Life and writings of the Moldavian elder Paisius Velichkovsky

With the addition of prefaces to the books of St. Gregory of Sinaite, Philotheus of Sinai, Hesychius the presbyter and Nil of Sorsky, composed by his friend and faster, Elder Vasily of Polyanomerulsky, on mental sobriety and prayer Preface from the Russian publisher A brief warning to the God-loving reader about the life of Elder Paisios of blessed memory, Archimandrite of the Moldavian Holy Monasteries The exploits, instructions and writings of the Moldavian elder Paisius, our compatriot both by place of birth and by union of love, had a great influence on Russian monasteries; the example of his life and the light of his teaching shed abundantly on Russian monasticism. For many of the Russians, seeking salvation and renouncing the world and even in the world, wandering in Palestine, Mount Athos and Moldova, and collecting, like bees from flowers, the honey of saving teaching from the ascetics who lived in those places, found especially in the monastery of Elder Paisius the greatest spiritual benefit, learning, moreover, his high life and his honey-bearing instructions, monastic exploits and inner mental work prayers. Upon returning to Russia, they passed on the spiritual treasure they acquired there to others seeking salvation - some as leaders of the monasteries, and others as members of the brotherhood. No less than this, the book works of the blessed elder Paisius contributed to the spread of spiritual enlightenment, which he picked up in the translation of the fatherly writings, some of which had not been previously translated into the Slovenian language, while others, although they were translated and were found somewhere in manuscripts, their translation was so ancient and in many places distorted by copyist errors that it became almost incomprehensible; Elder Paisius corrected it according to the Greek originals with all possible care, as he himself explains in his letter to Father Theodosius, Archimandrite of the Sophronium Hermitage. He translated from Greek the book “Philokalia”, which contains the writings of 24 God-wise fathers and ascetics, guiding to the highest Christian wisdom, by which the Christ-loving soul is purified, enlightened and raised to union with God through internal, active and contemplative prayer, constantly performed by the mind in the heart. His Eminence Gabriel, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, who deeply respected Father Paisius and had spiritual communication with him, earnestly desired to see and publish this book, and repeatedly asked him to do so: but the wise elder did not dare to do this for a long time, partly out of a sense of humility, partly out of fear that arrogant people would not misinterpret the holy teaching contained in it, and while studying it arbitrarily, without proper guidance and order, they would not fall into conceit and delusion, and thus would not give rise to the debasement of the shrine. Finally, the elder’s disciple Athanasius delivered to the Metropolitan both the Greek original and the elders’ translation of this book, which, by appointment of the Metropolitan, was first examined by teachers of the Alexander Nevsky Academy who knew Greek, and then (as is known from the tradition preserved in the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius) given for revision and correction to the teacher of the Greek language in the Lavra of St. Sergius, Jacob Dmitrievich Nikolsky (who was later Protopresbyter of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral), corrected by him in places difficult to understand, and printed in the Moscow Synodal Printing House, for the first time in 1795; then, through the diligent efforts of His Eminence Philaret, Archbishop (now Metropolitan) of Moscow, for the second time in 1822 and for the third time in 1832. In addition to the Philokalia, Elder Paisius also translated a book by the great teacher of inner life, St. Isaac the Syrian 1, and this translation was printed in Moldova. In addition, the ancient Slovenian translations of the writings of Macarius the Great, John Climacus, St. Barsanuphius, Thalassia, and Simeon the New theologian, and books translated by him: Maximus the Confessor on question and answer, Theodore the Studite (from simple Greek), the life of Gregory the Sinaite, the words of Gregory Palamas, and others, which are used by Bulgarian, Serbian, and Russian Christians who thirst for spiritual edification and salvation. Of the Russian monks who used the example and teaching of Elder Paisius, the following are especially famous: 1) Archimandrite Theodosius of the Sophronium Hermitage, a disciple of the wise elder Vasily, whose disciple and tonsure was Father Paisius: from the 70th year he, after the elder Vasily, ruled the Vlakhian monastery of Merlopolyansky; and then, during the Turkish War, in 1787 he was summoned, with his students, to Russia by Prince Potemkin. In Russia, he was given control of the Sophronie Hermitage in the Kursk Province, in which he lived for quite some time, tending the verbal flock and instructing the brethren from the paternal writings and his own experience of spiritual life. From this monastery, many were subsequently elected to the abbots of the monasteries of that diocese. Theodosius, throughout his life, was a friend of Elder Paisius; a letter from the elder, enclosed in this book, was written to him in response to his request to send spiritual books for the edification of the brethren living in the Sophronius desert. 2) Elder Kleopas, who lived for quite some time in Mount Athos and in Moldavia in the Drogomirn monastery, and had close spiritual communication with Elder Paisius; upon leaving Russia, even before 1788, he became the rector of the Ostrovskaya Vvedenskaya Hermitage; spiritual worker and guardian of mental sobriety. He introduced the cenobitic rule of Mount Athos in the Ostrovskaya hermitage, which was transferred by his followers Ignatius and Macarius to the Peshnoshsky cenobitic monastery, which is now part of the Moscow diocese. – Ignatius, from 1778 after Cleopas, was the builder of the Ostrovskaya Vvedensky hermitage; from 1788 Archimandrite of the Tikhvin Monastery, where, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gabriel, he introduced a communal charter; Finally, in 1798, he was transferred by the archimandrite to the Simonov Monastery to establish a hostel, and died there in 1796. Everywhere he was for the brethren an example of virtuous living, and especially of humility, poverty and non-covetousness; I have not worn silk clothes since entering monasticism; He was merciful to the poor, compassionate to the unfortunate, full of love and beneficent to the brethren. – Macarius was the rector of the Peshnosha monastery from 1788 until his death, which followed in 1811. He had a spiritual connection and correspondence with Elder Paisius, the mentor of his benefactor Elder Cleopas, and received a staff as a gift from him. The Peshnosha monastery especially owes its structure and splendor, external and internal, to him. Tireless and leading a lot in economic works, he was even more tireless in the exploits of his inner life. His appearance seemed stern, but his soul was full of fatherly love; he did not have any property, but shared everything with his brethren; He received everyone with kindness, and his simplicity of heart, coupled with spiritual wisdom, involuntarily attracted universal respect to him. His Eminence Metropolitan Platon often presented him as an example to other abbots, and instructed him to organize various monasteries; and indeed many of them borrowed from Peshnosha both the order of community life and the monks capable of maintaining it. Thus, the abbot of Kirillonovozersk Theophanes, well known for his pious life, was on Peshnosh in 1790, borrowed the cenobitic charter from there, and asked Macarius for several of the brethren for help in establishing a hostel in the Novozersky monastery; so the hermitages: Davidova, Optina, Berlyukovskaya, Ekaterininskaya, Medvedeva, Krivoyezerskaya, and the monasteries: Golutvinsky and Moscow Sretensky received the best structure of the hostel according to the model of the Peshnoshsky monastery, with the assistance and leadership of Macarius. His companions in spiritual work were Samuel, later the abbot of the Golutvin Monastery, Avramiy, later the abbot of the Kozelsk Optina Hermitage, and Hierotheus, who was then the builder of the Catherine Hermitage. 3) Hieromonk Cleopas, and 4) Schemamonk Theodore, the first from the Little Russians, and the second from the citizens of the city of Karachev, who lived for many years in the monastery of Elder Paisius and who took monastic vows from him, were thoroughly instructed and confirmed by him in spiritual life; went to Russia in 1801. Cleopa lived in the Oryol diocese in the Beloberezh Hermitage and the St. Petersburg diocese in the Valaam Monastery; Theodore - in the Cholna monastery, in the deserts: Beloberezhskaya, Paleostrovskaya, in the monastery of the Valaam monastery and in the Alexandrosvir monastery 2 - from them they received education in undergoing spiritual feats and smart work: Hieromonk Leonid 3, Hieromonk Gabriel and many others. Equally, not only the monastics, but also the secular, who received from them edification and consolation in their spiritual sorrows, benefited spiritually from these latter. The blessed death of these spiritual ascetics confirms the fruit of their pious life. Hieromonk Cleopas died in the Valaam Monastery in 1816; Schemamonk Theodore in the Svirsky Monastery in 1822, and Hieromonk Leonid in the Optina Hermitage in 1841. 5) Schemamonk Athanasius, former captain of the hussar regiment, by the name of Zakharov, lived with Elder Paisius for more than 7 years and accepted the monastic image from him; Most of all, with the blessing of Elder Paisius, he was engaged in copying out instructions from the fatherly books on prayer, humility, patience, obedience, love and other virtues, the acquisition of which he was always concerned about. Due to necessary circumstances and at his request, he was released to Russia, with the monks Ambrose and Theophilos, in 1777. Here, due to many temptations he endured, he was assigned to the Vladimir diocese in the Florishcheva hermitage, and having lived there quite in pious deeds, he received peace from them in the Bogoroditskaya Ploshchanskaya hermitage, Oryol diocese, being carefully resettled there for the sake of many who benefited from his life and teaching, filled with love and humility. He died a blessed death in 1825. Coming from the Florishcheva Hermitage to Moscow, he had spiritual conversations about smart work and about many subjects of monastic life with the Hieroschemamonks Alexander (later archimandrite in Arzamas) and Philaret 4 5 who were at that time in the Novospassky Monastery, who, although they did not know Paisius personally, used the spiritual teachings contained in those translated by him the writings of the fathers, and had great love, zeal and reverence for this spiritual leader: from them, Alexander corresponded with Father Paisius himself. 6) Schemamonk Athanasius, one of the Senate secretaries, having left the world, wandered to St. Mount Athos and in Moldavia, he lived in the monastery of Elder Paisius, from whom he was entrusted for the edification of Elder Sophrony (successor of the Elder Commander in the Nyametsk Hermitage). In 1805, while living in the Svensky Monastery of the Oryol Diocese, he received from Elder Sophrony the edifying scripture attached here, which could serve many for spiritual benefit. He died in the same Svensky Monastery in 1811, in the arms of the above-mentioned schemamonk Afanasy. He brought to St. Petersburg from Moldova the book: “The Philokalia” in Greek, and when, in 1791 and 92, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Gabriel, the translation of this book made by Elder Paisius was compared with the Greek original, and the expressions and phrases that were difficult to understand in it had to be replaced with clearer and more generally understood, then those who worked in this matter were obliged, by appointment of the Metropolitan, to constantly consult about everything that they found necessary to correct with the spiritual Elders, who in fact, according to the leadership of Father Paisius, taught the lofty teaching set forth in the Philokalia - and namely: with the abbot of the Valaam monastery Nazarius, with the hieromonk Theophan, later the Archimandrite of the Novozersk monastery, with the above-mentioned hieromonk Philaret, who was then still a hierodeacon of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and with Athanasius, who brought this book to Russia, whose worldly name was Andrei Nikolaevich: “they,” the wise archpastor said to the learned translators, “although they do not know the Greek language as you do, they know better from experience spiritual truths, incomprehensible only by book teaching, and therefore more correctly than you can understand the meaning of the instructions contained in this book.” 7) Monk Pavel, who lived in Moldova under Elder Paisius and went to Russia, ended his days in the Moscow Simonov Monastery. He suffered a lot in 1812, during the invasion of the French, was beaten by them, and spent the rest of his life in a painful situation; with his spiritual talent he gave benefit to many who sought it. 8) Monk Gerasim, tonsure of the elders, having come to Russia, he lived in the Sophronium Hermitage. This hardworking elder, with his spiritual gifts, set an example for the other brethren, with his hardworking obedience, until a very old age, having acquired deep humility through it. 9) Monk Feofan who lived in Optina Hermitage 6. It is known that in addition to these pious elders, many were alive under Father Paisius, received spiritual enlightenment from him, and then went to Russia for various reasons; others, while traveling and settling down for a while in his monastery, were saturated with his spiritual teachings, and all of them, dispersed and settled in different Russian monasteries, introduced into them the spiritual enlightenment they acquired from the life and teachings of Elder Paisius. We cannot count them all; but at least some of them are known, such as: Hieromonk Vasily, of noble birth, born in the Fatezh district; his worldly name was Vladimir Timofeevich Kishkin; he wandered and lived for several years with his disciples in St. Mount Athos and Moldavia, after 1780; after that he was a builder in the Beloberezh hermitage and ended his days in the Ploshchanskaya hermitage at rest, in 1851. There was a spiritual elder, whom many took advantage of spiritually, and was especially distinguished from a young age by his chastity, humility, patience and love for those who offended him. Of his students, the following are known: Anastasius, Israel, Seraphim, who later became the rector of the Beloberezh Hermitage, and Filaret, abbot of the Glinsk Hermitage. - monk Arseny, who spent most of his life in deserted forests, and died in the Beloberezh desert in 1844. Hieroschemamonk Athanasius, a spiritually enlightened elder, also a silent inhabitant of the desert, rested in the Lord from his labors in the Bryansk Svensky Monastery in 4845, maintaining spiritual sobriety until death in obedience; He was for many a lamp shining in the darkness. Hegumen Samuil, former abbot of the Kolomna Golutvin Monastery, a skilled practitioner of smart sobriety. - Monk Arseny had a spiritual life, died in the Simonov Monastery. – Hieroschemamonk Leveriy, in the Ekaterinoslav diocese, who died in 1824 at a ripe old age. Archimandrite Macarius, who managed the Altai mission, used his instructions. All this, from many to very few, is presented here. But who can count all those who have enjoyed and are now enjoying in Russian monasteries the spiritual enlightenment from the works and teachings of Elder Paisius, transmitted and passed on to each other? For all this, may the most merciful Lord increase the reward of reward in the endless century to the blessed elder Paisius; and we Russians must feel the spiritual benefit poured out on us by God’s providence through him, not for monasticism alone, but also for the strengthening of the entire Orthodox Church. For he, at the height of his spiritual life, was a zealous guardian of the dogmas and rules of the holy church, and taught others the strict preservation of them, as the most necessary basis for our salvation. For all this, according to our strength, let us give glory, thanksgiving and worship to the one God, glorified and worshiped in the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. After the departure of our father, Elder Paisios of blessed memory, to the Lord, the time was long, but for more than twenty years he passed in silence, so as not to let the river flow in negligence. Just as if from sleep, one has perked up and started to see oneself. God warm the hearts of the Moldavian and Slavic language of the oldest and warmest disciples, who will certainly write the life of their father. And I begged our beloved brother, schemamonk Mitrofan, to accept this obedience. This novice has worked hard, and like a disciple of the most ancient elder, he is not unskilled in writing books and grammatical art, having collected and written in the Slavic language. But extreme due to his old age and weakness, especially the dullness of his hair, it is completely impossible to correct. After a short time I departed to the Lord. After the death of Mitrofan, seeing the common brother Schemamonk John, as if Mitrofan’s writing had not received perfect correction, he was zealous about this life, and on the advice of other spiritual fathers, and as skilled in the Moldavian and Greek language and writers, wrote this very complex copying in the Moldavian language, but is by no means different from Mitrofan’s, although in the most important things it was revealed in one. - After a little time, this one departed to the Lord. Worse than the brethren who have the zeal of the Moldavian language is the copying of Ioannovo, for the breadth of it they stifle themselves. And with a strong prayer he begged the teacher Hierodeacon Kir-Gregory, who was then in the Neamets monastery, who was then in the monastery, and who is now the Metropolitan of the city of Bukureşt and all Wallachia, that he may choose from him a short life. He is like a wise man, knowing that it is impossible to show kindness of all breadth without belittling with short words; Otherwise, we convince the brethren with a prayer, a short choice: put the inscription for him not in the life, but in a short story from the life. And as a wise man was chosen, it was read to the Yassi Metropolitan Kir-Veniamin, and the then prince, and with their permission, it was published in the Neamtse monastery, sowing a multitude of stories and now spreading everywhere. For this reason, the brethren and Spiritual Fathers of the Neamtsa monastery, Moldavian and Slavic, for the disagreement of all these writings, greatly regretted themselves, saying: just as the elder is one, so his life in both languages ​​should be written in one and the same way. For this reason, the brethren who have diligence, having examined all the writings, and of all of them, holding on more than Mitrofanov, the most necessary, gathered together, judged by the council into the Moldavian and Slavic languages ​​in one and the same with the secondary scripture. And now, with the help of God and the prayers of our Blessed Father, this life, as far as possible, has been corrected, and the impoverished one has been supplemented with endings and offered to you, the God-loving reader, for the benefit of the soul. We pray for your acceptance of love, and for us sinners who have sinned somewhere, forgiveness of taxes. This book, in manuscript, was sent from the Elder to His Eminence, Metropolitan Gabriel, with a handwritten signature in the Preface: “who labored in the translation of this Holy Ascension Nametsky and Predtechev Sekulsky Moldovan Monastery Archimaidrite Paisiy Velichkovsky, Rodimets of Poltava.” The life of schemamonk Theodore was published in Moscow, 1839, in a special book, compiled briefly from his more extensive handwritten life. This hieroschemamonk Leonid (lion) was from the citizens of the city of Karachev, with the surname Nagolkin. Initially entered the Kaluga diocese in the Kozelskaya Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage, in 1797; Having lived for two years, he moved to the Beloberezh Hermitage, located in the Oryol province, where he was tonsured a monk, in 1801, by the Builder Hieromonk Vasily, an elder of spiritual life, who labored for quite some time in Mount Athos, and was promoted to hieromonk in 1804, by the will of His Eminence Dosifei, Bishop Orlovsky and Sevsky, was identified as the Builder in this desert, both before construction, temporarily living in the Cholna monastery, and as a former Builder, he had a rich life and spiritual love for the Lord and an interview with the disciple of Elder Paisius, the aforementioned schema-monk Theodore, who came from Moldova, from whom he was instructed in confrontation with passions, and received the enlightenment of the spiritual mind; upon his dismissal from the Construction post, at his strong request in 1808, he lived with Father Theodore and Hieroschemamonk Cleopas in the same Monastery in a deserted cell, together engaged in intelligent work and benefiting his neighbors, who flocked to the doors of their cell, with spiritual advice and instructions. Upon leaving the White Shores, Father Theodore and Fr. Leonid with Fr. Cleopas in 1811 moved to the Valaam Monastery, where Fr. Theodore joined them. Here they underwent ascetic attentive living in the monastery located there; after the reassurance of the Elder Hieroschemamonk Cleopas in the Valaam Monastery, they moved to live in the Svirsky Monastery in 1817, where Fr. Theodore rested in the Lord, having undoubtedly received the reward of his labors - the hope of salvation and Fr. Leonid, knowing about the silent monastery built near the Optina Hermitage, and having students with him who required training in a comfortable fraternal hostel, in 1829 he moved to live in this monastery, where, according to the goodwill of the Abbot, he was entrusted with the spiritual leadership of the brethren living in the monastery. The hail on top of the mountain could not hide here; People of different ranks began to come to him from different cities and villages, from nobles, merchants, townspeople and common people - of both sexes, and from time to time the crowd of people multiplied. Everyone, having been received by him with a compassionate, fatherly disposition and lovingly, revealed his spiritual sorrows and wounds to him, and drew consolation and healing from his conversation; and many who were possessed by bodily illnesses, and even possessed by demons, received relief by reading a prayer from him and anointing with oil from the lamp that burned in front of the icon of the Mother of God; almost no one left him without being consoled spiritually or physically. Such a beneficial effect of the elder both on the brethren and on those who came, greatly contributed to the improvement of the monastery itself, internal and external; under its shadow, many brethren flocked from different places, seeking spiritual salvation and seeing wise governance, harmonious deanery and spiritual edification under the leadership of Father Leonid and the prudent Abbot, who, knowing the elder’s skill in spiritual life, entrusted those who came to live in the monastery to him, as a spiritual mentor, for care, according to the instructions of St. Fathers. Gifted with spiritual reasoning, and having a keen memory and gift of speech, Fr. Leonidas gave everyone decent instructions from St. Scripture and fatherly teachings, deeply rooted in the purity of his mind and memory. Before the people, he loved to hide the high structure of his spirit under the extreme simplicity of his words; His speech was distinguished by a special, unique combination of the spiritual power of scripture and the vivid expressiveness of the Russian folk language. In addition to his studies at the monastery, he received many letters from various people who asked him for resolution of perplexities, and out of his love for his neighbors he did not leave them unattended, but either wrote himself or dictated answers suitable for everyone’s strengthening and consolation in sorrows. When the crowd of people increased, due to the inconvenience of his monastery position, he was transferred to a monastery in 1836, where he also continued to give spiritual instructions to many, and even with the weakness of his health, he did not refuse anyone, but showed his fatherly compassion to everyone. He died on the 11th day of October 1841, 72 years from birth, in full memory and sound mind, gradually weakening in bodily strength, but spiritually strengthened by faith, the performance of the conciliar Blessing of Anointing on him and the frequent communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, which he was honored with on the very day of his death. In severe illness, until his death he called on the Merciful Lord, and finally the illness subsided; He crossed himself, blessed the upcoming brethren, and calmly gave up his spirit in the hands of God. Elders Alexander and Philaret (in schema Theodore), who lived together for a long time in the Moscow Novospassky Monastery, were united by a special spiritual friendship. – Hieromonk Filaret was from the city of Vyazma, the son of a wealthy merchant, whose last name was Pulyashkin. At the age of thirteen he entered the monastery, early feeling an inner aversion to secular pursuits and, from childhood, delving into the reading of spiritual books that were in his father’s house. It is unknown where he initially entered; but subsequently he spent several years in the Sarov desert and then in the Nevsky Lavra under Metropolitan Gabriel. From St. Petersburg, Elder Philaret moved to Moscow, was for some time in the Simonov Monastery and then in Novo Spassky, where for more than 40 years he was in one cell, rarely stepping outside the gates of the monastery fence. Only on quiet summer evenings, when the movement of the people died down, did he go out with his friend, Hieromonk Alexander, and with another elder, Mikhail, who adhered to the same teaching, for a solitary walk around the monastery walls, feeding his heart with lofty conversation. – Having spent considerable time in the feats of monastic silence, Elder Philaret devoted the rest of his life to active service to his neighbors, giving edifying advice and consolation to everyone in need, without distinction of persons or conditions. His cell was filled daily with a multitude of people of every rank, from the highest dignitaries to the lowest commoners. Dejected by grief, oppressed by life, agitated by doubt, wounded by passion, beset by misfortune, or mental illness, or even physical ailments, flocked to him from all sides, to pour out their sorrows before his meek, compassionate participation, and of course, the action of the grace of God - of all those who came to him with faith, no one who suffered left his threshold without receiving consolation: perplexed Those who sought teaching found in him saving advice - high edification, fierce tenderness, desperate prayer, the weak-hearted clarification of the truth, the faint-hearted reinforcement of strength. His conversation especially clearly expressed the amazing meekness of his soul, extreme humility, burning love for his neighbor, compassion, patience and the beauty and power of deep spiritual knowledge. It often happened that because of the multitude of visitors, he had no time for either a meal or a short rest, despite the painful illness from which he suffered throughout his entire life. Nevertheless, early in the morning and in the evening, in addition to the hours especially designated for prayer, he also found time to read and copy the books of the holy fathers. Only, not long before his death, which followed on August 28, 1842, at the age of 84 from birth, he could no longer serve those in need with his soulful advice and instructions; for from the blow that probably happened to him as a result of his painful suffering, his tongue could hardly pronounce anything other than his usual invocation of the holy name of the Savior and the Most Holy Virgin who gave birth to him, so that repeating day and night incessantly and, so to speak, with every breath these holy names, his blessed soul on the wings of unceasing prayer with his last breath ascended from earthly existence to the one whom he so constantly and so ardently he called, stretching out his hands to the sky from his suffering bed, as if thinking of grabbing someone close. – His mother ended her life as a nun. His brother, in monasticism Apollinaris, was an archimandrite in Rostov, where his friend was also there, adhering to the same teaching, the high life of the Elder Hieromonk Amphilochius, who was at the cancer of St. Demetrius. Father Archimandrite Alexander of Arzamas, filled with spiritual gifts, was for some time the governor of the Moscow Novospassky Monastery. Having asked for dismissal from his position for a hospital vacancy, he used solitude and heartfelt prayer, according to the teaching of the fathers who went through this work in invoking the name of Jesus, and in his private cell he accepted the great image of the schema. His Eminence Metropolitan Gabriel, who was in Moscow at the coronation of Emperor Paul the First of blessed memory, had a lot of conversation with him, and invited him to his Novgorod diocese for the degree of archimandrite; but he humbly refused, solely because he did not want to leave his solitude, in which he enjoyed the friendship of the elder, Hieromonk Philaret, who was striving for the same goal with him, spending considerable time in solitude in this position in the Novospassky Monastery, in extreme poverty, he had relations with the elders of Moldova and Athos, took advantage of their experiences of spiritual life, and when they were in Moscow on various occasions, he received them to himself and a lot served their needs through beneficent citizens known to him and committed to him. He also gave a lot of help to those seeking the path of salvation, according to the calling of God, to monastic life with advice and various means of liberation from worldly life. Because of his love for the Lord and guidance, many pursued the attentive monastic life; some of them were also called to guide others and were elevated to the degrees of Superior: Builders, Abbots and Archimandrites, during his lifetime. (For more information about Archimandrite Alexander, see the Note at the end of the book). Monk Feofan, a native of the Vladimir Province, was in the service of the Black Sea Cossack army of the Voskrensky kuren; Before he was tonsured, he was called: Cossack Fyodor Talunin; He entered service on May 5, 1789, and was dismissed from it due to his illness in 1791. After retirement, he spent some time on probation in the Sophronium Hermitage; from there he moved to Moldavia, where he studied monasticism with Elder Paisius in the Nyametsky monastery, undergoing obedience with strict rejection of his will, and worked for three years in a cookery, but after the death of the elder he returned to Russia, and was accepted into the Optina Monastery as a brotherhood by decree of 1800, March 7th, and was tonsured into monasticism in 1801. September 26th. In the personal list of monastics for 1816, it is stated that he “was 45 years old, studied Russian literacy, served as a sexton, was zealous for the church, tireless in the works of obedience, good behavior, and in extreme non-covetousness and meekness of spirit, he practiced the active virtues of fasting, prayers and prostrations with ardent zeal. During the entire first and entire last week of Great Lent, I did not eat anything; and on other fasts he ate food on the third day. Jealousy for the feats of fasting prompted him to enter with faith into a great measure of supernatural fasting. At one time, he revealed to his brother, who was close to him by living together in solitude, his indispensable desire to spend the entire holy day. Lent without food; “I believe,” he said, “that I will not die from fasting.” The brother, having heard this, could neither deviate him from this intention nor confirm it, but left this excessive feat to his will. So, having entered St. During Lent, Theophanes did not eat anything during the entire fast, but only once a week he drank warm water for dryness; After all 40 days, he endured the entire service privately, and besides this he bowed a lot; He heated the cell himself, and was constantly visible in good spirits. At one time, his brother, noticing his exhaustion, said to him: “Father, you have exhausted yourself very much”; Theophan answered this: “No, Christ the Savior shed all his blood to the last drop, and there is still a lot of blood in me.” Having endured this feat with God's help unremittingly, he partook of the holy mysteries of Christ. Subsequently, he was jealous of the same feat; but from a cold he fell ill with a severe cough, and gradually depleting his bodily strength, on July 15, 1819, at the end of Matins, when his brother asked him: is his soul at peace, is he afraid of anything in the hour of death? He answered: “I joyfully wish to be released from this life,” and immediately began to end, raised his hand for the sign of the cross, and with that he departed to the Lord.