Archpriest Michael Ryazantsev: Young priests need spiritual support mp

Archpriest Michael Ryazantsev: Young priests need spiritual support Протоиерей Михаил Рязанцев: Молодым священникам нужна духовная поддержка print version July 24, 2018 16:02 A valuable experience, which in recent decades appeared in the Russian Orthodox Church, is the practice of "sorokoust" for those who have recently accepted the grace of the priesthood. Protopriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, the key-holder of the cathedral church of Christ the Savior of Moscow, tells the "Magazine of the Moscow Patriarchate" ( No. 6, 2018 ) about how the henchmen comprehend liturgical traditions and with what difficulties. - Your Reverence, how and why there was a practice for the henchmen in the cathedral church of Christ the Savior? How has it changed in recent years? - This tradition was formed under His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II . Earlier in the parishes were ordained little, mostly in spiritual schools. When the modern church life has already received sufficient development, there was a need, and the possibility of introducing practice for the henchmen. It lasted exactly 40 days, it was in the full sense of the word sorokoust. In different dioceses, practice takes place in its own way. It must be said that the Moscow Patriarchate most of the priestly ordinations is now being performed by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill , because he believes that he must personally get acquainted with the person to whom the hands will be entrusted. The priest in the evening of the same day after ordination comes to our temple and begins to serve. In addition to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, ordained priests can send for this to the Epiphany Cathedral in Elokhov , to the Ascension Church of the Lord at the Nikitsky Gate or to the Church of Martin the Confessor. Initially, it was about 40 Liturgies in a row. But not so long ago, the practice of social service was added to the liturgical practice. At first they decided to try to curtail the liturgical practice for up to 30 days, and for the remaining 10 the cleric entered the disposal of Bishop Panteleimon , head of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service . But in the end it turned out that this period is not enough to master the basic wisdom of worship. At the last extended meeting of the Diocesan Council, I asked His Holiness to return 40 days of worship, and this decision was made. I believe that this period is the minimum for the intern to feel confident. The priests and deacons pass through the priestly sorokoust. This is not only the performance of the Divine Liturgy, but also other rites and orders. Everything begins with the service of prayer services, then we introduce a young priest to perform the sacraments of Baptism and Wedding. - People who come to baptize their child or get married, do not mind that the mystery was made by an inexperienced priest? - We have never had any objections. In addition, if a new-born person does not have enough knowledge, he will first serve a more experienced clergyman for a certain period of time, looking at everything from the outside. Of course, much depends on the previous experience of man. During the first week, we look, whether he understands how he grasps the essence - quickly or he needs a "swing". The level of training of henchmen, who now come to us, is different. From very well-prepared, who literally in three days all master, well know the service book and are ready to show their knowledge in practice, to those who are struggling in their new duties. - But after all, a young priest after theological schools should already know the liturgy at a certain level? - In my opinion, earlier, when the seminary was an average educational institution, there they gave more serious preparation precisely for the performance of worship. For example, we liturgics, as well as the subject "Practical Guide for the Shepherds" taught the future metropolitan of Astrakhan and Kamyzyak Ion , who was then dean of the Intercession Academic Church. In the lessons we mainly dealt with practical issues, we can say that we were "trained" by them. The teacher wanted us to learn the order of worship, and what he had instilled and explained to us is still in our heads. Yes, we did not do much research on the history of worship. But when they came to serve, we were all familiar and understandable. Now in seminaries the main emphasis is on science, languages ​​and other subjects. And we notice that not all seminarians consider it important to devote sufficient time to practical liturgy. But in addition to the knowledge gained in the theological schools, today there is also a special preparation before consecration. These duties are divided by vicariate. Somewhere more suited to this, somewhere less, and, unfortunately, a weak preparation is always very noticeable. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill has recently been paying more and more attention to the training of young priests. Now they began to approach this more strictly. Earlier, if the cleric was practicing unsatisfactorily, it remained only on his conscience. Now after the end of the forty-hour we write a description of how much, in our opinion, a person is prepared for independent service. - Can the course be extended as needed or, conversely, shortened for successful candidates? - We have not had such cases yet. Although for educational purposes, the clergy have to "threaten": you will practice until you learn how to properly serve. Even in 40 days a person can not be taught everything. They can learn the liturgy, performing sacraments, sacraments, prayers and other services, but, say, the Lenten services can be left without due attention, because not all are practicing during this period. Or vice versa - those who serve in our Lent, do not often serve the Liturgy. - For young priests, practice in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior is a difficult test? Is it not too difficult for a new-born person to serve daily, without days off? - The introduction of the sentimental sorokousta pursued purely practical goals. Because when a person comes to serve, at first he can feel insecure, there is a shiver in his voice or in his knees. Afraid not to turn around, do something wrong ... We try to explain to the young priest that we should not worry. After all, he came here to study, and therefore should not be afraid of mistakes. Of course, it is more difficult if a person makes the same mistake every time in the same place. But most often corrected - this is personal growth, improvement. Very well, if after practice a young priest gets to the experienced abbot. But if he himself is appointed a rector and a lot of care falls on him, then it is already more difficult. Therefore, I advise you to use the moment when you can only serve and fully understand the essence of worship. Read the service book, and it's better between services, and not at a time when you need not only look after the prayers, but also see what is happening around! Practice is the time when you are freed from all your other duties. It is given to comprehend the practical meaning of worship. It happens that after a month of practice, a clean service book turns out to be full of comments, notes, instructions. I think in the future such a book becomes for the priest dear memory of this time. - When there is excitement and there is at least a minimum experience for prayer? By the fifth, to the tenth service? - This is a difficult question. Probably, this happens when new clerics leave the walls of this temple. About two weeks after the consecration, the cleric regains consciousness, then, figuratively speaking, consciousness begins to clear up, and he is already oriented in his actions. Then the acquired skills must be secured. I always say: you need to feel the support under your feet, and everything else comes with experience. Necessary foundations as a result master everything, but much depends on the personality of the priest. Of course, one can not generalize, because sometimes already prepared clerics come. Minor flaws are at all, practice exists just to remove them. In a spiritual sense, since a person in the first services is often aroused and afraid to make mistakes, it is difficult to talk about any kind of intense prayer. I myself went through it. With time comes calmness, balance, confidence in their sacred actions, and then you begin to pray as it should. It comes after forty times. - Except the excitement, what other psychological and spiritual problems do young priests face? - My experience shows that young priests need spiritual support. This year it was decided that the newly appointed clergyman could communicate with the confessor twice a week on his state of affairs. This is very timely. It must be remembered that the ministry does not take place only mechanically, there is both spiritual and spiritual side. The personality and work of the priest is also influenced by how the relationship is built in his family, and how his life changed after ordination. Here, of course, there may be some problems. These questions also need to be discussed with the confessor. In general, 40 days is not such a long time that you can experience all the variety of feelings and psychological conditions that the priest passes after ordination. If people come who are very worried, it is good if by the end of the practice they become more confident. And if they come with a certain experience, then they can serve even with obvious pleasure. It also happens that the clergyman ordains, and he already somewhere has obedience: in the diocese or in the vicariate, and he has between the services to deal with and their official duties. Such people, of course, are more difficult. - What should be the result of practice - knowledge by heart? Are there any practical "secrets" in teaching? - The degree of self-preparation is very important. I want already now to wish the altarsmen or the deacons who think about the priestly rank, so that they do not become isolated on their duties and look wider. Who knows when God's Providence will call for service? It is good to begin to prepare in advance for the taking of dignity. What happens in the altar, for example, during the Cherubic song, occurs in dynamics, and, of course, the priest must already know all the dialogues with the deacon, have time to remove the chalice covers from the sacred vessels and cover them with air. As a rule, it is on this trainee stop, and no one can remember anything. By this time, you need to prepare. As for the "secrets", then, for example, it has become a classic way to hold the book under the elbow during incense. Without this, sometimes at first the hands "fly apart" and the coal can fly out. Or even all the turns I teach only through the right shoulder. Many people do it differently. Of course, there is nothing sacred in this, but when everything is done in a proper order and in a certain order, it helps the parishioners, does not dispel attention, does not distract from prayer. - How did you, as a young priest, cope with the difficulties, which you now told? What was the most difficult and how different was your practice from that of the young priests now? - Personally, I did not pass the sorokoust in the form in which it is now. I was ordained to deacons when I also had a deaconate with His Holiness Patriarch Pimen . My ministry was mainly on his services on Saturday and Sunday days, and even then not always, therefore, the deacon's practice for me is small - just a year. After the priestly ordination, I was appointed to the Novodevichy Convent . When I arrived there, I also did not have a forty-seat, but older priests helped me. For me personally, this was not a special problem. My father was a priest, and I have seen everything since childhood. Perhaps, it was difficult to understand the meaning of the prayers. I wanted to manage not only to perform some necessary actions, but also to pray with all my heart, but this did not work. But I felt confident enough even at the first services. And that's why I do not understand how sometimes it happens that priests' children are ordained, and in practice we later find out that their knowledge is not enough. - Who else, besides Patriarch Pimen, was for you a model of service? - The main example for me was my father - Archpriest John Ryazantsev. In addition, when I served in the Epiphany Cathedral, I was fortunate enough to serve with many worthy clergymen. For example, such as Protopresbyter Vitaly Borovoi, Protopresbyter Matthew Stadnyuk . He gave us an example: he came to the early Liturgy and read the notes, and then went to serve the Liturgy. In the Novodevichy Convent, I studied with priests Leonid Kuzminov, Sergiy Suzdaltsev. They were different in character and mentality, but these pastors were united by a special reverential attitude to worship. These people passed, if not through direct persecution, then through serious humiliation for sure. And when they accepted the dignity, they knew what they were on, but they had faith and a desire to serve God and people. It was felt: they did not go for career growth, which, unfortunately, is sometimes contemplated by the current clergy. None of them thought about it. Such examples were before my eyes, and now I try to imitate them, continue the Moscow tradition of worship. - What features of the Liturgy ministry, characteristic of these wonderful pastors, do you consider important to convey to the young priests? - The Moscow tradition of service was always distinguished by its splendor, the worship was beautiful and inspired. I remember back in the Soviet times how a priest from Leningrad came to visit us - they studied with my father in the seminary. When they drove through our Moscow churches, the guest was surprised: "How wonderful you are in the temples! Beauty, cleanliness, order. " Clearly, he did not mean the beauty of architecture or interior, but the attitude to the temple as a shrine. At us even grandmothers cleaned up in temples after the termination of service with especial love - cleaned candlesticks, wiped floors, each corner. This was done not just on duty. People perceived the temple as a holy place, where there should be a special order. I often tell the deacons that we practice, that the ministry begins with the entrance to the litany. He has not said anything yet, but people already see him and are tuned. It's one thing when he comes out neat, walking reverently, confidently, calmly. But if they "fly out" from the altar and begin to hastily or negligently make the sign of the cross, then this is very bad. The mood of a clergyman is always given to people. If a deacon or a priest is awed by what he does, then this reverence for God's special will passes to people. And not only for the worshipers, but also for those who enter the temple out of curiosity. In the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, both clerics and other employees try to preserve the spirit of traditional Moscow worship. Therefore, young priests can get a good practice here. It can not be said that this is some very great experience, but at least they manage to learn the main thing.

Abbess Quiz (Perminova): The Lord wants our heart to belong to Him

The abbess of the Theotokos-Rozhdestvenskogo stauropegial nunnery in Moscow, Abbess Viktorina (Perminova) gave an interview to the portal "Monastic Herald". - Mother, July 19 marks the 25th anniversary of the revival of the Mother of God-Christmas monastery. Tell us, please, what did you remember that day? Why is it that the most recent history of your monastery is counted from? - It was on this day that the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church decided to open the monastery. The monastery was given the status of a stauropegic. It is significant that on this day the celebration of the Cathedral of the Radonezh Saints takes place. After all, the founder of St. Sergius was helped by the founder of our monastery, Princess Maria Ivanovna Serpukhovskaya (in the schema - Martha). She was a spiritual daughter of the Radonezh hegumen and gave him the lands that belonged to her, so that the Trinity Monastery settled on them, now - the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius . Princess Mary and her son, Prince Vladimir Andreevich the Brave, did much for the Trinity Monastery. And in an amazing way, the Radonezh saints patronize our Nativity Monastery. The day of July 19, 1993 was remembered to me, first of all, by the words of the ever- remembered Most Holy Patriarch Alexy II : "It can not be!" So His Holiness expressed surprise when he learned that it was left to put a single signature on the Moscow Government Decree. To the monastery could exist, it was necessary to obtain permission from the city authorities. In those years, after seventy years of state atheism, it was not easy to obtain an official permit. This was preceded by difficulties, sometimes insurmountable. But, only having received the Resolution of the Government, it was possible to decide the issue of opening a monastery. By the grace of God, the prayers of the Queen of Heaven and all the patrons of the monastery, the impossible became possible. Similar was in the history of the revival and other monasteries and temples at that time. On July 19, in the Chistiy Lane, a meeting of the Holy Synod was to be held. When I reported on the phone to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy that the necessary documents for the opening were collected and there was only one signature, His Holiness was very surprised and blessed to bring the Moscow Government Resolution, if it was signed, by the time of the meeting. And the Lord helped bring the document to the right time. I remember that evening well. It was raining hard. We arrived on Chisty Lane with the mother of the treasurer. It so happened that the archpastor passed by us, who was aware of our business. Seeing us, he asked: "Well, of course - no?" - "Of course yes!" - we answered with the mother of the treasurer. Then the Bishop repeated the words of His Holiness Patriarch: "It can not be!" Then he took from us the Resolution of the Government of Moscow and took it to the meeting of the Synod. On this memorable evening, a decision was made to resume the monastic life in the Mother of God-Christmas monastery. - In early 1993, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, you came from Pyukhtits to Moscow. How did your life in the capital start? What did the monastery represent then? - The monastic territory was occupied by various organizations and inhabited by residents. Temples and buildings were destroyed from the very foundation. When we arrived in the monastery not yet officially approved, no one expected us, if not to say the opposite. We did not have any acquaintances in Moscow, and we were not met at the place of the future monastery, which is, of course, understandable. After a long search for housing, refusals, "prophecy" in the spirit that "there will never be a monastery", we were given the opportunity to stay in a small room near the cafe. If you think in a human way, it's impossible to arrange a monastery without funds, in a place where there is literally no place to lay your head. But these difficulties were not the main ones: gradually, with God's help, the situation was resolved. It seemed more difficult to establish the inner life of the monastery. The first inhabitants who came to the monastery did not understand well what monasticism is, spiritual life, what is the purpose of life in general. However, they aspired to goodness, and this aspiration had to be developed. And our spiritual guides, having confidence in God, knew how to see the image of God and all the best in man. For His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, Protopriest Boris Nikolayev and all the mentors whom the Lord sent and sends to us, there were no words "I can not" and "impossible". They prayed and acted with the hope of God's help, which came through their prayers. - Admiring the beauty of our monasteries, you do not get tired of being surprised at how it was possible to revive so many historically significant for our culture buildings - cathedrals, temples - within a relatively short period of time! And looking at the women's monasteries, it is very difficult to understand how the nuns, who were few in the post-Soviet period, managed the construction, set up the economic and, most importantly, the spiritual life of the monasteries. What helped you not to flinch then before the difficulties? Do not be sad? Do not be afraid of the amount of work that was to be done? "Our mentors have always started every work with prayer." As the day begins, so he will go. If it starts with God, then the Lord will help to do it, and will educate, and send the right people. When a person does not ascribe to himself the good that he does, and trusts in God (and on whom else can he hope, if he can not do anything by himself?), Then the Lord will rule everything. After all, the abode is the shrine of God, the home of the Queen of Heaven, and will the Lord and His Most-Pure Mother leave the holy place intended for the salvation of human souls? The soul of man in the Eyes of God is more precious than the whole world! Reviving the monastery, we clearly saw that we do not differ in special abilities, and do not represent anything from ourselves, either spiritually, or in terms of special knowledge or life experience. Therefore, we could only hope for prayers, advice, blessings from spiritual mentors. And, thanks to them, the monastery was reborn. - What did you orientate, reviving the spiritual life of the monastery? Whose examples inspired you? Whom do sisters remember today as spiritual guides? Tell us a bit about them, please. - Focused on our predecessors and mentors. It so happened that they were of one spirit. In our capital city there are different monasteries, they are all beautiful, and each in its own way creates the spiritual atmosphere of the capital and brings to the world the Light of Christ. As the apostle Paul says, "and the glory of the sun, and the glory of the moon, and the star from the star is weak in glory" (1 Corinthians 15:41). And if we talk about our Christmas abode, then her life lies in a quiet, invisible, inner doing. What were our founders? Humble, modest, not striving to fame people. Despite the nobility of the clan, high position, proximity to the grand-ducal family, Princess Mary Serpukhovskaya spent an inconspicuous life and had many good deeds done in secret. About her very little information was saved, because she focused more attention on domestic affairs. In this endeavor, the confessor, the Reverend Sergius of Radonezh, supported her. Princess also brought up her son - Prince Vladimir Andreevich the Brave. With the blessing of the Monk Sergius, Prince Vladimir renounced the rights to the grand reign, ceding to the heirs of his cousin - the prince Dimitri Donskoy. It was an unprecedented act of that era. It was the Monk Sergius who became the first confessor of our monastery and began to build its foundation on internal affairs. Holy Grand Duchess Evdokia - St. Euphrosyne Moscow was of the same spirit. At her high place, she did good deeds in evangelical ways, was a secret ascetic, and even her own children did not know about her ascetic life. Her wealthy spouse, the holy Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy, who approved the monastery and his rights with his letter, was also a very modest man. Prayers of the creators of the monastery, at the origin of the revival of the monastery were mentors of the same dispensation. I see that the most important thing in the life of our monastery is the spiritual component. The atmosphere inside the monastery - the atmosphere of spiritual silence, modesty, simplicity - was created only by our mentors. Ever-remembered His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and Protopriest Boris Nikolayev belonged to the generation that could perceive the spirit and traditions of the best pre-revolutionary monasteries and elders, with their desire not for showy, but for inner doing, not for external successes, but for spiritual prosperity. I was fortunate enough to know other mentors of the same era. They instructed not so much with words as with an example of life, did not show anything, and attributed all the good done to the grace and help of God, whose will they were able to accept and execute. They understood that a humble, meek person, striving to be invisible, more acquires in the spiritual plan, and better retains his inner treasure. Figuratively speaking, the full spikelet tends to the ground, and the empty and unripe one rises in sight, but that's what says that the ear is empty. The basis of the life of our mentors was obedience, and not only because they had a highly developed sense of duty. It was an inner obedience. They tried to teach their children inner obedience - that is, spiritual unity with their mentor for love in God. After all, if a person loves someone, he is afraid to offend the one he loves, and do something wrong, as a loved one would like, not even in his presence. Our confessor father Boris showed an example of unhypocritical, sacrificial love and obedience. He always prayed for each of us and our difficulties. Difficulties passed, and we forgot about them, but he still remembered and worried. No matter how badly the priest felt himself, he was always available to us, he accepted us as a loving father, who was sympathetic and ready to help. In the monastery the father obeyed the statute and never did anything without blessing, although he himself was our mentor. In his obedience, he was not just accurate, but punctual. It was not some formality, but an expression of his love for God and his fellow men, respect for every person. The heart of the priest was so loving that people aspired to it, and everything alive. We felt that he was in the Presence of God, he was in prayer, although apparently he did not seem to be doing anything special. Moreover, he carefully concealed all his talents. But we often saw what was evidence of his perspicacity, the gift of spiritual consolation, a great experience, both spiritual and vital. All this created the monastery and its spirit. It was His Holiness Patriarch Alexy who blessed Archpriest Boris for his obedience to become a confessor of the monastery. Father was the ninth decade, he had from childhood weak health, shattered in prisons and camp, where he suffered for the faith. He lived far away from us, in the Pskov outback. But, obedience, he agreed. When the priest began to lead the house spiritually, there was still a lot of alien things on its territory-various secular institutions and not only. In the sisterhood itself, there were many people who had wrong life guides. Thanks to the father, many people corrected life, and those who did not want to correct or harm the monastery, left the monastery. Father never fought with anyone, preferred to act by love, and not by the method of "strong hand". However, after the transfer of Boris's father to the monastery, everything that was alien to him began to leave its walls by itself. And, as a result, the monastery became precisely a monastery - a place where they strive for the Kingdom of God. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy took the most direct and close part in the formation of the monastery. In the Soviet era, everything went to the fact that the buildings of the monastery were eventually to collapse. And only thanks to the petition of His Holiness before the city authorities, he managed to keep the monastery as a monument. But the monument without a soul, without a spiritual filling does not make sense. And His Holiness the Patriarch wanted us to take all the best from him and the spiritual people. He himself saw in every person the image of God, showed attention and respect for everyone, whatever the person. The Patriarch of All Russia remembered the needs of a man who, in the eyes of others, was small. I remember such a case. Once, His Holiness the Patriarch called me at one o'clock in the morning and asked why I had not indicated in the document that there was not even a roof on one structure. I said that I was ready to immediately rewrite the document, to which my Holiness responded in a fatherly manner, so that I would not worry, because he had already corrected everything and prepared the document. I was shocked that on the deep night the Primate of the Church remembers the problems of a small monastery, and, moreover, he himself is working on our documents. We could bring many more examples of love, humility, acceptance of the will of God, which our instructors showed, but I would like, without multiplying the words, to convey the spirit - the spirit of Christ's love, forgiveness, meekness, humility, obedience, on the basis of which prayer is built and all good. Representation of the Monk Sergius and the prayers of the founders of the monastery, the Lord sent us such mentors. - Mother, how does the monastery live today? How many sisters are struggling in your abode? What are the tasks for the nurse? - Today, as at the beginning of the revival, as in the past centuries, the monastery lives by the grace of God, the representation of the Most-holy Lady of the Theotokos and the prayers of all its patrons. We are happy that the current Primate of the Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, does not leave the monastery, paternally cares for him, prays, and the word of the High Priest, addressed to our souls, is always both edification and consolation. Sincerely grateful to all spiritually close to the monastery mentors and confessors who pray for us. And so, with the common prayers and the ancient abode is created. In our monastery, 21 sisters and several candidates for nestlings are struggling. This year we made the first tonsure in the great schema. Our main task is an attentive spiritual life, the fulfillment of Christ's commandments. Our confessor, Father Boris, said that if we do not have love among ourselves, then no canons and obeisances will help us. He sought to reconcile all of us, to bring them closer together and unite in the pursuit of a single goal - the Kingdom of God. Of course, we are still very far from what the spiritual mentors wanted from us, but we, at least a little, are trying to do this. We would like the spirit of Christ's love to extend to everything we do-be present in worship, and in relation to those who come to the monastery, and in our social ministry. The Sunday and singing schools, youth organization Molodezhka and the social center "The Merciful Samaritan" continue to operate in the monastery. All those who participate in our projects, who help the monastery - people are very modest, do not seek fame, to praise and rewards, but do it for their own soul and for the love of their neighbors. We are sincerely grateful to them. - What is the difference between today and the time when you came to the Nativity Monastery? Sometimes one hears the opinion that "the spiritual spring" has remained in the past, and now the phase of the rise of the church life has been replaced by a phase of some decline. Is it so? - One time is not better and not worse than another. If, for example, we consider the spiritual life of a person, then there are different periods in it. When a person is called by the Lord, and he fervently responds to the call, the grace of God acts more strongly. The summoned one experiences a "spiritual spring", a special gracious inspiration. But he can not always be in this state. And, as we see in nature, where it is necessary that solar heat, then rain, then the wind, and sometimes the heat, or vice versa, frost, so to man, to strengthen in him the faith and love of God, for the affirmation of his soul in you need to go through and experience different states. The same thing happens in history. "Rises" and "recessions" are temporary phenomena, but the truth of the Lord remains forever. The Lord trades about everything, and knows how to educate every person and many people. And now there are those who are experiencing the "spiritual spring". And those who survived it at that time are far from being in the same spiritual state. There are those who are strengthened in the faith, prospering spiritually, there are those who have fallen, even those who have moved "to a far country" (Luke 15:13) (but this does not mean that they will not return: for all is possible for the Lord ), there are those who struggle with passions, falls, rises and continues to walk. The Lord knows everything about every soul and trades about it, so I think that it's a mistake to judge a decline or a rise only according to statistics. - You are a member of the College of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism . In addition to the hegumen obediences, you fulfill church obediences - and in a word, word and prayer you help young abbesses and newly formed monasteries to establish a monastic life, share your own experience in arranging the monastery. In your opinion, is it easier or more difficult to open a monastery today? Do you accept the help of newly established monasteries? - In each case, everything is individual. There are and will be difficulties for all who are doing good: without hardship God's work is not accomplished. True good and true prayer will always meet the opposition of the enemy of the human race. There are also complexities arising from our sins and infirmities. But the Divine Grace is all-powerful, it "weakens the doctor and the impoverished compensates." The abode is accepted and treated kindly. As for me, I try not to impose the opinion that I think is right, and to test myself with the gospel, patristic experience and experience of spiritual mentors. And I think that love, support, kindness, and personal example always convince better than words. "Mother, what would you wish for people who have sought the" lives of the monastic "these days? - I would wish them God's help in the chosen path. The Lord said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). He calls us, but gives everyone the freedom to act - to go or not to follow Him. It is good, if the human soul chooses "the good part", because the fullness of our happiness is in God. With the Lord, the soul gains peace that nothing in the world can give. But this does not mean at all that the path will be smooth, without sorrows and difficulties. And the majority of sorrows and difficulties lies in ourselves. Our cross grows on the basis of our own passionate and stricken heart, as the ever-memorable Archbishop Alexy (Frolov) said. And the sooner a person realizes that it is not people and circumstances that are to blame for his misfortunes, but he, the sooner he embarks on the path of repentance, sees his sins and does not condemn his neighbors, the easier he will achieve the goal. The Scripture says: "Give Me, your son, your heart" (Proverbs 23:26). The Lord wants our heart to belong to Him, and it is for the purity of the heart that all our further struggle will go. Faced with the fact that people who begin to see their sins, "drop their hands." But the vision of sins is an occasion for gratitude to God, and not for dejection. We need to understand that we need repentance, spiritual work and efforts in the struggle, and God will give the result when it considers it necessary. I also often observed that both mentors and instructors "mix" a person with the evil and sin that the enemy infuses into him. But man is the image of God, just his inner temple is sometimes ruined to the ground. It is more difficult to revive the soul than to restore the monastic walls. I would from the bottom of my heart wish all of us patience and humble acceptance of the Divine will, always good and perfect.

St. Theophan the Recluse symposium Moscow Patriarch

June 21, 2018 in the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, under the chairmanship of the Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovo Clement held a scientific conference "The Life and Works of St. Theophan the Recluse in History and Modernity." Before the beginning of the conference in the house church of the Publishing Council in honor of St. Joseph of Volotsky was made a moleben to St. Theophanes, the Recluse Vyshensky. With the blessing of Metropolitan Clement the divine service was led by the cleric of the church of St. vmch. Panteleimon of Krasnodar city, Priest Andrey Kretov. The deacon's rank was headed by a junior researcher in the sector of research projects and special programs of the Publishing Council Deacon Grigory Slutsky. The conference was attended by Metropolitan Theodosius of Tambov and Rasskazovsky , who acted as co-chairman and presenter of the first part of the meeting, as well as scholars, teachers and students of the Moscow Theological Academy , Tambov, Kaluga, Vladimir and Sretensky Seminary, Ryazan State University. S.A. Yesenin, studying the heritage of St. Theophan the Recluse. Opening the meeting, the chairman of the Publishing Council, Metropolitan Kliment, addressed the participants and guests of the conference with a welcoming speech in which he touched the initial period of the closure of St. Theophanes. Presentations were made by: Metropolitan Theodosius of Tambov ("Temple-building in the Tambov diocese under St. Theophan the Recluse"); Archimandrite Zosima (Shevchuk), the governor of the Bogolyubsky Alexievsky Monastery of Vladimir, the teacher of the Vladimir St. Theofan's Theological Seminary ("The Beginning and the Ultimate Purpose of Life in Christ., Experience of Interpretation of the First Chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, St. Theophan the Recluse"); Hegumen Luca (Stepanov), Head of the Theology Department of Ryazan State University, Rector of the Pronsky Monastery of the Ryazan Metropolia ("The Nature and Action of the Spirit of Despondency (According to the Legacy of St. Theophan"); Archpriest Sergiy Rybakov, Chairman of the Department of Religious Education and Catechization of the Ryazan Diocese ("Unity of the people, Churches and the State as a result of" intensified activities for God's sake "(according to the works of St. Theophan the Recluse)"); hegumen Dionisy (Shlenov), head of the library of the Moscow Theological Academy ("Acting and theological chapters" of St. Simeon the New Theologian as part of the Russian "Philokalia" of St. Theophan the Recluse "); Abbess Vera (Rovchan), rector of the Vyshensky Uspensky Women's Monastery ("What nuns should be to enter the palace of the immortal Bridegroom with the wise virgins (according to the book of St. Theophanes" Remembrance of the monastic nobility about what monks demand from them "), the report read out VV Kashirina, teacher of the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of Ilya Glazunov); V.V. Kashirin ("The Way to Salvation" in the life of the Monk Nikon Optinsky (based on the "Diary of the novice Nikolai Belyaev")); G.V. Dyachenko, Candidate of Philology, Candidate of Theology, researcher of the General Psycholinguistics Sector of the Institute of Atomic Energy of the Russian Academy of Sciences ("The Anthropological Synthesis of St. Theophan the Recluse as a Methodological Basis of Communicative Linguistics"). At the end of the first part of the conference, Metropolitan Theodosius and Metropolitan Kliment signed an agreement on scientific cooperation between the Tambov and Kaluga theological seminaries. The second session of the conference, with the blessing of Bishop Clement, was conducted by Archimandrite Zosima (Shevchuk) and Hegumen Luka (Stepanov). In the second part of the forum the reports were presented by: Priest Stefan Danilenko, a member of the secretariat of research projects and special programs of the Publishing Council ("Unknown Letters from St. Theophan to a priest embarrassed by his uncanonical ordination"); Priest Andrey Kretov, cleric of the church of St. vmch. Panteleimon of Krasnodar ("St Theophan as an interpreter (based on the draft manuscript of the translation of liturgical texts)"); Priest Eugene Ignatov, cleric of the church of the Archangel Michael of Krasnodar ("Letters from St. Theophan to Athos"); Hierodeacon Peter (Alexenko), the inhabitant of the Klimovo Pokrovsky male monastery of the Klintsy diocese of the Bryansk metropolia ("Sinful passions as the death of the soul and the human body (according to the interpretations of St. Theophanes the Recluse of the Epistles of St. Paul)"); Priest Sergey Gander, Assistant to the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs (by Correspondence Department) of the Kaluga Theological Seminary ("The Need for a Blessed Restoration of Man in the Sacraments according to the teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse"); A.E. Lukyanova, a member of the Russian Genealogical Society, an expert of the scientific and editorial board for the preparation of the Complete Collection of the works of St. Theophan the Recluse ("Theophan Feofan in the fate of the Macrinovs"); Priest Alexander Almaev, a third-year student at the Tambov Theological Seminary ("The Incarnation of the Pedagogical Views of St. Theophan in His Activity at the Tambov Department"); Deacon Grigory Slutsky, member of the secretariat of research projects and special programs of the Publishing Council ("Reverend Herman Zosimovsky - correspondent of St. Theophan the Recluse"); Alexey Serov, a student of the 1st year of the Tambov Theological Seminary ("Problems of the Spiritual Life of Modern Man and Their Solution in the Light of the Instructions of St. Theophan the Recluse"); Nikolay Vasin, a student of the first year of the Master's Degree in the Sretensky Theological Seminary ("The Teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse on the Virtue of Mercy"); Pavel Matveyev, a student of the first year of the Master's Degree in the Sretensky Theological Seminary ("The Steps of Spiritual Ascent to St. Theophan the Recluse"); Georgy Boesh, a student of the first year of the master's degree in the Sretensky Theological Seminary ("The Teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse about the Passion of Anger"); Alexander Fadeyev, a student of the 3rd year of the Bachelor's Degree in the Sretensky Theological Seminary ("Peculiarities of the teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse about the influence of grace on personality"). Concluding the work of the conference, Metropolitan Kliment Kaluga thanked the guests and participants for interesting and interesting reports and called on everyone to continue to work in studying the heritage of St. Theophanes, the Recluse of Vyshensky.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with the Director-General of the King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with the Director-General of the King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Митрополит Волоколамский Иларион встретился с генеральным директором Международного центра межрелигиозного и межкультурного диалога имени Короля Абдаллы print version July 9, 2018 19:49 On July 9, 2018, the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate met with the head of the DECR, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, with Fahad Abu Al-Nasr, Director General of the International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue named after King Abdullah (KAICIID). The center was founded in Vienna in 2012 by Saudi Arabia, Austria, Spain and the Holy See. The professional activity of the general director of KAICIID is focused on the development of interreligious dialogue, especially among representatives of the younger generation. The meeting was attended by the Metropolitan of Gallic Emmanuel ( Constantinople Patriarchate ), who is on the board of directors of KAICIID, an organization known for its interreligious projects around the world. Besides, the senior program manager for the Arab countries of the program department of KAICIID Vashem Haddad participated in the conversation. There was a discussion of issues of cooperation in the field of interreligious interaction.

A new issue of the magazine "The Church and Time" was published

A new issue of the magazine "The Church and Time" was published Вышел в свет новый номер журнала «Церковь и время» print version 4 July 2018 11:20 Issue No. 2 (83) of the scientific theological and church-public journal of the magazine "Church and Time", published by the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, was published. It is opened by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at the eighth ceremony of electing and awarding the laureates of the Patriarchal Literary Prize of St. Cyril and Methodius in Moscow on May 24, 2018. "To resist evil by the power of the word" - with such an appeal His Holiness addressed the nominees and laureates of the prize gathered in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior of Moscow, and in their person - to the whole literary community of modern Russia and the whole Russian world, to all those who writes in the great Russian language, based on the enlightening feat of the holy brothers and equal brothers Cyril and Methodius. His speech at the scientific and theological conference "Theological interpretation of the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism", Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk , chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, devoted religious interpretation to this complex and multifaceted socio-political phenomenon. "We should not combine the concepts of extremism and religiosity," emphasizes Vladyka Hilarion. "No religion teaches us to kill." The monstrous crimes of extremists contradict the moral principles of all traditional religions. There can not be "religious terrorism, but there are criminal acts of terrorists, who hide behind religious rhetoric. In the column "History of the Church" the magazine places two articles that shed light on the complicated and, in many respects complicated by conjuncture publications, the history of the transition of the Kyiv Metropolitanate from the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1686. Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of the department of the history of the Middle Ages of the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Florya and Candidate of Historical Sciences, senior researcher of the Department of the History of Slavic Peoples of the Institute of Slavic Studies, K.A. Kochegarov in the article "Lutsk Bishop Gideon (Chetvertinsky) and the fate of Orthodoxy in the western part of the Kiev Metropolis" show the contribution of this outstanding hierarch in the struggle for the preservation of Orthodoxy in the Eastern Slavic lands of the Polish-Lithuanian state. Candidate of History, Junior Researcher of the Center for Source Studies of Russian History at the Institute of Russian History, RAS M.R. Yafarova in the article "The Embassy of Prokofia Voznitsyn and the question of the Kiev Metropolis" is considering the issue of re-subordination of the Kyiv Metropolitanate to the Moscow Patriarchate against the backdrop of uneasy relations of Greek hierarchs and the Russian state with the Ottoman government. Both works are supplied with a large number of archival documents, from which it follows that the Patriarch of Constantinople who was in the Ottoman capital could not protect the Orthodox Rzeczpospolita from Catholic expansion, and only the transition of the Ukrainian dioceses to the jurisdiction of Moscow preserved Orthodoxy in this region. In the article "Dante's conception of Rome as an exemplary state", the rector of the Kursk Theological Seminary Archimandrite Simeon (Tomachinsky) reveals the view of the world order of the outstanding representative of the Italian Renaissance, Dante Alighieri. According to Dante, the cornerstone of human society must be justice, which is possible only under a monarchy or imperial state. The power in the empire does not depend on the Church - such an unexpected thesis is advanced by the champion of the monarchy. Power secular and spiritual come directly from God: one for bliss in this life, the other for bliss in eternal life. In the "Theology" section, the journal continues to publish the chapters of the forthcoming textbook for undergraduate studies in the course of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament to the associate professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy B.А. Tikhomirova. In this issue, readers and critics will become acquainted with the section "The Prophets of VIII - the beginning of the VII century: a historical overview of the era; The Book of the Prophet Amos. " In the publication "Abdullah ibn al-Fadl al-Anthaki and the experience of translating three questions from his treatise" Eighty questions and answers about the Trinity and incarnation ", the author, postgraduate student of the Department of Theology and Liturgics of the post-graduate and post-graduate doctoral studies. the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius G.N. Gladishev acquaints the reader with the legacy of this prominent Melkite theologian of the 11th century. Translation is provided with necessary comments and is preceded by an article containing the main biographical information about Abdallah al-Anthaki, data on the manuscript and its contents. Master of Theology, student of the All-Church Post-Graduate and Doctoral Studies S.O. Chernov in the article "On the Question of the Person and Works of Eustratius of Constantinople and Their Significance for Byzantine Theology" on the basis of the works of Eustratius himself, the mention of his contemporaries and the research of Western authors, recreates the life and creative path of the Constantinople presbyter and examines in detail his writings "The Life of Eutyches" , "The Life of Golinduhi", as well as the dogmatic-polemical treatise "On the state of the soul after death". In the section "In memoriam" there is an article by the clergyman of the Resurrection of St. Sergiy Matyushin, VOGANKI Cemetery in Moscow, "One of the first in the DECR", telling about the life path of Archpriest Peter Filonov, who was standing at the revival of the mission of the testimony of the Russian Church to the outside world after the end of the period her martyrdom.

The presentation of the "Dialogue" almanac devoted to the study of the history of the Old Believers was held at the Kostroma Theological Seminary

The presentation of the "Dialogue" almanac devoted to the study of the history of the Old Believers was held at the Kostroma Theological Seminary В Костромской духовной семинарии прошла презентация альманаха «Диалог», посвященного изучению истории старообрядчества print version July 4, 2018 15:16 On July 1, 2018, the celebrations took place in the Kostroma Theological Seminary in which the Secretary of the Commission on Old Believers' Parishes and on Interaction with the Old Believers at the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Rubtsov of Moscow, the Head of the Patriarchal Center of the Old Russian Church Service the tradition of Protopriest John Mirolubov. After the Liturgy at the Epiphany-Anastasia Cathedral, completed by Metropolitan Kostroma and Nerekht Ferapont , in the assembly hall of the Kostroma Theological Seminary, a solemn act began with the solemn deity, at which the presentation of the first issue of the Dialogue almanac was held. Almanac "Dialogue" is a thematic collection of scientific works dedicated to the study of history and urgent problems of the Old Believers and one religion. The new edition is the fruit of the research center for the study of the Old Believers at the Kostroma Theological Seminary "Dialogue". The Center was created as a permanent platform for scientific discussion and comprehensive study of various topical issues of the origin, development and modern state of the Old Believers. In addition to Orthodox scholars, mainly from the teaching staff of the seminary, representatives of the local Old Believers, in particular, the Old Believer Bishop of Yaroslavl and Kostroma Vikenty, also take part in the activities of the center. The presentation of the new collection, which was timed to the graduation ceremony of the seminary, was conducted by its rector, Priest George Andrianov. Doctor of theology Protopriest John Mirolyubov delivered a lecture "The Current State of Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church with Old Believers." The lecture was devoted both to the historical and cultural aspects of the emergence of the Old Believers' schism in the 17th century in the Russian Church, as well as to current issues of modern development of relationships. The speaker paid special attention to the problems of research in the field of historical liturgy and musical medieval studies, which are being developed in the Patriarchal Center of the Old Russian liturgical tradition After the presentation of Bishop Ferapont, graduates of diplomas on graduation from the seminary and catechism courses held a gala concert.