Biographical note about His Eminence Innokenty Ordinary Academician, Eminence Macarius, Bishop of Tambov and Shatsky

Another one of the great people of our era, one of the most worthy sons of Russia, one of the valiant hierarchs of the Church, one of the famous members of our Academy has passed away: Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride, has passed away! The son of the priest of the city of Sevsk, Oryol province, Alexy Borisov, Ivan - this is how the Most Reverend Innocent was named at baptism - received his first education, after his parents’ home, at the Voronezh Theological District School, and then at the Oryol Seminary, located in Sevsk. From a very early age, he showed lively, brilliant abilities. Always lively and playful, easily carried away by the amusements of childhood and early youth, he indulged little in work and activities, but always succeeded, and often even surpassed everyone else in his successes. An extensive memory, fiery imagination, extraordinary speed and sharpness of reasoning sharply distinguished him from his comrades. His first experiments in writings were in the rhetorical class, his first arguments in the philosophical class, his first sermons in the theological class, which he wrote very quickly and with the greatest ease, often amazed with their merits not only his fellow students, but also his mentors. In 1819, when Ivan Borisov completed a course of seminary studies, the Kyiv Theological Academy was transformed, and the best students from several seminaries were invited to it for further improvement. Among the Oryol students he came to Kyiv and Borisov. He devoted himself to science with enthusiasm, so that sometimes he spent whole nights reading a book. Justice requires noting that at the Academy Borisov educated himself more through reading, thinking and practicing his essays than through lectures from mentors, which were far from satisfying him at all. Reading many books from beginning to end, even entire systems of philosophers, he usually made extracts from what he read, and often wrote such extracts at the end of the books themselves. From this it happened that sometimes, at the request of his comrades, he revealed to them the teachings of this or that philosopher with such clarity, ease and detail that he amazed everyone and completely overshadowed the professor’s lectures. He first thought through his own compositions in every detail, and then directly wrote them out completely. After two or three days, he revised what he had written, and if for some reason it did not satisfy him, he wrote another essay on the same topic, sometimes a third, in order to present to his mentors what he considered the best. Before the exams, he fluently read the classical lessons, which he had studied little before, and answered the exams in a way that rarely could even the most diligent students. At the beginning of the academic course, Borisov also had colleagues with him, and one of them, an excellently prepared, although less talented, student of the Voronezh Seminary Stavrov, even took first place on the list. But subsequently, especially with admission to the higher department of the Academy, everyone unanimously - both professors and students - gave the palm to Borisov, and no one dared to equal him. His former colleague himself used to say that it was necessary to write Borisov in the first place on the list, and then, leaving the next few places unoccupied, write Stavrov in the seventh or eighth place. In the higher department, Borisov, of course, obeying his inner calling, was most engaged in composing and editing sermons. In 1823, when twenty-three-year-old Borisov completed his academic course with a master's degree, a new field opened up for him - that of a mentor and educator of others. In August of this year, he was assigned to the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary as Inspector and Professor of Church History and Greek Language. But less than three months later he took up the position of Rector of the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky School, and here he was tonsured a monk with the name Innocent, and was ordained a hierodeacon and hieromonk. The spiritual authorities soon appreciated the high talents of the young monk and indicated to him another, most worthy appointment. On December 10, 1824, Father Innocent was made Bachelor of Theological Sciences at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, seven months later - Inspector of the same academy, four months later - Extraordinary Professor of Theological Sciences, and after a little more than two months - elevated to the rank of Archimandrite (March 16, 1826). Such a rapid promotion testified to the merits of the recipient, and even more to the hopes that he showed. And indeed, Innocent not only met, but also exceeded all expectations. He set to work with extraordinary zeal, and soon, as a professor, he decisively outshone his colleagues with his lectures and captivated the students. He usually taught these lectures by heart, with fervor, with enthusiasm, with a clear and sonorous voice, lively, free, often colloquial speech, but always elegant and highly understandable. It fell to him to explain to his pupils, first the accusatory Theology, then the main Theology - those of the Theological sciences that most allow the scope of the human mind, and where the young professor could discover in full the brilliant sides of his talent and education: the lightness and often originality of the view on the most important questions of science, the speed and insight in considerations, the insurmountable dialectics of reason and close acquaintance with the modern state of science. only theology, but also philosophy in the West. Brief notes on this and that science, which Innocent taught, were then compiled by the students themselves and distributed to seminaries, where they can still be found in more or less modified form. From these notes, only a small article was published: “Exposing neologism or rationalism” in the history of philosophy of Archimandrite Gabriel. Having earned the reputation of an excellent professor within the Academy, Innocent at the same time acquired flattering fame outside the Academy as an excellent spiritual speaker. Those few sermons that he delivered, as intended, in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and the Kazan Cathedral, always attracted many listeners and created delight. Finally, Innocent’s merits for “Christian Reading,” hitherto published at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, are unforgettable. In 1826, this magazine, due to circumstances, was very close to falling. Innokenty, with the help of two of his most worthy comrades (G.P. Pavsky and V.B. Bazhanov), decided to support him, and did. He began to publish his sermons and some other articles in “Christian Reading,” and little by little he published two of his extensive works: “The Life of St. Apostle Paul” and “The Last Days of the Earthly Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” of which especially the latter attracted general attention in its time, and was read with pleasure by everyone, so that copies of “Christian Reading” were sold out. During the six years of his stay at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Innocent left deep, indelible marks on it, and had a huge influence on his students, and on the state of the Academy in general. All these works and merits did not remain without due reward: in addition to repeated monetary awards, repeated expressions of gratitude from the Commission of Theological Schools, he was honored to receive from the generosity of the Monarchs a diamond cross and the Order of St. Anne of the 3rd degree, decorated with the Imperial crown. And for various works, mainly of historical and theological content, he was elevated (in 1829) to the highest academic degree - Doctor of Theology. In 1830, Innocent was transferred to the Kyiv Theological Academy with the title of Rector and Ordinary Professor of Theological Sciences - and for this Academy he did even more than he could do for St. Petersburg. With the power that he was invested with, with the maturity of his extraordinary abilities, with the special love in the Academy that had once raised him, he not only revived it - no, he little by little transformed it, elevated it and moved it far forward, so that the ten years of his leadership in it can rightly be called the most brilliant period of its history. In his first courses here, he taught basic theology or religious studies and dogmatic theology, then moral theology; once began to interpret the Gospel of John. With his inspired lectures, especially on religion and dogmatics, he often left his audience in amazement and delight, so that students, leaving the audience, did not know what to call their incomparable professor. The lectures were then recorded by some students and quickly distributed throughout the seminaries for the guidance of mentors. Working with the greatest zeal himself, he knew how to excite other professors of the Academy to work - and, under his magical influence, with his often close guidance, several worthy figures of science appeared, who gained a name for themselves with their writings, from among both previous mentors and new ones whom he chose and prepared himself. Let us name among the first: Archpriest I.M. Skvortsov, Y.K. Amphiteatrov, V.N. Karpov, P.S. Avsenev, later Archimandrite Feofan; from among the latter: O. Dimitry Muretov, now Bishop of Kherson and Tauride, O. M. Novitsky, I. G. Mikhnevich and S. S. Gogotsky. All these people worked most of all on the processing of their lectures, and, indeed, considered them worthy of academic audiences. Innocent extended the teaching of certain sciences at the Academy. Thus philosophy, in all its volume, was constantly expounded by the three mentors. He tried to give a better look to other sciences: hermeneutics and accusatory Theology. Third, he reintroduced: namely, ecclesiastics and church jurisprudence. To maintain the energy of his teachers, Innocent had the custom of very often attending their lectures, and during these visits, as well as during exams, he showed the amazing flexibility of his talent and the wealth of his diverse information. Sometimes he threw completely new views on science or on certain parts of it, proposed a whole series of objections in an inextricable connection, which no one was able to answer, and generally spoke so smartly, eloquently and with inspiration that everyone involuntarily listened to him. That is why the hours of exams, usually such tedious hours, were considered the best hours of academic life. Father Rector always treated students kindly, politely and nobly; he was lenient towards their shortcomings and misdeeds, especially when these misdeeds were not due to malicious intent, but due to carelessness and the like. He knew how to guess talent, knew how to excite and encourage them. Most of all, he tried to develop thinking power in students, and demanded that they not memorize lectures, but certainly convey them in their own words. He always gave topics for essays with strict legibility, more or less interesting, pressing, and he carefully followed the essays themselves. He paid special attention to improving students in the work of preaching. After the professor’s review, he would certainly re-read their sermons himself, sometimes calling the preacher to him, and spending whole hours with him in conversation, both about his sermon and about the work of preaching in general. Wanting to give his students a comprehensive education, he advised them not to limit themselves to the range of sciences taught at the Academy, but to read other sciences, for example, astronomy and natural history. He always loved to keep living rooms and classrooms in excellent cleanliness and tidiness, often renovated and repaired both academic buildings, planted beautiful alleys in the academic courtyard, improved the hospital, improved the table and attire of students, decorated the academic hall with portraits of famous people who were educated at the Academy, enriched the physics office and library. Devoted to the sacred cause of educating others, Innocent did not abandon continuing his own education, especially in the field of preaching. With intensified, one might say, with intense diligence, he cared at this time more than ever to develop his extraordinary oratorical talent, and apparently grew and improved in the eyes of everyone. In addition to the exemplary sermons composed with the greatest care and skill, which he delivered on highly solemn and festive days in the Kiev-Sophia Cathedral and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, he wrote at that time, with the same care and skill, quite a lot of other sermons, which for the most part he liked to speak in his school, the Kiev-Brotherly Monastery. Countless crowds flocked to listen to his Words, always pronounced without the aid of a notebook, in a clear, sonorous voice, with extraordinary fervor and enthusiasm - Words that touched, touched, amazed, and delighted listeners. And the name of Innocent, as having eclipsed all the preachers who had ever been in Kyiv, passed from mouth to mouth. As the Words were written and spoken, he did not hesitate to publish them, and soon, one after another, his “Collected Words and Conversations” in two volumes, his “Holy Week”, “Bright Week” and “First Week of Lent” appeared. Those who were contemporaries of the publication of these words and especially the weeks remember with what impatience, delight, greed they were read and re-read by people of all classes, from the highest to the lowest, and how the name of Innocent was announced in all corners of immeasurable Russia. This was, if not the best, at least the most brilliant time of his glory as a preacher. Justice requires adding that Father Rector Innocent was distinguished by extraordinary activity at that time. This is guaranteed, in addition to his lectures and writings, by his own involuntary confession. “I’m surprised,” he once told students, “how you don’t value your time and do little. During the past cheese week and the first week of Lent, I wrote about 30 sheets.” In 1833, for his excellent scientific works and merits, he was thanked by the highest authorities. In 1835, he was most mercifully assigned to the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree. In 1836, he was personally elevated to the degree of Archimandrite of a first-class monastery with the right of primacy before all the Archimandrites of the first-class monasteries of the Kyiv educational district, and in the same year (October 3) he was ordered by the Most High to be Vicar of the Kyiv Diocese, Bishop of Chigirin. To receive ordination as a bishop, he traveled to St. Petersburg, and at this time, when he was in St. Petersburg, he was elected by the former Imperial Russian Academy to its full members, and delivered a famous speech at one of the meetings (November 28, 1836), published in the “Proceedings” of the Academy. Upon returning to Kyiv, His Eminence Innocent, although he remained the Rector of the Academy, but with new, diocesan studies, he had to relinquish the title of Professor of Theological Sciences, and even moved from the Academy to the Kiev St. Michael's Monastery, which was given to him to manage. However, nevertheless, his concern for the Academy and his scientific and literary works did not stop. He often came to the Academy, toured the students’ living rooms, loved to have long conversations with them, attended professors’ lectures, and sometimes even himself gave several lectures on the most important subjects of Christian Theology. And his main occupations at that time were two, assigned to him together with the Academy, through his own intercession. We mean, firstly, the publication of a new spiritual magazine entitled: “Sunday Reading”. No matter how narrow the limits of this weekly sheet were, the Right Reverend, with his sermons, which he never stopped writing and speaking, with his editorship and skillful selection of other articles, was able to put the magazine on a high level of perfection the first time and gain it numerous readers. The best years of the “Sunday Reading,” in the minds of everyone, were its first years, when Innocent acted here. Another important activity of him and the professors of the Academy was the compilation of a “Dogmatic Collection” of confessions of the Orthodox faith of all centuries from the beginning of the Church to the present day. Confessions were found in printed books and manuscripts, translated from Greek and Latin into Russian, and Slavic and Russian were copied in their original form, preceded by biographical information about the writers, and little by little they compiled two huge volumes. The purpose of the “Collection” was to present to all Christians, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, a monument of the Orthodox faith, which would testify to how throughout all centuries it was preserved in the Orthodox Church with all immutability and purity, and on the other hand, to provide a rich aid to theological schools for teaching a science that was still new in our country - patristics. Some of the articles in the Collection were published in Sunday Reading. In the last years of his stay in Kyiv, His Eminence Innocent thought of writing the history of the Russian Church, and wanted to begin by writing an outline of the current state of faith in Greece, Poland and other Slavic lands before the beginning of the Russian Church. One of his articles, “On the Beginning of Christianity in Poland,” had already been written and subsequently published in the “Journal of the Ministry of Public Education.” Whether circumstances or something else prevented the continuation of an important enterprise. The Eminence's new works attracted new awards for him. In 1839, “for service marked by generally excellent dignity, and in particular, usefulness in the management of the Theological Academy, and for the edifying use of the gift of speech,” he was most mercifully ranked in the Order of St. Anna, 1st degree, and a few months later in the same year, “for the excellent improvement of the Academy in all parts,” found by His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret of Kyiv, who inspected it, was honored to receive the gratitude of the Holy Synod. This was the last solemn testimony to the state of the Kyiv Academy, to which its incomparable and always unforgettable rector had brought it. Not only did he exalt her in all respects in terms of her internal structure, he exalted her, in his own person, before the eyes of all of Russia, of all people, spiritual and secular. The highest state dignitaries and hierarchs, scientists and writers who visited Kyiv and lived in it, willingly visited the Academy, always accompanied by the rector himself, and lovingly attended ceremonial academic acts. The fame of the famous rector inevitably reflected on the Academy entrusted to him and illuminated it with itself. The third and final period of his life has finally arrived for His Grace Innocent - the period of service to the Church and the Fatherland in the rank of diocesan bishop. March 1, 1840 By the highest decree he was appointed bishop of the Vologda diocese. The new Archpastor was not destined to stay here long: only nine months. But even in this short time, he managed to pay careful attention to the affairs of the local Consistory, to the improvement of theological schools, to the renovation of the bishop's house and the cathedral church, he managed to review and partly collect Vologda antiquities, compose his Words to the Vologda flock, which were subsequently published, and managed to earn the gratitude of the Holy Synod “for special care for the welfare of his flock.” On December 31 of the same year, the Right Reverend was moved to the Kharkov diocese. Here his ministry lasted about seven years, and was marked by very important deeds and events, such as in particular: the establishment of a solemn religious procession in Kharkov on the occasion of the annual transfer of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God to the city from the Kuryazhsky Monastery; the construction of a new, magnificent building for the Seminary in a new prominent location; restoration of two ancient male guards - Svyatogorsk and Akhtyrskaya, and the opening of one new female one. The Eminence's literary studies continued as usual and, it seems, even intensified. He gradually published in separate books: a) On sins and its consequences - conversations on the Holy Day of the Fourth Day; b) Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian - conversations on the Holy Fourth Day; c) Great Lent or new conversations on the Holy Fourth Day; d) The Fall of Adam - conversations for Lent; e) Words and speeches to the Kharkov flock; e) Three words about winter. To explain such abundance and partly the very nature of the sermons of the Right Reverend Innocent at that time, we consider it useful to quote a few words from his letter to us, written in 1847. “The harvest is plentiful and vast; and the laborers, as you know, are few and far from the harvest. It is this very thing that, despite all the time, forces me to print from time to time, precisely what God has sent, without caring much about the excellent merits of the thought or syllable in what is printed. For from many experiences, especially letters to me from all over Russia, I know how many souls there are everywhere who are thirsty for spiritual reading. What kind of cruelty would it be on our part to deny them food, or make them wait a long time just because we want to present this bread on a silver tray or with famous figures, etc.?” At the same time, His Grace Innocent began to compile and publish akathists: the Passion of the Lord, the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Life-Giving Sepulcher and others. He borrowed the text and content for these akathists, according to his own consciousness, from the famous Western Russian or Pochaev akathist, but only shortened, purified, and improved in strength. In 1845, “for the excellent management of the Kharkov diocese, the Right Reverend was personally elevated to the rank of Archbishop, and in 1847 (April 1), by the Highest command, he was summoned to St. Petersburg to be present at the Holy Governing Synod, and said goodbye forever to the Kharkov flock. During the stay of the Right Reverend Innocent in the capital, his highest appointment followed (on February 24, 1848) to the diocese of Kherson-Tauria, and, after that (April 11), he “for his excellent and zealous service to the Church and the Fatherland, and especially the edifying effect on the hearts of the spiritual flocks entrusted to him by the edifying preaching of the Word God”, most mercifully assigned to the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. On May 29, 1848, the Right Reverend arrived in Odessa, and the next day, the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, performed his first solemn service and said his first word to the new flock. Residents of Odessa flocked in droves to listen to both the priestly service and the preaching of their famous archpastor, especially since soon, as they knew, he had to return to be present at the Holy Synod. This second year of His Grace Innocent’s stay in the northern capital was extremely unfavorable for him: for the first time, a serious illness was discovered here, which shook all the strength of his body to the core, so that although the patient gradually recovered, he realized the need to ask the Highest permission to return to his diocese. The warm climate, travel through the beautiful countries of the vast diocese, sea baths somewhat improved the health of the Eminence, but it was never fully restored. He was often exposed to illness, especially colds, and often complained, both verbally and in letters to friends, about his ailments. The cheerful spirit, however, did not cease to act with the same strength, despite the weakness of the bodily shell. The Right Reverend loved to serve very often both in Odessa and during his long travels throughout the diocese, and at almost every service he spoke short teachings, simple ones that were publicly available - like fatherly conversations, which he never wrote down. Meanwhile, with his archpastoral zeal and intercession, he established in Odessa, as before in Kharkov, two solemn processions of the Cross: one on the day of the founding of Odessa, the other on the day of the annual transfer of the Kasperov Icon of the Mother of God to Odessa; opened several monastic hermitages in Crimea; collected in Odessa and placed in a special chapel copies of all the miraculous icons known in Russia; renovated the Seminary and the bishop's house, founded and renovated many churches. His glory as the most enlightened and valiant Archpastor, his lively and beneficent sympathy with his eastern co-religionists, his sermons translated into French and Greek, were the reason that he was honored (1851) by the King of Greece with the Order of the Savior, 1st degree. In May 1852, His Grace Innocent was again summoned to attend the Holy Synod, but due to serious illness he could hardly go to his destination in September. Here a new Royal award awaited him: “For the excellent and worthy pastoral service of the Church, always adorned with edifying works for the flock and enlightened concern for the good of the successively entrusted dioceses, and for new experiences of this useful spiritual activity,” he was most mercifully numbered (April 19, 1853) to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. The return of the Right Reverend to his diocese followed shortly before the time of the most difficult trials came for her. And who doesn’t know how worthily the unforgettable Archpastor was able to prove himself in this terrible, bloody era? His heroic, truly Christian courage and presence of mind during the attack and bombardment of Odessa by the enemy fleet; his solemn services and inspired speeches to the residents of Odessa in these terrible days; his speeches and parting prayers to soldiers going to Sevastopol, to the sisters of the Holy Cross community, speeches at the consecration of batteries in Odessa and on many other similar occasions; his travels to Crimea, where he tried with words of faith and hope to calm and strengthen the unfortunate inhabitants of the country; his priestly services and speeches in Sevastopol itself amid the thunder of war - all this illuminated the name of Innocent with new, brilliant glory - the glory of a high patriot and great shepherd of the Church, full of selflessness and love, ready to lay down his own soul for his flock, or along with it. A number of new awards to the worthy naturally followed such exploits. On April 10, 1854, “in commemoration of the special Royal favor for the valiant service of his Church and the Fatherland, rendered during the enemy’s bombardment of the city of Odessa,” he was most mercifully granted a diamond cross to wear on his hood. On December 10 of the same year, “for his pastoral care for the wounded soldiers who shed blood for the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland in the Crimea,” the Holy Synod expressed gratitude to him. On April 30, 1855, “for his special pastoral teaching in the improvement of the Holy Cross community of sisters of mercy,” he was honored to receive a letter of gratitude from Her Imperial Highness, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna. On July 13th of the same year - the highest gratitude was expressed to him “for visiting Sevastopol and worshiping in it during the bombardment of the enemy.” Finally, on August 26, 1856, an unforgettable day for Russia, His Grace Innocent “for his enlightened pastoral service, marked by excellent works of the gift of speech for instructing souls in peaceful Christian virtues, and in the past two years, crowned with commendable feats of self-sacrifice for the edification and strengthening of the flock amid the horrors of cruel warfare” - Most mercifully elevated to the rank of Member of the Holy Synod. A silver medal on the St. George ribbon and a bronze cross on the Vladimir ribbon - in memory of the past war - also adorned his chest. Despite all the troubling circumstances of recent years, His Eminence also finds time for scientific and literary studies. In addition to the “Collection of Words and Speeches on the Occasion of the Enemy Invasion,” which he prepared and published in two volumes, at that time he compiled several more akathists to the Most Holy Trinity, the Resurrection of Christ, Archangel Michael, etc., revised, corrected and supplemented his long-standing, extensive work: “The Last Days of the Earthly Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” which is now being printed; collected information for a historical description of the sacred antiquities of Crimea, worked diligently to implement his long-standing idea and program of the “Church Archives”, intending to combine in it all the most important written monuments related to our Church history, and intending to publish it at his own expense. “I was overcome by archaeological thoughts,” he wrote to us at the end of last year (December 13), speaking about all these activities of his, “not only are all the old ideas creeping into my eyes, rising from the archives of long-standing oblivion, but new assumptions are ready to flutter in a whole herd, just let me and don’t close the door.” “I am now trying,” he wrote this year shortly before his death (April 13), “to find out and preach whether there is anything for our Church history in the Patriarchal Archives of Constantinople, because according to theory, there should be a lot there, especially regarding the Crimean hierarchy.”... And, then mentioning the remarkable ancient monasteries in Anatolia, he added: “We have already found there something for the history of Crimea.” Among various, continuous works, among new enterprises and new concerns for the good of the Church and the Fatherland, this glorious, arduous life flowed, and, having long since been undermined, was quietly approaching its end. With the onset of this year, the Eminence felt worse and worse. But the diocesan affairs of Crimea, so recently devastated by the war, irresistibly attracted the guardian Archpastor. On the evening of April 17, he set off from Odessa, and, having passed through the cities of Nikolaev, Kherson and Perekop, on the 31st he served the liturgy in Yevpatoria and delivered a sermon. Then, on the 3rd he served in Simferopol and spoke a word about the afterlife - this was his last service and sermon. On the 26th he became seriously ill in the Bakhchisarai monastery, on the 2nd and 3rd he confessed and received the Holy Mysteries of Christ in the Balaklava Monastery, on the 7th, completely ill, he went back to Odessa, on the 11th he arrived in it, and on the 26th, on the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, on the very feast on which he once celebrated the first liturgy in the Odessa Cathedral at upon entering the diocese, he peacefully surrendered his spirit to God at four o’clock in the morning. As a Russian writer, His Eminence Innocent, in fairness, should occupy one of the first places in the history of Russian literature. And as a preacher, he will take one of the first places among the spiritual developments, not only of our time and fatherland, but of all times and peoples. The name of Innocent will remain immortal!