Letters to Saint Macarius

Letter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 Your Reverence, most beloved Father Macarius in the Lord! I had the pleasure of receiving your love letter dated December 13th. I offer my most humble gratitude for your congratulations; evenly and I congratulate you on the upcoming holidays. We were expecting the arrival of Fr. Ioannikis for the needs of the monastery. This rumor was spread here by Diomede, who is now in St. Petersburg and is engaged in preaching, not without miracles and not without success... The Glinsky monk Paphnutius is visiting our monastery in the hope of being placed in the brotherhood of the Old Ladoga monastery. Asking for your holy prayers and testifying to my zealous worship of all your one-wise brotherhood, with my usual devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence's most humble novice Most Reverend Father Macarius! I received your letter about the circumstances of Anthia’s mother. I sincerely thank you for your notice and am glad that things have been pacified with her. Only otherwise did I suggest she move to our northern borders, and if she calms down in her place, then we can only console ourselves and thank God, who fulfills the good wishes of the late elder. Asking for your holy prayers and bowing in absentia to both you and all your like-minded people in the Lord, I remain forever Your Reverence’s most humble service O. Joseph bows to you most earnestly and asks St. prayers. Most beloved in the Lord, Father Macarius, with the rest of the brothers of the same wisdom in Christ! I most earnestly congratulate you on the past Feast of Feasts and the Triumph of all solemnities, as well as on the upcoming Pentecost. I received your letter dated April 14th this 28th and I am responding to it. Looking at Peter Romanov, whom I sent to you, I found that such a lively monastery as the Sergius Hermitage was not suitable for him at all, despite his persistent requests for acceptance; why did I recommend Optina Pustyn to him? Due to his spiritual structure, due to some weakness of mind, which seemed to me, which, if self-inflicted, can be followed by a decisive disorder, he needs a leader, which is why I testified to him about you. Do not reject this fragile boat, which can easily sink. I agree with you that he is secretive, but this secrecy, which comes from stupid secularism, for the reason of which any love for a woman is considered an inviolable secret that must be taken with you to the grave - this secular secrecy, little by little, from reading fatherly books that command frankness, can disappear. I am very reassured in my heart by your spiritual policy regarding Peter, according to which you leave to his discretion the election of Optina Pustyn to his place of residence and deflect this election from yourself. In this way, the will of God is known and temptations that can conveniently arise from people of money, which cannot always, or even rarely, can be reconciled, will be prevented. Exactly - it is foreseen that the abuse will rise against him not from Egypt, but from Damascus! I am very happy about the completion of Mother Anthia’s work and thank her through you for remembering me, asking for her holy prayers. I ask Father Abbot Moses to say my most sincere bow and congratulations on the holiday, and the rest, God willing, will be told to him by St. Philaret of Kiev, who intends to be in the Optina Hermitage on his way to Kyiv, where he plans to leave on May 6th. Recently, some monastic in the local northern monasteries was in great sorrow; being in this position, he comes into a certain frenzy during Matins and sees the monk of that monastery, who says to him: Why are you grieving? Don’t you know that the monks of the last times are destined to be saved by sorrows! Reading the letters of George the Recluse, I had an extreme desire to find out what he says about our time and about the end of the century; Of course, there are such letters. Take the trouble, if possible, to forward it to me, taking it from Fr. Petra, you owe me a lot. In our northern regions, various pious people have striking dreamy visions of the terrible second coming of Christ, which is why we conclude that death is at the door. And the world is ripe for the retreat predicted by St. the apostle Paul. As such, reflections in all respects are extremely useful, awakening to the fear of God and contempt for everything corruptible, which is why I ask you for the letters of the Recluse George, this man filled with the Spirit of God. Committing myself to Your fatherly love and holy prayers, for which I ask all the holy brethren, with heartfelt respect and devotion I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most obedient novice O. Joseph testifies to you the most zealous respect with worship, as well as to all the brothers of the same wisdom. Your Reverence, Honorable Father Macarius! Sorry that I bothered you about Pyotr Romanov! And here, I noticed the weakness of his mind and some damage to it, similar to that of Fr. Alexey Bochkov. I hoped that a deserted place, a favorable climate, a comfortable monastery, and soul-helping advice would produce a soul-saving effect on his body, mind, and heart. However, no unpleasant consequences for the monastery can be expected. He will probably wander in pursuit of his dreams, which will finally lead him to the insane asylum. Asking for your holy prayers, with my most sincere devotion, I have the honor to be forever your Reverence’s unworthy brother Father Superior and all the brothers and fathers I know, I testify to my most zealous worship. The case about novice Vasily has not yet arrived here. Today I received a notification about this. Most reverend and most beloved Father Macarius in the Lord! Finally, for the prayers of our common elder, the late Father Leonid, and yours, the merciful Lord, despite all my weaknesses, deigned to finish translating the book of the Holy Ladder into Russian, to my special joy and consolation. For this reason, I have the honor to forward to you a Slovenian handwritten book with the most sensitive gratitude for its favor and asking forgiveness for its long-term detention. Since there is currently only one copy completely rewritten in Russian, I stop by sending you the translation; when there are several copies, then, if the Lord pleases and I am alive, I will try to send you a copy for correspondence. Although there are several copies of the book of St. Nile of Sorsky, I recently received what I had been looking for and wanted to receive for a very long time: this is the biography of St. Nile, his will and messages. These last three are quite extensive and useful. I would like to add them to the words, and at the same time the so-called superscript of his disciple Innocent with the will of this latter. This, I think, will not require much time. Thus, of course, you can receive both “The Ladder” and the works of St. Nil Sorsky in Russian at the same time. What should I tell you about myself? I live, subject to mental and physical infirmities, waiting for the time when the Lord deigns to strengthen me with the Master’s Spirit. The blessed Optina Hermitage never leaves my memory. I liked it and the monastery with its inspired silence. The sound of the pine trees when the wind begins to move along their tops is more pleasant for me than the sound of angry waves bickering with the whirlwinds. Our brothers known to you are healthy and at peace. I ask you to testify to your father abbot my most zealous respect, also to the most venerable fathers: Father John, Hieroschemamonk Fr. Ioannikios, Fr. To Makariy Gruzinov and others who know and remember me. Then I ask for Your most holy prayers and, bowing to the ground, I have the honor to forever be Your Reverence’s most devoted novice sinful arch. Ignatius. At the same time, the book of St. John Climacus. O. Joseph and Fr. Mikhail shows you the most ardent respect, as does Fr. Ioannikios and other acquaintances. I also dare to bother you with why the second edition of the Recluse’s letters fell silent, and if there is one, then I want to be one of the buyers and therefore I ask you to write to me where to address with the demand. Your Reverence, most beloved in the Lord, Fr. Macarius! I received your most pleasant letter dated December 15th. I bring you my sincere gratitude for remembering me, a sinner, and for your good wishes for me. And I most earnestly congratulate you on the upcoming holiday, I wish you many years of complete well-being. Thank you for assigning one hundred copies of your newly published book to me. It can be especially useful at this time. From the life of Elder Paisius, it is clear that in modern times, due to the extreme impoverishment of elders, one must study the active writings of the fathers with special care and be guided by them in the absence of spirit-bearing elders, which is what the Monk Nilus of Sorsky already advises. We find this same thing in the prefaces about the prayer of Elder Vasily, besides this, he very well divides mental prayer into natural and grace-filled. Anyone can go through the natural one, as long as he does not mistake spiritual actions for grace-filled ones, and God gives the second to those who have achieved mortification. But in our country today the second image dominates everywhere, depriving us of the vision of internal warfare; the third image 2 is completely abandoned for fear of delusion, which Elder Vasily speaks about very thoroughly. The preface to the book of Pr., printed in the third part of the letters of the Recluse George. Gregory of Sinaita brings significant benefit to many, the more abundant this benefit will be when all the prefaces are published. For this you receive a reward from the Lord and gratitude from all those who think well! Committing myself to your holy prayers and fatherly goodwill, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be your most humble novice December 26, 1845. Sergiev Desert O. Ioannikios, Fr. To John and others who know and remember me, I express my deepest respect and ask them to St. prayers. Father Michael and others known to you testify to their veneration with worship and petition to St. prayers. Your Reverence! Most venerable and beloved Father Macarius in the Lord! Forgive me for disturbing you again so soon with my letter, but here is the reason for this: when I sent my last letter to you, soon after it I received from the Nyametsky monastery a copy of Elder Paisius’s handwritten letter about mental prayer, which is kept in the local library. (The Neamets archimandrite father was so merciful to me that he ordered the collection of all kinds of manuscripts, many of which were written by the hand of Elder Paisius, available in Neamets, Sekule and the monastery of Voron for delivery to the unworthy and despondent Ignatius; and while this collection is being completed, out of special zeal, the said copy was sent to me, as soon as possible to console my sinful soul with something). Since you are currently publishing the life of Elder Paisius, wouldn’t it please you to add to the rest this letter, which is of particular importance? In this case, please notify me, and I will lovingly deliver to you the copy I received. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and reverence, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence! Most Reverend Father Macarius! I had the honor to receive your most pleasant letter. I am very glad that you are willing to print, if allowed, the letter from Elder Paisius sent to me from Neamts about mental prayer. Therefore, I am sending you an exact copy of this letter signed by me. With this, you deign to inform: on whom does such permission depend? For my part, I could petition both His Eminence Philaret of Moscow and the secular authorities at the Ministry of Public Education. Currently visiting me is Father Isaiah, a monk and now the builder of the Nikiforov Hermitage, which was recently separated from the Svirsky Monastery and a monastery was formed from it. He, returning from Mount Athos, was in the Ploshchanskaya hermitage, stayed there for three days, was received by you and the late elder Athanasius; he asked me to witness his worship to you with the request of holy prayers. Therefore, entrusting myself to your brotherly and paternal love, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice February 12, 1846. Sergiev Desert I answered on February 26 and wrote again on March 12 to ask to come. Your Reverence, most venerable elder, Father Macarius! Bringing you my most earnest congratulations on the upcoming great Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, I have the honor to notify you that I wrote to a person known to you regarding the publication of a soul-helping book that you are publishing. As for the censor, I don’t know him; Moreover, I believe that a petition to him from you and from those of your friends whom you mention in your letter and who are taking care of the printing of the book is sufficient. If I receive any answer, I will not fail to tell you about it. I ask you to say my sincere bow and congratulations on the holiday to Father Ioannikios and the other holy fathers and brothers. Asking your St. prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be your most humble novice April 5, 1846. Sergiev Desert Your Reverence, most beloved elder in the Lord, Father Macarius! I had the honor to receive your letter and was heartily rejoiced that our common zealous desire was crowned with successful success by the grace of God. The book you publish can be of particular benefit. You do very well that you use rather large letters; With the small ones previously used, it was very difficult for weak eyes to read the life of Paisius. Around this time I received several manuscripts from the Nyamenka monastery, among other things, the book of St. Gregory of Sinaita, which is much more complete than that printed in the Philokalia and with the life of the saint; This book was written by the hand of schema-monk Nicholas, who lived with Fr. Theodoret in the monastery of Polyana Vorona. The Nyamet elders write that they previously had many manuscripts, but most of them were burned in the fires that happened in the monastery. Thus, many of the works of Elder Paisius were lost. Then asking your St. prayers with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble servant P.S. I most humbly ask you to say my most ardent bow to Father Ioannikios and the other fathers and brothers. Your Reverence, Most Honorable Father Macarius! I consider it my duty to inform you that the sacristan of our monastery, and the monk of yours, Father Jerome, died this August 1 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, having been ill for 9 days. He caught a cold; This caused inflammation, in which the consumption he already had began to develop rapidly. Before his death, Father Jerome was given special honor; for the last three days he received the Holy Mysteries of Christ every day, and before his death he received the Holy Mysteries a few hours before his death. schema. Please remember in your St. prayers of Hieroschemamonk Jerome and forgive him for what he is guilty of before you. I ask for the same thing, that is, for the remembrance and forgiveness of the deceased, the father abbot and other holy fathers and brothers of the desert and Optina monastery. I think it would be useful if you took the trouble to write a letter to His Eminence Philaret of Moscow and thank him for the assistance he provided in the publication of the most soul-helping monastic book “The Life and Letters of Elder Paisius.” Asking your St. prayers with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble servant I had the honor to receive your letter dated August 13th. The fact that the Person mentioned contributed a lot to the printing of the book you published is beyond any doubt, I can assure you of that. I find it very reasonable that you are planning to send a letter with a copy of the book when it comes out of print. Please do not forget me, a sinner! I asked you to separate 100 copies for me. One of these days I’m going to Valaam and other monasteries; my journey should continue until October. I ask for your holy prayers to strengthen my mental and physical weaknesses. Your Reverence's most humble servant I sincerely thank you for your love for me, unworthy. Guided by it, you sent me two books of the life of Elder Paisius; God bless you for publishing such a soul-helping book, especially appropriate for these times. Because I heard from Fr. Antonia Bochkova, that the second edition is being prepared, then deign to give me 100 copies from this edition, even if I am still alive in the present circumstances, for which I will not fail to contribute the following money with the greatest gratitude. Book of St. John of the Climacus also received in good order; God grant that it provides you and yours with pleasant reading. I ask your saints. prayers to strengthen me, sinful and weak. With the most sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice O. Ioannikis and the other fathers and brothers I testify to my most ardent bow. Likewise, those here who know you bring you the most ardent worship. I bring you my heartfelt gratitude for your remembrance of me, unworthy, and for your congratulations on my Angel’s Day. Please accept my most sincere congratulations on the upcoming holiday of the Nativity of Christ and the new summer of 1847. May the merciful Lord pour His bounty upon you abundantly. Take the trouble to congratulate Father Superior from me, Fr. John and other fathers and brothers who know and remember me. Regarding the books, work hard so that they are transferred to the Ugresh Father Abbot Alarius, and he will take the trouble to send them to me. Only due to my changed circumstances, instead of 100 copies I can only take 50. The change in my circumstances is that I almost have to leave the Sergius Hermitage. If this does not happen, then there will probably still be people who want to receive the book you publish. I am writing to Father Superior Alarius asking him to take over the work mentioned above. Currently, Potemkina takes 10 copies for the Holy Mountain Monastery and for herself, 30 copies are sold in our monastery, and 10 for the side, but now I can’t say anything about the deanery, which I relied on. The one asking for your holy prayers is unworthy P.S. Would you kindly notify me how much money I should send and where? Will you also write when the time comes, Fr. Ilaria or bother to write to me, and I will notify him. Do as you please. Your Reverence! Dear Elder Father Macarius! I bring you my deepest gratitude for your congratulations on the great Feast of Feasts, the Resurrection of Christ; Congratulating you in the same way, I greet you with the most pleasant greeting: Truly Christ is Risen! And again, thank you for sending me a beautifully bound book, which I received in good condition. May God save you for your love! I would like to inform you that I have been lying there all winter and am now very ill. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere reverence and devotion to the Lord, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble servant Your Reverence, Most Reverend Father Macarius! I bring you my heartfelt gratitude for your remembrance of me, unworthy, for your love for me, which you showed me by finding me with your letter in my solitude. I sincerely congratulate you on the upcoming holiday and the New Year, I wish you to spend the coming year in the desired health and prosperity. On my way from St. Petersburg to Kostroma via Moscow, although I had an extreme desire to visit your holy monastery and be consoled by the sight of you and the conversation with you and with all the fathers and brothers I knew, this was in no way possible: because I had to hurry to arrive at the Babayev monastery in a timely manner in order to provide my premises with all the necessary amenities in time and begin treatment in some warm weather. And then I arrived here on August 10, and treatment could only begin on the 1st of September. If I had traveled to Optina Pustyn, this trip would have taken at least three weeks. I would have had to stay at St. Nicholas Ave. in Maly Yaroslavets, in Tikhonova, but you wouldn’t have gotten away with it for even a week. By the grace of God, after a very difficult treatment, from which I lay numb and forgetful, I feel that the cold that had shackled my whole body is leaving me and my ossified members are again becoming soft and flexible. But, to be honest, I would really not like to return to St. Petersburg! My passport expired on January 4; in the first case, I sent a request for a deferment until June 1. And then what God will give! I really like this place. Very nice, pleasant and secluded: almost no one comes. The dryness of the soil is extraordinary! The air and water are most beautiful. The brethren live up to 70 people, of whom only 20 drink wine. The structure is all stone - very good. The fish is always alive. In the summer, sterlet is caught in significant quantities; I caught about 150 of them in one sink. You can have a very decent sterlet for two kopecks. Nowadays, burbot and large ones are caught in abundance, as well as pike of considerable size. Our own and prefabricated bread, a year’s worth of bread is always in stock. Among the brethren there are very zealous seekers of salvation and great ascetics; An unusually healthy place offers a hand to the feat. I really don’t want to go to St. Petersburg! However, not my will, but God’s will be done! May the Lord arrange for me what is pleasing to Him and what is useful to me. Take the trouble to convey my most ardent bow, congratulations on the holiday and the New Year, and wishes for all the best to Fr. abbot, also Fr. John. It bothered me that you didn't mention anything about Fr. Ioanniki. Is he alive? And if he’s alive, how is he doing? A straightforward and well-intentioned person! Asking for your holy prayers, with feelings of sincere reverence and devotion, I have the honor to be your most humble servant January 4, 1848. My address: in Yaroslavl. I bring you my most sensitive gratitude for remembering me and for sending me two essays in three books. The description of Optina Pustyn is done with satisfactory detail and thoroughness. Take the trouble to convey my zealous bow and gratitude to Elder John for his work sent to me, a work useful and easily accessible to ordinary readers. My disturbed health is restored in this quiet refuge with the help of the most beneficial air and the most excellent spring waters. By June 1, he must return again to the harsh climate of the Sergius Desert, to the heavy and dirty waters. Please take the trouble to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Abbot Moses, Fr. Ioannikios and others who know and remember me. He who commends himself to your fatherly love and asks for your holy prayers is unworthy Your Reverence, most venerable and most amiable elder, Father Macarius! I bring you my sincere gratitude for your gracious remembrance of me and for the soul-edifying book you sent, for the publication of which all Russian monasticism owes you gratitude. Please accept my most sincere congratulations on the upcoming New Year, which I wish you to spend according to the good desire and choice of your heart for the glory of the Lord and for the benefit of your neighbors. Regarding the bruise you received, I heard and understood that this incident is God’s permission for your improvement. I believed that the merciful Lord would grant you to endure temptation with the patience and gratitude befitting a monk. Regarding my health, I inform your fatherly love that in the spring I felt much better, and I made my way back to St. Petersburg, beyond my hopes, with ease.” I felt this lightness upon my arrival in the Sergius Hermitage for one week, after which I suddenly weakened. My illness came with many rashes and perspiration; I spent most of my time in bed, lying on it in complete relaxation. Towards the end of November I began to feel relief again; During December, the profuse perspiration began to gradually decrease and now I feel a significant strengthening in strength, for which reason it could be with our new metropolitan, and on holidays with the Sovereign Emperor and other members of the highest family. However, I feel that the disease has not completely left me, and for this I continue to take salt baths. My illness consists of an inveterate old cold: I caught it in childhood, and not a single doctor guessed about its existence in me until, by the special Providence of God, it was revealed that it was the cause of all my painful attacks. The Babaevsky Monastery is very secluded and beautiful, but I like Optina Pustyn more. Our new metropolitan is known to the Kaluga diocese for the wonderful qualities of his soul: the local diocese truly needed consolation and the merciful Lord granted it through many sorrows. Regarding the book of Nicephorus of Astrakhan, I don’t know it. Upon receipt of a copy from you, I will offer it to the brethren: our people love good books. Many people already have the second edition of the messages and life of Paisius, as it has gone on sale in St. Petersburg bookstores. Take the trouble to testify to my high veneration to the elder Father Moses, Father Ioannikios, Fr. John the schemamonk and other fathers and brothers who know me. Asking for your holy prayers, with true devotion to the Lord, I have the honor to be forever your most humble obedient Please accept my deepest gratitude for your gracious remembrance of me and mutual congratulations on the upcoming holiday and the upcoming New Year, which I wish to send you in the desired health and prosperity. Sorry that I haven’t written to you for a long time: the reason for this is that my mental and physical weaknesses have increased to the extreme. Book of St. I received Simeon the New Theologian; I offer you my most sincere gratitude for this. And when the book of Simeon the New Theologian finally comes out of print, as well as Theodore the Studite, then take the trouble to notify: for many brethren are eager to read these books, and we hope, if the Lord pleases, to order a significant number of copies of these books. Take the trouble to give the letter on the next page to the elder Fr. Leonid. Asking for Your holy prayers and entrusting myself to Your fatherly love, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most obedient novice. Your Reverence, most venerable elder, Father Macarius! I bring you my heartfelt gratitude for your last letter and the notification about the publication of the book of St. Simeon the New Theologian. Now the brethren have spent considerably on the purchase of spiritual books published in St. Petersburg and Moscow, and when the fraternal amount accumulates, which should be expected in the month of March, we hope to order a sufficient number of newly published books. Meanwhile, I entrust myself to your holy prayers, and Fr. I ask Leonida to bear witness to my most ardent bow. Fr. Hierodeacon Efimy has recently transferred from us to the Kazan Bishop's House. Congratulating you on the upcoming Holy Pentecost, I offer you my sincere gratitude for the books of St. Simeon the New Theologian. God has granted in our time to print these books, since it is unknown to both the Great Barsanuphius and [nrzb.] whether they will subsequently be allowed to reprint them. In this case, this publication will be especially valuable, especially for monks: for the translation of Elder Paisius cannot in any way be compared with the latest translations. Blessed are you and your monastery, chosen by God’s Providence as an instrument of great spiritual edification. Please take the trouble to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Abbot Anthony: it’s time for me, who is very old and exhausted in this northern climate, to join your sacred stucco meeting and make at least some beginnings of repentance. From God all things are possible. Father Bartholomew, the Yuga hegumen, appointed by the Holy Synod to the Solovetsky Monastery, came here to St. Petersburg to ask the Holy Synod to continue to leave him as abbot of the Yuga Hermitage, and, having received what he wanted, went home on Meat Empty Week. I humbly ask you to convey my most ardent bow to Fr. Abbot Moses, as well as the elder Fr. Leonidas, I entrust myself and the monastery to Your holy prayers and fatherly love and have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Postscript about. Macaria: Received February 26. I bring you my sincere gratitude for your remembrance of me, a sinner, and congratulations on the great Feast of Feasts, the Resurrection of Christ, on which I equally congratulate you, wishing you and all your brothers in the Lord health and salvation. I offer you my heartfelt gratitude for a copy of the newly published book by St. Theodore the Studite. In accordance with how you deign to write, His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow deigned to write to me that he wishes to publish the book of St. Isaac of Syria. All Russian monasticism owes gratitude to this archpastor for the publication of paternal books on the Optina Desert. Anyone else in his place would not have dared to give permission for such a publication, which is unlikely to be repeated. In due time, the books published by your monastery will be very expensive and rare. I completely agree with you that for monasticism, which lives according to the books of the holy fathers, an accurate translation from the originals by a person who fully knows monastic life is necessary. Such a person, without a doubt, was Elder Paisios. Russian translations do not have this advantage. I will conclude these lines with my most humble request to you for permission from Natalia Petrovna 3 to send us 12 copies each of Theodore the Studite and Simeon the New Theologian, 24 copies in total, with the price for them. Please take the trouble to hand over the note and money sent along to the elder schemamonk Leonid. Committing myself to Your fatherly love and asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, highly respected and most kindly elder, Father Macarius! I bring you my sincere gratitude for your most respected letter and for sending 12 copies of the Studite’s announcements and 12 copies. words of the New Theologian. If the works of Gregory Palamas and Maximus the Confessor are published, then deign to provide them too. I recommend this letter to you, Nikolai Nikolaevich Golokhvastov. He serves as a colonel in the artillery, which is located three miles from our monastery, and during his service he very often visited the church of God, withdrew from amusements and from the very company of his comrades, but does not drink wine at all. While living like this, the idea of ​​joining a monastery gradually began to appear in him, which he was inspired to consult with me about. I gave him advice to visit Optina Pustyn, to get acquainted with Father Superior and you. He really liked the Valaam monastery, but I very much understand that he was captivated by its appearance alone and that this charm, if he were placed there, should not only pass, but even turn into embarrassment, for the care there, as far as I can understand, cannot be satisfactory for him. If God pleases and he remains in your holy monastery, then he, having a significant fortune, will not be a burden for her in material terms. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of deepest reverence and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice I bring you my most sincere gratitude for your fatherly remembrance of me on the day of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer. Likewise, please accept my sincere congratulations on the upcoming holidays and the upcoming New Year, which I wish you to enjoy in the desired health and prosperity. I am very grateful to you, dear elder, for the holy book of Maximus the Confessor that you sent; It will probably be in the local bookstores, following the example of other books published by the Optina Hermitage, which is why the brethren of the Sergius Hermitage who wish to purchase it for themselves can buy it here. For this reason, I do not bother you with a request to send it to me in several copies. Eternal memory of Fr. Schemamonk Leonid! I sincerely loved him as a particularly straightforward person. Nikolai Nikolaevich Golokhvastov, known to you, decides to finally enter your holy monastery and asks me to intercede with you so that you accept him into your spiritual communion. Fulfilling his desire, I consider it my duty to testify to you that Nik-th N-ch has the most meek disposition, the most abstinent behavior. He lived for several years near our monastery, commanding an artillery battery with the rank of colonel, and is in good condition. He really liked Optina Pustyn, and he was very friendly towards you. It is comforting to see that the Optina Hermitage, through its prudent rule, provides a haven for well-intentioned and well-educated people who can support monasticism; unfortunately; For such people, Russian monasteries are almost completely inaccessible. Committing myself to Your holy prayers and fatherly love, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most venerable and most amiable elder, Father Macarius! I bring you my sincere gratitude for your gracious remembrance of me, unworthy, and for sending me the book of the great Barsanuphius in Russian translation. All Russian monasticism owes special gratitude to the Optina Hermitage for the publication of many of the works of the holy fathers, the translation of Elder Paisius, which so accurately conveyed the thoughts of the fathers. And the translation into Russian of monastic and patristic writings, based on knowledge of monastic life, is carried out much more satisfactorily by the brothers of your monastery than their translation by people alien to this life. Father Archimandrite Moses, with his noblest and patient bearing of the infirmities of his neighbor, attracted into the depths of his monastery a chosen monastic society, which has no such thing in all of Russia. The late Father Ioannikiy did not write to me about the reasons for his transition from Optina to Tikhonova, but wrote only a little about the reasons for his return from Tikhonova to Optina, and then so that I could write about him to His Eminence Gregory. Then he wrote to me about the favorable reception that Fr. archimandrite, you and other elders. About what about. Hegumen Anthony lives in retirement in the Optina Pustyn, and that you handed over the leadership of the monastery to Fr. Paphnutia, I heard it, but I don’t remember from whom. It’s time for me to leave my busy abbot position and somehow prepare by repentance for my sins for the transition to the future life: my health is so upset that not only in winter, but also in summer I almost never leave my cells, and in this place it is necessary for the abbot to be in good health in order to receive distinguished visitors who come at any time, and to vigilantly supervise the brethren, so that the infirm do not they gave some reason for temptation. From the last days of May until July 17, a detachment of the Anglo-French fleet stood opposite our monastery, occupying the so-called northern fairway, which is located directly opposite the northern face of the Sergius Hermitage, i.e. directly opposite the abbot's cells, the refectory and the Warm Church, which make up the northern front of the monastery; this northern fairway is located 17–23 versts from the monastery. The enemy fleet was very clearly visible in good weather from the upper floors. We also listened to shots that made the glass in the windows sound. But by the grace of God, on July 17, I received the correct news that they had left Kronstadt out of sight, having, of course, made sure that it was impossible to attack it. Our brothers saw how they separated couples, and then left. It seems that, with the blessing of God overshadowing Russia, this war, no matter how difficult it is due to the superiority of the enemy’s naval forces, must end to the greater glory and greatness of Russia. Steam propeller gunboats were built here in such quantity and of such excellent quality that the British were surprised by them. Given the extraordinary concerns of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich about improving the domestic fleet, one can expect that not for many years the Russians will be able to confront their enemies on the high seas. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are very pious, they often visit the monastery, especially it, as it is freer. Please take the trouble to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Archimandrite Moses, Fr. Abbot Anthony, Fr. Juvenalia and Fr. Leo; I believed that Nikolai Nikolaevich Golokhvastov is at your monastery, but since you do not mention him in your letter, I conclude that he has not yet arrived to you. Do not leave your gracious welcome and guidance to my cell, robed John Tatarinov, who asked me to leave to visit some monasteries; he will probably be in Optina in September. Then, asking for your holy prayers and again thanking you for your gracious memory of me, with feelings of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be your most humble novice Postscript about. Macaria: Received. July 26, reply. August 2. Your Reverence, most venerable and most amiable Father Macarius! In addition to my last letter, I have the honor to inform you that I immediately asked Fr. Archimandrite Kirill, a Kaluga native, censor, took part in permission to publish “The Life of St. Simeon the New Theologian." Out of his love for Optina Pustyn, he took upon himself these concerns and on August 25 notified me by letter of his kind participation. I earnestly wish that this little work will be crowned with success. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most venerable and most amiable elder, Father Macarius! In response to your most respected letter of September 6, I have the honor to inform you that the matter of your manuscript is in the Holy Synod and has not yet been given any progress. Father Kirill privately, through his acquaintances, makes sure that the matter is given movement. It is not yet known who will receive the manuscript for review: it depends on the will of the Holy Synod - whether it will hand it over to any of its members or to the local academy for review. But in any case, the manuscript must be returned to the Moscow spiritual censorship in order and from this censorship it will be transferred to you. I apologize and generously forgive you! I completely forgot what I wrote to you in the penultimate letter, and even now I doubt whether I wrote it or whether in my memory I mixed the thought of this letter with the thought of the letter that I sent to you with my cell John and which, I hope for the mercy of God, will be delivered to you in due time. Memory has become very weak. Although I have always not been rich in it, I currently feel a particularly weakening memory. Thank you for the guidance and good advice of Varvara Nikolaevna Brovtsyna. In our area at the present time, few are disposed, even among the abbots, to live by advice, and if some of the monastics turn to me for it, then this arouses the indignation of their superiors, who see in this more slander to the Dean and earthly seeking than spiritual need. And I am not at all capable of giving advice, as I have not yet established myself. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice unworthy Archimandrite Ignatius. Take the trouble to convey the enclosed letter to my John upon his arrival at your monastery. I believe that he will come to you at the end of September. Pray to the merciful Lord to help our dear fatherland against its enemies. Spain joined England and France in action against Russia, and there are also other powers that are hostile to us. Asking for Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice O. arch. Kirill promised to inform me about the consequences of his petition. Your Reverence, most honorable elder, Father Macarius! I received your dear letter dated October 28th on November 9th. I was greatly consoled when I saw from it that you, a great sinner, were accepting me into your cohabitation. I hope that you will finish the good work you started, i.e. you will not refuse to be my spiritual father. Open the embrace of the Father to me, striving: I have spent my life in fornication, having reached the eleventh hour, and I have barely begun to think of repentance, do not reject it! But since mental activity precedes bodily activity, do not refuse to take care of my accommodation, because due to my extreme bodily weakness, I need a cell, firmly built, for which, it seems, I have sufficient means. Take the trouble to designate a place for the cells that is comfortable and dry, quieter and closed from the winds, although the entire monastery is closed from them; it would be good if the windows of the cells were not to the north. I think it would be better to build a completely new cell: it will be more convenient for me and more useful for the monastery. The cell, 7 fathoms long and 4 wide, can satisfy all my needs. I need a room in which I can walk around, since in winter I almost never leave my cells due to illness. I think that I will be able to spend up to 6,000 rubles on my cell. on banknotes and that this amount of money is enough for such a cell according to the attached plan. If I need to present a plan to the diocesan authorities, then I will tell my architect to do it. Do me a favor and write directly your opinion: should I make a new cell or move the old one? In any case, I need the middle of the building, where the hall and vestibule are located, to be warm. Upon receiving instructions from you, I would immediately get down to business, i.e. to the preparation of materials so that during the summer the actual construction could be carried out, so that at the beginning of the summer of 1857 it would be possible to move to these cells to live. May the merciful Lord grant for your holy prayers to bring all this to fruition in time and prepare by repentance in your holy and secluded place for relocation to eternity. It seems that Providence itself was preparing me for this kind of life, because in the winters I had to lie in my cell for months due to illness. Very few people visit me now and very rarely, as if they were busy with their own affairs, but the rarer these visits are, the more burdensome they are; I hope that in your holy place I will get rid of them completely, which my illness fully requires. Don't refuse to accept Fr. Mikhail Chikhachev: I have money in common with him, and he can be useful for the monastery - and he will not refuse to collect, for which he has the ability and strength. Also accept John, whom I cannot do without. He has everything that’s mine [nrzb.] in his hands. He is a rare person both in soul and in mind and deserves to be accepted by you, for based on his talent he could have had significant earthly success, but he left and wants to continue to leave everything for the sake of God. Realizing how necessary it is for him at the present time to adhere to a good monastic squad, he wants to accompany me, so that even after my death he can belong to the society of those who are being saved. If God wills, then we will not be a burden to the secluded monastery, and perhaps even some, albeit the slightest, help. John could not stay any longer in Optina, because his passport had already expired; but he was among your disciples, as among his own and old acquaintances - they gave him such a feeling; while in other monasteries everything and everyone was alien to him. Please take the trouble to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Archimandrite Moses. I offer my sincere gratitude to Father Juvenaly for the favorable reception of my John and for his kind participation in moving me to the monastery. O. My bow to Lev and Nikolai Nikolaevich! Then I will wait for your response! I have not yet received any notification from Fr. about the manuscript. Kirill, who promised to notify about the result of his efforts. Asking for Your holy prayers, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most reverend elder, Father Macarius! To my true spiritual consolation, I received your letter dated November 23 and I am very grateful for it. I instructed professor of architecture Gornostaev, who is engaged in work on our monastery, to draw up a design for cells to be presented in order through Fr. Archimandrite Moses Kaluga's Eminence for approval. Out of the kindness of his heart, Mr. Gornostaev invites me to go to Optina Pustyn himself and manage the construction, making all the detailed drawings. It would be a real favor for me if Fr. the archimandrite blessed Fr. Juvenal, as if he understands the drawing, will accept detailed drawings from the architect and supervise the construction, the production of which the architect will explain to him in detail in words, and, moreover, will leave it laid out on paper, why the execution of the project will be very easy. I hope that sometimes Fr. the archimandrite will look at the building. The architect will deliver to me, along with the plan and estimate, the materials, which, on the advice of Fr. Archimandrite and I plan to prepare it this winter. Since Alexander Dmitrievich Bryuzgin offered me his services in procuring materials, I asked him to take over this matter. I would like to use seven-inch pine wood for the walls to make the cells warmer, which I desperately need. I really like the places on the south side of the monastery; I’ve already gotten used to them and remember them clearly. Thus, I really like everything from your direction, and I am very grateful for everything. Having recently been to St. Petersburg, I saw Fr. Archimandrite Kirill, who told me that your manuscript is not with the chief secretary, but with the director of the department, Privy Councilor Serbinovich. Seeing that I needed to intercede more forcefully, I wrote a note and went to the synodal member, His Eminence Archbishop Gregory of Kazan, who promised to offer permission to let the manuscript pass at the very first meeting. I humbly ask you to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Juvenalia, Fr. To Lev and Nikolai Nikolaevich, from whom I humbly ask you to take away what a trip for an architect from St. Petersburg to Optina and back could cost and at what time, on what day does a Delizhan go from Moscow to Kaluga. Father Michael and John express gratitude to you and the brothers living together for your merciful remembrance of them. Frankly, oh. I only hinted to Mikhail about my intention to move to Optina to retire, and about my correspondence with Fr. Archimandrite Moses and you and he knows nothing about its consequences, as well as all the local brethren, from whom I keep this matter a secret, so that they do not become embarrassed prematurely. Only John and the architect know. I also ask you that my initiative not be made public, and especially so that it does not reach Evdokia Terentyevna Lesnikova in Tikhonova, who can write here. Then, asking Your holy prayers with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence! Most honorable elder, Father Macarius! Please accept my most sincere congratulations on the upcoming New Year, which I wish you and your brethren of the same wisdom in Christ to spend in the desired health and prosperity. I ask for your holy prayers, so that the merciful Lord will grant me also to escape from the jaws of the world and join your God-saved flock, if that is His Holy Will. As for me, experience itself and my poor judgment constantly convince me of the greatest benefit and even the necessity of moving away from this noisy place, which, both in moral and material terms, is exactly a village along the way. Everything monastic is destroyed here by absent-mindedness, all crops are trampled by those passing by. Here we actually see the event of the remarks set forth by St. Isaac in the 75th Word. I see their justice both on myself and on the brethren. I have not yet received a drawing from Mr. Gornostaev, who became ill with chickenpox. I hope to somehow escape myself for a short visit to Optina for personal explanations with my father, Archimandrite Moses, especially since a new circumstance is being revealed: my own brother, my second brother, came to St. Petersburg and convincingly asked me to accept him as my cohabitant. He currently serves as vice-governor of Stavropol. The war tied everyone’s hands, but now peace negotiations have begun, which, it is believed, should be crowned with success. However, even now significant fortification work continues in Kronstadt and along the banks under the leadership of the famous Totleben. I bring you, dear father, my sincere gratitude for the book of the Monk Fallalia. I read it with great comfort and benefit. Committing myself to Your holy prayers and asking for Your blessing, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice P.S. Here, in the forests of the Tikhvin district, an old man was discovered who lived in the forest for more than 50 years, in great suffering, who suffered a beating from demons and, as a very reverent monk tells me, was adorned with spiritual gifts. Your Reverence, most honest elder, Father Macarius! Seeking your blessing for the passage of the Holy Pentecost, I have the honor to notify you that today I received from the Holy Synod a notification that the Holy Synod recently gave permission to the Moscow censorship to publish the manuscript of the Life of Simeon the New Theologian. And again, asking for Your holy prayers with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most obedient novice Please accept my deepest gratitude for your gracious remembrance of me on the occasion of the great Feast of Feasts, on which I have the honor to congratulate you, joyfully greeting you with the victorious Christian greeting: Christ is Risen! I had the honor of receiving your letter dated April 10th this 19th. In your previous letter you say that you have changed so much that I would not recognize you. I can tell you the same about myself. However, during the days of Lent, I saw you in a dream in a schematic vestment and adorned with gray hair. It seemed to me, probably from frequent reflection on this, that upon my arrival in Optina I would greet you with mutual earthly worship. I hope that I will be honored to see you actually face to face this spring. Based on my preliminary consultation, I have reason to believe that the local authorities will not hesitate to dismiss me for a period of four or six weeks. Committing myself to Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice P.S. Please take the trouble to convey my deepest regards to Fr. Juvenal and other brethren about Christ. Fr. Michael and John testify to you and Fr. The most ardent bow and respect to Juvenal. Your Reverence, most beloved father in the Lord! I don’t have enough words to express my gratitude to you and your priceless brotherhood for all the love shown to me, a sinner, and besides, I have little time (since I’m leaving for St. Petersburg today) for a lengthy letter, and therefore I’m moving on to an essential subject about which I need to notify you. His Eminence Philaret is very agreeable to adding staff to the monastery on the grounds as set out in the note. He proposes to make a presentation from the monastery to His Eminence of Kaluga, who would present this to the Synod at the time when the Synod is in Moscow. It is obvious that the Bishop of Moscow takes upon himself the petition in this matter; otherwise, why say that the presentation should be made to the Synod while it is in Moscow? Very encouraging of success. You definitely need to like Fr. Moses, and you should write him a letter or letters about this, as you wish. His Eminence Kaluga will not be at the coronation; the famous Ipponensky is being called to take his place. My deepest bow and gratitude for the love of Fr. Ambrose 4, Fr. Vassian, Fr. Juvenalia, Fr. Lev, Nikolai Nikolaevich... everyone! everyone! Of course, you understand that in this essential matter there is no need to yawn or hesitate. And whoever misses, drinks water. Requesting Your holy prayers Your most humble novice Your Reverence, most beloved and honest elder, Father Macarius! Upon my return to the Sergius Hermitage, I consider it a sacred duty to thank you for the truly kindred welcome you provided to me, a sinner. May the merciful Lord reward you for your love from His incorruptible treasures. According to your good disposition, provide all the assistance in your power towards my proposed intention - to be placed in a monastery. I completely surrender this circumstance to the will of God, and I consider myself obligated to act according to my utmost understanding. In this last respect, looking into the mirror of my conscience, I recognize myself as incapable of holding the position of superior and my salvation is impossible in this position. Although I have a special attraction to deep solitude, but, heeding the Scripture that says: woe to one, I prefer to be in the company of the reverent fathers and brethren of Optina Skete. These are my human reasons. The course of treatment with water that I underwent in Optina made a strong impression on my health, very useful, and continues to this day. Judging by this impression, my doctor very much approves of the water and regrets that I could not stay in Optina for another four weeks. But the circumstances of the monastery with which I am connected, as well as other external ones, did not allow this to be done. By the grace of God, I found everything in order and was received cordially by my brotherhood. Monastic breads and herbs are very strong, as are garden plants. While there was a drought in Optina, there was heavy rain here. On July 1, clear and hot weather arrived. But the air is thick, heavy, far from Optina. There is no special news. The Emperor leaves St. Petersburg on August 8, and entry into Moscow is scheduled for the 10th. Seeking Your blessing and committing myself to Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice P.S. To the fathers of your monastery, I humbly ask you to convey my most ardent bow. Your Reverence, most honest and beloved elder in the Lord, Father Macarius! I had the pleasure of receiving your loving letter dated July 3rd. In addition to the previous news, I will tell you that I did not hand over the notes on the matter of delivering staff to the monastery to anyone here for the following very good reason: the Moscow Saint took on this matter with full participation, therefore, handing such a note to anyone else means not fully trusting the participation of the Moscow Saint. It was enough to predispose others in words, which I did according to my strength, or more directly, according to my character, with zeal, so that when the question of providing staff to the monastery arose and the Moscow Saint expressed his opinion, then everyone would vote in favor of this opinion. You did very well if you wrote a letter to Metropolitan Philaret, it is essential and useful. Again, carried away by my character, I asked a certain lady, who was very well disposed towards me, and was related to Mr. Kashkin, to persuade her relative to provide Optina Hermitage with two acres of land adjacent to the eastern fence of the monastery, but I asked to provide it by sale, barter, and best of all, by donation. I sincerely wish that the Lord crowns this enterprise with success for the benefit of the holy monastery, in which I was honored to receive fatherly hospitality three times. You ask: what is the result of my negotiations with His Eminence Gregory regarding my placement in the monastery? I answer: these negotiations ended in nothing. O. Moses did not take with him when we traveled together to Kaluga my letter, on which these negotiations could have been based. Why, the Eminence, without having what is generally accepted by me and Fr. Moses' foundation, showered me with objections and proposals in the sense of previous proposals made to me by Fr. Moses, i.e. so that I could fit behind the monastery, behind the monastery, in the monastery, at the inn, in a word, everywhere - just not in the monastery. I defended my opinion with moderation, placing my fate in the hands of God. The negotiations ended with the word “we’ll see,” i.e. nothing. However, “we’ll see” there is influence from the northern country in my favor, and as of mid-July my letter to Fr. Moses to the Reverend Gregory, then the request known, of course, to you followed. Vote in my favor! Asking for your blessing and entrusting myself to your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most honest Elder, Father Macarius! The nobleman Pavlin Zhadkevich, who lives in the God-saved Optina Hermitage, asked me to issue a certificate regarding the note he had returned. For a greater explanation of the matter, a printed decree of the Rights is attached. Senate. Take the trouble to give him a note with a remark and a decree. Upon my arrival in St. Petersburg, I immediately asked to inquire by note. But I only received the answer yesterday Asking for your blessing and committing myself to your holy prayers, I have the honor to be your most humble novice I had the honor of receiving your loving letter dated July 31 - to my true consolation and edification. I completely agree with your opinion, which you repeated to me more than once and which always affected me with the same consolation and edification: regardless of a person’s own blind actions, his fate is controlled independently by the will of God. May this all-holy will be over me, a sinner. During the conversation with the Most Reverend Gregory, in the atmosphere that accompanied this conversation, I sufficiently understood that the matter about me was over. The correspondence that followed preserved only decency. Thank God for everything! The destinies of God are many, and may my soul reverently submit to them. Sorry to bother you by asking you to vote in my favor. This is a significant mistake on my part, especially since in my soul I recognized the matter as decided and knew that the constant rule of your life was unquestioning obedience. With heartfelt consolation, I am ready to contribute to the best of my ability for the good of the holy monastery of Optina and its monastery! On August 4, I again saw the person whom I asked for the land adjacent to the eastern side of the monastery, again repeated my request to her and again heard the promise of intercession. I sincerely wish that this petition is crowned with success. I entrust myself to your love! I ask for your holy prayers! With feelings of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most honest old man! Please accept my sincere gratitude for your gracious remembrance of me, a sinner, and for the book sent by Abba Dorotheus. The translation, in my opinion, was done very well; the notes written at the bottom of the sheets make the meaning very clear; The fully enclosed answers of the great elders to the questions of Saint Dorotheus during his new leadership are very important, as revealing the struggle and perplexity of that man who subsequently achieved significant spiritual success. All Russian monasticism should thank you and the venerable brethren, your collaborators, for the abundant and excellent spiritual meal that reading the book of Saint Dorotheus provides. The only reason I am not bothering you with asking you to send many copies is that editions of Optina Pustyn are sold in St. Petersburg bookstores. We do not have any particularly important news regarding the spiritual department, except for the generally known, since the source of the news has temporarily moved from here to Moscow. There are various rumors that need, if not complete rejection, then significant purification. Asking for your blessing and entrusting myself to your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice I received your most pleasant letter dated September 9 and with it a summons for two books of “The Life of St. Simeon” on this 14th. I bring you my sincere gratitude for your fatherly remembrance of me, a sinner. I greatly appreciate your kindness towards me. Of course, you are already aware of the important changes that have taken place in the spiritual Department. The late Metropolitan Nikanor went to Moscow already ill, and returned to St. Petersburg completely not himself. Simultaneously with the appointment of St. Gregory as Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, Count Tolstoy, who was in Optina this summer, was appointed chief prosecutor. He still has not arrived in St. Petersburg. During these events, from drinking Optina waters, I was exposed to a severe rash from mid-September, the appearance of which was associated with fever and weakness. This is often the result of drinking sulfuric waters, which act in the body for six months after the end of their use. This state kept me in a resolute seclusion, but the other day I went to see the new metropolitan, wrapped in a fur coat and taking all precautions. He was still at the Pskov Compound and received me with special favor, as an old and only acquaintance of mine in St. Petersburg monasticism. He is moving to the Lavra today. When I was with him, he told me that he had to resolve the affairs of the Kazan diocese that had accumulated during the coronation, after which he would take up the affairs of St. Petersburg. At such moments, judge for yourself, he should not have talked about any matters, especially since the matter of granting a state to the monastery should go back to the Emperor, why it is necessary to wait for the arrival and assumption of office of the chief prosecutor, who, due to his well-known love for monasticism, would rather agree to do this than Serbinovich, known for his indecisiveness and extreme caution. Soon I must go to the Metropolitan again with a note about the current state of all the monasteries of the St. Petersburg diocese and for a personal explanation on those issues that he finds necessary to propose. Then I think I’ll hand him a note about the monastery’s staff, as well as the chief prosecutor. I would believe that Fr. It would be very useful for the archimandrite to write letters to both of these persons. Ave. Gregory spoke with great love about the Optina Desert when I asked him for permission to publish “The Life of St. Simeon.” What I learn about the progress of this matter, I will not fail to bring to the attention of you and Fr. Archimandrite, as I promised him in my last letter. I very much regret that I did not meet Fr. Isaiah. You say: didn’t one of the Optina people write to me about the Sarov rector’s visit to Optina? Who should I write to? Of the brethren, only one, Fr. Juvenaly wrote me two letters, skinny, like himself; especially the second one - real dry eating! just seven or eight lines! Asking for your blessing and committing myself to your holy prayers, with a feeling of excellent respect and sincere devotion, I have the honor to be your reverence’s most humble novice Your Reverence, most venerable elder! This October 30, I visited His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory, handed him a note about the grant of state to the Optina Skete, and told him that this note was approved by His Eminence Philaret, who takes an active part in the fate of the matter explained by the note. His Eminence Gregory promised his firm assistance. During the coronation, the synodal members were busy with meetings and matters of special importance; Moreover, everyone was outraged by the painful condition of M. Nikanor, who came to Moscow not himself, and then by the painful condition of Karachevsky. The Metropolitan himself told me that he did not even order diocesan papers to be sent to him from Kazan to Moscow, but ordered them to be sent directly to St. Petersburg. From the Metropolitan I went to Count Tolstoy, to whom I also handed a note and explained that this business had been started with the blessing of the Moscow Metropolitan and so on. The Count told me that he received a letter from you about this matter; but he had not yet assumed his office; today he must take the oath of office in the Senate; Tomorrow or Friday will be for the first time in the presence of the Holy Synod. Take the trouble to convey this, with my most zealous bow to Fr. Archimandrite Moses. Asking Your blessing and committing himself to Your holy prayers, Your most humble novice Your Reverence, Most Honorable Elder! Please accept my sincere gratitude for your memory of me and for your congratulations on the holiday and the New Year, on which I congratulate you evenly, wishing you all the best, temporary and eternal. On December 18, I received a letter from Fr. Archimandrite Moses, on the same day Tatyana Borisovna Potemkina visited me, and we had a long conversation about the Optina Monastery and about the many people living in this holy monastery. I asked T. B-vna to remind Count Tolstoy about delivering the staff to the monastery. She fulfilled this request of mine and sent the Count’s answer with the note. I am sending you both the note and the answer in the original. Please see: the will to do good is there. With all that, I believe that this matter will not end so soon. The reason is that we have new authorities, they look closely at matters and initially pay attention to matters of paramount importance. On the 26th I sat with the count face to face for a long time, talking about the Optina Desert, and he expressed a special affection for this monastery. The Count openly admits that, due to the news of his position as Chief Prosecutor and the many, many cases, he needs to look around and not be hasty. Your remark is quite fair and very comforting for me that, although I live in body far from you, I am very close to you in spirit, I rejoice in your residence and your fruits. Yesterday I had a good friend of mine, one of the most learned archpriests, and there is no flattery in him, talk with delight about the book of Abba Dorotheos. To tell the truth, in all the learned clergy of St. Petersburg I have only one friend - this young archpriest. Now another friend of mine is coming here: the new Archbishop of Kazan. I stopped to write about your previous letter, believing that Father Juvenaly will soon become a living letter for you, with which you can convey much more than on paper. When I received your letter dated November 10, I already knew that he would be required here. In meetings with the late metropolitan, they talked about spreading the beneficial moral influence of the Optina Monastery to the local monasteries, mainly to Valaam, which is rich in all means of maintenance and has a picturesque location with a vast expanse. Valaam is inaccessible to the laity for more than half of the year. The new metropolitan needs to look around and see what God will give. Count Tolstoy asked me why I recommended Optina Pustyn to Golokhvastov and other St. Petersburg residents? I pointed out the leadership available there and the fact that a resident of the capital, at least in the first years of his monasticism, must be away from relatives and friends. “True, true!” - exclaimed the count. Committing myself to Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice P.S. I was ashamed to read your note! And forgive the shortcomings and blots in my letter. Throw away all ceremony with me: this will greatly comfort me. Here news was received by telegraph from Paris that the local archbishop was stabbed to death by a priest at the foot of the Throne. Please take the trouble to give the attached note to Father Juvenaly. On January 25, on the name day of our Most Reverend Metropolitan, I spent the evening with Count Tolstoy, from whose words I conclude that the matter of granting staff to the monastery can be considered resolved, with which you and Fr. I heartily congratulate the archimandrite. The Count also told me that Fr. Juvenaly refused to participate in the Jerusalem mission: it is obvious that Fr. Juvenaly did not express his desire, but relied on the will of God and the will of his superiors, as befits a monk. Meanwhile, when I was at dinner with the Metropolitan, I heard a conversation between scientists and important clergy about this Mission; they reasoned that the Jerusalem mission needed people who had completed a course at the Theological Academy. The count was probably convinced of this, why the form of the monastic review of Fr. Juvenalia was accepted willingly as a form of refusal. However, God, who provides for the salvation of His servants, arranged something useful for Fr. Juvenalia. The Count has a kind heart, but is new to business. Committing myself to Your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Today Fr. visited our monastery. Juvenaly before his return to Optina Pustyn. What people intended to do for his temporary arrangement did not take place, but his arrival was extremely beneficial for his soul, and this benefit was achieved by a special wave of God, in which the special mercy of God towards Fr. Juvenalia. Both modern people and modern circumstances were exposed to him. Many very intelligent people, spending their lives inside Russia, grow old and die without learning how the mystery of lawlessness, about which the apostle speaks, works and succeeds. In our time, blessed are those whom God hid in the secrets of His habitation: like lawlessness and strife in the city, on its hundred acres there is interest and flattery. Having compassion for those who suffer in the Lord, I have compassion for Fr. Juvenal, but at the same time I will rejoice in him, as he who received from the Lord the gift of suffering in order to open his mental eyes. The Lord loved him because he allowed him to be tempted. The world did not love him, for it felt that he was not of the world, but of Christ. Rejoice, too, most venerable elder and, I dare say, my most venerable friend, for your faith and devotion to the will of God did not put you to shame and far away admonished your disciple, who from you learned to surrender to the will of God, to which glory and power forever and ever. Asking for your holy prayers unworthy arch. Ignatius. Your Reverence, most beloved and most honorable elder! Sorry that I often bother you with my letters; but, apparently, fate wills it that way. The son of Nikolai Andreevich Kharichkin, Andrei, 24 years old, who had completed a course at the local university and was about to enter the service, expressed a desire to devote himself to monastic life. A young man with an unusually kind, ingenuous heart is not at all for this world. Unfortunately, due to weakness of character, he was carried away by his comrades into excessive drinking of wine, but this was only a hobby. The father, and after him the son, tearfully beg me to indicate a place where Andrei could move in with the hope of spiritual benefit, under reliable guidance, in the company of reverent monks, who, moreover, have a secular education. I pointed to the God-saved Optin Skete, making a promise to write to you about this, which I am now fulfilling. Apply to Fr. Archimandrite to accept this sheep into his hermitage flock and do not refuse to take it under your leadership. Please take the trouble to notify me of the subsequent decision to this request. Andrey intends to come to talk to us in the first week; It would be good to receive an answer from you within this week for communication to his young man and for the further progress of his case. On January 29, Fr. visited us. Juvenaly on his way back to Optina. I handed him one volume from the Dutch Library, which contains the works of St. Mark the Ascetic in Greek and Latin - for keeping. Then my conscience reproached me, saying: “Where is selfless love? when you were going to live in a monastery, you wanted to give away your books for the common benefit, and when the placement did not take place, then you feel sorry for the books and they stand in your closet fruitlessly.” Why did I tell Fr. Juvenalia, that I will send the other 13 volumes to him. I already asked Kharichkin about this, who undertook to send them to Moscow to his brother, and he will send them to A.D. Bryuzgin to deliver Fr. Juvenalia. I also gave Fr. Juvenaly manuscript in Russian of the words of Abba Isaiah, which, however, requires significant correction. In the Dutch library there are the works of Abba Isaiah in Latin, and one word in Greek. If you decide to print it, then I have a manuscript in Slavic, sent to me from Neamets, obviously a translation of Elder Paisius, and I can send it for a while. This manuscript is more complete than the Latin text in Holland. Wishing you complete success in your spiritual endeavors, asking for your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your most humble novice Your Reverence, most honest and beloved elder in the Lord! I received your dear letter dated February 16 on Thursday in the first week of Lent. On the same day, Mr. Kharichkin, shedding tears, introduced me to his son Andrei Nikolaevich, a young man of 24 years old. The parent earnestly asked me to keep the young man in my monastery until Easter, since he needed a doctor’s help. In the Sergius Hermitage, surrounded by temptations, it is very difficult for a person with weakness to resist. Although there were examples that some survived, these examples are very rare, and they should be considered a special mercy of God and an exception to the general order. Convinced, on the one hand, by the requests of my father, and on the other, by the painful condition of my son, who needed help and supervision from a doctor, I decided, trusting in the Lord, to look after Andrei until Easter, and then whatever God will indicate. Moreover, Mr. Kharichkin did significant services to our monastery and to me, which is why I seem to be in his debt. Andrey has the kindest and most unkind heart with good mental abilities and a decent education. On March 3, the Dutch library was sent by rail to Moscow in the name of Stepan Andreevich Kharichkin for delivery to the Optin monastery, why do you deign to instruct someone in Moscow to accept the books; If there is no one to entrust this to you, then I will ask Kharichkin to send it to Alexander Dmitrievich Bryuzgin in Kozelsk. The box also contains a handwritten Slavic book of St. Isaiah the Hermit, which I received from the Nyametsky monastery. In the Dutch Library there is the Word of St. Orsisius, a disciple of Pachomius the Great, very extensive and very edifying. Then I ask for your holy prayers to strengthen my increasing mental and physical weaknesses. Wishing you all the best and congratulating you on the upcoming Holy Pentecost and the upcoming Holy Easter, with feelings of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice P.S. O. Juvenaly, Fr. To Leo and other fathers and brothers - my most ardent bow. Alexander Andreevich was on my post twice; on the last Friday and with his elder - Kutuzov. Your Reverence, most reverend and most amiable elder! Please accept my most ardent congratulations on the upcoming holiday and at the same time my sincere gratitude for your congratulations in your letter of March 30, which is precious to me, since all your letters are precious to me, and just by seeing your handwriting, before reading the letter itself, I already feel consolation in my sinful soul. Wishing for mental silver - the library of St. fathers, collected by Holland, did not lie under a bushel, but gave God-accepting interest, circulating between people capable of dealing with it, I decided it was better to give this silver into the hands of a person, rather than chain it to some place where it could very easily fall under a bushel - in a closet - and become food for moths and mice there without any benefit to people. There was a time when the White Coast abounded with well-meaning monks, there were times when Pestusha abounded with them, and the Ploshchanskaya hermitage abounded with them in its time; now the time of color has come for Optina, the time of color will pass in its own way, other places will flourish - also in their own time; why did I consider chaining a book to a place less reliable than entrusting it to a person? I hope that Fr. Juvenaly, having used it and used Christianity, when he reaches gray hair and exhaustion, he will entrust it to a trustworthy monk, who will again keep mental silver in circulation. The Archbishop of Kazan, with whose help I bought this book with the money given to me, now told me that Holland’s library has become very rare: they are looking to buy it for the Moscow Theological Academy and do not find it, and in cases of need they use the metropolitan’s own; It was purchased here during the rectorship of the current Metropolitan Gregory. I told the Right Reverend Athanasius about Optina Hermitage; he, being a zealot for the public Christian good, was greatly consoled by my story and instructed me to convey his blessing to you and your brotherhood of the same wisdom. He was especially interested in the participation of Fr. Lev Kavelin, whose articles he read in Mayak and to whom, as an acquaintance in absentia, he especially bows. I would advise Fr. On this occasion, Leo should write a letter to St. Athanasius, and not on his own behalf, but on behalf of you and all those who are of the same wisdom. This will be useful for the benefit of the entire monastery and for your subsequent actions for the common benefit. Asking for your blessing and committing myself to your saints. prayers, with a feeling of sincere respect and devotion, I have the honor to be your humble novice I had the honor of receiving your letter today and I am very grateful for it. Please take the trouble to send the manuscript of St. Isaiah the Hermit to me in Stavropol, and let me know whether the Russian translation has been corrected and whether the book of St. Isaiah will be published. Also, will the book of St. Mark the Ascetic be published in Russian? If these books are published, do not refuse to send them to me; Archbishop Afanasy of Kazan, with whom I talked today about the useful works of the Optina Hermitage, also asks you about the same. The Dutch Library contains the extensive "Word of St. Orsisius", a disciple of Pachomius the Great; It would be nice to translate this word into Russian and publish it. May the Lord help you in your generally useful works. Invoking God's blessing upon you and entrusting myself to your holy prayers, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence's most obedient novice unworthy Bishop Ignatius. I'm thinking of leaving here on Saturday. Postscript about. Macaria: Received. Nov 26, reply Dec 3 I sincerely thank you for your remembrance of me, a sinner, on the occasion of the most joyful Feast of Holidays and for your congratulations on it. Evenly congratulating you, I ask you to convey my congratulations to Fr. Archimandrite Moses and at the same time asking for an apology that I do not particularly write to His Reverence, since the importance of writing tires me and has a harmful effect on my chest. O. Take the trouble to convey my most ardent bow and congratulations to Anthony and other fathers and brothers. May the merciful Lord support you in your labors in translating the books of the Fathers. By publishing these books, you are providing an untold benefit to Russian monasticism and Christianity. In our time, due to the complete shortage of mentors experienced in monastic life, patristic books are especially needed and especially useful. In my opinion, it would be better to translate the book of St. Isaiah from Slavic, looking closely at Latin to explain places that are obscure in Latin. The Slavic translation from Greek of the fatherly books, made by Elder Paisius, expresses the thoughts of the authors incomparably more accurately than the Latin translation. I was especially convinced of this by looking at the Latin translation of the book of Abba Dorotheus, which is available in the Dutch Library in Greek and Latin. The Latins, having lost their true religion and therefore in no way understanding spiritual work (all their saints, after the fall of their Church into papism, were nothing more than persons who had been subjected to the strongest demonic delusion), used in their translations some vague words and expressions, which conveyed uncertainty and darkness to the translations, and in some places a completely false meaning in comparison with the text. About myself I will tell you that, by the great grace of God, I am very pleased with my current situation. The excellent air and climate have a beneficial effect on my health. Diocesan affairs are proceeding very satisfactorily. The clergy shows obedience and attention to my wretched suggestions. I am getting ready to leave for a tour of the diocese, and I intend to visit the mineral waters, from which I am promised significant benefits. Committing myself to your holy prayers and calling upon you the blessing of God, with a feeling of sincere devotion and respect, I have the honor to be Your Reverence’s most humble novice Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea. RSL, OR, f. 214, room 378, 383, 384, 388. See: Rev. Simeon the New Theologian. A word about three types of prayer. Dobr., vol. 5. S.-Pb, 1877. This means St. Ambrose Optinsky. You might be interested in: