Духовные основы

Here it seems appropriate to give a short commentary on the story about the relationship of Bishop Hilarion with criminals. The prison priest of the early twentieth century, Archimandrite Spiridon (Kislyakov), reveals the basis of such relationships with prisoners as follows: “As soon as I became close to the prisoners, I immediately realized that this element required on my part: there must be exceptional love for them. This love must be sincere and active. Without her, it’s better not to get acquainted with this world. This world is too offended by fate, too embittered at everything and everyone, and in order to call it out of this state, it is necessary for the priest to stand, and stand firmly, with both feet on the soil of active love for them” 362. Christian love has God Himself as its source, and communion with God is unthinkable without prayer. Without a doubt, the virtues of Hieromartyr Hilarion were based on his experience of prayer. We find confirmation of this in the book of memoirs about the spiritual mentor who lived in Soviet times, Father Arseny. In the memoirs of one of the spiritual children of Father Arseny, Hieromonk Seraphim, we find the following episode: “Archbishop Hilarion (Troitsky) guided me on the right path. We met him in Solovki, he was also sent to clean up sewage. “Vladyka!” I turned to him. “What should I do, I’m cleaning up the uncleanness, I’m a hieromonk, I’m obliged to pray day and night, but how can I, dirty, dirty? You can’t make the sign of the cross with such a hand. What should I do? Vain thoughts began to overcome me.” Vladyka Hilarion said: "It is necessary to pray and pray so that the world around you goes away and only one prayer lives in your soul. Do not place the sign of the cross on yourself with a dirty hand, but mentally raise your eyes up, then down, to the right and to the left. You will make the sign of the cross, and in the barracks, having cleansed yourself of dirt, cross yourself with your hand. Praying while working, having gone into prayer, you will not see the dirt and stench. I do this, and it helps to bear all the burdens. The Lord will save you from vain thoughts; remember what your mentor and teacher taught you - Fr. Just as a city standing on the top of a mountain cannot hide (Matthew 5:14), so the spiritual feat of Bishop Hilarion was known and inspired many even outside Russia. Metropolitan Eleutherius (Epiphany) of Lithuania and Vilnius, who later ruled Western European parishes, cited Bishop Hilarion as an example of how in conclusion “the feat of confession... can turn into the feat of a spiritual father, brother, missionary” 364. Spiridon (Kislyakov), archimandrite. From what was seen and experienced: notes of a missionary. – [B. m.]: Obraz, 2004. pp. 38–39. Father Arseny: Ed. 5th / ed. prot. V. Vorobyova. -M: PSTGU, 2009. pp. 628–629. Eleutherius (Epiphany), Metropolitan. A week in the Patriarchate: Impressions and observations from a trip to Moscow // From the history of the Christian Church at home and abroad in the 20th century: Collection. – M.: Krutitskoe Patriarchal Compound, 1995. P. 268.