District letter about the death of St. Theodore Studite

The sinful Naucratius desires salvation for those who endure persecution for the sake of the Lord, and for the spiritual brothers and fathers scattered everywhere. Most venerable and dear brothers and fathers! Until now, I have put off sending my sad and regrettable letter to you: day after day passed, and I still concealed sorrow within myself. I did this for many reasons, which, I think, are not unknown to your honest love. I was especially silent because I could not decide to be the messenger of a sad and lamentable event for you, that is, the death of your blessed and glorious father. But having learned that the rumor about this event saddened not only those living here, but also those staying in distant places, so that it seems incredible to many that a true servant of God would depart from this world; - and believing that this rumor has already reached you, although we were silent about it out of fear; I, prompted by necessity, although against my will, decided to tell you in detail what you have already heard from the stories of others, to tell you with tears and sobbing. And who would have such a stony heart that he would not shed the hottest tears at the thought of such a loss suffered by the Church? Who could have such a strong soul that, having received such unexpected news, he would not show the compassion characteristic of a person? I'm a pathetic man! What a miserable time I have lived to see! Why did my sorrowful life last until now, so that I could be the messenger of the death of one who lived not for himself, but for Christ? So, our common father died, the one, I say, the father who loved you with tender fatherly love, as his true children, as workers of the Lord’s grapes, as obedient sons, as Christ’s warriors, as faithful confessors, as his collaborators and accomplices in many, or better, in all his exploits? Our common father has passed away, who was a disciple and imitator of Christ, the mouth of the Church, the adornment of priests, the pillar of faith, the rule of monks, the Evangelical shepherd, the successor of the Apostles, the glorious Confessor, ready for all torment, the light of the Orthodox Church, the teacher of the universe. And this father, common to all of us, passed away - this loud preacher of truth, a continuously flowing stream of teaching, a man who had, as it were, an immense mind in order to govern others according to the Divine commandments, a wondrous adviser, a faithful builder of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:2), a citizen of heavenly Jerusalem, who had a soul pure and bright as gold, a door of repentance, a source of dogmas, a spiritual trumpet tuned in accordance, a dwelling The Most Blessed and Holy Trinity. I say this not to give you consolation (for what word can heal our ulcer?), but in order to pour out in these words the sorrow that is constantly tormenting my heart. Our common father, this earthly Angel and heavenly man, the purest church of virginity, always and in everything a thoughtful interpreter of spiritual wisdom, a true servant of Christ, the bright eye of the body of Christ, an example of patience, the destroyer of the heresy of the iconoclasts, an instrument of truth, a source of mercy, a zealous guardian of the laws of the Lord, a treasury of virtues, sweet-tongued and benevolent, has passed away. Who can enumerate such and similar names, which, by the grace of God, were earned through His deeds by the one who loved everyone with Apostolic love? O my beloved! can we the humble understand this mystery? What wisdom of God is hidden here! I now need the lamentable cries of Jeremiah, or one of the other blessed and holy men who mourned the grave disaster; because her husband, the pillar and support of the Church, died; or better yet, he has passed from us to a blessed life, and there is a danger that, after the fall of such a support, others will not fall, and that through this, what was rotten in them will not be revealed. The lips were closed, which studied the law of the Lord day and night (Psalm 1:2), and which freely spoke truths for edification. The advice of the husband who strove for God is no longer heard. The eyes closed, seeing the hidden, and clearly distinguishing good from evil. The lips were imprinted, which kept the mind and from which, as from the lips of the Angel of the Lord Almighty, others learned the law of God (Mal. 2:7). The tongue that uttered heavenly dogmas fell silent. The hand that enriched the world with letters and turned many to the knowledge of the truth has grown cold. The red feet of the one who stood for whole nights and preached peace and other good things to many stopped. The brightest soul, having comprehended the depths of the Spirit and foreseen the distant, rested. The body, which had practiced ascetic labors and endured many exiles and imprisonments, beatings and torments, hid in the ground. Such in truth was our most blessed father, the father and teacher of many! This is Abraham, blessed by God and having seed without number; this is an imitator of the Forerunner, a competitor of Elijah and Phinehas; This is the new Samuel, chosen from those (Song. 5, 10), whose virtue was sung and glorified by many cities, regions and islands, whose life and deeds please the whole universe. For who, like him, loved virtue, or hated vice? Who, like him, in the words of the Apostle, put to death his own souls even on earth (Col. 3:5), and, having purified himself, became the church of the living God? Who could be such a leader as he was; for he so arranged his army against the enemy that, fighting, he happily gained victory and defeated him? Who saw the future more clearly than him? Who had such a strong and constant character? But there would not be enough time if I wanted to talk everything about him; and therefore I will omit what is known to everyone, so that the letter does not become too extensive. Ah, most venerable and beloved! Having hitherto been struck by many other disasters and misadventures, we have not yet received such a grave and dangerous defeat. But now the most beautiful world has darkened for us; The Church laments, the peoples weep, that the fighter is gone, that the herald and wise adviser have fallen silent. The sacred class is looking for its leader; confessors - a partner in confession, fighters - their hero, the sick - a doctor, the mourners - a comforter, the unfortunate - a helper, the orphans - a father, widows - a patron, the poor - a nourisher, the innocently persecuted - a protector and champion; each and every one calls the blessed man by a special name, according to the nature of his misfortune, and mourns, with a decent cry, that man who possessed many, or, better to say, countless grace-filled gifts, and for this was blessed with various names in accordance with these gifts. We, the humble ones, are more orphaned than others at the present time, and, after the dissolution of the body, we remained separated; we have become the same as we were in the beginning. We walk now with a sad and dejected face. We have become an object of reproach and joy for opponents and heretics. The iconoclasts opened their mouths against us (Psalm 22:14), and we were counted with those who descended into the pit (87:5); bykhom like a nocturnal corvid on the dive, like a bird specializing here (–101, 7. 8); In a little while our soul entered hell (93:17). We lost our father and were shackled with sorrow, plunged into despair and became a sad story for the world. O grave and sorrowful deprivation! How did we become like the lonely crow? The death of the great man struck our humble souls with sorrow, filled our darkened eyes with tears, made us sigh and torment, made life itself unpleasant for us, and death desirable, cooled the heat of our hearts, and what was so dear to many turned into an object of disgust. That's right, most honorable ones! Everything with us is deplorable, everything is bitter, unpleasant and joyless, and to such an extent that we cannot even accept any consolation; or, if a weak mind can still find peace in something; then perhaps it is to constantly turn your gaze to God and to the sacred tomb. What is our situation now? I’m asking about this not because I don’t know. No, I know, and yet I ask you, O beloved! And you, of course, will also say what I said in the words of Holy Scripture: if one soul suffers, all the people suffer with it (1 Cor. 12:26). And that you are members, and the most noble members at that, is known by itself; That is why, no doubt, you are grieving. Oh! who will now greet the newcomer with a cheerful look! Who will welcome him with open arms and a bright face? Who will tell saving and soul-helping truths? Who will give the sad people the necessary consolation? Who will extinguish the heat and flame of passions in the souls of the grieving? Who will prepare for the fight? Who will be the leader in the field of godliness? Who will inspire courage? Who will support you in your deeds for the truth? Who will give medicine to the sick? Who will tell those who are absent through letters what they need to know? Who will love so much that he will decide, following the example of Jesus Christ, to lay down his precious soul for everyone, like this shepherd and teacher appointed by Divine grace? But is it necessary to mourn the blessed and wondrous husband any more? - Is it necessary when through these tears our loss becomes more sensitive? This is not allowed to me, both by the very length of the letter and, among other things, by the fact that my soul, stricken with grief, can no longer describe the great deeds of this man. And was there even one of his deeds that could have been forgotten or deserved to be kept silent?! But, poor man I am! Prompted by an inner feeling that delights in the described deeds of my husband, I, as if against my consciousness, continue to indulge in grief, and by describing what the deceased was like for us, wanting to console you, I further irritate your heart wound, kindle a flame inside you, aggravate the grief, and fill the eyes of the brethren with tears. But, my dearest fathers and most sincere brothers! let us try to tame our hearts, let us not show weakness or contrition, lest the great Apostle convict us (1 Thess. 3:12); but let us turn to the ancient generations, and look at them from our forefather himself to the present time, and especially at those who pleased God with their virtuous lives, such as the fathers who lived before the law: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - who followed them and lived under the law - Moshey and Aaron, and their successors: Judges and Prophets; then those who lived under grace: Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Saints, Reverends, and finally this man about whom we are now talking; - and we will see that the same Lord, who at one time led each of them into a series of serving people, subsequently, also in times of need, called them to Himself. In this case, the death of your ever-memorable husband should not sadden you, but rejoice even more; because he went to the host of those whom we have just mentioned; for he accomplished the same feats and led the same life as them. If you please; then I will say that this husband did not leave us; he will live with us if only we, as he himself said, will fulfill his commandments: his intercession for us and help have now become much stronger and more effective, since he previously, allegorically speaking, served God in the mirror and fortune-telling, and now - face to face, in pure and clear light. He walked the path of God before us and showed us the way; and there he will prepare for us a dwelling of blessed peace, if only we lead a life pleasing to God, we live as he taught in word and deed. May this serve as a consolation for your blessed soul; May your purest soul rest in peace, thinking about this. Day and night, remembering the commandments and instructions of our blessed father, let us take comfort in them and meditate on them. In this way we will please God, to whom we have dedicated ourselves, and we will faithfully complete the feat set before us. We will glorify Him, and He will glorify us in return; and in the next century he will prepare for us the kingdom of heaven. But to this day I still talk about our father. Perhaps, according to some, this already goes beyond writing; but there they do not know the limits of writing, where speaking is prompted by duty and partly by the famous merits of a wondrous husband and the affection of my humble and poor soul for him, and partly by the desire to contribute to your salvation and bring you consolation. But you, no doubt, want to know how the blessed husband passed away? What illness befell him, and how many days did he lie on his sick bed? What were his last farewell words? What will and disposition did he make? Further: what exactly and how numerous was the congregation at the time of his burial? and many other things like that. - But who can retell everything to you in a letter, or who can describe all this to you without heartbreak? However, I will tell you the main thing, so that from this you may receive some consolation. He had the same illness, i.e., stomach pain. This illness, intensified by a long stay in prison and exile and from extreme neglect of the body, gave rise to many other illnesses, and finally completely deprived him of all appetite, so that the blessed husband seemed almost dead even before his death. However, after lying in this illness for three days, at the beginning of November, he, with the help of God, recovered. But, oh the blessed greatness of his soul and invincible constancy in patience! Even during his illness, he did not want to give himself peace or relief: he was so not attached to this life! Being tired with years, exhausted by old age and cast down on his bed by cruel suffering, he, according to the word of David, did not give sleep to his eyes and slumber to his eyelids, did not give himself rest until he had found the place of the Lord (Psalm 131: 4.5). And truly, he found this place. Which one? This is the saving teaching constantly and continuously taught by him every hour, which he, even lying on his bed, and being unable to gather the brethren to himself and talk orally with them, dictated to one of the scribes, that is, he spoke as if in the language of another. I added this instruction to my letter, so that every intelligent person could see from it that the blessed man foreknew the day of his death and foretold about it. The instruction is as follows: “Brothers and Fathers! I was sick, but through your prayers I got well again. But how long will I recover? No, the day of death will come when recovery will no longer take place; the day of death will come, I say, on which I will have to separate from you and move away from people. However, you should not think about becoming an orphan; for He is faithful who said: I will not leave you orphans (John 14:18) and: Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Moreover, there will be no time when we will see each other; Oh, if only in indescribable joy and endless life! “You know what happened to me during my illness. I was overcome with chills and felt an unbearable shaking; and then I lay there all day with a fever. Being in this position, I thought to myself: will I really be cast into fiery Gehenna at the future judgment and experience the torment of Tartarus? Will the poor man really have to suffer a severe punishment? However, whether there will be one punishment, or a greater one; One can guess about this from the sorrows that befall us in this life. It is known that sinners will face God's unbearable wrath; and therefore we must be afraid lest we be subjected to this intolerable punishment. For some, real persecution served as a reason to excel in virtue, with which they shone like lights in the world, proclaiming the word of life, to my praise (if I am allowed to say so) on the day of Christ. What benefit did they not receive! What success and fruit in goodness they have not brought! They preserved and preserved themselves among temptations, like gold tested through fire, and became guardians and guardians of other people, both their own and any other rank; May the Lord vouchsafe me to have fellowship with them there, as it pleased Him here that they should have fellowship with me. - But for others, the same persecution was the cause of sin and crime, that is, for those who, leading a self-willed life and forgetting obedience, disgraced themselves. And therefore it is fitting for us to say in the words of Scripture: Their appearance is darker than soot (Lamentations. 4, 8); it is proper to cry out to them: sons of iniquity, you have abandoned the Lord (Isaiah 1:4); you have betrayed the rules of monastic life, you do not walk on straight paths, but, like the lame, you lean now to one side or the other; you have become separated from your societies and addicted to the world; and although some of you remained in solitude, others bought slaves, and others finally, out of greed, took up trade. You are no longer afraid of Prophetic reproaches, Apostolic threats, and, as I learned, my humble exhortations... But why do I, poor man, placed in one place, want to act on all the people listed above? What else can I do but weep, sigh, grieve and proclaim the coming wrath? If only they would listen to me and turn from the path of error and destruction; then they would benefit both my humility and ourselves. If they drink evil; then some will go into the fire kindled by them, some will undergo punishment and eternal destruction from the face of God and from the glory of His strength, when He is glorified in His Saints and magnified in the face of all those who faithfully fulfill His commandments: in this way He will reward a worthy reward, and will prepare eternal punishment for His opponents. I ask you, my brothers, to act in such a way that you spread the word of piety even among the most wicked, and guide them to the knowledge of the truth. Endure everything, believe everything, endure everything, so that, pleasing God in everything and in everything, you can avoid Gehenna’s condemnation and punishment, and achieve the kingdom of heaven in Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen." After four days, on the next Sunday, when the blessed man was still sitting, and when this very instruction was read; It happened that he became much more cheerful and lively. They say that work brings health; spiritual vigor and intense effort bring those close to death. Since it was necessary to perform a sacred rite, for which the most blessed man daily showed a strong desire; then he went to the church, wanting to cleanse himself before the Lord and make a bloodless sacrifice. Having performed the sacred rite, taught the life-giving sacraments to those present, and finished everything in the proper manner, he went from there to the meal, and greeted the many who were there, the fathers and confessors, and having kindly received them, and admonished them with a word and a conversation about death, he sent them away. However, as you know, not only did he act like this now, but throughout the entire life of this famous husband there was nothing more than the thought of death, and the desire to be resolved and be with Christ (Phil. 1:23). And thinking about this, what temptations he struggled with every day! But is it necessary to proclaim his glorious deeds in front of everyone and in detail, when they speak for themselves? And now there is even less need to talk about this; because for almost a year he had already completely prepared himself for death. Although I was often and almost always with this man, who did and said everything according to the will of God; however, even with such closeness, the zealot for the humility of Christ did not deign to talk with me about this. “Isn’t there anything left,” He used to say, “that we must say?” Have we neglected anything that we should have done?” This is how this blessed and caring soul thought and acted! The next day (this was the third day on which the memory of the great confessor Paul was celebrated), the blessed man, as one who loved God and His Saints, and, moreover, fulfilled the Apostolic institution, performed the service of God in memory of the Saint. When evening came, he, having talked with quite a few of the brethren who were sitting with him, went to his cell, as usual, and, having chanted the prescribed psalms and prayers, went to bed. About the fourth hour, an ordinary illness began to torment him, and he, calling one of the brethren who was at his cell, told him about his illness and all the brethren who immediately flocked together. However, on this day his illness was not yet severe; and therefore the next day, having invited all the brethren, and as if already parting with them, he repeated to them the previous advice. What kind of brothers? Those to whom he did not stop talking every day, and about whom he cared day and night. He spoke to them like this: “Brothers and Fathers! This cup is common. All our fathers drank of it; I too will drink it, and go to my fathers. This is the testament I leave to you: keep your faith inviolably and lead a blameless life. I have nothing more to say to you; for I have already told you everything that I had to say and taught you everything.” And, like a true son of peace and love, he added this: “Convey from me with all respect and respect the greetings and desire for salvation to our Lord Bishop; as well as other Fathers, Bishops, and Priests of Christ and confessors who endured suffering for the sake of the Lord; - to all brothers, friends and acquaintances, and to those who labored in the same field of faith with us, both small and great.” O blessed and zealous soul! Even in this dying hour, he does not think or care about anything more than to please God and glorify Him. Finally, when I humbly asked him: what will he order regarding those brethren or laymen who have been punished and are among the repentant; then he, as a compassionate doctor and imitator of Christ, answered me: may the Lord forgive them all; and, as a son of Faith, marking himself with a cross three times, he said the prayer: May the Lord of peace be with your spirit, and, having kissed everyone present, he calmed down. Meanwhile, rumors of his illness spread, and countless people flocked to him. And this blessed man spent two whole days in blessing and greeting those who came, in a quiet and meek conversation with them and in prayer, and, having taught everyone unforgettable and saving food, he sent them away in peace. Then, on Sunday, on which the memory of the Martyr Mina is celebrated, having read the usual songs and psalms, and having partaken of the holy and life-giving Mysteries, as usual, marking himself with a cross, and, raising his hands up as if to pray, at about the sixth hour he began to feel weak in himself and in a quiet, barely intelligible voice he ordered the wax candles to be lit; after which we began to sing psalms; and as soon as they reached the verse: in the age of not forgetting your excuses; as in them you revived me (Psalm 119:93), and before they finished him, he betrayed his pure and holy soul to the Angels. Here is a short story about the death of the blessed husband! And so the ascetic finished his career! His death was peace forever from many exploits and labors. But how can I imagine to you without tears what followed, when thoughts burned me like fire, and when my spirit fell. However, let me be allowed to continue my story a little. Thus lay the most blessed man (for this new and extraordinary sight cannot be ignored), the venerable man lay, looking angelic, because the soul, which had moved to the Lord, seemed to reflect some bright rays on the holy body, in which and with which it served the Holy Trinity. First of all, a countless number of monks, famous men and nobles, together with Bishops and Priests, flocked to him, and each of them brought what was needed for the burial of the blessed one. Some brought white and precious candles; others are shrouds painted by Phrygian artists; others - woven bedspreads, silver, gold and amber vessels, aromas and incense; others, to put it briefly, brought much more; so that almost everyone who came together brought something for the burial of the most honorable body. But on this day and this night a strong storm arose, similar to the one that once happened during the burial of the great Peter of Alexandria. And here an amazing thing happened; namely, everyone forgot the sea and the storm and the ferocity of the waves and the severity of the leaders and any other fear. The slaves abandoned their work at this time; farmers abandoned their fields; guardians of order and bosses - their power and superiors; sailors and merchants - their trade; the travelers - their procession: everyone united and fixed their gaze on the deceased, as on some kind of precious necklace, or, more precisely, as on someone living and still able to speak. Thus, with the harmonious singing of psalms and the shining of lamps, after the vigil and kneeling, after the usual sacred services, around the seventh hour, he was committed to the grave, however, not without noise and disturbance; because from the multitude of people who flocked together, everyone wanted to receive something from the precious remains of the deceased husband. The most blessed man was given over to the earth and buried in the same cave cell in which he usually wrote his works and prayed to the Lord, and, like the Apostle, even with weakened strength, in poor health, exhausted by persecution and old age, he was engaged in handicrafts. So the father offered himself to the fathers; priest - to priests; confessor - to the confessors; a martyr by his own will - to the martyrs; the loud trumpet of truth goes to the preachers. But I will add the following: the abstinent joined the abstinent; clean - for lovers of cleanliness; hospitable - to the hospitable; meek - to the humble and poor in spirit. According to God's vision, he, as far as possible, was all things to all, in order to save all, or at least many (1 Cor. 9:22), establishing himself by the example of the Apostles; and thus, having completed the Apostolic race, he ascended into heaven with glory and, rejoicing with the Angels in the place of the wondrous settlement, in the voice of those celebrating (Psalm 41:5), enjoying the eternal blessings in God and mercifully looking at us, he lifts up the most ardent prayers for us to God. And we, humble and humiliated, leaving hope for others, in the misfortune that befalls us, let us thank God and lift up to Him this glorious voice: The Lord is given, the Lord is taken away: as the Lord willed, so it was (Job 1:21). What's happened; this happened according to the will of the Lord, who arranges everything for good: but His will, says the wondrous Apostle, who can resist (Rom. 9:19)? However, following the pull of nature, like orphans, we talk with tears about the deeds of a father who loved God and his children. Every day we see how our brethren, like birds, from many and different places, near and far, flock to the tomb of their father, with a sad face, darkened by grief and sadness, shedding tears over it, and sighing heavily from the depths of their hearts, so that by one look anyone can immediately understand the state of their souls, and what paternal blessings many of them enjoyed. And you, most blessed brethren, of course feel the same, or even more, grieving that you were not able to be present at the death of this blessed man. But take comfort in what you hear, and with hope and new cheerfulness, unlaxly go through the rest of your good journey, without ceasing to pray for our humility, just as we, for our part, pray for your venerable love (although this word may seem daring to you). Through you I fraternally greet all the rest of your brethren. And all our brethren kindly welcome your shrine. Naucrates was a student of St. Theodore the Studite, his successor in the management of the Studite monastery and a famous imitator of his virtuous life. While defending the holy icons, he repeatedly endured imprisonment and chains and many other torments from the iconoclasts. The Monk Theodore wrote to him many letters, which can be seen in Baronius in the 9th volume under the years 816 and 819.