О. Иоанн, отец бедняков, сирых и убогих

Father John has already celebrated his 25th, 35th, 40th and 45th anniversaries. Each of them was an all-Russian celebration. However, lately even Fr.’s name days have had this character. John. Everything that concerns “father” concerns the entire Russian people. O. John is vigorous and healthy. He responds with his word to every social phenomenon. It is known that, being in itself a huge “social” phenomenon, it does not engage in social activities in the generally accepted sense of the word. So, he creates a whole system of charitable institutions in Kronstadt, concentrated near the house of industriousness. The history of the origin of this house is instructive. In Kron. West. for 1872 the following appeal appears: “Who doesn’t know,” writes the priest, “the swarms of Kronstadt beggars, middle-class women and children of different ages? Who has not seen that among the middle-class beggars there are many young and healthy people, presenting a very pitiful figure in their extremely dirty and torn clothes, shaking at the threshold of churches or shops and fences, waiting for alms from some benefactor? But does everyone figure out the real reason for so many poor people in Kronstadt? Probably, many either had no time to delve into the true cause of this evil, because everyone pursues their own everyday goals, their own pleasures, or many settled on the idea that poverty is an inevitable evil of all cities, not excluding, of course, villages. Many citizens probably never saw the full picture of Kronstadt poverty, a far from pleasant picture. So allow me, honorable citizens, to focus your high attention both on the real causes of poverty and on this picture of poverty. We all need this. How can we not know what is so close to us, what we live with, what constitutes, so to speak, the daily phase of our life, although often not entirely pleasant. There are many reasons for Kronstadt poverty and poverty, here are the main ones: poverty from birth, poverty from orphanhood, poverty from various disasters, for example from fire, from theft, poverty from inability to work due to old age or illness, or disability, or because of short age, poverty from loss of place, poverty from laziness, poverty from addiction to intoxicating drinks. And in most cases, from a lack of labor and from lack of means with which one could take up work: there are no decent clothes, shoes, daily bread, tools or implements. But why are there so many beggars in Kronstadt? This is also worth delving into. Do you want to make sure that there are many beggars in Kronstadt? Go out in the morning, at about 9 or 10 on Saturday, and you will see a lot of them in the Gostiny Dvor and along all the streets. On this day they collect alms, sometimes they receive 0.25 kopecks, rarely a penny, and you will be convinced of the justice of what was said. Travel o. John to the North of Russia. O. John on Lake Onega. But that’s not all: how many sick people there are, old and young, who cannot go begging! To get acquainted with the number of Kronstadt beggars, it would be good to know their number! Would the Kronstadt public want to see an unattractive picture of the poverty of our beggars? You refuse to see her in advance, you turn your face away! Do not be disdainful, these are our members, these are our brothers, even if they are unattractive in appearance. Here is this picture: imagine the damp basements of the houses of some streets, far sunk into the ground, in which our beggars are mainly housed; here 30, 40 and 50 people are accommodated in housing, sometimes like sardines in a barrel; there are old people, adults and small children here. Here are babies sucking nipples, in dampness, in dirt, in stuffiness, in nakedness, and often in hunger. Anyone interested can check the truth of these words for himself. But why do I tire the imagination of readers accustomed to elegant surroundings with such a picture? Not, of course, so that the reader can only say: thank God that I was not born in poverty or do not live in poverty; thank God that I have capital and am careless; thank God that I live in comfort and in all contentment; or: I make my contribution to the almshouse, to the shelter, I don’t care about these beggars. No, gentlemen, this matter concerns all residents of the city, both those living on wages and merchants, townspeople and others who have some kind of fortune. What's the matter? - you ask. The point is for the entire Kronstadt society, spiritual, military, bureaucratic, commercial, and philistine, to form a guardianship or brotherhood under different churches, following the example of the existing guardians in St. Petersburg, and with united forces take care of finding common housing, a workhouse and a vocational school for the poor. Do not be afraid, gentlemen, of the enormity of the undertaking: God will help a good deed, and where God is, everything will soon appear as if out of nothing. The city authorities, of course, will promote this and, if possible, give up to the brotherhood one or two of the unnecessary government buildings, for example, the empty salt store opposite Kasatkin’s house, or one of the empty buildings behind the ditch near the summer garden, since the brotherhood will contribute to the plans of the government itself to establish labor and contentment among the poor. A mind is good, but two are better; from the world a thread - a shirt for the poor; whoever can do what they can will help. If the city wanted to accept such a large number of poor people - bourgeois, then it, of course, should take upon itself the responsibility of keeping these idle people occupied with something, making them settled. Otherwise, inevitable evil will emerge and increase, theft and robbery, and peaceful citizens will not be safe everywhere and always. It’s time to do something decisive about the Kronstadt bourgeoisie - either to set up a workhouse for them and a vocational school for the children, or, as a last resort, send some of them somewhere else. So, brothers, let everyone who is interested in the good of humanity gather and unite into a friendly society and let us devote our leisure time and gather the moral and material strength of our fellow citizens to prepare the home of the working people and to supply it with necessary things, as well as to establish a vocational school.” Leushinsky Monastery from the north side. Father John among the nuns of the Leushinsky monastery. Father John reads the Gospel in the garden of the monastery. Well of the Leushinsky Monastery. Hermitage “Cross”, founded by Fr. John After some time, a second appeal from the highly respected shepherd appeared on the same occasion. He wrote: “Ants make anthills in which they feel warm and well fed in winter; beasts of the lair; bees - hives; birds are nests, spiders are webs, and people are houses, churches, theaters, bridges, railways, armored ships, steamships, fortresses, etc. Every animal has been given by God, embedded in its nature, the ability to satisfy itself, to protect itself from the harmful effects of the elements, or from living enemies. But God endowed man, a being God-like in the moral ideal, the king of visible creation, with reason, with the help of which he invented various useful sciences and arts, and since man was created for community life, and the whole multitude of people should, according to the intention of God, form one body, and separately members, then for prosperity and contentment, to satisfy the numerous needs of humanity or human societies, the wisdom of God and the science given by God, communicated to every person, except for the common ones, special talents or abilities and skills: another power, art, the power to control people. To another is the art and power to teach and edify others; for others to compose, draw up plans and projects, and for others to carry them out. Another is the art of attacking an enemy or defending against him; this is the ability to conduct trade, this is the ability to produce a factory or factory skill; another is given the talent to forge or cast; another to wield a chisel, an ax and a saw; for another to sew boots, and for another the ability to sew clothes; another to spin, weave or knit, another to cook and bake. As for Kronstadt society, it is so populated and diverse that, by the grace of God, there are people of every kind, every business, every skill or art. There are people of power, capital, at whose desire and initiative all sorts of good deeds can be done; We have engineers, and architects, and foresters, and carpenters, and carpenters, and stove makers, and roofers, and blacksmiths, and foundry workers, and tailors, and shoemakers, and bakers and cooks. But the hand washes the hand, and the finger washes the finger; The strong must bear the infirmities and the weak. With such a rich variety of forces in our society, with such talent, with such a multitude of people who are educated, efficient, and skillful, and with a fortune, although not enormous, it would be a sin before God and before people to leave so many of our members (I mean our burghers) cut off from the social body and from its well-being. Why not connect them with the social organism by building a room for them and giving each of them a job, and especially since many of them are capable of various skills, and with a job, giving them bread and everything they need? Again, I turn to society with the most humble request to pay active attention to the Kronstadt poor burghers, assigned by the ward to Kronstadt and who do not have any settled residence there, to find or make a common room for them and give each one, according to his strength, labor with which they could feed or clothe themselves. In the name of Christianity, in the name of philanthropy, humanity, I appeal: help these homeless poor people; We will support them morally and financially; We will not give up solidarity with them, as with people and brothers, and we will prove that the feeling of love for humanity is still tenacious in us and self-love has not eaten us.” Father John and Abbess Taisiya, abbess of the Leushinsky Monastery O. John in the garden of the Leushinsky monastery “Since, first of all, material assistance is needed here, I take the first initiative, annually depositing seventy rubles into the coffers of the society, which will take on the troubles in this matter, so as not to give to the poor on the streets and at the church. Brothers, in the name of Christ and the cross I raise my voice: who else? Are we really going to give ants and bees an advantage over us? Now many cities in Russia know the poverty of Kronstadt; they expect us to do something to disgust her. Russians and foreigners visiting Kronstadt see the untidiness of our beggars; nowhere, they say, have we seen poverty in such a pitiful form as in Kronstadt. How good it would be for all these reasons to set up a house of industry! Then many of them could turn to this house with a demand to do this or that thing, this or that thing for us for a certain fee, and our townsfolk would live, work and thank God and their benefactors. And many would rise morally. And if anyone, being healthy, did not want to work, get out of town! Kronstadt is not a breeding ground for parasites. Friends and brothers! take this statement to your heart, and closer, as your own business. Some people don’t want to hear about the workhouse because, they say, it is a punitive institution, and we have no right to punish. What punitive institution? This is a direct virtuous institution: isn’t it a good, humane thing to save people from laziness, idleness, apathy, parasitism? If there is a dispute over words, then change the name and call it instead of a workers’ house, even an anthill, or a bee-house, whatever you want, just don’t put off a good deed that is heading for quick fulfillment on the back burner.” Kronstadt House of Diligence. Dreams about. John came true. In Kronstadt, a guardianship for the poor was created, and the “House of Industriousness” arose. The best way to talk about the activities of this institution is the speech of the members of St. Andrew's Guardianship on the name day of Fr. John. They said: “Your Reverence, Father Archpriest John Ilyich! The infinitely merciful Lord gave the Council of the House of Diligence and your trustees today great joy: again, as in previous years, to bring you congratulations on Angel’s Day and to see you in the desired health, filled with the same heavenly grace, attracting the hearts of people and filling them with all-encompassing love. Here we are with you in the kingdom of love, and in order not to be unfounded, we will point out the figures in the 1902 report of good deeds accomplished by the House of Diligence with the funds given by you in the Name of the Lord, in the Name of love for your smaller brother. 259 children studied at the public school for free for poor children. There are 153 people in the Sunday school. There are 61 people in the workshops. There were 86 orphans cared for in the orphanage, 22 frail old people in the almshouse. They used labor assistance: in the hemp trimming room - 7281 people, and in the workroom 1482 women. 172,554 portions of food were given out from the people's canteen to the poor for free or for the most insignificant payment. 33,204 people spent the night in the shelter. 90 poor people benefited from free and cheap apartments. Financial assistance provided to the poor amounted to 8,539 rubles · 49 kopecks. In addition, for the Christmas and Easter holidays, assistance was provided to the poor with food, clothes, linen and shoes. The above figures represent the results of your charity through the House of Industriousness for the year 1902 alone; over the entire period of the existence of the House of Industriousness for 20 years, from 1882 to 1902, you transferred 731,216 rubles to its cash desk for the same purpose. 17 k. Live, our dear Benefactor, Shepherd and Chief, for many more years, hello, warm the cold hearts of the people of the 20th century and encourage them to do all that is good!” The House of Industriousness, created by Fr. John, includes the following institutions: 1) hemp and plucking, in which up to twenty thousand people work during the year; 2) women's workshop; 3) shoemaker's workshop; 4) free outpatient clinic; 5) free public primary school; 6) manual labor classes; 7) free children's library; 8) free public reading room; 9) shelter for orphans and day care; 10) rooms for visitors in the house named after Fr. John; 11) people's canteen; 12) House of Mercy named after Fr. Ioanna, which serves as a summer cottage for children of the refuge (country shelter); 13) drawing classes; 14) House of St. Andrew's Guardianship; 15) Sunday school; 16) overnight shelter. A bookstore was also established, and vegetable gardens were established to supply various institutions of the House of Industriousness with vegetables. Having examined these institutions of trusteeship, a certain V.M. says: “I saw a “new city”, full of the most vibrant, versatile and meaningful activities.” Trustees belong to all classes of society, from the highest to the lowest. There are no divisions between them. Here all the people have merged into one family and work together in harmony, without knowing any divisions into parties, without putting up clericalism or zemshchina on their banner. The need and grief of all people are the same, and the goal of all humanity is the same. The Trustees perform the great, holy work of charitable and educational assistance, without worrying about any party scores. They do good to everyone: “both educated and uneducated, people of Orthodox and non-Orthodox confession.” The giving hand does not ask the one who is in need about his views and beliefs, but helps the one in need. And she helped many of those who did not have good feelings towards Orthodoxy, and now have a different attitude towards it. In addition to the House of Diligence, the poor receive help directly from Fr. John. Where does he get the money from? They are sent to him by Rus', which considers him its mourner and prayer book. Amounts are made up of rubles and kopecks. Here is the gift of the rich man and the contribution of the widows and the poor. “I was resurrected in heart and soul after talking with Fr. John,” said one Russian enlightened person in an important position. And there are many such resurrected people in cities and villages, and with their contributions, shelters and schools are created, decrepitude is healed, youth is enlightened, all those who have shivered for years from physical and moral cold are warmed up. People who are not friendly and even downright hostile. John, they often say: “What are you saying about the material assistance provided by Fr. John. After all, he doesn’t give out his own money, but other people’s money, the money they send him.” What he gives from his own money and not from his own is none of our business. But here’s what can and should be said to all these ill-wishers: why is Fr. Is it sent to John? Is it because they trust him, that they are confident that he will manage money better than they themselves? After all, you need to achieve, somehow earn such trust from the whole country, all the people! And isn’t there merit in calling people to make such donations, isn’t there merit in doing good through those who would not have done anything good without it, in using money for good that would have been spent on completely opposite things? O. John is not a rich man and does not personally have the sums that he distributes. But he knows how to call others to goodness. There is nothing in this that deserves reproach. All the Church Fathers did this. Let us at least remember Saint John Chrysostom. Being in exile and seeing the death of the Christian cause and the triumph of paganism, Chrysostom sent <...> 11 There is no text in the scanned version of the book. – Editorial of the ABC of Faith.