Holy Righteous Father John of Kronstadt: Memoirs of Self-Witnesses

It is impossible in one book to cover even a small part of what is associated with the name of the All-Russian Father: his acquaintances were so extensive, his charity was great and generous, the deeds of pastoral and church building were innumerable and significant, the geography of his trips was so varied, so marvelous were the miracles performed by the Creator through the prayers of the holy righteous man. And yet, this book is an attempt to collect the best of the memoirs of self-witnesses, which allows us to reliably recreate the personality of the Kronstadt shepherd in the atmosphere of his time, to understand his influence on this time itself and on his contemporaries, starting from the first persons of the great state and ending with his poorest compatriots. The book offered to the pious reader contains the memoirs of contemporaries of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, who personally saw, knew, revered him, prayed with him, served him, as well as those who received grace-filled help and healing through Father’s prayers. Along with the Russian miracle workers - the holy venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov, the holy righteous John of Kronstadt is, according to contemporaries, the highest point of our church and religious development. And today, when nearly a hundred years separate us from his righteous death, the image of Father, whose whole life was an unparalleled spiritual feat, continues to exude the light of Christ’s love. It is impossible in one book to cover even a small part of what is associated with the name of the All-Russian Father: his acquaintances were so extensive, his charity was great and generous, the deeds of pastoral and church building were innumerable and significant, the geography of his trips was so varied, so marvelous were the miracles performed by the Creator through the prayers of the holy righteous man. And yet, this book is an attempt to most fully collect the best of the memoirs of self-witnesses, which allows us to reliably recreate the personality of the Kronstadt shepherd in the atmosphere of his time, to understand his influence on this time itself, on his contemporaries, from the first persons of the great state to his poorest compatriots. This book includes memoirs of more than 45 authors. Among these memoirs there are already familiar to the modern reader (for example, from the book “Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt in the Memoirs of Self-Witnesses,” compiled by A.N. Strizhev and published by our publishing house in 1998), and still unknown extracts from the pre-revolutionary press. The texts included in the book are accompanied by indications of sources of publications and basic information about the authors, as well as indexes of names and geographical names. Holy righteous Father John, pray to God for us! I am aware of the height of the priestly rank and the responsibilities associated with it, I feel my weakness and unworthiness to undergo the greatest priestly service on earth, but I trust in the grace and mercy of God, “healing the weak and replenishing the poor,” I know what can make me more or less worthy of this rank and capable of passing this title - this is love for Christ and for you, my beloved brothers. That is why the Lord, restoring the renounced disciple to the rank of apostle, asked him three times: “Do you love Me?” And after each of his answers: “I love You,” he said to him: “Feed My sheep, feed My lambs” (John 21:15-17). Love is a great power: it makes the weak strong, the small great, and the insignificant venerable, and soon makes the unknown and stranger close, and known, and amiable. This is the property of pure, evangelical love; May the Lord, who loves everyone, give me a spark of this love and ignite me with His Holy Spirit! From the first sermon of Father John