Letters to Archimandrite Ignatius (Vasiliev)

Letter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 From the Clearing Gazette for 1869. Archimandrite Ignatius was born in the Holy Annunciation Nikander Hermitage in 1806. From the merchant rank of St. Petersburg, in the world he was called Feodor Mikhailovich Vasiliev, he studied subjects taught in district schools. Having stayed from 1832 to 1837 as a novice in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery and the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage, September 2. In 1837 he was tonsured a monk in the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage. 5 Sep. the same year ordained as hierodeacon, April 21. 1839 promoted to hieromonk on May 24 of the same year made sacristan, and on April 8. 1841 treasurer of the Trinity-Sergius Hermitage. From 25 Feb. In 1844 he was made governor of this desert. 13 Apr 1846 awarded the pectoral cross. From June 17, 1847 to June 12, 1848, on the occasion of the dismissal of the rector of the Sergius Hermitage on vacation, by decree of the Holy Synod he ruled this hermitage with the transfer of all the monastery property and sums of money to him. For the proper management of the Sergius Desert during the year, August 28. In 1848, the diocesan authorities expressed gratitude to him. March 22, 1851 Vysokopr. Nikanor, Metropolitan S.-Pb. and Novgorod, for the benefit of the service, he was moved from the Sergius Hermitage to the first-class Yuryev Monastery by the governor. From June 3 to July 2, 1852 in Novg district. D. Consistory, in the absence of Archimandrite Skovorodsky Monastery, governed this monastery. Aug 23 1853 appointed rector of the Holy Annunciation Nikandrova Hermitage, January 24. 1854 for diligent and useful service he was promoted to hegumen - (February 24, 1855, January 26, 1856, January 3, 1858, September 16, 1859, February 18, 1864, March 18, 1868 for care of the improvement of the Nikandrova hermitage the gratitude and blessing of the diocesan authorities were declared to him). In 1861 he was awarded the club. On May 30, 1865 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite on April 20. 1869 added to the Order of St. Anna 3rd degree. Died 18 Dec. 1870 By the grace of God, I travel safely. On the day of my departure from the Sergius Hermitage, I drove not far: to Tosny. Approaching her, I felt tired and inclined to sleep; The purpose of my journey is to improve my health, and therefore why tire myself with driving at night? I stayed at our Afanasy’s house. His old mother and brother received me with pleasant, simple-hearted cordiality. My travel bed was spread out, and as I lay down I remembered with heartfelt consolation those who had given it to me, I remembered everyone who had imprinted so many sweet impressions on my soul with their love. Getting up the next day at 5 o'clock, we set off on our further journey; at the last station towards Novgorod it began to rain heavily, accompanying us all the way to Yuryev. Take the trouble to say thanks from me to Athanasius for spending the night in his house; I liked his mother very much; I find that he is very similar to her. In Yuryev, Father Archimandrite received me very favorably; This morning I was at early mass in the lower cave church; Father Vladimir celebrated mass with his disciple Hierodeacon Vitaly: they are very nice together. Father Vladimir serves reverently - as an elder should, Vitaly - with pleasant simplicity. After the liturgy, Father Archimandrite sent a memorial service to the cathedral for the deceased restorer of the Yuryev monastery. After leaving the church, I visited Father Vladimir and drank tea with him. Then he visited the monastery library and sacristy. From the bell tower I looked at Novgorod and its surroundings. It's quiet here; soul and body rest; but nothing resonated with poetic inspiration in me, as it did on Valam. When I looked at Novgorod from the bell tower, when I visited the churches in the monastery, when I looked at the wealth of the sacristy - my soul was silent. Father Vladimir will send you two portraits of Father Photius and a view of the Yuryev Monastery. Take one of the portraits for yourself, and have the other portrait and the view of the monastery framed in paper frames for my cells. Today is Saturday; soon a loud and sonorous bell will ring for the all-night vigil; I’m thinking of participating in divine services this evening and tomorrow morning, and setting off on my further journey tomorrow afternoon. My companions and I feel the benefits of the journey. When I remember you and our monastery, a comforting thought comes to me: “Nothing can happen without the will of God.” So nothing can happen to you or to the monastery that God will not allow. And He allows temptations to those whom He loves, and after the temptations He grants deliverance from them. Comforted by temptation, we resort to prayer to God; and by receiving deliverance from temptation, we acquire faith in God, not a dead, theoretical faith, but a living, practical faith. Your present position is fraught with difficulties, but these difficulties are extremely useful to you, absolutely necessary: ​​they will shape you. “A man who is unskilled is unskilled,” says Scripture, “but he who is tempted will receive the crown of life and acquire the gift of helping those who are tempted” (James 1:12). Believe that our hair is counted by God, especially in His eyes - everything that happens to us. Float and rule the helm of the monastery in faith in God, in patience, in the fear of God. When someone stands high, he should look up, not down; If he looks down, he will easily become dizzy and fall. So, by faith, look up at the sky, at the Providence of God, and your head will not spin, you will not fall into confusion and despondency that come from looking down, i.e. when, instead of prayer and faith, we delve into our own reasoning and want to solve every matter with our own reason alone. Christ is with you. I ask for your prayers and that of the entire brotherhood. Unworthy arch. Ignatius. Novgorod Yuriev Monastery My true friend, Father Ignatius! May the merciful Lord, from whom every good gift is given, grant you to rule the monastery in the fear of God, with spiritual wisdom, quietly, peacefully and prosperously. I arrived in Moscow on Wednesday evening, at about ten o’clock, and stopped at Maltsev’s house, where I was received cordially and reassured. My travelers are in good health and are taking care to serve me. The Right Reverend Metropolitan is not in Moscow; he travels to some places in the diocese; I will have to wait for him, and because, by the way, the wheel of the carriage has broken, and I have been rocked and need rest. On Thursday I was at the Ugreshskaya monastery, which, despite its proximity to Moscow, is visited very little by pilgrims and is therefore very secluded. With spiritual consolation, I saw some monastics there, living an attentive life in the fear of God. They are very careful from the monastics of the city of Moscow, not despising them, but avoiding mental disorder, which no one can so quickly communicate, like a brother who lives carelessly. This was observed by Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian when they lived in Athens. St. commanded this to be observed. Apostle Paul. He tells the Corinthians: “I wrote to you in an epistle not to associate with fornicators; however, not in general with the fornicators of this world, or lovers of money, or predators, or idolaters; for otherwise you would have to come out of this world. But I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who, while calling himself a brother, is a fornicator, or a lover of money, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or a predator; don’t even eat with someone like that” (1 Cor. 5, 9, 10, 11). You see how a vice, when it is in a brother, is much more contagious and sticky than when it is in a stranger! This is because people allow themselves much more boldness and freedom before their brothers than before strangers, before whom they try to hide their vice. Look at human society: in it, constant experiences testify to the truth of the words of the wise, holy, divinely inspired apostle. Be guided yourself by this moral apostolic tradition and communicate it to your brethren for their edification and protection from sin. On Friday I was in the Kremlin to venerate its shrines. Father Superior Ugreshsky was my guide. On this day the good Count and Countess Sheremetev visited me; I also visited some of my friends and relatives. Was in the monasteries: Chudovo, Novospassky, Simonovo, Donskoy; I saw Hierodeacon Vladimir, Eustathius, Grozny who lived with us before - I heard that Bulin and Cherny were here, heading towards Kyiv. I will say one thing: the brothers of our Sergius Hermitage should thank God that he brought them to this monastery, in which morality is monitored quite strictly, thereby preserving young people, giving them the opportunity to acquire good morals, which constitutes the essential dignity of a monk. Of course, his voice and knowledge of notes do not make up his voice! They are good for church services, when the soul does not disagree with the lips. This is a disagreement when the mouth pronounces and sings praises to God, but the soul blasphemes him with its wickedness Here I learned that Fr. Paphnutius submitted a request to move to Donskoy and that a request was sent to us about this. Answer the request prudently, say that before leaving, the rector bothered the authorities about ordaining some people as hieromonks due to the lack of clergy in the Sergius Desert, however, that you leave this circumstance to the will and discretion of the authorities. We have no other reason, other than the small number of hieromonks, for retaining Fr. Paphnutia. - Be careful with Muravyov if he visits our monastery. Give full weight to this warning of mine... There are northern winds here, quite strong, which is why the weather is similar to St. Petersburg: the sun burns, and the wind pierces through. You can’t go out in just a cassock, without an overcoat. Then - Christ is with you and with all your beloved brotherhood. I bow to everyone and ask everyone to St. prayers. Unworthy Archimandrite Ignatius. I received your letter dated July 15th. May God strengthen you! Do not indulge in boredom about my departure: it was necessary. Now I feel much better and now I see how upset I was in St. Petersburg. But we still need to spend considerable time outside our harsh Sergiev climate in order to gather strength and spend time in it differently than how I spent it, i.e. lying down. If you find it absolutely necessary to bring Hierodeacon Joasaph out and take me to the Babaevsky Monastery, I will give you my written consent, which you can show to the vicar. On occasion, say my zealous bow to Countess K., Prince Sh., Danila Petrovich. All our acquaintances surprised me with their love, which was revealed so abundantly upon my departure from St. Petersburg. Tomorrow I’m thinking of going to Borodino, then returning to Moscow for no more than a day and setting off through the Lavra, Rostov, Yaroslavl to Babayki and Kostroma. I am writing a letter to Prince Shakhmatov today. I received your letters rather late, because Ivan Joakimovich left St. Petersburg not on the 16th, as he had expected, but on July 24th. I ask Pavel Petrovich to apologize for not answering his letter now - there is no time! I hope to make up for this omission from Babayek, from where I am thinking of writing a letter, and to all the brethren in general. May the Lord strengthen you! Work for the common good, let me take advantage of the vacation and improve my physical strength: this will bear fruit for both me and you. Christ is with you and with all brotherhood in the Lord. Take the trouble to tell Vasya from me that without me he would behave meekly and be obedient; thus he will give me great consolation. By the grace of God, I arrived safely at the Babaevsky Monastery, in which, exactly according to Utkin’s legend, the air is wonderful. My health is such that I can’t say anything decisive about it; seems better. An ingrained and long-standing disorder does not suddenly improve. Father Theoktist has a very kind and open disposition, which suits my heart. Now listen to the full account of my wanderings, to which I am very reluctant No matter how much I traveled, I didn’t like it anywhere. The Ugreshsky Monastery is lovely and secluded, but my heart was alien to it. I like Babaevsky best; the nature is extraordinary, somehow luxurious, majestic; the air and waters are healthy, but his heart is alien to him. And it feels like it belongs with Sergieva. Apparently, we will have to return to it. To our inexperienced lovers of desert living, such as Fr. Joseph cannot get along in the deserts except Sergius, due to the rudeness of the brotherhood; In order to be able to get along, you must first introduce the customs of the Sergius Hermitage into some desert monastery. I saw Father Moses in Gethsemane for one minute; then he came to me in Gethsemane, stood on his knees before me and with tears asked for forgiveness for his action and permission to return back to the Sergius Hermitage. I forgave, but told him that how hard it was for me when, during my illness, he decided to do such an act, without paying any attention to my admonitions, in which I clearly expressed to him the invisible battle of my heart, and so on. He again asked for forgiveness and confessed that his thoughts had deceived him. In the Lavra, in addition to the shrines, I liked the Theological Academy, in which many professors work for the benefit of the Church. The book “Works like the Saints of Our Father Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople, part five” was recently published. Deliver a note to little Ignatius and let him invite our friends to subscribe to this book. On this meeting, write a letter to Fr. to the rector of the academy, Archimandrite Alexei, a wonderful man with whom I became very close, asking him to order me to inform you what the copy is worth and how many copies you want to have. Then you send money and receive a book that is especially good. I received a letter today from Father Apollos informing me that he has been dismissed from the trip. I'm happy with this: he needs to be still and calm himself, and entertainment would completely upset him. I also received a letter from Ivan Pavlovich Likhachev, which I am enclosing. It seems that he has written in his letter too much against the account that we have. Take the trouble to see him, check the account with him; or go to fulfill this faithful man. The order prescribed by Likhachev was definitely taken by me. It would be good if you could give him at least a thousand rubles in banknotes from the enormous monastery sum, and give him two thousand in banknotes from my autumn circle. Please pay attention to this and reassure this person; I think it would be possible to take 2000 from the fraternal money into my account now, but if this is not possible, then in every possible way after September 25, and a thousand would be good even now from the monastery money. I sent you two letters from Moscow; in one of them I wrote about Paphnutius the same thing that you write about him. Its taste is not suitable for our place; You can’t imagine how disgusting Moscow singing with its figures and variations seemed to me. We need majestic, reverent simplicity and a deep pious feeling: with these two qualities our singing becomes higher than the singing of Moscow monasteries. Of the abbots, I liked Theophanes the most because of his directness and cordiality. The forced holiness is somehow not to my taste. The Ugresh abbot asks to retire; in the event of his dismissal, I agreed with Pimen and the other hieromonk, who were completely formed on my sinful advice and are real Sergievskys. Hierodeacon Vladimir came to me; also expressed a desire to move in with us; I was frank with him, i.e. I directly told him the reasons that if he did not eliminate them, then he could not be tolerated in our monastery. He replied that he himself saw the vileness of his disordered life and wanted to correct himself, as his brother corrected himself. I said that now I could not give a decisive answer, but I would give it when he returned. I am informing you about this so that you can think it over and tell me your opinion. Your sadness is because you yourself rule the monastery, and not because of someone else; I understand this feeling from my own experience. Cast your sorrow on the Lord, and He will strengthen you; I need air to improve my disturbed health, which is why my life itself becomes disturbed. Having returned with renewed strength, I will be all the more diligent and active in organizing the monastery, having abundant and reliable help in your sincere friendship for me and in your God-given abilities. I bow to all the brothers and ask for their holy prayers. Christ is with you! May God's blessing rest upon you. Give the attached two letters to the addresses. Your most devoted friend in the Lord With this, my friend, I am sending you a ceremonial letter so that you can show it if necessary. I received your letter on two sheets of paper dated August 4th. At the same time, I am enclosing a letter to Pavel Matveevich: he will not refuse to arrange for 1000 copies to be lithographed in Paris. He told me about this; seal my letter and send it to Yakovlev, asking him to forward it in his letter to Pavel Matveevich. I am sincerely glad that you are calmer; let me get better a little: this is necessary for me. Having recovered, God willing, I can serve for the common good at least for a little while longer. Your current position is very useful for you, although it is associated with some troubles. Judge for yourself from your own experience what it’s like to hold a position in a painful condition; and my pain reached the point of nerve disorder, which is very dangerous. The time that you will manage the monastery will advance you both in experience and in spiritual success and will attract to you the disposition of brotherhood, which you can have by your very natural property. Thank you very much to all your acquaintances; I feel towards them like family. I’m not getting to know each other soon, but by the grace of God, I’m getting to know each other firmly. Moses, the current temporary Gethsemane, retains a special affection for you. He understood the circumstances there, but at the time he fell into them, he also understood the famous Anthony, who is a completely outward person who has the most superficial concept of monasticism. When we meet, take the trouble to say my most ardent bow to His Eminence Iliodor and gratitude for his goodwill towards me. Regarding the fact that the grass was cut young, younger than last year, I agree with the farmer. I wish you to remove the rye and oats safely. If there is enough oats, then some can be sold, and with part of this money you can buy at least 20 cows and a bull, so that during the winter they will accumulate manure for the rye field. Father Israel promised me to do this and deliver the cows in the first snow. However, I leave this to your will and discretion. I recently sent you a letter. This is the second of the Babayeks, which I am very pleased with. A wonderful monastery! In a wonderful place, with excellent air and waters! I bathe in the Solonitsa River, into which salt springs flow, where salt was previously mined. They are 200 steps from my window. The whole body itches and spots and raised areas appear, like a rash. I feel the beneficial effect of the local waters on the stomach. Tea came to me. I don't think I'll ask you for a lot of money. In my last letter I wrote to you what use to make of my money that you have. Please do not ignore this circumstance and notify me of what follows. I’m still having fun: I’m fixing the needs of my cell: this and that need to be started, i.e. table, chair, and the like. I will need to go to Kostroma to see His Eminence Justin, and also to Yaroslavl, where I spent no more than an hour while passing. I sincerely bow to all the brothers. Christ is with you. Most devoted to you Please take the trouble to send two copies of “Valaam Monastery” to his high bloc. To Ivan Ioakimovich Maltsev to Moscow to Lubyanka on Varsonofevsky Lane, in his own house - for him and for his wife Kapitolina Mikhailovna. Also, take the trouble to send one copy to Moscow in the name of Count Sheremetev and two in the name of the Countess, so that she delivers one of them to Metropolitan Philaret. Their address: in Moscow, on Vozdvizhenka, in their own house. Three copies of the last letter were sent to the Borodino Monastery, addressed to Mozhaisk, Moscow province: one to Mrs. Abbess, the other to her two cell attendants Palladia and Anatolia, the third to Elizaveta Shikhova. They sent me a copy here. We've sent powders for bedbugs, which are numerous here... Father Viceroy, Hieromonk Ignatius! Thank you for the attention with which you inform me about the main circumstances of the Sergius Hermitage. You know that I have always recognized Hierodeacon Joseph as having little ability to live in the capital’s monasteries, which is why I consider his dismissal from the Sergius Hermitage useful both for the Hermitage and for Hierodeacon Joseph himself. If he has been tolerant in it until now, it is in the hope of doing him good and because of the need for hierodeacons. But this need can soon be removed by the ordination of Monk Sergius to the rank of hierodeacon. Likewise, Hieromonk Paphnutius could have been dismissed if we had a sufficient number of hieromonks: he is needed only for service, but for singing he is not only not useful, but even harmful. Having formed its taste in the provinces, it is insufficient for our choir, in which simplicity and a deep reverent feeling should serve as the best decoration, and not figurative variations, which are in such use in Moscow and which are so inappropriate for monastic singing. I am very glad that the hayfield was harvested safely; I wish you time to remove the bread and vegetables just as safely. I looked closely at the fields during my travels: for sure, it is difficult to find such cultivation as we have, and such clean and vigorous grain as we have. In terms of my health, I feel better. The waters and air here are excellent. When the opportunity to swim stops, I will start taking showers. I ask everyone I know to say my sincere bow, as well as the brethren. And to you, Father Viceroy, I wish you all the best. Rule the monastery with good intentions, so characteristic of you, in the hope of God's help and pray for your unworthy abbot. I forward to you, my friend, the request of Father Moses. It is necessary to draw up a formal petition and hand it over to the brothers for delivery to him, so that this delivery is correct. By the grace of God I live prosperously. I stayed in Kostroma for about a week with His Eminence Justin, who treated me very lovingly. Upon my return from Kostroma, I find a new letter from Moses, in which he begs me to forgive him and accept him again into the Sergius Hermitage. Christ is with you. I bow to all the brothers and ask for their prayers. Tomorrow I’m thinking of going to Yaroslavl for three days and thus finishing my travels. I am very pleased with the Babaevsky Monastery. The air and water are wonderful. Right in front of the monastery, about a hundred paces from the Holy Gate, water flowed abundantly, which, according to the legend of the inhabitants, did not freeze even in winter. I hired someone to clear this place and let in a pipe 2 arshins high. Well? Up to twenty springs hit, and we have water as pure as crystal, from which a stream is formed that flows into the Volga. Upon returning from Yaroslavl, I hope to write to you again. Unworthy arch. Ignatius, Stefan is feeling better. Sysoy fell ill with last year's illness. Not wanting to miss the mail without writing anything to you, I inform you that I was in Yaroslavl last week. Thus, having finished my travels, I begin to sit at home and receive treatment. My legs begin to emit perspiration, with which, it seems, the illness comes out. Christ is with you; be healthy and prosperous. To all the brothers - my most ardent bow. With this, I am forwarding to you a letter from Fr. Treasurer of the Bethany Monastery, Hieromonk Veniamin, in which he, Fr. treasurer, explains the onset of the illness of Hieromonk Methodius, his brother, who is now in the Staro-Ladoga Nikolaevsky Monastery. At the request of Hieromonk Veniamin and at my own discretion, finding it necessary for this information to be known to the St. Petersburg diocesan authorities, I am forwarding to you a letter from Hieromonk Veniamin, so that you present it at your discretion. Having received your letter from a good friend of ours, I am sending with it a lengthy answer, and so that by mail, which will probably arrive sooner, I do not deprive you of news about me, I am writing these lines. I’m being treated, the cold that’s lurking inside me is rushing in all directions; especially a strong upheaval in the legs, in which the veins begin to twitch, then break, then perspire - after this I feel relief and revitalization of the legs. But the diet and perspiration are weak. Well, what a glorious, wonderful silence. It seems that I would spend such a life until my death. I am forwarding herewith a letter from Roslyakov; give it to Nikolinka so that he notifies Roslyakov: let him do as he wants and know. In the place where he lives, they tolerate his infirmities, in another it is unknown - will they tolerate it? But here it is impossible for me to take him into my care and dependency. After reading his letter, destroy it so that it does not fall into the hands of Apollos and upset him. How is Vlas Mikhailovich doing? Stepa gets better, then gets worse again; Sisoy is better. Be healthy. Most devoted to you in the Lord However, I was talking about. to the abbot about Roslyakov, he agrees to accept him. I am forwarding my damaged watch with Danil Petrovich, give it to Mizer for correction and they came with Nikolinka. With unspeakable heartfelt consolation I read your letters and thank the Lord God that He, by His ineffable mercy, has given me such a sincere, kind, faithful and intelligent friend as you. Our life is short. Whatever you gain in it must be left behind when you enter eternity. One good thing that will go with us there is love for God and love for God’s sake for one’s neighbor. I pray to God that our love will be eternal. In letters sent by mail, I do not forget to insert words for politics, I am forced to hold something back for fear of an oblique revision. And this letter comes with the kindest Danil Petrovich, who visited me on September 5th. In two monasteries on my way I was received like family: in Ugreshskaya and Borodino. The Ugreshsky father abbot is thinking about retiring. His treasurer and another hieromonk, a friend of the treasurer, are exactly our Sergievskys; the treasurer knew me at the Lopotov Monastery, borrowed from me the direction in monastic life and retained it to this day. They carried me in their arms and if the abbot retires, they intend to move to us: these are the most wonderful people. Madame Abbess of Borodino received me very cordially. The first day he spent talking with her alone, and Stepan was bothered by his sisters. The next day, some of them met me. And when I left, some of them, seeing me off, said with tears: You and I are just like our own father, as if we had known a century. And I became related to them - there are such wonderful souls, many with a good secular education. The Metropolitan of Moscow was very kind; aged. I stayed with the Most Reverend Grigory Tverskoy for the whole day, he is the most straightforward person and received me with special cordiality. I didn’t get along very well with the Lavra governor Anthony, but I got along with the academic rector Alexei. Of the Moscow archimandrites, I liked Fr. Feofan Donskoy. The governor treated me quite impudently at first, then he came to his senses. I found Hieromonk Leonid at the Bethany Seminary, a professor and master of naval officers, who visited me in St. Petersburg. His old mother lives in the suburb, whom he supports with her salary. I’m walking from the academy to the garden - an unfamiliar old woman meets me and stops me: “Oh, father,” he says, “how grateful I am to you for my son: the direction that you gave in St. Petersburg guides him on the path he has chosen so well; I am Leonid’s mother.” He came to me in the evening and, as before his confessor, he examined his whole life with all simplicity and frankness. This incident - a stay in Borodino, on Ugresh, from secular people in Moscow - the Maltsevs, Nazimov (now a general, who was an aide-de-camp to the heir) and, finally, the arrival of one of my sisters in Babayki - I was very touched and consoled. What kind of souls there are in the world! And how wonderful is the Word of God! It is not for nothing that one holy father says that the sower sows in rows, and it is not known which grain will sprout and which plot of land will yield the most abundant harvest. The Eminences of Kostroma and Yaroslavl received me very kindly. I got on quite well with the Kostroma rector, a well-intentioned and straightforward man with (sic) zeal for piety. Here in the monastery I only know Fr. Abbot, I sometimes see him - almost no one else. I sit at home without going anywhere. I like this life extremely. In Moscow, a dentist, invited by me on the occasion of aching teeth, found that my teeth were very good, but that they were affected by rheumatism, against which he gave a rinse: French vodka or rum infused with fresh horseradish. He ordered to rinse with this, diluting it with water, and also to smear it on the outside around the neck and behind the ears. Seeing the excellent effect of this national medicine, I tried to anoint my feet, which until now had been very painful and always cold. When I anointed them, they began to warm up, and after a few days sweat began to drip from them and a transient rheumatic pain appeared, i.e. the cold that had been hiding under the mask and cover came to light. Our kindest Ivan Vasilyevich told me the truth: you have disguised rheumatism. Of course, I immediately stopped pumping myself out of the shower, and decided to drink sarsaparilla decoction while rubbing it with horseradish tincture, until the pain stopped completely. Stepan is better: he serves me alone, Sisoy lies and drinks sarsaparilla decoction. That's all the news here. The Yaroslavl and Kostroma public are very merciful to me. Now I’m starting to answer all the points in your letters. (Sorry that I write poorly: I write on a leash so that I don’t get tired so soon and write more.) 1st) To the one dated August 22nd. God reveals to you the concept of monastic life, which is Christian perfection. It is God's gift: cultivate it. With the natural kindness of your heart, with the straightforwardness of your mind, acquire also the kindness of the Gospel and the mind of the Gospel. May God, who gave you wonderful natural properties, also grant you the gospel ones. Just as you say, you won’t find any order, no good morals, or even such spiritual knowledge as in our monastery. Thank you for Father Joseph, he is very kind and kind-hearted, but due to his inexperience, he runs like a sheep into wolves. Moses foolishly ran into what he did! to the strong authorities, from whom it is not easy to escape - and to what place! to a place where everything is a disguise and everything is on display. I really didn’t like the Lavra, except for its shrines. A completely commercial place - a brotherhood in complete freedom, choristers with such variations that you might as well run out of church. In terms of location, I liked two monasteries - Ugreshsky and Babaevsky. Both have beautiful waters. Moses also loves you very much, just as you love him. I was disappointed in Anthony, the priest told me, now and such a rector as our governor is, i.e. you can't be found. Thank you for the instructions on Likhachev’s letter; If you share this mug after October 1st, then take one hundred rubles from my amount. silver for your expenses, fifty ass. give it to Pavel Petrovich and send the rest to me. I wouldn’t think of betting on the krylos again for Father Paphnutius (sic), especially since he wants to run the krylos in that outdated provincial taste that he likes, but which we don’t like at all. We need to strive for perfect simplicity, which would be combined with a deep reverent feeling. We'll give the stuff to Moscow. If you miss Fr. Paphnutius, then you can entrust him with the early lunch choir and teaching music to those who do not know it. Let Hieromonk Ioannikiy wait for my return - there is no one in Ladoga; Roslyakov asks to come here. You gave three copies, as you should and as I instructed you, because after the reading, which, remember, was on the balcony, I was ordered to do so. Calm down - I’ll write about this A-oh, especially since I received a letter from them that I must respond to. I forgot to tell you that you don’t need to go with Fridriksova due to her home circumstances, just as I didn’t go myself, but send with a person by 8 o’clock in the morning. She writes to me about the monastery with great sympathy, without naming you, saying that the brethren cannot talk about me without tears; I realized that she saw your tears! God gave this man an unfeigned disposition towards us. I write to her and thank her for her attention to you. 2) To the letter dated August 25, what happened to Polozov. As I said above, the perspiration that appeared forced me to stop the treatment with water. The water in Solonitsa is slightly salty and very healthy, but near Gilitsa there are real healing salt waters. St. Justin bathed in them and felt great benefits. The cold that is nesting inside me is preventing me from getting better soon; despite all that, at times I feel pretty good. Daniil Petrovich was unusually nice: he delivered insect powder. I received the tea by mail. Thank you for visiting the Eminences. Kharkovsky must have not suited St. Petersburg Orthodoxy 1 . If you find out anything, write it in a letter and you will be sure about it. If you happen to see your Eminences, then tell everyone my most earnest bow and request for blessings. Having seen Kharkovsky, thank him for his disposition forever: this heart gives a message to the heart, and I ask him to accept my same disposition, based on true service to God and the Church. Bow from him to St. Justin I ruled! I am very glad that the harvesting of field products is going well: along the entire road I have not seen such grain as we have. I myself thought about roe deer; I find that it will be more convenient to send in winter; water, it seems it’s already late. The local agronomists told me that the grass should certainly be sprinkled with gypsum, sowing 30 poods per tithe; gypsum lasts for two years, but it is poured onto the same area no sooner than after 8 years, also for some reason that they could not explain to me well, which I did not listen to well. Your reasoning on the occasion of the sold stave about Peter the Publican is funny. Deliver the enclosed letter to the buyer. Say my most ardent bow to Princess Varvara Arkadyevna and also deliver the enclosed lines. When you meet with Madame Abbess Feofaniya, show her, as well as Mother Barsanuphia, my most ardent bow. It’s good that you were careful with Andrei Nikolaevich: this is my enemy, and precisely yours, covered with the guise of friendship. Order Mikhail Khutorny, or Petrusha, or if there is a gardener at the monastery garden, to plant the school with oak acorns. I would like to send pine nuts for the school - I will send them, if I don’t forget: they are planted, just like acorns, in the fall. I approve of the acceptance and dismissal of the brethren. I have been looking here about people with winged abilities, but so far not a single one has caught my eye or my heart. You cannot imagine the poverty of people everywhere! The governor of Voronezh, Platon, about whom you told me, is now the governor of the Ipatievsky Monastery, abbot and member of the local consistory. We get along very well with Father Theoktist: he is a kind and open person; His mother, the landowner, is visiting here - a very interesting old lady - a person from the old days! If Paphnutius again submits a petition to the Holy Synod, even more so they should not allow him to attend. The winged ones are not disposed towards him, and he, as a person capable of tricks, probably will not stop causing upset to his brethren for his carnal views. And ours are simple! I’m writing to you about Vladimir just in case, I didn’t tell him anything, I postponed my answer until a future time. Finally, I thank the Lord God that everything is going well for you. Pray for me. These are tricky times; Wherever I’ve seen enough, evil prevails everywhere, and well-meaning people are oppressed. The Savior of the world commanded that we gain our souls with patience. I rely on the will of God. The solitude here clearly shows me that by my natural properties and by my monastic education, I would be a hermit; and my position among the crowded capital city between people with a political direction is completely unnatural, violent. Prayer and the Word of God are the only activities that suit me. With the help of solitude, these two activities, it seems to me, judging by my experiences, could flourish greatly, and I would like to serve my neighbors with them. For other services there are enough people - in abundance, but for this now, to put it simply, one cannot find them. They believe it - and even then not many, but it’s definitely hard to find someone who told the truth of Christ! The word of Christ is coming true: in the last times will the Son of God find faith on earth! There are sciences, there are academies, there are candidates, masters, doctors of theology (right - laugh! and that’s all); these degrees are given to people; someone's b... If some misfortune befalls this theologian, it turns out that he doesn't even have faith, not only theology. I have met such people: a doctor of theology, but he doubts whether Christ was on earth, is this not a fiction, is it not a true story, similar to the mythological one? What light can we expect from this darkness? Christ is with you. My deepest bow to all the brothers. Your most devoted friend unworthy arch. Ignatius. Tell Fyodor Fedorovich Kiselev that I received a letter from Prince Shakhmatov in which he very much apologizes that he could not fulfill our well-known desire. Send letters from Fridriksova to me only through Polozov. I forced myself to visit Sergius on Tolga and Nathanael, a builder, in a small monastery in Yaroslavl. The local archbishop does not look at them very favorably. Seeing that the elder bishop loved me very much (I visited him three times and dined on two days), Sergius asked me to put in a good word for him. It turns out that there is no need to cast into the well prematurely. Write to me how to address to Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin. I announce that I am undergoing treatment - and it seems to be successful. I must have caught a bad cold last fall while traveling to the Chermenets Monastery. I didn’t want to - but I have to: order me to sew a cassock from bluish hypocrite and line it with gray twill - both the top and the lining are silk. All this can be taken from Stepanushka; They ordered it to be done so that no more than two quarters of it was below the knees and they sent it by mail, addressing its parcel to the high brow. Nikolai Nikandrovich Zhadovsky in Yarosl. with handing it over to me. The cassock I'm wearing is very torn, but others, i.e. I can’t wear cloth ones or silk ones with cotton wool - it’s definitely cold. This is a consequence of the local air, which is much lighter than St. Petersburg. And he kept the rooms much fresher until the decoction began. Now he is very weak, and his appetite is much better. Christ is with you. Your most devoted friend They also told the shoemaker, who usually sewed my boots, to use my lasts to make two pairs with cork soles and they came by mail. My true friend, Father Ignatius! Thank you for your constant notification about yourself and the monastery. Thank the Lord God that everything is going well for you. My health is improving, but I am extremely weak from the effects of decoction. I caught a severe cold in St. Petersburg, and it was disguised, as our good Ivan Vasilyevich told me. Now the cold is cured by the action of the decoction, and at the same time those painful attacks that I previously recognized as pure hemorrhoids disappear. The face and eyes have changed a lot - they are fresher. You agree to accept the novice Kirilovsky, as well as the official from the guardianship council. And tell Parade Adjutant Igotin that he should not go to a monastery out of sadness, which can only be entered by vocation. Everyone, as far as I know, who entered the monastery due to some external circumstances, and not by calling, is very fragile and certainly leaves the monastery with great troubles for the monastery and for themselves. Therefore, resolutely refuse. Ferry the floor in the Yakovlevskaya Church - a good deed. I wrote to K. Gorchakova; at the same time, almost as she remembered me and I remembered her. I also wrote to Tatyana Borisovna. When you meet, say my deepest bow. I don’t write to them because I’m terribly weak - I’m still lying in bed, I haven’t left the room since September 5th. Stepan is feeling better; When I finish the course of decoction, I want to make him drink it too: because the trial turned out to be useful. Isn't it time to introduce him to the mantle? If there is time, then have them prepare the necessary papers and bring them here for signing. Regarding the matter with Paphnutius, be careful and patient: this is how you should behave towards wicked people. Perhaps they will do it according to your wish; and then this circumstance, as a fact, will prove that you are unreasonable in your actions. How much does it take to convince fools of something? Let Paphnutius act as he wants and be bored as he wants, because, despite all my convictions, he himself began to act contrary to all my truly friendly and well-intentioned advice. I thought before, I also said about you, that I would like to Fr. Make Mark a cellarer and entrust him with vegetable gardens, or so Fr. Israel. And then they got their vegetable gardens. A gardener needs eyes. If Danilo Petrovich arrives in St. Petersburg, then you notify me immediately of his arrival; I need to write to him and thank him for all his friendship towards me. Please don't forget about this. You don’t write: did you send three copies of “Valaam m.” to the Borodino Monastery. If you haven't sent it, please send it; if you didn’t send it to me, let’s go too; two more copies went to Vologda, in the name of her superior. Elizaveta Alexandrovna Parensova. Seal the enclosed envelope and deliver it according to the inscription. Enclosed here is a short poetic brochure “Memories of Beard. monastery." Read it. If they print and present you with several leaflets, then send twenty of them to the Borodino metro station, a few to me, and distribute the rest among your brothers and friends. I would like it to be published. I bow to everyone: both brothers and acquaintances. Christ is with you. Visit V. Ivan. Annenk. and bring some prosphora and rolls. Best time is around 12 noon. I inform you that my health is better and better, my face and eyes have completely changed; It’s only because of the decoction that I feel weak and have to lie down a lot. My legs feel much better too. The enclosed envelope, sealed, deliver to A.A. Alexandrova. Here is my little essay for them; read it - just don’t give it to others. Stepan is also much better. When Sisoy gets completely better, I want to force Stepan to drink decoction, because several of his doses made him feel better. Christ is with you. Your most devoted friend I congratulate you, my true friend, on the holiday of our God-saved monastery. May God grant that you spend this day in joy and safely. I hope that the merciful Lord will arrange this. There is God's mercy towards our monastery, because in it, although not as much as it should be, there are people who have the intention of being pleasing to God. The Lord also sends temptations: to whom sorrows are sent, that means he is a part of God; and to whom everything goes like clockwork, he is part of the devil; and when the Lord desires to take him from the devil’s part, he takes him with a message of sorrows. Sorrow is the cup of Christ on earth. Who on earth is a participant in the cup. Christ's - he will also be a participant in this cup in heaven. There she is an unceasing pleasure. Fourteen years since you and I have been sailing together on the sea of ​​life. You can't see how they passed; We won’t see how the rest of our lives will pass. Temporary life, when you look into it [...] is only flattering – blezir – as the Russians say, nothing more. I'm being treated; goes through everything; I feel relieved; but he is weak and must lie down for a long time. I am sending a letter from the Kronstadt parade ground adjutant as it came to me. Agree that this is very strange - he is probably mentally damaged. It is better to advise him to Optina, where Shemyakin is now. Christ is with you. My news is the same: hopelessly in the room, extremely weak, but at the same time I see that the pain is resolved; profuse sweat pours from my feet, something that hasn’t happened to them for a long time. How are you doing? How did you spend the holiday? The kindest Feodor Petrovich Opochinin wrote to me about how he was visiting the Sergius Hermitage and how pleased he was with everything. I am enclosing with this a letter from Paraskeva Ivanovna Myatleva, congratulating her on her Angel’s Day (Oct. 14). If she celebrates her name day at the dacha, then take the trouble to deliver it yourself, but if she’s in the city, then move on. Please take the trouble to send me my arctic fox coat by mail. Please don't forget. Sorry for not writing much, I’m very weak. I wrote a letter to Myatlyova in three installments, in three days. When I get better, I’ll write more. I am enclosing herewith a description of the sowing of clover, made by one of the most famous local agronomists. Think about whether you can have one plot of pure clover. From Fr. Moses received a letter from Gethsemane on the 23rd that he was being issued a passport. My true friend, oh. Ignatius! Although little by little, I still pee for you. About three days ago I began to feel stronger and stronger, otherwise I was very weak and lay almost constantly. It seems that God’s mercy is with me: my rheumatism has moved away, strong sweat is pouring from my legs and those heavy invisible bonds with which they were connected are being resolved, which extended to my head and made me weak, completely not my own. My character, and especially the grace of God, helped me not to show the brushwood that was in me; but by the very thing I was extremely upset. I think that Nikolushka has already gone to me. If you haven’t sent, then send; Sisoy is still lying down; Stefan gets sick over time, and he also needs to undergo treatment and during the treatment he must be locked in his cell. For these reasons, I sent my parent’s boy out of the village, along with the cook, who now serves me. Tell Vasya, if he hasn’t left, that he will find it very boring and rude here; however, as he wants. If he comes, I’m thinking of sending Sisoy along with him along the first route, and if God willing, I’ll toss and turn with Stefan and Nikolai. I wrote to you about the brochure “Valaam” so that three copies could be sent to Borod. Has it been done? Notify me; also three copies were assigned to Sh., and two to Maltsev. Has all this been done? Now you are freer to tell us everything. I wrote to Moscow about the brochure, and therefore I need information from you about its implementation. Also, don’t forget to send the fur coat by mail. Tell all the brethren my most ardent bow and petition to St. prayers. I received your letter dated the 29th. I am very glad that you spent the holiday safely and without a distant ceremony. I will write to Ivan Vasilyevich Butuzov; only now he is very weak. Also, etc. Kharkovsky, having become stronger, I’m thinking of writing. However, I feel much better: a lot of crap has come out and is coming out. I was very sick, my soul, in St. Petersburg! Thank you for all your concerns about me. God bless you for everything. About books - Potemkina. I would agree to send her books, but she would use them to harm me, this has happened often, and she would start showing them to her friends Gideon Voitsekhovich, Muravyov and the like. Unless you give it yourself - having sung the full contract. I think it's better not to send. Perhaps, among other things, this trifle will slip away from under her gaze. And if he finds out, then you can apologize, saying that you probably thought that you sent it; and if I didn’t send, then because of many troubles when leaving. I think: it’s a pity to do better. There is no point in sticking your last fingers into your mouth: many have deigned to take a bite. Sorry for not writing much – I’m weak. In complete solitude, I use it little, because all the time is spent in treatment and lying down. May the Lord strengthen you: He allows His beloved to become weary, as the fathers put it, and then little by little He shows them His spiritual gifts. I hope that the merciful Lord, seeing your and my will, will allow us to live for some time for our souls, and not for one temporary thing. Christ is with you. Don’t forget about Stephen’s introduction to monasticism. Before leaving, I found out that Protasov was acting against me through Kiselyov - until now I forgot to write to you. I thank you, my true friend, for sending Nicholas, who arrived safely 15 and delivered to me everything sent with him correctly. Take the trouble to read the enclosed letter to the brethren during the meal. By the grace of God I feel better and better. Only weak: cleanses in every manner - from the feet with perspiration; matter flows from the nose and eyes, making the head and eyes incomparably lighter. The pain in my legs went down to my knees. Now there is fermentation in its tracks. The decoction remains to be drunk for only a week; why, having fulfilled the deadline, I will finish. When, God willing, I will strengthen myself, I will write to Ivan Vasilyevich in more detail and ask for advice on something. Christ is with you. I wish you all the true blessings. Your most devoted friend Your pleasant, friendly letter dated October 9. I received. I am completely consoled that your will towards spiritual life is developing. In due time God will arrange everything; the best thing is to surrender to His holy will and not think about tomorrow, when there is no special reason to think about it. Otherwise, many live in the future with their dreams and worries, and let the present slip away from their hands. I am sincerely glad that everyone spent the holiday safely, in their family circle, without any payment. There, these alien patches will not come to our society! How do these mean things always end? They are pro-man-pleasing throughout their lives, remain alien to any Divine feeling, betray, betray, and finally give themselves over to death, no matter how much they deny it. Use the rest of my money on Vlas; I'm very glad he's getting better. Sisoy is better, although he still does not leave the room where he lies. And since I don’t go out either, we haven’t seen each other since the end of August. I hired a servant for him and spend money on treatment; also upon receipt of 170 rubles from you. bought him a winter dress with silver. From this day on, Stefan begins to be treated by the local doctors who are available. God grant him to get better: he has become a little better. Nikola serves me very diligently and well - she helps me write, which, given my real weakness, does not bother me. Miracles are happening to me: it cleanses with urine, strong phlegm comes out of my nose, my eyes are cleared by flowing pus, my legs return, a huge worm comes out and mucus comes in. I’m just weak - I do almost nothing: I just lie there. The food is prepared by a boy from our village; He also serves instead of a footman. Just think that here they live on their own income, on everything they buy. At the beginning of December, take the trouble to send your salary and at the beginning of January and a mug with the exception of 100 rubles. silver for your expenses and 50 for Pavel Petrovich. He doesn't answer my last letter. I’ll write to him, wondering if he’s gone to Zelenetsky. If he is at home, remind him of the swan feathers and pencil, which I really need. Christ is with you! Be healthy and have faith! Let us procrastinate somehow during this short earthly life - if only God would accept us into eternal shelter. Your most devoted friend Take the trouble to convey to all your acquaintances my most ardent bow; I don’t write because I’m weak; especially - can this be conveyed to dear Golovin; Their letter is in front of me, I’ll look at it, admire it, and not answer. You don’t write whether you visited the Annenkovs? Visit the Maltsevs, thank them for all the kindness shown to me, and when he comes to our monastery, receive him more kindly. He writes to me that he received V.M. from you. with a nice letter. True friend Father Ignatius! By the grace of God, I felt especially relieved this week with the eruption of many purulent and smelly phlegm. You know that I usually by this time, i.e. By November, I’m getting sick. Now, on the contrary, I see myself in much better condition: only my legs, especially the left one, still hurt, although they are much easier. I received your letter dated the 14th. Leave my arrival to the will of God; I have the following intention: then I will leave here when I am sure that I have recovered and become completely stronger, that I can set off on the road safely, that, having arrived to you, I will not only lie in idleness, but also contribute to the common good. I confess that lately I have been very much on my conscience that I have not been doing much with the brethren, that is, with their edification. I intend to resume this activity when the merciful Lord returns me with renewed strength. My eyes have improved so much that I can write freely with just one candle. But I’m still weak and lying down more. Although your current position is associated with some sorrows, it shapes and strengthens you. I am very glad that God, who is so merciful to you, gives you a way to be formed correctly, on a straight, pure path. The trouble is when a person is formed on crooked paths: throughout his whole life he will be dismissed as a defamation. So, don’t grieve; I don’t really want to spend time here, but I want to get radically cured; I didn’t even understand that I was so spoiled by a cold, I especially didn’t think that I had a bad head cold; I attribute the pain and distress to her hemorrhoids. Nothing happened - a cold! I remember - I definitely had a cold! The decoction I use is not at all dangerous! This is not Stefanitseva's rubbish! Neither that heat nor that perspiration is needed, it produces almost no rash, but acts through all passages, spewing out phlegm. When I need to perspire, I drink tea: it produces more perspiration. It is brewed from sarsaparilla, of which they add a lot and let the decoction finish. When it sits and cools down, it’s like liquid jelly: I drink 4 glasses of this decoction a day. Well, he’s processing it: some days he lay in complete numbness. A certain landowner lives here, who was so cured in Paris; Before, no fur coats kept him warm, but now he dresses very easily and can withstand any cold. Thank you for sending me the fur coat and other things. I haven't received them yet. When Count. Orlova comes to St. Petersburg, then take her four copies of “Valaam. m.": one for her, one for the monastery library, one for Fr. arch. and one o. Vladimir. Pavel Matveevich writes that he orders the drawings of the monastery to be lithographed. Christ is with you. It’s a pity that there is nothing to buy cows with. The rear section, i.e. That part of it, on which the grass has grown very poorly, should be plowed and fertilized with gold, and we will sow oats on it. And instead of the rye field, we will finish the place behind the rampart - we must finish it someday. Also about the brochure “Borod. m." you don't write anything. By the grace of God my health is getting better and better; the very legs begin to come to life and get better. There remains one strong weakness, due to which I lie almost incessantly and do nothing. I did not think that I would spend my time here in such idleness; the reason for this is relaxation, but with this very relaxation I feel much more hardness in my limbs. With the passing of the cold, my nerves became stronger. I ordered Stephen’s request to be rewritten in your name, as the manager of the monastery; if you file on my behalf, they may be offended or think and come up with something; and you know how prone we are to this. God willing, if I get stronger, I’ll write more. Thank you for the fur coat and other things sent - I received everything correctly. Of course, you notice from my letter that my hand is firmer. Please take the trouble to deliver the attached letters according to the inscription. Christ is with you, your most devoted friend Take the trouble to congratulate Madam Abbess Feofaniya on her Angel’s Day, when it comes, I entrust myself to her holy prayers. And Mother Barsanuphius, of course, I am sure, does not forget me. Take the trouble to let Isakov the Bookseller know so that he can bind the following volumes of “Patrology” for me and deliver them to our monastery; let them wait for me there with my other books, which have long stood quietly on the shelves, in the silence of the closet, freely covered with dust. My sore eyes brought them this peace. But my eyes are getting better now. By the grace of God, my health is getting better and better. But he is still extremely weak: pains from the whole body have spread to the stomach and come out as red, cloudy urine, coming in very small quantities. The French patch sent by Anna Alexandrovna helped me a lot. Isakov the Bookseller has it; They ordered me to immediately send me six parcels using the printed piece of paper enclosed with this. I finish the decoction - drink the thinnest one and move on to the sarsaparilla tincture. My eyes are clearing, but I am extremely weak. After peeing a little, you have to lie down a lot. Please take care to deliver the enclosed letters to the addresses with the utmost care. Please, take the trouble to send the patch by first mail. Be as careful as possible when sending letters by mail. Christ is with you, my soul. Your most devoted friend Please take care of the patch! Send a piece of paper three memories of Borod. m. B. Friederiks. My true, priceless friend, Father Ignatius! Your letters, which so clearly depict your open soul, bring me special comfort. I inform myself that I feel much better, but I still twirl and have sputum. Also – weakness. About a week ago I stopped drinking decoction. Last Sunday the Volga became; Yesterday and the third day the weather was beautiful, and I went out into the air at 12 o’clock. What is the air here! In November it is easier than in St. Petersburg in May. It would be good for me to stay here until spring; it would be necessary it would be necessary. My old cold is slowly going away. There is an opportunity to use bard baths, which I would really like. And all of us, after being treated for the winter, would come to Sergiev in the spring, discharged from the disabled team into the existing system. I am enclosing a letter to Ekaterina Sergeevna Batashova. Thank you for reminding me, and always do so in the future. You know, in such cases I am not always quick-witted. Order, my friend, to make me a cassock from a good squirrel and cover it with black hypocrite - take it from my mug. My Arctic fox coat is worn out, and if I need to go, I need to leave with a good supply of heat. You will send it to the name of Nikolai Nikandrovich Zhadovsky, Yaroslavl postmaster; yes, according to the attached sample, they only made a slightly larger scarf with the letter I in white, A - this is a wave 2. In Kostroma, the book. Suvorov from A.A. Kavelina received the sweetest letter, written from the heart. This is the kind of love that comforts me. He writes that you were with him. Christ is with you and with all the brotherhood. Be healthy in soul and body, most devoted to you I will not add the word “mine” to the word “most priceless,” because we are all God’s. I don’t want to steal God’s for myself, but when the merciful Lord gives me His - “bless my soul the Lord and my whole inner being, His holy name” - and let God’s remain God’s, and I will use it as God’s. I received your letter dated November 13; With him was a plaster from A., which he wrapped around my sore legs. May the Lord strengthen you in bearing the difficulties with which your present situation is associated, with which your mind and soul are formed. I see a special Providence of God over you: God has loved you and is leading you to Himself. And therefore he shows you the world in all its nakedness, shows how everything in it is corruptible, everything is empty; how all his activities and troubles rob a person of time and take him away from pious activities and the eternal bliss they obtain. All this must be seen with the feeling of the soul, but you cannot read it in a book until the eyes of the soul are opened. Put your trust in the Lord, gain your soul through your patience. Patience is given by faith, and faith depends on human arbitrariness, because it is a natural property of our mind. Whoever wants it can immediately have it to the extent he needs. Hence, I didn’t write anything to you about solitude, although I very much remembered that I promised to write after settling down, I don’t write because all the time here, especially during treatment, I live solely for the body, and not for the soul. My thoughts on this subject are the same as in Sergieva; I have no reason to test myself, and at my age there is no time: the way of thinking has formed, but the years have passed. You can be decisive. The fact that I haven’t been bored here, one might say, not even for a minute, is not at all strange; the opposite would be strange. Having gone to the monastery not out of need, but out of my own choice and passion, having gone to it not windily, but after a preliminary detailed consideration, keeping my goal unchanged until now, I, in the natural course of things, did not get bored in the monastery, I do not miss it and henceforth I hope to be preserved by the grace of God. That monastery is more pleasant for me, which is more consistent with the monastic goal. Here I like the solitude, the simplicity, and especially the unusually dry and healthy air, which is due to the soil of the earth, consisting of gristle and sand. A more secluded place can be found, especially one that is more closed by forest. There is a grove on one side, and on the other there is open space for tens of miles, which is why the winds are similar to the winds of the Sergius Hermitage - strong, but soft, gentle. I told the local Bishop, just in case, to give us a monastery that is not important, but enjoys the benefits of solitude, location and climate, to which he very much agrees. There are many monasteries here, but very few monks; in these places our monk Fr. Moses could even have been a good builder, and in his time an abbot. It seems that by the grace of God, when His Holy will follows, things can be settled. But we need to think about ourselves: because those who began to think about us only took advantage of our labors and throw us away like a squeezed lemon. The medicine, which takes up all my time, giving it to lying down, various fermentations in the body, and everything else like that, has an excellent effect on improving my health. On November 6, I stopped using water decoction. From that time on, constant frosts began here and the Volga began to rise. The snow only whitened the surface of the earth; there is so little of it that there is still no toboggan road. Since November 6th I have been drinking a thick tincture of wine. The action is excellent! About ten days ago it began to become very strong, i.e. feel the strength of the nerve; but at the same time a strong sweat poured from the upper half of the body, leaving a yellowish color on the linen when it dried. The taste of salt, although not completely gone in the mouth, was greatly reduced. My eyes became incredibly clear; Since mid-September, fermentation began in my cold head and phlegm began to come out of my eyes with some pain in my head and in my eyes. These headaches, temporary pains, continue. All the veins are pulled from the back of the head, from the left arm, from the legs, from all the cold places into the stomach. That’s why my left side hurts so much; Now this pain is less and has gone down to two passages, through which it comes out in the form of various mucus. The whole point was that from a cold I was filled with “cold phlegm”, which impeded blood circulation, digestion, upset hemorrhoids and nerves; because of them, I fell into sudden exhaustion, as if cut into pieces; Because of this, they needed a particularly warm room in winter. Many of them came out of me and are still coming; As they leave, I feel better and better. I would need a delay: the treatment must be continued until the phlegm is completely freed, which will be the cessation of fermentation in the whole body. In my members, which are completely healthy, I no longer feel the slightest fermentation; now it acts mainly in the back of the head and the extremities of the legs, which are wrapped in the newly sent plaster. If they had given a delay until June 1, then I would have been cured, and gradually got used to the air here, and took advantage of the burgundy baths that you can have here. The return journey would be made through Moscow, stopping at Optina Pustyn and, perhaps, Voronezh, looking closely at the places and choosing the most convenient for yourself. It will also mean a lot to us that the place we choose has the needs we need and is available at a cheap price. I would say hello here and take a pee. It's not superfluous at all. In Moscow, I met a man who pees, pees lightly, without bothering himself - he earns a thousand, two, three a year and is supported by this. Given our situation, we shouldn’t lose sight of all this. A piece of bread acquired through the labor of your own hands is especially pleasant! Pleasant is the independence into which a person is given by capable hands - a gift from the Creator. Here is my opinion about my deferment, which, if it is possible to get it, it’s time to think about it. I’m also thinking about returning, because under my circumstances I need to think about this and that. Just in case, I’m preparing a fur hat made from merlushki; there will be merlushki inside and outside; The design of the hat is special; This design was invented by the needs of a cold head, the name of the hat is “hat-ears”. The need for legs forced me to invent boots that would fit over my warm fur boots, extending all the way over my knees, so that my legs, in case of a trip, would be protected by three boots. The upper boots - already more bags than boots - should be made of sheepskin or reindeer fur - I don’t know what I’ll find here. I’ll have to buy two winter carts: one good one (you can get one here for 100 silver), the other matted for Stefan and Sisoy. You will have to ride on 5 horses. If you have to travel in winter, then you need to go to Tikhvin and Ladoga; in Rybinsk near Fr. Abbot Bartholomew will be able to rest in Tikhvin - with the archimandrite; Perhaps it will be possible to drive to Zelenetsky and Ladoga. Here are my assumptions, tell me your opinion about them. About the progress of the illness of my lime Ivan Vasilyevich. I haven’t gotten around to answering him yet: you see, I’m writing my first letter to you, which shows a certain freshness of thought and hand. I received two or three letters from Apollos that I really didn’t like: scoundrels. I especially didn't like the last one. He does exactly the same thing as with you: he asks if I will return to Sergiev and when I will return; spreads as everyone wishes for my return. And all this is so disgusting! I wanted to write to you about this in my last letter, but I stopped - I thought: you already have a lot of sorrows; What else can we add to their message of gloomy thoughts? Apparently, the rumors that he allegedly bought the abbot of the Sergius Hermitage are quite true. Now the seller is leading the buyer by the nose and still encouraging him with success; and this one is like a fish near the bait. And the noblewoman, who was getting money for the purchase when she was in St. Petersburg this spring, behaved like the same disgusting scoundrel as her elder. My heart is far away from these people: now they will never stop idleness. You just have to start, get into it - and then the matter is over. Another one, the same or similar, is Pavel Chernyavsky. There is something cold in these people's hearts! Not a single feeling can be deeply absorbed and preserved. Everything about them is so superficial and impermanent. There is a kind of shine from the mind, like a blaisir, in the expression of a Russian person - there is nothing significant. Then Christ is with you. Entrusting you to the mercy of God and the prayers of St. Sergius. In Kostroma, Prince Suvorov; He’s going to roll up to me for an hour along the first sled run. After my last letter to you, I was torn for two days: some of the leg veins were freed from their deadness. Preceding the resolution of any pain is spinning. After reading the attached letter, deliver it to Snesarev. Here is a sample of a book that has been forming in my head for a long time, and now little by little it is moving from an ideal existence into an essential one: it will be like “The Imitation of Christ” - a famous Western book, only ours. [I include you and others for the sake of God who are of the same mind with me among the authors of the book, which is why I use the expression: “ours.”] Completely in the spirit of the Eastern Church - and it comes out stronger, more mature, more thorough, with a completely special character. I would like to move this book at least halfway while I am here in solitude. Such a thing, half done, is almost already done. I feel better today. The strongest sweat continues to pour, leaving a yellowish color on the shirt - and the shirt becomes as if starched - hard. On the day of our common Angel, I congratulate you, priceless Angel, on the day of Your Angel. I wish you all true blessings, and especially all that our Angel had, for which reason he was called the God-Bearer. I take comfort in you, I rejoice for you, I hope for God’s mercy towards you. From the first days of December a new trouble began for me. The medicine penetrated to the extremities of my legs: they became swollen, became as if frozen and began to thaw (don’t think that I caught a cold - no, I didn’t go out anywhere); they became like two pieces of frozen salmon that was thawing. This thawing was so strong that Nikolai, rubbing them, when he leaned his palms against the soles, felt a thin breeze coming from my soles, like a breeze from something frozen. All my illnesses began with the fact that, when I was still a cadet, I severely caught a cold in my legs and their extremities; from various medical benefits I felt temporary relief, but the extremities of my legs were never cured, year after year they became worse and finally brought me into a state of pain that you know as an eyewitness. Now, by the grace of God, it seems that I am radically cured. But there is a strong upheaval in everything, some kind of overhaul, a degeneration of everything, which is why I spend most of my time in bed, in a daze, doing nothing, almost less than reading. Pain is eliminated everywhere, the eyes get better, a lot of the most disgusting phlegm is separated, the nerves receive an extraordinary strength that I had already forgotten. Stepan and Sisoy are much better. Joseph Petrovich Pryazhentsov, who visited me on his way to St. Petersburg, gave me a promise to visit the Sergius Hermitage and inform the brethren about my existence and condition. Dear man! He brought me from his estate an iron bathtub and other village trifles, very useful for a wanderer. I am glad that everything is going well for you. Of course, I don’t intend to waste time here; Now it’s impossible for me to leave, and I don’t know whether this opportunity will come soon. An old illness goes away slowly. Letter to Mr. B.P. I'll definitely try to send it to you. At the first opportunity I will try to write to Pavel Vasilyevich. You'll see o. arch. Simeon, show him my true respect. Tell the kindest Ivan Vasilyevich Butuzov that I received his dear letter, I thank him very much for it and will answer as soon as I can. And now I’ve been—for about two days now—strong for half an hour a day, the rest of the time I’m still in bed. Thank you for the money you sent: it came in very handy: because we only have one ruble left, and all the provisions have been depleted. I congratulate you and the entire brotherhood on the upcoming Feast of the Nativity of Christ. I ask all the saints for prayers for the unworthy I congratulate you on the upcoming Feast of the Nativity of Christ and the upcoming New Year. Take the trouble to congratulate from me all our friends whom you visit, especially visit Vasily Dmitrevich Olsufiev, the Tsarevich's chamberlain, congratulate him diligently from me: he is a kind and intelligent person. I wrote him a letter from this date. Thank you for the fur coat. I really liked it; I'm especially pleased that you arranged it. At the next post I think I will send him a report on the state of my health, which, although apparently returned, makes it impossible for me to leave right now. I am enclosing one sheet of the brochure “Memories of B. M.”, corrected. No number of errors! The meaning is completely lost and distorted. I am sending the same leaflet to the Borodino Monastery, give yourself or through someone two copies of “Valaam Monastery” to the St. Petersburg nunnery. Madam Abbess and Dean. I ask them to look into these notebooks themselves, but not give them to anyone to read: especially Kutya, who has the only talent of envy and thus shows where, belongs to their wisdom (James 3:14-15). What is happening to little Ignatius. Since December 25th I have been feeling stronger and have written congratulatory letters to some people. Pass this on to Muravyov to Pavel Petrovich: I wish to pacify the enemy with a friendly word. Thank you for everything you sent, I received everything in good condition. By this same mail I sent a paper to Metropolitan. about the postponement and a letter to the vicar. Tell Pavel Petrovich to inquire about the consequences. Where is S. Grigorievna? where should I write to her? I’ll send it to you: I didn’t have time at the current post office: I can’t work much, I’m soon weakening. Hurry up and send me a mug with the exception you know. In the fall, having forcibly left Likhachev, he cut himself short; I just managed to pay my salary and already borrowed again, which is very awkward. Timokhinskaya station is destroyed; letters must be addressed to me directly, in Yaroslavl; I hired a guy here, for three rubles he will go to the post office once a week. The bath was delivered today, I hope to get great benefit from it. Roslyakov, if you want, accept him, he is a well-intentioned person. Stepan and Nikolai bow to you earnestly and thank you for your attention to them. Christ is with you. Most devoted to you in the Lord To Abbess Feof. I wrote. At this post office, my soul, my friend, priceless Ignatius, I sent you a letter; I am writing this note in order to have the true, heartfelt pleasure to write you a few lines - to instruct you to deliver the enclosed letter to the kindest baroness (her answer was passed through D. Petrovich - no less), finally, to call you what you are: my soul, my friend, priceless Ignatius. Christ is with you. My most priceless friend, Father Ignatius! At the same time, I am forwarding to you letters to Anna Alexandrovna and to the grieving mother, Sofia Grigorievna, as well as a copy of my report to His Eminence - for storage in monastic affairs. My health is getting better and better, and it requires more and more frugality and caution. The whole body is cleansed, starting with the eyes; Over time, the sweat comes out in places and is very sticky. Writing activities are limited to writing short notes like this, I hardly do any reading at all - just a short hour a day. The rest is constantly consumed by pain and that trouble, that fermentation that accompanies the action of the medicine. I feel a beneficial change in my whole body, strengthening and extraordinary nerves. I think I will continue the medicine (sarsaparilla mixed with hemorrhoidal mixture, infused with wine) until the pain is completely driven out of all members. He who calls upon you and the whole brotherhood the blessing of God, who wishes you all the best, is unworthy My health is getting better and better every hour. The crisis continues; I lie most of the time, deprived of the ability to even read. However, I lie down less than in December. Urine and sediment continue to separate from time to time, fermentation continues throughout the body and the veins continue to be drawn from the whole body to the stomach. There is a very sticky perspiration coming out. This week a doctor visited me for the first time, at the request of some of my acquaintances, a friend of theirs, a young man and, apparently, well-intentioned. Having believed the whole process of my treatment, he said: “The most rational and thorough method of treatment, which, judging by the present progress, should be crowned with complete success. You just have to be very careful!” The brotherhood here has been extremely friendly to us, and the place here is wonderful! very healthy, secluded, lovely. It is difficult to find a monastery with such monastic facilities! Our society, morally suffering in the Sergius Desert, noisy, surrounded by all temptations, could live here. Christ is with you. I wish you and the brotherhood all the true blessings. Your letter and with it money 185 rubles. I received silver. Exactly, as you might guess, this is very little, judging by the demands that both my treatment and the treatment of two patients Stefan - and Sisoy - generate here. But for this too – thank God! how many people are more worthy than me, and how many people suffer more needs than me. I often think about your means of support: I would like to improve them... If the Lord returns me safely to Sergiev, we will think about it; I would like to share the funds with you! My health is noticeably improving, almost every day. This week, on Monday and Tuesday, Ave. Justin stayed here, and today (Thursday) the kind Prince Suvorov visited the Babaevsky monastery. My friend? Exactly - the path of my life and those who want to accompany me is covered with thorns! But along this path the Lord leads His chosen ones and favorites! The eyes of the soul cannot be opened, they cannot see the spiritual blessings given by Christ, if a person is not led along the path of thorns. Christ is with you. May He grant strength to both me and you. I recommend to you the bearer of this letter, Elizaveta Nikitichna Shakhova. Caress and comfort her: I liked this man. And save her from the sight of sublimate and all arsenic. Otherwise they will find out that she is my friend and will try to harm her. She is a writer. Open-minded and smart. I wrote some congratulatory and reply letters and was terribly tired. But so that you don’t get bored, here are a few lines for you! I received your package regarding the descriptions. About Fr. It is unseemly for Nectaria to enter with a performance before my return. I feel better and better, but it keeps turning and turning. IN; Currently, the head and eyes are turning most, from which pus flows and which are cleansed. I lie and lie. God's blessing upon you and upon all the brotherhood! I heartily participate in the sorrow that has befallen the pious Opochinin family! I sent a letter to Fyodor Petrovich at the same post office. God, apparently, wants this man, who has so much good in him, to come closer to Him. For everything you describe, I thank God. I have here some kind of constantly calm feeling that God will not leave you and the monastery. My health is getting better and better: I’m starting to feel some kind of beneficial, extraordinary warmth throughout my body. I really respect the opinion of the doctors who discussed the method of my treatment with L.; but I also remember that their sister-in-law was being treated for an unknown illness - and then only these gentlemen realized that she was pregnant, when the poor thing miscarried! God helped me get on that remedy that drives out of me the diseases I received when I was still a novice, an officer, a cadet. If you stop taking the medicine now, there will certainly be consequences; but if you take it until the effect it produces ends, i.e. when it finally draws phlegm from all the cold members into the stomach, then its only consequence is “perfect” recovery. Now my eyes roll very much and a lot of rubbish comes out of them: they become unusually clean. But I haven’t started studying yet. I write my letters very sparingly. When I get better, I’m planning to write a description of my illness and treatment. Under the influence of the above-described beneficial warmth, I am physically cheerful: this is a new feeling for me. I was always mentally cheerful and I remember physical cheerfulness as if in a fog, like something very long ago. Christ is with you. Pray for me and for yourself, so that we may attract the mercy of God, which retreats from those who anger God. It's been almost three weeks since I've heard from you. However, I trust in the mercy of God that it preserves you and the monastery from temptations that exceed your strength, and allows only those temptations that are necessary for spiritual success. At this post office I received a letter from a traveling foreign writer, in which she describes to me how she was consoled by your friendly welcome. I wrote a letter to Nikolai Nikolaevich Annensky, comforting him and advising him not to leave his family at the first impulse of grief. You did a very good job reporting to the Eminence about his stay in the monastery. Attached are two letters: 1st - to Alexandrova, 2nd - to gr. Sheremeteva - take the trouble to deliver to the addresses. To gr. Sheremeteva wrote by the 1st of January and by the 1st of February; I would like to know if my letters have been received? I also wrote to Count Cher on these same dates. If he is in St. Petersburg, take the trouble to find out if he received my letters? Notify me about all this. Please give the attached letter to Pavel Matveevich to the manager for sending to him. Take the trouble to find out about the health of the Annenkovs - it seems that Vera Ivanovna’s pregnancy has reached its peak, notify me about them too. My health is getting better and better, but this improvement comes with significant troubles. Before each special relief, a special trouble is made. The other day Father Abbot Bartholomew of Yuzhka visited me and showed me a lot of love. The weather is very warm. My disabled cohabitants Stefan and Sisoy are also feeling better. Christ is with you. My deepest bow to all the brethren. I congratulate you and the entire brotherhood on the upcoming Holy Pentecost. I wish to complete this journey safely, with the acquisition of abundant spiritual benefits. My health is better and better, but I am weak and mostly lying down due to the strong fermentation produced throughout the body by the medicine. Now this fermentation is most in the legs. An extraordinary freshness is noticeable in my face and eyes - a sure sign of improved health. I think I will continue taking the medicine during March; As the illness progresses, I am consoled by the hope that by this time all the fermentation that occurs because all the phlegm from the body has rushed into the stomach and through it comes out. Stepan is also better, his face is much fresher. Sisoy caught a cold again, having gotten his feet wet during the thaw. “I can’t get enough of this place: it’s so secluded, healthy and simple.” Father Superior was very kind to our entire company. – After that letter in which you announced the death of Konstantin Fedorovich, I did not receive a single letter from you. I am writing this to you to consider whether the guards are correctly taking your letters to the post office, and whether any of them have been lost. - I am sending you a proof sheet - “Memories of the Borodino Monastery”, which you took the trouble to send to the Territory with Grigory Stratanovich. I would like the vignettes to be arranged in the same way, but different - in which there would be more taste and grace; Moreover, these vignettes were from some Moscow poem about the Borodino Monastery: I don’t even want to borrow vignettes from other people’s works. I wish that my stains would have at least one advantage: they would be clean from theft. The paper on the proof sheet is good; You can use ivory leaves for a dozen. Entrust Stratanovich to do all this carefully, and in choosing vignettes I rely on your taste. “I don’t write or even read anything here—I lie half asleep, deprived of all abilities.” Christ is with you. Your most devoted friend, unworthy I recognize the wrapping paper for remembrance as unnecessary. In my library there is a French book “Les saints peres des deserts de l'Orient” in 9 volumes. If there is no volume, tell little Ignatius to find it: maybe from the Pleshcheevs or someone else. Then, having put everything in a box, take the trouble to send it by mail to Vologda. With the shortest letter to Elisaveta Aleksandrovna Parensova, you are forwarding the books on my instructions. She takes great care of me here. In my closet there is a book by St. Innocent “Great Lent” on the shelf, take the trouble to pass it on to the Shakhov. Needed for consideration when considering the proposed poem. I received your letter dated February 17th. Last mail I sent you back a letter from Master Joasaph with my review, which can be shown everywhere. And now I am attaching the same review here regarding Stefan - in response to your report. The wonderful, life-saving effect of sarsaparilla on me continues - on March 3, I stopped taking this medicine, I began to quickly become stronger, fresher, and feel light and relaxed. But one circumstance forces me to start drinking sarsaparilla tincture again for a while. Two large soft nodules have stretched from the head to the neck and the tip of the back of the head, which, after leaving the sarsaparilla, begin to spread out over the head again, which I really don’t like and seems dangerous. Not far from the local monastery, the English doctor Peterson, who had already become a Russian landowner, lived and had severe rheumatism; he also developed nodules, or, more correctly, accumulations of sputum, which he released through the fontanelle. I decide to do the same, I recognize it as necessary. Why bother, my friend, by the very first mail, send me two jars of Visicatoire lipstick, a yellow plaster on which this lipstick is usually spread, and a mellot plaster - both in sufficient quantities. The yellow plaster is smeared on pieces of paper and on “canvas”; I need the last one. Until I receive these medications from you, I’ll take up sarsaparilla again. You can’t imagine how refreshed I was in these six days, how I left the sarsaparilla to drink! I don't remember myself like this. After receiving the fountains from you, I think that I will be completely cured and that I will come to you, God willing, completely different from how I left. I thought before, peering at you, that some measure was needed to restore your strength, which had been shaken by the broken leg; upon my arrival we will think about it; I am glad to do everything in my power for you. – Our treasurer wrote to me that he wants to resign from his position. I, finding that given his illness, the position was incompatible for him, expressed my consent to his desire; If only they could wait for me: such a change in my absence would seem strange to those undisposed and ignorant of the matter. “I’m very glad that you had the opportunity to celebrate my secular name day with such a pleasant guest.” I thank you in general for your entire letter, with which, as an image-imprint of your kind, open soul, I was very comforted. Yes! pray for me and for yourself: because of your sincere and deep disposition towards me, I expect that the Lord will give me a lot of good things through you; also, my dispensation in the invisible spiritual and in the outward visible relation is at the same time your dispensation. Christ is with you! Give my deepest regards to Mother Augusta and Angelina. I'd like to excuse myself for not writing: I pay for every letter with fever - I'm so weak. I wanted to leave the sarsaparilla, but the phlegm that had accumulated in places really scared me. I'll have a drink before the fountains arrive. – Styopa and Nikola bow to you earnestly. Do me a favor, send me two hundred rubles. silver towards the mug. I am in great need: I borrowed 120 silver, and of those only 10 ass. left. Patients are very expensive. I maintain them, treat them; I hire servants for both myself and them. For one sassapar. it came out to 500 rubles. Ass. Most honest Fr. Governor Ignatius! By transmitting to you a letter from Master Hieromonk Joasaph, I ask you to give due consideration to the circumstances stated in it. Moreover, I recognize the need to instill in the treasurer Hieromonk Hilarion the following: 1st. That the legalization of literary property mentioned by Hieromonk Joasaph completely exists. 2nd. Therefore, he, Hieromonk Hilarion, had to either submit the work he received to the censor, or turn it to the author, without at all using it as a source when composing his own work: here is the theft of someone else's property. I believe: the best way to get out of this confusion is the friendly agreement proposed by Hieromonk Joasaph, without further hassle, with Hieromonk Hilarion. To achieve this, I propose that you present my letter and the letter of Hieromonk Joasaph to the treasurer, Hieromonk Hilarion, with a written response from him on how he intends to act and whether he agrees to the measure proposed by the master. According to this review, take the trouble to notify me and the master. If the treasurer is Fr. Hilarion refuses an amicable agreement, then you are obliged to ask his Eminence for instructions on this subject. Committing himself to your prayers Priceless friend, good Ignatius! I received your letter, my soul, which is on three pages, dated March 7th. The merciful Lord, who chooses you to be one of His, allows you various sorrows both from people and from bodily illnesses. This is a good sign - accept it with generosity and faith. When they shower you with curses and try to catch you in words - remember that they did the same with Christ, and taste the cup of cleansing with complacency. Looks like there's going to be a change. But both you and your friends need to be very careful. Misha Chikhachev needs to be careful with the consistory people who only want to get out of him and nothing else. Many years and cruel responses have proven to us that we must be careful, but not frank. Dear Ignatius! You are very similar to me in your natural character - God will give you a taste of those sorrows that form and make man wise, which he gave me to taste as well. Be generous: all temptations are only scarecrows, lifeless scarecrows, terrible for only unbelievers, for those who look with only carnal eyes. Be careful, be prudent before scolders, imitate Christ’s silence - and do not be afraid of anything, the power of your head will not fall. O. Apollos doesn’t answer my last letter: apparently, he’s lost himself in the favor of others. Again, his good relationship with the vicar is very clear: they are very similar to each other, both with great abilities. Just now I received your letter from Yaroslavl from the kindest Nikolai Petrovich Polozov; the deliberate one is going back right now: why did I quickly write these lines to you, and for future mail I will try to prepare a more satisfactory letter. I advise you to pour 2 glasses of half-burnt wine per pound of finely chopped sarsaparilla: leave in a warm place for two weeks - and then take a spoonful at night. You don’t need any diet: it will work on bruises and colds, and in general on blood. There is a wonderful change in me. Only I am still weak and there is only the most insignificant fermentation in my legs and head. Christ is with you. My true friend, priceless Ignatius! God gave me, a sinner, true consolation: your soul, filled with sincere Christian disposition towards me. Because of this disposition, your soul becomes like a pure mirror, in which my feelings and my way of thinking, developed in me by monastic life, are faithfully imprinted. May the Lord who chose you educate you with His Holy Word and perfect you with His Holy Spirit. I even felt sorry that you, with many of your activities, which become twice as burdensome when you are sick, wrote me a letter on three pages: I just wanted to know about the well-being of the monastery, yours and the brotherhood; also about the main events in the monastery. On top of everything else, i.e. To the sorrows from management, to the sorrows from superiors, came to you sorrows from illnesses that change not only physical, but also mental abilities: this is my long-standing cup. It is appropriate for the soul and body to become thinner like a cobweb, to pass through the fire of sorrows and the purifying water of repentance and enter into spiritual peace - into the spiritual mind, or the world of Christ, which is the same thing. Regarding your pain: I watched you a lot before I left. Exactly - you have changed after breaking your leg - and you need rest and treatment; I advised you to take a spoonful of sarsaparilla tincture at night: it helps a lot with bruises. Namely: it dilutes the blood and disperses accumulated and hardened mucus around the bruised areas; It also generally corrects your blood, which I recognize as somewhat damaged; finally destroys colds, especially those that have not had time to take root and are recent. With your young and strong build, you will endure this medicine without noticing that you are being treated; It will only break the sore leg, because it will break up the stagnation that has formed in it. During my long-standing, severe cold, an extraordinary change took place in me: my nerves became stronger, my body became dense and light, and the rheumatic pains, although they had not yet completely stopped, were significantly reduced. I experienced severe weakness and fermentation, but this was due to the fact that I drank decoction in large quantities and that my cold was severe, associated with weakening of the nerves. My relative, General Parensov, drinks the tincture, which I recommend to you, while doing complex service and going out into the air, driving around in the winter as much as he likes. You do not have hemorrhoids, but the onset of a cold that damages proper blood circulation; All my hemorrhoidal seizures here have stopped since the fall, although since that time the hemorrhoids have not opened: this means that my hemorrhoidal seizures began with nothing more than a cold. I believe that you should leave the rocking and bathing and replace them with rubbing with warm wine. When eating sarsaparilla, you just need to beware of fatty foods, because sarsaparilla itself is hard on the stomach; Hemorrhoidal tincture helps her well. I thank God for the harvest, and I thank you, my soul, for your orders. Probably, by selling oats and hay you could clear yourself of the debts accumulated during the monastery's lack of income. Six roe deer of the best work were made by order of Parensov, who himself did the work; they were made in Vologda and sent to your name. They cost 10 rubles each. banknotes each. (Here money is still counted according to the old habit on bank notes). But delivery on the current bad roads will be expensive: they ask for 87 rubles. banknotes - I don’t know what they agreed on. Of all the relatives, the Parensovs (followed by my sister) show me the most attention; this sister came to see me in the fall and warmed up to me spiritually: a smart person; looks like Semyon Alexandrovich. Many of our good friends, speaking kindly about us, did us harm, because ill-intentioned people think that this is our suggestion and intrigue. All those who love us should be reminded of this with all love. However, when God wants to allow temptation into someone, they will come and arise from where it is impossible to expect them at all. It seems, however, that there must be a change and that the vicar will be given a diocese. Regarding my return to St. Petersburg, I am guided by the only direct indication of my health, I believe that the Lord in direct behavior is a Helper; and the crafty politician is his own helper; the Lord does not come to his aid, as if he were the wise one. I think it’s impossible for me to go before the second half of May, because I’m very unaccustomed to the air and have a lot of perspiration. I don’t like to punish character, and God forbid I do anything to punish a stupid character; and grant me, Lord, my wrong deed, as soon as I see its wrongness, leave it with repentance. Also, I don’t want to pay attention to what they say; let them say what they want, but I have an urgent need to think about the future life and the imminent resettlement into it, promised by my premature old age and weakness, caused by long-term illnesses. I don’t have the opportunity to reach out to people and please people who are eternal on earth or, at least, who consider themselves eternal. I received notification from Countess Sheremeteva and the Count that they received my letters in good order, they write with great good nature. I feel sorry for the Countess: the Moscow people flatter her and lead her into complacency, from which I tried to ward her off; however, she feels that my words, although not sweet, are useful - and she said goodbye to me when I set off from the Sergius Lavra on my further journey to the Babayki, from the heart, with love and sincerity. I have always recognized Fyodor Petrovich Opochinin as a person who was disposed towards me both in mind and heart, and also towards our monastery; he wrote me several letters here and spoke very highly of you. The Reverend Vicar is not smart and honest enough to understand the directness of your intentions and actions; judges them by their actions - always crooked, by their goals - always low, having as their object temporary benefits, only their own benefits and the lowest category. since he cannot comprehend the directness of your intentions, he composes in his imagination intentions for you and acts against these intentions of his own, or in accordance with his suspicions. It is very likely that he will be transferred, two vacancies have opened in the best and senior dioceses - Kazan and Minsk, it seems that Iliodor and Gideon will be promoted. And the Kursk and Poltava dioceses have become so profitable that our goose will have an appetite for pecking at such incomers. Apollos does not answer my last letter, written to him, it seems, on the 1st of January of this year. He appears to be cheating and scheming. There are all signs that Kaisarova bought the abbot of the Sergius Hermitage for him. In my last letter, I answered his question, stated with all sorts of slyness, “is it true that” Abbot Theoktist is retiring and “that the Bishop of Kostroma is giving me the Babayevsky monastery.” I answered that even if I happened to leave the Sergiev Hermitage, where I am currently thinking of returning, I do not intend to accept any authority, but to live where God leads, as an honest person. Apollos must have needed this answer from me in order to act in his tone, but against me. It’s strange how his acquaintance with Kaisarova changed this man; I feel sorry for him both for him and for monasticism, because he was very capable of hanging out with young monks. O. Apollos is very outward, superficial in his mind and heart, and therefore very accessible and satisfactory for beginners and worldly people, for whom superficial words are enough. His Eminence is very mistaken in his abilities: they exist, but not those - that Apollos approaches his Eminence with rules and disposition: flattering, capable of betrayal, and in a manner suitable to the servile manner of his Eminence - Pryazhentsov came here for a short time, and now again to St. Petersburg; I sent you a letter with him, and he promised to visit you himself: thanks to both him and his wife - like sincere relatives. Save, Lord, all our good friends, who prove by their affection that love has not dried up on earth. I wrote to almost no one due to extreme weakness - and now I very quickly become exhausted, and after exhaustion immediately comes a fever. Do me a favor - bow to everyone, say that I remember everyone very much, I honor and love them, and I write letters only when necessary due to my complete weakness. “I wrote a letter to Zinovia Petrovna, it seems, at the beginning of February, on two pieces of paper; among other things, I asked her not to forget the Sergius Hermitage without me; I don’t know if she received my letter. – Write to Mother Augusta and Mother Angelina my most ardent bow and gratitude for the memory of me, a sinner. I ask for their prayers: I am sure that their prayers help me a lot in restoring my health; I hope that they will help me even after my soul leaves my damned body. Don't worry about Alexander Pavlov. Well, what kind of hierodeacons will they be? Boys, naughty boys, who may have to cut their hair very soon. Today I received your second letter – dated March 15th. Thank you for fulfilling my instructions, for Beard’s leaflet. m. – the vignettes are very good. Distribute the leaves to whomever you find decent - not to enemies, flighty people and envious people. And I will receive the rest upon arrival. I don’t think that Roslyakov did anything out of malice, or he could have served as a deliberate spy for Apollos, and if he did anything, it was out of stupidity and passion. Your expression is correct that there is an abyss of demonic intrigue under the feet of the ruler of the Sergius Hermitage with knowledge of the monastic order and with the good intention of keeping the brethren in good governance, not allowing the house of God to become a den of robbers and fornicators. One must walk along this abyss with courageous feet, holding on to faith in God, so as not to drown in the abyss of heartfelt confusion: this abyss is more dangerous than all the intrigues and machinations of human and demonic ones. – Thank you for sending the feuilleton “St. Peter. police reports": thanks to Smirnovsky, thanks to you too for thanking the writer well. In my letter, which was sent with Pryazhentsov, I asked you to send me two boxes of pommade visicatoire and two-mellot and ordinary plaster, used for fontanelles - only not on cards, but on canvas. I also asked for 200 rubles to be sent. ser. money - we really need it: everyone except Nikolai is undergoing treatment; Also, regarding the division of the mugs, do not hesitate to send the rest with a certain deduction, so that there is something to return to. I see that my finances do not allow me to return via Moscow, which would be more convenient and calmer: there are good places to stay for the night everywhere, you can stay everywhere in case of rain and extreme cold, which will be necessary for us, a moving hospital. Stefan and Nikolai show you their most ardent bow and gratitude for remembering them. They are very fond of you, with all their hearts. Nikola is sweet, his mental abilities and a special openness of character began to develop in him. This consoles me, otherwise I was a little sad, not seeing a teenager with complete good intentions and some mental abilities near me. With this I end my conversation with you today. 25th. The medicine, whose action is sometimes completely hidden, sometimes rediscovered in strong fermentation, which is now most in the veins connecting the legs with the stomach and the head skull, - since yesterday evening it began to be very effective, to act usefully, but accompanied by extreme weakness, due to which I will write only a few lines. Congratulations on the great feast of the Annunciation. May the Mother of God take us under her roof! May He grant us to spend our earthly life as a life of preparation for the life to come. The Cup of Sorrows reveals a person's inner pledge: David goes into the desert, and Saul goes to the sorceress. God has brought you to find out by experience what kind of cup I drank in the Sergius Hermitage for fourteen years. Assuming the position of abbot of this monastery, I saw clearly: I was going to pound the waters, that my voyage would be through the abyss of intrigue; consoled me that this was not my election. I surrendered to the will of God, to which I surrender now. – I received a very kind and sweet letter from Countess Orlova-Chesmenskaya from Novgorod. His Eminence Philaret of Kyiv wrote more than once. Good old man! is calling me to Kyiv, but what opportunity do I have for this?.. I’m going to bed! See you tomorrow! 26th. Today at this moment I am fresher; in half an hour, no one knows what will happen: my condition is changeable due to the action of the medicine. I looked at myself for a long time in the Sergius Hermitage; and you could consider yourself, especially at the present time, in the direct management of this monastery; also my position in it became clearer to you. I did not educate myself for such a monastery and not for this kind of life, which should consist of incessant bodily care and activities with visitors, mostly empty. The soul in such a place must necessarily become empty. Regarding the body, my physical strength and health are completely unable to withstand the labor required by this place, and the deprivations of good water and other things necessary for poor health. The intrigues, to which there are so many amenities, shook the well-being of the monastery and its world will continue to shake. The deadness of the persons elected to the metropolitans of St. Petersburg has deprived and will constantly deprive us of our own view and opinion of our boss, who, therefore, always acts at the suggestion of others, but acts with unlimited power, even if he acted completely erroneously. Dependence on numerous secondary authorities makes countless troubles inevitable. You know that the affairs of our monastery include the metropolitan himself, and the vicar, and two consistories, and the metropolitan’s secretary, and other various secretaries, and valets, and laundresses, and Aunt Sulima, and so on, and so on. What are you waiting for? You have to be a swindler, with the ability for this, with the inclination - and Apollos can do all this. Moreover, he is a superficial person, and has a very modest appearance - therefore, such a person [and should - D.F.] should be in a place for which he paid dearly. For the above reasons, I have the decisive intention, returning to St. Petersburg, to ask that I be given a place that corresponds to my extreme spiritual and physical needs. Therefore, the most necessary thing is to have a person under whose patronage not only I could become a monk, but also one who is disposed towards me (and from experience I see that I can’t get along with fools and Jesuits), then I choose for this the Right Reverend Innocent of Kharkov, who I personally and from the information I have collected like more than others: he does not try to be a saint and does not pretend to be a saint, but is more inclined to do good than anyone else, is more and more intelligently involved in religion than anyone else, loves true monasticism, will understand my sinful and completely cryptic ascetic direction and will want to promote it. These, my soul, are my thoughts regarding my situation. But for the Sergius Hermitage, you can see for yourself that I have neither physical nor mental strength - unless they make it independent. Here, my true friend, my thoughts, formed, it seems, from the very circumstances themselves, are my thoughts - and I entrust them to you alone. The fruit of our further stay in the Sergius Hermitage will be no different: “we will become completely crippled, and when they see that we are incapable of anything, they will push us out anywhere, without giving us a piece of bread and taking away all the means to get it.” Look carefully and you will see that it is so. I have the mercy of the sovereign, but this mercy is only of the heart: and the intriguers used it as an instrument of their hatred of me. Christ is with you. Look at the circumstances that you know better than I do. This place is good, but maintenance is expensive. Moreover, when I chose him, I did not know that the essence of my illness was a severe cold, with which I had to drag myself to the southern climate, where maintenance is much cheaper. God, who bestowed His grace on Joseph, who was sold and imprisoned, and who bowed the hearts of all to him, in His great mercy bowed the hearts of many here to me. To put it this way, they carry me in their arms. Monastics, starting with Fr. abbot, extremely pleased; those around him also pray to God not to leave. Even so, I think that it is better to stay here forever than to live in the Sergius Desert, especially if this vicar (which is almost incredible) remains a vicar. Think, my friend, and pray about our common fate, so that the merciful Lord will arrange it according to His goodness. Before my arrival, dedicate my rooms and arrange them: maybe I’ll have to spend another year in Sergiev; you know: I am decisive and at the same time unhurried, I act, or at least I want to act, not out of passion, but as dictated by circumstances. Also think about finances: there is no point in us embarking on the further rise of the monastery, but only to maintain it in its present form and not get into new debts and reduce the old ones if possible. Take care, don’t tell any of the brothers about this, but the above thoughts are so formed in me that they seem to sit in the depths of my soul: I see them there. I pray to the Lord God for you and rejoice for you, because over time, God’s mercy towards you becomes clearer and clearer. Do you remember, before leaving, I promised you a letter outlining what would take shape in my soul: this is this letter! it flowed out in due time, as if by itself, from under my pen. I write a letter within a week, and send it when the opportunity arises. My priceless friend! I congratulate you on the upcoming Bright Holiday. Congratulate me and all the brethren. I am very grateful for the patch you sent; I placed the fontanelles on the back between the shoulders: they produce their beneficial effect - they draw out phlegm from the accumulated (so I will call it) bag under the back of the head. This bag is a beneficial effect of sarsaparilla tincture. The same bags are on the back under the shoulder wings. I was terribly ill. A lot of rubbish came out of me; a lot is coming out now; but there is still enough left, and upon arrival in St. Petersburg it will be necessary to continue the treatment. Now I drink, very little - mostly a tablespoon a day - an infusion of sarsaparilla with wormwood and sage. I find the effect of sarsaparilla to be excellent - it collects and draws bad juices from the whole body into the stomach: wormwood helps to boil them - sarsaparilla is heavy on the stomach - and sage strengthens and reduces perspiration. For my arrival, they ordered me to prepare a tincture: put two pounds of sage, 1 pound. wormwood, 2 – sarsaparilla. The latter must be finely chopped and crushed, or beaten. They told us to buy wormwood and sage in a good pharmacy, and not in herbal shops: in the pharmacy the goods are somehow neater. And it’s good for you to drink this stuff. Tell me to do it early: if it sits longer, it will be better. I’ll have to vilify the fontanelle for a long time: I conclude this from the accumulated matter. Money 200 rubles. received silver, but they are still in Yaroslavl due to the mud. I haven’t left my cell yet, but I’m thinking of waiting for good weather to go. Christ is with you. So, a little more than a month remains - and the merciful Lord will arrange our meeting. Be healthy and prosperous. I should write more, but until another post. In order not to miss an unexpected opportunity by mail, I am answering you with these few lines; 540 rub. I received it in silver from your letter. After the 10th I’m thinking of leaving - I would like to be there in time for the 30th. As God willing! Christ is with you! Goodbye. Most beloved in the Lord, Father Abbot Ignatius! Thank you for remembering me, a sinner. I always remember you with love, I remember with gratitude your initial devotion to me. By God's forgiveness for my sins, our relationship was shaken for some time; but, as I see from your letter, the mercy of God restores them. I live very calmly; but sometimes the sickness and weakness become so intense that I involuntarily think about death. Therefore, in good time, I ask everyone’s forgiveness for whatever I have sinned against. I apologize to you. May the merciful Lord give us all true repentance and forgiveness for our sins. He who commends himself to your holy prayers is your most humble servant. Ignatius, Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea. Reported by Evgeny Lebedev 3 That is “A” (“Archimandrite”) is a transitory state, temporary, like a “wave of the hand,” therefore only the initial of the name, “I,” should be indicated on the labels. The originals of the printed letters of Archimandrite Ignatius (Brianchaninov), later Bishop of the Caucasus, to the hieromonk, later Archimandrite, Ignatius Vasiliev were transferred by the latter in 1870 before his death to the archpriest of the mountains. Porkhova to E. A. Lebedev. Then, after making an exact copy of them, from which the letters were printed, the originals were transferred through N.S. Brianchaninov to his cousin Alexei Petrovich Brianchaninov (see: Evgeny Lebedev. On the history of the Holy Annunciation Nikandrova Hermitage. Note 1, reprint from the Pskov Diocesan Gazette). You might be interested in: