Father John Ilyich Sergiev (Kronstadt)

Contents The power of prayer Faith without good deeds is dead Church of God Charter of the St. Petersburg Mutual Aid Society in case of death I. Purpose of the Society II. Composition of the Society, rights and obligations of its members Table of contributions and distributions III. Management of the Company's affairs IV. On the closure of the St. Petersburg Society. Society for Mutual Assistance in Case of Death Members of the Board Application Form M.G Draft Charter Purpose of the Society Composition of the Society Funds of the Society Board of the Society General Meeting Meeting of Commissioners On the closure of the Society Hospital of the Three Saints Medical Council St. Petersburg Society for Mutual Assistance in the Case of Death S. - St. Petersburg Society for Mutual Assistance in Case of Death Death of S. – St. Petersburg Mutual Aid Society in the Case of Death of S. – St. Petersburg Society for Mutual Assistance in the Case of Death S. – St. Petersburg Society for Mutual Assistance in the Event of Death S. – St. Petersburg Society for Mutual Assistance in the Event of Death In addition to the above addresses, during the 9 years of the Society’s existence, the following gifts were presented by Grateful representatives to the irreplaceable Member of the Board, Secretary E.I. Vasilyeva. 18 7 ̸2 Since ancient times, kind-hearted people have been distinguished by their compassion for their neighbors. Let us remember Minin. He shouted a cry to the people and called on them to sacrifice for the common good - everyone brought their pennies and rich gifts, whoever could. They listened to the voice of an intelligent patriot, and the fatherland was saved. Let us remember the good Russian noblewoman who lived before Peter the Great, named Juliania Lazarevskaya. This woman was extremely merciful and compassionate towards poor people, widows and orphans and small children. She spent the whole night spinning or working on a hoop, and during the day she sold her work and gave the money to the poor. The widow, like a real mother, fed and watered, washed and dressed with her own hands. The wrath of God befell the Russian land: a great famine occurred, many died; Juliana gave alms secretly from her mother-in-law, denied herself food, and carried her food to the hungry, leaving it for herself only to satisfy her hunger. If one of the beggars died, Juliana hired him to wash him and bought washing vestments, and sent money for burial. Soon after the famine there was a severe pestilence among the people. Many locked themselves in their houses out of fear. Blessed Juliana, secretly from her father-in-law and mother-in-law, washed the infected with her own hands, and God protected her. Her son was killed in the royal service... She did not scream or tear out her hair, as other women did, but during the day she remembered her son by giving alms and feeding the poor, and at night she prayed to God with tears for the remission of the sins of the deceased. Imitating Blessed Juliana, let us also do a good deed for the benefit of the sick and poor. A thread from the world, a shirt from the hungry. Let us donate at least a small fraction, a grain at a time from our acquisitions, a mite from our zeal, and we will build a building for healing the sick. In our capital there are many sick people who cannot give even a penny to a doctor for his advice; there are especially many such unfortunate people among workers in the summer. They languish on barges, on benches along the boulevards, and often sit or lie on damp ground, oppressed by illnesses. They often have nowhere to turn for help. Our hospitals are being renovated in the summer, entry into them is closed, and the poor patient groans, but there is no help for him... If among us there were people like blessed Juliana, then we would give a lot of consolation and reinforcement, both physical and spiritual, to the poor people living in St. Petersburg and coming from the distant corners of our dear fatherland. Let us remember, brothers and sisters, that we gave our word to our dear and heartily revered Father John to establish a hospital (outpatient clinic) and he already told us, “thank you”... Now we just need to unite closer to give the matter rapid movement. Time goes by, it doesn't wait. Has the original Russian kindness dried up? Will our Holy work really be postponed indefinitely? Blessed Juliana hurried to heal the wounds of the sick, she denied herself food and brought it to the unfortunate, she did not even reject the infected. Such strong examples of the kindness of a Russian woman - a noblewoman - are before us. And you can’t count how many more such examples of virtue there are. Let us follow the good and touching example and begin the holy work of collecting labor crumbs to heal the sick. “He is sick (beh) and will visit me” (Matthew 25:36) - said the Savior! This is the voice of our Savior and Lord! Let us obey Him, brothers and sisters! March 26, 1900, Fr. John served a prayer service at the request of members of the Mutual Aid Society in case of death. Father John was unanimously elected by the General Meeting of Members as the first honorary member of this Society, on whose Wednesday he arrived to pray with him and ask for God’s blessing for the greater success of his affairs (which are still going brilliantly at the present time). The request to accept the title of honorary member of the Society was expressed in the following address, read to the venerable pastor: Father Archpriest John Ilyich! The word of God says: “Remember all your words, and never sin again” (Jesus the Son of Sirach, ch. 7, v. 39). With these sacred words in mind, we have formed a Mutual Aid Society in case of death. Thanks to the Lord God, it has already brought and is bringing a lot of benefit to people who seek its help - and now, despite its short existence, it has saved up about 40 thousand rubles, which it is saving for a rainy day. Beginning the new summer of its existence, it dared to turn to Your Reverence, reverently revered father, with a request to accept the title of First Honorary Member of our Society. Good shepherd of our church, Father Archpriest, the most honest among the priests, your name is known throughout Russia and far beyond its borders; from the deserted places of Siberia they travel and come to you, to receive tea, according to the power of your prayers, help, support, consolation and blessing. Nobles and beggars, rich and poor, learned and simpletons come and go to you; You do not remove anyone from yourself; you bring comfort, reinforcement and approval to everyone in their sorrow. The Hierarch of Moscow, His Eminence Leonty, addressed you in his dying days and you prayed with him; you laid your hands on the head of the King, the Peacemaker, when the hour of His eternal rest came. Reverently revered shepherd, do not reject our heartfelt and universal prayer, give us your consent to elect you as the First Honorary Member of our Society. We do not ask and do not dare to ask for any material help from you. We need the moral strength that God pleases to bestow upon your miraculous prayers. Your consent to our request will strengthen the power of our Society and it, strengthened by your blessing, will blossom like a tree planted by the flowing waters. We believe in this, we are convinced of this. “May the Lord God hear your prayers and prolong the days of your life in Christ 1.” Father John, graciously accepting the address from the deputies of the Society, thanked them for electing him and expressed his consent to this; asked them about the affairs of the Society and blessed each deputy separately with prosphora; blessing the secretary, thanked her for her work and wished her good health; and at parting he cordially wished every success to our Society. The day of March 26, 1900 will never be erased from our memory, and we will remember and reverently convey to each other about this joyful day. At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, a large crowd of people of all ranks and conditions gathered at the Duma on Nevsky, at Gostiny Dvor, and at the chapel on Dumskaya Street. Everyone was waiting for something, each crew was anxiously watched. Who were they waiting for and who did they want to see? – Everyone longed to see and receive a blessing from the dear, heartily respected pastor, Father John of Kronstadt. Father John of Kronstadt, at the invitation of the chairman of the Society for Mutual Aid in case of death, N.N. Mikhailov, promised to come to the St. Petersburg City Duma in order to pray with the members of the Society. At exactly 4 o'clock, a carriage with the priest in it arrived at the granite stairs of the Duma. Before the carriage had time to stop, the crowd rushed towards the carriage, surrounded it, and the shepherd found himself among those who loved him, kissing his hands and clothes. If the police and the managing members of the Society, led by the chairman, had not come to the rescue, then the priest, perhaps, would not have gotten into the meeting. The stewards ran out into the street, formed a chain and, freeing the priest from the crowd, sent him to the Duma hall, overflowing with members of the Society invited by tickets, who had already been impatiently awaiting their dear guest for an hour. When Father John entered, everything fell silent. Just like the Duma hall itself, which seats two thousand people, the choirs and side halls were full of people eager to see the shepherd. What a lot of work it took for the Chairman, members of the Board and Messrs. in general. the stewards (equipped with blue ribbons and cockades on the left shoulder) keep such a mass in proper order - we leave it to everyone to judge. The choir of amateur singers from the Church of the Ascension, consisting of 150 people, led by regent Mr. Solovyov, appeared at 3 o’clock and was placed in the choir. At 3 o'clock the clergy arrived: Archpriest Philosopher and his brother priest John of Ornatsky with a deacon and a psalm-reader. They met Father John in vestments, and the singers sang “It is worthy to eat.” The Chairman of the Society and his employees earnestly asked the public not to crowd towards the place where the holy icons stood and there was a platform for prayer. But the public moved closer and closer to the reserved place in order to better see Father John and hear his reading and pastoral word more clearly. It was noisy in the hall; several times the chairman and his assistants turned to the assembled public with a request to retreat, not to push, not to crowd; but it was all in vain... But then Fr. arrived. John; silence reigned for a moment; O. Philosopher Ornatsky addressed the audience with the words: “Gracious Sirs! O. John asks not to crowd!” Immediately the entire mass, standing close to the place for prayer, moved back. And it turned out that all one had to do was pronounce the name of Fr. John of Kronstadt, as the full power of his high moral significance was revealed firsthand. Having dressed himself and placing the miter on his head, Fr. John said the following words: “To what do I owe that I am standing here today in the public hall of the capital’s public administration, where the capital’s citizens think about their public Duma, consult, judge, dress up, argue and, in the end, improve the city’s public life in different parts? The place of my ministry is in Kronstadt, which is familiar to you, and I visit the capital, although, indeed, often, but only in private homes, for prayers at the bedside of the sick and mournful, or sometimes at the healthy and prosperous to bring thanks to God for the good sent down to them. Why am I here in front of such a large gathering? Are there no better metropolitan shepherds here to pray with?! Only your strong request and the duty of Christian obedience prompted me to appear in this public place before the eyes of the capital's inhabitants, in a Society that has set itself the goal of fraternal assistance in the event of death. And so, you, brothers, invited me to pray with you. Thank you for your kindness towards me and for the honor. Let us all pray to our all-good immortal Creator for the success of the Society in a good cause. It is a wonderful goal of the Society and a good idea to help each other in the event of the death of one of the members. Often, after the death of one of you, your wife, children, and relatives are left unsecured. We need to help them; the feeling and duty of natural compassion prompts this. But at the same time another thought arises in me. It is good to take care of those left behind after the death of our relatives; but it would be even better if we ourselves, undoubtedly, took care of our Christian preparation for death and eternity; otherwise we, caring about ensuring the earthly fate of ourselves and our families, often do not care about our fate beyond the grave, about our own repentance, correction of our lives and alms. How good it would be for each of us to prepare a supply of good deeds, especially alms to the poor, to make our debtor the Lord God Himself, the immortal belly, who imputes the alms given to the poor to Himself, since, He says, “you did it to one of my brothers, then you did it to Me.” How reasonable it is to make yourself a debtor to God Himself, who can always repay a hundredfold to his creditors and their descendants. “I was young and old, and I did not see the righteous abandoned and his descendants asking for bread,” says the king and prophet David. Meanwhile, few mortals care about this, and instead of becoming rich in God, they often become rich in themselves, leaving their rich capital to who knows who, after their death, and sometimes move to another world suddenly, without the oil of alms, being subjected to eternal, joylessly painful spiritual hunger and a hellish worm that sharpens the heart. Nowadays they are creating various societies for self-support and insurance of their lives, with the contribution of a certain amount of money. What then? With God. For those who need it, who do not place their hope in God alone, insure yourself in case of death; but there is no better and surest insurance than to protect yourself and your offspring with God’s insurance: a good Christian life. And so, providing for the death of our loved ones financially, first of all, let us take care to provide ourselves, our souls morally for eternity by correcting our lives, doing good deeds and especially by giving alms to the poor in the broad Christian sense of the word. They will be more mercifully pardoned at the terrible judgment. Amen". After the word about. John began to serve a prayer service with the blessing of water; During the prayer service, he himself read the Gospel of Matthew 10:8–14, about the workers of the vineyard. But as I read it... It was something special, something we had never heard before - not the melodious reading that is customary among us everywhere, but simple, as if conversational, close to our speech. Father John sometimes abruptly pronounced sacred texts and, as it were, imprinted them forever in our hearts. Here I realized with my own eyes that there is a special Divine power in the Holy Gospel, which, like life-giving fire, only such chosen ones of God as Father John, whom we honor, can draw. “I have lifted up the chosen one from my people,” it is said in the word of God..., and we, who heard the reading “about the laborers in the vineyard,” seemed to see with our mental eyes this chosen one of God before us with the lamp of the word of God. And this thought - may not the servant of the Most High, distinguished by deep humility, complain about us - this thought has completely taken possession of us. Having renounced everything earthly, at that moment, under the influence of this thought, we could not hold back our tears throughout the entire prayer service. Such is the power of a highly instructive reading of the Gospel, such is the power of a servant of God, devoted to Him alone, submissive to Him alone. Reading prayers during the service by Fr. John, reverent, distinct, in all its simplicity, touching, softened our rough hearts and aroused a prayerful mood, plunging us into spiritual awe. That is why we said at the beginning of our description that we will never forget this prayer service, which ended with contrition for our sins. At the end of the prayer service and blessing of water, the singers sang “We praise God to you.” With their harmonious and good singing, they attracted the attention of Fr. John and received praise. “They sing beautifully,” said Fr. John, who at that time allowed the pilgrims gathered in the hall to kiss the cross, and everyone considered it their duty to kiss the hand of Fr. John. The kissing of the cross lasted a long time, because at the end of the prayer service there were even more people. It is remarkable that in the hall there were many Jews, Tatars, Germans, followers of other confessions, and they approached Fr. John and received greetings. One of the Jews, even before the start of the prayer service, when asked why he was here, answered: “I respect Fr. John, as an honest and wonderful person." Such, we repeat, is moral power: it conquers and attracts everyone to itself: Mohammedan and Jew, and any non-religious. At this time, when Fr. John stood with a cross and taught a blessing to those approaching the cross, Chairman of the Society, N.N. Mikhailov, who arranged a human chain of men and women stewards to restore order, said publicly: “Gracious Sovereigns! In commemoration and memory of such a joyful day for us, our dear guest, Fr. John, we will set up an outpatient clinic in the name of three saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Panteleimon the healer and St. John of Rila, whose name is Fr. John". Father John loudly exclaimed: “thank you,” and continued to give the worshipers a cross to kiss, and the singers sang “many years” to the dear priest. When everyone came to the cross, Fr. John asked: “Did everyone come to the cross?” - They answered that everything. The living chain surrounding Fr. John, accompanied him all the way to the carriage. Members of the Society, headed by the Chairman of the Board, asked for a blessing from Fr. John, they put him in the carriage and Fr. John left. There were even more people gathered on the street than before, but Fr. John had to rush to other feats of prayer and consolation, to other corners of our St. Petersburg. His beneficial activities are varied. They call him everywhere, and he needs to keep up everywhere. Indeed, who doesn’t know about. John of Kronstadt? Who hasn’t turned to his miraculous prayer? By the power of his prayer he raises more than one servant of God from his sick bed. Both kings and beggars turned to him and turn to him for prayer; and the highest church hierarchs, and simpletons from different parts of Russia. We met people traveling from Siberia near Peterhof. “Why are you going so far?” we asked. “Receive a blessing from the priest on a pilgrimage to Solovki.” That's what the strangers said. “What do you eat on the road?” “I eat the alms of the Lord that good people give.” We all remember that His Eminence Leonty, Metropolitan of Moscow, depressed by a mortal illness, called Fr. John for prayers - and prayed with him, forgetting about his illness, which confined him to bed. We all remember how Fr. John bade farewell to the other world of the Tsar, the Peacemaker, and accepted the sigh of our Most Pious Sovereign Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich, who rested in God. And how many good deeds did Fr. John for the people!.. Look at Kronstadt. There about. John, using voluntary donations, built a “shelter” for pilgrims, a House of Diligence for those who wanted to live by honest labor, and a refuge for orphans. He gives money to thousands of beggars and poor people every day. His generous hand extends to the vast Siberia: just recently an announcement was published on behalf of the Committee of Ministers that Fr. John donated, at different times, 34 thousand rubles to churches along the great Siberian route. Moreover, it was touching to read in the announcement of the Committee of Ministers that Fr. John appears with his help precisely when the source at the Committee’s disposal, allocated for the church needs of Siberia, becomes scarce. If you pay close attention to the newspapers, you can often read in them that Fr. John donates either a hundred or two to various charitable causes pleasing to God. And he acquires all the amounts for his generous donations through his ascetic labors and prayers. Listen to what we heard once at one crowded dinner of the host’s birthday (December 6). Our birthday boy had Fr. Archpriest S., an honored man, the author of many pedagogical and preaching works, decorated with a star on his chest and whitened with gray hair. The conversation turned to Father John; many guests were surprised why Fr. acquired such fame. John. Father Archpriest said: “It’s clear why, the Lord gives strength to the prayers of Fr. John. You read his essay “My Life in Christ”, and you will see that Father John lives like a true ascetic...” And everyone was impressed by what Fr. Archpriest S. comprehended the source of the power of the prayers offered to God by Fr. John. And many articles about Fr. have appeared in the literature. John. One book called “At the Source of Living Water” (Alekseev’s edition) contains edifying data about the powerful power of the pastoral exhortation of Fr. John on those coming to St. Andrew's Cathedral (in Kronstadt) for fasting, about the amazing general confession to which those praying in the cathedral subject themselves; moans and tears are heard when Fr. John, with a cross in his hand, calls the confessors to repentance in the name of God. Everyone, without shame, openly confesses their sins. This reminds us of the first centuries of Christianity. This is how this confession is described: Mass ended, and the people moved in a tight mass to the pulpit, awaiting general confession. Soon Fr. came out to the pulpit. John, with a book in his hands, and turning to a crowd of thousands of people, in a sonorous, firm voice, invited the upcoming sinners and sinners to heartfelt, sincere and unfeigned repentance. The crowd crowded even closer, moved even closer to the pulpit, like a flock of lost sheep, aware of their sinfulness before God, their spiritual uncleanness, and now, daring to pray to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness, they sought intercession and protection from their good shepherd. The clear, penetrating voice of Fr. John sounded again over the sea of ​​human heads, calling everyone with “heart ears” to listen to prayers of repentance. Then a prayer was read to God the Father, and in this prayer the holy, immutable truth was spoken, softening the stubborn soul of the sinner and disposing him to repentance. In this prayer Fr. John consistently proved to the people how great the power of God is, the Marvelous, All Holy, All-Good, Almighty, Wise and Terrible of all creation, but at the same time infinitely Merciful, infinitely loving us sinners and always ready to lovingly receive into His grace-filled shadow the lost, but sincerely repentant sheep of His flock. Having eloquently and heartfeltly outlined before us the Image of the Most Holy and Most Merciful Lord, the good mentor, in touching expressions, asked the upcoming crowd to sincerely repent, to wash away spiritual impurity with tears and through repentance to reconcile with God, for a sinning and unrepentant person moves away from the Lord, is at enmity with Him, leaves His bright and saving love and becomes a pleaser of the devil, this primordial enemy of the human race, weak to temptation. Further about. John urges the people not to be embarrassed by the multitude of their sins and not to despair of the forgiveness of the immeasurably merciful God, who has been granting forgiveness to sinning humanity since the ages. As proof of God's patience and mercy, Fr. John gives many saving examples that clearly indicate salvation to a despairing sinner. Such an excellent example is the king and prophet David, the forefather according to the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, a pious man, fulfilling the covenants of God and an inspired psalmist of the glory of God. Then Fr. John continues to read... “Your greatness is immeasurable and Your mercy is immeasurable!” Fr. exclaimed loudly. John, having finished his sermon and turning his clear, pure gaze to the image of the Savior, fervently begged Him to have mercy on these sinners and sinners standing before His face, thirsting for forgiveness and permission from the grave bonds of sin, invisibly but powerfully binding the inner world of man. My God! How rejoiced, how trembled the repentant soul was at the sight of the good shepherd, who in these moments took upon himself the difficult duty of a reconciliator and petitioner for God’s goodness towards us sinners. How touchingly he asked the Lord for forgiveness of our sins, citing as justification our lives in an adulterous and sinful world, who are constantly deceived by the devil and, due to spiritual weakness, fall into sins and vices. With what trepidation the people listened to the inspired prayers of their wise mentor and how fervently they prayed with him!.. Some kind of unearthly power rose then in the purifying soul of every person - it was a wonderful, wondrous, supernatural power - the power of goodness, truth and faith, elevating us above our own vices, and this wonderful power lived and grew in our souls. Pouring in her heart the wise words of her mentor, she ardently longed to be lifted up in spirit, to be cleansed of the filth of sins and to be carried away with pure thoughts to the mountainous, wondrous heights of heaven to the radiant Throne of God, and there, casting herself into the dust, to beg the Lord for the forgiveness of her sins so passionately desired by her soul. We also know another book: “The Fireman’s Primer,” where on the first page are the words of Fr. John to the fire company, which has the goal of saving the property of peasants, and these words indicate that Father Fr. John is glad for any good undertaking and is always ready to help with blessings, pastoral words and generous deeds. We remember the sermon of His Eminence Nikanor, Archbishop of Odessa, to his flock, when he returned from St. Petersburg to Odessa and spoke about the impressions of his life in St. Petersburg, where he was present at the meetings of the Holy Synod. The Eminence directly said that Fr. John of Kronstadt is a significant phenomenon that, as a highly revered shepherd, people of different ranks and confessions turn to him for moral help, and he does not refuse the required help. If our hierarchs speak from the church pulpit about Fr. John; if the entire Russian people loves this valiant shepherd - (and the Tsar the Peacemaker spoke about this love of the people for Father John in the last minutes of his life, when Father John held his hands over the head of the Dying King); - if in every public matter people and different societies ask Fr. John, so that he would pray with them for the success of the matter: should we, or our Society, not want to enter with Fr. John in the nearest spiritual unity and not to support the desire stated by the Chairman of the Board to open a hospital in memory of the visit of our Society on March 26, 1900 by Fr. John, now a seventy-five year old man? Let us build a hospital for the “lesser” brethren, let us try to imitate the virtues of Fr. John, let's do more good to people. “Flee the disease and visit Me” (Matthew 25:36). You see: the Savior relates everything to Himself. We give to the beggar - we give to the Savior; We alleviate the sickness of the patient - we provide our help to the Savior. If he who gives a cup of cold water to a thirsty person does not lose his reward, according to the word of God, then how valued on the scales of God’s righteousness will be our sacrifice for the healing of the sick!.. Remember that in St. Petersburg there are few hospitals, that they are all overcrowded, and in deplorable times of epidemics there is not enough medical care for the sick. Respond, brethren, with your assistance in the establishment of a hospital in memory of the visit of Fr. John of our Society and who has already thanked us for this good deed and thus, as it were, already blessed us for our good undertaking. Time is ticking. Let's get down to good work, a lot immediately. “A thread for the world, a shirt for the bare,” says our folk proverb, and remember the word of God, which says that “the hand of the giver will not fail.” Describing all of the above, we cannot keep silent about the fact that among those present at the prayer service, among others, was someone who came from among the people, now a high-ranking dignitary, who, in a fit of delight, said the following: “In the days of my youth, I remember one similar prayer service in my homeland, in a village church, when I was about to go 700 miles to St. Petersburg to study, with three rubles given to me by my parent, the psalm-reader of the village. We served a farewell prayer service with him. There was a priest and my father and I in the church. Standing with our heads bowed while reading the Gospel, we both dropped a few drops of our tears onto the wooden floor of the church... We were then crushed by the unknown of our fate, a gloomy future, a stranger - the far side and parting with our homeland, where we lived continuously for 21 years (I studied at a theological school and a theological seminary); but at the prayer service performed by Fr. John, I was overwhelmed by sorrow for sins caused by “God’s chosen one”... This address was presented to Father John by the deputies of the Society on February 22, 1890, upon his consent, after the mass he celebrated in the altar of the church of the Leushinsky Metochion (on Baseina), by the honorary chairman Nikolai Nikitich Mikhailov (read by him), member of the Board - secretary Evdokia Ignatievna Vasilyeva, authorized by: Mikhail Nikolaevich Koryakin, Pyotr Savich Mishchenko, Yakov Savelyevich Savelyev and Andrei Vasilievich Titov.