10. Священство

“Love Christ, have humility, prayer and patience. These are the four signs of your spiritual compass." Makris Elder Amphilochius. P. 66 When Saint Philaret speaks about the Priesthood, he does not dwell on its grace-filled side, but focuses his attention on the moral and practical side. In a letter to Emperor Nicholas I, the Saint, touching on the then situation of the Orthodox Church in Russia, although he rejects criticism from the enemies of the Church who are attacking the clergy and trying to undermine trust in the Church, he nevertheless agrees that there are some shortcomings and they must be corrected immediately, for the health of the entire state depends on this. – “When moving towards perfection, some shortcomings existing in the Russian clergy could not go unnoticed. Articles began to appear in magazines in which they were pointed out, as if in passing in the form of hints... From the lack of clergy they drew conclusions about the shortcomings of the Holy Church and invited the frivolous to break off their practical union with it.” But these conclusions “are mostly superficial, exaggerated, unfair... What constitutes the vice of some appears in these exclamations to belong to all... On the other hand, one cannot completely reject these censures. Some of them express a sad truth. There are shortcomings in the clergy... Just as the painful state of any member of society cannot but resonate with a painful sensation in the entire great body of the state, especially the painful state of the clergy, which, by its purpose, occupies a very important place in the social organism. But it is not only unreasonable and unconscionable to hide such a condition, but, on the contrary, it is the duty of every beneficial member of society to enter with full attention into this situation and find ways to heal it, so that the entire body of the state, healed of all ailments, harmoniously develops vital forces and ascends to the perfection indicated to it by God” (27:27-28). Closely related to these thoughts is the judgment of the Holy Father “On the choice of title” (“To the nephew...”). “If you have a tendency towards hypochondria,” he writes, “a monastic life with learned works, I agree, is not convenient. On the contrary, a simple monastic life would be convenient and useful, with a skilled mentor, for whom there is trust and love, but this is not easy to find in the present time. The idea of ​​how the clergy is viewed today means nothing for the choice of title. You never know how they look at Christianity? It is said: “Woe when all men say good things to you (about you)” (Luke 6:26); and nowhere does it say that there is trouble when others look bad. If there are few shepherds who shepherd spiritually, we must be zealous about their multiplication, and not despise the title. Eli and his children were not spiritual shepherds; guilty, punished - all this did not prevent Samuel from forming in the church under them. What if his mother began to reason like this: there are no spiritual shepherds now, it is better to send Samuel to military service than to the church; and how is this service not in the order of the Jews, then to the Philistines? Anyone who does not feel any other motivation to enter into spiritual service other than a mercenary one in order to have bread, it is better not to enter into it. But whoever sees that he is called into it by birth, upbringing, inclination and is afraid of the spirit of mercenaryism, he can enter it, promising himself to choose a place not that which is more profitable, but that in which it is more convenient to bring some benefit to the children of the Church. It would be easiest to decide important matters by lot; there would be no need for reason, or experience, or self-testing, or labors of research. But from this itself we can conclude that the lot is not allowed in those cases that work and reason decide. By need and by faith, through the lot one can find the will of Providence... It is necessary to consider what will be found in secular service? Is it really idleness and benefits? But that would also be unenviable. One must desire useful, feasible work as much as honest food... I asked my parent about the choice of title. He answered: test yourself. What a father said to his son, an uncle cannot say to his nephew” (1:1-3). It is necessary to test yourself and those leaders who lay hands on the chosen ones carefully and for a long time - whether the subjects are suitable. “Early production to the priesthood produces the worst priests” (23:98). About the elevation to the rank itself - about consecration and the meaning of this sacred act, the Saint says: “It is significant that the lower clergy walk near the throne, as a sign of official actions, and the bishop, called to represent the image of Christ in the Council of the Church, unprecedented for others, goes straight to the throne and bows his head to the Gospel, as if receiving sanctification directly from Christ” (4:471). The highest degree of priesthood is bishop. The saint presents his spiritual appearance this way: the bishop “has business and people without a trace, dismantling the hours of the day, but his weakness does not allow him to make much use of the night time” (2:62). He gives himself entirely to people; with them his fatherly warmth and courtesy. “We can serve God by running away from people; we cannot serve the management of people except through communication. It is only necessary that it does not contradict the nature of the ministry” (15:39). The same bishops “who come to dioceses with their personal wisdom, without seeing experience, often make it difficult for themselves and others, especially since the archimandrites began to learn not from the bishops, but from the spiritual educational administration” (14:187). And an example of such “wisdom” is given, which led to the sad breakdown of relations between the bishop and the nuns of the convent: “The current Bishop of Ufa sent a priest to the local convent to swear in all the sisters and demand testimony against the abbess; The nuns objected that they should testify not under an oath, but under a monastic vow. Then the abbess and treasurer were dismissed - and at one time the bishop sent a report to the Holy Synod against the abbess, and fifty nuns against him” (14:187). The important job of a bishop is to lead the clergy - “to pay every possible attention to the service and behavior of the priest and sometimes act... through the dean... Let the priest himself correct the priest’s wife” (14:260). But before giving leadership, the bishop shows special caution in the very selection of a candidate for ministry and his ordination. The Holy Apostle Paul commands: “Do not quickly lay your hands on anyone, but share in the sin of others” (1 Tim. 5:22). And the Saint explains: “This means: do not knowingly ordain someone unworthy, for this would mean not only sharing in the sins of others, but also committing your own sin. The Apostle forbids ordaining “quickly” without an exact inquiry, lest through ignorance and imprudence one may join in the sins of the unworthy, although the one ordaining did not decide to sin himself. So, inaccuracy and imprudence quietly turn into participation in the sins of others. He who aids and abets the thief sins himself; and whoever is not vigilant in guarding and thereby allows the kidnapper to commit himself does not sin, but, depending on the degree of inattention, participates in the sins of others” (7:328-329). And in another case, the Saint develops the same thoughts: “You know the testament: “Do not lay on your hands soon.” I’m not angry, I don’t judge, but I’m afraid. Yesterday he was uncontrollably weak, and today he is a hierodeacon - what kind of respect for the Sacraments is there? What is the instruction for the brethren? Won't it tempt you? Isn't it a temptation for the one who is favored? You want grace to do what we have not begun—or else grace says: “Let these be tempted first, then let them serve, being blameless”” (23:97). “I am telling you this so that submissions for ordination should be done with caution and possible inquiry into trustworthiness. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take and make known to those nominated for ordination the rule that one who has been awarded ordination should not, for at least three years, arbitrarily seek to move from the monastery in which he received ordination” (10:398; 23:96). The saint strongly objects to the hasty initiation of an immature candidate. “If they ask permission to ordain unlearned people under 30 years of age as priests, they will do something that is contrary to church rules and equally harmful to the government. These people are now, as a rule, expelled students, that is, thrown out as unfit. They must be tested for a long time in order to be fit to become priests, and early promotion to the priesthood produces the worst priests from among them. I know this from experience during my administration of the Yaroslavl diocese, where my predecessor created such priests” (4:13). Relative speed (but not haste) is recommended when placing priests in rural areas. “It is in vain that you leave the priestly place empty for a long time, out of doubt about the choice of a candidate. Priestly positions, especially in villages, must be occupied as soon as possible” (14:155). A special place in the Saint’s judgments about the episcopal service is occupied by the bishop’s relatives and people close to him. “A bishop should behave carefully in relation to relatives who serve in his diocese,” the saint asserts, “and it is better not to take relatives from other dioceses at all” (23:122). And here is what the Saint says about the so-called “close ones”: “Some rumors also prompt me to tell you that caution is required against the inconspicuous influence on our judgments about affairs from people who are close to us. If you hear, for example, a retelling that apparently originated from innocence or accident, presenting the guilty person as innocent in the case, you think that you are inclined to represent good nature, but in fact, you may be carried away by corrupt speeches. Metropolitan Platon, of blessed memory, was more perspicacious than you and me, but he was also deceived by a very stupid clerk, to whom he granted an apparently unimportant power of attorney - to open packages. A request for a position, protected by the clerk, came into the hands of the metropolitan and without competition received a favorable decision, while the request of the most worthy remained in the pocket of the clerk and reached the metropolitan late, after the matter had been decided. Remind me, holy lord (Bishop Evlampy Pyatnitsky - K.S.), of caution, you and I, as I do to you” (36:22). It is no coincidence that the Holy Scripture says (there is nothing accidental in it): “Strike a man against his own household” (Mic. 7:6). “This word has come true more than once over bishops when they surround themselves very closely with relatives and accept their advice and petitions without caution” (19-1:55; 23:123). Therefore, if relatives want to do anything they want, “they must reconcile it with the truth and order of service” (14:186). It would be better to be separated from his family in the diocese. - “Separation from relatives is also a benefit, although painful - it has been noted that in our condition the proximity of relatives is more constraining than facilitating, and in general, when Providence rejects private love, this, according to its intention, is an attraction to universal love, to which it must hasten, although not without fatigue along the way” (23:122). Such love will certainly lead to the fact that every decent person “will receive a place without asking,” without the intercession of relatives or the intercession of those who harm justice (37:1515). It is not appropriate for a bishop to become dependent on a secretary, much less to be afraid of him. “Until now,” the saint writes, “I did not consider it possible for anyone to demand that two deacons be installed under one priest, and, moreover, on the basis: for me. And this is an unexpected teaching, so that the bishop is afraid to say a word of reproof to the violent secretary, for fear that the secretary will take revenge on the bishop's clerk. And if this is where we thought we would see hope and support for the Church, then what will happen to our hopes? Confirm those who trust in You, establish, O Lord, the Church and those who serve her!” (14:186). The proud must be stopped, but only in a pastoral way. “If an archpriest must be tamed, then he must be tamed meekly. If he is tamed gently he can be useful, but if he is brought to the point of irritation he is harmful” (14:228). The archpastoral duty is to arouse the “church spirit” “in oneself and around oneself” (19–2:125; 23:120). But this “excitement” again should be carried out in the same meekness and love. “With love and prayer, overcome grief in yourself in order to overcome dislike” in others. “The God of pain is our heart. A heart that loves for God’s sake is stronger than a heart that does not love” (33:431). “You will need both patience and caution in your new work. The Ryazan diocese, despite the fact that it had some mostly worthy shepherds, does not seem to have been sufficiently processed” (14:277). “Again I will say: be zealous with the zeal of God, pure and peaceful; do not be irritated, say what is bad and what needs to be corrected, but do not tease people... We must overcome evil with good” (33:430). In any diocese there are zealous, faithful servants of God - they must be supported, and you can rely on them. “We need to find in the clergy people who are especially devoted to Orthodoxy and their service, and guide and support them with attention, reverence and patience. For them, free and simple relationships with their superiors should be open. Then animate action can be awakened and others can be aroused to imitation” (23:124). Don't rush into rewards. “It’s amazing,” the saint declares, “what I heard is that the young Optina hieromonks have already received crosses, as a deposit of merit or not” (4:525). Young bishops “rush to reward the young and thereby tempt the more worthy. The Holy Synod would have to weigh merit and merit with careful attention” (10:437). To reward the undeserving “would be unjust and may be harmful to the presenter.... It is better to postpone the presentation... until further discretion” (14:186). The saint also resolutely opposes the introduction of payment for church awards and some other church activities. - “Now they have sent a new invention in the decree to take money for a pectoral cross, for a kamilavka, for a legguard, for metric and marriage records, for a complaint, even for the dead in a cemetery... Thank God that they have not yet approved this, but are asking for an opinion” (4:556-557). Those who violate church discipline should be judged and prohibited in order to correct them and admonish others. – “The manifestation of justice over unworthy servants of the altar is all the more necessary if previous neglect has increased the tendency towards evil deeds. But exact and strict justice for the few will bring to reason the many” (6:12). The culprit must be “kept in the prohibition of priestly service in the place of ceremonies for at least three years, both to cleanse his conscience with this penance, and to sufficiently ensure his correction” (14:188). The saint laments that some bishops are carried away by “fashionable, vague, poorly researched ideas” (19–2:276), but are protected by the “strong,” and serve them in the hope that they too will serve them (23:100–101). In fact, this passion “introduces into the hierarchy a diversity of directions, which may be followed by division into parties” (19–2:276). “This is not how the true good of the Holy Church is created. Forgive me" (23:101). The servant of God is not adorned by huge retinues or pomp... “What is a huge retinue for? - asks the holy Hierarch. – The Apostles did not enlighten the world with retinue and pomp. Look at how Paul and Barnabas visited their diocese. Or, if we are too far behind these models, did not Metropolitan Michael travel around the diocese with two deacons and one choirmaster? The Synod's decree allows you to have your own retinue more than Metropolitan Michael had, but even that is not enough for you. Forgive my madness" (33:425-426). The Saint is ready to declare war on luxurious robes. “If war had to be declared on any clothing, then, in my opinion, it would not be the hats of priestly wives, but the magnificent robes of bishops and priests. At least that's the first thing; but this was forgotten. “Let your priests, O Lord, be clothed with righteousness”” (Ps. 132:9) (23:121–122). But what must be sacredly preserved is the unity of the episcopate and, above all, the vicar with the ruler. “I remember, I told you,” the saint writes to the vicar of the Perm diocese, His Eminence Evlampius, “that the unity of the local bishop with the vicar is a necessary means for useful action; and that therefore the vicar should not take any dubious step without the knowledge and consent of the local, so as not to be reversed with harm... You cannot act separately from the local bishop. Consequently, we must never stop looking for means of rapprochement. Try with patience and humility to show His Eminence Arkady what is bothering you and how this can hinder the common good; ask God to help you understand each other” (36:10, 11). The Saint asks the Lord’s other people to pray for the same unity: “Pray for the unanimity of the ministers of the word of God” (10:41). The saint also noted the distribution of the bishop's inheritance after his death. - “It is difficult to pronounce in order to attach vestments to the inheritance; for according to ancient church rules, church property was always separated from personal property; and it is not heard of the omophorion being passed on to heirs or heiresses” (23:125). The episcopal service is glorious, and where there is glory, there is sorrow, but there is also God’s help! “You,” the Saint addresses Archbishop Smaragd of Ryazan, “doubt whether you will endure the sorrows. I understand that they exist, and probably quite a few. But there is also a strong consolation, namely, success in spreading your flock. You fulfill your assignment faster than expected. The Emperor and the Holy Synod are pleased with you. How can one, with God’s help, not hope to endure difficulties in these circumstances, even if they seemed unbearable before?” (35:28). The servants of the Church, dependent on the bishop, are priests. Who are they? What should they be? What are their features and responsibilities? Priests are organs of God's grace received through the episcopal laying on of hands. These are missionaries of the Church, filled with strong faith and selfless love for God and people. To the question: “What should the ministers of the Church do?” The saint answers: “Remember and put into action the memory that the Apostles and ancient Fathers of the Church established and spread the Church, and destroyed the heaps of heresies not by the force of the external laws of the pagan world, but by the force of strong faith, love and self-sacrifice. Let the clergy increase their zeal to act on the seduced by their example and prayer” (14:269; 23:98–99). “And when they are persecuted, the Lord does not say: go away and sit idle, but run to another city to continue the same Apostolic service there” (14:233). We must pray for the flock and protect the “dignity of church service,” even if this “was displeasing to some” (14:173). Together (or rather: also together, for the above also applies to the bishop) with the ruling bishop to fulfill church rules. “We are now weak to strictly implement the rules, but, on the other hand, the weakening of the rules in the clergy in some people gives rise to disrespect for the clergy, in others it increases neglect of themselves. If the clergy do not follow the ancient rules, why shouldn’t a layman live as he wants?” (2:75). The most important thing in the ministry of a priest is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. And the Saint speaks about this with the greatest reverence. – “Church rules oblige us to prepare for the Liturgy in the evening by prayer and protecting ourselves from everything that violates spiritual peace and purity of thought; and I, being in the place of a priest, would not allow myself, having dressed for the Liturgy, then to be exposed and turn to extraneous matters” (23:117). What should a priest always be ready to answer? - “Does he confess the sick, does he commune the Holy Mysteries, does he talk with them about the soul, does he invite them to have patience and uncomplaining obedience to the will of God, do they accept words of consolation, and thus, do they give him consolation and encouragement in his feat?” (9:405). Each service is accompanied by a sermon. Preaching is the duty of all clergy. “Thank you for the book of your teachings,” the saint writes to Archbishop Kirill of Kamenets-Podolsk. – You set a good example not only for the subordinate clergy, but also for the bishops. For it seems to me that we bishops also need to be encouraged to preach more often” (33:437). In preaching, as in relation to one’s bishop, one must observe certain standards. This is what the Saint writes to the Right Reverend Eulampius: “The use of “Hurray” in a sermon and, moreover, against prohibition, is an occasion that should not have been missed if it was necessary to put a barrier to absurdities. And to let it pass meant opening the door to disobedience. You could send this sermon to the Holy Synod officially or semi-officially, that is, to one of the members, and ask for instructions to maintain order and obedience. They could not have done this so that the archimandrite would give his word of honor not to leave obedience in the future, and in this case you would keep the sermon itself. When a subordinate once managed to stand his ground against the orders of his superior, it is natural that the same thing will continue to happen” (36:20). It is considered a bad act (even for bishops) to prepare a sermon during the Divine Liturgy. - “When Eminence Kirill announced that he had decided to prepare teachings not before during the Liturgy, some reverent people noticed that this was a violation of the Divine service, for the bishop should precede everyone in the church with continuous attention to prayer and the Sacrament, and not leave it unattended while preparing for the teaching” (19-1:20). Every flock must be within the priest's field of vision. – Look to the One Good Shepherd and give thanks to Him – the One “who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to go and look for one that is lost, and knows the place and time – where and when – and the means by which to catch her to salvation” (29:237). Returning and correcting someone who has gone astray must be done with goodwill, setting an example of patience. – “Our calling, if possible, is to correct people, and not to irritate them. To whom one can, it must be said with meekness and goodwill in private, how offensive it is for the Church and for him personally to despise pious rules in order to catch a sweet piece or a pleasant sound, and how tempting it is for others; and woe to him by whom temptation comes. Then teach and reprove in sermons, without directly indicating the person” (23:99-100). “In exposing errors and those who err, tolerance, calm, meekness, condescension, and caution are as necessary as zeal” (23:100). You need to be strict, but more towards yourself than towards others. “Now strangers are strict with us, but we want to be lenient with ourselves. According to the order, outsiders should be lenient with us, and we should be strict with ourselves” (23:102). There must be selflessness in dealing with the flock. – If the people see “servants of self-interest and theft in the expected Godly prayer books”, “they will limit their generosity and may grow cold in their feelings” (10:501). “If the secular should serve unselfishly, how much more should the spiritual” (14:253). It is noted as a negative phenomenon that after the death of one bishop a large sum was discovered without a Christian will. “It’s not a bright feature that the deceased bishop left about 100 thousand rubles. Perhaps she will become enlightened if a will is found about them that is generally useful” (23:121). In the sacred calling “one must act blamelessly” (14:228). “The apostle demands that the clergy should not even have children in reproach” (23:105). And his wife must be chaste. “The priest’s wife, who ascribes to herself the illegality of violence, does not justify it. He would have been right only if he had revealed this during confession before initiation. Without doing this, he, against the rules and not in conscience, achieved initiation. You say: appoint rural teachers with a ban on priestly service for the time being. Will this be satisfactory? Isn't it necessary: ​​forever? According to the power of the rules, so. And if you intensify your search for a way to indulgence, then it can only be found in the remark of St. Basil the Great that secret sins can be healed secretly, but obvious sins can be healed openly. But this doesn’t help either. The priest's business is obvious. And for those who know to see him performing sacred acts, there will be a temptation” (6:18). Having constant communication with people, the priest must have a good feel for the pulse of the times - be “reasonable and honest” (16:59). “You force me to judge speeches,” writes the holy Hierarch to Archbishop Alexy of Tver. – I have noticed that some old people retain the way they view people and affairs, acquired in their youth, in old age, while much has changed around them; and therefore their judgments are considered more capable of going into the archives than into action. Maybe I belong to such people. However, as I always told you freely, so now” (14:252). Showing diligence in everything, it is useful to remember: “It is better to use strength moderately (which not only preserves it, but also elevates it), rather than exhaust it with excessive efforts and then waste time on treatment, which is not always correct” (14:179). Those who have holy orders must maintain peace among themselves - with their co-servants. “It is painful that there is a lack of peace among the ministers of peace” (8:412). If, beyond expectation, the stench of tobacco appears in the ministry of a priest, it must be expelled immediately. - “Is it permissible for the minister of the Christian altar to bring stench to it at the unnatural whim of the consumed poisonous herb, and should not the one preparing for this service first beware so as not to leave in himself a habit incompatible with the dignity of the service” (23:117). The guilt is increased by the fact that others can become infected with the “stench” - they can be tempted and become infected. “The Apostle said about natural and legal consumption: I will not eat meat forever, lest I cause my brother to stumble. Is it possible that the one serving the altar or preparing for this will decide to say: I will please an unnatural whim - let them be tempted” (23:118). But how can “the stench,” or how dare the enemy, “touch the altar server? – Just like rain comes through a thin roof into the altar and into the room, like the wind through a well blows out the candle in the altar and in the room. The altar and the service remain holy, but he who neglects the integrity of his church is convicted of the consequences of this neglect, small or great, and is encouraged to fix the roof, block the well, in order to prevent great harm” (3:15). Although in passing, advice is also given to the layman in his relation to the clergy. - “When you want to accept a blessing, you need to look at whether the one who promises the blessing has the right to bless, and to what extent he has received this right” (3:3) - “He often serves and speaks sermons - therefore, he is not proud. Can’t a proud person serve and preach?” (10:196). External evidence of the legitimacy of the altar server is the “placed letter”. It is “an essential ecclesiastical document that he who has it is ordained. And therefore, its issuance should not be delayed beyond the time when the ordained person is sufficiently instructed to perform the ministry” (19–1:2020). The holy Hierarch himself sums it up: “It is necessary for the priest to be vigilant and active, and to be able to preserve and animate what he has acquired, and to take advantage of opportunities to spread the flock. He needs to think that, due to the circumstances of the parish, he is, of necessity, both a parish priest and a missionary” (15:38). The third degree of priesthood is deacon. The Saint says little about him. The Holy Hierarch does not recommend ordaining very young people and reminds the church rules of this: “In my entire administration, not even students under the age of twenty have been promoted - and you, it seems, are not alien to the fair opinion of those who complain about early promotion to church degrees. We must come as close as possible to the church rules, if we cannot suddenly introduce their strictness” (13:32). “Church rules require 25 years of age for the diaconate, and 20 years for the subdeaconry” (VI Vs. Sob., 14 and 15) (14:146). But in another letter, recommending a deacon for presbyter, Saint Philaret stipulates that the main thing is not age: “Perhaps he will seem young to you, but due to his disposition and zeal for service, I hope no one will despise his youth” (16:57-58). And again: “A deacon’s thin wife is not such a big problem as if the deacon were thin” (14:219). And he defends the deacon: “A priest who, going to the altar, drives away a deacon he doesn’t like, and then says that it was not he who refused the deacon, but this one who refused - not like a chick who pecked another” (7:365). Regarding the institution of deaconesses, the saint only raises questions about why they stopped and whether restoration is possible. “You are talking about deaconesses, but why did this rank cease in the Church? Is it because our fathers knew less than us what is useful for the Church, and what is convenient or not convenient in time? I do not consider the restoration of this rank to be either useless or impossible, but you saw that your thoughts about the deaconesses reached the authorities and were met only with silence” (19–1:131). Having revealed the teaching of the Holy Church and expounding his view of the servants of the holy altar, the saint asks to accept favorably what may seem harsh and again expresses a number of fatherly wishes: “If my thoughts and words seem harsh to you, then remember the words of Solomon: “The ulcers of a friend are more reliable than the free kiss of an enemy” (23:194). I wish the pastors “living faith and life according to faith, to which the Lord will not deny strength. Relying on your own strength is not reliable. We should also wish the pastors ancient sincere communication and mutual advice about what is useful for the Holy Church, without prejudice to each one’s own wisdom” (19–2:250). “We, who are trustingly and at the same time instructively called spiritual, should take care of internal and spiritual exercises. Those who introduced a variety of external decorations should have had a discerning and careful thought. But when a custom has been established, it is not convenient to make unnecessary something for which there was no need before” (23:103). “It is good for the shepherds of the verbal flock if, according to the solemn gospel of the Church, they mentally flock from everywhere to Bethlehem, and, marveling at the miracle, rejoicing in the grace, He who sits on the Cherubim, who rests in the manger, worships in the unanimity of faith, in the unanimity of love” (15:50). “Be comforted in your difficulties by the help of God and the success of your ministry” (35:29). “The native mother of the bishop and the council of priests, in my opinion, is the Orthodox Church” (14:252). You might be interested in: