose, Fr. Isaac, who in all monastic affairs turned to the advice of Fr. Ambrose and was more likely to be the elder’s novice than his boss. However, this was not a rare occurrence in Optina Pustyn, where the elders always occupied an authoritative position. This, of course, stemmed from the fact that there were wise abbots who, heeding the patristic tradition, did not rely on their own reason and knowledge, but did everything with advice; and because the elders themselves were led by the spirit of God and, being filled with the deepest humility, did not seek honor and primacy for themselves. Likewise, among themselves they always maintained complete unity of spirit and any division was alien to them. For example, the elders Leonid and Macarius presented a touching picture: Fr. Leo, a man of great spiritual strength, white with gray hairs of wisdom and experience, the leader and father of many souls, humbled himself before Fr. Macarius and not only shared his old age’s labors with him, but even in his letters he always put his name next to his own. For his part and Fr. Macarius, being an elder and mentor to many, considered himself a novice of Fr. Lev, and talked to him only by kneeling down. It happened that Elder Leo, wanting to give the valiant ascetic the crown of patience, reprimanded him in front of everyone and Fr. Macarius, as a true worker of the humility of Christ, was not ashamed of his gray hairs and humbly bowed at the feet of the elder, asking for forgiveness. Fr. behaved in the same way. Ambrose during his lifetime Macaria. They treated Art. with the same humility. Ambrose and the rector, Archimandrite Isaac, and the skete commander, Hieromonk Anatoly, being his assistant and confessor of the monastery. Thus, “true elders” and “true monks” guarded their spiritual gifts with humility and self-abasement! Meanwhile, true humility always has a fragrance and people who sincerely seek light feel this fragrance and look for its source. So little by little they found out about Fr. Ambrose and with an impatient hand began to knock on the door of his cell... and soon large crowds of people began to flock to him, and the fame of his spiritual wisdom and holiness grew everywhere.