Memories of His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

His memory will not fade away, and his name will live throughout all generations. Stories about the eminent Moscow hierarch Filaret and his short sayings, full of meaning and power, were published by me, a reader of his sacred memory, in various periodical publications; but I have not said everything about him that I know and would like to say, in order to make known or memorable for others what is unforgettable for me; and everything related to his great personality, no matter how unimportant it may otherwise seem in itself, is not devoid of public interest or edification. In this article, I intend to present not only additional information about him, but also to repeat from what I published in previous years, that (relatively little) that I find most suitable to the nature of my article, in which I will convey my personal memories about St. Philaret in as complete a manner as possible. On the day (August 19) of the solemn procession of the cross, held annually at the Donskoy Stavropegial Monastery from the Kremlin - when Metropolitan Philaret went to serve in that monastery or returned from the monastery to his Trinity courtyard, past Ioanno-Voinskaya, at the Kaluga Gate, the church where my parent served as a priest - I tried for many years, starting in 1840, to certainly see him blessing the people who flocked to all the streets along which the Metropolitan was expected to pass and bow to him. His Eminence Philaret attracted people with his unusually pleasant appearance, which reflected the godly purity and true height of his life, not to mention the greatness of his spiritual rank and exploits. Those who saw him once wanted to see him another time; whoever had seen him many times before, when he had the good fortune to still see him, felt such a lively pleasure as if he were seeing him for the first time. Seeing him, it was impossible not to glorify God, who is wondrous in his chosen servants; and therefore, when he served, the churches were filled with people. One Sunday morning, I, then still a minor, went to the Trinity Compound to the house bishop's church. Having entered it after the Cherubic song, I could not get into the middle behind the multitude of people in order to see the secretly acting Metropolitan; I didn’t think to wait until he blessed those present (and he blessed everyone with fatherly love), but immediately after the dismissal I left the church and walked through. - Where? First to the reception room, the doors of which, adjacent to the church ones, were open on the opposite side for His Eminence, and then to his open hall, where I saw a venerable old woman, who was in a dark dress and tied with a black scarf - Evdokia Nikitichna, mother of Philaret, as I later learned. She understood what was going on and told me: “you have come to the wrong place, go down the stairs” (wooden spiral). I will say a few words about this most worthy mother of the great saint. E. N. Drozdova, whom Filaret resembled in appearance, lived on Troitskaya, near the Trinity Compound, street, in a small house purchased for her in 1844. A year before her death († March 20, 1853), she began to feel a loss of strength and a headache, from which she became so forgetful that she did not recognize those around her, but did not seek help from doctors, and instead, the reverent old woman often approached St. Secrets. Saint Philaret was with her during her unction with oil (in March 1852), after which she received temporary relief. In May 1852, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna deigned to ask Metropolitan Philaret about her, is she still alive? In the last three months, she ate only prosphora and the maids, to whom she was grateful, spent days and nights at her bedside, marveling at her patience. The sick woman rested peacefully in the Lord at the age of 87, in the presence of her great son, the saint, who accepted her last breath with submission to the fate of God. Due to the cramped conditions of the parish Trinity Church, due to the construction of a chapel in it in the name of the Vladimir Mother of God, the funeral service for the deceased was scheduled in the Church of St. much Adrian and Natalia, behind the Sukharev Tower. Here, on March 23, 1853, the Eminence Bishop escorted the body of his blessed mother and served in this church the presanctified liturgy with Archimandrites Andronievsky Platon, his confessor and Epiphany Ioannikiy, abbot of the Cathedral Chudov Monastery, with two archpriests (who are: Andrianovsky D. P. Novsky - confessor E. N., who honored her with a funeral oration, in which he likened her to Anna the prophetess mentioned in the Gospel of Luke: Luke 2:36–38 and Trinity, in Trinity, Archpriest I. S. Orlov) and with two related priests 2. The funeral service was performed by Bishop Philaret, Metropolitan Neophyte of Iliopolis and His Eminence Vicar Philotheus, co-served by a large assembly of archimandrites, archpriests, hieromonks, and priests. It was touching to see the Moscow hierarch bidding farewell to the deceased, who paid her his last filial duty by kissing her head and hand. The coffin, which contained her laborious body, was carried out of the church by zealous priests and deacons, and then on a funeral chariot was conveyed by the mentioned bishops (Neophytos and Philotheus) with the Bishop of Thevand Nikanor and others to the Pyatnitskoye cemetery, located on the highway leading to the Lavra of St. Sergius, for whom the deceased was especially reverent; and the cemetery priest I. A. Favorsky was closely related to her. During the extraordinary funeral procession, some streets were crowded with people who had gathered from different parts of the capital. The Moscow archpastor, when the procession approached the cemetery, met her in St. gate and having escorted the coffin to the grave prepared in the church itself, meekly and forlornly returned to his cell, but for others (up to 250 people) a memorial meal was established in the cemetery 3. “Her life and death,” he wrote on the same day, to the governor of the Lavra, Archimandrite Anthony, give assurance that she died in blessed hope. The number of her years and the last painful year prepared me for deprivation. I look at her departure with reverence; however, I often want to cry. Thank God that I was honored to pay her my last debt.” 4 It is worthy of attention that on the day of his mother’s burial - Monday of the 4th week of Lent - in accordance with the rules, the bishop served the Presanctified Liturgy, and not the Chrysostom Liturgy. “The celebration of the Chrysostom Liturgy on fast days, in essence, is not an important change in order (he wrote to Father Anthony in March 1863). In ancient times this was not looked upon in some places as it is now generally viewed in the Orthodox Church. But, he continues, we must spare the true zealots who, without delving deeply into the spiritual, are easily seduced by the visible. Those who wish to commemorate the deceased can do this on Saturday” 5. The Bishop, met on the day of the feast of the Smolensk Mother of God in the Novodevichy Monastery by clergy and a choir of nuns, was completely immersed in the thought of God (he, of course, thought when entering the church of the Lord that the Lord of hosts, the King of Glory, was present in this church) and his very gaze was raised to the mountain; even while putting on the bishop’s robes, before leaving the church, he carefully preserved the same prayerful concentration within himself... Of course, the duty of a servant is to look towards the Lord, and not around himself, but how edifying the fulfillment of duty was, this is the elevation of the saint in thought and heart to God! Despite my early youth, I was amazed by the unearthly greatness of him. Two of his separately published speeches (welcome speeches when the Tsar visited Moscow), received by me from the school board as a reward for my student successes and good behavior (this was in July 1842 and 1844), I have saved to this day 6 . At the Moscow seminary, while studying the theory of literature, I became acquainted with the following excerpts from his sermons, which served as an example of spiritual eloquence: a) “If there must be correspondence to the benefits of God on the part of man: then what could it consist of? Merit, request, gratitude: these are three possible correspondences to benefits. Merit is possible between people, one of whom has a need for the services of another, and the other can diligently present his services to the first: but a self-satisfied God has no need for anything and a person has nothing to present to God that would not be a benefit received from God; Consequently, there is no place for merit here. It is possible and good to ask for good deeds from God if a person does this with confidence and humility. But most of God’s blessings happen before our request, better than our request and above our concept: you cannot ask for something that has already been done, you cannot ask for something that is not even in your mind. Therefore, it remains the most common way to correspond to the benefits of God - gratitude, true, as the benefits of God are true, active, as God actively does good to us” (From a conversation about gratitude to God). b) From the word on the consecration of the Church of St. Nicholas in the house of the Moscow Theological Seminary, November 1, 1844: “Once upon a time a man after God’s heart, David, desired to bring the sacred ark of the covenant of God closer to himself, not to his own house, but only to his city: but when the clergyman Oza, with a bold, albeit well-intentioned touch to the shrine, took from it for himself, instead blessings, death, David feared the Lord on that day, saying: How shall the ark of the Lord come unto me (2 Samuel 6:9)? And only in time, after new special signs of gracious condescension, did he resume and fulfill his pious undertaking. The Church of Christian truth and mysteries contains either no less or even greater shrine than the transformative ark of the Old Testament. So, there is a reason for the inhabitants of this house to fear the Lord on this day and say: How is the church of the Lord coming to us? How will we live in such close proximity to the shrine of God, who is especially sanctified in those who approach Him, both as a light that enlightens the worthy, but also as a fire that burns the unworthy? Chad! Do not allow yourself to forget and lose attention to the nearby church of God. Remember him with fear: however, in such a way that this fear does not reflect you from the house of God, but reflects from you everything unworthy of the house of God.” And c) From the word at the opening of guardianship for the poor of the clergy. “We, who ourselves, by the bounty of God, were not beggars, do we know the soul of a beggar? Do we know what he thinks and feels when passing, for example, near the vast storehouses of a rich man, or near a huge house of spectacles, or meeting someone dressed in precious clothing, not at the request of his rank, or smelling the children of a fat feast, or hearing the Musik thunder from the palaces of luxury and seeing the midday light in them at midnight? “If only,” he probably thinks, “if these vast storehouses weren’t filled with things that the rich don’t need at all: how many people like me could get from him what they need, which we don’t have now!” If this wide shelter were not needed for some hours of idleness, so that under it people would see pretense and listen to fictions: how many people could be collected and placed under it who now have nowhere to lay their heads or do not live, but are ruining their lives in unclean, unhealthy, dilapidated and falling-threatening dwellings! And then it would not be false actors here uttering fictitious exclamations of passions, but unfeigned actors of an unsophisticated spectacle raising exclamations of gratitude to heaven and themselves proclaiming to us the real virtue of philanthropy. If the wearer of this rare foreign clothing agreed to exchange it for ordinary domestic ones, he would then be dressed decently and could exchange rags for clothes for many of us. If one change of food or drink were removed from this table, which the interlocutors have been bored with for a long time, from this it would be possible to create a new feast for several, now hungry and thirsty. How many sweet or thundering sounds there are in the palace of luxury in the hour of joy: so many could have quieted the cries and groans of disaster if at that hour we had abandoned art and given to poverty what was promised to it. There, the play of the rich is valued incomparably more than the labor of the poor: and those who pay this price sometimes more unquestioningly than the wages of a worker, or a debt to a lender, do not think that for this price they could win the prosperity of a poor family and several grateful hearts. From this bright chamber one could take away several of its many lamps so that it would still remain bright: but through this one could fill with the oil of consolation the lamp of life, which is being depleted by poverty and may soon go out completely.” Not content with the above and other excerpts from Philaret’s works, which were part of the educational notes, I read with rare enthusiasm his “Words and Speeches” in three parts (edition 1844), finding in them a deep and detailed disclosure of the teachings of faith, a picturesque, but at the same time, accurate and strong expression of the thoughts of the brilliant author, and I knew some by heart, for example, the word at the tomb of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich or on the occasion of the laying (in 1828) of the relics of St. Alexis - the royal cover and medal for the Persian War - on the shrine. “His sermons are eternal,” the Spaso-Androniev Archimandrite Hermogenes († June 19, 1845) used to say, after whose death a handwritten collection of hitherto unknown sermons by Philaret (1806–1808) was found and became the property of my parent. They (4 in number) are placed in 2 books. Readings in the Imperial Society of Russian History and Antiquities for 1874; Only here can you read two of them (on the day of John the Baptist and on the week of enlightenment), as they have not been published anywhere else. Note. In our time, in the theological class of the Moscow seminary, a large picturesque image of St. John the Theologian on canvas and also a portrait of Metropolitan Philaret, painted in life-size with his oil paints, probably in 1844, when the seminary was transferred from the city center to its present location. Vladyka, a famous Russian theologian and church leader, was depicted standing on an eagle near a lectern (on the lectern there is an open book of the Gospel) and peacefully, calmly talking in the church. He is in full bishop's vestments with a white hood (instead of a heavy miter) on his head; his right hand is somewhat raised, and in his left there is an archpastoral staff with a sulko. Bishop Philaret personally revealed his learning to us during the so-called public exams, which were held at the Moscow seminary twice a year: before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the public exam was (it seems since 1844) a one-day one, and in July, after the usual exams, two days were appointed, during which the students were subjected to a public test, in the presence of many outside visitors, especially from the Moscow clergy and presided over by the His Eminence Philaret, who steadily attended such trials. On the first day, a test was carried out in theological sciences, on the second - in all other sciences 7. “Here, listening to the students’ answers, he, as one venerable mentor of the same seminary rightly writes, loved to address them with various questions and objections, loved to test how much the students knew and understood those departments of science that were presented for public testing. If the student did not give a satisfactory answer to the proposed question, the teacher himself usually answered for him. Thus, public exams were a test not only for students, but also for teachers. Here the wise archpastor himself often made explanations on this or that issue, which were always distinguished by their depth and strength. And these explanations were listened to by all those present with the greatest attention. Who of those who were at these public examinations does not remember how, during such explanations of the archpastor, deep silence settled in the hall, those present quietly rose from their seats, leaned towards the side of the archpastor who was not speaking loudly, listening to his words and trying not to utter a single one of them? And who doesn’t know that many theologians valued the questions and explanations of the wise theologian leader so highly that after exams they wrote them down and compiled collections of his theological explanations on various issues 8 . To one of Philaret’s objections (in December 1848): “How can you prove that the prediction about a great prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15) refers to Christ?” I could not answer that this prediction was attributed to Christ. Peter and Stephen the First Martyr (Acts 3:22–23, Acts 7:37). “You are the first student (of the lower department) and you don’t know!” he told me with meek reproach, and that’s all! And in 1851, he significantly demoted Alexander Salmanov in the rank list, who hoped to move to the academy in a year (died in the rank of deacon). To the Metropolitan’s question: “How can we prove that Jesus Christ is the way and the truth and the life?” Salmanov could not answer that the Savior Himself testified about Himself in this very sense (John 14:6); he did not give a satisfactory answer to any other question, because the answer did not hit Filaret’s thought. This time the Eminence acted strictly, having learned from him that he was a close relative of the coll. register. Again, dismissed shortly before from the consistory service (this official, as an archivist, was found guilty, by the way, in the case of missing two numbered sheets in the metric book of the Trinity Church in Kozhevniki for 1796). But if one of the pupils did not quote the sacred text with literal accuracy, the bishop sometimes forced them to find this text and read it from the Bible. In 1854 he gave completely new objections, unheard of before. This is, for example: “Why is a bishop not now elected by lot?” (see Acts 1:21–26, which describes the first choice in the Christian church, the apostolic one). The Metropolitan himself, resolving the objections, said: “instead of drawing lots, the election (of one of three candidates for the episcopacy presented by the Holy Synod) is given to the heart of the Crown Bearer.” At the Moscow Academy, where I studied from September 1854 to 1858, His Eminence Philaret was also present at some private exams 9; objecting himself, he demanded the same from the deputies, who were appointed for each subject from among the available mentors and (during the course years, that is, every two years) two third-party persons (the rector of the Bethany seminary and the Moscow archpriest). In 1856, as an auditor, he told them: “Why are you silent? I came to listen not only to the examinees, but to the examiners themselves.” At that very moment, the recently deceased professor E.V. Amfitheatrov objected, captivating us with the beauty of his words. The Bishop listened to both of them with unflagging attention; Sometimes he seemed to be dozing, but suddenly he opened his bright, penetrating gaze, as soon as the student expressed himself inaccurately or became confused. He once asked younger students the question: “Is it possible to conclude from the parts to the whole? And he himself decided that “it’s possible when the parts are homogeneous.” He also objected (1856): “Who is higher, Hegel or Karamzin?” The student replied that they cannot be compared: one was a philosopher (German), and the other a writer and historiographer. At a private examination on dogmatic theology, the Metropolitan objected (in June 1857): “God from eternity had the thought of the world: why is the world not from eternity?... We count seven thousand years from the creation of the world: why not eight, no more?” “But the beginning of the world,” he continued, is there such a beginning before which there was nothing? St. Basil the Great teaches that before the visible world there existed the invisible. The goodness of God even then found exercise for itself. The eternal existence of the world is impossible due to the nature of the limited beings of the world; they are finite." The Mother of the Maccabees testified that the world was created out of nothing (2Mac.7:28). “Is this testimony important?” asked the Metropolitan. “Important because,” he said, it serves as an expression of the opinion of the entire Jewish church: the books of Maccabees are included in the Bible; secondly, it is important because this mother is a saint” 10. As proof of the creation of the world from nothing, I also cited the words of St. Paul: By faith we understand that the word of God has been perfected forever, in which He was not made visible (Heb. 11:3). The Bishop objected: “Didn’t the apostle mean unformed, formless matter, from which the visible world was supposedly created?” - “But when, he said, there is clear evidence in Holy Scripture that the world was created by God out of nothing, for example, the same apostle writes that God condemns what does not exist, but what exists (Rom. 4:17): then, according to their guidance and in accordance with them, less clear evidence should be interpreted.” In 1858, His Eminence Filaret of Kharkov (later Chernigov) took a private examination on the same subject and moral theology. In his presence, the Metropolitan asked me (June 19): “Why is it impossible to please God without faith (Heb. 2:6)?” After listening to my detailed explanation, he said: “You answer decently” (and such a review meant a lot) and asked the rector of the academy, Archimandrite Sergius, now Archbishop of Chisinau, about me: “Whose son, where am I from and what is my last name.” At the end of the public examinations, he advised (in June 1857) to “rest wisely, so that you can get down to business again later.” In 1858, on June 27, having congratulated the senior students on the completion of their studies, the bishop said that we were entering the field of social activity, advised us to preserve everything good that we had learned here and concluded: “support the honor of the academy that gave you a higher education.” Of the many other objections that he gave at the Moscow Academy and in seminaries, I remember the following: God lives in the unapproachable light, and no one has seen Him, but man can see Him (1 Tim. 6:18). “How did Moses see God on the mountain?” – He saw God from behind (Exodus 33:23), saw only the reflection of the glory of God, but not the being itself. God knows everything and knows everything perfectly. The objection was His words to Moses: I know you more than all (Ex. 33:17), which apparently implies His unequally perfect knowledge in relation to people. But the above words should be understood in the sense of God’s special attention or favor to Moses: for thou hast found grace before me, and knowest thee above all. “Thunder kills an innocent baby: where is God’s justice? God sometimes punishes parents with the death of their children, but in exchange for temporary life, innocent children receive the kingdom of heaven. “Where do good and evil come from?” – Good is from God, and evil is from the devil. – “Does God have a concept of evil?” “No,” answered the student. “If he does not, then how will he judge sinners?” “It has,” answered the other, but divine knowledge is free from all evil. This is not our knowledge of good and evil, achieved through the taste of evil, through enslavement to evil, with the loss of innocence and righteousness. “How are angels disembodied when they see the face of the heavenly Father (Matthew 18:10)?” “We see earthly objects,” said Filaret, with the eyes of the flesh, spiritual objects with the eyes of the soul. The soul has an eye. “Pope Leo III († 816), to protect the inviolability of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan symbol, ordered it to be carved on two silver boards and placed in the Basilica of St. Petra. “Why on two boards?” – The seminarians could not answer this question. - Why talk a lot about this? - said the saint. On two boards, because the pope ordered the symbol to be inscribed in two languages ​​- Greek and Latin." “Humanity, in the person of Jesus Christ, is seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19); does that mean people are higher than angels? “But man is another thing, God-man is another thing,” said the saint. “Can man be higher than the angels? Who's to say? - Maybe. Such is the Mother of God, more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim. “How do the miracles of Christ prove His divinity? “Both prophets and apostles performed miracles, they also raised the dead. Christ said: Believe in Me the works that I do, he will do, and greater works than these he will do (John 14:12). – The prophets and apostles performed miracles not with their own, but with the power given to them by God; and Jesus worked miracles with the power of his Divinity, promising the gift of miracles to his followers (see also Mark 16:16–18). He is sovereign, just as God raised the dead and rose from the dead on the third day. The miracle of Christ's resurrection is the greatest of all miracles ever performed by anyone, peculiar to the Son of God alone. “How to distinguish a true miracle from a false one?” “It is necessary,” answered Filaret himself, to pay primary attention to the life of the miracle worker: only a person close to God, worthy of this by his qualities or merits, can be endowed with power from above.” “For a pagan who wants to accept the Orthodox faith, what does he need first of all?” - Baptism. - "No". - Announcement. “The sacrament of baptism can be performed, in case of need, even by a layman, and the right to celebrate the Eucharist is not given to anyone other than the bishop and the presbyters, as the bishop’s vicars. Why is this so? Who's to say? The Bishop himself answered: “out of respect for that Person who performed the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time.” “Why were the Jews not circumcised during their 40-year wandering in the desert?” Due to repeated and unexpected changes of location. It is known that the pillar of cloud that led them appointed a place and time of rest regardless of their will, and the painful rite of circumcision required a stop for at least two or three days. On September 19, 1856, at two o'clock in the afternoon, Their Imperial Majesties visited the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, after the sacred coronation. Near the Trinity Cathedral, on both sides of the royal path, the students of the academy were stationed, as pupils of the highest nursery of spiritual enlightenment, to which I then belonged. Pointing at us with his right hand, Metropolitan Philaret said to His Majesty: “these are students...” “I know, theological academy,” the God-crowned Tsar quickly said, to our general delight. The Bishop came out to speak a sermon in the Lavra Cathedral, during the celebration of the birth of Grand Duke Sergius Alexandrovich - this was on May 7, 1857, and those standing at the pulpit quickly moved a few steps back. He said: “Who will I tell? Come here." Recalling one extremely sad incident, I will tell you how it happened. In 1855, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord (May 5), at 1 pm, when the sun was scorching strongly, I, an academy student, went with my friend N to swim in the monastery pond (I mean the Gethsemane monastery). Halfway through the journey, several more comrades caught up with us, including Vladimir Glagolev, the son of a Moscow priest, like me, short in stature and relatively too youthful, and had rather long hair on his head. Everyone loved him as polite and meek. He and I separated from the others and continued walking together. To my question: “Can he swim?”, he answered that he could float on the water. Entering the grove adjacent to the hermitage pond, I picked up a long stick and threw it, not too far from the shore, without thinking at all that in a few minutes it could replace the life-saving rope for a drowning man. But now we all came to the pond itself; then three of his comrades swam to the other side; one or two were swimming to the right, in the branch of the pond; Glagolev went straight into the water, and while I was still on the shore, I saw with amazement how he was vigorously beating his hands on the surface of the water, in the same place, no more than three fathoms from me; His eyes seemed to be bulging and he couldn’t scream. I (ah, I forgot about the rod I found in the grove, which I would give to a drowning man), without wasting a single minute, I entered the water, completely unfamiliar with the techniques, in order to give him the necessary help; due to the slope of the bottom, I started swimming and with my left hand grabbed him by the right hand, but so that he wouldn’t drag me along with him, I immediately freed my hand and tried, exhausted, to stand on the bottom; Having got into the depths, I swam out in fear and feeling a darkening in my eyes, and my tongue was like a bone, I began to scream, inaudible to anyone, for help for myself, but nevertheless, I safely went ashore and with the movement of my hands I let my comrades, who were swimming back from the other shore, know about Glagolev’s misfortune. He sank completely into the water, then his head appeared; It sank once or twice more and sank to the bottom, giving birth to circles on the surface of the waters, one more spacious than the other. Having seen from afar drowning in the last moments of the struggle with the water element, A.F. Nekrasov, (now the archpriest at Spasskaya, in the carriage row, church) a good comrade, as soon as he approached the scene of the disaster from the opposite side, selflessly sank into the water, saving his friend, but it was too deep and cold in this depth, as a result of which the high goal was not achieved. Our dear drowned man was pulled out, an hour or more later, by a seine, which was thrown into the pond more than once, and nothing could bring him back to life: he went “to the heavenly academy,” as someone put it, and on what day! On this day, preparing for eternal life in heaven, he prayed with personal fervor at early mass, sang at late mass, belonging to the student choir; was unusually complacent. But how much the widowed father grieved after losing his son, a successful student at the academy! His comrades also cried that he left the educational field so soon. The unfortunate adventure was immediately reported to the Metropolitan and permission was given to build a bathhouse for the students on the Posad pond. Influenced, in part, by this regrettable incident, which left an indelible impression on my soul, I wished to renounce her from the world, before she renounced the body, to enter, that is, into the monastic rank, which was allowed by the decree of the Holy Synod of February 6, 1857. On this decree, the resolution of His Eminence (dated February 10) was as follows: “tonsure of the student Voinov is entrusted to the rector of the academy (Archimandrite Eugene) to report this from the consistory to the academic board.” In the Trinity Lavra, before the altar of the Lord, I became a monk in order to fight the King of Heaven, on March 3 - the second Sunday of Lent, when the memory of the great defender of Eastern Orthodoxy - St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica; and the next Saturday, on the eve of my ordination as a hierodeacon, I had the good fortune to introduce myself to Metropolitan Philaret in Moscow, at the Trinity-Sukharevsky metochion, for the first time. An academy student and a young monk, I, not without fear, appeared before the face of the great hierarch and, bowing from afar, did not dare to come close to him. The Lord said: “Come here!” He was sitting on the sofa in the side room of the house, with a pen in his hand. Looking at me with his penetrating gaze and blessing me, the archpastor, strong in mind and word, said to me: “You have chosen a good path: remain strong. The path you have chosen, he continued, is the most trustworthy at the present time, in this evil and corrupt world.” Then he asked me the following questions: “Where are you from?” - From Moscow. "Whose son?" - The priest of such and such a church. “John?” I gave an affirmative answer. “Has your father blessed you in peace?” With peace. “Where are you staying? - In my parents' house. “You shouldn’t have, the bishop noted, you should have stayed at the monastery and just visited your parents.” Having written a resolution: “if there is no doubt, submit,” he said: “well, get ready (for dedication), be here in the evening (for the all-night vigil), go and blessed me again. The next day, March 10 (the third Sunday of Great Lent), Saint Philaret, laying his hand on my head, tenderly exclaimed: “Divine grace... will ordain a monk (such and such), a most reverent deacon, into a presbyter.” At these words, the protodeacon (Zinoviev) stopped the metropolitan: “subdeacon to deacon,” he said, correcting the ordainer’s mistake. The Bishop involuntarily became embarrassed and was silent for several seconds, because this incident was the only one during the entire time of his testimony; finally, he exclaimed: “the most reverent subdeacon to deacon,” and continued: “Let us therefore pray for him, that the grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him.” It is likely that the bookseller initially revealed the wrong prayer. After the liturgy, His Eminence Philaret, in his bishop's robe, near St. throne, said to me: “Thank God that he has vouchsafed you to be a servant of the altar. Guard the gift of God in a clear conscience, through reverent service.” From the Cathedral Chudov Monastery, where my dedication took place, I and my parents went to the Trinity Compound to thank the archpastor, the dispenser of spiritual gifts. We managed to anticipate his arrival at the farmstead and did not wait long for him. Seeing us in the reception room, the Eminence gave a hand sign for us to follow him into the hall. Here, turning to us with a pleasant smile, he asked my parent regarding me: “Did you let him go in peace” (to the narrow path of monasticism)? - In peace, by the grace of God. The Bishop remarked to his words: “I did well to make such a sacrifice to God.” I visited (on the 11th) the father of the rector of the Moscow seminary, Archimandrite Leonid, who received me, his former student, with fatherly love; He told me as a consolation: “The Spirit of God is preparing you in advance for the presbytery” and advised me to write down all the circumstances of my initiation and everything that I heard from the metropolitan. “This is the duty of my heart,” I answered. Like the dawn after a clear day, pleasant memories now shine. The following year, Alexander Orlinkov, my comrade, the son of a Moscow priest, accepted monasticism (in March) with the name Cornelius († July 21, 1886, in the rank of Archimandrite Antoniev of the Novgorod Monastery). That the children of Moscow priests do not shy away from monasticism was very pleasing to the archpastor, as he explained in a conversation with one of the rectors of the seminary. In July of the same year (1858), Fr. and I Cornelius in the Lavra (Pafnutevsky) garden we see: the Metropolitan himself is walking towards us along the straight path along which we were returning back, in a black duckweed and scarf, completely alone with a cane in his hand. We, having taken a few steps forward, stopped on both sides of the path, opposite each other, and opened a clear path for him. He blessed each of us, but did not say anything, teaching us to be abstinent in our words. I was ordained to the rank of hieromonk on July 20, 1858, in the Church of the Prophet Elijah, on Vorontsovo Field, where on this day there is a procession of the cross from the Kremlin every year. After the Liturgy, Saint Philaret told me: “Keep the gift you have received by constantly paying attention to yourself and reverently staying in church.” The next day (the day of my former angel, St. John), he graciously accepted a healthy prosphora from me, asked where I served the first mass (in the St. John the Military Church) and dismissing me, said: “Come on, Christ is with you!” Note: In 1822, Vladyka himself followed the religious procession on July 20. On this way, Archpriest of Spasskaya, at Glinishchi, Church Peter Simeonov met the procession with images, and as soon as Archbishop Philaret venerated the cross, he handed him a bouquet of flowers. Such an accident surprised the saints: “he caresses me like a small child, the bishop thought, and then he came in handy,” this bouquet; accepted out of sheer decency, so as not to sadden the 70-year-old man, and then protected from the heat of the sun. He recalled this more than once. When appointing students of the Moscow Academy who had completed the course to vacant positions in its district, which included several seminaries, as soon as it was my turn, the Metropolitan asked (in July 1858) the academic rector Archimandrite Sergius: “Where is he going?” – To the Bethany Seminary as a mentor. “Why is that so,” the bishop objected, probably referring to the weakness of my voice. - “The rector of Bethany (Archimandrite Ignatius, later Bishop of Kostroma) takes him under his protection.” Note 1. The Reverend Ignatius, while still studying at the Moscow seminary, visited his relative, Metropolitan Philaret, who mercifully spoke to him, seated him, and then said to his secretary: “hire a cab and put in the fruit.” The same bishop, while a student at the academy, announced to the metropolitan his desire for monastic life. “Your wish is good, but you don’t have to be ambitious. When I myself took monastic vows, the saint told him,” 11 I thought: now the academy will begin to train learned professors 12, but where am I fit (with my old education)? God would have led me, at the end of my life, to be laid to rest at the shrine of St. Sergius." Note 2. On the day of the feast of the Don Mother of God - August 19, 1858, I was appointed to the Bethany Seminary as a teacher in the classes of St. Scripture (in higher and secondary departments), hermeneutics (in secondary) and Greek (in higher); arrived there on September 6, the day of Archangel Michael, God's servant, and on the 9th of the same month, he took office. “The Bethany Theological Seminary, as its venerable rector, Archimandrite Jacob, cordially wrote to me on July 16 of this year, “belongs to the first steps of your, although not particularly loud and spectacular, but nevertheless very fruitful service career. Thirty years ago, you began your activities for the benefit of the church and, in particular, for the benefit of the Moscow clergy, by holding the modest position of teacher at Bethany Seminary. Allow me, the representative and head of this very seminary in its present position, to greet you on the thirty anniversary of your ministry and wish that your multi-useful service and your scientific works (especially in collecting traces of the activities of such saints as Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow) will continue for many, many years.” In January 1859, Hieromonk Sergius, a relative of A.V. Gorsky, now the Bishop of Mogilev, was appointed inspector and professor of the Bethany Seminary. In a speech delivered (March 26, 1876) at a doctoral debate at the Moscow Academy, before defending the book: “Complete months of the East. T. 1. Eastern Hagiology,” he says: “When the Lord God was pleased to lead me to monastic life, a sincere desire was revealed in me to devote my strength to spiritual science. Soon providence placed me near this highest sanctuary of spiritual science by the hand of Saint Philaret, who reposed in God 13. At the first presentation to him, the ever-memorable archpastor announced to me that the purpose of my challenge was to bring me closer to a greater treasury of knowledge, as a result of his reading of my research on biblical chronology” 14. The worthy is worthy, and I was appointed (March 5 of the same 1859) as an assistant inspector and a member of the seminary board. On Trinity Day (May 31, 1859), after the late liturgy, the Syrian consul presented himself to Metropolitan Philaret at the Lavra. Through the translator Mr. Spyridon Abud, sent by Patriarch Methodius of Antioch for education in Russia and graduating from it at the Moscow Academy (in 1856), the consul informed his Eminence that the Syrians love Russia and want to borrow enlightenment from it. These words were followed by a witty response from the hierarch: “Well, one of yours borrowed enlightenment here, but he’s not going to the east!” Abood, to whom these words referred, felt shame as he conveyed them to the consul. Then the Metropolitan asked: “Is our church singing similar to yours?” and after listening to the short answer: “it doesn’t quite fit,” he spoke about church notes. The consul finally testified: “in the east they are praying for you everywhere.” “I don’t deserve this,” remarked the saint. On November 14, the same year, he wrote to the rector of the academy that he did not interfere with my appointment in Vologda to the position of inspector of the seminary there, according to my consent, which was obedience on my part to the ways of Providence. I was on the wrong side, in Vologda, from February 1860, and in March 1862 I returned to Bethany to the vacant position of inspector and on the third day (31st) I sent a letter of gratitude to the Bishop of Moscow, asking him to bless me for the worthy completion of my service. That same year, on May 23 (Wednesday), he arrived in the Lavra for the Feast of the Most Holy. Trinity, and said to us and others who greeted him: “God’s blessing to you! Sorry: I’m exhausted and need some rest.” To the humble gratitude I personally expressed (May 26) for moving me to the Albanian seminary, he replied: “under the protection of St. Sergius, where you were before.” Handing in my sermon for the day of Rev. Sergius (on July 5, 1862), the Metropolitan told me: “the main text (Matthew 6:19–20) was chosen very successfully, the subject (topic) was taken to the point. You use bad words, for example, trouble. Great sermon. You feel shy when you speak, especially when you try to speak louder, you strain yourself. You need to speak as you usually speak, without forcing yourself. Be ready! The sermon, due to the bishop’s fatigue, was not delivered by me. The most remarkable thing about it is the introduction: “We solemnly remember now the discovery of the incorruptible relics of our venerable father Sergius. Not only in heaven, but also on earth, where the worm and aphids decay - everything is subject to corruption and destruction, God glorifies his saints, not allowing them to see corruption; For this purpose, he glorifies on earth, visibly for everyone, in order to kindle in our hearts a pious zeal for imitation of their holy life. So, God is not offended (Heb. 6:10), He has great favor with His faithful servants; therefore, there is an incentive for us to work, as all the saints worked. But we will never become like them if we do not diligently study the earthly life of the righteous, if we do not know exactly how they pleased God and for what deeds they were glorified by God. From the life of the saint now celebrated, for our own edification, let us take into account, primarily, the fact that the God-bearing Sergius was a faithful custodian of the words of the Gospel: Do not hide for yourself treasures on earth, where worms and aphids smolder, and where thieves dig in and steal: hide for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither worms nor aphids smolder, and where thieves do not they dig in or steal. “Indeed, the ascetic of piety valued arbitrary poverty so highly that he renounced his inherited parental estate and looked at wealth as if it were dust. Unearthly, perishable, but he sought and gained heavenly wealth - eternal life, acquired for us at the price of the blood of Christ. The lover of God, who spent his life in the desert, did not leave behind silver and gold, or soft, expensive vestments, although from the desert he visited the palaces of the great princes, and was honored by the sovereign (sn. Matthew 11: 7–8). But we have from him an incomparably most important treasure - holy relics that provide various healings. We have this unearthly treasure - the blessed body of St. Sergius, unearthly, after it was carried out of the earth with due honor (fn. Gen. 3:19) and openly rests in a church similar to heaven. For can it be called earthly that which reveals the heavenly forces within itself and acts by them? And the invisible thieves, who steal the seed of the word of God from the human heart (Matthew 13:19), not only do not dare to approach this imperishable treasure, but they tremble at it and run away from those Christians who touch it with their lips with faith and a reverent heart 15 . “From the example of the saint of God now celebrated, let us learn, Christians, to suppress in our souls the dangerous and harmful passion of covetousness; Let’s begin to diligently collect heavenly treasures instead of material, earthly ones, as the Divine Mentor Jesus Christ teaches us.” During the summer holidays I arrived (in June 1862) in Moscow to visit my parents and immediately introduced myself to the Metropolitan in his courtyard garden. Having blessed me, he asked: “When will you go back to Bethany?” I replied that I would like to stay in Moscow for two weeks. - "For what?" “I need to arrange a new dress for myself,” and I said something else. “Two days are enough for that,” the bishop objected with a smile; however, seeing my embarrassment, he blessed me to stay in Moscow as long as I needed. The next day, the Eminence spoke to my parent, not blaming me, but feeling sorry for me: “Listen, why is your son saying something wrong?... He has already treated me quite well, he needs to be more cheeky. Do you know?” continued the saint, who tried to turn my shyness into ease and always treated me graciously. – “I was the rector of the St. Petersburg Academy. One of the students at the academy (Egor Gorodkov) suffered from the same drawback: sometimes, if you asked him in class, he would be embarrassed, he would not answer freely, but he was first-rate. In order to accustom him to free speech, I asked him more often and called him to me. When he presented his sermon to me, on the eve of the day for which he was assigned, I ordered it to be read in front of me, stopped halfway through (he read slowly) and told him: “You can deliver it in church tomorrow.” He, citing tongue-tiedness, asked to be dismissed, but I insisted that he speak, advising me to repeat the sermon once or twice in private; He obeyed and spoke well in the church, which encouraged him, and he subsequently completely corrected himself in the conversation. This student (the Metropolitan said in conclusion) is the Right Reverend (Archbishop) Gabriel of Ryazan” († April 7, 1862). That same year, on September 20, Metropolitan Philaret went to the Sergius Lavra for the first time by rail, with a special train. He left Moscow at three o'clock in the afternoon; at the Khotkovskaya station (12 versts from the monastery, and the monastery is 60 versts from the capital) he stopped for a few minutes to give a blessing to the clergy and sisters of the Khotkovo monastery, and Sergiev arrived in the settlement at half past five. In the Lavra bishop’s chambers, blessing us each separately (many were expecting him), he said: “I recommend the railway. How much art, effort and resources were used to drive an hour and a half instead of five! How many people work!” The rector of the academy, Archimandrite Savva, replied that there had been many of them on the highway before. “But then the work was simpler,” the bishop noted. The speed of the train occupied him. That same evening, he spoke about. to the rector: “a little time has passed since the train started, I see: it’s already Mytishchi (a village 15 versts from Moscow)! I don't believe myself. And then soon the Pushkin Church (25 versts from Moscow)! Yes, it's her! But here is the Khotkov Monastery! There was no doubt that Khotkov. That’s when I realized how fast I was going.” He wrote to the viceroy of the Lavra on June 23, 1839: “It happened that we drove along ordinary roads quietly and shakingly, but were safe; now they fly by rail with the danger of losing their heads every minute” 16. On September 25 (1862), on the feast of St. Sergius, after a service in the Trinity Cathedral and a short reception of guests in his chambers, he went to the Lavra, an extensive and splendid meal, where others were invited. During lunch, someone sympathetically told the bishop that he hardly eats. “I,” he answered, “feed on fasting,” meaning that fasting of the body is food for the soul. At the end of dinner, grateful for the bread and salt, we escorted him to his chambers through the house church. Each of us received from him a parting blessing and his brochure: “Memories of the Millennium of Russia in Moscow,” which I keep as a treasure in memory of him. On the first day of the public examination, the commanders and mentors of the academy and Bethany Seminary, who were present at this examination, were invited to the dinner table in the Lavra Metropolitan chambers. The hospitable host proposed at this meal (for example, June 25, 1863) a toast “to the prosperity and health of the academy, with the desire that good Christian life be united with sound teaching.” After the public seminary exam, the rector and the inspector went to thank the bishop for visiting the seminary. At the same time, he spoke about the exam, about mentors, students and made useful comments. For example: “Thank you for your work. The students answered decently; only some try to learn from memory: you need to comprehend the lectures with your mind. Such and such a professor (from the secular) is not free in speech; the mentor himself must be inspired and inspire others” (1863). Once (1862), he expressed his displeasure that the teacher of literature included in his notes several lines from some secular modern book. “Today’s literature,” the saint said, is almost all contaminated: nothing decent can be written without there being dirt in it. Before they wrote cleaner.” Once upon a time he told us: “pay more attention to your students (the Bethany ones), ennoble them. Your professors should replace them with good company.” To the invitation to come to the next day of the exam (second meeting), he answered the rector: “no, no, I’m exhausted” (1863) or like this: “well, have me renounced; I’m tired, call the rector of the academy” (1862). As inspector of the Bethany Seminary, I was obliged to report weekly to the Metropolitan about the well-being of the educational institution and the behavior of the students, personally or via mail, and in special cases, immediately. There was a similar case: a student of the lower class, swimming secretly in the Bethany pond, drowned (June 22, 1863, at 1 o’clock in the afternoon). “It’s the will of God, but I feel sorry for the boy,” said the saint with warmth, whose heart was not inferior to his mind. He was in the laurel. In relation to the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod A.P. Akhmatov, dated September 21, 1863, he said: “The inspector of the Moscow seminary, Archimandrite Sergius, in a petition submitted to me at the end of August, wrote the following: Although his health after a long illness has now improved significantly: but, with the proper performance of the duties assigned to him, it may again become upset, as he concludes from a satisfied observation of with his illness. Therefore, he asks that, if it pleases him, he be given a promotion in another smaller circle of activity. As a result of close observation of the progress and treatment of Archimandrite Sergius’s illness, I was convinced that his request required satisfaction, both so that the inspectorate and mentoring activities in the seminary would be satisfactory through a person enjoying the full use of his strength, and so that the health of Archimandrite Sergius, with less intense studies, could be restored for the further benefit of the service. Therefore, in accordance with the requirements of the circumstances, it would be: 1) Archimandrite Sergius should be dismissed from service at the seminary. 2) In order to give him a decent and secure position, appoint him as abbot of the Moscow third-class Znamensky Monastery. 3) Instead of him, transfer the inspector and professor of the Moscow seminary to the inspector of the Bethany seminary of the cathedral hieromonk Gregory. The service records of both are attached." The gracious Bishop, having accepted my gratitude for transferring to the Moscow seminary (I was transferred on October 16, 1863), said to me: “you studied there” and blessed me. In March 1864 (this year ended the fifty-year period of existence of the Moscow seminary), the rector of the seminary (from January 10, 1861) Fr. Ignatius, who had a good opinion of me, asked the Metropolitan to elevate me, a cathedral hieromonk, to the rank of archimandrite. - “What do you want? Why are you in a hurry? If only for the anniversary of the seminary” (November 1), the bishop objected, and after listening to his answer, he said: “well, as you wish.” After Easter, the high priest said to the bishops Leonid and Savva: “I am thinking of introducing the inspector of the local seminary as an archimandrite: what do you say to this?” They answered that “it’s time” and so I was honored with a new favor. My ordination to this rank at the Trinity Compound in the house church was on August 6 of the same year, on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord. The cross was placed on me, given to me by the kind Fr. rector during Great Lent on the day of my angel - Saint Gregory Palamas, who in his writings and at councils against heretics defended the uncreated light of Tabor. After the liturgy (during the liturgy the windows in the altar were all open), His Eminence Philaret told me at St. throne: “strive to live in such a way as to be an example for others.” Seeing me the next day with prosphora, he asked: “Did you serve?” - In the Epiphany Monastery. Taking the prosphora, he said: “thank you”; and o. He said to the rector with a smile: “We dedicated the inspector, but for him, I think, it would be more pleasant to be dedicated on the day of the anniversary!” Initially, the Moscow Academy celebrated (October 1) its 50th anniversary in the presence of the Metropolitan. At this holiday, Archpriest V.P. Polisadov (deputy from St. Petersburg University, † August 2, 1878) spoke about himself with pathos: “the academy gave me wings!” 17. Having in mind the upcoming anniversary of the seminary, the Bishop of Moscow, quite concerned about this, said: “one sorrow has passed, another is coming” (Apoc. 9:12). The venerable archpastor honored the seminary holiday with his presence and at the anniversary act he listened with attention to the reading of a historical note, which offered many dear memories from his past relationships at the seminary 18. For the seminary, this holiday was doubly joyful because of the large gathering of honored guests, which it had never seen within its walls, and because of the numerous donations that were made to the benefit of the seminary, in memory of its anniversary day, and which very noticeably contributed to its further well-being. “For my excellent and diligent service” I was given a blessing from the Holy Synod. From the large Assumption Cathedral, the bishop once visited the Chudov Monastery, where breakfast was prepared and the senior clergy were present, attending the cathedral prayer service. But one elder archimandrite was late for the prayer service. The Bishop, seeing him approach the pie, smiled and said: “He who labors, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). In 1868, February 6, on Farewell Sunday, the sick bishop received almost no one, but he received his relative rector and me in his office, tenderly saying: “Forgive me!” On Easter Monday, April 1, in his speech to the clergy he said: “we thank the Lord for the victory of faith, but we ourselves must still strive for this victory against unbelief.” – On the second day of the Nativity of Christ and the day of his birth, the high priest (he was born on December 26, 1782) said to representatives of the clergy: “Now the soul-seeking Youths (enemies of Christ) have multiplied... The servants of the church need to intensify their activities so that the world, which has passed from paganism to Christianity, does not turn again from Christianity to paganism.” Handing over (in 1865) my word on Great Friday, written for a special purpose from the consistory, he said to the rector of the seminary: “Here is the sermon of your inspector. The language is decent and the thoughts presented are decent; just thought of talking about liturgy when liturgy is not supposed to happen! Of course he used it. Let him say it in the Assumption Cathedral!” In 1866, Bishop himself forced me to read in the evening, closer to the light (fire), my sermon on St. Nicholas Day (December 6). I read a little, he said: “It will take you a long time to read: give it to me, sit down!” After reading, I noticed: “technical words, for example, the word “text” are inappropriate in a sermon. You write: “he (the worker of Christ) will inevitably face external suffering from people.” There are many who live their lives in peace and do not tolerate persecution. You talk about his (St. Nicholas) episcopal rank as if he was appointed by revelation: he was appointed by church election. You can say it." Appearing at the Trinity Metochion with a weekly report, usually on Friday at four o’clock, I did not see the bishop every time, and when I did, I always found him in quiet solitude and at work: lying on the sofa in a black cassock and skufa, girded with a sash of white crepe, he looked through spiritual journals or diocesan statements, making various marks in them with a pencil; sometimes I wrote a letter. After reading my report, he asked some questions, for example: “What is the mentor sick with?” “What are the students sick with? Is there evidence of their illness? Are there any dangerously sick people?” I asked about one student: how long has he been sick? - The other third. “If the other third is ill, it is bad for learning.” Sometimes he said about such students: “there is no reason to keep them in the seminary.” When there were more than 10 sick people, he noticed: “a lot.” But one day, precisely during the Cheese Festival week, there were no sick students at all; on this occasion, he expressed himself: “Maslenitsa has come, there are no more sick people!” At another time, he objected that I showed fewer patients in comparison with the report (monthly) of the seminary doctor. In April 1867 he said: “It is heard that the roads in the vicinity of Moscow have deteriorated: how were the disciples released (for Easter) in such a multitude?” From what I have said, one can see the vigilance or observation with which the archpastor treated every matter. When I left his office for the first time, I could not open the door, but he silently stepped off the sofa and opened it! Such humility of His Eminence, truly Christian, deeply touched me; he would have called and called the cell attendant. Once he wrote to the governor of the Lavra: “You talk about ablution fairly. The Savior, having washed the feet of the disciples, this Lord and Teacher, commanded, like leaders, to humble themselves before their subordinates and thereby edify their subordinates” 19 . The humility that the great hierarch showed (Sir.3:18) in other cases other than washing the feet is edifying. In 1865, I verbally informed him that during services in the house seminary church, such and such an official behaved absent-mindedly, to the temptation of his students. The Bishop ordered that the assistant inspector, on behalf of his superiors, oblige him to behave decorously, otherwise let this official leave. Having accepted the blessing, I was already leaving the stairs when the Metropolitan again demanded me and said: “The doorman, not allowing the official into the church (seminary), announced to him that such an order from the authorities was caused by his extreme disorder during the church service; and if he wants to pray, let him go to the parish church.” In the relations of the seminary or school authorities to the students, the bishop wanted to see leniency. Here are his words: “at the present time (1864), punishments should not be used without special need: they should be replaced with words and persuasion.” He complacently allowed some entertainment for his students, with a moral and educational purpose in mind. As for the exams, “we need, he said, to carry them out more strictly. The lack of rigor of examinations was one of the reasons that caused the transformation of religious educational institutions." The Moscow seminary in the sixties, before the time of its transformation according to the new charter (it was transformed in 1869), could not boast of amenities. Everything in her sank. On my report on the state of the seminary from October 14 to October 21, 1866, the archpastor wrote (Vkt. 21): “Part of it is the lack of mentors in the classes. This is a pity for the students and for the improvement of the seminary. What does it mean that Mr. N's hours were not busy at all? – Fr. rector (Nikodim) needs to carefully observe that the mentor, who cannot be in classes, informs Fr. rector in advance and so that the students, through another mentor, receive, if possible, a lesson, so that they do not waste time and so that order does not weaken.” – Resolution of November 4: “In one week (from October 29), five mentors were absent from classes. Recently it was said that classes should be taken in place of those who were absent, but this has not been done. - It's a pity. “Submit it to the seminary board.” What made it difficult for the inspector was that many of the students were quite dissolute: they went to class untidy, behaved freely, etc. under., and the usual measures to deal with them and bring their freedom within legal boundaries were not quite strong. Oh, in difficult times I had to act! I, by nature ardent but in character, with my strength strained, was also concerned about the expected transformation of the seminary according to the new charter, which required a complete and comprehensive renovation of the educational institution. Having hope in God that He would arrange something useful for me, send me help and relief, I began to think about, following the example of my predecessor, settling in a monastery and caring more about spiritual salvation, for “there is nothing better than the fear of God and nothing sweeter than fulfilling the commandments of the Lord. Great is the glory when they follow God” (Sir.23:36-37). In this mood of spirit, I wrote the biographies of Spaso-Andronovo Archimandrite Hermogenes, who was kindred to me (Dushepol. Reading 1866, March) and the elder of the Novospassky Monastery, Hieromonk Philaret, in the schema of Theodore (ibid. 1866, November). The Bishop, who noticed little things, after reading this last biography, said to the Right Reverend Ignatius (vicar): “The article is decent, but it’s a pity that the elder’s sayings from his short letters to various persons were not given” (which letters I did not have on hand). In the April book of the same magazine of 1867, there is a biography, compiled by me, of the Arzamas Archimandrite Alexander, an associate of the Novospassky Elder Philaret, respected by the Metropolitan. My intention to leave the school service due to poor health became known to the Bishop. Archimandrite Nikodim, the rector of the seminary, who informed him of this, added that I would consider myself happy if I were awarded the Chrysostom Monastery (from March 21, 1866, after Archimandrite Eustathius, the rector ran this monastery, and in March 1867 he received the Epiphany Monastery). The Eminence answered: “There is one older than him.” After a short silence, he said: “I myself believe that it is difficult for him to read in class. Let him write me a letter” and dictated the very contents of it, and after reading my letter (dated March 29), presented by Fr. rector, told him: “Leave it, I’ll think about it.” On Friday, March 31, when I visited the saint with my weekly report, he asked me: “Why do you find it difficult to lecture in class?” Having listened to my answer, he told me: “Okay, I’ll think about it,” and on St. Thomas Week, April 28, he promised favorably and in certain terms, telling me: “I’ll write about you to the Synod and give you a decent position.” To the Chief Prosecutor of St. Synod, Count D.A. The Metropolitan wrote to Tolstoy on April 30, 1867: “The inspector of the Moscow seminary, Archimandrite Gregory, explained to me in writing that although he, having been entrusted with the obedience entrusted to him by his superiors, would like to continue with zeal, but, having a weak chest and a weak voice, he often finds it difficult to properly fulfill his mentoring position. The resulting tension in bodily strength weakens the beneficial effect of medical means to improve his disordered health. Therefore, he asks permission to leave the spiritual and educational field. This request is respectful, both in relation to preserving the health of the petitioner, and in relation to the benefit of the students, so that they can listen to lectures delivered more clearly and intelligibly. Therefore, it would be in accordance with the circumstances: 1) Archimandrite Gregory should be dismissed from the ecclesiastical school service. 2) In his place as inspector and professor, appoint a professor from the Bethany Seminary, Hieromonk Simeon (now Bishop of Oryol). 3) to appoint Archimandrite Gregory as rector of the third-class Chrysostom Monastery for the vacancy there. Attaching with this the service records of Archimandrite Gregory and Hieromonk Simeon, I humbly submit my duty to ask. s-to offer the above for the discretion of St. Synod". The synodal decree appointing me as rector of the monastery with dismissal from the school service was received by His Eminence on May 26, about which His Eminence Ignatius informed me the next morning. Amazing mercy of God! At 12 o'clock on the same day, I arrived at the large Assumption Cathedral for a thanksgiving prayer service on the occasion of the Sovereign Emperor's deliverance from mortal danger in Paris. Cathedral sacellarium P.D. Sokolsky, unexpectedly congratulating me on the monastery, said that yesterday he reported to the metropolitan: which of the archimandrites would be pleased to appoint on the 28th to serve with one of the eminences of the liturgy in the same cathedral - “Let the inspector of the seminary serve, he is also the archimandrite of Zlatoust,” answered the bishop. And he told me on the evening of May 30: “Learn to manage the monastics. Presenting (June 1) to His Eminence with prosphora the image of St. John Chrysostom, I named this image. The Lord said: “I see”; Having placed the image, he blessed and asked me: “Have you entered the monastery?” - Yesterday. - “How did you find it?” - “A monastery after my heart,” to which the bishop answered: “I chose this one for you” (he had the idea to transfer the Sretensky Archimandrite Veniamin to Chrysostom, and introduce me to the Sretensky Monastery) and instructed me “to guide the brethren from the spiritual side, to establish a monastery from the outside; and if there is any bewilderment, he added, then before asking, consult with me.” He also said: “pay attention to the treasurer and report to me in two weeks whether he can remain in this position longer. What stupidity! In his cell”... At one time I conveyed that he generally held out hope for good help. August 5 marked the 50th anniversary of Philaret’s archpastoral service, and he was in the Lavra, where I, along with other deputies, arrived to greet His Eminence from the monastic Moscow diocese. On the next day of his anniversary, raising a glass at a gala dinner, the Metropolitan, with his face brightened with joy, said in a quiet voice: “for the health of the Sovereign Emperor, our common Patron and (with noticeable agitation of spirit) my unworthiness. God bless his house and kingdom with all the best!”, and a few days later he said about himself that he was “immersed in a sea of ​​telegrams” (congratulatory messages from different parts of the country and abroad). Note: The governor of the Lavra, Archimandrite Anthony, told me that he wanted to see the royal portraits bestowed upon the hero of the day (table portraits of three Emperors: Alexander the Blessed, Nicholas I and Alexander II, joined together, showered with diamonds and decorated with a large imperial crown) and then asked: how does the Bishop look at all the honors given to him on the day of the anniversary? - “The burden is heavy - vanity! You can't avoid it completely. Now an extra struggle with thoughts is needed,” the saint admitted. At another time, the governor asked permission to take a photographic portrait of him and the bishop put on a white hood in order to go to the Lavra photograph; but having learned the governor’s desire to take three royal portraits there, he told him, throwing off his cowl: “Perhaps you’ll think of something else,” and did not go into photography. There are also photographic portraits of him, but taken from paintings (with the exception of a photograph of him lying in the coffin). His portrait, painted in 1864. colored pencil and then purchased by me from the artist Shirevich, I consider one of the best. I heard from Archimandrite Veniamin that the bishop, seeing his first portrait drawn by Mr. Shirevich, said: “unlike”, I don’t write with two feathers (of the painted goose feathers dipped into the inkwell, one seemed cut off at the upper end); I don’t have a broken pen.” After the death of Filaret, I acquired and keep the pen with which he wrote. On October 7, he returned from the Lavra to Moscow after an absence of almost four months. The emergency train of the Troitsk Railway stopped at three quarters of two o'clock at the local landing stage. Vladyka, upon exiting the carriage, was met by the Moscow Governor-General, Prince V.A. Dolgorukov and the Right Reverend Vicars (Leonid and Ignatius), who immediately presented him with a prosphora on behalf of the clergy. At the station, Archimandrites Epiphany (rector of the seminary), Danilovsky, Zlatoust, Sretensky and archpriests - members of the consistory introduced themselves to His Eminence. On November 1, he wrote to the Holy Synod: “by the transfer of the rector of the Chrysostom Monastery, Archimandrite Eustathius, to the stauropegial Simonov Monastery (he was transferred on February 22, 1866), a vacancy opened up for a member of the Moscow spiritual consistory. Archimandrite Gregory of the Chrysostom Monastery is seen as capable of this service. He asked for dismissal from the school service because, having a weak chest and a weak voice, he could not give lectures without exhaustion, which was harmful to his health, and when tired, he could not be heard sufficiently by everyone in the class. He cannot imagine such a difficulty serving in a consistory, where he can talk less and listen more, think and write resolutions. Presenting the track record of Archimandrite Gregory, I most respectfully ask for permission to issue the decree.” Note: The metropolitan’s phrase attracts attention: “and write resolutions” (consistorial). God led me to publish the light and its resolutions, guiding pastors and laity. There are many happy with them, but there are also dissatisfied; It means you can't please everyone. “His resolutions have, according to one scientist, canonical dignity and could serve as excellent material for a code of church laws.” I have an idea to divide them into categories according to the type of objects. But it seems inconvenient since not all the resolutions are at hand, and it’s impossible for me to collect them all. Venerable N.V. Sushkov, the compiler of “notes on the life and times of St. Philaret” (M., 1868), on his penultimate meeting with him, November 8, 1867, informed about my election (Oct. 17) by the Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment as a full member, and expressed complete confidence in me that I, as the abbot of the Chrysostom Monastery, would develop the monastery archive. “And he introduced him as a member of the consistory; I also know his hard work,” answered the good bishop 20. It was necessary, following the example of previous years, to organize a bishop's service in the Chrysostom monastery on the day of its church feast, November 13, for which I asked permission. “God bless,” the archpastor told me on the 10th. Turning his gaze to the monastic business papers in my hands, he said: “read.” I read the first paper. “Which other one?” After listening to the contents of the second and third papers, he said: “I will sort it all out,” then asked: “Who will you invite” (to the holiday service)? Eminence Leonid. At the decree of the Holy Synod (dated November 10) on the appointment of me and Archimandrite Theodosius of the Intercession Monastery (now Bishop Mikhailovsky) as members of the Moscow consistory and the dismissal of the All Saints Archpriest of Zagorsk, according to his request, from the post of member, the metropolitan’s resolution on the 15th is as follows: “1) the decision of the Synod to announce Fr. Archpriest John of Zagorsk, with gratitude from his superiors for his honest service in the consistory. 2) Induct the appointed members into office.” On November 17, having been inducted into the position of a member of the consistory, on the same day, straight from the consistory, I visited His Eminence with an expression of gratitude for his special attention to me, and he had just returned from the newly appointed Moscow governor, Major General Baranov, and half an hour later came out to see me in a long room. Having blessed, he said: “Sit down. What do you think about this (appointment to the consistory)? I started to answer. “I don’t hear, closer” (at this time it was difficult for him to hear). I answered: I join willingly, because I had time and the opportunity to somewhat gather my strength while living in the monastery. After this, he spoke with amazing speed: “I have no doubt about the honesty of the members of the consistory; but as far as activity is concerned, it is sometimes lacking. We must pay attention to the office so that it does not delay things, find out what cases are being received and demand a speedy report. Take this matter seriously. Read the helmsman and follow her instructions. There is no need to learn all the laws, but which laws are introduced into cases, notice and remember. Observe the order of things and conclude from one thing to another. If you are confused and have a personal opinion, always contact me. God bless you!” This was my last meeting with the ever-memorable hierarch; I find it comforting that when he departed for heaven, he left me a blessing. On the 19th of November - the day of his death, I saw myself, during a subtle sleep, on the bank of a river, on the other side of which a balloon instantly sank to the ground and again rose to a height, carrying with it someone living on earth! Then a new perspective opened up before me: here is a large Yakimanskaya street in Moscow, in the distance is the Kaluga Gate, I see a bourgeois school. What would all this mean? In the evening of the same day, while visiting my parent, I felt some kind of sadness and immediately went home along the Yakimanskaya street where my carriage stopped: the treasurer of the Chrysostom Monastery came up to me with the news that Vladyka Philaret had died (from instant apoplexy), which the horseman from the Trinity Compound informed the monastery about, and a sorrowful pain nestled in my heart. “The light of the Orthodox Church and spiritual science has dimmed! Our great saint and father, Chrysostom of Russia, has passed away!” That’s all I thought about on my further journey to the monastery and to the courtyard with my mourning vestments. Upon arrival at the courtyard, I was led into the office of the deceased saint, and there I bowed to him. He (he was laid on the sofa) was wearing a cassock made of moire-antique fabric, a modest wild color, and a belt with silk flowers on a white background. The Bishop seemed unusually peaceful: here is a true saint of God, who worked so gloriously and usefully for the Orthodox Church! Looking intently at him, with the desire to forever imprint in my memory the bright features of his face, I kissed his holy hands many times, for he is my ordainer, who brought down upon me the grace of the All-Holy Spirit. His venerable body was transferred by me, along with others, to a large hall, where he was dressed in all the bishop’s vestments - the same one in which he celebrated the last divine liturgy that same day (Sunday); and when they placed the trikirium and dikirium in his hands, and the protodeacon exclaimed: “Let your light shine before men,” etc., tears flowed from my eyes in hail at the joyful thought that on that very day he secretly acted as an angel of God in pure prayer standing before the Lord and moved from here to the Holy God, having his lamps burning (Luke 12:35). The requiem service was performed by the reverend vicars, in the presence of the governor general, and the next day (20th), after the body of the venerable saint was brought into the church of the cross, the liturgy and requiem service were celebrated there by me together with the archpriests, hieromonks and priests. On Thursday (23rd) a sadly solemn procession took place with a priceless cypress coffin, overshadowed by holy banners, crosses and ripids, to the Cathedral Miracle Monastery, according to the prescribed ceremony, with a huge crowd of people, reminding that the bishop is the great father of a great family. The sky was cloudless, the air was filled with church singing and the mournful ringing of bells. On Saturday is the usual day of remembrance of the dead in the week, because on this day our Lord dwelled in the dead, a touching funeral service was performed. Next Sunday is the day of remembrance of St. Innocent, the first bishop of Irkutsk, Moscow, with the participation of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, was escorted to the Trinity Lavra and parted forever with the sacred remains of his hierarch (Isn’t it wonderful that the same-named St. Innocent the archpastor?) During the great funeral procession to the Trinity Railway station, heavy snow fell and I then went to the Lavra - the final resting place of Philaret, chilled from the cold, with wet shoes, but for his archpastoral prayers the Lord preserved me: I did not feel any cold. Note: In that difficult year (1842), when the saint was forced to take an unusual rest from his labors in the cathedral of the All-Russian Church, the Holy Synod, in this sorrowful year for him, he said in his inspired word 21: “Can I say to myself, or when will I finally be able to say: behold, I have fled and settled in the desert (Ps. 65:8)? When will I be relieved from the burdens of others, so that I can turn all my care to lightening my own?” In the same word he pointed significantly to the Gethsemane solitude of the Savior. The next year, his idea of ​​retiring to the desert began to come true; in September 1843, he surveyed the site for building a monastery and blessed this place, and a year later he consecrated the first church here (the upper one) in honor of the Ascension of the Mother of God into heaven after Her Dormition. Adjacent to the southern side of the church are the metropolitan’s modest cells, in which he spent many days and nights in summer and autumn, away from the noise of the capital, without encountering any obstacles to his solitary contemplation of God. Remembering the hour of death, after the consecration (July 8, 1845) of the second - lower church in the name of the Savior, who prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he blessed to prepare a grave for himself in it, and this was too twenty years before his death 22. Subsequently (in 1853), when a vast stone church was built in Gethsemane, the Lavra governor did not hide from the bishop his fear that the original wooden church might burn down, and with it his coffin. “That means I’m worth it,” answered the pious hierarch - the founder of the monastery, and although not soon, but with his blessing, the place of eternal rest was moved under the arches of the refectory stone church. Now it is not in Gethsemane, but close to it, in the very heart of the Lavra, under the shelter of the prayers of St. Sergius and others who followed him here labored in a godly manner. None of those who come to the multi-healing tomb of the Rev. will pass by the deceased saint, so as not to prayerfully bow before his multi-educational tomb 23. On the anniversary of his death, that is, November 19, 1868, in the cross courtyard church, I performed a funeral liturgy and a conciliar requiem service, by order of the Right Reverend Ignatius. On the night of this date, the deceased ruler, seen by me in a cassock and a white hood, blessed me, and on his sides were some other two hierarchs, covered with a white cloud. I accepted his blessing as a guarantee of God’s mercy towards me and as a true sign that his holy soul would be found in the good. Letters from Filaret to his relatives. M. 1882, p. 406. This precious edition did not include two letters published in the November book. Soulful Reading. 1870 For serving the liturgy, the archimandrites received, of course against their wishes, 15 rubles, the archpriest 10 rubles. every. From the Synodikon of the Trinity, which is in the Trinity Church. Filaret's letter to Fr. Anthony, part III. pp. 134 and 202; Part IV, pp. 384–385. The school in which I studied was opened at the stavropegic Donskoy Monastery on May 12, 1835. One day, Bishop Filaret, having examined the Donskoy School and finding order in it, visited the apartment of inspector F.I. Solovyov (dismissed from school service in 1842), since the rector-priest lived far away, near his parish church. “Moscow. Church Vedomosti", 1884, No. 26, p. 348. Our seminary was visited during open trials by: Neophyte Metropolitan of Iliopolis, envoy of the Patriarch of Antioch Methodius, meek bishop of God († December 3, 1853 in the Epiphany Monastery, where he lived since January 1848); His Grace Eugene, former Archbishop of Yaroslavl, first rector of Moscow. seminary on Pererva, who lived from 1854 to 1871 in the Donskoy Monastery; director of the spiritual and educational administration A. I. Karasevsky († in December 1856); professor Moscow Academy A.V. Gorsky (took the exam in 1851 or 1852), Count M.V. Tolstoy. Moscow Church Gazette 1883, No. 6, p. 78. He usually walked to the academy through the Lavra fence, where the choirs were located, and went down the stairs, leaning on a simple cherry cane, and on the way back, how easily he climbed the same stairs! Commemoration of the holy seven Maccabee martyrs and their mother, Solomonia, August 1. He was tonsured, 1808, November 16, the day of memory of St. Nikon of Radonezh the Wonderworker. In November 1807, the Highest Decree ordered the formation of a committee to improve theological schools, and in 1809 the St. Petersburg Academy was already transformed; Moscow in 1814 Of course, transfer from Kostroma seminary to Bethany in 1859. A Study of Biblical Chronology, a student of Ivan Spassky in 1853, written for the degree of Master of Theology and printed by the Kiev Academy in 1857. The words “and was honored by sovereigns”, “that he reveals the heavenly powers within himself and acts by them”, were introduced into my sermon by the hand of the Metropolitan. Letters to Fr. Anthony, part I, p. 324. He was once in Geneva, in Paris at our mission, in Berlin at the Russian Embassy Church. History of Moscow. spirit. Academy of S.K. Smirnov. M. 1879, p. 519. In the July book. Readings in the Society of Lovers. spirit. enlightenment 1874. See Historical note about the Moscow seminary of Ilya Belyaev. Letters to Fr. Anthony, part I. p. 402. The historical description of the Chrysostom Monastery, compiled by me in 1871 and published for the second time by A. Martynov with beautiful drawings in 1880, “is distinguished by the review of the Historian. Vestnik (July 1881) thoroughness and, so to speak, documentation.” Word on the consecration of the Church of the Appearance of the Mother of God by St. Sergius, placed over the relics of St. Micah, in the Trinity Lavra, pronounced on September 27. 1842 Index to the overview of the Gethsemane monastery, ed. 3, 1868, pp. 6–8. Moscow Eparch. Gazette, 1870; No. 44, p. 379. Sn. Filaret's letters to Anthony, part IV, p. 176.