Diary. Volume I. 1856

I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI This volume opens the first publication of all the diaries of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt (1829 - 1908) found so far. The diaries cover the period from 1856 to 1898. At the moment, there are no diary notebooks for 1885 - 1890 and 1894 - 1896 and for the period from 1898 to mid-1908. The absence of notebooks over the years does not in any way detract from the significance of the publication, since the missing notebooks would have added some details concerning the life of the righteous man, without adding anything substantive. In connection with the publication of the diaries, it should be said that for the first time they provide the opportunity to compile a true biography of the righteous man, both from the point of view of facts and the essence of his spiritual feat. The currently available biographies of Father John of Kronstadt are somewhat simplified: they are neither an icon nor a photograph, but rather look like a popular print. As an entertaining read, such biographies have a right to exist - but as an aid on the path to salvation, as a spiritual guide, they can do more harm than good, since they can mislead the reader about the life of the righteous, painting a picture of the world around him, in which there was little resemblance to the real, often very harsh reality. Knowing that Father John loved divine services and himself read the canon at Matins, some priests also try to read the canons at Matins, but often do not get what they expect, because, making extraordinary but isolated efforts, they lose sight of the concern for the hourly and minute-by-minute correction of their soul, the unceasing presentation of their conscience to God, which requires tension of a different quality. In this case, it is no longer a person who strives to do something that, from his point of view, is good, but a person’s soul is illuminated, like glass by the sun’s rays, by the word of God, which is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword: it penetrates to the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from Him, but everything is naked and open before His eyes: to Him we will give an account (Heb. 4:12-13). Man is judged by it every minute and tries to remove from the soul every stain that is revealed on its clothes by the Divine verb. That is why the diaries of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt begin with an in-depth reading and interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. It is impossible to be saved and have the right to live without knowing the Law of Life, without fully studying the will of God, embodied in the Holy Gospel. This is the first commandment of the righteous to all those who are being saved - to read, delving into the content, and again read the Holy Scriptures, delving into the inspired verbs, and judge themselves with them, and as they are fulfilled, again ask the Lord to open the mind to understand what is being read. It is like an unshakable stone on which only everyone can erect the structure of their salvation. From the diaries of Father John, we learn how he struggled with the passions inherent to one degree or another in every person, what his true relationships were with his colleagues in the church, with his wife Elizabeth and with relatives - and these relationships were very far from what is usually portrayed by his biographers. But from the diaries we also learn which path the righteous man followed and what Christian way out he found from the complex collisions of human existence. Hegumen Damascene (Orlovsky) The text of the Holy Scriptures, quoted by the author in Church Slavonic, is given in the publication in Russian translation. The parallel Church Slavonic text of some quotes, necessary for understanding the author’s interpretation, was introduced by the editors and is printed in square brackets: In Your hand are my days [Church Slavic: In Your hand are my lots]. A deviation from the general principle of citation are some poems that are cited in the Slavic language, which seems more appropriate stylistically or semantically. The publication uses the following conventions: (Luke 1:1) - an indication of a quotation of Holy Scripture made by the author; [ OK. 1.1 ] - an indication of the quotation of Holy Scripture made by the editors; [...] – unread word; [glory] – supposedly read word; [animals] is a word missing from the text, but necessary in the context, inserted by the editors. When you quarrel over something, think about what is more valuable to you: the thing you are quarreling about, or the peace of mind that both you and the person with whom you are quarreling lose in a quarrel? But in quarrels, the devil is a vigilant assistant: where there is a quarrel, enmity, there he will certainly be, because this is his element, his domain, and he is angry and cunning: he often stirs up a quarrel over an insignificant subject. Keep this in mind once forever. Sin is a real poison that poisons the pure joys of our soul. You know this from experience: run away from sin. Tibi cor nimis impurum: vertas attentionem [from Latin: You have a very unclean heart: pay attention]. On the birthday of the Sovereign - the prophet Isaiah, the last chapters. Mockery 1 – see Church Dictionary. Since members of the kingdom of the earth must be members of the Kingdom of Heaven, then on the birthday of the king of the earth it is proper to speak in church about the means of achieving the Kingdom of Heaven. Do not destroy this book even after my death: maybe someone will be found similar to me in thoughts and feelings and will show their deep sympathy for what is written in this book, if not for everything, which I do not dare to hope for (because, with strict criticism, errors can be found here), then at least for some parts of it. I consider everything that is good and just in this book not to be mine, but to belong to God, since we are not able... to think anything from ourselves, as if from ourselves, but our ability is from God [2 Cor. 3, 5]. My only mistakes and shortcomings. December 14th day, 1856. The world continues to stand and prosper as long as there are pious people in it. Abraham's conversation with the Lord. A selection from the Holy Scriptures of dogmatic and moralizing texts that are especially remarkable for the author, with the author’s thoughts on them. Mockery (Church Glorious) - think often and a lot, reflect, study (Gen. 24, 64; Ps. 4, 7, 76, 118, etc.); mock, judge (Job 22:19). You might be interested in: