Письмо 241

Thank you for accepting into your monastery and under your roof, according to God and the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos, my niece A–y; it is called by their mercy and handed over to your charity; Tell her what you need to understand, she doesn’t know anything about the news. As for the burden of obedience, I am sure that it will not be burdened; Her worldly mother does not understand spiritual life, pays attention to appearance, and does not know about the spiritual battles that may be encountered on this path, and of course harder than external ones; I wrote to her so that she wouldn’t worry about this. And again, thank you for congratulating me on the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, and I mutually congratulate you both on the upcoming holiday and on the upcoming new year. May the Lord grant you to enter the field of this year peacefully and calmly, leading the flock entrusted to you along the path of God’s commandments, enduring their weaknesses and strengthening them with advice, condescension and reproof, and in all this may God’s help be with you. The rumors that have reached you about the appointment of three abbesses of your diocese to the O. monastery (among which you were allegedly placed) are not substantive. But, however, this cannot happen without the will of God, and you can be absolutely sure of this. On the 20th of December, your former bishop Evlampius came to our monastery, already at night at 10 o’clock; in the monastery he visited all the churches with Fr. abbot, visited our monastery, we all met him in the church; ordered a prayer service, and due to some questions and conversations, he left us at half past 12, and soon went along the highway to Kaluga. Your pilgrim, the great sinner I.M. December 26, 1844. You might be interested in: