Death of Saint Ignatius

Contents Testament-letter to brother P. A. Brianchaninov Telegram to the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Archimandrite Ignatius (Malyshev) Information about the burial of the Most Reverend Ignatius Brianchaninov From a letter from Abbot Anthony (Bochkov) Report from the newspaper “Moskovskie Vedomosti” Bishop Ignatius. Obituary Addition to the obituary of Bishop Ignatius From the Chronicle of the Optina Monastery Monastery The death of His Grace Bishop Ignatius Testament-letter to brother P. A. Brianchaninov Your Excellency, Dearest brother, Pyotr Alexandrovich! Seeing myself in extreme exhaustion and soreness, marking the approach of the common migration of all people from the hotel of the earth into eternity, I humbly ask you to take upon yourself, in the event of my death, the disposal of all my, however, very small property, in accordance with the attached copy of my proposal to the Kostroma Spiritual Consistory and in accordance with the verbal will I made to you. Having received a significant monetary allowance from you during my stay at the Caucasian department, I ask you to accept those things that you find necessary and useful for yourself and for your son, Alexey Petrovich, into your and his property; others - to give to the abbot and distribute to the brethren, mainly to those of them who served me personally. The main items of my property consist of: 1) a library, 2) linen, fur coats and various dresses, from which I intended colored and velvet robes for the sacristy of the Babaevsky Monastery, 3) carriages: a dormez, a carriage and a winter cart. My works, which remain in manuscript, I transfer in full to your ownership and disposal. You know my way of thinking: why it is clear to you that my desire is that the property left behind me, as acquired through my poor service to the Church, and not from relatives, would serve for the benefit of the Church, its ministers and the poor brethren. I am convinced that you will fulfill my desire more clearly and better than I would have fulfilled it myself, and therefore I stop from any petty orders that could unexpectedly complicate you in your action. May the merciful Lord, by His sole mercy, open the gates of His mercy for me, may He receive my orphaned and poor soul from the midst of this multi-rebellious world, may He rest it in His Kingdom. In your turn, which certainly comes for every earthly wanderer, you will also be called to appear before God. With all my heart I wish that this appeal will be heard by you with joy, as a calling to eternal joy, not slandered and not stopped by any sorrow. Your Excellency's most humble servant and brother Telegram to the rector of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Archimandrite Ignatius (Malyshev) dated May 1, 1867 at 9 o'clock. 12 minutes 2 They ask you, Chikhachov, Yakovlev, Gedeon to come to the funeral of Bishop Ignatius on May 7th. Information about the burial of His Grace Ignatius Brianchaninov 3 ...On the day of burial, May 7 (5th), the service was... Fr. Archimandrite Ignatius (Malyshevs) Cathedral Divine Liturgy with requiem. 2. Nikolai Semenovich Brianchaninovs 3. Petr Dmitrievich Parensov 4. Alexey Petrovich Brianchaninov 8. Alexandra Alexandrovna 10. Olga Pavlovna, born. Princess Golitsyna There were many others who prayed for the repose of the newly deceased. Letters sent from the Right Reverend: 1) From April 24th to Prince Mikhail Dmitry. Volkonsky 2) From April 25th to Ivan Nikitich Glazunov 3) From April 25th to M.P. Bibikova 4) From April 25th in my letter (P.P. Yakovleva) There were up to 5,000 people at the burial. The capital left after the deceased was 7 kopecks and the debt was 70 rubles, which he ordered to pay with the pension he had for two months. From a letter from Abbot Anthony (Bochkov) 4 On May 1, they notified me by telegraph about the death of His Eminence Ignatius. And the day before I thanked him with a letter for sending me the last volumes of his works: my letter found him in his grave. I served two masses for the newly deceased himself and two memorial services at the cathedral, but the memory of him will remain in my soul forever. After your Venerable Nilus of Sorsky, Your Eminence Ignatius was the second and, perhaps, the last monastic teacher and writer, and in terms of the power of his words, in the clarity of presentation of his ascetic teaching, he was the first and only. None of his contemporaries could equal him in knowledge of the Fatherly Scriptures. It was the living library of the Fathers. The teacher of lamentation, the new Jeremiah, died on this prophetic day, and the follower of the Monk Nile was buried on the day of his memory. The entire week of the Myrrh-Bearers, according to the Gospel of John, is, as it were, dedicated to the departed, and the entire Ecumenical Church involuntarily gave this honor to the newly departed. The doctrine of the bread of life, which the Right Reverend explained so convincingly, was read in the text over his still unburied relics. I believe that all this happened according to heavenly order. Sergius Hermitage, of course, will give him its thanks: both the disciples and the deeds of the deceased are still alive in it. Report from the Moskovskie Vedomosti newspaper 5 On April 30, His Grace Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, formerly of the Caucasus and Black Sea, died in the Nikolaevsky-Babaevsky Monastery. Bishop Ignatius. Obituary 6 No. 100 of Moskovskie Vedomosti reported the news of the death of His Grace Ignatius, former Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea, on the 30th of last April in the Nikolo-Babaevsky Monastery. The late Bishop Ignatius came from the noble family of the Brianchaninovs. At first he entered military service in one of the guards regiments and served with great success; but, feeling a disposition towards the spiritual contemplative life, towards the peaceful but difficult exploits of the monastic cell, he decided to leave the military field; in 1831 he took monastic vows. Sergeev Hermitage near St. Petersburg was the place where he spent most of his monastic life. Here in 1834 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and for about twenty-four years he was the Abbot of this monastery, the organization of which all this time was the subject of his main work and favorite labor. It is primarily to him that the Sergeev Hermitage owes its graceful and splendid appearance, that improvement of the internal life of the monks and especially that strict order of Divine services, which are so well known to the residents of St. Petersburg and made for them the Sergius Hermitage the same as for the Moscow residents since ancient times it has been its prototype, the ancient Lavra of St. Sergius - a place where residents of the northern capital flock on pilgrimage. Archimandrite Ignatius acquired in St. Petersburg the honorable reputation of a skillful and experienced abbot in spiritual life. In respect for his merits and experience, the Sovereign Emperor, according to the proposal of the Holy Synod, appointed him in 1857 Bishop to the vacant See of the Caucasus and the Black Sea. The Reverend Ignatius occupied this see for about four years. But the unusual work of the Diocesan Administration and his always-present disposition towards a predominantly monastic life prompted him to ask the Higher Authorities for his dismissal from the management of the Diocese, especially since his health itself was already very upset, which, perhaps, was greatly facilitated by the sharp change in the climate of St. Petersburg to the Caucasian one. In 1861, according to his request, he was retired to the Nikolo-Babaevsky monastery, which he had chosen, which was at the same time transferred to his full management. Here the Most Reverend Ignatius again devoted himself exclusively to his favorite monastic activities. By agreement with His Grace Plato, Bishop of Kostroma, he wanted to make his monastery a hotbed of monasticism, on strict rules of community life, for the entire Kostroma diocese, and he really began with zeal to reorganize the internal life in the Nikolo-Babaevsky monastery and introduce a more orderly Divine service, for which purpose he organized an excellent choir of monastery singers. Wanting also to give the best possible appearance to the external structure of the monastery, he took care to increase its material resources and began the construction of a magnificent monastery cathedral, which was already completed in rough form last summer. Here the Right Reverend Ignatius also devoted his free time to literary pursuits, which all had a close connection with his strictly ascetic direction. He then published several of his works, some compiled again, some old and revised. These are, for example, “The Word on Death”, “The Word on the Sensual and Spiritual Vision of Spirits”, “The Chalice of Christ”, “The Word on Salvation and Christian Perfection”, “Rules of Outward Behavior for Novice Monks”; finally, he published his “Ascetic Experiences” in 2 large volumes, luxuriously printed. These names alone are enough to give an idea of ​​the direction not only of the literary works of the Most Reverend Ignatius, but also of his life itself. In this regard, the last of these works is especially important, providing ample evidence of the author’s deep experience in the spiritual, ascetic life. Meanwhile, the health of the Most Reverend Ignatius, upset during his stay in the Caucasus, did not improve, and the thought of his imminent death became his constant thought, which he often spoke about to people close to him. Even in the summer of last 1866, anticipating his imminent death, he diligently invited His Eminence Plato, with whom he was constantly in fraternal communication; he wrote that he wanted to see him, perhaps for the last time. And this was indeed the last meeting, during which His Grace Ignatius even communicated to His Grace Plato some instructions in the event of his death. Recently, despite the weakness of his strength, the Most Reverend Ignatius did not arouse, however, any particular fears regarding the imminent end of his life. On the very day of his death, in the morning at 7 o’clock he had a cup of tea; but when, no more than an hour later, they entered his room, they found him already lifeless: he was lying on the bed with an open prayer book in his hands... So the Angel of Death appeared to him at a time when he no longer had the strength to stand up for prayer, but wanted, even while reclining on his bed, not to be separated from that book, unfamiliar to many, which for believers and pious people is an inexhaustible source of spiritual consolation... The Angel of Death laid the seal of inviolable silence on his lips, which were still continuing a quiet prayer to the Giver of eternal life... Blessed death! The burial of the deceased Archpastor took place on May 5 in the presence of relatives and people close to him who arrived from Vologda, St. Petersburg and other places to pay their last respects to the deceased in Bose. The burial ceremony, due to the illness of His Grace Plato, was performed by Bishop John of Kineshma, Vicar of the Kostroma Diocese. The body of the Most Reverend Ignatius was laid in the monastery refectory church. May the Lord place his soul in the village of saints! Addition to the obituary of Bishop Ignatius 7 On May 19, issue 109 of Moskovskiye Vedomosti published the obituary of Bishop Ignatius. Although it shows the favorable disposition of the writer of the obituary towards the late Bishop, it is also clear that the compiler knew nothing about the years of the Bishop’s first youth, and during this period of his life the main direction and character of all his activities was developed. Bishop Ignatius (a child given to the tearful prayers of his mother, who was left childless for a long time after the loss of two older children) was raised in Vologda in his parents’ home until the age of fifteen and received the most thorough classical education (without foreign tutors, but through teachers at the gymnasium and seminary). He knew his native language perfectly, he knew Latin so thoroughly that he wrote quite large essays in it with complete ease, he could read Greek, and in addition he knew three European languages. He excelled in language skills in mathematics and other sciences. I had the desire and desire to become a monk since childhood. In 1822, in the sixteenth year of his birth, he was brought from Vologda to St. Petersburg and, without any preliminary preparations, began to take exams at the Main Engineering School (now the Nikolaev Engineering Academy), having 130 competitors for the number of vacancies of about 30. According to the entrance exam, he was accepted first out of all 30 people and entered directly into the second conductor class. The late Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, who was at that time the Grand Duke and Inspector General of Engineers, who had just founded the mentioned School and paid vigilant attention to it, as a sign of special favor, introduced the learned young man to his wife, who deigned to call him her boarder. In the second grade, by half of the second year, Brianchaninov became the first in the course and since then retained this place in the sciences until the upper officer class, where he had already reached the boundaries of higher human knowledge, definitive in the sciences according to their current state, when a chest disease forced him to resort to the benefits of medicine. By the Highest order, the life physicians Kreytov and Villiers and the doctor of the Main Engineering School Wolkenau used the young scientist engineer-second lieutenant, reporting on the success of the treatment to the Emperor himself. During this period of illness, which lasted several months, these doctors repeatedly announced a death sentence to their patient. He began to prepare for death. And the matter of preparing for death - as always, everything that the late Bishop undertook - he could not fail to complete thoroughly. This year (1826) of his life is the decisive moment that gave a new direction to the activities of Second Lieutenant Brianchaninov, a God-fearing, pious Christian from childhood, who always lived a life according to the Gospel commandments, despite his brilliant position in society and in the service. To the surprise of the doctors themselves, in the late autumn of 1826 their patient rose to his feet. At the end of December, he passed the exams, but without competition with his comrades, who completed them by the month of November, and then, at the end of the training course, he asked for dismissal from service, but the Tsar, having learned that he wanted to enter monasticism, ordered him to be sent to serve in the Dinaburg fortress. From there, in the fall of 1827, he became a novice in one of the most deserted monasteries with the Elders, known for their strict monastic life. From these desert monasteries, Emperor Nicholas I was pleased at the end of 1833 to summon him to St. Petersburg and install him as Rector of the Sergius Hermitage, in which he remained as an archimandrite for 23 years and ten months, that is, until he left for Stavropol - the Caucasus, upon ordination to the rank of Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea. The health of the late Eminence was disturbed from a very young age, and not in the Caucasus. The spiritual and literary activity of the Most Reverend Ignatius, the fruit of his spiritual life, was finally expressed in the Bishop’s works published in four large volumes by the book publisher I. I. Glazunov: the first two volumes contain “Ascetic Experiences”, the 3rd volume – “Ascetic Sermon” and the 4th – “Offering to Modern Monasticism”. From the Chronicle of the Optina Hermitage Skete ...On this date, news came about the death on April 30 of His Grace Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, who was retired in the Babaevsky Monastery, who in his new leadership lived for some time in Optina Pustyn under the elder Fr. Lev. Death of His Grace Bishop Ignatius 9 Back in 1864, the Most Reverend Ignatius wrote to one of his most devoted spiritual children, who, having visited him on Babayki, were amazed at the change that had taken place in him. It was already clear that he did not live on earth. Everyone was accustomed to seeing him as a magnificent Archimandrite, a majestic Bishop, and now before them stood a bent old man with snow-white hair, with a childish expression in his eyes, with a quiet, meek voice. “Do not be afraid,” he wrote after this to one of those who visited him then, “I will not die until I finish the work of my service to humanity and convey to him the words of truth, although I really am as weak and exhausted in bodily strength as it seems to you.” 1867 On April 21, a package sent by mail with the last two parts of his works was brought from Yaroslavl. When they opened the parcel and handed him the books, he crossed himself and said: “Glory to God! This yoke has been taken off me!” - but did not begin to sort out and distribute the books, saying: “Leave this until the arrival of my brother, Pyotr Alexandrovich.” At the same time, he wrote to the same person who had previously informed him about the completion of the printing of books: “Glory to God! Thank you to all of you who worked on this matter! My strength seems to be diminishing; chest and back hurt so much that they don’t allow already engage in writing classes. And it’s time to leave written works in order to completely devote ourselves to the task of preparing ourselves for the transition to eternity.” April 30. The Most Reverend Ignatius rose, as usual, at six o’clock in the morning; after early mass he drank two cups of tea and did not order anyone to come to him until nine o’clock. However, there was nothing special in this order for the employees with him, since for a long time they had already left him alone at these hours, for everyone knew that he especially devoted this time to prayer and writing. After a little time, one of the brethren came with a request to report to His Eminence that he had come on business. The cell attendant Vasenka, as the Right Reverend called him, did not dare to refuse and went in to see the Bishop. It was about nine o'clock in the morning; they rang the bell for late mass. There was no response to the cell attendant's call. He came closer and looked: the Eminence, bowing his head on his left hand and holding a canon in his right, lay as if deep in reading. The cell attendant called him again and, leaning towards him, saw that the Saint’s eyes were fixed motionless. Frightened, he rushed after the archimandrite and the treasurer. Having come running and seeing the Eminence bright and calm, with his finger on the third morning prayer, as if reflecting on what they had just read, they thought that he only felt ill; they let him smell alcohol and rubbed his churches with cologne. But the bright soul had already departed to the Eternal Light, leaving a reflection of light on the face of one who from a young age lived the life of the Light of Truth and at the end of his days, wholly dedicated to God, still believed that it was only “time for him to begin the work of preparing himself for the transition to eternity”... The news of the death of the Elder of Grace, the Merciful Saint quickly spread throughout the monastery... The brethren were amazed at such an unexpected event. Just yesterday he taught them with the words of eternal life, without complaining at all about his suffering, and although he was poor in physical strength, he was so cheerful and powerful in spirit, with such generosity he poured out the wealth of grace on everyone who strived for God - and suddenly before them was the lifeless body of their father, teacher and protector... And the brethren began to remember the signs that had preceded him, but which they had not understood, of his imminent death. On one of the days of Holy Week, one of his favorite disciples, Fr. Archimandrite Justin, and, amazed by the unusually bright and joyful expression of his face, says to him: “It is evident, Vladyka, that you spent this night very well, that you look so cheerful!” “I, father,” he answered with quiet joy, “had a small stroke today. I feel very light and good." “Should I send for the doctor?” – asked the archimandrite. “No, it’s not necessary,” answered the Vladyka. On Wednesday, April 25th, the same thing happened again. Father Archimandrite, surprised by the extraordinary calm expressed on his face, made the same question. “Yes,” answered the Lord, “today I had a small blow again, the lightest blow, even weaker than that. - And then he repeated several more times: - It’s so easy for me, so fun! I haven’t felt this good in a long time.” What kind of mysterious blows these are - God alone knows. In any case, from their consequences it is clear that these were not the blows that are accompanied by a disorder of the body and reduce mental activity. The saint felt “good, easy and fun” from them. Were these not revelations to him from above, which the eye has not seen, the ear has not heard, and the heart has not sighed 10? The saint of God hid them under an allegorical word, fearing that, contrary to the commandment of Scripture, they would not begin to bless him before his death. All his life he was not afraid of human judgment and rejoiced in spirit when this court pronounced strict and imprudent sentences on him as the greatest sinner; but he was always frightened when they began to glorify him. On Friday, April 27, the Eminence asked one of his close disciples to rub his feet with pine oil and then said: “Thank you for working for me. This is the last time." - “Why the last one? Don’t you like it, Master?” - “No, not because, but because my days are numbered.” He had previously given orders to his brother and his associates that as soon as they noticed that his death was approaching, to leave him alone, not to disturb him and not to let his relatives know about it before his death. Only now it became clear why he sent his beloved brother to St. Petersburg, why there he encountered unforeseen obstacles in advance to return to Babayki and take his last breath and blessing with all my heart and soul the reverently revered Brother Saint. The Lord Himself arranged it this way at the request of His faithful servant!.. The students around him said that until the last minute everything around him and in himself was so quiet, so simple that it never occurred to anyone that something extraordinary was happening to him. I was especially struck by their indescribable mercy, humility and condescension in the last days of his life. And he was always condescending, merciful and humble - this is a distinctive feature of his character - but recently love and humility flowed around him in such streams that they shook the souls of those around him and made them seem to be afraid of something. On the eve of his death he was still writing. These are these precious lines of the unforgettable Saint. “There is no evidence in me of a life that is entirely within myself; I am undergoing a complete exhaustion of the vital force in my body. I'm dying. Not only is my mortal body subject to death, but my very soul does not have within itself the conditions of indestructible life; The Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church teaches me this. The soul, like the Angels, is granted immortality by God; it is not their property, but their natural belonging. To maintain its life, the body needs to be nourished by air and the products of the earth. The soul, in order to support and preserve its immortality, needs the mysterious action of the Divine Hand on itself. Who am I? Phenomenon? But I feel my existence. For many years, someone 11 pondered about a satisfactory answer to the proposed question, reflecting, delving into self-examination in the light of the lamp of the Spirit of God. After many years of reflection, he was led to the following relative definition of man: “Man is a reflection of the Being and borrows from this Being the character of the Being” 12. God, the One 13, is reflected in human life. This is how the sun depicts itself in a pure raindrop. In a raindrop we see the sun; but what we see in it is not the sun. The sun there is at an unattainable height.” This, we repeat, was written by the deceased on the eve of his death; and here is what he wrote on the very day of his death. “What is my soul? What is my body? What is my mind? What are the feelings of the body? What are the powers of soul and body? What is life?.. Unresolved questions, unsolvable questions. Over the course of thousands of years, the human race began to discuss these issues, tried to resolve them, and retreated from them, becoming convinced of their intractability. What could be more familiar to us than our body? Having senses, it is subject to the action of all these senses: knowledge of the body should be most satisfactory as acquired by both reason and feeling. It is exactly the same in relation to knowledge about the soul, about its properties and powers, about objects that are not subject to the senses of the body..." The Lord stopped at this word. Apparently, he was exhausted and began to pray to rest 14. In the last years of his life, at rest in the Nikolo-Babaevsky monastery, the Right Reverend slept little, never undressed and, like a faithful servant of God, was awake at every hour of the day and night, ready to meet his Lord. And He found him cheerful in prayer and faithful in the service of erring humanity. For three days the body of the Saint stood in his cell, hotly heated, remaining unchanged, and it was so attractive that no one wanted to leave him: everyone wanted to look at this beautiful face, on which a bright and holy thought rested. On the fourth day, the body of the deceased was transferred to the cold St. Nicholas Church. By evening his face and hands began to swell without losing their whiteness; on the sixth day the tumor disappeared and only the nails turned blue. There was no smell. He lay in a white vestment, in the same one in which he celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the last time on the Bright Resurrection of Christ and on Monday of Holy Week. He left a spiritual will in the name of his brother Pyotr Alexandrovich, to whom, as his most precious treasure, he entrusted his close disciples. His real inheritance was seven kopecks and a debt of seventy rubles. Before his death, he vouched for one poor man who was unable to pay his debt and resorted to the mercy of the Shepherd. The Right Reverend left a note to his brother, with which he asked to receive his pension for the last two months, pay off the debt, and distribute the rest to his poor friends. All the time, numerous admirers, disciples, spiritual children and peasants of villages and villages crowded around the tomb of the deceased Saint. On the day of the burial, the monastery courtyard was completely covered with people, at least five thousand people. Crying and groaning were heard everywhere. “Someone will now be our benefactor! - they said in the crowd. - Someone will now have mercy on us! Who will heal our illnesses! Who will pray for us!..” All the days the weather was bad; but on the day of the burial, although it was cold, the sun was shining brightly. The funeral service for the deceased was so joyful that it was more like some kind of celebration than a funeral. I couldn’t help but recall the words of the deceased, which remained in his immortal creations: “You can know that the body of the deceased is under grace if those around you feel joy.” The body of the Saint was surrounded around the cathedral and lowered into the ground in the small hospital church near the left choir, with the joyful singing of “Christ is Risen.” This happened on May 5th, the Week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women. After the burial, the brother of the deceased Saint and those close to him entered his cell, which was still sealed. The funeral litany sounded solemnly in this quiet cell, in which the Elder-Ascetic almost hopelessly spent the last six years of his life caring for his soul and serving the needs of distressed humanity. The deceased Saint occupied only two rooms: one with three windows, and the other with two, which served him as both a bedroom and an office. Everything here struck with its lofty simplicity and graceful poverty. Between the two windows there was a spacious bookcase, on the shelves of which lay a huge number and in two rows of notebooks, written in his elegant handwriting and prepared for two more volumes. In the corner of the room is a case with images; in front of him is a lamp. Directly opposite the doors are tall cabinets along almost the entire wall, filled with precious works of spiritual writers, in languages: Greek, Latin, Slavic, Russian, French, German and Italian 15. Along the wall adjacent to it is a simple wooden bed with high wooden walls on three sides; there is a soft bed on it. In front of the bed, just before the eyes of the man lying, on the wall there is an icon of the Mother of God, with which he never parted. Further, near the stove, there are two low hangers; they are wearing his old clothes, which he always wore; of them there were also those who still remember the Sergius Hermitage; the newer and better ones were in another room; he began to distribute the latter long before his death. Behind the doors, under the image of the Mother of God, is a simple leather chair, shabby and worn; It was on it that he wrote his inspired pages. In front of the chairs there is a large, wide wooden table, not covered with anything; on the table lay all the writing utensils in amazing order: sheets of notebooks, already written on, were laid out on the left - all one like the other, like photographic photographs; in the middle is an inkwell; on the side there are several gracefully trimmed feathers. To the right is a box with sealing wax, feathers, a knife, ink; closer is a pile of letters written in recent days, sealed, signed in his own hand and prepared for sending to the post office 16. In the middle, in front of the chair, are the last pages he wrote, and on top is the deathbed page, completed halfway; on the back is what was written on the eve of his death. Looking closely at the last lines of the familiar hand for a long time, we, his spiritual children, stood touched and amazed. The same marvelous, even, graceful handwriting of his youth! Not a single elongated letter, not the slightest extra line, not blots or typos due to absent-mindedness or haste. At the last page lay a pen, writing the last lines. His countless letters, written to different persons, contain precious treasures of patristic instructions and spiritual notes. There is no doubt that, based on their strict analysis, admirers of the memory of the deceased Archpastor will see them in print. Sokolov... Part 2. Applications. pp. 204–205. OR RSL. F. 425. Cardboard II. "Father of modern monasticism." Memoirs of contemporaries about Saint Ignatius of Stavropol. M., 1996. P. 57. A letter from the abbot of the Cheremenets Monastery, Abbot Anthony, dated May 9, 1867, addressed to the treasurer of the Sergius Hermitage, Hieromonk Nektariy (former abbot of the Nilo-Sora Hermitage). "Moskovskie Vedomosti". 1867. No. 100 (May 7, Sunday). P. 1, column 1. "Moskovskie Vedomosti". 1867. No. 109 (May 19). "Moskovskie Vedomosti". 1867. No. 161 (July 22). RSL F. 214. No. 363. Chronicle of the Optina Monastery Monastery for 1865–1871. L. 33. Published by: “The Father of Modern Monasticism.” pp. 46–52. St. John of Damascus. See: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. Book 2. Ch. 3. About Angels. Recently, due to exhaustion of his bodily strength, he prayed while lying down. The late Right Reverend knew all these languages ​​perfectly; spoke French like Russian. His last letters were written on April 28, and some of them were sent after his death.