Борьба революционных отбросов с Кронштадтским пастырем и пьеса «Черные Вороны», как выражение этой борьбы. Победа ревнителей православия над «Черными Воронами»

Archpastors are with the sick Fr. Joanna WE have already seen above what anger the menacing accusatory sermon of Fr. John. Hence it is not surprising that various kinds of slander and ridicule against Fr. began to appear frequently in the Jewish press. John. This is what one archbishop wrote about this to his dear priest. “Among the sincere people who understand the Lover of Christ, there were still those who wondered how it was possible for him to live into old age surrounded by nothing but praise and common love. Now their bewilderment is over: they are convinced that the fate of the prophets and apostles, and other chosen ones of God is also your fate. The enemies of our Divine faith gloat when they read the mockery of your holy person in magazines published by villains, but the followers of the faith also rejoice at this: they see your mocking images not in a funny way, but in the crown of a confessor. The Lord, contrary to your expectations and desires, did not deign for you to be separated from your body after last year’s illness and be with Christ, because you needed to accept the feat of confession, among other gifts of the Holy Spirit. Thank God for everything!” Fr. himself John saw and understood perfectly well that for his truthful word, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, he would be persecuted by the waiting intelligentsia. So, for example, in a sermon on September 26, 1905, after denouncing the unbelieving and godless intelligentsia, Fr. John speaks the following significant words. “When I say this (i.e., denounce the intelligentsia), I think that these enemies of all truth, the enemies of the Church of Christ, are raising their swords against me. But may the Eternal and Vigorous One, who lives in heaven, protect those who fight against unrighteousness!” Likewise, his article sent to the Kronstadt newspaper “Kotlin” (dated March 30, 1905), as a refutation of the slander of the “Petersburg Listok”, Fr. John begins with these wonderful words. “Whoever I have not lost faith in recent days regarding the article by anonymous Dukhovtsev, I ask you to read my word attached here.” The accumulated hatred towards Fr. Ioannou, in the end, expressed herself with particular force in the play: “Black Crows,” where the Kronstadt shepherd and his followers were ridiculed. This play was concocted in Vologda by a certain Protopopov. The material for it was newspaper slanderous articles directed against Fr. John. Protopopov cut out these articles and, in the end, put them together into a play. Many young students of both sexes began to go to the theater. The youth looked at Fr. John was infected, perhaps for the rest of her life, with the purulent ulcer of unbelief. Among the believing members of Russian society, terrible indignation arose about the play, which indignation found a lively response in the pages of the well-intentioned press. Here are the relevant extracts from newspapers. “Currently they are shouting loudly about the play of a certain V. Protopopov - “Black Crows”. V. Protopopov, by the way, a very mediocre playwright, wrote this play from the life of sectarians. The Jewish press greeted this play with delight, shouting everywhere that it was from the life of the Johannites, and again began to persecute the venerable Kronstadt shepherd. Of course, oh. John is immeasurably higher than all libelous newspaper attacks, but, in any case, for people who revere him as an extremely rare person, it is very, very unpleasant to see how some personalities with typical Israeli physiognomies hint at every step on stage about Fr. John in very unflattering terms. I remember what an uproar the Jewish press raised when The Smugglers, a play about intimate Jewish life, was shown at the Maly Theater; I also remember the scandals that the children of Israel caused during the performance of “Smugglers.” And the press joyfully welcomed these scandals, because they were a protest against a play that “offended the religious feelings of Jews.” Well, why doesn’t any of the modern red newspapers say a single word against the “Black Ravens”, where the personality of the priest, deeply respected by everyone who has not sold out to Jews and Russians, is constantly insulted? The answer to this is simple: o. John is a Black Hundred member, for he is devoted to Orthodoxy and the Sovereign, and therefore his honor is to the fullest! Now, if the play had portrayed Grisha Petrov or the newly minted Old Believer Misha in an unsightly form, then that would be a different matter. Then the newspaper hubbub would have been enough for two, or even three, months. Here we are talking about an Orthodox Black Hundred priest, why stand on ceremony with him! After all, it is known in what “honor” Orthodoxy is now held by the red newspapers and their Jewish owners. The theater reviewer of Bessarabskaya Zhizn called the printed prayer service served before the start of the season in the theater “a comedy called Prayer Service,” and the Russian readers of this newspaper smiled sweetly when reading such blasphemy. A drunken hooligan, bribed by Jews, burst into a church, apparently in Simferopol, where mass was being held, and began yelling and swearing. And again the Russian readers smiled sweetly. But what would happen to these readers if they read that Jewish worship was called a booth, and the Odessa rabbi Avinovitsky was portrayed on stage as the head of some savage sect, or that a drunken Jew, bribed by the Russians, burst into the synagogue and caused chaos there?! Oh, they would probably have become wildly indignant and would not have been able to calm down for a long time from such an insult to the “persecuted” tribe. But, after all, this would concern the Jews, and who cares if something that is dear to Russians and which they treat with reverence is insulted!.. This is what Kursk writes about this. True story." “The management of the Kursk City (Winter) Theater posted posters announcing that on the evening of November 4 the play “Black Crows” would be staged. We will not describe in detail the blasphemous content of this play. Let us only mention that in the play “Black Crows” the religious feeling in public and private charity, which is common for every believing Russian person, is caricaturedly and outrageously vulgar; with all this, church candles, lamps, monastic robes are used on stage, some ordinary church prayer words and expressions are pronounced, even church chants are sung, for example, “May my prayer be corrected,” etc. When the posters appeared, the religious feeling of all Orthodox people in the simplicity of the hearts of people who believe in God, familiar with the content of this play, was naturally indignant and did not know what to do. And so, the zealot of the holy faith and canons of the church, the Archpastor of Kursk, His Eminence Bishop of Piti Rome, came out to defend the Orthodox faith. He immediately filed a petition with Mr. The head of the province so that the play was cancelled. The bishop's request is respected. The play “Black Crows” will no longer appear on the stage of the Kursk Theater. The indignant religious feeling is calmed. All who truly believe in God, and who only value the moral education of youth, have no words to express gratitude to the venerable Bishop Pitirim and the Governor of the province for standing up for the Orthodox faith. More than one prayerful tear will be shed before God for their good deed in defense of the Orthodox faith. Moscow monarchists, having gathered for a private conversation in the Russian monarchical assembly, decided to send a telegram to the Moscow Governor-General regarding the mockery of Orthodox churches that is allowed in theaters, as well as about the inadmissibility of pre-holiday performances. A telegram was sent with the following content: “The Russian monarchist meeting in Moscow in a private conversation discussed the issue of the mockery of the Orthodox faith that is universally tolerated in Moscow theaters. A particularly depressing impression was made by the news that in Moscow they were going to stage Protopopov’s play “Black Crows,” where, in a sharply blasphemous act, the personality of the shepherd Fr. John of Kronstadt. Therefore, the Russian monarchical assembly takes upon itself the courage to ask Your Excellency to prohibit the staging of this play, which deeply offends the feelings of the Russian people, in Moscow.” Another telegram reads as follows: “The Russian monarchical assembly, having exchanged views on the corrupting influence of pre-holiday performances on young people, decided to protest against the permission of performances, concerts and other entertainment on the eve of Sundays and holidays. Likewise, the monarchical community finds it undesirable to allow performances during Lent.” Many people remember the scandals that Jews caused in different cities for artists who risked staging “Smugglers.” The end result was that the Jews achieved an almost universal ban on staging this supposedly misanthropic play. The well-known ability of Jews to obscure everything that is incriminating in relation to them. With the emergence of the current unbridled press, they, not content with the blood of the masses of Russian people they had killed over the past three years, set out to slanderously depersonalize and disgrace everything that the Russian people honor Orthodoxy. An unbridled and impudent ridicule of the Orthodox Church and its best representatives began. Everyone still remembers the streams of slanderous dirt that poured out from the pages of the long-awaited newspaper “Petersburg Leaf” and other kagalic yapping, on the head of Father John of Kronstadt, deservedly revered by the whole world. The words of the Kahal not only did not shake the love and respect of the Russian people for their beloved shepherd, but also with even greater force emphasized the meaning of the grace of God resting on him. Now a play has appeared in St. Petersburg, arousing loud approval from the Jewish press, called “Black Crows,” in which the ascetic activity of Father John is exposed to live ridicule and desecration. This play, although written by a Russian by name, is a rough recut from an equally meaningless novel published in the Petersburg List under the title “Ioannites,” and its content only proves the mental and moral wretchedness of the author. “Black Crows” was written, as they say, “with white thorns” and, not presenting anything resembling the truth, is designed only for scandalous success and, of course, for profitable “gesheft”... In order not to be unfounded in my judgments, I had the patience to listen to this play from beginning to end. The theater in which the Black Crows nested is extremely reminiscent of commercial baths in appearance and internal layout. There were many Jewish faces among the audience. The performers of the play fully deserve the title of “cold” artists. To tell in detail the contents of “Black Ravens” - this dirty libel, pleasing only to Jews and morally expected Russians, would be tantamount to chewing straw dust. The author, based on the gossip of the Petersburg Leaf, depicted a group of some thieving rogues who have nothing in common with the admirers of Father John, and the name, the Most Pure Name of the Mother of God, is blasphemously fluttered throughout the entire play. Russian simple women, whom he calls “Johnnites,” were bred by some Catholic nuns and speak in a raised tone all the time. The essence of the play rests on a tattered love lining. Some merchant widow, bored with idleness, falls in love with a student, and he falls in love with her stepdaughter. The stepdaughter becomes interested in the teachings of the “Johnnites”, runs away to them, then becomes disillusioned with them and, with the assistance of the same student, returns back to her stepmother... I listened carefully to every word of the play, trying to find at least a semblance of reality, but only a maliciously slanderous fiction emerged before me, degrading the meaning of the scene... Every word of the play is capable of deeply outraged every Orthodox Russian believer person. The question is how could the highest administration allow open mockery of the Orthodox religion and the personality of the personification of the highest commandments of Christ, Father John, that Father John, whose name, like a luminous beacon, has been shining for many years in the darkness of the current unbelief and “liberating” misanthropy. It is a shame for the Russian people to remain silent in the face of the evil Jewish-treasonous persecution of the name of the shepherd, whose activities are so strongly and briefly expressed in the dying words of the unforgettable defender of the truths of Orthodoxy, Emperor Alexander III: “The Russian people love you, because they know who you are and what you are” - were his last earthly words. The blasphemous antics of the unbelieving part of Russian society, manifested in the play “Black Crows”, which was very popular in St. Petersburg, were, however, eventually stopped thanks to the energetic action of two zealots of Orthodoxy who arrived in St. Petersburg especially for this purpose - Bishop Hermogenes of Saratov and Bishop of Orel (later of Chisinau) Seraphim. It was difficult for the saints to wage this struggle. The St. Petersburg diocesan missionary N. Bulgakov wrote a handwritten letter to Protopopov (the author of “Black Ravens”), in which he praised him for the play, and Protopopov immediately published this letter near the cover of “Black Ravens” so that the play would sell better, and so that more people would go to the theater to watch “Black Ravens”, they say, this is a good thing! This is help to missionary Bulgakov. And to what lengths will a person go in pursuit of gesheft?! Bishop Hermogenes of Saratov first wrote the following article in a local newspaper against the Black Ravens. Moral anxieties and torment of most of Saratov society, in view of the terrible “Awakening of Spring” and the outrageous appearance of the “Black Ravens” Truly, this is a black flock of real ravens - an immoral and mediocre troupe of actors, Jews and former Russian people - flew into our poor city; From a distance she smelled the corpse-like smell of the organic foundations of morality and society decaying here in a certain environment, these principles of life, torn to pieces by the revolutionary-murderous (liberating from life) movement that had recently raged here. Yes, “black crows” flew in... But, after all, the stinking decomposition that has now begun in some places, called in the immoral Jewish jargon the awakening of spring, could not, of course, attract and be accompanied by the appearance of innocent and pure swallows, but inevitably only the appearance of “black crows”: like spring, so are migratory birds... However, in the moral and religious sphere, one cannot remain calm and, as it were, indifferent observers of the inevitable, apparently, coexistence and sequence of evil and soul-deadening phenomena: for people who are still alive, it is necessary with all their might to resist the arrogant demonic movement, which seeks to overthrow everything living, moral, and holy into the darkness of spiritual death and moral oblivion and then to envelop everything in terrible rot and stench. atmosphere of general debauchery and vices. Oh, terrible dream! Terrible oblivion!.. Yes, it was not in vain that the believing and faithful to the rules of morality part of Saratov society became alarmed and worried, observing the terrible awakening of spring and the outrageous appearance of the “Black Crows”: in the majority of Saratov society, which did not succumb to deadly decay, murmurs, indignation, and bitterness are now heard everywhere... The Orthodox parish pastors were extremely indignant; The fathers of the law formed their emergency meeting and decided to take all measures to counter the terrible evil of moral corruption of youth and the eradication of religious feelings and a healthy everyday sense of public opinion and patriotism among youth and the entire society. The head of the province provided his assistance to the society and, as much as he could, scared away the black crows... In view of the ongoing natural anxieties and moral torment of Saratov society, the Orthodox Bishop of Saratov was forced to send the following telegram to St. Petersburg, the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod. “Outrageous plays have been performed many times in Saratov theaters, the first is “The Awakening of Spring,” designed to corrupt the moral sense of Russian society, especially youth, the second is “Black Crows”; this latter somewhat covertly, although, however, with very transparent underlinings and additions outside the program in a caricatured and extremely offensive to religious feeling, ridicules monasticism, Father John of Kronstadt and his admirers; To carry out, or, more accurately, to embody this outrageous plan in stage forms (replacing here the usual verbal-critical language of literary articles), a completely impossible and completely non-existent sect has been slyly invented; with transparent underlinings that clearly reveal the malicious intent of the play, the spiritual and moral features of this fantastic sect are caricatured, its relationship to some holy “father”, to some “mother”, decorated, by the way, around the head, leaning against the wall, with some kind of light halo made of electric bulbs; the usual religious feeling for public and private charity for every Russian believer is ridiculed in an equally caricatured and outrageously vulgar manner; with all this, church candles, lamps, monastic robes are used on stage, some ordinary church prayer words and expressions are pronounced, even church hymns are sung; for example: “May my prayer be corrected,” etc. n. I repeat that the “black crows” (immoral actors) always transparently emphasize the hidden, outrageous intention of their fantastic play with certain expressions and actions allowed outside the program. Saratov society, which believes and adheres to moral rules, is terribly indignant. The head of the province did everything he could to calm the indignant feelings of society: the “black actors” significantly reduced their vile and outrageous emphases and additions in addition to the program; however, the essence of the malicious meaning and even the form of its expression have changed as a result, in general, not so significantly and noticeably, and the people grumble offendedly and are still worried; deputations come to me literally every day; a decisive order and reassurance is needed from the highest government authorities. I consider it my archpastoral duty to testify to the painfully lived experience of 1905 that with the aforementioned spectacles, both banquets and rallies of that time, our society, in a religious sense, the other in a political sense, the latter expresses strong discontent and sharp censures against the authorities, both spiritual and secular. In view of all that has been stated, I most earnestly and persistently beg Your Excellency on behalf of our entire believing society in Saratov, petition, for God’s sake, for the immediate prohibition of these spectacles, at least within the boundaries of our unfortunate Saratov province; again and again I beg you, for God’s sake, fulfill this blatant request of mine for the salvation of “these little ones” who are perishing - some from temptation, others from discontent, feelings of embitterment, bitterness... I cordially ask you to respond by telegram to calm the offended and involuntarily grumbling part of Saratov society.” Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn An open speech by a true zealot of piety and a zealous defender of Orthodoxy, His Eminence Bishop Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn, outraged by the impudence of the atheists, encouraged by the silence of the highest spiritual authority, who decided to carry their mockery over the sincere feeling of admirers of the sincere shepherd and great righteous man. John of Kronstadt on the theatrical stage, caused the most lively joy and peace in true believing Christians. All who were rightly outraged by the blasphemous play “Black Crows”, due to their convinced religious feelings, could not, of course, fail to express their gratitude to the brave champion and zealous defender of the Faith of Christ. From the very first moment of his speech against the blasphemous play, which set itself the goal of ridiculing, vulgarizing, throwing mud and slander at the true lamp of the Faith of Christ, Fr. John, and his followers, to the editorial office of Kronstadt. At the lighthouse, letters began to arrive from individuals and even groups with requests to express gratitude to His Eminence Vladyka. At the beginning of this month, at the initiative of the editor-publisher of the said magazine, N.I. Bolshakov, a thank-you address was sent to His Eminence Bishop Hermogenes with the following content: To the Most Reverend Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn Hermogenes. We, true admirers of the great shepherd, Fr. John of Kronstadt, led by the editor-publisher of the magazine “Kronstadt Lighthouse” Nikolai Ivanovich Bolshakov - all those admirers whom the modern Jewish press calls “sectarians”, we are unable to accurately express feelings of gratitude for your truly pastoral zeal for maintaining the spirit of Orthodoxy in our exhausted, sedition-torn country. Your printed statement that you do not find anything harmful or “sectarian” in our desire to live as Christians greatly raised our spirit of vigor and gave us confidence that we are following the right, thorny path to achieving eternal bliss commanded by God. The crowd, always blindly succumbing to the influence of individuals, turned out to be too frivolous here, following the bait of the servants of Satan, the primordial enemy of man. We, true Christians, who remained faithful defenders of the Faith of Christ, naively thought that such an open mockery of the faith and rituals of the Orthodox Church would cause an explosion of indignation on the part of our capital’s clergy, but their stubborn silence so far affects us in the most depressing way. True, a commission was appointed to investigate, but the result of its actions is not yet known, while blasphemy continues, corrupting our society. We can understand the impression we received from reading your pastoral appeal, which showed us that the spirit of true love for Him who took upon Himself the sins of the world by suffering on the Cross is still alive, the spirit of jealousy is still alive in people who are not corrupted, who have not accepted the spirit of error... This appeal showed us that we are not alone on guard, protecting the Faith of Christ, the Autocratic Tsar and the dear Fatherland from the harmful influence of erring people. May the Lord give you and the entire true Orthodox population of your Diocese, who have unanimously stood up for the defense of our dear Faith, strength and zeal to continue their holy work, for the success of which we constantly offer fervent prayers to the Throne of the Most High. May it penetrate into the most hidden corners of our vast Russia, awakening in the Orthodox people a united desire to immediately destroy the planted weeds of unbelief. And we deeply believe in our victory, for His enemies will be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee from His face, like smoke disappears, let them disappear like wax melts from the face of fire, so let demons perish from the presence of those who love God and who signify themselves with the sign of the cross and say in joy: Rejoice, most pure life-giving Cross of the Lord, drive away the demons with the power of our drunken Lord Jesus on you Christ, who descended into hell and trampled upon the power of the devil and gave us to you, His honorable Cross, to drive away every adversary... Editor-Publisher of the magazine Soon after sending this address to its destination, our editors were happy to receive a response, which we immediately posted: His Eminence Vladyka Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn, instructed me to express to you His deep gratitude for your attention and letter received at the beginning of this November. Vladyka promises to write to you himself in a few days; Now there are almost daily services... Your Eminence Vladyka asks you to print in your respected magazine “Kronstadt Lighthouse” a telegram sent by Him to the St. Petersburg newspaper “Kolokol”. Attached is a telegram and separate printed sheets of paper “Black Crows”. Would you find it possible to distribute this telegram (“Black Crows”) in St. Petersburg, in addition to printing it in the Kronstadt Mayak, and in separate sheets? If you wish, we can send it to you. With deep respect to you, Saratov Bishops' House, Hierodeacon Pavel (Kusmartsev) From the editor: looking forward to the dear lines of the Most Reverend Bishop, we consider it an indispensable duty to fulfill his desire by placing the telegram “Black Crows” in the same issue of the magazine, distributing it in separate sheets everywhere. Telegram from Bishop Hermogenes On November 12, Bishop Hermogenes sent the following telegram to the editorial office of the Kolokol newspaper: “I earnestly ask the editors to publish my following article: In No. 520 of the venerable newspaper “Kolokol”, I read, without being at all surprised, a letter quite characteristic in content from the person closest to the “Black Crows” - Protopopov. She explains the creation of the “Black Ravens” supposedly from sublime motives, namely from her Orthodox missionary intentions. Think about it! And the criminal theater stage, suddenly, ranked this native brainchild of its sincere servant and defender in the category of phenomena completely homogeneous with the malignant “Awakening of Spring,” and Protopopov’s corvids, indeed, by the sincere decision of the actors themselves, accompany this vulgar and disgusting “spring” everywhere, as a kindred element created for us by the crafty liberation movement. Now it has become quite obvious that both the “spring” and its “ravens” of the proto-priest’s “Life of a Man”, “Sister Beatrice” and “The Miracle of the Wanderer Anthony” clearly indicate nothing more than a new phase, a new deviation of the ongoing demonic movement, or, if you like, a special type of godless, anti-Christian missionary work. In fact, it is impossible not to notice that the former revolutionary politicking, abandoned for a while as a failure, suddenly, as if according to a pre-determined program, was obviously replaced everywhere by a kind of missionary work, now supposedly moral, now supposedly religious, in essence, of course, both anti-moral and anti-religious, and look at how the same people instantly began to adapt to completely opposite activities than before: so in literature, in the sphere of education, public opinion, etc. Even, finally, revolutionary varieties appeared on the theater stage under the guise of exactly missionaries, and exclusively Orthodox ones; on the other hand, the theatrical stage itself and the actors suddenly became, for some reason, akin to our top-ranking missionaries!.. Oh! wrong time! Oh, crafty chameleons, low minions and servants of the evil spirit of the times! Do you really think that the righteous judgment of God will not find you under hastily put on and poorly adjusted guises - after all, it found many of your “comrades” who labored villainously in the political revolutionary era that was so recently in place; the same judgment is not asleep over those fierce comrades of yours who, like you, also in their own way were missionaries and are still missionaries, namely, instilling in the Russian people the villainous spirit of robbery, mercilessness of life and every other good of all people - poor and rich; These kind of dashing missionaries, dashing people, you, protopopov’s corvids, greedy lovers of “spring” and other similar “awakenings”, you completely help, you assist these robbers, and even, obviously, deliberately rush to breed them more, emptying the soul and heart of the people from the religious living feelings that protect them; you deliberately, also for the sake of helping your “comrades,” extinguish the bright moral sensitivity of the Russian people, especially our youth. You, obviously, Jews and former Russian people, fulfilling your vile service, your bloody cult to the demon of rebellion and revolution, now want to evoke from the depths of the people themselves, educate and then inhumanly push another revolutionary wave onto our native Russia, instead of the recent one, a special, as if spontaneous, original wave of wild and drunken turmoil of civil strife, similar to Pugachev’s rebellion... But “who, like God!” The heavenly Archangel and the earthly Archangel of Russia with the ardently believing and lightly animated mighty militia from among the same Orthodox Russian People, we deeply believe, will prohibit, stop and destroy all your villainous plans, constructions and structures; Now, the people themselves have already recognized with their instinct who you are, uninvited enlighteners, “black” corrupters of the people’s spirit, mere “crows” hiding under the guise of theatrical “Orthodox” missionaries; To carry out your underground demonic mission into the soul of the Russian people, you took advantage of an institution quite suitable for your purposes - the theater: and now, in all cities across the entire face of the Russian land, on the theatrical stage, the long-predestined and drawn up plan of ridiculing and undermining the religious instinct and feeling of the Russian people is now being carried out, while simultaneously erasing the sense of morality; everywhere now the “Black Crows” croak and ridicule either the Mother of God or St. Seraphim, mock Russian Orthodox monasticism, and insult Father John of Kronstadt with mocking scenes; Finally, recently they came to ridicule St. John the Baptist. However, Protopopov classifies the mentioned holy persons among the “idols” of Orthodoxy; and therefore he, as the chief of the theatrical “missionaries,” hastens to free the people from the feeling of charm and reverence for these persons; he himself, Protopopov, however, in his black comedy does not name great and holy names dear to the believing soul of the people, but leaves this to be done locally, like workers and artisans, the actors themselves on theater stages; - and now, we see how everywhere in all parts of Russia, incited and inspired by the father of the “Black Ravens” himself, the “comrades” actors are committing their common evil conspiracy, finishing the planned common vile work of religious and moral devastation of Russia, through stage performances, these spiritually murderous explosive weapons, producing everywhere outrageous trampling and terrible torture of living religious and moral feelings of the people... So, in this new hard time of the revolutionary murderous movement, all the methods of destroying the life and spirit of the people that have already been tested by the “comrades” are repeated. Moreover, look closely, there are instigators here acting behind the backs of their comrades, there are also obedient executors of their orders... So, it would be simply ridiculous not to notice, for it became clear as daylight that for the theatrical “Black Ravens”, their dashing missionaries, it is not at all important that there is or does not exist some kind of secret sect of “Johannites”: in our supposed “comradely” opinion, of course, exists; since there is a charm to a face, as to some kind of “idol”, or a person who has spiritual power over the spirit and heart of the people, it means, according to the plan of the underground “missionaries”, this face must be blown up into the air, and that in this case a great many other people may die, many will be crippled forever in a spiritual sense - this is “just what they need”... After all, this is the already accepted method of comrades; and so the “comrades” make up a spiritual and moral bomb, from the first empty box of “some kind of “Johnnites” that comes along - light the fuse on the stage - and you’re done!.. There are other similar bombs: here are the general design, without Russian nails and pins: “The Life of a Man”, “Sister Beatrice”, “The Miracle of the Wanderer Anthony”, “Judas Iscariot” and etc., etc. So, it is clear as day that the “comrades” (actors) and their instigators (theater writers) have undertaken a special spiritual and moral sedition, or revolution, in Russia. In conclusion, for the sake of the always dear and holy person of Fr. John, again and again I consider it my duty to testify, on the basis of the available accurate data (which I will soon report in print) and my personal deep conviction, that such a sect as that created by Protopopov does not exist at all, as a sect specifically, as an organized heretical religious group. Here, for example, is a telegram from Bishop Nikanor of Perm - it only points to some women who abused the name of Father John of Kronstadt, and does not at all indicate the emergence of some kind of “Johnnite” sect; after all, it is known, of course, that bad people are capable of abusing holy objects and holy names; Consequently, there is nothing surprising at all in the fact that some insignificant group of worthless people uses the highly revered and precious name of Fr. John of Kronstadt for his own base purposes, exploiting in one way or another the reverent feelings of admirers of this great prayer book of the Russian land, who benefited millions of people religiously, morally and even financially. Thanks to these many-sided countless blessings of Father John, the all-Russian multimillion-dollar community has long been scattered here and there in large groups in Kronstadt, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Saratov, Kharkov, Odessa and in all, literally in all cities and villages of Russia, united by both reverent love for Father John of Kronstadt himself and for Theophan the Recluse , St. Seraphim of Sarov, Ambrose of Optina, Hieromonk Barnabas, who recently reposed in Moscow, and, in other words, to the entire vast host of holy men who make up, as it were, a bright milky way on the vast and centuries-old horizon of Russia. So, all of Russia, shining like precious beads, with the bright faces of its holy men, who illuminate it so wonderfully, forbid you, the dark flock of “Black Ravens”, pitiful scribblers and actors, to insult her in the person of her holy, venerable sons, who constitute her age-old and eternal treasure and best asset, a wealth by which she is exalted and thanks to which she can stand firmly and unshakably in view of all the other variously rich peoples of the world. And just such an outrageous insult is inflicted on all of Russia when, in a crafty caricature with a transparently emphasized intention, not some insignificant group of pitiful and worthless people is ridiculed, but the holy personality of a great man, unspeakably dear to all believing Russia, is deliberately touched upon and ridiculed. So, “Black Crows”, stop circling and mocking Russia, stop before it’s too late!.. On December 5, 1907, by train at 10 a.m. on the Baltic Railway we left for Kronstadt with the goal of visiting the ill, highly revered and dearly beloved Kronstadt pastor, Fr. John Ilyich Sergiev - His Eminence Vladimir, Metropolitan of Moscow, His Eminence Seraphim of Orlov and Hermogenes of Saratov, accompanied by pastors and laymen from admirers of Fr. John, including Fr. Archpriest I. I. Vostorgov, V. M. Skvortsov and others. The trip was supposed to be made as a completely private pilgrimage to the fading physically great church lamp and people's favorite shepherd. But the news that spread throughout Kronstadt that distinguished hierarchical guests would arrive in the city raised the local clergy, government officials, and society to their feet. At the station, a gendarmerie officer met the archpastors and greeted the saints on behalf of the chief port commander, and reported that a solemn meeting awaited the Eminence at St. Andrew's Cathedral. At the ringing of the bells, the archpastors entered the cathedral, which was fully illuminated and filled with a multitude of people and representatives of society; Here, with orders and in uniform, were the Governor General, General Ivanov, the head of the port and the governor of Kronstadt, Admiral Nikonov. The cathedral clergy met the bishop in full vestments, and the cleric of the cathedral, Archpriest Popov, addressed the High Reverend Metropolitan with a wonderful speech, in which he vividly expressed and strongly emphasized the following idea: the cyclone of liberation unrest that swept through Rus' swept especially fiercely over Kronstadt and drove here many black crows, greedy for all kinds of abomination, not sparing anyone and nothing, approving everything that benefits the revolution and the overthrow of the authorities revered by holy Russia. The speaker asked the bishop for prayerful help and intercession in the fight against the “black crows” - the heroes of our seditious vile times, and thanked him for his high attention to the sick Fr. John. “Black predators usually flock there,” the bishop answered approximately, “where the corpse is, and equip themselves where the prey is... Kronstadt has always been and is, thanks to the pastoral deeds of faith and mercy of the now ill, highly revered elder-shepherd, - in the eyes of all truly Russian, Orthodox-believing Russia, a place where a beacon is lit, where the star of faith and zeal for the Church of God shines... Driven by the tailwind of a violent time, the "black crows", God willing, will soon fly away - they will not find any prey here. The prayer of faith of a faithful servant of the church has been and will continue to be a beacon of salvation for those who are overwhelmed here by the misfortunes of our troubled time, free from faith and conscience.” Having venerated the cross and accepted the sprinkling of St. water, the saints proceeded to worship St. icons and St. to the throne, and the singers, dressed in ceremonial kuntushas, ​​quietly sang the “worthy” entrance. The deacon pronounced the litany and then proclaimed many years, including to the guest archpastors. The Most Reverend Metropolitan himself said the last many years: “to the clergy, the mayor, the military commander and all the Orthodox inhabitants of this city”... Having blessed the people, the archpastors and those accompanying them went to the house of Fr. John. The dear father soon came out to the distinguished guests and visitors, but not with the same quick and cheerful gait. Father John is very tired from illness; he has turned grey, his face is long and thin, and has a pale yellow, waxy color, indicating a debilitating fever. Wonderful blue eyes no longer sparkle with their former liveliness, but have a fading gaze, although they are full of the same captivating kindness and affection. The voice is much softer and does not have those sharp, torn notes that were previously heard from overwork. Hearts of those who love Fr. John felt that severe infirmities were exhausting the great elder, the shepherd of Orthodox Russia, and the days of his life were unlikely to be long. Some of the visitors could not hold back their tears, kissing, perhaps for the last time, their dear priest. – I sincerely thank you, distinguished guests, most reverend archpastors, for remembering me, Malago, and visiting my infirmities - especially I kiss your love, most eminent bishop!.. General Ivanov and Admiral Nikonov arrived. The Metropolitan seated the sick elder next to him on the sofa. Father John asked to bless the tea and the snack served. He himself poured and served a glass of wine to all the guests and proclaimed the health of the “distinguished dear guests.” His Eminence the Metropolitan wished health to the sick man, his dear master, and many years of life for the good of St. churches. Everyone sang together and from the fullness of a loving heart: “many years,” which apparently deeply touched the sufferer. Father John sat with the guests for more than half an hour, talking animatedly about his years (he is now 79 years old), about the few living comrades of the archpastors, and talked about his painful illness, which did not give him rest for more than 15-20 minutes either day or night. And only during the divine service, which he again, contrary to the demands of the doctors, began to attend early in the morning, did nature allow him to weaken for two hours. Strength is especially weakened by lack of appetite and complete inactivity of the stomach - he cannot take anything solid. Despite the demands of the doctors, as an unshakably zealous guardian of church institutions, Fr. John flatly refused fast food, even in the form of medicine. “I thank my Lord for the suffering sent down to me, for the purification of my sinful soul,” Fr. humbly said. John, finishing the sad story of his illness. Revives St. Communion. Feeling weak in strength, he retired to his cell. Archpriest Popov invited the high pilgrims-archpastors, officials and all those present to his apartment for a meal. Here is a venerable colleague of the highly esteemed Fr. John expressed deep gratitude to the Metropolitan for visiting the sick elder and Kronstadt, which deeply honor in the Moscow archpastor the worthy successor of the great Moscow saints, prayer books and leaders of the Holy Russian land. The Metropolitan responded with a deeply captivating speech about worthy bearers of the “sound Russian mind.” After the meal, the Eminence Metropolitan again visited Fr. John, who came out wrapped in a fur coat, with a clearly expressed feverish process. Fr.’s wife was also here. Joanna, a weak old woman like him. The Bishop recalled his visits to Fr. John of Moscow, - asked to cover with your love, if when lack of time interfered, to provide him with spiritual attention, and asked to pray in this future life. The elder, apparently moved by the saint’s affection, said: “You, holy lord, forgive me, I have always carried in my heart and will preserve until the end of my days a special love and veneration for your shrine.” Having said goodbye, the Bishop went on a visit to the Governor General and the Governor, and left for St. Petersburg at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, accompanied by the red ringing of the bells of St. Andrew's Cathedral, and the Reverends Hermogenes and Seraphim, both spiritual children of Fr. John, decided to stay to pray the next day in St. Andrew’s Cathedral and once again enjoy the sight of the glorious All-Russian shepherd and a conversation with him. The all-night vigil was solemn on the eve of the holiday in memory of St. Nicholas. The people could not fit in the vast church. Both bishops came out at the litia and polyeleos, and both anointed the pilgrims with St. oil until we had comforted every single one; the anointing continued after the end of the service. The next day, on the very holiday, early mass was celebrated by Fr. John, under the influence of spiritual consolation, felt much stronger than in previous days, when he was unable to perform the liturgy and received communion at home. Everyone rejoiced at this surge of strength and vigor towards our dear father. The late liturgy was celebrated by both eminences. Again the cathedral was overcrowded. An extraordinary silence reigned. There was an increased mood of prayer. In the cathedral one could see representatives of the authorities in uniforms and ribbons, and simple peasants and peasant women who had come from afar to the great prayer book. Everyone felt that the archpastors, ardent admirers of Fr. John, came to honor his holiness, pray for his health, and testify to him their love and deep respect. During the liturgy, both archpastors and Archpriest I. Vostorgov delivered sermons. 106 The speeches were listened to with special attention; when did they concern the person and activities of Fr. John, when they mentioned the persecution of him by the unbridled press, sobs and weeping interrupted the preachers. The thought that literary robbers and stage robbers dared to insult the holy person of the revered shepherd - this thought captured everyone and aroused in everyone a deep feeling of indignation. At the end of the service, gratitude was endlessly heard to the arriving guests for their words and prayers, and requests were heard from everywhere to help put an end to the ugly, impudent press and scene. From 9 o'clock in the morning until 3 o'clock. The service lasted for a day and the subsequent blessing of numerous pilgrims by Bishop Hermogenes. After the liturgy, both bishops and their accompanying persons visited Fr. John. The elder greeted them with an expression of lively gratitude for their service and word of edification, and handed them over from himself to the Reverends and Fr. Holy icons to I. Vostorgov. Then he retired with them to his secluded cell and there talked for about an hour, in his words, about subjects of the utmost importance. The interlocutors left from Fr. John, touched and in tears... Father John and his guests together sent the Royal Birthday Boy the Sovereign Emperor a congratulatory telegram, which was drawn up in the following terms: Tsarskoe Selo, to His Imperial Majesty the Sovereign Emperor. Today, in the Kronstadt St. Andrew's Cathedral, through the ministry of two bishops, a multitude of clergy, with a great gathering of believers, we offered prayers for power, victory, Your presence in peace, health and salvation, our beloved Autocrat and crowned Leader of Russia; We bring our congratulations to You on your Name Day. With your namesake victory, you will destroy all the machinations of the enemy. Yours, Sovereign, loyal subjects and pilgrims. Archpriest John Sergiev. Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn. Seraphim, Bishop of Oryol and Sevsky. Archpriest John Vostorgov. On December 7, Father had the good fortune to receive the following gracious telegram from Tsarskoe Selo from the Sovereign Emperor: “I sincerely thank you, Father John, and I ask you to convey to your Eminence Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn, and Seraphim, Bishop of Oryol and Sevsky, and Archpriest Vostorgov, My sincere gratitude for your prayers and well-wishes. I hope you will have relief from your illness. A bright feeling of tenderness and prayerful uplifting of spirit remained with all participants in this celebration. “We have Easter,” said the inspired and touched pilgrims. Kronstadt luminary and newspaper hyenas (Word spoken by Archpriest I.I. Vostorgov on December 6, 1907 at the Kronstadt St. Andrew’s Cathedral). It is narrated in one ancient hagiographical legend that listeners and admirers came from all sides to a certain pious elder-ascetic, asking for prayers, advice, and blessings. Many asked him many things, and he answered each and every one according to the measure of the Spirit given to him. Only one young man, always visiting the elder, sat at his feet, silently, and did not ask him anything. One day, the elder, noticing this, finally turned to the young man with a question: why is he silent and does not ask him anything? The young man replied: My father! For me it’s enough just to listen and look at you! The elder of Kronstadt - you know who I’m talking about - doesn’t he remind us and repeat before our eyes, for decades, this ancient elder? The need to find and kiss a shrine, to worship it, to be in its sanctifying and uplifting communion lives ineradicably in the human soul. Among the Russian Orthodox people, this need is especially heightened; it fills and shakes the entire soul of the people, dominating all its other interests and demands. And here, to the wonderful old man, holy and holy-loving Rus' has been turning its gaze for so many years. Some came to him in person, prayed and pray with him, received advice and blessings, and often received the gift of miraculous help. No matter how many there are, they are, compared to all of Russia, a barely noticeable part of the people. All the others, like a young man before an ancient elder, only contemplated this wondrous vision of our time and rejoiced at God’s grace resting in him, and kindled faith and hope, and were saturated with his abundant spiritual meal of words, prayer, unceasing teaching - the teaching of his life, deeds, love, generosity, burning faith and burning word coming from his lips. From the land of deep midnight, where, in the struggle against harsh nature, fleeing from enemies, Russian people found a haven of freedom and a school for strength of spirit and character, our lamp shone. There, the great-spirited saints Tryphon and Theodoret, Zosima and Savvaty, Herman and Cyril, and many others once grew up there. Filled with their spirit, the great prayer-book pastor in simplicity of faith and humility has been standing here for more than half a century - on the edge of the Russian kingdom, at the midnight capital, at the end of the Russian land, at the very sea, shining like a beacon on broken worldly ships among worldly storms and everyday anxieties! Here, in this holy church, for half a century its very air trembled with the voice of prayers and sighs of the All-Russian shepherd and prayer book; here his first tears of priestly prayer were shed: here his pastoral sorrows and joys ascended to God; here around him there were so many spiritual delights of faith, hopes, so many events and cases of revival of repentance, salvation, joy and consolation, so many miracles of divine grace - that truly one should say in the words of the Lord to Moses at the burning bush: “break the boots from your feet, the place on which you stand is holy...” For so many years, unchanged and incessantly, day and deep at night, and deep in the morning, still existing darkness, he stood here and taught and prayed - and God gave him the joy of seeing how the city, known in former times only for fornication and vice, turned into an all-Russian revered place, into a place of pilgrimage, how the effect of his ministry was felt more and more widely. For a long time and gradually his lamp flared up until it shone throughout all of Russia and far beyond its borders with the rule of faith, the image of meekness and abstinence as a teacher, until our All-Russian shepherd acquired high humility and rich poverty. The waves of unbelief rose proudly in the 60s, there were severe storms in the church; heresies arose; Tolstoy grew and fell... Father John fearlessly and incessantly exhorted, instructed, scourged, exposed the vice and pride of unbelief and heresy; he stood as an indestructible pillar of Orthodox churchliness, in himself, in a living example, showing and proving the strength, vitality and effectiveness of the Holy Church, which is capable of growing such a gracious shepherd in its depths. He kindled the sacred fire in thousands of souls; he saved thousands of devastated hearts from despair; he raised thousands of perishing children for God and for the church; he attracted so many outstanding people to pastoral service who, precisely in the personality of Fr. John managed to see, appreciate and love to the point of oblivion the beauty of the priesthood... Now they, often already standing at high levels of the hierarchy, come to the Elder of God and humble themselves before him, bowing down to the dust of the earth. Yesterday and today we witnessed this. And so, in recent years, when our drunken, rotten and godless, peopleless, suicidal revolution was brewing and erupted with pus and stench, we saw a terrible sight. The fierce robbers spared nothing, they spared neither the faith nor the people's shrines. And the great elder, the luminary of our church, “the father of the glorious beauty of the fathers,” the honor of our shepherd, the man of whom every country and every nation would be proud—this elder, in front of everyone’s eyes, ascends to the cross of suffering, indulges in reproach and reproach; his honor, his glory, his influence are pecked by black crows. Vile gossip spread, newspaper scoundrels, press robbers, verbal foam and jackals, gravediggers of other people's honor, crawled out of their dirty holes. The Jewish press attacked Fr. John. They need to destroy the people's faith; the conscience of the people must be emptied; it is necessary to push people onto the path of crime; it is necessary to take revenge on the man who for so long and successfully strengthened faith, cultivated love for the Tsar and the homeland, castigated all the traitors, our Judases and destroyers of the homeland, starting from Tolstoy and ending with the fiends of the revolution... The unbridled press began to persecute and disgrace him first. I remember two years ago, returning from Siberia to the northern capital, along the entire railway line these leaflets, drawings, poems and mockery of Fr. John of Kronstadt... Then, for a short time, the persecution weakened, but now all this dirt is again united into one common stream. Black crows gather in clouds over Russia, and the first thing they try to peck with their predatory beaks is shrines and saints, to undermine the authority of respected persons, to undermine religious reverence, on which every duty, every order, every life that is truly worthy and truly human is built. We do not care about what the author of a mediocre stage concoction, designed to fleece simple-minded people, actually wanted to express - a fleecing that he castigates, however, not in himself and his own kind, as he should, but in others. Perhaps, as he assures, he really wanted to portray in a repulsive form the fanatical sectarianism and religious charlatanism, at least covering itself with the name of Fr. John; after all, evil can hide behind not only the name of a revered shepherd, but even the name of Jehovah (Jehovah's Witnesses) or Jesus (Jesuits); after all, in other areas of thought and life in general, Satan is often transformed into the image of an angel, and haven’t we seen how robbers, rapists and people’s traitors, serving the destruction of Russia for Jewish money, act under the banner of brotherhood, equality and especially “people’s freedom” or the good of society (socialism)? So, we are not talking here about the play and its content: we are talking about what vile servants of the stage, lackeys, corrupt and groveling servants of the base instincts of the crowd and the diabolical revolution made of it on stage. On stage, instead of castigating sectarian atrocities or deceit, to the horror of the Orthodox, the life and furnishings of our Orthodox monasteries and churches are depicted, and our valiant shepherd, publicly revered, about whom the popular faith has long pronounced its verdict that his life is glorious and his dormition will be with the saints, is unambiguously depicted in a buffoonish form. And this is at a time when, in his declining days, weakened by a painful illness, weakened by bodily strength, barely moving, he still performs among believers his, perhaps, the last feats of prayer and piety on earth, when he is unable to defend himself, when we tremble for every day and hour of his life, when this holy lamp is barely warm and is about to go out, this pure God’s candle will burn out! Is there really no protection for him? Are we really going to leave him alone in the midst of our crowds? Is he really given over to be torn to pieces by spiritual dogs, to be tortured and abused by these robbers? “But why are you telling us about this?” - you may ask in anguish and grief and bewilderment. "For what?" But then ask, why does a loving son cry near his torn father or mother? Why, in great grief, having stopped crying, and, apparently, having calmed down, when we see our loved ones, those who sympathize with us, silent among strangers, here, among our own, we cannot restrain our grief and tears and cries? So now, in this church, at the sight of this multitude of praying children and admirers of Fr. John, let us pour out our grief, cry our tears! And then, on this day of the church-civil holiday, I want to say through you, through all this great multitude of people, from this church to all of Russia: “Oh, preserve the shrine and the saints! Take care of your spiritual treasures! Protect, defend them from those pigs who trample them underfoot! Or do you not know that the lips of the righteous drop wisdom, but the tongue of the wicked perishes? Or don’t you believe that wherever annoyance comes, there will be dishonor - and we saw this in all these efforts of freedom and the “liberation movement”, full of only anger and annoyance? Or do you forget that by the blessing of the righteous the city will rise, but by the mouth of the wicked it will be dug up? Or has it ceased to be an immutable truth that the kingdoms of men are held by the righteous, that their seed is holy, that righteousness exalts a people, and the tribes of sin degrade? Or do you think that if you beat the prophets like the deicide Jews, your house will not be left empty? Or will you have a new John of Kronstadt every year that you don’t value him? You will not humiliate God and the holy thing, you will not spit on the sky - the spitting will return to the heads of those who spat; but you yourself, you yourself - what answer will you give? What will our descendants say about us? How rightly will they condemn us for the fact that we could not and did not want to protect the saint, did not protect him, did not protect him with a fence and wall of love - and this at a time when thousands of those miraculously healed, thousands of those reborn by him are alive and among us? Then how will we answer God, and will not His just and terrible judgment be carried out on us, that if we do not listen to Moses and the prophets, that if someone rises from the dead, we will not believe? Then have we not reached the point of blasphemy against the Spirit, for which alone, according to the judgment of even the most embodied love, which declared forgiveness for all blasphemy and all sin, there is no forgiveness either in this life or in the future? Then our kingdom will not survive on earth, and our people will not live. With love for our elder, prayer for him, manifestation of national and public indignation towards the offspring of black crows and all theatrical evil spirits, we must take up arms in defense of our trampled shrines. And for you, vile blasphemers, the prophetic word of that very righteous man whom you are now slandering is ready. As if in anticipation of grief, just three years ago, Fr. John wrote in his diary: “I thank You, Lord, my God, that You called me into the communion of Your Divine Table, made me Your table companion and interlocutor, so that I could recline, as it were, on Your breasts, or more precisely, to have You inside in my breasts and in my heart. What honor You have bestowed upon me, what dignity, what love, what communication! What will I bring to You for this and what will I repay, O most gifted, immortal King?! But what a regret that Your servants and fellow diners of Your Divine Table are now neglected and reviled by the people of this age; how they revile Your priests, and Your Church, and Your holy word, which the Holy Spirit spoke! And how long do You endure them, until You humiliate them, who have humiliated You, our God, and blot out their name from among the living! May their memory perish noisily. Wake up!” 107. Amen. Returning from Kronstadt, the saints wanted to pray on Karpovka for the health of their sick dear priest. On December 9, at the Ioannovsky Convent, on Karpovka, a divine service was celebrated with great solemnity, attracting numerous pilgrims from different parts of the city. The Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Anthony, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, His Eminence Hermogenes, Bishop of Saratov and Tsaritsyn, His Eminence Seraphim, Bishop of Oryol and Sevsky, the monastic dean Archimandrite Nikifor, Archimandrite Sophrony, the synodal missionary Archpriest John Vostorgov, the rector of the church Archpriest Dimitry Fedorov and other numerous clergy, with the metropolitan and monastery choirs, whose touching singing complemented the solemnity of the service. During the litanies, special prayers were proclaimed for the precious health of the venerable shepherd, now ill Fr. John of Kronstadt, the common ardent love for whom, mainly, gathered such a large host of clergy. And one had to see how many of the pilgrims present, not excluding the clergy, with tears in their eyes, offered up fervent prayers to the throne of the Most High in order to feel the fullness of the deep, inextricable spiritual connection of those present with this great teacher of the Orthodox Church and the bright lamp of the Faith of Christ... After the end of the liturgy and during the liturgy, leaflets were distributed exposing the desires and actions of the unbelievers, destroyers of the religious feelings of the people. This accusatory word, full of bitter truth, vividly depicts the reason for their attacks on true Orthodox Christians, who passionately and selflessly love their dear shepherd, Fr. John, nicknamed “Johnnites” for this love. The service ended at two o'clock in the afternoon; After him, the Most Reverend Vladyka left the monastery, and the rest of the clergy, together with the honorary pilgrims, proceeded to the refectory. The energetic activity of Bishops Hermogenes and Seraphim in the fight against the “Black Crows” was crowned with success. The blasphemous play was banned, and the zealots of Orthodoxy themselves were honored by the appointment to be present at the Holy Synod. Dear priest was appointed a member of the Holy Synod. The editor of the Kronstadt Lighthouse, N.I. Bolshakov, took a great part in the fight against the “Black Crows” in a literary way. Theatrical blasphemy was suppressed. The lie is not true to yourself, but the truth shines brighter than the sun. Sermon by Fr. prot. I. Vostorgova is placed below. Archpriest John Sergiev. "From the diary for 1904." Page 49.