Глава XI. Устройство метохов и странноприимных подворий в пределах Турции и России русским Пантелеимоновским монастырем на Афоне

With the settlement of the Russians in the Panteleimon Monastery on Athos, as the well-known letter of Patriarch Joachim II of 1875 says, it “not only freed itself from poverty and the debts that lay on it, but also came to a flourishing and brilliant position, thanks to the communal structure, pious donations and the zealous care of the Russian monks for its good condition.” In this regard, the late Hieromonk Arseny provided a special service to the monastery, who, with the blessing of the elders of the monastery, traveled in 1863–1867. almost all of Russia with holy relics, and thus attracted the attention of Russian people to the monastery and attracted them to donations to it, which have not yet dried up. Thanks to these donations, the material well-being of the monastery quickly changed for the better: the old monastic huge debts were paid, the monastery churches were splendidly decorated and equipped with rich church utensils and a brilliant, abundant sacristy, capital buildings were erected inside the monastery and old buildings were expanded, the monastic life itself was significantly improved and, finally, serious attention was paid to the improvement of the lands and farmsteads (metokhs) belonging to the monastery, which were extremely neglected and even those that fell into complete destruction during times of lack of money and monastic unrest. The attention of the elders, first of all, was drawn to the so-called “Old or Nagorny Russik”, one hour away from the monastery, in which, according to Grigorovich-Barsky, “Russian foreigners, after many years of residence, were in possession even until 1735.” By the beginning of the last century, this old nest of Russian settlements had fallen into complete destruction and looked like sad ruins that brought great despondency to Russian pilgrims - visitors to the Holy Mountain. “It’s amazing,” reflected the famous traveler in the East A.N. Muravyov, “standing at the foot of these ruins dear to the Russian heart, how time quickly eats up this fierce beast, everything that people have left to its mercy, like carcasses devoured by the predatory inhabitants of the forests. How long ago, it seems, no more than eighty years, was divine service still held here? Even the man who was present at it is alive (this is the 115-year-old Elder David of Damascus, who died in 1856), and now there are no traces of the church itself. There was only one small Church of the Assumption left with a few scraps of wall paintings and it was in danger of falling; at the very gates of the monastery there was a hole dug out of which human bones were whitening: probably there was a tomb for the brethren; but the Athonite residents look at this indifferently. So, here is that famous Russian monastery, to which our ancestors have strived from time immemorial! The human hand betrayed her into the hands of time and everything disappeared. Now there is the howl of an autumn oak grove or the languid murmur of a stream, or the response of sometimes responding stones, instead of the singing of faces in the former home of monastics” 255. But, despite such a sad state of the described ruins, every Russian visitor to Athos, from the commoner to the son of the Russian Tsar, considers it his sacred duty to bow to them, admire their charming surroundings and revive in their memory the dear historical past associated with these piles of stones, wonderfully entwined with wild ivy. Under the vivid impression of everything experienced here, they involuntarily have a laudable desire to see these dear ruins restored. A similar desire was expressed to the elders of the Panteleimon Monastery: in 1866, Archimandrite Leonid (the late abbot of the Moscow Trinity-Sergius Lavra) at the Russian embassy in Constantinople; in 1867, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich; in 1868, Bishop Alexander of Poltava and others. The elders fully shared the opinion of the distinguished visitors to Athos, but before In 1868, due to lack of funds, they could not begin any construction here. Only this year, on July 25, after the cathedral consecration of water, led by His Eminence Alexander of Poltava, the foundation of the building for the brethren began 256. The new building was supposed to be connected with the remains of the ancient tower, in which the royal youth, later the famous Serbian Archbishop Savva, was imprisoned, and from where he threw his royal clothes and hair through the window to his father’s messengers, who came to persuade him to return to his parental roof. A church 257 was built in the tower in the name of this saint, consecrated on June 3, 1871. Funds for the renewal of the “old Russik” were mainly given by the Rostov (on the Don) merchant S.N. Koshkin and the nun of the Borisov Hermitage Marionilla (in the world the Ryazan landowner Anna Ralgina). In 1871 the late Fr. Archimandrite Macarius founded a majestic two-story cathedral in Old Russika in honor of the Great Martyr Panteleimon. This church, according to the builder, Lipetsk merchant I.I. Okorokov, was supposed to surpass all other Athonite churches in its grandeur and luxury of decoration. The material for it was Athonite white hewn marble. For the interior decorations, columns with wonderful Corinthian capitals of very skillful chisel were made from the same marble. But soon the enmity that began in the monastery between the Greek and Russian brotherhoods, as well as the persistent rumors that were flying around Athos about the eviction of the Russians from the Holy Mountain, prompted the latter to stop building in Old Russik until a more favorable time, which, unfortunately, has not come yet. After the trial and delivery of Fr. As abbot of Macarius, new needs appeared in the monastery, the satisfaction of which was necessary, such as the urgent need to build a large church for the ever-growing Russian brethren in the monastery itself, and then the monastery lost its benefactor, whose funds were used to carry out the construction, who died in the monastery in 1878 as a schema-monk named Elijah. Thus, the ruins of past centuries in Old Russia were joined by even sadder ruins of our time. Looking at the sad skeleton of this cathedral church, already darkened by dampness and overgrown with bushes, and also at the beautiful cores, bases and capitals made of marble with decorations, in many places already damaged and broken, lying nearby in disorder and without attention, almost on the very road to Kareya, one’s heart involuntarily clenches with pain and the bitter thought arises that this beautiful material lies here in complete oblivion with even more a sad future, unless a caring hand takes it to a safe and secure place. Instead of an unfinished and expensive cathedral church outside the ancient monastery, construction began in 1880, and was completed in 1883, a rather decent, but small church in honor of the miraculous icon of the Pochaev Mother of God. The subject of special care and concern of the personally deceased father abbot Macarius was the “metokh” Krumitsa or Chromantissa, located 25 versts from the monastery, on the very border of the Athos peninsula, to the west to the isthmus connecting the peninsula with Macedonia. In an area of ​​more than 10 miles in circumference, which was desolate for a long time due to debts lying on it, and served as a place for grazing mules, thanks to the care of the late abbot, extensive vineyards and entire groves of olive and lemon trees have now been planted. The light pink grape wine produced in Krumitsa is considered by connoisseurs to be one of the best in all of Athos. Here there are excellent vegetable gardens, which feed not only the numerous brethren (about 200 people) of this monastery, but some of them even go to the monastery itself. The location of this place can be called charming without exaggeration. From the large arsana (pier), passing groves of lemons and olives, you climb a sloping mountain path, on both sides of which vines climb, and you reach a place from which you admire the azure-blue surface of the waters of both bays, the ridge of the Macedonian mountains and to the left the high peak of snow-white Olympus. The air of the area is clean and transparent; the heat is moderated here by the proximity of waters and the constant movement of mountain winds. It is not surprising, therefore, that this area is hygienically much happier than the area on which the current monastery of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon. It is therefore very understandable that sick monasteries, in order to improve their health, exhausted by the prevailing fevers and other reasons, go to Krumitsa and surprisingly quickly restore their strength. At the expense of the Tambov merchant T.V. Dolgova, a small church was built here in the name of St. Plato of Studium (the name was borne by the builder’s husband) and St. Martyr Tatiana. Then, at the own expense of the late Father Macarius, a large church was built in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, which, according to the plan, capacity and decorations, reproduced the monastery cathedral church in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos before the fire that occurred in the monastery in 1887 in August. At the church, extensive buildings for the brethren were built, as well as various kinds of buildings for the production of wine, oil, etc. Krumitsa, as a place especially loved by the late abbot and established by him, was known among the monastics on Athos under the name “father’s place.” On the land of the described method, near the borders of the lands of the Hilandar monastery, in an area very charming and rich in vegetation, at a considerable height above the sea, with the blessing of the elders of the monastery of St. Panteleimon, a monastery called New Thebaid. Those Russian monks who were driven from their lands by the monastic Greeks, wanting to finally oust the Russian element from the Holy Mountain, were allowed to settle here. In a short time since 1882, more than 200 people settled in New Thebaid, living in desert kalyvas scattered over a large area. With the funds of the monastery, a cathedral church in honor of all the Athonite saints and some buildings were built here, while the monastery supplied those in need with everything they needed: flour, oil, etc. Through the efforts of the monk Ignatius, a hospital and churches in the name of Sts. Great Martyrs Panteleimon and Artemy, and at the expense of Hieromonk Anthony, who lives in this monastery, a two-story cemetery church was built - at the top in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity, and at the bottom in honor of Sts. apostles Peter and Paul. The last church was consecrated on June 27, 1891. The Kassandrian metochi (on the peninsula of the same name, jutting out into the Aegean Sea), Kalamarian (near Thessaloniki) and Sykian (on the peninsula between Athos and Kassandra) were also not ignored. After the care of the monastery brought them out of the neglect and dilapidation in which they were under the Greek abbots, they began to sufficiently supply the monastery with bread, fine hay, cheese, eggs, etc. But the elders of the Panteleimon Monastery did not limit themselves to just restoring the ruins, repairing and correcting the dilapidated ones and putting the neglected ones in proper order, they tried to establish new methods, open new sources of income for their monastery in order to ensure its comfortable existence forever. This is not enough. They, under the influence of the troubles they experienced during the well-known process with the Greeks, who threatened the Russians with complete eviction from Athos, even had the happy idea of linking their fate with their native fatherland, placing themselves under the protection of their government, establishing more lively communication with it than they had before, and thereby once and for all, firstly, protecting themselves from any fear for a warm refuge, if the need ever arose, and secondly, with all the means available in the monastery to serve for the benefit of the region that sheltered them. All these intentions of the elders were realized more brilliantly than could have been expected at first glance. The political and internal circumstances of that time were most favorable for the Athonite people. 1874, as we know, was a difficult year for the Russian brethren of the Panteleimon Monastery. The well-known process with the Greeks was in full swing. But at a time when the council of Turkish ministers sentenced the Russian Athonite monks to exile deep into Asia Minor, and the hostile Constantinople press promised them the bowels of Africa, the monks themselves did not remain inactive, but looked for a place for settlement that was more convenient and more profitable. O. Macarius and Fr. Hieron turned to the Russian ambassador in Constantinople, Count N.P. Ignatiev, their defender and patron, with a request that he request the right for the Russian Panteleimon monks to settle in the Caucasus, in a place that will be indicated by the highest authorities. The count with full readiness fulfilled the request of the elders he respected, to which the governor of the Caucasus, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, who was at that time busy with the thought of Russian colonization of the region entrusted to his care, immediately followed, full consent. On August 26, 1875, Athonite delegates: Hieromonk Arseny, Fr. Agapius and Fr. Hieron were already in Tiflis and were heading to the Sukhumi district in order to select and find a place convenient for founding the New Athos monastery 258. The delegates sent from Athos were provided with very detailed and interesting instructions 259 and a special note from an “eyewitness” regarding the advantages and disadvantages of those areas that were indicated by the Russian government for the founding of the proposed monastery. The delegates were obliged to act in the spirit of the instructions given to them, which were signed by the abbot himself, Archimandrite Macarius. They were personally recommended by the instruction “to look at this matter not cursorily, not mechanically, but with deepening into the subject, for it is necessary to choose a place not for a certain time and not for the removal of any from the monastery, but for all times and for the whole monastic generation, which must - certainly must - develop and be a stronghold for other places, or, so to speak, the central (?) branch of monasticism.” In these types, the delegates were instructed “not to lose sight of the following when choosing a convenient place to build a monastery in the Caucasus: 1. The place must be spacious, although now permission is given to choose a limited one, and the place must be beautiful 260. 2. So that it has the healthiest climate, which can be learned from various district local residents, but especially in the central statistical committee, which will be mentioned 261 below: for the residents managed to get used to it, having lived in that climate since childhood and not being exposed to the malignant Caucasian fever. 3. There is an abundance of water at all times of the year and good, running water, on which a mill could be built. 4. The land is fertile for both arable farming and gardening. 5. Timber for construction and firewood. 6. Stone for buildings or clay for bricks instead. Note: In addition to the forest and land that must be cut off for the monastery, it is necessary that in the neighborhood there is an abundance of both for temporary purchase or, if necessary, for permanent acquisition. 7. Since the rivers in the Caucasus are predominantly abounding in fish, keep this in mind as a necessary item for a monastery, and a monastery not for 60 people, but enough for 6,000 people, if the Mother of God wishes to increase monasticism there. 8. It is also inevitable to pay attention to the convenience of the message: b) with the nearest city or Tiflis, Note: Convenience of communication is necessary in many respects, namely: aa) If there is an excess of products (as, for example, in Pitsyunt of fish and mushrooms), then there would be somewhere to sell them. bb) If there is a shortage (for everything cannot be in one place, for example, wood oil), then there would be somewhere to deliver it. cc) Apart from works, everything for the monastery should be bought somewhere: in Tiflis, Novocherkassk or Astrakhan, depending on which of these cities will be closer and more convenient for communication from the chosen place. d) The most important thing to keep in mind is that there should be constant communication with Athos, and therefore the proximity of the Black Sea is more important than Tiflis, etc., especially since it is more convenient to get everything you need from Novocherkassk, etc., through the Black Sea. dd) Generally speaking, sea communication is incomparably more convenient, especially for the delivery of heavy goods, and the Black Sea is more necessary than the Caspian Sea. 9 . If the place is remote from these conditions, but convenient in all other conditions, then you need to find out in detail - is it possible and where and how to build a road to them and what will it cost approximately? 10. The most correct thing in this case, without relying on your experience, is to try to find people who are well acquainted with all the conditions of the localities, and from them to learn the necessary details. 11. And even better, in Tiflis, treat the chief member of the Statistical Committee and the chief engineer, of course, with someone’s authoritative recommendation and ask him or them to pay attention and provide possible assistance, which is very beneficial and important in such a choice of place, when a new era is about to begin for monasticism. All members of the Committee, and even more so the main and long-standing member, are familiar with the topography of the entire Caucasus and with all its private divisions in all places. Such a member can really tell better and more accurately than the inhabitants themselves all the properties of the area they occupy and indicate with precise clarity and fidelity exactly the place that you need, that is, which would correspond to the purpose of the election. Because residents, especially those who have traveled little from their villages, cannot tell correctly about another remote area, and they do not know their own as accurately and accurately as statisticians-engineers who studied the Caucasus, and especially when comparing one area with another. The election of the best and truest cannot be done in this way. All this relates to the external life of the monastery; it is important, but what is more important is that the place also corresponds to its spiritual purpose. For this: 1. It is best if the chosen place is away from the villages. Note: I am not saying here that it should be protected by decree from the admission of women - this does not apply to the investigation of the area, but it is necessary to take note, because sooner or later this must follow. 2. The beauty of a place is one of the conditions for spiritual development for those who are attentive. 3. So that, in addition to a place for a monastery or monastery, there should also be a separate place for hermit cells - a place separated by nature itself, that is, either a mountain, or a forest, or a river, etc.” The elders of the Panteleimon monastery did not limit themselves to this instruction alone, but in a special “continuation” they presented to their delegates detailed information regarding the amenities and hardships of those places in the Caucasus that were indicated by the government for the future monastery. This information was collected by an “eyewitness” on the spot from reliable sources and is not without keen interest for the reader. Without attaching particular importance to the rumors circulating about a severe fever allegedly prevailing along the entire eastern shore of the Black Sea, the “continuation” of the instructions draws the delegates’ attention to “the danger during political upheavals,” that is, to the case of wartime, when the monastery, not being protected by any fortress, can easily “be robbed by a accidentally visiting steamship, which, while cruising, came to these shores.” “Sound reasoning,” notes this addition to the instructions, “speaks more in favor of the remoteness of the chosen place both from villages, in case of possible temptations, etc., and from the shores, in case of wartime.” What follows is a brief description of the areas proposed to the Russian Athonite monks in the Caucasus for the establishment of a new monastery. “The indicated place in Vedia,” says the “continuation,” “is positively inconvenient in all respects, so it is not worth mentioning these inconveniences. If such a place were given or chosen for our monastery, then we must consider it not only a mistake and damage, but also a punishment from God. The other place indicated in Pskhu is also completely unsuitable. It is remote from all places, in the mountains, with the most difficult and inconvenient path. Although there is a horse road there, Pskhu is inaccessible in winter due to the snow that covers the entire area, which falls there earlier than all other places and disappears only in May. For Pskhu, only provisions should be prepared for 8 months and only from Sukhum-Kale, which is 4 or 5 days of travel, the most difficult and inconvenient. Previously, robbers lived in Pskhu, but even now this place is so famous for theft that nothing better can be found. In the summer there is a garrison there, and in the winter there is no one. The winds there are searing and so strong that they simply cut or soak through. If any of the monks get along there, he will be saved. But hardly anyone will live! Pitsyunt with the newly built monastery of the Holy Spirit, where St. Apostle Simon the Canonite stands by the stream over the sea between Sukhum and Gagra. Visible from the sea far away. The place is flat, hayfield and arable, with small forest nearby and a military forest 7-8 versts away, where there are so many mushrooms that in a good year people come from the city to pick them. They can be prepared in hundreds of pounds and sold. There is a lot of fish caught in the river, but in the sea the most abundant fish are caught, here you can catch all sorts of fish, but (mostly) white ones. The distance from Sukhum-Kale is 60 versts, and from the town of Gudaut 40–50 versts. The village of the same name Pitsyunt is 2-3 versts away. There is fever there, but less than on Mount Athos. There is another place near Sukhum-Kale (12 versts), also called the place of Simon the Canonite, between the villages of Syrtskha and Acirkha, where there was an ancient church and the village of the Abkhaz colonel Khasan-Margani, famous for robberies; but this name is unknown either in history or in other places in Georgia, and only nearby residents call it that. Gagra is higher than Pitsyunt between the mountains, where many hermits labored in ancient times, from which caves are still preserved. There is a small river without fish. Forest is in the mountains and difficult to get. There is only good air there, but there is no other convenience for the monastery. The path there is difficult, and there is no other way to cross the river that flows between Pitsyunt and Gagra than by ferry or boat, which are not on this route yet. The Tsar's village of the Stavropol province is far from the sea and from Georgia, although it is a goldmine. After everything that has been said about the above places, we,” the “eyewitness” concludes his review, “must point out the best and most convenient, to which we ask you to pay all your attention and, if possible, try to acquire this particular place - Dandry (Draida?). They are 20 versts from Sukhum-Kale to Kutais, and 40 versts from Poti. There was an ancient diocesan cathedral there, which was recently restored; stands on an elevated, beautiful place. Near it there is a small village of houses of 10 new Christians, who are moving to the sea, and the church should remain like that, but it is listed as a parish, and the priest lives there. Below there is a small river, and another Kador is 1 verst away, it is a fishing river. When this river flows into the sea, sturgeon are caught. There is so much fish that in winter there are 30–40 kopecks. per pound: mullet and herring. The place is the most fertile, there are hayfields. Near the place there are grape trees, yielding 30 poods each, and a mile away from the place a dark forest begins for 20 miles. Near this place there will be a railway 1 mile away. It is located 4 versts from the sea. There is no better place in all of Abkhazia, so the land there is valued or costs 1,000 rubles per tithe, because the most fertile, like the wine, is the best of all places. And the climate is healthier compared to other places. The whole difficulty will be to build a new church for the villagers where they settled by the sea. But this is not difficult to do now, because there are no residents near the church. But there is no place to go through all of Abkhazia and Georgia [i.e. e. the best]"! This “eyewitness” review of some places in the Caucasus for the proposed New Athos monastery is concluded with the following authoritative suggestion, apparently addressed to the monastery delegates sent to the Caucasus, written by the own hand of the abbot, Archimandrite Macarius: “Pay your attention to Dandry and use all your efforts so that it belongs to Athos. As an eyewitness says, we and our descendants will forever be grateful, for there is no better place in Georgia in terms of fertility, climate, water, forests, grapes, fishing, and sea.” But despite such a categorically expressed desire of the elders to choose a place for the establishment of a monastery in the Caucasus in Drandy, the authorized fathers Arseny, Hieron and Agapius did not find it convenient to occupy this place, on which a monastery with a church in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God was founded somewhat later by the Athonite hieromonk Varlaam. The choice of the delegates of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Athos settled on the best, in terms of its central position in Abkhazia, a picturesque and fertile place on the ruins of Anakopia near the ancient church of the Holy Apostle Simon the Canonite, on the banks of the Psyrtskhi River. On November 23, Hieromonk Hieromonk (now archimandrite and rector of the New Athos monastery), very active and practically experienced in the art of construction, arrived in the Caucasus to begin construction on the chosen site and lay the foundation of the future monastery. Having received approval on November 27 for the allocation of 327 acres of land for the New Athos monastery, Fr. Hieron began laying the foundation of a church in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God and rebuilding the dilapidated Genoese tower, the top of which was intended to house honorary visitors to the monastery, and the bottom for storage of monastic goods. On October 17, 1876, the mentioned church was consecrated and on the same day a school was opened for orphans of local Abkhaz residents. They had already begun to prepare material for the restoration of the Simon-Canonite Church, but in view of the approaching hostilities, by order of the authorities, the monks had to leave all this and seek shelter in the Georgian Gelati monastery of the Kutaisi province. The abandoned monastery was badly damaged during the war, after which the Athonite monks had to restore it again. Returning to their ruined monastery, they began on October 1. 1878 for the construction of a church in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God, which was completed and consecrated on February 3, 1879. A few months later, namely on December 8, 1879, the newly built monastery in the Caucasus was honored, according to the most submissive report of the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, to receive the approval of the Sovereign Emperor along with a remarkable act of his great favors to the Russian Athonite monks. Here are the points of this very curious official act: “1) The newly established monastery opens under the name of the New Athos Simon-Canonite Monastery and, as a branch of the Athonite Panteleimon Monastery, observes, like the Panteleimon Monastery, the cenobitic charter of the Athos monasteries. 2) This monastery, on the same basis as the Greek monasteries located in Russia: Nikolsky in Moscow, Ekaterininsky in Kyiv and Moldavian in Novo-Nyametsky in Bessarabia, is subject in relation to the behavior of its brethren to the supervision of the local diocesan authorities and the Holy Synod, and in relation to its internal structure and economic part, being dependent on the Panteleimon Monastery, it acts by order and according to by order of the latter. 3) The rector of the new monastery is appointed for the first time, upon the election of the Athonite Panteleimon Monastery, from its Russian brotherhood, and for the subsequent time the rector of this monastery is elected by its brethren, with the consent of the Panteleimon Monastery, from the brethren of one or another monastery and the chosen ones are presented each time for approval by the Holy Synod. 4) In the newly formed monastery, to have up to 50 monastics for the first time, and subsequently, when due to the needs and for the spread of the educational activities of this monastery in the region it turns out to be necessary and within the means of the monastery it is possible, the number of monastics in it can be increased according to the needs and resources of the monastery, without asking for special permissions each time. 5) The monastic brethren in the new monastery are determined by the Panteleimon Monastery and exclusively from its Russian brotherhood. 6) The monastics appointed for this purpose from the Panteleimon Monastery to the new monastery are provided with travel permits by the embassy in Constantinople without prior communication with the Holy Synod, with the embassy guaranteeing their identity, legal capacity and trustworthiness for the service assigned to them. In connection with this, the embassy also supplies travel passports to monastics sent for monastic needs from the Panteleimon Monastery to the new monastery. 7) If any of the brethren of the new monastery turns out to be unreliable, unworthy of his title, then such person, upon communication between the abbot of the monastery and the Panteleimon Monastery, or by order of the local diocesan authorities, is immediately removed from the monastery. In accordance with this, neither those persons who are subject to monastic subordination by the diocesan authorities, nor those who, by a sentence of a secular court, are sentenced to imprisonment or penance in a monastery, are by any means allowed into this monastery. 8) Just as the land intended by me 262 to ensure the maintenance of the new monastery and the school attached to it, so movable and immovable property and monetary capital, which in its favor can be bequeathed and donated or acquired by the Russian brotherhood of the Panteleimon monastery, regardless of the monastic funds of this latter, must constitute the inalienable property of this monastery and cannot in any case be demanded, nor converted or alienated into the possession and property of Panteleimon monastery 9) In the event of troubled circumstances in the East and the impossibility of further stay on Athos, the brotherhood of the Panteleimon Monastery receives refuge in a new monastery, as a branch of this monastery, which owes its beginning and formation to the diligence of its brotherhood, and in this case, the abbot of the Panteleimon Monastery enters, with the permission of the Holy Synod, into the management of this monastery, submitting to the spiritual authorities in the Empire, on the same basis as Russian monasteries, and the abbot becomes his viceroy. 10) The newly formed monastery undertakes not to collect alms according to books and not to ask the government for benefits or salaries from the treasury. Announcing this Highest permission to you, the abbot and brethren of the New Athos Simon-Canonite Monastery,” the august commander-in-chief concludes this act of royal mercy, “I invoke God’s blessing for the feat ahead of you. May the newly established monastery flourish in silence and peace on the shores of Abkhazia and may it serve the local population, living in savagery and ignorance, as an example of a peaceful and hard-working life, an example of philanthropy, meekness and patience. May the school established at the monastery instill in the younger generation of natives the habit of useful work and the love of knowledge necessary for a farmer!” The monks of the New Athos monastery joyfully accepted this act of royal mercy that was dear to them and with even greater zeal set about their cultural mission, which was entrusted to them by the highest authority. On May 10, the cathedral church was consecrated in honor of St. Apostle Simon the Canonite, and by the beginning of the school year there followed the consecration of a large two-story building for a school for 20 Abkhaz orphans who are being brought up at the full expense of the monastery. With the addition to the New Athos monastery in 1885 of the Sofia Pitsunda church, which had fallen into extreme disrepair, but famous for its historical legends 263, built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian for the newly enlightened Abkhazians in 551, the monks of the New Athos monastery began to organize and put this church in proper order 264. The chapel in honor of St. has already been restored in this church. John Chrysostom, whose death, according to legend, is associated with this place, cells were built for more than 40 brethren living here, who perform divine services and cultivate a fairly large plot of land assigned to this church. Finally, on the last visit to the Caucasus by the Sovereign Emperor with his entire august family, while he was in the New Athos monastery on September 24, 1888, the monks of the monastery, in the presence of Their Majesties, laid the foundation for a new cathedral 265, near which future buildings of the monastery will be erected. The New Athos monastery, which was landscaped in a very short time and its extremely beneficial cultural significance for the region, leaves a charming impression on visitors. Their entries in the monastery book 266, which are offered to honorable pilgrims by the persons in charge of hotels, and the numerous correspondence published in our newspapers and thick magazines 267 are also filled with delight. Here is one of these correspondences, detailing the life and significance of the New Athos monastery. “We arrived at the place,” writes the famous correspondent of “Novoye Vremya” A. Molchanov, “and found weeds and thorns. To view the royal gift, the monks walked with a hatchet in their hands, cutting paths for themselves with it. The people around are wild, without any religion, accustomed to robbery, robbery, theft and idleness. Unarmed monks overcome all difficulties: they clear the area, build a church, build one after another houses for a hostel and for pilgrims, build mountain paths and a real beautiful highway, restore ancient churches, strictly guided by their original appearance, actively and lovingly search for ancient monuments, create a beautiful marina, start their own coastal flotilla, turn swamps into fish lakes, a mountain river they block off with a high dam and force the water to work in a flour mill, bakery, malt mill, etc., plant orange, lemon and oilseed 268 (more than 500 roots) groves, set up orchards and extensive nurseries, beautiful vineyards (10 dessiatines), apiaries (about 750 bees, hives), etc., etc. 269. Finally, almost half of the mountain was removed by them and along rails 270 this part was transported into the cliff, so that at the height a grandiose platform was formed, supported by an equally grandiose, artificial and extremely beautiful stone terrace. On this site, the huge building of the future monastery and the cathedral of the monastery is rapidly moving forward, having the appearance of almost a square with 60 fathoms in length and 50 fathoms in width and the cathedral, which should occupy 20 fathoms. Under the entire monastery under construction are basements, where provisions are delivered directly in trolleys along rails... Then there are buildings for hospitals, there is a vast house for a missionary school, where 20 native boys live at the expense of the monastery. In a word, we can safely and without exaggeration say that here is the most cultural corner of the entire Caucasus and Transcaucasia. How long ago was this wonderful corner created and by whom? At the age of ten and by ordinary people, among whom there is not a single scientific specialist, it was created with random and very poor funds, although all around and around the clerical staff, with the help of government specialists, spent and are spending government millions without building any roads, gardens, or houses. Yes, it is here that you involuntarily exclaim: great is the talent of the Russian person and great is the nature of the Caucasus! For the Russian common people, New Athos is of great importance: this monastery introduces our peasants to the blessed Caucasus and clearly teaches him what the rich local nature can give to an intelligent worker. The beneficial influence of the monastery on the native population has already clearly affected: many Abkhazians accept Orthodoxy in the monastery, thefts and robberies in this area have stopped, the natives willingly go to work in the monastery and willingly send their children to the monastery school” 271. The Athos shrine, sent to Russia in 1863 along with the late hieromonk Arseny, who was sent to collect alms, having been received by the Russian people with joy and love, never returned to the Holy Mount Athos, but, at the intercession of the elders, in 1873 found shelter in the chapel built by the monastery of St. Panteleimon at the Moscow Epiphany Monastery on Nikolskaya Street. The flow of pilgrims to this chapel was always so numerous that the stuffy and cramped chapel could not accommodate everyone, and therefore many had to stand on the street adjacent to it and thereby hinder the correct movement along it. This circumstance prompted Fr. Macarius petitioned the Holy Synod in 1879 for permission to build an independent chapel at the end of the same street, near the Vladimir Gate, on a site that had recently been donated to the monastery by one of its benefactors. This permission was received and at the indicated place a chapel in the name of St. was erected, according to the plan of the architect A. S. Kamensky, of elegant architecture in the Old Russian style. Panteleimon, consecrated on June 2, 1883. From that day on, all church services, except for the liturgy, are continuously performed in it, crowds of pilgrims flock here to kiss the shrine that constantly resides in this chapel, make their feasible contribution to the needs of the monastery, make orders regarding the expulsion from Mount Athos of one or another icon of good writing, etc. “The opening of the chapel gave us the opportunity,” he said late Fr. Macarius, in his word addressed to the brethren of the Panteleimon Monastery back in 1877, “to have direct relations with our native Russia, thanks to whose bounty not only our monastery exists, but also many other local monasteries” 272. Finally, in very recent times, the Athonite monks have become a strong foothold in the capital of the Russian state, in St. Petersburg. With the permission of the Holy Synod, on August 17, 1886, on the corner of Zabalkansky Avenue and the 2nd company of the Izmailovsky Regiment, an extensive and very beautiful three-altar church was founded: the main church in honor of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, and the chapels in honor of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon and St. Apostle Simon the Canonite. This church, built according to the plan of the architect N.N. Nikonov, was completely ready back in 1887, but was consecrated only the next year in the last days of August, i.e., September 26, 27 and 1 273. At this church, a courtyard was built for the monks of the New Athos monastery, to which the church and the courtyard itself are assigned, which are intended to provide funds for the missionary activities of the Caucasian monastery. Trying, however, to expand the monastic possessions beyond the boundaries of Athos and mainly within the boundaries of his fatherland, the late Fr. Macarius had in mind: 1) to become closer to his fellow tribesmen, to introduce them well to modern monasticism on Athos in all respects and through this to expand the area of ​​his beneficial influence on them, satisfying, as far as possible, all their spiritual needs; 2) to prepare a “shelter” for the Russian brethren of the Panteleimon Monastery in the event that “troubled circumstances in the East” ever arose and there was no “possibility of further stay on Athos,” and 3) to provide financially for the monastery. With such important tasks, the late abbot did not for a moment forget about those who “bring their feasible sacrifices to the monastery, often at the last resort, even with deprivation and restrictions” 274. On the contrary, loving with all the strength of his good soul the Russian people and knowing their everlasting love and zeal for sacred things, their everlasting, throughout the history of our fatherland, desire for the Orthodox East, for a personal viewing of places consecrated by the special appearances of God the Father in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament and glorified by significant events from the life of the Mother of God, the holy apostles, martyrs and ascetic hermits of Christianity, Fr. Macarius himself personally tried, using the funds collected from him, to facilitate by all means these journeys to glorious places and encouraged others to do the same, as we know from his letters to his father. The monastery farmsteads established for this purpose in Constantinople, Odessa, Taganrog, Anapa, Novorossiysk and Sukhum, and especially the first two, serve as a shelter for all wanderers and wanderers of our Mother Rus'. Here they all meet truly Russian wide hospitality, complete cordiality and courtesy. Healthy hot food in Russian taste and tea are given to all visitors to the farmstead, without exception, and free of charge. In cities unfamiliar to most of our pilgrims, such as in Odessa and Constantinople, the latter have true benefactors and guardians in the person of the Athonite monks living in their farmsteads. In Odessa, at the Athonite courtyard, for example, a literate pilgrim will be given a printed form of a petition to the Odessa mayor for the issuance of a foreign passport, in which he will only have to write his first name, patronymic, surname and rank - and the petition is ready, and for an illiterate one the busy monks will do all this, who will then take this petition form to both the office of the mayor and for a visit to the Turkish Consul General. Our fan is not at all afraid of the one-of-a-kind Turkish customs, since he will always be protected from unfair claims by “his brothers.” For today's pilgrim, Istanbul or Constantinople is the same as their native village. Freely, under the guidance of a monk guide, our men and women go to St. Sophia to dream about that happy time when “ours” will replace the moon on its dome with the holy cross, visit the Patriarchate, Blachernae. Our pilgrim in Istanbul in the farmsteads of “our fathers” does not feel a shadow of fear, not the slightest confusion, or any refusal or lack of anything. The pilgrim eats nourishingly and even sweetly, sleeps calmly and even softly, he has everything that is needed for the soul at his fingertips, since there are chapels or even small churches in the farmsteads and religious services are performed in them every day, according to the Athos charter. The monastery took care to arrange a reduced fee for third class pilgrims, both from Constantinople to Odessa, and from Constantinople to Athos and back. So that our pilgrims are free from any difficulties and misunderstandings that may arise on Turkish and Greek ships making voyages between Constantinople and the Holy Mountain, they are always under the supervision of a special person who speaks Russian and is sent by the monastery under certain conditions. Quite often, the monks of the metochion, using their own funds, buy tickets for insufficient pilgrims to Athos and back, and, of course, there is no question of receipts or promises to return the money spent in this way. It is left to everyone’s conscience to express gratitude for all these services... The mugs on display for voluntary alms, upon opening, rarely contain ruble bills: poverty pays for affection and greetings with mites and heartfelt, tearful gratitude, taking with it the most pleasant memory of its stay in these courtyards. In particular, true hard workers, novices of farmsteads: hotel attendants, guides, etc. remain without any reward. Meeting and treating sometimes hundreds of pilgrims and even thousands (there is a particularly large crowd of them after Easter, when returning from Palestine), these workers from early morning until late at night quickly run along the multi-tiered staircases of the courtyard, as for example in Constantinople, in order to give water and food to each guest, without making him “mourn” due to slowness or lack of something. In this “hot time”, it is not sweat flowing down the hardy back of the Russian monk of Athos, but blood, and only the consciousness that this is work “for God’s sake” and that it is necessary as a feat of obedience, which is considered higher than fasting and prayer, and only this alone gives the Athos monk strength and courage not to fall under the weight of the feat entrusted to him. Well aware and appreciating all this, the pilgrims, however, cannot thank these tireless workers, since these latter do not accept any material tokens of gratitude from their hands, and if they do accept them, then, according to the law of strict community life, they immediately hand over everything received to their elders, while asking the grateful visitors for an apology in the following modest and heartfelt phrase: “cover our weaknesses with your love.” All this involuntarily touches the pilgrims-visitors of the Athonite monasteries, and the feeling of moral obligation to their hospitable brethren always sinks deeply into their souls. It is not surprising, therefore, that our Russian peasant often sends his last penny to Athos and will never believe that the monks of the Holy Mountain are exploiting, as people like M. Remezov think (Russian Thought. 1892, Book VIII. P. 108), his simplicity and ignorance and his labor penny are wasted aimlessly and fruitlessly. Letters from the East in 1849–1850. St. Petersburg, 1851. Part I. pp. 278–279. There are few brethren living in Stary Russik, no more than 20 people, since the rules here are observed with greater severity than even in the monastery itself, and therefore not everyone can endure its severity. The brethren of the Old Russian abstain from eating oil for five days of the week every other year. In addition to the paracleis of St. Savva the Serbian in the same building there are two more paraclis in honor of the 42 martyrs in Ammoria and in honor of St. Great Martyrs Barbara, Catherine, Alexandra, Paraskeva and all other holy martyrs. A detailed history of the founding of this monastery is found in the book of Archimandrite Leonid: “Abkhazia and in it the New Athos Simono-Canonite Monastery. M., 1885. Part II. pp. 99–138. This original instruction bears the following title: “About the Caucasus. A look at the chosen place, granted at the request of His Excellency Ambassador N.P. Ignatiev by the All-Russian Emperor for the establishment of Athonite monasticism, 1875,” and was kindly reported to us by Fr. Hierodeacon of the Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, Fr. I., to whom we consider it our duty to express our deep gratitude both for this message and for some others. The following note is made in the original: “All the ancient holy fathers chose the most beautiful place for monasteries, which was also noticed by modern travelers.” See the eleventh paragraph of this instruction. This act was signed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army, Field Marshal General Grand Duke Mikhail, and the head of the Caucasian Mountain Administration, Lieutenant General Komarov. Detailed information about the Pitsunda Sophia Church can be found in the book of the governor of the Trinity-Sergius Moscow Lavra, Archimandrite Leonid: “Abkhazia and its Christian antiquities. M., 1887." pp. 30–41; in the brochure by N. Murzakevich “Pitsunda Monastery of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Odessa, 1876"; Notes of the Imperial Odessa Society of History and Antiquities of 1877, vol. X. Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I paid their attention to this church. In 1844, an amount of 35,198 rubles was even allocated. 50 k. for its renewal, but only the governor of the Caucasus, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, managed to fulfill the desire of the late emperors. In 1869, the Pitsunda Church was consecrated and was offered to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery for management, but for some reason it refused. The Moscow Trinity-Sergius Lavra took this church into its care, sending out the required number of monks who received salaries from the government, but before the war of 1877, they also left it. The Lavra monks returned to their monastery. The Pitsunda Church was left to the mercy of fate, fell into disrepair and remained in this form until 1885. Shower floor. Companion. Vol. 20. 1888 pp. 220–221. M. For these reviews, see the book by Archimandrite. Leonida: “Abkhazia and in it the New Athos Simon-Canonite monastery. M., 1885,” p. 136–137 in the brochure by M. Sizikov “Travel to the Caucasus and a stay of several days in the New Athos Simon-Canonite Monastery.” M., 1874. It is remarkable that even enemies of monasticism and people who are very averse to the Athonite Russian monks cannot be surprised at the rapid cultural successes of these latter in Abkhazia, a country that was until recently wild and abandoned. An example of such articles can be the very tendentious article of a certain M. Remezov “Around our edges” in Russian Thought in the VIII book. for 1892, pp. 105–108. Plantings of olive trees, as well as some varieties of grapevines, were transferred to the Caucasus from Mount Athos. About 20 acres are now sown with wheat, oats and buckwheat, and all this will be born in abundance! In addition, the monastery has excellent dairy farms, thanks to the abundance of large and small livestock and luxurious pastures, brick factories for making tiles, buildings for a forge, carpentry, tailoring, shoemaking, for making grape wine, etc. The railway is mobile, purchased by the monastery in 1884 in Tiflis at a very reasonable price. New Time. 1889 No. 4880. Wed. the same newspaper: No. 3870. 1886; No. 5458. 1890; Citizen, No. 296. 1888; Russian Bulletin. 1892 Book VIII. pp. 91–94, etc. Abkhazians who have completed a good course at a monastery school enter a teacher’s seminary, after which they become teachers among their fellow tribesmen and thus naturally become preachers of the Christian faith and enlightenment among them. From the unprinted word of Fr. Macarius, delivered on February 11, 1877, to the brethren, on the occasion of the opening of the Panteleimon Chapel at the Epiphany Monastery in Moscow. Detailed information about the construction and consecration of the St. Petersburg Athos Church is contained in the brochure: “Spiritual celebration and heartfelt joy between St. Petersburg admirers of the Athos shrine.” Ed. 2. St. Petersburg, 1889. See the spiritual will of Fr. Macaria: Soulful Interlocutor. You p. IX. 1889, p. 231. You might be interested in: