Newly elected archbishop. Mount Sinai and Raifa Porfiry (Logofet) and his arrival in Kyiv

The divine Sinai and the wondrous beauty of the Basilica of the Transfiguration of the Lord, built by the famous Byzantine emperor Justinian, with the relics of St. Great Martyr Catherine, has long been for many Russian pilgrims the same attractive point as the Holy Land, Mount Athos, the city of Bari with the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, etc., and therefore we believe that it will be interesting for them to learn some interesting facts regarding the important internal changes that have taken place in the said monastery recently. Elderly and for many years already suffering from a serious illness that defied any efforts and the skill of experienced European doctors in their field, the Archbishop of Mount Sinai and Raifa and at the same time the abbot of the Sinai monastery Porfiry (Pavlidis) was forced to abandon the chair he occupied and retire. The grateful brethren of the monastery, headed by the former Archbishop of Sinai for a very long time - an ardent Russophile by conviction, 1 a man of the noblest character of its kindest heart, and at the same time a skillful administrator - assigned him to lifelong management of a metah (a compound with a monastery), belonging to the Sinai monastery on the island of Chios (near Smyrna), with an allowance of three hundred English pounds sterling. (3,000 rubles), where the Most Reverend Porfiry retired to live out his short life. For the Sinai See, thus vacated, it was necessary to elect a worthy successor. The task for the Sinai monastery, remote from the cultural world, experiencing many deprivations and insults, which not only our Russian monasteries, but even the eastern ones do not know about, 2 and therefore within its walls always has a very limited number of monks, and, moreover, either old people, or dokims - new monks, would not be very easy, moreover, living according to monastic methods in Europe, Asia and Africa, the so-called The proto-synchels of the monastery are very reluctant to part with their homes and do not succumb to the temptation to hold the reins of government of the monastery in their hands and be titled archbishop, if the insightful and ardently devoted former archbishop had not previously prepared for himself such a successor in the person of his student, Archimandrite Porfiry (Logothetus), who until recently occupied the place of rector of the Greek Orthodox Church in Paris. The brethren willingly agreed to the election of the intended candidate and on April 23 of this year unanimously and unanimously proclaimed Arch. Porfiry Logofet as abbot - archbishop of Mount Sinai and Raifa. The new Archbishop of Sinai, Porfiry Logofet, was born in 1858, on the island of St. Eustratius near Limnos. His father, Konstantin Logofet, was a priest and had in his family, in addition to St. Porfiry, another son and three daughters. Raised in a pious family, the young Logofet, 14 years old, arrived in Sinai with the goal of venerating the shrines of the famous monastery, but struck by the grandeur of the nature surrounding the monastery and the imperturbable silence, conducive to the thought of God and the anchorite life, he decided to join the brethren of the monastery as a novice. Hegumen - Archbishop Porfiry Pavlidis noticed the remarkable natural talents and sympathetic character of the young dokim, brought him closer to himself, making him his cell attendant, and then tonsured him into monasticism with the name Porfiry. Since Fr. Porfiry Logofet wished to receive a scientific education, then the former Archbishop Porfiry Pavlidis sent him to Athens and enrolled him in a classical gymnasium, after graduating with excellent success, he provided him with the opportunity and financial means to complete his education at the theological school on Fr. Khalkah, near Constantinople. In 1882 Fr. Porfiry Logofet graduated from this school with the title of didactor of theology and went to his benefactor, Archbishop Porfiry in Cairo, where at that time the Archbishop of Sinai lived in the Sinai metokhe Juvaniya on monastery business. Then Hierodeacon Porfiry Logofet took the place of grammarian (secretary) under the archbishop, but did not remain in this position for very long.” In 1887, His Eminence Porfiry sent the young secretary to Russia to enter the Kyiv Theological Academy. It was desirable for the Bishop to give his beloved student a higher theological education in Russia, which he liked, and at the same time to have in Kyiv, in the existing Sinai monastery of St. Catherine, a person devoted to him and the monastery in the event of the death of the elderly proto-Sinkel, Fr. Archimandrite Meletius, who, as was known in the monastery, owned large sums of money, which he was very reluctant to share with the monastery. Father Archdeacon Porfiry gladly agreed to go to Russia, since he felt drawn to continue his education and study of the Russian language, necessary for Sinaite, in view of the lively and constant relations of the monastery with Russia and clashes with Russian pilgrims, who annually visit the monastery in the number of at least one hundred people of both sexes. But oh. Porfiry stayed at the academy for only one academic year, 1887/88, and returned back to Cairo, having managed to become quite familiar with the living Russian language. The reason for this premature departure from Russia lies in the unfavorable conditions of his stay in Kyiv at the courtyard of the Sinai monastery, created thanks to the senile suspiciousness of Fr. Archimandrite Meletius, who did not want in his actions to have even such insignificant control over himself as the young hierodeacon - a student, the favorite of the ruling abbot - the archbishop - could have. Father Porfiry, even in this only year of his stay in Russia, could not live until the end of the year in the monastery courtyard, but was forced to retire to a private apartment, under the pretext of having constant practice in the Russian language. Fr. did not stay for long this time. Porfiry in Juvania in Cairo under the Archbishop of Sinai. An unsatisfied thirst for higher theological education haunted him and prompted him to earnestly ask his spiritual father, Archbishop Porfiry, to let him go to Europe to listen to lectures at famous universities. Studying the languages ​​of German and French was a new reason to eagerly desire a trip to Europe. Ave. Porfiry yielded to the persistent request of his beloved dokim and sent him to listen to theological lectures in Munich and Geneva. Completion of theological education at the named universities Fr. Porfiry's work coincided, by the way, with the completion of a beautiful Orthodox church in Paris, created by the Greek colony there. The position of rector at this church was offered to Fr., who was theologically educated and knowledgeable in European languages. Porfiry Logofet, elevated to the rank of archimandrite in 1896. Almost eight years Fr. arch. Porfiry was the rector of the said church in Paris, enjoying the universal love of his parishioners - his compatriots. Free leisure o. Porfiry devoted himself to scientific literary theological works, publishing them in Greek editions of Athens, Constantinople, Trieste, etc. But the election on April 23 of this year to the department of Sinai put a limit to the further stay of Fr. arch. Porfiry abroad and again returned this, full of strength, educated monk to his native monastery, to which he owed so much for his upbringing and career and which was in great need of an enlightened leader - an abbot... However, before heading to his place of ministry, the newly elected Archbishop of Sinai decided to make a trip to England and Russia. The first trip was prompted by the desire to see, for the purpose of self-education, the grandiose London and other cities of Britain, which was in many ways different from Paris and other European cities. Met very cordially by the British, travelers to Sinai 3 o. arch. Porfiry was honored by the University of Oxford to receive the honorary title of doctor of this university, with the signs of external distinction inherent in this title. As for his trip to Russia, it was caused by the urgent, very significant needs of the Sinai monastery. As is known, in the summer of 1903, a very old man, proto-Sinkel Archimandrite Meletius, died, who managed the courtyard of the Sinai monastery in Kyiv for about forty years. Father Meletius (Bagianelli) died almost painlessly, without leaving behind any spiritual testament. When checking the property of the deceased, it turned out that he had a capital of over 100,000 rubles in silver deposited in a state bank; Appointed to the place of the deceased rector of the Sinai Catherine's monastery in Kyiv, a very experienced owner and devoted to his monastery, Archimandrite Amphilochius (Argyrakis), who had hitherto occupied a similar place in the Sinai monastery in Tiflis, initiated proceedings to confirm the monastery of Mount Sinai in the rights of inheritance, since the money acquired by Fr. Archimandrite Meletius, acquired by him in the service of the monastery and since, according to the statutes existing throughout the Orthodox East for strict cenobial monasteries, to which the Sinai monastery belongs, the property of a monk, no matter what it consists of, is an inalienable property of the monastery and in the world, cannot be given to the relatives of the deceased monk. The efforts of Fr. Archimandrite Amphilochius were crowned with success, but the ill-wishers of the Sinai monastery from the local Greeks tried to prevent the peaceful resolution of this indisputably fair case in all respects about the inheritance of Fr. arch. Meletia. Bearing in mind the practice that exists in Russia, according to which the law allows archimandrites - abbots of monasteries to bequeath their movable and immovable property to lay heirs, and these latter to claim the right to inherit property if there is no formal spiritual will left, ill-wishers of the Sinai monastery notified the relatives of Fr. arch. Meletius about the substantial capital of 100,000 rubles left behind by the deceased. and, with the assistance of local lawyers, counting on good earnings, they convinced them to file a lawsuit against the monastery and demand recognition of their inheritance rights. A ban was imposed on the money until the question that arose was clarified - who should be the heir after Fr. Archimandrite Meletius. Along with this inheritance case, which caused very contradictory rumors in local society and even in the press, rumors that were not always favorable for the memory of the deceased Fr. arch. Meletius, another urgent matter arose in the Sinai monastery. Upon leaving Tiflis and the appointment of Fr. arch. Amphilochia Argyrakis as the head of the Kyiv Sinai Compound; the position of the head of the Caucasian Sinai Compound remains unfilled. The new head of this monastery appointed by the monastery, according to existing rules, must receive permission to enter Russia from the Holy Synod. It was with the aim of seeking this permission that Archbishop Elected to the Sinai Archbishop apparently undertook a trip to Russia. Porfiry Logofet. However, he could also have other reasons for this trip: the desire to revive in his memory the Kyiv impressions he took from his short stay here, to renew the acquaintances necessary for the benefit of the monastery and to become convinced of the urgent need to bring the extremely neglected buildings and even the Church of St. into a more decent appearance. Great Martyr Catherine at the Sinai Metochion in Kyiv. Arch. arrived. Porfiry went to Kyiv on August 10 and stopped at his farmstead in Podol. He immediately made visits to the High Reverend Metropolitan Flavian of Kyiv and the rector of the Theological Academy, Bishop Platon of Chigirin, who immediately returned the visits to him, having visited the arch. Porfiry at his courtyard. Since on August 15 the Kiev Lavra solemnly celebrates its church holiday, the arriving arch. Sinai Porfiry together with Fr. Archimandrite Amphilochius, head of the monastery's courtyard, were invited to the Lavra for a festive fraternal meal. Beautiful appearance, graceful manners and lively, lively conversation of the arch. Porfiry in French and German drew the general attention of numerous guests from the Kiev intelligentsia invited to the same meal, and won him general sympathy. Your Eminence Flavian, Viceroy of the Lavra Fr. Archimandrite Anthony and the oldest Lavra brethren showed the visiting guest full attention and the most sincere cordiality. Reception in Kyiv arch. Porfiry, who during his short stay managed to settle and resolve some of the significant urgent needs of the monastery, and Vladyka Flavian, for his part, on the affairs of the monastery was even forced to communicate by telegram with St. Petersburg, remained positively enchanted. To the station on the same day, August 15, upon departure to Odessa, architect. Porfiry expressed his complete pleasure and heartfelt gratitude to the Kievans who saw off the guest. We already know now that the new Archbishop of Sinai, Porfiry, received a cordial welcome in Constantinople from the Ecumenical Patriarch Joachim III and was graciously received in an audience with Sultan Abdul Hamid, who conferred on the new Archbishop of Sinai the Order of Medzhidiye of the 1st degree. Further travel plan of the arch. Sinai like this. After a short stay in Constantinople, he will go to Smyrna and Chios to see his sick elder there, the former Archbishop of Sinai Porfiry, to receive his blessing for a new path in life and to find out directly about the internal state of the monastery entrusted to his leadership and about its urgent needs. From Chios arch. Porfiry will visit his homeland for a short time to see his sisters, and from there he will go straight to Cairo, to Juvaniya, to his place of stay. Having captured a decent retinue from the brethren of the monastery, he will go to Jerusalem for consecration, from there he will return to Cairo, to Juvania, and by November 24, the day of the celebration of the memory of the patroness of the monastery, St. Great Martyr Catherine, will arrive at her cathedral Sinai Monastery to celebrate it magnificently and inquire on the spot about the needs of the monastery. New arch. Sinai Porfiry, as he personally informed us in Kyiv, after Christmastide plans to return back to Cairo and there in Juvania he will remain, according to the long-established custom in the life of this monastery, for a permanent stay, so that it would be easier to have relations from there according to the needs of the monastery. However, the question of the place of permanent residence of the Sinai archbishop is very sensitive, and the new archbishop speaks about it not without anxiety and fear. As is known, the elderly Patriarch of Alexandria Sophronius IV († 1899) was unfriendly towards the Archbishop of Sinai Porfirios Pavlidis and directed all efforts to evict him from Cairo and remove him to the Sin desert, to the Sinai monastery. In this matter, the late Hierarch played an important role - jealousy of the Archbishop of Sinai, who, by virtue of his will, is considered the chairman of the ephoria of the classical gymnasium, founded by the merchants Ambetyev brothers, Russian subjects, who even sought the highest patronage from the Russian Sovereign Emperor. In view of its exceptional position and as the only secondary educational institution, the Ambetevskaya school (as this gymnasium is called) enjoys great sympathy in Cairo among the local Greek merchants, who live here in large numbers, and at the same time, these merchants gave the same sympathy to the handsome Archbishop of Sinai, Porfirios Pavlidis, who was at the head of the school. The attempts of Patriarch Sophrony therefore were not crowned with success, and such strained relations were established between Juvania and the Patriarchate that their inhabitants never saw each other... After the death of Patriarch Sophronius and after the election in his place of the Metropolitan of Nazareth Photius (Peroglou), who lived for seven years in the Sinai monastery as an exile and enjoyed from the brethren of the monastery and especially from Archbishop Porfirios Pavlidis the most sincere brotherly sympathies and signs of heartfelt attention 4 in Juvania and Sinai, there was a natural and strong confidence that the relationship the Archdiocese of Sinai and the Patriarchate of Alexandria will be settled and will take a wide course. But hopes turned out to be premature. Former prisoner of Sinai, Patriarch Photius, with whom he once shared the arch. Porfiry, even with his linen, within the walls of the Patriarchate in Cairo, as the Patriarch of Alexandria, met his friend and most sincere benefactor (which we personally witnessed when we were in Sinai in 1888) coldly, officially, and most importantly, he did not even give a visit to Juvania until now... Obviously, for the Patriarch of Alexandria Photius, who is well remembered by all who followed the vicissitudes of the election of Nicodemus 1st to the patriarchal see in Jerusalem, who is now retired in the St. George's Jerusalem courtyard on Halki, Gerasim and the now happily living Patriarch Damian, the well-known saying: “friendship is friendship, and service is service” is not an empty phrase and not an idle word... Therefore, the anxious state of mind of the new Archbishop of Sinai, Porfiry Logofet, with which he now enters Juvania, is understandable. Whether the new Archbishop of Sinai will be able to establish a peaceful modus vivendi with the head of the Alexandrian Church or not is a rather difficult question to solve, but for the good of the Sinai monastery, which we are sure the Patriarch of Alexandria Photius is not alien to in his wishes, it will not be useless in the extreme case to establish tolerant relations between the Patriarchate and Juvania. Kyiv 1904 September 17. R.S. From the Archbishop of Sinai Porfiry Logofet, we learned that communication with Russia or El Tor is now established by steamship and regular: twice a month, on the 1st and 15th of each month. Thus, it will be customary for our pilgrims to know that the difficult overland journey on camels to the Sinai monastery has now been reduced to two days. The former Archbishop of Sinai Porfiry was ordained a hierodeacon in Kyiv by the late Metropolitan of St. Petersburg Isidore. When he was Metropolitan of Kyiv, he speaks and writes excellent Russian. In Kyiv, the Most Reverend Porfiry lived in the courtyard of St. Great Martyr Catherine, belonging to the Sinai monastery. We mean the uprising in Egypt in 1882 of the famous Arabi Pasha and the associated unrest among the Bedouins - monastery filaks (guardians), who gathered en masse under the monastery and kept it under siege for several days. Only the resourcefulness and fearlessness of the ever-memorable abbot Galaktion saved the monastery from the dire consequences of a dangerous thunderstorm approaching the monastery. (See more about this in the Right. Palestine. Collection. v. 10, St. Petersburg. 1888, p. 21 and in the Church. Ved. 1890 No. 25). Particular attention was paid to St. Porfiry by two Englishwomen who lived for a long time in Sinai and described Syriac manuscripts there. They also have the honor of discovering the ancient Syrian codex of the Gospel. For more information on this, see our brochure: “Newly elected Patriarch of Alexandria Photius (Peroglu)” (according to personal recollections). Kiev 1900, pp. 10–25. You might be interested in: