Feofan the Recluse

Feofan (in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov), Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, Vyshensky recluse, remarkable hierarch and ascetic of the 19th century, born on the 10th. January 1815. His father, Vasily Timofeevich Govorov, was a priest of the village of Chernovsk, Oryol province, Yeletsk district. In 1823, Georgy Govorov entered the Livensky Theological School, and in 1829 he moved to the Oryol Seminary. At school he showed outstanding abilities and was among the first students. Since childhood, having shown a penchant for solitude and special piety, the young man Govorov at the seminary already stood out quite sharply from among his comrades for his similar moral mood. He stayed at the seminary for 8 years instead of six, because, of his own free will, he stayed for a repeat course in the secondary philosophy department, wanting to become more thoroughly acquainted with the philosophical sciences, a love for which the outstanding philosophy teacher Ostromyslensky managed to instill in him. After graduating from the seminary in 1837, Govorov, in consideration of his outstanding knowledge of St. Scripture, by special order of the dioceses. His Eminence was appointed to the Kyiv Academy to continue his education. At the academy he studied under the rectorship of the famous Innocent, later Archbishop of Kherson. Here, in addition to his interest in theological sciences, Govorov discovered a special love for writing, in particular for writing sermons. According to his friend at the academy, Makarii Bulgakov (Metropolitan of Moscow), no one wrote better than him, only due to his modesty he could not read his work loudly. The academy finally determined the moral inclinations of the future ascetic. Like many other, the best students of that time, Govorov was captured by an ascetic passion and decided to become a monk. In his senior year, he officially announced his intention and on February 15, 1841 he was tonsured with the name Feofan; (On April 6 he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on July 1 a hieromonk. After completing the academic course in the same 1841, in August of the same year, Hierarch. Feofan was appointed rector of the Kiev-Sophia Theological School, and he was also entrusted with teaching Latin in the upper class of this school. However, Feofan did not remain in Kyiv for long. In December 1842, he was transferred to the position of inspector and professor of philosophical sciences at the Novgorod seminary, and two years later, in December 1844, he was appointed bachelor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in the department of moral and pastoral theology, and then served as assistant inspector. In 1847, in August, Hieromonk Theophan, with the permission of St. Synod left his educational service and went to Jerusalem to venerate St. places, as a member of a spiritual embassy going to Jerusalem, headed by the famous learned archaeologist Archimandrite. Porfiry, to get acquainted with the situation of Orthodoxy in the east. The mission, living mostly in Jerusalem, visited all the saints. places of Palestine, Egypt, Syria. Jerome. Theophanes, while fulfilling his duties, could at the same time fully satisfy his moral and scientific needs. He studied the monuments of life and writings of ancient ascetics; collected many manuscripts of patristic literature. Living for several years among Orthodox Greeks, partly Jews and Arabs, he learned the Greek language well and became acquainted with Hebrew and Arabic. The embassy returned to its homeland in 1855, and due to the war between Russia and Turkey it had to travel through Europe. Here, along the way, Theophan became acquainted with interest with the artistic works of Italy and with German theological scholarship in Germany. Upon returning to Russia, Feofan April 12. 1855 was determined again in St. Petersburg. spirit. Academy with a bachelor's degree in church jurisprudence. He was soon elevated to the rank of archimandrite and in September of the same year he was appointed rector of the Olonets Seminary. From here, in May 1856, he was transferred to the rector of the embassy Russian church in Constantinople, and a year later, on June 13, 1857, he was again appointed to the St. Petersburg Academy as rector and professor of dogmatic theology. During his ministry, Feofan spent about 10 years in spiritual and educational service. The administrative positions at the school that he occupied burdened him, like a true monk, with their troubles. His academic position in the academy also weighed heavily on him. “I am beginning to become unbearably burdened by my academic position,” he wrote in 1847 to Rev. Jeremiah, - I would have gone to church and sat there.” This was the ideal of an ascetic, and it is clear that the usual career of a learned monk did not correspond to Theophan’s inner desires. But nevertheless, he was a thoughtful teacher who looked at his work ideologically. He had the most lofty views on the matter of education and made ideal demands on his duty. He considered love to be the beginning of education. “Love children, and they will love you,” he said. Therefore, he did not attach importance to formal, mechanical measures, but put the moral influence of the teacher on the pet in the first place. In “Thoughts for Every Day of the Year” he writes: “This is the program of rulers of all generations - dissolve the severity of power with meekness, try to earn love with love and be afraid of being a monster for others. True kindness does not shy away from strict words where it must, but in its mouth it never has the bitterness of reproach and reproach.” It is clear that a man with such views had a fatherly attitude towards his students and enjoyed the most sincere sympathy at school. Feofan bequeathed his ideal views on education, so to speak, to others. In the essay “The Path to Salvation” and in his other works, he outlined the complete ideal of true Christian upbringing and education, revealing issues of pedagogy with remarkable psychological depth. As an academic teacher, Theophanes left the most valuable traces in the field of moral theology. The sphere of moral feelings was especially close to him, and he taught his subject not abstractly - theoretically, but on the basis of his own experience. Therefore, this science, in his teaching, freed itself from the old scholastic direction and received a new life direction, becoming a real guide to spiritual life. The sincerity of his lectures made them popular, although outwardly Feofan was not distinguished by his lecturing talents. The archimandrite did not stay long. Feofan at the rector's post. Less than two years later he received an episcopal see, and immediately an independent one. On May 29, 1859, he was named, and on June 1, he was ordained Bishop of Tambov. The new ministry, even more administratively responsible, did not make the ascetic bishop very happy; but out of duty of monastic obedience, he, in his own words, was accustomed to being silently obedient to any assignment, like “a ball rolling back and forth without a crack, in the direction of the blows given to it.” He stayed in Tambov for four years. The management of the diocese, especially in that era of transformation, required vigorous activity. Ep. Feofan showed it as best he could. He took care of the opening of a women's diocesan school in Tambov, the establishment of parochial schools in the diocese, started the Diocesan Gazette, in which he himself collaborated quite a bit, and took measures to improve monastic life and provide charity for the poor of the clergy. But, in accordance with his inner inclinations, Rev. Feofan considered his main business not administrative activity, but pastoral activity. In this regard, he showed a rare example of a bishop-shepherd, the spiritual leader of his flock. He considered the best means of achieving this to be preaching the word of God, and therefore he paid special attention to preaching. He himself left his rare services without teaching, and encouraged the clergy to preach. For the latter, he composed guiding articles and exemplary teachings. In the monastery at the bishop's house, constant systematic conversations were held, both during the liturgy and during the all-night vigil, with the participation of the Right Reverend himself. Bishop responded warmly. Feofan and for the material needs of the flock. When in 1860 the Tambov region suffered greatly from drought and fires, Feofan traveled around the province with words of edification and consolation, provided extensive assistance to the victims from his personal funds, putting his premises at the disposal of the fire victims. After spending 4 years in Tambov, on July 22, 1863, bishop. Feofan was transferred to the Vladimir department. In Vladimir, he was distinguished by the same way of acting, being a good shepherd-bishop and devoting himself to preaching. In his private life, as a bishop, Rev. Feofan gave an example of purely monastic behavior. His life was extremely modest and simple. His usual costume was a cassock, and on top was a simple black duckweed. His table was the most unrefined, and the Reverend was very moderate in food. He spent his time in administrative work, frequent prayer and literary studies. Leisure hours were filled with manual labor - carpentry, turning and wood carving. Ep. Feofan loved nature, but he had to use it very little; only rare walks gave him the opportunity to admire God's world. The Reverend treated his subordinates with love and trust. To impose a penalty on anyone was a burden for him. Afraid of offending anyone with mistrust, during his reports he consulted with the speakers themselves on what decision to make. Such nobility of soul, however, was not always fruitful in the administration. Some took advantage of the bishop's kindness for their own purposes. From here sometimes came troubles in the service, complaints to the Holy Synod, which were sometimes resolved not in favor of the bishop. Feofan. In general, characters such as Feofan were not suitable for the role of diocesan administrator. This role also weighed heavily on Feofan. He was drawn to solitude in order to surrender all his thoughts to God. Overwhelmed eparch. In matters, mostly petty and formal, Feofan, back in Tambov, expressed the idea of ​​retiring in order to give “rest to his soul.” His stay at the Vladimir See, where, due to the vastness of the diocese, there was even more paperwork, finally strengthened his intention to retire from business. In 1866, he fulfilled his intention: on June 17, at his own request, he was dismissed from St. Synod from the administration of the diocese, with the granting of him to settle in the Tambov Vyshenskaya hermitage, Shatsk district, as its rector. Feofan loved this desert very much; its beautiful location suited his love of nature. Here he finally found the solitude he was looking for and could devote himself entirely to that moral feat to which he had long felt drawn. In order to finally get rid of administrative worries, Feofan soon even abandoned his position as abbot. He was given a pension of 1000 rubles. and was given the right to live in the monastery, occupying a special room and enjoying the contents, and to serve whenever he wishes. For the first years, Feofan lived in the Vyshensky Monastery. But finally secluding himself from others, he attended church services with the monks, and on holidays he celebrated the liturgy with the brethren. He also received visitors, sometimes went for walks and even left the monastery. But in 1872, the Eminence decided to sever the last ties with the world. After Easter this year, he went into seclusion, refusing all communication with people, with the exception of a few individuals. Precisely, from that time on, Rev. he no longer left his room, receiving only the rector of the desert, his confessor and his cell attendant. Only twice, in 1878 and 1879, did he travel during this time, at the insistence of admirers, to treat eye disease, the first time to Tambov, and the second time to Moscow. The reclusive life of bishop. Theophana, by its very nature, remains unknown to the external eye. It is only known that the bishop himself performed all church services in his cell church - in the first ten years of seclusion on holidays, and in the remaining years - every day. According to the monks, he always served alone, usually in silence, and sometimes he sang and read himself. His cell attendant only prepared everything he needed for worship. The saint spent his time mainly in prayer, liturgical and mental. And he devoted the rest to scientific and literary studies and the extensive correspondence that he conducted with various persons. He received many letters from all over Russia. People turned to him for moral consolation, advice, and material support. He considered it his duty to answer everyone and distributed to those in need and those who asked everything he had - his pension and the offerings of his admirers. Generally refusing external communication with the world, the reclusive bishop was in constant spiritual communication with it. From his retreat, he carefully monitored the phenomena of our social, especially religious and moral life, and reacted to them in his own way. It was most vividly affected by its spread in the 60s and 70s. materialistic ideas in society. He decided to make literary denunciations himself and for this he studied the works of representatives of materialism. He mourned a lot over the ideas of Pashkov and L.N. Tolstoy, warned in letters against getting carried away by them and encouraged others to fight. The Rev. did not leave him in prison. Feofan and manual labor. After his death, all kinds of tools for various crafts were found in his cell. Rev. Feofan stayed in seclusion for about 22 years. In 1875, he was offered to occupy the department again, but this honor did not appeal to him. Despite the ascetic life and intense mental work, Rev. was in fairly good health. But in recent years he began to get sick. He was worried about rheumatism and neuralgia, and most of all, cataracts of the eyes. Without undergoing surgery, the patient was treated with home remedies, but in 1888 he lost his right eye; however, he continued to write. The approach of death did not frighten the recluse at all. He himself was waiting for her, as if he were moving to a better world. Until his very last days, he remained faithful to his ascetic regime, and died peacefully on January 6, 1894. No one was present at his death, since the saint died quietly in the afternoon. The recluse had the intention of accepting the schema before his death; but he did not have time to implement it. Body of Rev. Feofan was buried in a crypt, in the right aisle of the Kazan Cold Cathedral of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. Rev. Feofan, in his life and moral mood, was a true ascetic and from this side his name is widely known throughout Russia. But he was a remarkable man in other respects as well. Richly gifted by nature, possessed of a deep mind and versatile education, he not only set an example of personal achievement, but also left behind a rich literary legacy, in which he captured the fruits of his inner experiences, spiritual experience and Christian understanding. One of the bishop's biographers. Feofana (Prof. Korsunsky) rightly notes that the main idea of ​​almost all letters. The work of the recluse was the idea of ​​salvation. But this is most worth saying about the group of moralizing and ascetic works that occupy first place among the works of Theophanes. This group includes primarily “Letters on the Christian Life.” The “letters” were written at different times; partly they stand in connection with Theophan’s work on moral theology when he was a bachelor of the academy; but they were collected and processed for printing, with the addition of some new sections, in 1858–1860, when they were published in 4 parts. This work was immediately a great success, and went through several editions, of which the edition by I. L. Tuzov in 1880 (St. Petersburg) and the edition of the Athonite Panteleimon Monastery should be noted. 1891 (Moscow). Each publication has its own characteristics in the grouping of material. In terms of content, the “Letters” represent a series of moral treatises that provide guidance for Christians. Here is, in fact, a complete system of moral teaching, only in a unique form. Subsequently, Rev. Feofan compiled a systematic work from the “Letters”, entitled “The Outline of Christian Moral Teaching” (Moscow, 1891), about which he himself wrote: “This is also the letters about Christian life, third and fourth editions, with minor alterations and several additions, which the system of moral teaching required.” – Another major work by Bishop. Theophan on moral theology - “The Path to Salvation”, or a short essay on asceticism. This work, according to the author, was the fruit of his academic readings and was written in 1840–1847, but it was first published in 1868–1869. (St. Petersburg). In terms of its content, it can be called the quintessence of all the moralizing writings of Theophanes, who himself expressed himself at the end of his life (1888): “here is everything that I have written, is being written and will be written.” It is also concluding with respect to Letters on the Christian Life. Some additions to individual treatises of “The Way” were published by F in “Home Conversation” for 1869, no. 2–16. “The Path to Salvation” is widely popular and has gone through about 10 editions. Closely related to these works is Feofan’s treatise: “What does one who has repented and entered on the good path of salvation need” (M. 1882 and 1889). According to the writer, the treatise was written in 1847, that is, during his service at the academy, and its content establishes its connection with academic studies. – In “Home. Demon." for 1869, no. 48–50, Feofan’s article “Conscience” was published, which is closely related to the same “Path to Salvation.” In the same magazine for 1869, separate articles by Feofan were published under the titles: “I sit and think” (issue 1), “Answer to a question” (issue 43), “Resolution of perplexities” (issue 44). – From the 20th issue. "Domestic Imp." in 1869, individual thoughts (aphorisms) of Rev. Feofan, which continued in 1870–1871. In 1881 (Moscow) they were published as a separate publication, entitled: “Thoughts for every day of the year according to church readings from the word of God.” – From the 33rd issue of “Home. Demon." In 1870, Feofanov’s “Letters on Spiritual Life” began to be published in it, in 1872 it was published as a separate book. Rev. Feofan in the preface characterizes the purpose of these “Letters” as follows: “The letters about spiritual life were compiled in relation to the letters of Count M. M. Speransky, published in “Rus. Archive" for 1870, in the January book. It was my intention to present a picture of spiritual life in its various shades. Speransky’s letters served only as a reason for this.” “Letters on Spiritual Life” also went through several editions. - In “Domestic Demon.” (1871–1872), in addition to the mentioned aphorisms of Feofan, his other, briefer aphorisms were published, which again formed a separate book: “Brief thoughts for each day of the year, arranged by the numbers of the months” (Moscow, 1883). – A whole book, representing something complete, was also compiled by “Letters on what spiritual life is and how to tune in to it,” written to one girl and published for the first time in Moscow in 1878, the second time in Odessa in 1886. – Small articles of moral and soul-saving content by the Rev. Feofan were placed at different times in the “House. Conversation”, such as: “Self-examination” (1872, issue 2), “Self-correction” (1872, issue 3), etc. (1872, issue 4, 7, 21, 23, 25, 26; 1874, issue 1; 1875, issue 49, 50; also 1870, issue 4; “Soul. Reading,” 1873, L” 3). In close connection with all the works of Bishop. Theophan's work in the field of moral theology is worth his translation activity. He drew his spiritual experience not only from the world of inner experiences, but also from ascetic writing, in which he was always especially interested. Not content with reading the moralizing and ascetic works of the ancient ascetics, Rev. Theophanes wanted to make them accessible to everyone, and for this purpose he made numerous translations. A trip to the Orthodox East and visits to eastern monasteries gave him rich material. In the monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified, he found, for example, collections called “Paterikon-Fatherism”, containing articles from the writings of St. fathers or the own works of various ascetics. Theophan found it useful to familiarize Russian society with these articles and made translations of them, which formed the “Collection of ascetic writings extracted from the patericon of the monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified, which is near Jerusalem” (part of it was published in “Voskr. Reading.”, part of it was appended to the 2nd issue of “Letters about Christ.”; separately published. Athonite monks in 1891). In Jerusalem, the Rev. Feofan and with another ascetic collection, which he translated into Russian. language, under the title: “Miterikon. Collection of instructions from Abba Isaiah to the honorable nun Theodora” (printed first in “Voskr. Tch.” 1854–1858, and then separately in 1891). Tue, 1871, the second edition (St. Petersburg), and then in 1886 (Odessa) and the third, another collection of holy fathers was published. creations, compiled by F-m, under the title: “Arise from sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will illuminate you. Eph. 5:14. A collection of patristic writings aimed at awakening man from the sleep of sin to wakefulness in Christ.” In 1873, bishop. The work was compiled: “The Psalter, or the divine reflections of St. our father Ephraim the Syrian,” first ed. in 1874, and in 1894 it already had its 6th edition. In “Thumb. Ep. Ved." for 1874 (Nos. 19, 20) and dep. Theophan’s translation was printed with an imprint: “St. our father Maximus the Confessor. The ascetic word in questions and answers.” Here (1874, 10–12, 14, 16–17) was placed: “A brief account of the life of St. John Cassian and the Charter of monastic hostelry, or the order of cenobitic monasteries." In “Vladim. Ep. Ved." (1874, 9 and 10) was published, in Feofan’s translation, “Theoliptus, Metropolitan. Philadelphian, a word in which the hidden work in Christ is revealed.” But the main translated work of Bishop. Feofan - “Philokalia”, in 5 volumes, published in the first edition in 1877 (St. Petersburg); second edition, supplemented in Moscow in 1883. Then the translated works of Theophanes include: “Patristic instructions on sobriety and prayer,” originally published in “Tamb. Ep. Ved." for 1877–1879, and then ed. separately - Moscow, 1881 and 1889; “Words of our venerable and God-bearing father Simeon the new Theologian, translated from modern Greek,” printed. originally in “Soulful. Thu." for 1877–1881, and then published separately - M. 1879 and 1882. (1st ed.), M., 1890, 1892. (2nd ed.); “Invisible Warfare”, Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, first printed. in “Soul. Thu." for 1885 and 1886, separately - M. 1886 and 1892; “Ancient monastic regulations of St. Pachomius the Great, St. Basil the Great, Rev. John Cassian and St. Venedikta", M. 1892 Some works by Rev. Theophanes belong to the field of dogmatic and apologetic theology. Thus, the study is distinguished by its dogmatic character: “The Soul and the Angel are not the body, but the spirit,” original. printed in Thumb. Ep. Ved." for 1867–1868, reprinted in “Dom. Weight." 1869, and then the released department. imprint and in 1891 as a separate publication (Moscow). This work proves the disembodiment of the soul of angels, contrary to the thoughts of Bishop on this matter. Ignatius Brianchaninov, expressed by him in “The Tale of Death”. The small collection is distinguished by its apologetic character: “A warning against being carried away by the spirit of the present time. Essay by the rector, St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Archimandrite Feofan", St. Petersburg. 1858 This included articles previously published in magazines, especially in Christian Reading Theophan owns a number of interpretative works on St. scripture. In “Thumb. Ep. Ved." In 1869, explanatory and instructive notes on the 33rd Psalm were published, which later compiled the book: “The Thirty-third Psalm. Bishop Feofan." Moscow 1871 and 1889 In “Thumb. Ep. Ved." 1871, 9 and 10, Theophan’s interpretation of the Six Psalms was published. In "Home" Weight." 1874–1877 Feofan’s extensive work was printed: “Psalm 18”, published. then dept. book (St. Petersburg 1877, M. 1880, M. 1891). But Theophanes was especially involved in interpreting the epistles of St. Pavel. These include: interpretation of the first letter to Thessalonians (“Tamb. Bishop Ved.” 1872–1873 and M. 1883); interpretation of the second letter to Thessalonians (“Dushep. Read,” 1873 and M. 1883); interpretation of the Epistle to the Galatians (“Souls. Read.” 1873–1875 and M. 1880); interpretation of the epistles to the Corinthians, 1st (“Soul. Read.” 1875–1876) and 2nd (ibid., 1876–1878), compiled in the department. publication of two volumes (Moscow, 1882); interpretation of the epistles to Colossae and Philemon (“Dush. Read.”, 1879 and 1880, Moscow, 1880 and 1892); interpretation of the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus (“Dush. Read.” 1880–1882 and Moscow 1882); interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians (“Read in the General. Love Spirit. etc.” 1874–1877 and Moscow, 1879 and 1893); interpretation of the Epistle to the Philippians (“Tamb. Bishop Ved.” 1875 and M. 1883); interpretation of the last to the Romans (M. 1879 and 1890). Bishop's own study of the Gospels. Theophan captured it in his work: “The Gospel Story about God the Son,” containing edifying reflections on the Gospel stories (printed first in “House of Demons.” 1870, and then separately in M. 1885). This essay is accompanied by an article, placed. in Thumb. Ep. Ved." 1871, No. 5, under the title: “Instructions by which anyone for himself can compose one consistent gospel story from the four Gospels.” Regarding the completion of the publication of the Bible in Russian in 1875. language of the Rev. Feofan wrote a number of articles: “Concerning the publication of St. books of the Old Testament in Russian translation" (“Dushep. Read.” 1875, No. 11 and “House. Demon.” 1875, No. 47); “On our duty to adhere to the translation of 70 interpreters” (“Dushep. Read.” 1876, No. 5); “On the use of a new translation of the Old Testament writings” (ibid., No. 9); “The Bible, according to the translation of 70 interpreters, is our legitimate Bible” (“Church Vestn.”, 1876, Nos. 19 and 23 and “House of Demons,” 1876, 20–24); “Resolving the issue of the measure of justice. the use of the current Jewish text, as indicated by church practice” (“Dom. Bes.”, 1876, No. 28). In all these articles, Bp. F-an spoke in defense of the Greek. translation of 70 interpreters, while the Russian translation of V. 3. was made from the Hebrew text. As noted above, Rev. Feofan was a tireless preacher. His sermons, mostly aimed at revealing moral truths, differ little in spirit and tone from his moralizing works. Some of them were included in their entirety in various works of the bishop. Feofan on moral theology. Theophan's sermons, usually published first in periodic editions, were then compiled into several collections. The first collection was published in the Feofan's rectorate in St. Petersburg. Academy, under the title: “Words of the St. Petersburg spirit. Academy Rector Archimandrite Feofan" (St. Petersburg, 1859). This included sermons from the first period of the recluse’s preaching activity, directed primarily against the unfavorable trends of the spirit of that time. The second collection is “Words to the Tambov flock of Feofan, bishop. Tambovsky and Shatsky,” the first issue was published in St. Petersburg in 1861 (63 sermons from the period 1859–1860), the second issue in Moscow in 1867 (47 sermons from 1861–1863). The sermons of the Vladimir period of Theophan’s priestly ministry compiled a collection: “Words to the Vladimir flock, Rev. Feofan", Vladimir, 1869 Then there are also collections of Theophan’s sermons: “On Orthodoxy, with warnings against sinning against it. Bishop's words Feofan", Moscow, 1893; “About repentance, communion of St. The mysteries of Christ and the correction of life. Words of Rev. Theophan on Holy Pentecost and the weeks of preparation for it,” St. Petersburg, 1868 and 1869, Moscow 1890; 12 small collections, on different topics and subjects, are compiled from selected sermons of Theophan in different periods and published at different times (these sermons were already included in the first collections). Since his retreat, Bishop. Feofan no longer spoke sermons. Finally, a whole extensive department of works by Rev. Feofan consists of his letters to various persons. As was seen above, Feofan’s moralizing system was also compiled in the form of letters. But besides the above-mentioned letters, which are included in systematic works, there are many other letters from the recluse, in the form of personal correspondence, but at the same time touching on general moral and soul-saving issues. Ep. Feofan wrote a lot of letters; one person had up to 1000 letters from Theophanes, which he received personally from the latter. Subsequently, several collections were compiled and published from these letters, such as: “Letters to various persons on various subjects of faith and life,” first published in “Soul. Thu." for 1880–1882, and then published as a separate book in 1882 in Moscow; “Letters to a person in St. Petersburg regarding the appearance of a new teacher of faith there” (printed first, in “Dushep. Read.” 1880–1881, department of the book in St. Petersburg in 1881), directed against Pashkov and his followers. Individual letters were published in “Dushep. Thurs.", "Sunday Thurs.", "Thu. in General love spirit. enlightened." A lonely place in its subject is occupied by “Three Letters to Rev. Feofan on the Eastern Question", printed. in “Right. Review." 1877, No. 3. As can be seen from one list of literary works by Rev. Feofana, he was a prolific writer with enormous capacity for work. But all his works, with few exceptions, bear one imprint: moralizing. Eey. Feofan can rightly be called a moralist writer, and not an abstract one, but an experienced church teacher of Christian morality, who expressed his thoughts and beliefs in the depths of his soul. Analyze in particular the works of Rev. Feofan would have been gone for a very long time. But suffice it to say that the idea of ​​salvation, running through moralizing works, constitutes, in fact, the general idea of ​​all the works of Theophanes. It permeates his sermons, letters and even partly his interpretations. On this side, Bishop Feofan was a writer of “integrity” to a degree that is rarely seen. For his literary activities, Bishop. Feofan was awarded St. Petersburg. spirit. Academy in 1890 with the highest academic degree - Doctor of Theology (review of the commission of professors about the works of Theophanes - in the "Church Vestn." 1894, No. 4, 5 and in the Minutes of the Council of St. Petersburg Spiritual Academician). Other academies honored him with the title of honorary member. In the society of the ep. Feofana are widely known and widely used. But the Eminence himself treated his literary property with his characteristic complete non-acquisitiveness. He ceded the right to publish almost for nothing to publishers, and at the end of his life he gave this right to all works to the monks of the Athos Panteleimon Monastery. “Church. Vedom.”, 1894, No. 8, 12 (memoirs of M. Makaria Bulgakov). - “Church. Vestn.”, 1894, Nos. 3, 8. – “Soulful Reading,” 1894, Nos. 3–8, 11 (memoirs of A.G. Govorov). – “Sunday Reading,” 1894, Nos. 31–32, 34. – “Christian Reading,” 1894, Nos. 7–8. - “Tambov. Ep. Ved.,” 1894, No. 4–6 (recollection of the Vyshensky monk); 1895, No. 39; 1897, No. 43, etc. - “Vlad. Ep. Ved.,” 1866, No. 15. – “Right. Oboz.,” 1863, vol. XII. - “Arr. to the works of St. fathers”, 1886, part 37. – I. A. Chistovich, “History of St. Petersburg. Theological Academy over the past 30 years" (1858–1888). – I. Korsunsky, “The Most Reverend Bishop Theophan, former Vladimir and Suzdal” (“Reader in the General Love. Spiritual Enlightenment” for 1894, Nos. 5–12. – Him, “The Most Reverend Theophan, the former Bishop of Vladimir” (“Faith and Reason”, 1894, Nos. 12, 13, 22, 23, 24). - His, “The meaning of the life and work of Rev. Theophan” (Theological Bulletin, 1895, January). - P. A. Smirnov, “The life and teaching of the Rev. Theophan, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal" (Trud. Kiev. Spiritual Academician, 1894, No. 3). - I. Krutikov, “Saint Theophan, recluse and ascetic of the Vyshensk Hermitage.” Theophan the recluse and his pastoral activity" (Orthodox Sobesedn., 1910, April, May). - “Reverend. Feofan" (ed. Panteleimon Monastery). – Khitrov, archpriest, “Reverend Theophan, the recluse of Vyshensky,” M., 1905 – “News of the Tambov province. Archival Commission", vol. 54. Tamb., 1911 - A. Krotkov, “St. Theophan is a recluse and teaches morals. sayings from his works", M., 1899 - Cases of the Archive of St. Synod, 1866, No. 467; 1890, No. 311 (review of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy about all the scientific and educational activities of Bishop Theophan); 1894, no. 6.