28. Думы об Отечестве

“Pray for Russia and Moscow” (10:311) The turbulent times that fell during the life of the Moscow Hierarch, especially the war of 1812, its harbingers and consequences, aggravated the Saint’s thoughts about the Fatherland. Saint Philaret immediately notes: “It is difficult for the word of the church to enter the political sphere without leaving the spiritual field. But having once entered this path, there will be some need to continue walking along it, and may even lead you where it is inconvenient to follow.” And he recalls the events of past years: “In the war of 1806 or 1807, the Holy Synod, thinking to strongly support the government, called Napoleon the Antichrist, and then made peace with the Antichrist” (10:391). The saint looks with alarm and sadness at Europe, which is falling spiritually and dragging Russia along with it: “Europe is mad and suffering: we see and are not afraid to follow the path of madness, not being enlightened by what has already befallen us, or by what may threaten us” (8:462-463). The holy Archpastor is concerned about the situation in France and the actions of Napoleon: “In France, two parties are visible: the bad and the evil. Now the thinner one is holding on to the seats of power, and the evil one is trying to push her off. If this fails, times in Europe may continue to be no more troubled than the present, and if this succeeds, the current smoke and stench may turn into a fire” (4:277). “What do they say about the war? (asks the parent. - K.S.). Here they claim that our troops won the battle; on the other hand, there is a rumor that Napoleon entered Vienna in early November (1805 - K.S.). If this last news is true, then what will happen to unfortunate Germany from such a person who usually gives an olive with one hand and thrusts a sword with the other? (12:71). He mentions the English in passing: they do not think “that their earthly policies can set heavenly ones against them” (4:319). The Moscow Hierarch reproaches Turkey for hypocrisy towards Christians: “How is the “time of tongues” still in force! The hypocritically proclaimed freedom of religion in Turkey to this day (May 1856 - KS) turns into persecution of Christians, and especially Orthodox Christians, as defenseless, and the allies previously, apparently, stood for this freedom, but in the treatise they left this matter to the will of the Sultan. What good can we expect here? The Roman Catholics will be supported by the French and Austrian ministers and consuls, the Protestants by the English, and even if our voice is heard, all ears will be plugged. “Confirmation of those who hope in Thee, establish, O Lord, the Church!” (9:408–409). But even their own – the Orthodox Greeks – behave unworthily in Bulgaria and with their actions they are grist to the mill of the Latins: “Sad news about the Orthodox in Turkey; and there is grief from their own. The Greek clergy in Bulgaria expelled the Bulgarian language from the cities and the priesthood in Slavic. Some As a result of this, the urban Bulgarians have in some way become Greek, and as a result their unanimity with the rural ones has been disrupted. But Latin propaganda is trying to take advantage of this disagreement. We are concerned about this, but it is now more difficult to act than it was before” (10:91). From events occurring outside Russia, the Saint turns his attention to the affairs of the Fatherland. The good Archpastor grieves and takes to heart the sale of Alaska to America by Russia: “Lord, save the Tsar! The sale of Russian possessions in America... has been completed.” It was impossible for the “guardians of Israel” - the clergy - to change the state decision (10:516). The Saint also grieves that the Little Russians treat the Great Russians poorly - while the latter are open in their souls. “Tell Brother Joseph why he does not make peace with us when we make peace with him. After all, the Little Russians do not like the Great Russians, but we love the good people of both tribes equally” (8:213). The Holy Hierarch receives with pain reports about military events on the Russian fronts. First of all, he, like a good Archpastor, speaks with spiritual bitterness that the military leaders have become too arrogant - this was alien to our glorious ancestors: “It is a pity, of course, that the military leaders think of finding strength in arrogance, and not in hope in God. They think that the audacity of words belongs to courage. This is not how good warriors think. It is noted that Wellington, in reports of victories, never spoke about glory, but about the performance of duty. I was told that Nakhimov, going out to look for the Turkish fleet, as soon as he set out on the open sea, raised a prayer flag, and there was a prayer service on all ships; then he gave the password to the entire fleet: God and glory. Although he did not forget the glory, thank God that he remembered God: and now it was given to him to destroy the Turkish fleet” (9:241). The Saint closely follows the military events of the heroically fighting Sevastopol and encourages the Russians. “The fight near Sevastopol is intensifying and may become decisive. Lord, save the King, and the army, and the kingdom” (9:329). “But, when I went to the Governor General for dinner, I met the words: what sad news! I ask what this means and learn about the fall of Sevastopol. Although this is not entirely unexpected, and I had previously thought that it would not be possible to withstand it reliably, due to the extremely powerful destructive means of the enemies acting on one focus, nevertheless this news greatly struck me, with the thoughts arising from it about the consequences. May the Lord have mercy on us sinners” (9:346). “The preacher says that Sevastopol has been “given” to the enemies. - Not true. Its northern part has not been given back to this day (April 18, 1856 - K.S.). - He says: “The enemies are triumphant.” - Wrong. The British have been defeated by us; and for the French there is little triumph when they are repulsed from several fortifications and only take one. – Struggling with the question: why are the enemies not punished? – Here again there is an inaccuracy. They have been punished quite a bit: many of them died as a result of the war, many were destroyed by disease and storms at sea. Consequently, justice should not only be expected in the future, but part of it has already appeared. - He says that the Emperor “could not renounce the world.” – Again an inaccuracy that has an unfavorable appearance. What kind of impossibility? The sovereign had the power to continue the war, but decided to prefer peace. If God sends something unpleasant, we must humbly acknowledge it, but not exaggerate it, for this can lead to discouragement and not to benefit” (16:102). The saint draws attention, it would seem, to little things, but in fact, in military affairs, which are of considerable importance. We listen to him: “What a punishing time this is, in which good intentions not only encounter difficulties, but also hinder themselves with their own stumbles. The leader gave orders to the soldiers not to mock the militia warriors; and did not notice that he had already insulted them himself. One could say: treat them as brothers, the same defenders of the Fatherland; and the necessary thought would have been given, and there would have been no insult” (9:371–372). And not only with his authoritative words did the holy Archpastor help the Fatherland in difficult years, but also with deeds. - Bringing 50,000 rubles for military needs from the three monasteries under my direct management, I am obliged to add that I intend to offer a feasible donation to other monasteries of the diocese entrusted to me, and depending on the circumstances, to some churches that have saved capital or unnecessary materials of some value, such as, for example, scrap silver and pearls, which can be converted into money. Similar donations were also made for foreign co-religionists, precisely in favor of the Greeks who suffered from the war - since it would be even more fair to make such donations for the needs of our Fatherland" (9:255)... St. Philaret also addressed an appeal to the abbess of the most famous monasteries to send willing nuns to the Community of Sisters for the Care of Wounded Soldiers - and some of them responded to the appeal (9:300-301). The motto of Saint Metropolitan Philaret is “so that Russia remains strong in Orthodox faith and fidelity, and is renewed in peace and truth” (19–1:3). He who deviates from “ancestral Orthodoxy” can also deviate from the Fatherland (4:153). Therefore, the Saint calls out to the Savior: “Lord Jesus Christ, Heavenly King, who lives forever according to Your Divinity, who was resurrected according to Your humanity and who has received all power in Heaven and on earth! With this boundless power of Yours, according to the promise of invincibility given from You to Your Church and through the gates of hell, strengthen and pacify this Your kingdom in these unpeaceful days, when so many pagans are reeling, and people have learned in vain. Look with grace both on the earthly kingdom of All Russia, which contains in its depths a great share of Your spiritual kingdom, the Universal Church, and on our Most Pious Tsar, You, Lord, chosen defender of the Orthodox Church. Improve his kingdom in an inextricable union with the Orthodox Church. Bless his good undertakings and protect him with faithful fulfillment. Bring down before him every hostile rebellion. Direct the actions of the authorities and the good will of the people to a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity... Such is the voice of my humble voice to the Lord before the altar of His service. This is the voice of my heart” (19–1:3–4)... “I pray to Him, the source of life, to overshadow your life with a new life-giving blessing and to prolong it with strength of spirit and body, and in activities that benefit the Church and the Fatherland, and for you righteous consolation and peace” (19–2:23). And the Saint writes to Archimandrite Macarius (Glukharev): “Think, from the heads that considered themselves capable of rebuilding the whole world, how soon can all this huge nonsense come out without a trace? They say about some that they have humbled themselves and practice religion - thank God! But the spirit of repentance demands that they admit not to error and delusion, which pride sometimes admits to, but to madness and crime. Let us leave this to the One who wants to save everyone. And you be careful” (19–1:120). The saint reflects on what the relationship between the Church and the state has been since ancient times, what place Holy Orthodoxy has occupied and occupies in the state: “Since the time of Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine, state power has protected the world of the Church with the stronghold of state laws. Then, when state power weakened in Rome, the popes decided, not content with the defensive assistance of the state, to act offensively on the state, and they managed too much in this. Finally, opposition arose, and states, trying to overthrow the papal yoke, began to destroy the strongholds protecting the Church. Those prejudiced in favor of Western education transferred such actions to places where the Church never burdened the state, but always helped it” (14:268–269). Nowadays “the government wants to support the ruling Church, but it is necessary that we be able to faithfully assist in this, that we act diligently and complacently, that we offer improvements that are necessary and easy to implement, that we generously endure what is not for us, for God also endures for a long time much that is not pleasing to Him” (33:429); would endure and pray. - “We must pray that church affairs, in contact with civil ones, will be protected by the clergy on the basis of church rules” (14:170). The saint thanks “after God” the Most Pious Sovereign for his deeds for the benefit of the Church (2:62) and, in turn, reminds that those who express zeal for the Tsar are worthy of attention (4:42)... “Thanks be to God, the state provides protection to Orthodoxy; one cannot demand that it renounce tolerance, which, if moderate, has its justice” (33:432)... It is more valuable to ask for forgiveness for the sake of peace than to go for it. confrontation, and therefore “the letter in which Nikon (Patriarch - K.S.) humbly asks the Tsar for forgiveness is ... one of the best acts of justification for his memory” (4:42). But this does not mean that one can renounce the truth and lower the dignity of the hierarchical rank before the secular authorities: “The letter in which he exhorts (Patriarch Nikon. - K.S.) the tsar to stop his anger, defends himself from accusations of the title of the sovereign, denounces violation of the secrets of the patriarchal archive, etc., except for a few examples, cruelly given, is worthy of the Patriarch, combining the boldness of the truth with due respect the king and a modest expression about himself" (4:42-43). The saint again and again turns to what is most needed - to prayer: “Lord, save the Tsar and spare us all” (10:280)... “I suggest that the Lavra and the monastery bring prayers to the Lord God for God’s gracious help to the sick Empress Alexandra Feodorovna” (10:251)... “The Orthodox Russian Church diligently prays for The most pious Sovereigns and their noble family. “From the second half of the 17th century and in the following times, the remembrance of their names in Divine services gradually became more complete and more often repeated.” The latter, according to the remark of the Saint, “prolongs the Divine service and is not conducive to the attention of prayer. There is an urgent need to think about some reduction, and this requires not innovation in the Divine Service, but a return to the simpler order of the ancient Liturgical books” (11:4-5); “It is obviously inconvenient to name everyone at litanies and celebrate two days for each, birth and namesake” (10:340). (The imperial family then increased to 23 persons). It is also necessary to offer a prayer, but combined with repentance, on the occasion of the state anniversary: ​​“It occurs to me that with a prayer of thanks for 1000 years it would be necessary to combine the prayer of repentance for many, especially in recent years” (10:344). The Holy Moscow Archpastor invokes God's blessing on the servants of the state and expresses good wishes for their activities for the benefit of the Fatherland and the Church. Thus, the Saint prays for God’s help in the upcoming exploits of the Moscow military governor-general who has assumed the post of military governor-general and wishes that they be “pleasing to the Most Pious Sovereign Emperor and beneficial for the capital and the Fatherland” (11:7). The same holy Hierarch asks God for the right direction in his endeavors “to fulfill the will of the Sovereign and for the public good” to the Moscow Governor-General (11:14). The Saint expresses something similar when taking on various other responsible positions: - to the manager of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - “may your service be pleasing to the Emperor and useful to the Fatherland” (11:8); – to the manager of the Ministry of Justice – God’s blessing “to protect the truth and the right, to suppress untruth and to correct the wrong” (11:19); - to the chairman of the Moscow Military District Court - “let the innocent be safe; may the guilty receive correction; justice, which does not allow guilt and crime to hide, may reduce the attempts to commit crimes and the crimes themselves” (11:18); - to the Minister of Public Education - may “religion and moral improvement be embraced together with science” (11:9); - to the administrator of the Ministry of Public Education - may there spread not only that light “which the human mind produces from the contemplation of nature,” but also that “which comes down from above from the Father of lights” (11:10). And so on. (see: 11:1–20). Along with blessings and good wishes, the Saint also expresses disapproval of bad or dubious intentions for the benefit of both the Fatherland and the Church: – To the State Councilor: “You demand my consent to decorate your essay on fights, as you put it, with my name. I never thought that my name could serve as a decoration for any work, and I never gave my consent to such use of my name. The good sons of the world would probably consider my name offensive if they saw it on a book about duels, although written, of course, not in defense of duels” (11:17). - To an honorary nobleman: “You would like to demand approval for your project of a national lottery for the formation of a land bank... The question requires strict attention: with the hope of a big win that will go to a few, to seduce many people so that they give up and lose three rubles each, acquired, perhaps, through hard work - is this consistent with the pure principles of Christian activity?” (11:17). – Archimandrite Anthony: “As for the tax on wine in favor of the Church, there were speeches about this, it seems, in the press, but there were also speeches against this, that it was not proper to assign such a dirty income to the benefit of the Church. And truly this resembles the “price song”, which was forbidden to be brought into the house of God” (10:424)... “I remember in the Lavra estimate I saw that in the Lavra, among other things, belts and rings were sold. Belts, it seems, could be provided to Khotkov, but what about rings?” (10:424). – to Archbishop Alexy of Tver when he was rector of the Academy: “If you want to decorate an unfortunate death with an honorable burial, you are preparing an insult to a pious death, equating an unfortunate one with it. Is it edifying for your subordinates to see from your orders that an evil death can be decorated just as well as a pious one? Isn't this a temptation for outsiders too? Will it please God to be magnified when God has sent a humbling event? And isn’t it more useful for the soul of the unfortunate deceased to have a humble remembrance here for relief there, rather than inappropriate solemnity?” (14:7–8; 8:335). And turning to the President of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and sharing with him his memories of the historian Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, the Saint expresses, as always, very interesting and useful thoughts, at the end of which he poses to the addressee, also a very necessary question: “In the collection of the Russian Academy, he (Karamzin. - K.S.) read from his history the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The reader and the reading were attractive, but the read was scary. I thought then whether history would not have fulfilled its duty sufficiently if it had well illuminated the best part of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and covered the other with shadow rather than with many dark, sharp features that are hard to see laid on the name of the Russian Tsar. It’s good to attract people to goodness with types of good, but is it useful to expose and multiply types of evil so that people get used to them?” (11:12). I would like to sum up here, not in my own words, but in the deeply meaningful words of St. Philaret: “Pray for Russia and for Moscow” (10:311)... “The need to pray diligently is because anti-religious, anti-moral and anti-government opinions and teachings are widely spreading, and are infecting many” (10:320)... “You see how far we are living. When it is said to some who can not only hear, but also act: why the guardians are not unanimous and not active, when the opponents are unanimous, they only answer that it is true. Lord, save the Tsar and the Fatherland!” (10:338). You might be interested in: