Orthodox Saints and Ascetics 2

Orthodox Saints and Ascetics of the Last Times

The Holy Elders of Optina
The Elders of Pskov-Caves

   It is possible that people, under the impression of reading the lives of the desert fathers and accounts of the lives of the Athonite Elders, may inadvertently form the opinion that elders must necessarily be hermits, ascetics, who have withdrawn, not only from the world, but also from their brethren. Indeed, years of silence, unceasing prayer, self-abasement, and life in seclusion distinguished the elders of the early times and their followers. However, the Optina  Elders, in modern conditions, were able to combine spiritual endeavor with everyday care for those suffering.   
   In the nineteenth to the twentieth centuries, were distinguished not only by the exceptional depth of their spiritual life and the possession of gifts of insight and reasoning, but also by their great love for people and an unending desire to share spiritual treasures with the world.
   And if the first Optina Elder, Father Leonid (Lev), like the ancient fathers, lived in seclusion for a long time, then his successors seemed to inherit eldership; many of them were first hermits under the elders, then assistants, and finally, successors of their spiritual fathers. The holy fathers said that anyone who accomplishes a deed pleasing to God is inevitably met with temptation, that every good deed is preceded or followed a trial. Starting in 1830, Optina Eldership was introduced and strengthened through much labor and suffering, 'raised by the sweat of prayer and tears.'
   When Elder Leonid settled in Optina Pustyn with his disciples, they began to speak about spiritual guidance, not only about the cleansing of conscience and the revelation of thoughts. This is how Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov spoke about the first Optina elders, Father Leonid and Father Macarius: 'Both Elders were nourished by reading domestic writings on monastic life, guided themselves by these writings, and guided others by them as well.', who turned to them for instructive advice... They never gave advice of their own: they always presented the advice as a saying from the Holy Scriptures or the Holy Fathers... This gave their advice power: those who might want to argue against a human word would listen to the word of God with reverence and find it just to submit their reasoning to it.”
   The Optina Elders of the twentieth century adhered to this rule as well. All the Elders cared for the spiritual purification of those around them, constantly praying for the salvation of the souls of the people who came to them for help. They helped people with their everyday matters, supported them in adversity, suggested a way out of the most hopeless situations, and, thanks to their foresight, could lead the suffering to the path of repentance, which leads to true Christian life. The miracles of healing through their prayers increased the number of pilgrims to Optina Monastery year after year. During the years of disbelief, an attempt was made to sever the spiritual connection of the people with the Optina Elders.
   Elder Nektarius, a disciple of Elder Anatoly (the younger) and Elder Ambrose, was the last Optina Elder chosen by the council. In the 1930s, during the persecutions of the Church, many hieromonks were arrested. Desert monks, love and faith continued to burn in the hearts of the people. In the 1980s, the spiritual life of the Holy Monastery was revived, and the traditions of the Optina Eldership were restored. An endless stream of pilgrims continues to visit the Optina Desert to this day. In 1988, by the decision of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, St. Ambrose of Optina was glorified (his feast is celebrated on October 10/23), and on July 10, 1998, the relics of St. Ambrose, together with the relics of six other Optina elders, were discovered.
   On July 26-27, 1996, thirteen Optina Elders were canonized as locally venerated saints of the Optina Monastery. (The General Synodal celebration occurred on October 11/24) In 2000, the venerable Optina Elders were glorified by the Jubilee Hierarchical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church for veneration throughout the entire Church. 
O venerable Optina Elders, pray to the God save our souls.

Prayer of the Last Elders of Optina

   O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility.
Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy holy Will. At every hour of this day, direct and support me in all things. Whatsoever news may reach me in the course of the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and the firm conviction that all is subject to Thy holy Will.
   Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down from Thee. Grant that I may deal straightforwardly and wisely with every member of my family, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone.
   O Lord, grant me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events that take place during it. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive and to love. Amen

 
Venerable Joseph of Optina (1837–1911)
 
   On November 2, 1837, a son was born into the family of the village head Efim Litovkin and his wife Maria. At his holy baptism, the boy was named Ivan. Once, during a fire when the flames were quickly spreading from one village house to another, little Ivan, fearing that the fire might destroy their new home, prayed, reaching out his hands to the church located not far from their house: “Queen of Heaven! Spare our little house, for it is brand new!” Through the child’s prayer, the Litovkin house was spared, while all the houses around it burned down. Ivan lost both his father and mother at an early age. The eleven-year-old orphan had to earn his daily bread on his own, working in an inn, in a grocery store, and escorting carts of goods. The hardships of life did not harden Ivan; his pure soul always longed for a spiritual life, and he found comfort in prayer. Even in early childhood, the Mother of God appeared to him in a miraculous vision; the boy was so struck by the beauty of the Virgin Mary and the extraordinary radiance around Her that he lost consciousness. In difficult moments, he remembered the miraculous vision. 
   In 1861, Ivan received a letter from his sister Alexandra, who by that time had taken the monastic vows with the name Leonida at the Borisov Monastery. She advised her brother to go to Optina Pustyn to meet the Elders. 
   In March 1861, with the blessing of Elder Ambrosius, Ivan was received into the holy monastery. 
According to the custom of Optina, every novice was required to work in the refectory. Later, the novice was assigned as a cell attendant to Elder Ambrosius.
   Ivan endured many sorrows and hardships in the monastery. For years, he did not even have a personal place to rest. He often had to sleep in the reception area, which was crowded with visitors until late at night, and by one o’clock in the morning, he already had to hurry to the morning service. These trials strengthened the ascetic's soul.
   In 1872, he was tonsured with the name Joseph; in 1877 he was ordained as a hierodeacon, and on October 1, 1884, Father Joseph was ordained as a hieromonk. By that time, he was already the senior cell-attendant of Elder Ambrosius. Quiet, serious, and extremely modest, Father Joseph would meet visitors, listen attentively, and convey the Elder’s response. Over time, Elder Ambrose began sending visitors to the cell-attendant for advice, thus preparing a worthy successor to continue the traditions of the Optina elders.
   In 1888, Hieromonk Joseph caught a severe cold and fell ill. He was taken to the hospital, and on February 14, with the blessing of Elder Ambrosius, he was tonsured into the schema. Through the prayers of Elder Ambrosius, the deadly illness receded. In 1890, Elder Ambrosius, leaving for the Shamordino Convent for women, for the first time did not take his faithful assistant with him. "You need to stay here; you are needed here," the elder told him. The year 1891 was the last year in the life of Elder Ambrosius.
   Elder Joseph took on the responsibilities of the hermitage as its head, spiritual father of the Optina brethren, and of the Shamordino sisters. Elder Joseph was a strict faster, slept very little, and wore old clothes. He received from the Lord the fullness of spiritual gifts, and many experienced his gifts of insight and healing. Many believers who came to him for advice were struck by his ability to express the most important things in just a few words, to guide and comfort them.
   One day, a seriously ill woman was brought to the elder. He received her, listened to her, and, giving her his rosary, went to the bedroom, saying, 'Wait.' And when he came out, she had completely forgotten about her illness. 
   And when another sick woman came to him for help (a tumor in her neck glands made it impossible for her to even turn her head), the elder advised her to hold a prayer service before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Through Elder Joseph’s prayers, the woman was completely healed.
   Elder Joseph served as the spiritual father of the brethren for twelve years. Over the years, growing physically weaker, the Elder grew spiritually, and during prayer he was transfigured. The elder's spiritual children spoke of an amazing radiance surrounding him. An excerpt from the story of Priest Pavel: "The light I saw above the elder has no resemblance to any earthly source... I have never seen anything like it in nature. I explain this vision to myself by the fact that the elder was in a strong prayerful state, and God's grace seemingly descended upon His chosen one... My story is true, if only because after this vision I felt indescribably joyful, with a strong religious inspiration, although before going to the elder, I did not have such a feeling... I convey all the above as absolute truth: there is not even a shadow of exaggeration or fabrication here, which I testify by the name of God and by my priestly conscience. "
   Elder Joseph departed to the Lord on May 9/22, 1911 (The finding of his relics is celebrated on October 3/16, 1988.)

Advice of Elder Joseph:

   Sorrows are our path; we will walk it until we reach the homeland of eternity destined for us...We increase our own sorrows when we begin to grumble.
   He who has conquered passions and gained spiritual reason has access to the heart of everyone, even without external education…   
   The rule imposed is always difficult, and acting with humility is even more difficult.
What is acquired through labor is what proves to be useful.
   If you see a fault in your neighbor that you would like to correct, and it disturbs your peace of mind and irritates you, know that you are sinning too, and therefore you cannot correct a fault with another fault — it is corrected with meekness. 
   What is easy for the body is useless for the soul, and what is beneficial for the soul is difficult for the body. 
   You ask: 'How can I regard myself as nothing?' Thoughts of pride come, and it is impossible that they do not come. But they must be opposed with thoughts of humility, as you do by recalling your sins and various shortcomings. Continue to act this way, and always remember that our entire earthly life must be lived in the struggle against evil. Besides examining your own flaws, you can also humbly reflect like this: “I have nothing good in me... My body is not mine; it was created by God in my mother’s womb. My soul was given to me by the Lord. Therefore, all my mental and bodily abilities are gifts from God. And my own possession is only my countless sins, by which I have daily angered and continue to anger the Merciful Lord. So what is there for me to be vain about or proud of after this? Nothing.”
   And with such reflections, prayerfully ask for forgiveness from the Lord. In all sinful inclinations, there is one remedy—sincere repentance and humility.
Venerable Joseph of Optina, pray to God for us!


Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina (1845–1913)
   
   On July 5, 1845, in Samara, a son was born to the merchant Ivan Plikhanov, and they named the baby Pavel. Ivan's wife died immediately after childbirth, so he was forced to marry again. 
Elder Barsanuphius recounted: “My stepmother was a deeply religious and extraordinarily kind woman, so she completely took the place of my mother for me... She would get up very early and every day was with me at matins... She also loved to pray at home. She would read, for instance, the Akathist, and I would sing in a thin voice throughout the apartment: 'Most Holy Theotokos, save us!' 
   Once, when I was 6 years old, such an incident happened… Near Orenburg, our house stood in a huge garden-park and was guarded by watchmen and dogs, so it was impossible for an outsider to enter the park unnoticed. One day we were walking with my father in the park, when suddenly, out of nowhere, some old man appeared before us. Approaching my father, he said:
  - Remember, father, that the child will one day carry souls out of hell. Having said this, he turned and vanished. Later, they searched for him everywhere in vain; none of the guards had seen him...For ten years I was sent to a gymnasium... Then I entered into service and settled in Kazan under the protection of the Queen of Heaven... When I was 35, my mother turned to me:
   - What is it, Pavlusha, that you keep avoiding women? Soon your best years will be gone, and no one will come for you.
   Out of obedience, I fulfilled my mother's wish... That day, a formal lunch was being held at some acquaintances' house. 'Well,' I thought, 'I’ll simply have a long conversation with whoever I end up sitting next to.' And suddenly, next to me at the lunch sat a priest, distinguished by a high spiritual life, and he started a conversation with me about the Jesus Prayer... When the lunch ended, I came to a firm decision not to marry.
   The Lord led me to monasticism in ways unfathomable. By the grace of God, I came to know Optina and Father Ambrose, who blessed me to enter the monastery. 
   In 1881, Pavel fell ill with pneumonia. When his attendant began to read the Gospel, and a miraculous vision occurred, during which Pavel experienced spiritual enlightenment.   According to Elder Nektary, "from a brilliant military man, in one night, by God’s will, he became an elder." 
   On February 10, 1892, he was enrolled among the brethren of the St. John the Forerunner Skete and clothed in the cassock.
   Every evening for three years he went to converse with the elders: first with Elder Anatoly, and then with Elder Joseph. On March 26, 1893, the novice Pavel was tonsured into the ryassophore, and in December 1900 he was tonsured into the mantle with the name Barsanuphius. On December 29, 1902, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on January 1, 1903, he was ordained to the rank of hieromonk... In 1903, Hieromonk Barsanuphius was appointed assistant to the elder and simultaneously the spiritual father of the Shamordino Convent of Nuns, remaining in this role until the beginning of the war with Japan (1904-1905). In 1904, Father Barsanuphius was sent to serve at the infirmary named after St. Seraphim of Sarov, to hear confessions, administer communion, and anoint wounded and dying soldiers. Upon returning to Optina Monastery after the end of the war, Father Barsanuphius was elevated to the rank of abbot and appointed by the Holy Synod as the rector of the Optina skete.
   During conversations with his spiritual children, Elder Barsanuphius said: There are different paths to salvation. The Lord saves some in the monastery, others in the world...
   One can be saved anywhere, just do not abandon the Savior. Cling to Christ's robe - and Christ will not abandon you.  A sure sign of the soul's death is avoidance of church services. A person who grows cold toward God first begins to avoid going to church, initially trying to arrive at services later, and then eventually stops visiting God's temple altogether. Those who seek Christ find Him, according to the true words of the Gospel: “Knock, and it will be opened to you; seek, and you will find,” “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”
   And notice that here the Lord speaks not only of heavenly dwellings, but also of earthly ones, and not only of inner, but also of outer. The Lord places each soul in such a position, surrounds it with such an environment, which most contributes to its success.
   Our whole life is a great mystery of God. All circumstances of life, no matter how insignificant they may seem, have enormous importance... Nothing in life is accidental; everything is created according to the will of the Creator. To become like God, one must follow His holy commandments.
   How can one be saved? Only through humility. “Lord, I am guilty in everything, I have nothing good in me, I rely only on Your boundless mercy.”
When the heart closes the valve to worldly pleasures, another valve opens for perceiving the spiritual. But how can one attain this?
   - First of all, through peace and love for others…
In 1912, Elder Barsanuphius was appointed abbot of the Staro-Golutvinsky Epiphany Monastery.
The elder set about improving the monastery entrusted to him in Staro-Golutvin, which had fallen into disrepair.And, as before, people came to Elder Barsanuphius for help and comfort. Here, thanks to his prayers, a miracle occurred: the healing of a deaf-mute youth.
   “A terrible illness is the consequence of a grave sin committed by the boy in his childhood,” the Elder explains to his unfortunate mother, and whispers something into the ear of the deaf-mute. “Father, he can’t hear you,” the mother exclaims in confusion, “he’s deaf...” “He can’t hear you,” the elder replies, “but he can hear me,” and again whispers something directly into the young man’s ear. The boy’s eyes widen in horror, and he obediently nods... After confession, Elder gives him communion, and the sickness leaves the sufferer.
   The Elder led the monastery for less than a year. His suffering during his final illness was truly martyrdom. Having refused the help of a doctor and any kind of food, he only repeated: “Leave me, I am already on the cross.” The Elder took communion daily. On April 1/14, 1913, he handed his pure soul over to the Lord.
   The local veneration of the Elders of Optina was authorized by the Patriarchate of Moscow on June 13, 1996. Glorification  of the Elders of Optina for universal veneration occurred on August 7, 2000. Their relics were placed in the Church of the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God of Optina Monastery.
Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina, pray to God for us!

Glorification  of the Elders of Optina for universal veneration occurred on August 7, 2000. The relics were placed in the Church of Vladimir icon of the Mother of God of Optina Monastery.
 
Venerable Anatoly (the Younger) of Optina
 
   Reverend Elder Anatoly (1855–1922), called the Younger (in the secular world: Alexander Alekseevich Potapov), was born on February 15, 1855, in Moscow, into a petty-bourgeois family. He studied at a district school and then engaged in commercial activities. The experience he gained later proved useful when ordinary workers came to him for spiritual guidance with their own problems.
   From a young age, he aspired to monastic life, but was only able to fulfill his dream after his mother's death in 1885. At the age of thirty, he came to the Optina Monastery and soon became a cell attendant to Elder Ambrose. His monastic tonsure took place on June 3, 1895. After the blessed repose of Elder Joseph and Elder Barsanuphius, Elder Anatoly, together with Elder Nektarius, became the continuers of the Optina Eldership. While the brethren and intelligentsia sought out Elder Nektarius, it was the common people who came to Elder Anatoly with their sorrows and illnesses.
   Many people always gathered for a blessing from the Elder, for anointing, and for confession. So as not to interfere with the brethren, Elder Anatoly moved from the brotherhood quarters to the vestibule of the Vladimir Church. The Vladimir Church, open until late in the evening, was always crowded with people. The priest received everyone without time restriction, despite his endless fatigue and excruciating illnesses. The elder was always welcoming, constantly gentle, warm-hearted, and ready to give himself to anyone who came to him for help.
   One day, a peasant who had fallen into a difficult situation came to Elder Anatoly for spiritual support. He and his family were left without a roof over their heads, with only 50 rubles to their name. Elder Anatoly listened to the unfortunate man, blessed him, and comforted him: “Do not lose heart; in three weeks you will enter your home.” By the grace of God, through the prayers of the Elder, this indeed came to pass.  Elder Anatoly had the gift of clairvoyance and healing through prayer, often hiding his abilities, sending sick people to the holy spring of Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsk or to the grave of Elder Ambrose, or giving them some item. One of the Elder's spiritual daughters recounted that once the father sent her to deliver a pear to her brother. She was surprised, but when she arrived, it turned out her brother was very ill. He began eating the pear in small pieces and soon recovered. Another spiritual daughter recounted how she recovered by covering herself with a cassock gifted by the elder.
   Much was revealed to the elder; he even foresaw persecutions against the Church. Elder Anatoly wrote to one of his spiritual children: “Fear the Lord, my son, fear losing the crown that has been prepared for you, stand firm in faith, and, if necessary, endure exile and other hardships, for the Lord will be with you.” After Optina was closed, people came to search the Elder’s cell. Following the search, there was an arrest. The sick Elder was arrested and taken to prison, but on the way his condition worsened, and he ended up in a hospital, where he was mistakenly taken for a typhus patient, and his hair and beard were immediately cut. When it became clear that the diagnosis was incorrect, he was released. 
   Elder Anatoly returned to the monastery exhausted, but with a serene smile and gratitude to the Lord on his lips.  On July 29, 1922, a commission again arrived at the monastery; interrogations began, and there were plans to arrest the dying elder once more. At that time, many believers languished in prisons and camps. The righteous man asked only for a one-day reprieve to prepare himself. During the night he felt worse. At dawn, the cell attendant found the elder kneeling. A few minutes after entering the cell, the attendant, Father Barnabas, realized that Elder Anatoly had quietly passed away to the Lord. The next morning, representatives of the authorities came for the ascetic. When asked if the elder was ready, his cell attendant, Father Barnabas, answered affirmatively and let them into the cell. The Lord took His prepared servant on the night of July 30/August 12, 1922. 
   He was buried near the grave of Elder Ambrose, in the very spot where he had stood for two weeks before his death, repeating: “And here, you know, there's just enough room to lay down one more. Just the right place for one grave. Yes, yes, just right...”  “Trust in the will of the Lord, and the Lord will not disappoint you… Before your death, you will thank God not for joys and happiness, but for sorrows and sufferings, and the more of them there were in your life, the easier it will be to die, the easier your soul will ascend to God,” the Elder Anatoly  taught his spiritual children both by his life and by his blessed death.

Advice from Elder Anatoly (the Younger)

   - Pride comes in different forms. There is worldly pride – that is mere cleverness, and there is spiritual pride – that is self-love...
   Our teacher is humility. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and the grace of God is everything... That is where the greatest wisdom lies. Humble yourself and tell yourself: “Although I am but a speck of dust on earth, the Lord cares for me, and His will shall be done in me.” If you say this not only with your mind but also with your heart, and truly with courage, as a true Christian should, relying on the Lord with a firm intention to submit uncomplainingly to God’s will, whatever it may be, then the clouds before you will disperse, the sun will shine, illuminating and warming you, and you will experience true joy from the Lord. Everything will appear clear and transparent to you, your suffering will cease, and your soul will feel at ease...
   Do not fear grief, suffering, or any trials: all of this is a visitation from God, for your own good... 
Now you ask about the quickest path to humility. Of course, first and foremost, you must recognize yourself as the weakest worm, unable to do anything good without the gift of the Holy Spirit from our Lord Jesus Christ, given through our prayers and the prayers of those close to us, and according to His mercy... 
   Live simply, according to your conscience, always remember that the Lord sees everything, and pay no attention to the rest!
Venerable Anatoly of Optina, pray to God for us!

 Venerable Nectarius of Optina (1853–1928)

   In the town of Yelets in the Oryol province, Vasily and Elena Tikhonov had a son. The boy was baptized in the Yelets church, he was named Nicholas.
   The family was poor, although Vasily worked all day at the mill, he passed away when Nicholas was not yet seven years old. It was difficult for Elena to raise her son alone. The kind, devout woman sometimes had to be strict with Nicholas. Once, the curious Nicholas nearly poked a cat's eye out, as he really wanted to know why its eyes shone so brightly. Noticing that Nicholas had taken a needle and was sneaking up on the cat, Elena struck her son on the hand in time and said:
   - Ah, you! The way you gouge a cat's eye out, you’ll end up losing your own eyes someday!
   Many years later, near the Scythian well, an incident occurred that reminded the young man of this event from his early childhood. One day, when he approached the Scythian well, another monk suddenly lifted the dipper in such a way that the tip was aimed at his eye. At the very last moment, the monk managed to push the pointed handle of the dipper away from his face.
   Elder Nektarius later recalled: “If I had gouged out the cat's eye back then, I would be without eyes now. Apparently, all of this had to happen to remind me of my unworthiness, how everything in life, from the cradle to the grave, is under God's strictest supervision.” 
   When her son turned eleven, Elena arranged for Nicholas to work at a shop for the merchant Khamov. The senior clerk of the merchant liked the clever boy, and when he turned eighteen, the clerk decided to marry him to his daughter. Upon learning of this, the merchant advised Nikolai to visit the pious elder, the schemamonk Feoktista, for a blessing to enter into marriage. The schemamonk blessed the young man to go to Optina Monastery for advice from Elder Ilarion. In 1876, Nicholas set off to the Holy Monastery. Father Ilarion, having listened to Nicholas, send him to the Elder Ambrose. After a two-hour conversation with the elder, he remained in the skete. As part of his obedience, at first he tended to the flowers. Then he was appointed to the duty of a sexton. Under the guidance of the Elder Ambrose and Hieromonk Anatoly, the novice quickly grew spiritually. On March 14, 1887, he was tonsured into the mantle.
   Elder Nektarius remembered: “For a whole year after that, I felt as if I had little wings on my shoulders.” On January 19, 1894, he was ordained as a hierodeacon, and four years later he was ordained a hieromonk. From the recollections of Elder Nektarius: When he ordained me a hieromonk... Vladyka Macarius, then with his most holy eye he saw through all my disorder... He called me to his altar and said: " Nektarius! When you are sorrowful and despondent, and when a heavy temptation comes upon you, then you only repeat: "Lord, have mercy, save and have mercy on Your servant Hieromonk Nektarius." Only Vladyka said everything, but his word saved me more than once and still saves me, for it was spoken with authority." Already in these early years he healed the sick, possessed the gift of clairvoyance, wonderworking and discernment, but in his humility he hid his high spiritual gifts under external foolishness.
   The lively mind and diverse interests of Elder Nektarius allowed him to quickly find a common language with the intelligentsia; people trusted him, and many educated individuals of that time listened to him. Elder Nektarius said:
   “One can engage in art just like in any other endeavor... but all of it must be done as if in the sight of God... A book, a painting—they are tombs of light and sound. A reader or viewer comes, and if they are able to look or read creatively, then a 'resurrection of meaning' occurs. And then the circle of art is complete. Light flashes before the soul of the viewer or reader, and sound becomes accessible to their hearing. Therefore, an artist or poet has nothing to be particularly proud of. They only do their part of the work. It is in vain that they imagine themselves the creators of their works—there is only One Creator...
   In 1912, the Optina brethren chose him as a Elder. But Elder Nektarius refused, and only out of obedience did he agree to take on the role of a spiritual elder. Elder Nectarius received visitors in a small house where other Elders had previously met with people; sometimes he would leave books on the table in the reception area, and visitors, while waiting to be seen, would look through these books and, flipping through them, find answers to their questions. Elder Nektarius had his own approach for each person. He often surprised educated interlocutors with his knowledge; they could not believe that he had not studied anywhere. 'All our education comes from the Scriptures,' the elder would say about himself. Until the last year of his life, he was interested in contemporary literature and technical innovations.
   After the closure of the monastery in 1923, Elder Nektarius was arrested. Upon his release from prison, the elder lived in the village of Kholmishchi with a peasant, but even there, despite the difficulties, his spiritual children came seeking comfort and advice. Elder Nectarius, being a seer, predicted in 1917: "Russia will rise again and will not be materially wealthy, but it will be rich in spirit, and there will still be seven lamps, seven pillars, in Optina."
   Elder Nectarius passed away in extreme old age on April 29/May 12, 1928, and was buried in the local cemetery. After the revival of Optina Pustyn, on July 3/16, 1989, on the day of commemoration of Metropolitan Philip of Moscow, the relics of Elder Nectarius were discovered. When the solemn procession moved through the monastery, a wondrous fragrance emanated from the relics: the Elder's mantle was incorruptible, and the relics were amber-colored. Both during the Elder's life and after his blessed repose, anyone who approached him with genuine faith received gracious help. (The Moscow Patriarchate authorized local veneration of the Optina Elders on June 13,1996, glorifying them for universal veneration on August 7, 2000.) Through the prayers of Venerable Nektarius, miracles of spiritual and physical healing still occur today.

Advice of Venerable Nektarius:

- Above all, beware of judging those close to you. The moment the thought of judgment arises, immediately turn your attention and say: 'Lord, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother.'
When the elder was asked which path to take to reach God, he advised: 'Go the path of humility! Through humble endurance of life's hardships, humble patience with the illnesses sent by the Lord; with humble hope that you will not be abandoned by the Lord, who is a quick helper and a loving Heavenly Father; with humble prayer for help from above, for the driving away of despondency and feelings of hopelessness, which the enemy of salvation seeks to use to lead one into despair, which is destructive for a person, depriving him of grace and distancing him from God's mercy. The meaning of Christian life, according to the words of Saint Apostle Paul, who wrote to the Corinthians: 'Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belong to God.' And do not judge your brother.
So, having inscribed these holy words in our souls and hearts, we should strive to ensure that our disposition and actions in life serve the glory of God and the edification of our neighbors. '

Venerable Nektarius of Optina, pray to God for us!

 
Venerable Nikon of Optina (1888–1931)


   On September 26, 1888, another child was born into a large merchant family in Moscow to Mitrofan Belyaev. The boy was named Nicholas  . He inherited a love of God from his parents. Over the years, both Nicholas and his younger brother Ivan developed and strengthened a conscious desire for the spiritual life. They decided to enter a monastery, cut a list of Russian monasteries into paper strips, and, after praying, drew a strip on which was written: 'Kozelsk Vvedensky Optina Hermitage.'
   Their family did not oppose the good decision, and on February 24, 1907, on the day of the finding of the head of St. John the Baptist, the brothers arrived at Optina Monastery. There they were warmly received by Elder Barsanuphius. On December 9, 1907, on the day of the celebration of the Icon of the Mother of God 'Unexpected Joy', the Belyaev brothers were accepted into the skete brotherhood. In October 1908, Brother Nicholas was appointed as Elder Varsonofy's secretary and released from all obediences except for church singing and reading. By this time, he became the closest disciple of Elder Barsanuphius, who, foreseeing his high destiny, was preparing him as his successor, passing on to him his spiritual and life experience, and guiding his spiritual life.
   In April 1910, Nicholas was tonsured as a ryassophore monk, and on May 24, 1915, he was tonsured into the mantle. He received the name Nikon in honor of the holy martyr Nikon (commemorated on September 28). In April 1916, Nikon was ordained a hierodeacon, and on November 3, 1917, he was elevated to the rank of hieromonk.
   After the October Revolution, Optina Monastery was closed, and persecutions began. He was arrested for the first time on September 17, 1919. In the summer of 1923, the monastery was permanently closed; the brethren, except for twenty workers at the museum, were thrown out onto the street. The abbot, Elder Isaakiy, after serving the last joint Liturgy in the Kazan church, handed the keys to Hieromonk Nikon and blessed him to serve and receive pilgrims for confession. Thus, Hieromonk Nikon, out of holy obedience to the abbot, became the last Optina Elder. At that time, Elder Nektary, who was in exile, began directing his spiritual children to Elder Nikon. Elder Nikon began receiving people and giving advice, always referring to the teachings of the Optina Elders.
   Exiled from the monastery in June 1924, the elder settled in Kozelsk, served at the Assumption Church, and received people, fulfilling his pastoral duty. Elder Nikon was arrested in June 1927 along with Father Kirill (Zlenko). Elder Nikon spent three terrible years in the Kemperpunkt camp.    At the end of his term, he was sentenced to exile in the Arkhangelsk region. Before his departure, a doctor found that Elder Nikon had a severe form of pulmonary tuberculosis and advised requesting a change of place of exile. Used to doing everything obediently, he sought advice from Father Agapitus, who had been exiled with him. He was advised not to resist God's will, and Elder Nikon humbled himself and went to the Arkhangelsk region.
   On August 3/16, 1930, he was “transferred” from Arkhangelsk to the town of Pinega. Sick, he wandered for a long time in search of lodging until he came to an agreement with a resident of the village of Voepola. In addition to a high fee, she demanded that the priest perform all the heavy physical labor. Elder Nikon's health deteriorated day by day. One day, from the unbearable work, he could not get up. Then the landlady began to drive him out of the house. Father Peter (Drachev) moved the dying man to his own neighboring village and cared for him there. Physical suffering did not dampen the spirit of the faithful servant of God; immersed in prayer, he shone with otherworldly joy and light. In the last months of his illness, he almost daily partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. On the very day of his blessed repose, June 25/July 8, 1931, he received Communion, asking that a canon for the repose of the soul to be read. By the providence of God, twelve clergymen gathered for the burial of Elder Nikon. The clergymen read the funeral service and Elder Nikon was buried in monastic order in the cemetery of the settlement of Valdokurye.
Days of remembrance: June 25 (July 8) and October 11 (24) (Synaxis of the Venerable Optina Elders)

Advice from Venerable Nikon:  Let the prayer rule be better small, but performed constantly and attentively...
   Let us take as our example a saint suitable for our situation, and rely on his example. All saints suffered because they followed the path of the Savior, who suffered: He was persecuted, insulted, slandered, and crucified. And all who follow Him inevitably suffer. “In the world you will have tribulation.” And all who wish to live piously will be persecuted. “When you begin to work for the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.” To more easily endure suffering, one must have strong faith, fervent love for the Lord, not become attached to anything earthly, and wholly surrender to the will of God. If there is no opportunity to fulfill a vow of obedience, no one to obey, one must be ready to do everything according to the will of God. There are two types of obedience: external and internal.
   External obedience requires complete submission, carrying out every task without questioning. Internal obedience pertains to the inner, spiritual life and requires guidance from a spiritual father. But the advice of a spiritual father should be checked against the Holy Scriptures... True obedience, which brings great benefit to the soul, is when you obey by doing what is contrary to your own desire, against yourself. Then the Lord Himself takes you into His hands... One should not give free rein to his emotions. One must compel oneself to act kindly even towards those we do not like. The 'Jesus Prayer' can replace the sign of the cross if for some reason it is not possible to make it. Persecutions and afflictions are beneficial to us, for they strengthen faith.
If you want to rid yourself of sorrow, do not cling with your heart to anything or anyone. Sorrow comes from attachment to visible things. There has never been, is not, and will never be a carefree place on earth. A carefree place can only exist in the heart when the Lord is in it. In sorrows and temptations, the Lord helps us. He does not free us from them but gives us the strength to endure them easily, even to the point of not noticing them. Silence prepares the soul for prayer. Oh, how beneficial silence is for the soul!
   Do not attach your heart to worldly vanity. Especially during prayer, leave all thoughts of worldly matters behind. After prayer, whether at home or in church, in order to maintain a prayerful and tender state of mind, silence is necessary. Sometimes even a simple, insignificant word can disturb and drive away the feeling of devotion from our soul.
   Self-justification closes the spiritual eyes, and then a person sees not what is actually there. Patience is continuous goodwill. Your salvation and your ruin lie in your neighbor. Your salvation depends on how you treat your neighbor. Do not forget to see the image of God in your neighbor.
Every deed, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you, should be done carefully, as if in the presence of God. Remember that the Lord sees everything.
Venerable Nikon of Optina, pray to God for us!


Venerable Isaakiy of Optina, hieromartyr

   The Holy Martyr Isaakiy of Optina (Ivan Nikolaevich Bobrikov) (1865–1938) was born in 1865 in the village of Ostrov, Oryol Governorate, into a peasant family. His father, Nikolai Rodionovich Bobrikov, born in 1836, passed away at Optina Pustyn on April 22, 1908, as a schemamonk. Here is what Elder Nektarius recounted about Ivan's arrival at Optina Pustyn: “Blessed Vasily brought him to Father Ambrosius and said: ‘Bow to his feet, he will be the last Optina Archimandrite.’ And to the young man he said: ‘You will be executed.’ On the way to the refectory, Blessed Vasily called to the pilgrims: “Bow to the last Optina Archimandrite.”  Ivan came to the Optina Pustyn Monastery at the age of 19 in 1884. On December 17, 1897, novice Ivan was officially admitted to the monastery brotherhood. Soon after, on June 7, 1898, he was tonsured into the monastic habit with the name Isaac, and on October 20 of the same year, he was ordained a hierodeacon. On October 24, on the day of the consecration of the Kazan Cathedral in the Shamordino Monastery by Bishop Benjamin of Kaluga, he was ordained a hieromonk.
   On August 30, 1913, after the death of the monastery’s abbot, the brotherhood elected Hieromonk Isaakiy as abbot.
   Elder Isaakiy did not have a moment of rest: the light in his cell usually went out only at dawn. He never hurried or fussed, relying on God in everything. And the Lord never abandoned him. On January 23, 1918, Optina Pustyn was closed, but the monastery continued under the guise of an “agricultural commune.” In the spring of 1923, the agricultural commune was shut down, the monastery was turned into a museum, and the monks were expelled. (In 1923, all the monastery’s churches were closed, and church services ceased for 65 years.) Elder Isaakiy and the monks settled in apartments in Kozelsk, and the hieromonks served in the St. George Church of Kozelsk.
   In August 1929, all the hieromonks, along with the elder, were arrested and imprisoned in the Kozelsk prison. From Kozelsk, the detainees were sent to the Sukhinnik prison, and from there to Smolensk. In January 1930, Elder Isaakiy was sent to the town of Belev in the Tula region; in 1932 he was arrested again, and on December 26/January 8, 1938 the Elder, together with other martyrs for the faith, was shot. Like the ancient martyrs, not fearing the cruelty of Christ's enemies, the holy martyr Isaac stood firm in his confession: “I will not flee from my cross!” And with his blood, he testified to his faithfulness to our Lord.
Venerable holy martyr Isaac, pray to God for us!

We will also present large excerpts from the Optina Paterikon about the ascetics who began their spiritual struggle in the Optina Desert and, by Divine Providence, left their native monastery.
 
Venerable Schema-Archimandrite Gavriil Sedmiezersky (Zyryanov)
 
   Future Elder Schema-Archimandrite Gavriil (1844 -1915) was born on March 14, 1844, in the village of Frolovo, Perm Governorate, Irbit District, into a peasant family. On August 13, 1864, Gavriil arrived at the Optina Desert. Father Isaakiy, who was the abbot of the monastery at that time, accepted him among the novices and, sending him to the breadmaking duties, instructed him to turn to the elder every day with all his confusion and every thought… Once, after catching a severe cold at the bell tower following the bakery duties, Gavriil fell gravely ill: the illness did not leave him for a full five years. Then he was struck by severe spiritual struggle. When he came to Venerable Ambrose, the elder made him recall an old sin and then said that his illness would pass. Barely alive, Gavriil was sent to a new obedience – fishing duties, where his health began to improve.”
   There the Lord performed a miracle through the prayers of His chosen one. When the monastery hut was set on fire by peasants, the novice ran out with an icon, and through his fervent prayer, the fire stopped, and the arsonists were soon punished. Their houses in the village burned down.
At the end of summer, he returned to the monastery, and in 1869 the future ascetic was clothed in the ryassaphore. Time passed, but the abbot did not want to tonsure him into the mantle, fearing that he would move to another monastery. Realizing that he would not be tonsured in Optina Pustyn, he decided to leave.
   In 1874, he entered the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery; on February 1, 1875, he was enrolled in the brotherhood, and on August 13, 1875, he was tonsured with the name in honor of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. On February 20, 1877, he was ordained a deacon. On August 14, 1880, Hierodeacon Tikhon transferred to the Moscow Monastery in honor of the Epiphany of the Lord. Hierodeacon Tikhon maintained correspondence with the Optina Elders. Following the advice of St. Ambrose, he left Moscow, and in June 1882, he received leave and went to the Raifa Monastery, where in December of the same year he was accepted into the brotherhood.
   On April 24, 1883, he was ordained as a priest. On October 7, 1883, he was appointed as the steward of the Kazan Bishop's House, and a month later he was transferred to the Sedmiezernaya Monastery. On March 4, 1889, he was appointed as the spiritual father and dean of the monastery. He took part in processions with the main icon shrine of the monastery—the Sedmiezernaya Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, from which many miracles occurred. In the fall of 1892, he overexerted himself while pulling the monastery cart out of a ravine, and on the same day suffered a severe burn to his esophagus and stomach from acetic acid. On October 5, 1892, with the blessing of Archbishop Vladimir (Petrov) of Kazan, he took the Great Schema with the name Gabriel in honor of Archangel Gabriel.
   For his courageous endurance of illness , the Lord granted the ascetic the gift of insight. According to his contemporaries, even the thoughts of people were revealed to him. With donations from visitors to the elder, whom the ascetic guided in 1899 to 1900 in the Sedmiezernaya Hermitage, a church was built in the name of St. Euthymius the Great and St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, intended for reading the Psalter unceasingly for the departed and for serving early liturgies. Later, the elder was appointed abbot of the Sedmiezernaya Hermitage, and from June 9, 1902, held the rank of archimandrite.
   On August 27, 1915, the seriously ill elder returned to Kazan. The final days of Elder Gavriil's earthly life had come, and despite his severe illness, he continued to help his spiritual children. His last words were: "Salvation is achieved through many sufferings. "On September 24, 1915, having partaken of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, Schema-Archimandrite Gavriil passed away to the Lord.
On December 25, 1996, the blessing was received from His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Rus to glorify the locally venerated saint of the Kazan diocese, Venerable Schema-Archimandrite Gavriil (Zyryanov). On July 30, 2000, the relics of the venerable Elder Gavriil were returned to the Sedmiezernaya Hermitage. Commemoration Day: October 4 (October 17) (in the Cathedral of Kazan Saints) and June 12 (June 25)

 
Elder Ambrose Balabanovsky

   "One of the last Optina elders, Schema-Archimandrite Ambrose (Vasily Fyodorovich Ivanov) (1882 – 1978), was born on January 2, 1882, in the Tambov province. He lost his father early, and, from the age of nine, became the sole breadwinner of the family. From childhood, Vasily was noted for his special inclination toward the spiritual life. When in 1897 his mother entered a monastery, he followed her advice and also joined the Optina Desert. Possessing good musical abilities, Vasily soon found himself in the right choir."
   Vasily's spiritual mentor was the now- glorified elder Joseph. After seven years, the novice was transferred to the Pafnutiev-Borovsky Monastery to serve as a choir director. There, Vasily introduced Optina-style singing, which attracted a huge number of pilgrims to the monastery. In 1911, he was tonsured into the mantle with the name Ambrose; in 1912 he was ordained hierodeacon; and in 1913 as a hieromonk. The Lord endowed His chosen one with the gifts of the Holy Spirit: the gift of discernment and the gift of healing through prayer, so that at a time when monasteries and churches were being closed, he could minister to believers in the world.
   “In the 1920s, the monastery was closed, and Father Ambrose served at a parish in a rural church of the Kaluga Diocese. During the terrible years of persecution of the Church, the doors of his house were always open to all seeking salvation, those in suffering, and those in need of spiritual help and consolation. And the local residents, who treated him with great love and respect, helped the priest to shelter and feed those who arrived.  In 1930, Father Ambrose was arrested and sent to the Semipalatinsk prison, but after praying for the healing of a hopelessly ill woman (the wife of the head of the city prison), he was released under supervision to resettle. For three years he served as a choirmaster in the local church and did farm work on the side, and in 1933 he was able to return to his parish. In 1942, Father Ambrose was appointed priest at the Transfiguration Church in the village of Spas-Prognan, near Balabanovo station, where he served for 36 years until his death. News of Elder Ambrose of Balabanovo’s death spread far beyond the Kaluga diocese, and believers from all over Russia came to him for gracious help, advice, and comfort. " († October 2/15, 1978)
Lord, give rest to the soul of Your servant, Elder Ambrose, among the saints, and by his prayers save us!

Elder Joasaph (Moiseev)

    A worthy successor to the Optina Elders was also the Schema-monk Joasaph  (Moiseev) (1889–1976). He did not spend a long time in the monastery, but he endured twenty years of courageous suffering for the Christian faith. The Lord rewarded him with the gift of insight for his strong faith and courage shown during his imprisonment. After his release, the ascetic lived as a hermit in a remote village, in a small house built especially for him on the land of his spiritual daughter. According to his spiritual daughter, the elder possessed the gift of clairvoyance, predicted that Optina Pustyn would be reopened, and also foretold the early death of her brother.
   Schema-monk Joasaph was buried in the cemetery of the town of Gryazi. His grave attracts a large number of suffering people. According to the testimony of the faithful, many receive gracious
assistance through the prayers of Schema-monk Joasaf. On November 30, 2005, his remains were transferred from the Lipetsk region to the Optina Monastery and buried in the mass grave.
   Lord, give rest to the soul of Your servant, Elder Joasaph, among the saints, and by his prayers save us!

   You can read more about the lives of the Holy Elders and ascetics of the Optina Monastery in the book, Optina Patericon.

Conclusion

   The Optina Elders and ascetics endured many sorrows, their spiritual journey beginning with the prayers of the Optina Elders. Blessing their spiritual children, the clairvoyants often foresaw their sorrowful journey and prayed to God to strengthen them during the years of trial in the difficult post-revolutionary period. Now they pray to the Lord to have mercy on all of us who turn to them for their prayerful intercession. May God, through the prayers of the Holy Saints, help us not to fall into despondency, and to remember, as the Optina Elders taught, that everything is sent by God.
   May God, through their prayers, help us courageously endure all temptations and give thanks to God for His great mercy to us sinners.
   Also in the Holy monastery, was a young man who took up monastic vows and was ordained a deacon, the future Venerable Confessor Archimandrite Georgy (secular name Gerasim Lavrov) (1868-1932). From the age of twelve, he labored in the holy monastery with the blessing of the future Venerable Ambrose of Optina. Later, as an abbot, Father Georgy was appointed abbot of the Meshchevsky St. George Monastery in the Kaluga Diocese. In 1918, he was arrested. While in prison, he received a blessing for eldership from Metropolitan Kirill (Smirnov), was released from prison on bail by Bishop Theodore (Pozdeevsky), and was accepted into the rank of a monk at the Danilov Monastery.

 
   After his release in 1922, Abbot Georgy was elevated to the rank of archimandrite at the Danilov Monastery. His simplicity and boundless love attracted many spiritual children to him. On July 4, 1932, Archimandrite Georgy died in Nizhny Novgorod shortly after his release from exile. His voluntary suffering for Christ, righteous life, and miracles served as the basis for Archimandrite Georgy's canonization, and the Danilov Monastery acquired a new heavenly intercessor and protector.
   The Venerable Confessor Archimandrite Georgy (Lavrov) was canonized as a New Martyr and Confessor of Russia on August 20, 2000, by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. His holy relics were uncovered and are now housed in the St. Daniel Monastery in Moscow.
   In conclusion, we would like to quote the words from the Akathist of Thanksgiving, "Glory to God for Everything," written by Metropolitan Tryphon (Turkestanov) (1861-1934).
 
   Metropolitan Tryphon  (born Boris Petrovich Turkestanov) was born on November 29, 1861, in Moscow. His father, Prince Turkestanov (1830–1891), was a direct descendant of an ancient princely family from Georgia. His mother was Varvara Alexandrovna, n;e Princess Naryshkina.
   During her son's serious illness as an infant, when doctors had given up hope for his recovery, his mother went to the Church of the Holy Martyr Tryphon and prayed for his healing, promising to dedicate her son to God after his recovery and, if he were worthy of monasticism, to give him the name Tryphon. When the infant recovered, she took him to Optina Pustyn to see Elder Ambrose. Upon meeting them, the elder unexpectedly said to the people standing before him, "Make way, the bishop is coming." The people parted to their surprise, seeing a woman with a child instead of a bishop. In 1887, Boris, having received his parents' blessing, entered Optina Pustyn as a novice to Elder Ambrose, who blessed him for monasticism.
   In 1891, Boris took monastic vows with the name Tryphon, in honor of the holy martyr Tryphon—thus fulfilling his mother's vow. Soon, Father Tryphon was ordained a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk. Elder Ambrose blessed him to study at the Moscow Theological Academy. During his studies, Hieromonk Tryphon chose to serve in a transit prison. In 1895, Father Tryphon graduated from the Academy with a candidate's degree in theology, defending his dissertation on "The Ancient Christian and Optina Elders." He spoke five languages. From 1895 to 1901, Father Tryphon served as superintendent of the Moscow Theological School and rector of the Bethany and then Moscow Theological Seminaries. On July 18, 1901, he became Bishop of Dmitrov, vicar of the Moscow diocese, a post he held for nearly 15 years.  Bishop Tryphon was spiritually connected to many ascetics of the Russian Church—the Optina elders Anatoly and Barsanuphius (whom he elevated to the rank of archimandrite), Elder Barnabas of the Gethsemane Skete, and Elder Zachariah.
   From 1918, Bishop Tryphon lived in Moscow. A constant stream of visitors came to him for advice on both spiritual and everyday matters. The faithful already revered him as a great bishop, a remarkable preacher, and a spiritually inspired Elder.

Kontakion1   
The storms of life are not frightening to one in whose heart the lamp of Your fire shines. All around is storm and darkness, terror and the howling of the wind. But in his soul there is peace and light: Christ is there! And the heart sings: Alleluia!

The Elders of Pskov-Caves

 Elder Simeon (Zhelnin)

   Three years after the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Pskov-Caves Monastery became one of the most visited monasteries in Russia, as many people flocked there to see the clairvoyant Elder Simeon.
   Numerous instances of healing brought about through the Elder's prayers are well documented. Pilgrims visiting the monastery testified that, through his intercession, they were cured of illnesses, found good employment, and saw the lives of their children and relatives set right. Out of humility, Elder Simeon would claim that he was no clairvoyant; yet, many recollections have survived describing how the Elder would speak of the ailments of people he had never met, or how he would answer letters that were still in transit to the monastery.
   Íå foretold that the monastery’s Abbot, Father Pimen, would become Patriarch. The Elder served in the monastery’s Dormition Church for thirty years—and for thirty years, his prayer never ceased, whether in the church or in his cell.
   The Venerable Simeon was born on March 1, 1869, in the village of Yakovlevskaya, in the Ostrov District of the Pskov Governorate; a son was born to John and Natalia Zhelnin, and at his baptism, the boy was named Basil. His pious parents raised Basil in the love of God. The Zhelnin home was always open to pilgrims and travelers. He was received into the Pskov-Caves Monastery in 1896 and immediately became the cell attendant to the monastery’s Abbot, Father Methodius. After serving as his cell attendant for seven years, in 1900 the novice Vasily was tonsured a monk with the name Vassian, and in 1901 he was ordained a hierodeacon. In 1903, he was ordained a hieromonk; shortly thereafter, he was assigned to Pskov—specifically to the Snetogorsky Monastery—to serve as its steward, charged with restoring both the monastery and its economic operations. After residing there for four years, he returned to his home monastery at the age of forty-six. On February 2, 1927, he received the Great Schema under the name Simeon—in memory of Simeon the God-receiver.
   Schemamonk Simeon was appointed spiritual guide to the brethren and pilgrims of the Pskov-Caves Monastery. For thirty-three years, Elder Simeon ministered to those in need of spiritual guidance, receiving the brethren and countless pilgrims in his cell.
   According to the testimony of Mother Alexandra, one evening the Elder’s spiritual daughter, Maria, came to him to ask for a blessing to depart from the monastery that very evening, explaining that she needed to be at work by the following morning. However, Elder Simeon did not grant his spiritual daughter his blessing; instead, he told her that she should travel the following day. Out of obedience, Maria did not leave the monastery until the next day; later, in a letter, she revealed that the evening train she had planned to catch had been involved in a crash.
   From the memoirs of a spiritual daughter of the Elder: “...I had been abandoned by a loved one whom I cherished deeply. My grief knew no bounds... When I entered Father Simeon’s cell, I burst into bitter tears. The Father said: ‘...He is not worth your tears.’ And he wiped away my tears and gave me his blessing. He instructed me to come for confession and to receive Holy Communion. From that moment on, I even forgot that I had ever known such sorrow; I marveled at how I could have fallen into despair—when God is with us, when God’s world is so beautiful, and His mercy toward us is ineffable. The Lord sends us Angels in human form—such as Father Simeon—and through them, He saves us from death. Glory be to You, O Lord, for our salvation.” Notably, in the 1950s, through the prayers of the Elder, a six-year-old child who had been a deaf-mute from birth was healed.
   It was revealed to the Elder that he was to depart unto the Lord on January 2/15, 1960—the feast day of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov. However, the monastery’s Abbot, Archimandrite Alipy (Voronov, † 1975)—who had come to visit the ailing Elder—asked him not to hasten his departure, so as not to cast a shadow over the upcoming feast of the Theophany of the Lord; he therefore requested that the Elder pray to God for a postponement of his passing. "Very well," the humble Elder replied, "you are the Abbot, and I am but a novice; let it be as you wish." And so it came to pass: the Elder reposed on the Eve of the Theophany, yet his burial took place only after the feast itself had concluded. (Repose — January 5/18)
   By the day of his burial, many of his spiritual children had arrived at the monastery from various places. The funeral service for the departed was officiated by the monastery’s Abbot, Archimandrite Alipy, together with forty other clergymen. Following the service, the coffin containing the venerable relics of the Elder was placed within the monastery’s caves, at a site he himself had designated during his lifetime.
   The memory of the Elder, Hieroschemonk Simeon, is held in sacred reverence at the Pskov-Caves Monastery, where he labored for sixty-four years, striving in the good fight.
   On April 1, 2003, Hieroschemonk Simeon was glorified  and canonized among the Saints of Pskov-Caves. From that time forth, his holy relics have reposed in the monastery’s Church of the Presentation.
The Teaching of Elder Simeon

"To train ourselves not to judge anyone, we must immediately pray for the one who has sinned, that the Lord may set him right...
Do not judge your neighbor: his sin is known to you, but his repentance is unknown.
To avoid judging, one must flee from those who judge, and guard one’s ears. Let us adopt two rules for ourselves: to place no credence in those who judge others; and never to speak ill of those who are absent.
Harbor no evil thoughts toward anyone, lest you yourself become evil; for a good person thinks good thoughts, while an evil person thinks evil ones. Let us remember the old folks sayings: "Whatever you judge in another, you yourself shall experience"; and "Know yourself—and that is enough." The shortest path to salvation is to refrain from judging. Here is a path that requires neither fasting, nor vigils, nor arduous labor. "

Elder Afinogen
 
   Before becoming the spiritual father to the brethren, Elder Afinogen(in the Great Schema, Agapiy) (1881–1979) was destined to walk a path of suffering—through Stalinist camps, through exile, and through occupation. Later, the Elder would write: “Both in prison and in the camp—everywhere—the Lord guarded me from mortal peril: ‘The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death’ (Ps. 117:18).” According to the testimony of his contemporaries, the ascetic was vouchsafed the gifts of the Holy Spirit—of clairvoyance and of healing through prayer.
   Elder Afinogen was born în January 24, 1881, in the village of Karmanovo in the Vyshny Volochek District of the Tver Governorate, to the poor peasant couple Kuzma and Irina Agapov. At his baptism, he was named Vasily, in honor of Saint Basil the Great. On April 19, 1903, by the grace of God, Vasily was received into the Monastery of St. Macarius the Roman.
   On June 1, 1908, Vasily was vested in the ryassophore by the monastery's abbot, and three years later, he was tonsured into the mantia. At his tonsure, Vasily received the new name Afinogen, in memory of the martyred Bishop of Sebaste. On December 9, 1912, Father Afinogen was ordained a hierodeacon in Novgorod's St. Sophia Cathedral. On June 18, 1917, Hierodeacon Afinogen was ordained a hieromonk by Archbishop Arseny (Stadnitsky) of Novgorod and Staraya Russa at the Voskresensko-Makarevsky Monastery.The parishioners greatly loved the gentle ascetic; everyone sought confession with him. He spent six months in the Novgorod city prison and was sentenced to three years of exile in the small town of Ostashkov. Upon his release, he returned to his native monastery. However, on February 18, 1932, he was arrested once again; this time, he was compelled to serve a three-year term in a concentration camp, where he participated in the construction of the White Sea–Baltic Canal. The Elder recalled that during those arduous years, he survived solely through unceasing prayer. By the providence of God, following his release, Father Afinogen pursued his spiritual labors at the Pskov-Caves Monastery. In 1960, Elder Afinogen became the spiritual father to the brethren; furthermore, he was assigned the obedience of performing exorcisms upon the demon-possessed. The now-glorified Elder Simeon (Zhelnin) had, prior to his own repose, blessed Elder Afinogen to undertake this obedience.
   The Elder’s final years were dedicated to his spiritual children and to the pilgrims who flocked to the Pskov-Caves Monastery from all corners of the country.
   Many of the sick were healed through the prayers of the Elder. His spiritual children knew of the Elder’s gift of clairvoyance; he heard confessions strictly, yet mercifully, and typically assigned no special penances. At times, sighing, the Elder would say: “Soon I shall go to the Lord. And He will ask me: “Why did you not assign penances?” And my only answer will be: “Because I loved the people so very much.”
   During confession, the Elder required, first and foremost, that one recognize two great sins of ours and repent of them: the first—ingratitude toward God for all that He grants us; and the second—the absence of true fear of God, of reverence before Him. Only thereafter was one to speak of all other sins—those that stem from these two.
   The Elder reposed in the Lord on February 24, 1979. From the recollections of the Elder’s cell-attendant: "He lay there with a smile upon his lips—so full of joy, as if he were beholding a vision. They dressed Father, laid him in his coffin, and carried him to the Dormition Cathedral, where a memorial service was held... The next morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated there; afterward, the funeral rites were performed for Father, and he was carried away to the Caves. As they bore him along, Nina—a spiritual daughter of the Elder—cried out inwardly: 'Father, Father, where are you going?' And she heard a voice reply: 'Why do you ask? It is only the body they have carried away; I am alive.'" O Lord, grant rest to the soul of the Elder Afinogen; grant him rest among the saints, and through his prayers, save us!

From the Spiritual Counsels of Elder Afinogen

"Live simply—like a little child. The Lord is so full of love that you cannot even imagine it. Even though we are sinners, go to the Lord nonetheless and ask for forgiveness. Only do not lose heart—be like a child... Even when we commit mortal sins, the Lord still waits for us to come to Him in repentance.
The Elder spoke of the path to the Kingdom of Heaven in this way: "One must proceed there gradually, and you still have work to do upon yourself. Whoever rushes headlong toward it is dragged back; he is empty. What place is there for such a one? But you—go slowly—and you will reach it; only do not hurry."
The Lord Himself commands us to read the Psalter… Without God, you cannot even cross the threshold. If all your affairs proceed well and smoothly, it means the Lord has blessed them, and every undertaking you conceive will come to fruition; but if you encounter any obstacles in anything, it is surely contrary to God’s will. In that case, do not struggle in vain—nothing will come of it anyway—but rather submit yourself to the will of God.
When the Elder was told that there was neither almsgiving nor mercy to be found, he replied: "If someone gives you a rap on the head, thank him—and there is your alms."
To refrain from taking offense, ask the Lord; the Holy Spirit is always present here. Say: "O Holy Spirit, help me to refrain from bearing grudges.'"

 
Elder Schema-Hegumen Savva (Ostapenko)

   When, in 1955—by decree of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I—Elder Savva was transferred to the Pskov-Caves Monastery, pilgrims from cities and villages far and wide flocked there: those who knew him from the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, as well as the Elder’s own spiritual children.
The Elder bore a special obedience: he performed exorcisms upon those possessed by demons. Although the Elder’s own nature was gentle and quiet, he always conducted these exorcisms with firmness and intense concentration.
   The spiritual children of the great Father Savva  (1898–1980) have left behind a multitude of testimonies regarding the miraculous aid that came from the Lord through the prayers of this great Elder.
   He was born on November 12/25, 1898, in the Kuban region, into a large and pious family; at his baptism, he was given the name Nicholas.
   At the age of eight, Nicholas fell through the ice into an open hole in the river. Though miraculously saved, the boy fell gravely ill, and there was very little hope for his recovery. To the child, emaciated by his illness, his future was revealed in a miraculous vision.
This is what Elder Savva recounted regarding the event to a certain clergyman: “One night, I lay awake for a long time unable to sleep; suddenly, I saw myself—as a grown man and a hieromonk—projected upon the ceiling, and my heart was stirred with an ineffable emotion. Shortly thereafter, I made a rapid recovery.”
   The Elder recounted that, throughout all those years, he had dreamed of dedicating himself to the service of the Lord. One day, after offering fervent prayer before retiring for the night, the future ascetic was vouchsafed—in a state of light slumber—a vision of the Holy Great Martyr Paraskeva. The holy virgin revealed to Nicholas the path to the monastic life.
   At the age of thirty-five, Nicholas Mikhailovich was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Athonite Elder Hilarion. The Elder foretold the imminent reopening of monasteries and offered these words of consolation: “You shall live in a Lavra.” Soon, the prophecy came to pass: a Theological Seminary opened in Moscow, within the Novodevichy Convent (the seminary was later relocated to the city of Zagorsk). Nikolai successfully passed his entrance examination and was enrolled in the seminary. On October 25 / November 7, 1948, Nikolai was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra. Upon his tonsure, he was given the name Savva, in honor of the Venerable Savva of Storozhev.
   During his early years, the monk Savva was assigned—as an act of obedience—to serve as the monastery’s steward; later, he was appointed spiritual director for the pilgrims. In time, the Elder—Schema-Hegumen Alexy—blessed Hieromonk Savva to assist him in his ministry as a spiritual director, imparting to him his own spiritual wisdom; shortly before his own repose, the Elder entrusted Hieromonk Savva with the sacred ministry of eldership.
   Many believers received healing through the prayers of Elder Savva. Here is one such testimony regarding the grace-filled power of the Elder’s prayer. Anna, who was gravely ill, was admitted to the hospital (doctors had diagnosed her with lung cancer). Anna’s daughter traveled to the Lavra to request the Elder’s prayers for her ailing mother. Elder Savva served a prayer service before the relics of Saint Sergius; he offered comfort and gave assurance that everything would turn out well. He instructed that a prosphora be taken to the sick woman, telling her to eat the entire loaf. The very next day, the doctors were bewildered: her appetite had returned, and they ordered a follow-up examination. No trace of cancer was found. Anna was discharged from the hospital. Later, she traveled to the Lavra in person to give thanks to the Lord, who had healed her through the Elder’s prayers.
   Upon meeting her, the Elder asked: “And where is your cancer? Did it crawl away?”
In the summer of 1954, an order arrived from the Patriarch transferring Father Savva to the Pskov-Caves Monastery. One day, Father George, a priest from Moscow, came to visit an elder at the Pskov-Caves Monastery; his five-year-old daughter, Maria, could neither walk nor speak. Elder Savva prayed for the ailing child and blessed them to return home. At the train station, Maria walked and spoke for the very first time. The overjoyed parents gave thanks to the Lord for the miracle of healing granted through the prayers of Elder Savva.
   In 1958, Elder Savva was appointed rector of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the city of Velikiye Luki. Elder Savva accepted this new obedience without complaint; he was tasked with restoring a semi-ruined cemetery church. Everything necessary for the repairs appeared miraculously in response to the Elder's prayers. Many of the Elder's spiritual children traveled to Velikiye Luki, and each helped however they could.
Within two months, the church was restored to order. Rumors of the clairvoyant Elder spread like wildfire, and the small church could not accommodate all the pilgrims.
Having fulfilled his obedience in Velikiye Luki, the Elder returned to his home monastery.
   A caring pastor advised his spiritual children to perform the Rule of the Theotokos daily—reciting 150 prayers of "Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos." He urged them to read the Gospel more frequently, specifically the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1–12), Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John (concerning love), and the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans (Chapter 13).
When resolving "perplexing" questions, he gave his blessing to cast lots. He would say: "It is permissible—and indeed praiseworthy—to cast lots in cases of uncertainty. Before doing so, one must make three prostrations while reciting the Jesus Prayer, and then recite 'O Heavenly King,' the 'Our Father' three times, 'Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos' three times, and the Creed. One must, however, possess a living faith and place one's trust in God." He also remarked: "Casting lots is beneficial because it severs one's own self-will."
On Sunday, July 14/27, 1980, the monastery bell of the Pskov-Caves Holy Dormition Monastery announced the passing of Schema-Hegumen Savva.
   The Elder often loved to repeat the saying of the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov: “Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.” Following the counsel of the Venerable Seraphim, the grace-filled Elder—Schema-Hegumen Savva—spent his entire life “acquiring a peaceful spirit”; and the thousands of people who found salvation in his presence during his lifetime continue to feel his tireless care even now. The numerous testimonies of the Elder’s prayerful intercession before the Lord on behalf of the faithful leave no doubt that, in due time, Elder Savva will be glorified.
   O Lord, grant rest to the soul of Elder Savva; grant him rest among the saints, and through his prayers, save us!

From the Spiritual Counsels of Elder Savva

Begin every undertaking with prayer. Your prayer book contains a specific prayer to be recited before commencing a task. Always recite it, and—having received God’s blessing through this prayer—you will find success in your labors. And once your work is complete, do not forget to give thanks to the Lord.
Before every action you take, be guided by the following Christian reasoning:
Despondency, sloth, and negligence are the three giants by which the entire human race is bound. Therefore, we pray every day to the Queen of Heaven: "Take away from me—Thy humble and wretched servant—despondency, forgetfulness, folly, and negligence..."
The Elder spoke at length about the "domestic cross"—how one might find salvation within the home environment:
"The Enemy attacks us believers with particular ferocity by disrupting our peace. Those who strive zealously for piety often have to endure intense displeasure—and even hostility—from their own household members on account of their devotion, even though those who harbor this enmity may give no outward sign that their hostility stems specifically from that piety. It is precisely here that you must exercise patience. Do not become agitated; do not despair; but call to mind the words of the Savior: 'A man’s enemies will be those of his own household' (Matt. 10:36)."
As for your shortcomings, strive to correct them; take note of what others accuse you of—what passions they perceive within your heart—for in the intimacy of domestic life, all passions are laid bare, and your loved ones know them all too well... View yourself dispassionately; examine your own soul. Perhaps, in truth, you do possess a difficult temperament... Strive to be gentle and unexcitable; do not offer reproof for every little thing—rather, bear with certain matters, passing over them in silence. When you sense that your rebuke might ignite a conflagration, then turn a blind eye to your neighbor’s actions and pray fervently for him, for love "hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Cor. 13:7).

Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)

   On February 5—the day of the commemoration of the Council of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia—at the age of 95, the eldest resident and spiritual guide of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery, the deeply and universally beloved Elder Archimandrite John (Krestiankin), reposed in the Lord. Among the most renowned and popular books compiled from his conversations and letters are "An Attempt at Constructing a Confession", "Sermons, Reflections, and Greetings", "A Handbook for Monastics and Laity", as well as the collection Letters of Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)  ". Father John’s conversations and letters have been translated and published in various foreign languages.
   The future ascetic was born on April 11, 1910, in the city of Orel, into the family of Mikhail and Elizaveta Krestiankin. (He was their eighth child.) At his baptism, the boy was named John, in honor of the Venerable John the Hermit, whose feast day was celebrated on that date. Even in his childhood, Vanya served in the church and acted as a novice under Archbishop Seraphim (Ostroumov) of Orel, who was renowned for his monastic strictness.
   On January 14, 1945, at the church in Vagankovo, Metropolitan Nikolai (Yarushevich) ordained him to the diaconate. On October 25 of the same year, Deacon Ioann was ordained to the priesthood by Patriarch Alexy I at the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Izmailovo, Moscow, where he remained to serve.
   In 1950, having completed four years of study at the Moscow Theological Academy, Father John wrote his candidate’s thesis. However, he was unable to complete it. On the night of April 29–30, 1950—during those years of godlessness—Father John was arrested; he was subsequently sentenced to seven years in corrective labor camps. Upon his early release from imprisonment on February 15, 1955, he was assigned to the Pskov Diocese; in 1957, he was transferred to the Ryazan Diocese, where he served as a priest for a total of nearly eleven years.
    Father John was tonsured a monk on June 10, 1966—the feast day of the Venerable Sampson the Hospitable—in the city of Sukhumi.
   On March 5, 1967, Hieromonk John entered the Pskov-Caves Monastery. On April 13, 1970, he was elevated to the rank of Abbot, and on April 7, 1973, to the rank of Archimandrite.  Many believers traveled to the Elder to seek spiritual counsel. The Elder was endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit—specifically, the gift of clairvoyance and the gift of discernment. Those who heeded his words later gave thanks to God, for everything in their lives subsequently fell into place. However, those who treated his warnings with levity later came to regret this deeply. A tragic fate awaited one of the Elder’s spiritual daughters, who disregarded his advice; he had urged the woman—who was exhausted from overwork—to take a full month of rest before undergoing eye surgery (she was suffering from cataracts). Yet, she entered the hospital without having taken the necessary rest; during the operation, she suffered a massive stroke that left her completely paralyzed. She passed away shortly thereafter.
   Archimandrite John (Krestiankin) departed to the Lord in February 2006 at the age of 95 after a serious illness. On February 8, 2021, the Pskov Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church announced that it is currently in the process of canonizing him.

Sayings  of Archimandrite John (Krestiankin):

The most important things in the spiritual life are faith in Divine Providence and discernment guided by counsel.
With God, everything happens at the right time for those who know how to wait.
If sin is laid as the very foundation of one’s life from the very beginning, then expecting to reap good fruit in such a case is doubtful…We have reached a time when man is saved only through sorrows.
One does not step down from the Cross given by God—one is taken down from it.
Illnesses—permitted by God—serve to further man’s true good. They slow down our frenzied rush through life, compelling us to pause for reflection and to seek help. As a rule, human aid proves powerless and is quickly exhausted; thus, man turns to God...