‹ Ieromona Veniamin (paints): "All the advantages of a person without God can serve as his death"

Ieromona Veniamin (paints): "All the advantages of a person without God can serve as his death"

Five years ago, in winter I happened to visit the plus degree and meet with ieromona Veniamina, Although then his san was sacred, but I am writing, believing that I can be called Hieromonakh as the confessor of the Creator Monastery.

As often happens, the priest has a lot of cases, the temple is repaired, demands on the villages, so that they spoke in the literal sense on the go, in the car of the father of Veniamine. They were shaking in rural roads and talked about parish life and the problems of the Spirit. Father Veniamine has three arrival, he says: "Sometimes smoke goes, we ride the tries, for two years one hundred thousand kilometers." Behind the wheel of the "fives" Batyushka is often: the parishes are on a lot of distance from each other, you will not come on foot, and transport in the area is rare, and you do not get money for travel. The machine turns out to be a necessary assistant in the priest service. The road is absolutely deserted, the villages are quiet, with chramics, sometimes wooden, and it seems Pskovschina vainney, what is the case of Russia's buddy! Here we are on these roads and drove there - here, from one coming to another.

The temple in which the father of Veniamin the rector is built in a pine forest of Pskov's wilderness in the name of SVT. Mitrofan Voronezhsky. The very saint, who pray "for children" and who gave money to Peter the first to create the Russian fleet, as we see, the Money of St., turned out to be strong, Fleet Peter was created and defeated. The Mitrofanievsky temple of his silence and peace somehow lay down on my soul, and I returned to the goshis in the summer of 2007, to celebrate the saint, however, it was no time to talk to the father of Veniamin. But from the winter trip 2005, there was an interview in the car and a recording of a meeting with the mother of Veniamina, the head of the community of non-profit children and adult named after Veniamine (Petrogradsky). This text will give God, we will publish in the future. In the meantime, the conversation with the father.
r.B. Natalia.

- You, Father Veniamin, on these roads all life: service and road, service and road?

- How did you get to the church?

Born in 1961, in the Mari SSR, a short time lived there. Then we lived everywhere: childhood passed in Vyatka Kirov region. But always looking for himself, there was an inner feeling of some kind of not true. And passion, of course, were and revealed, and everything was tested on themselves. In the army served in the special battle, the army of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Then he worked in the state farm, the ram twisted, then went to Peter. There, too, the Baranka twisted, then he entered Mukhinskoye (the highest art school - approx.) At the faculty of artistic processing of metals and four years studied to draw. He finished, taught, in exhibitions participated, but not all this life continued, because the soul screamed anyway.

On my last picture - Triptych "Scromoros", one buckle suddenly became white - on this all my artwork ended. I was baptized at 33, immediately after the Nativity of Christ, when he was in perfect dead end, the fishing of God got to our old father Nicholas Guryanov, and he told me: "You will be a monk, Veniamin." I was still in my rattles and fog, but internally was already ready to change and looking for exit. Then I traveled for seven years to him, and twisted the Barank at the father of Roman (Zagreboreva), was a prayer, and with his father Nikolai often had to talk, asked His help, his prayers. The grace of God fell a week before the death of his father Nicholas to him, he already hung on the cross, all his inner state was visible, asked him: "Patty, take me, do not resign." He made a sign, blessed, I put my hand on my head, somehow it became good right away. At the funeral we were not, the temple was sanctified at this time in the housewarming of the Mother of God, and I served a whole year there. Then Vladyka invited me to choose: Lady or housewarming. I chose Lyady.

Father Veniamin, when you start looking into my senses, then you are terrifying to those jams that are inside, although you can easily be a decent person, you do not commit crimes, do not violate the commandments. But the heart and mind remain in the abnumbs, and when a person goes to God, he begins to see it especially clearly, to understand, notice this duality. And how is the spiritual life in a person who became a priest is the confessor of the cottage cheese?

- I will not talk about me. And I will answer your question with evangelical words, because the Lord we all discovered about the person, and the person is always the same thing, anyone of any century. The Lord spoke about the internal damage to man, and about the heart of man. When the Lord Docuchet, and the person begins to see himself - this is the most important thing. The most important thing is to realize your inner damage, hence the whole height. And the saints say the same St. Sysh great, who resurrected the dead, said, "I would ask God even repentance." And the saints, going on the righteous way, the more lived life, the more they were convicted of the knowledge of the full worthlessness, damage, their insolvency. Hence the action of the grace of God begins. The Lord said that Krotky and humble is graceful, and the Lord opposes the proud. That's all the height here.

- Please specify the father.

The more the person finds out about himself the truth, the more he will go into humility, will rise above his sin.

- And the grace of God will touches him?

Sure. She sanctifies him. Itself not corrected, it is useless. Pharisees tried and fell into even greater pride.

- Pride is such a subtle sin, a thin trap, no one notices him in herself?

Yes. The saints also say that pride is a totality of all sins. Pride absorbs all other sins by entering them to increase them. I will not eat to seem down, I will not sleep, to seem like a devotee, I will not say to seem like silence - hence the internal state of death of human. And the saints said "I am a worm of worms." And they said that sincerely, from the depths of their being.

The man in the world, the father of Veniamin, is very difficult to appreciate himself, so he is busy care of the world, and the look of his inner can not turn into himself, it does not come to mind. Maybe therefore so little Orthodox, so "small herd". And the Lord spoke "Do not be afraid, a small herd, for I won the world." Orthodox will never be much?

This is the secret of God. And I can't answer why "Small herd"? This is not a human area. I can say that the chosen now is who God has not chosen, and who chose God-chosen.

One of your arrivals is the little village of the gaze, how were you there? How did your life of the parish priest start?

We arrived there with the Father Roman (Zagrebnev) on Mitrofan Voronezh, in the church of St. Mitrofan Voronezh there was no priest. And I was not yet a priest, but I saw this place and thought, how would I get here. And everything was resolved. When I was ordained five years ago, I was sent here. Through this arrival, many priests of our diocese were held, and Father Valentin Mordasov served here.

- What about the Holy Mitrofan Voronezh, what does he collect the priests so?

Navy in the forest. The one who built the temple to St. Mitrofan was a sea man, and the temple of this holy one in the diocese, and in general this is a rare temple in honor of St. Mitrofan Voronezhsky. Somehow, we went to the pluss behind the bells, and we were presented to us the icon of St. Mitrofan. Here is a miracle. We and the relics have a saint, we in Voronezh in the diocese of them from Metropolitan Methodius asked. He himself put a particle of the power of the saints.

We have no coming from the village, only your children from the Novomartic Community of Veniamine, Metropolitan Petrogradsky and Gdovsky. And all these villages of Stroyokrasnnensky and Plussical were previously treated the Gdovsky district. Before me, there was only a family director of the museum in the letters of writer Margarita Yamchikova (Al. Altaev), and now our children from the community are communion. Three times the temple robbed. The village itself is dead, and now she did not become more. To the patients you go, although many people have no need. Many are now dying from cancer, come to talk, console to take part, someone refuses someone says: "I am unbelieving." In the gases man 20 all the inhabitants. Someone is still, and the rest lie. We walk, we are involved after the service. We have a grandmother of one almost 95, she was brought from St. Petersburg, and here in the community care for her. We are taking it off every Sunday. Now we serve on the blessing of the Lord and the Resurrection, and the holidays. Fitting to the temple we build.

As it used to be wise, if you are alone - the road to you to pray to the monastery and so that it is for old age for you to care for you so that you are not left in peace, no one is unnecessary and not died of hunger?

Yes, and for monasthing was the benefit of care for the sick. And the patient to live in the monastery was much easier and spiritually, and physically.

- So, do you share your time of worship for three arrival?

I divide. Friday-Saturday I serve in Ladakh, Saturday-Sunday in the brass, and at the week serve in the cottage cheese monastery.

- What is the arrival in the village, where almost no one goes to the temple?

For donations of good people.

- Surprisingly, the arrival is now held not at donations of parishioners, but on benefactors?

My St. Petersburg friends, acquaintances help me. And it was necessary to make repairs, studied plastering work, the ceilings were plastered, not immediately everything turned out, and it was necessary to have patience, to withstand the strength of the strike on you.

- Even ordinary repair in the temple may be spiritual complexity?

Sure. We have a community in the gosets, you probably heard about her. The children came to the bond from Leningrad to the father of Roman, and the father romance went to bless her icy at the father of Nicholas, and I with him. Father Nikolay blesses the father of the novel, turns to me - and me. And I'm not a priest, but my father Nikolai says: "You can, you can". The heart felt that the father blessed me on these children. And when I was blessed for the arrival in the letters, the children follow me later from Peter.

- What is her life, here in the deaf edge, in the village, with children, what is she?

Complex. All our society opens through children. They are naked, like without skin, everything is frankly, all out. And it can be seen how deep the degree of defeat of our society.

Batyushka, here we drive in our faced roads: in Izborsk, to Pechers, in the Holy Mountains, in Porch, in Nicandrov, the desert, and who will go to such wilderness? No one? What do people live here? What kind of lidish people here?

My God sent me here, in Lady. The temple here was in kindergarten, in the manger, so all in biblical. The revival of our church in the Ladakh began with a nursery, the merciful Lord. There was once in the Ladakh temple of the Transfiguration of the Lord, but there are dancing, the club, and we decided to build a new temple in a new place, the local administration supported us, did not interfere, even helped. Help who could. And the Lord experienced us: as far as we need it. By the grace of God, the temple is already standing, at the end of December we will sanctify. God will give, we will serve for Christmas.

- And the Preobrazhensky temple remained a club for young people?

Yes. And there still dance. In the village, many accidents, children's tragedies: someone drowned, someone crashed, because there with the temple near and the cemetery is old. Do not understand people that you can not dance in the temple. But the people saw how new the temple had risen, was delighted, although he did not believe that we would build it. We started building it in May: the temple of the Ascension of the Lord.

- How many parishioners in the Lyadah?

For the priest, the parish is very promising. There is a school there, there are children who go with the surrounding villages, you can talk to them. And the population is one and a half thousand. There is a twelve person in the service. We hope that in the new temple there will be more. We and the baptism, and we reveal, but we reveal, the truth is still more than the baptism, very rarely crowned.

- Iconostasis ready?

Not. Many things need. As soon as these thoughts begin - throwing, so immediately you say: "Lord, bless! Lord, help!" The person who offers his help appears. Everything is wonderful.

- By prayer?

Yes, at the request of our Lord gives us.

- He can't refuse?

Never. As the sun can not shine and not to warm, so the Lord can not give.

- And what do we give to the Lord?

There is nothing to give: "The victim of praise will glorify me," says the Lord. Victim of praise. And what to give him, if "all my". And our body, and our mind, and beauty is all it. What can we give him? See the mercy of God and praise it.

- Is the sacrament of the Eucharist when we are communionable, there is not our thanksgiving to the Lord for everything?

- "Who does not eat my body, who does not drink my blood, my part does not have." The Lord says, if you want to live, take me into myself, and I will come to know you. Without me, there are no part, no matter how beautiful and smart. All the advantages of a person without God can serve as his death.

- How did the father of Veniamine, Vladyka blessed in the cottagel monastery?

Blessed blessing. There were prayers there, there was no service. He began to ride, serve. I go from the leather where my first arrival.

- Women's monastery is a specific ministry, a father, what spiritual problems are doing?

One problem, the Lord said, a woman is a weak vessel.

- She herself seems strong to himself, and, in fact, this is a weakness?

Her lump in weakness. If she returns to this, the essence of the blessing of God, the creator himself, everything will be fine. The entire height of the woman in the weakness, when she occupies other supports, then her height is lost, and it is damaged - that there is a consequence of the non-fulfillment of the law of God. That I installed the Creator, it should be executed. Otherwise, spiritual illness begins. And from the men, he also demanded: "Learn from me, for me, meek and humble hearts, and condemn the peace of my souls" - that's the whole height of man. As soon as you humiliate, feelings will immediately go to God, and the woman is given to feel more, to comprehend God, and not mind, as a man. And then the Lord gives grace, reasonable, cordial purity.

As far as was known, the Batyushka though was sick more than once, but relatively little and rare. In the right cases addressed doctors. Apostle Paul His student Timothy and then gave advice in the disease: for the sake of Stomach and frequent your ailments, there are few wine with water ... But not always the father of John listened to the prescriptions of doctors. For example, once the doctor was ordered to eat meat in the post: otherwise bad consequences threaten. He refused. Doctors insisted. Then the father stated that he would ask the mother's blessing telegraph. This spiritual eagle responded with telegram: "It's better to die, but not to break the posts!" Of course, Father John was unquestioned by his mother. I think that such an arbitrary order could give one of the thousands, and maybe out of millions of mothers! And it is not surprising that a person of such a strength of the Spirit was born from her. The history of the great saints is evidenced by us that they had great mothers: Saints Vasily, Grigory, Zlatoust, Augustine were born from glorious mothers, Rev. Sergius Radonezh, Saint Tikhon Zadonsky, Saint Seraphim Sarovsky was raised by the strong and saints in the spirit of mothers. Filaret Moscow, Feofan The rejupping was born from pious parents. And in general, if we review all the Chenet Mini (I once practiced this), we will see that or both parents of saints were goddly, or one of them, mostly - a mother, and sometimes grandmother. And only in very exceptional cases, the holy children had bad parents; Everything is possible for God!

No wonder it is said in the Word of God, that for the piety of the parents of the Lord blesses their descendants to twentiethly! And punishes their sins to the third and fourth knee (Ex. 20).

But I was always surprised in the father of John another: the striking force in the carry of incredible shepherds. After all, just think: from three o'clock in the morning and until the eleven-twelve night he was busy. Busy with people. We ourselves, in our own experience, we know how difficult it is to endure people at all. Man is a gravity! For sinful, broken, spoiled. If the Lord himself once exclaimed: "... I will be with you? Docci I will endure you? " - All the more difficult to us. And we love at least some time to retire from people, "relax" from them. Therefore, building individual houses, individual rooms, put the doors; They work in the office, and in a hurry to go home, and at home they ask others to disturb them.

And the father of John did not have a privacy, no recreation almost cloud! And who happened to? With patients, with unfortunate, with suffering ... This is especially difficult.

In Paris, I had to visit sometimes at home for crazy, who accommodate up to five thousand patients. In one of them, the Chief Doctor, a believer Catholic, told me in the office

- I ask you: pray for me! With these unfortunate, it seems to me that I myself begin to go crazy!

You only think about the voltage at all, and in particular - prayers, people demanded from Father John: after all, almost everyone was waiting for a miracle! Easy to say! And in the gospel it is said that after healing the bleeding Christ felt "the force of the heredes" from it. " Probably, in other miracle, something similar happens. What a huge force was needed to carry it all every day, months, years, almost up to eighties! That's what is striking most in the father of John.

But the Divine grace supported him in such a continuous feat. The ministry of daily liturgium, undergrown heart prayer, the appeal of God's power during prayers - it strengthened and, probably, updated its natural force.

In addition, I think, pleased him and the fact that he was constantly in a rheric environment, that is, among the best people!

But what kind of struggle led against him "Angel Satanin"! In the diary he constantly writes about it! And it is not surprising that the Batyushka was leaving for her rest: it's home, then to friends ... Even the apostles after the sermon needed that, and Christ himself took them to the place secluded from the people.

Yes, and the most prayer for him demanded tremendous spending forces. Us, ordinary people, to serve easily; But so pray, as he prayed, - Need strength! Or say preaching: we are evenly explaining the listeners, exactly the lesson in the classroom, and he has any word burning. One day in Serbia, the old and intelligence mantis asked me (Serbian):

- Father Vladyko! What does it mean? One will say "God", and "Nishta" (there is nothing); And the other will also say "God", and "fire fired" (fire will light up)?

That's the father of John everything was always with the "fire". And it was from this that were strong and prayers, and the preaching is effective. The latter in content and from a spectral point of view did nothing emergency. Being a teacher in the St. Petersburg Academy, I once asked the topic for the report: Identify the preacher's sermon. And I hid the author, of course. This time, the three speakers were given, for sermon, such a review:

Another said:

- Ordinary preacher. Ordinary sermon.

And only the third said:

- But this is the Great Father John Kronstadt! - To the general surprise of the whole audience, I said.

Then the question rose why is it so simple and ordinary? The answer was clear: the strength of his words was not the originality of thoughts and not in the oratoriosky their presentation, but in the power of his spirit: he had a flame to breathe in the word ... it was how Serb said: one will say "God" - and "Nishta"; And the other will say the same word "God" - and "Fire Timples".

The Apostle Paul also wrote, our strength is not in convincing words, but in the phenomenon of spirit and strength!

And Father John spent enormous forces in his ministry to God and people. But with all Tom lived almost to eighty years. According to King David, "in the forces", that is, with a special force, - eighty years can live a person. Everything comes to an end.

Shortly before death and he fell ill. Before that, I managed to be with him even twice. Once, being already Hieromonakh, I was invited to serve him on liturgy. He was coming. I stood before the throne on the left side. And as soon as he was heading, I usually grant him: "Blessed the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," me, exactly lightning, pierced the clear consciousness, expressed in mind in such words: "God! What is he a spiritual giant! " And contemplating this is obvious, I, in reflections, closed your servant. "What a giant". Suddenly he stretches his left hand, moves the book from the mouth, says power:

- Do not think! Pray!

He probably got my secret thoughts about him.

The last one visited was about half a year before his death. We are with an academy of academy, Ieromonach Shm, visited John's father because of my friend's disease. Batyushka came to us already weak. Invisible to sit down, he was tired of asked us:

- And what do you have from me, old man, you need?

- Batyushka, - I answered freely, forgive me for it, Lord! - If you were a simple old man, then Russia would not go to you.

"Well, well," he waved his hand, not wanting to argue.

- Tell us anything to save the soul.

Then he took the cross, hanging on my friend's chest, and, looking at him, began to pray. Then he began repeatedly and for a long time to kiss it; He pressed him to his forehead, kissed again. Then he did the same with my cross ... All this was happening silently, a few minutes. Then he said:

- Monks, monks! Do not look back! Remember the wife's lair!

- Battyushka! Tell me, where do you have such a hot faith?

- Vera? - He asked and thought for a minute. Then answered with hard clarity: - I lived in the church!

- And what is it - lived in the church? - I asked.

"Well," he continued with some surprise from my question, "what does it mean to live in the church?" I have always stayed in church life ... I served as Liturgy ... Loved to read in the temple of the liturgical books, Minei. Do not check Mini (the lives of saints), although those are beautiful! - And the liturgical mines, the poem, canons ... here! I lived in the church!

Unfortunately, I did not record the whole conversation, but these words about the meaning of the church crashed into my memory for life.

Thanking the father, we left ... my friend died shortly in the young years. I ... still live, by the grace of God. And often remember his words ...

Father's illness of John did not pass. Waited for the end. And December 20 (Art. Art.) 1908, Batyushka died. This news instantly flew off the whole of Russia. Buried him in the women's monastery created by him in St. Petersburg, "on Karpovka".

I could not get into the temple for the funeral, and I went far behind the coffin in the immense crowd of the people. Any movement here was discontinued. But the hearts of thousands of thousands of people breathed: in one place they sang "with the saints," the other group began "eternal memory", the third - "Holy God" - the funeral ... Large moan stood over these spiritual children of the Batyushki. Sometimes I had to hear shouts:

- No longer see us of such a father!

- Dear father! Pray for us!

In the basement floor of the monastery temple - a bright, lined with white marble - was cooked the white marble tomb on the floor. And here they put honest relics of St. Battyushka. Now, instead of Kronstadt, the pilgrimage "on Karpovka" began. Daily services ... Permanent memories. Wonder again. Universal reverence. Holy Synod decided to consider the death day of the father of John - irregular in spiritual schools. The king turned to Russia with a special manifesto - about the meaning of it and reverence. And the people were taken about him about him in their hearts and recorded in the "commemoration" ...

So it began already the glorification of the father in the church. And not long to wait for it, when it is completed and the canonization of him in the saints.

Three years ago (1948) I was in Leningrad and learned that the monastery "on Karpovka" is closed, but everything, including the tomb, remains intact.

Previse Father John! Moth of God about us, sinful! ... So I recorded that I remembered him. No matter how you describe, it still can not give such impressions about him as the living genuine words of the Batyushka himself ...

Strict ascetic, Creator of Jesus Prayer, he turned from God an extraordinary world of the soul. No one can console and overheat soul mate as a blessing elder Veniamin. Many now sorry on Athos, and love the Inka to go away to the soul on the desert a good father of the father of Veniamine.

Schimons of Veniamin (in the world of Vasily Antonovich Malyshev) was born in 1865 in the peasant family from the Oryol County of Vyatka province. In 1884, 19-year-old Vasily went to Jerusalem and Athos to worship Christian shrines. Arriving on Athos and seeing there a high image of monastic lives there, he decided to stay here forever and entered the monastery of the Saint Great Martyr Panteleimon.

On April 12, 1886, he was tonsured by Ryasofor named Veniamin. Obrew passed in the refectory, on Kunak in Kage. On April 23, 1887, he came out of the monastery to Russia and entered the Tikhonian desert, but in 1890 he returned to Athos and settled in herchloric hut on the Caliagory (terrain in the central part of the Afron - Ed.), Where in complete gate spent more than 40 years, here He was tonsured to Schima with the same name.

Fel Flegont (Lebedev) in his diaries calls him the "famous Caliagra's hermit." And Ieromona Seraphim from Vladimirovka writes about him as follows: "Father Veniamina has been resistant for forty years on the Holy Mountain. Strict ascetic, Creator of Jesus Prayer, he turned from God an extraordinary world of the soul. No one can console and overheat soul mate as a blessing elder Veniamin. Many now sorry on Athos, and love the Inka to go away to the soul on the desert a good father of the father of Veniamine.

Father Veniamin a brighter look at the future of Russia. He still hopes that the Lord "does not run to the end, he will enter into a century" (Ps. 102). And Russia will not be saved, then the whole world will die, and there will be a death of the world, because there is no one to pass the legacy of "kingdoms" Rome will not be! "

"The mission of the new Russia is to bring true, Christian spirituality into the world. It is not powerful weapons and diplomatic tricks will seek the spread of their spiritual and cultural influence on the world, and love, holiness and sophistication will "conquer" the hearts of all people of the world. There is no people on earth that had a deeper and thin soul than Russian, but our Exceptional spirituality is not Russian merit, but the blessing of God, and therefore, and great responsibility to God and the whole world. Yes, we lost the empire, but the revived Russia will create a new empire of Christian love. That positive and creative spiritual energy will be released from her subsoil which on the basis of the teachings of Christ completely converts the future human civilization. "

The spiritual children of Father Veniamine were many devotees of Athon. Among them, the abbot of Ilyinsky Skita Father John (Götmannko), the confessor of Russik Father Agafodor (Budanov) and many others. He was one of the main opponents of the name boggage teaching, but opposed the open confrontation of Afonov against each other, and his Chad urged not to join the theological arguments with Iphislavs and not oppose herself lost, so all his students escaped the temptation of participation in disputes on this topic.

From September 28, 1932, a seriously ill father Veniamin lived in the Russian hospital. Father Sofronia (Sakharov) reports the following: "Shortly before his death, the father of Veniamin from the desert came to the monastery of St. Panteleimon. He fell ill with water and run into the hospital. Shortly after his arrival, Father Veniamin was at the Father Siluan, and they had a big, long and very important conversation.

Another day we had to visit him in the hospital. He was all under the impression of a conversation with his father Siluanom and many times with an undisguised sense of surprise and gratitude repeated: "Which friend gave me the Lord! .. You know how he revealed everything in me. Then she gave me three instructions. Several times repeated them so that I did not forget, and in conclusion I added strictly, as if a big nail ripped: "If you do not do, as I say, you will not save" ".

It was clear that this meeting with the father of the silhoune for Father Veniamine was a great revelation. We spent at the father of Veniamine at about an hour, all this time he was very focused and could not think about anything else, he repeated many times: "Which friend gave me a Lord!" So, only at the end of his life he learned Who was silouna. Before he treated him, although very friendly, but somewhat condescendingly, as a good monk, but still younger. "

Father Veniamin 2 (15) of March 1933 in the hospital of Russik and was buried at a fraternal cemetery.

Published by the book: "Russian Athos Sech - XIX - XXVEKS".
Series "Russian Athos XIX-XX BB." T. 1. Holy Mountain,
Russian Holy Panteleimonov Monastery on Athos, 2012

The reliability of the work of modern equipment on a military ship depends on the spiritual state of the crew, "said Jeromona Veniamin (Kovtun). The commander of the nuclear submarine, the captain of the 1st rank of stock now holds the position of Assistant Commander of the Brigade of Submarines on working with believing servicemen on the White Sea Naval Base.

Father Veniamin, you serve in Severodvinsk for about a year and, of course, you are clear to you the spiritual situation in the crews of BVMB. What is the spirit of our warriors?

During the year, it was strengthened in thought that the formation of the arrival here is only possible when I, as a priest, will regularly go to the sea along with the crews. Then you can determine who from the sailors is more located to spiritual communication, spiritual life, and in the future they will rely on them. What is the value of this flock and the importance of churching of these people? In the fact that they are already warriors by definition, it remains to "adjust" the ideological position. After all, every soul in nature is a Christian, NoETo is required to reveal.

- What is the ministry of a garrison priest?

I have a wide range of missionary work, a field of nonpauger. According to statistics, in the Russian army 80 percent of baptized in Orthodoxy. But they never pray, do not go to the temple, never communioned. True, many worn cross. On this connection with the Orthodox Church, both began and stopped. I conducted a survey among more than half of the personnel of the brigade, and most answered that they almost do not pray and do not go to the temple on Sundays.

Probably, the circumstances should work out so that the person remembers where he should strive for and who to contact. Well, maybe therefore they say: who did not go to the sea, he did not pray.

During this year, we worked out "coastal elements" - on the day of memory of the righteous warrior Theodore Ushakov, October 15, went through the congestion along the streets of Severodvinsk. Now it's time, expressing, practicing "marine elements" - communication with crews directly into the sea.

Faith comes from hearing. And where can sailors can hear the word of God? On the bank of the routine of the day they have very tense, there are almost no free minutes and not every Sunday - the day off. In the sea, of course, also more employment, but nevertheless 24 hours the priest will be on board. I think some minutes daily can well be carved and provide seafarers from which faith is strengthened. After all, without it, that neither the jump is that by the tears.

- Father Veniamin, your appointment to the naval base had its own prerequisites?

In the army and especially on the fleet, people familiar with the specifics that know the service are necessary. It is important not to be a burden. Of course, the risk for the commander is to allow a person's military ship that does not submit relevant rules of behavior. Well, to go with the crew in the sea, even I needed to go through special preparation and get tolerance.

I think it is also important for another moment. Since 2005, I have carried out obedience to the Sanaksar monastery, in which the relics of the invincible Russian admiral, the righteous warrior of Theodore (Ushakov) rest, and before that, three years worked in the Synodal Department of Interaction with Armed Forces, in the Sector of the Navy, the Archpriest Dimitria Smirnova. I remember how he talked about the cardinal change in his attitude to the officer. When Dimitri's father began to lead the department, he was convinced: all admiral generals are engaged in personal problems, the construction of their cottages, Cross-alone, and that in a cap. The views of the priest Cool changed after the immediate communication with the highest echelon of the leadership of the army and the fleet: Father Dimitri, more than once, he stated that the most healthy part of our society is the armed forces, and added: at least because their doctors are checked every year.

- How did the service and faith combined in your life?

I was a person far from faith, fully absorbed by the military service. In spiritual terms, my biography is direct as an arrow, no quest.

Born in the Chelyabinsk region. My dad was a military sailor on the Pacific Fleet, passed the whole of the Great Patriotic War. Father loved the sea, and in our house there was a lot of his photographs in Michmanke, in a telnyashka. All this, apparently, "faced" and in me. After graduating from the Naval School in Vladivostok, in 1976 I arrived at the first flotilla of nuclear submarines of the Northern Fleet and served 21 years.

I was a completely average Soviet officer. I remember, as in the late 1980s, the article in the magazines "Star", "New World", "Neva" turned the worldview. The state-machine that was aimed at the destruction of decent people, the Russian nation, all this was opened. But we still lived on the socialist dogma. Then I realized that the commandments of socialism were a solid plagiarism of the Gospel. Well, for example, a socialist "man a man friend, comrade and brother" and the gospel "Love your neighbor, like yourself" ...

The sacrament of baptism accepted in 1991. Then the great post began ... And I don't eat the cutlets, I don't eat fish. COC Specially for me, Kashi cooked and, as if in secret, the olives added there. But I did not eat such a porridge. Fried potatoes on Saturday has become a delicacy for me. In short, when he returned home from the hike, the wife was crying. That's how I got ...

In the early 1990s, they stopped going to the sea, on combat duty, and I was waiting for the service that seemed no longer uninteresting. Then I was transferred to the main headquarters of the Navy to Moscow.

-ABOUT. Benjamin, difficult to manage a submarine?

When the spent crew is all on the machine. In general, the technique has been perfusing and helps to sober. It is important that it reached our warriors. I am confident that the reliability of the work of modern equipment on the ship depends on the spiritual state of the crew. The commander hesitated, did it be enough for, and he had all the torpedoes in the target? Not. The Lord is all the tricks. If the human classes is associated with the technique, then the Lord him is through it and is instructed.

In my practice there was such a case. From the factory after repair went out the ship. And before that, the officers offered him to sanctify it. Then, it was 1992, the command categorically responded. And what do you think? As a result, we were installed 15 times in a regular turbogenerator mode. The chief designer came, headed, looking at the drawings, in which there are only two pipes and no more wisdom. At the entrance there is pressure, at the output - no. Where did it go? Design - pipe in a pipe, nothing more. Here they did not want to sanctify the ship - get. Then the Lord, of course, spared his personnel.

To the technique you treat the trepidation, oh. Benjamin. Apparently, so your transport is a reliable rare "Volga"?

Yes, it is thoroughly made. I have a car appeared a year ago, combs. I came on vacation to my homeland, there I gave it classmates and presented it. This gift was especially useful when I went to Severodvinsk to the place of service: in the trailer, an Orthodox library and Iconostasis took place. Moreover, the brochures picked up specifically for their sailors.

Here, of course, you have to move away from the most important qualities that need to be joined in the monastery: silence, internal concentration. In addition, it is impossible to avoid excessive informativeness. With my flock, you need to communicate, being in the theme of the main political destinations, the tasks that put in front of the fleet and the armed forces, the leadership of the country and the Supreme Command. And, of course, I want more people who wear epaulets become active warriors of Christ. This is my prayers.

Arriving Lyudmila Selivanova

Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) Father John

I have always been particularly difficult for me to start the memories of the confused father Ioanne: too, he was high; And I am sinful. And only for the use of others, I am acceptable for my personal impressions about him. I begin to write in the hospital (in the city of Brooklyn), lying from diseases.

Father John

Probably already in the second, and not in the first year of my student (that is, in 1904) I managed to go to the father.

That was cold November. But there was almost no snow. The cab drives were still on flights.

We arrived at the hotel "House of hard work", created by the father of John. There, as students of the Academy, accepted with attention. In the morning it was necessary to get up early so that four hours already be in the temple. We were held in the altar of the cathedral. Andreevsky Cathedral accompanied, probably five thousand people. And he was already full. In the altar, besides us, there were several more spiritual people and several secular faces.

Mine began one of the assistants of the father of John. And soon through the narrow right side door of the altar, the father went into the fur coat - the gift of admirers. Having gave it one of the warders (there were many in the cathedral, as we will see), he, who does not look at anyone, not healthy with anyone, quickly and resolutely approached the throne and also quickly fell on his knees in front of him ... I do not remember: Did he crossed this time? After I noticed that he fell more than once, not peeling: obviously, so he demanded his fiery soul. Sometimes, instead of the cross, splashed his hands, and sometimes baptized. It is clear that for him the form did not have a binding value - as it should be in the people who are burning in spirit: "Not a person for Saturday, but Saturday for a person," said the Lord. Of course, this right belongs not to us, ordinary and weak people, but faster in the grace of God; Therefore, no one can artificially imitate such giants ...

After that, the Batyushka already appealed to those present in the altar and with all of us very affectionately greeted, taught the blessing to the laity.

Then he quickly pulled away from us and energetically went to the altar. There was already a whole stack of telegrams obtained in the day and overnight from all over Rus. Batyushka could not immediately read them here. Therefore, he fell in front of the altar, he laid his holy hands on all these telegrams, fell her head to them and began to secretly pray to the all-seeing to the Lord about the grant of the grazers ... What was done with these telegrams, I personally do not know: probably secretary persons Selected answers to addresses, according to general instructions, this Batyushkoy. In special cases, they themselves made up texts for telegrams. Yes, because, in fact, it was not the main thing in that answers, and in that fiery prayer, which was raised to them before the altar or elsewhere, where his requests were captured ...

Meanwhile, the morning continued to go about her order. After sixopsalmia, during the Great Sectation, the father in one epitrachi quickly went to the right-hand-mapping. This time it seemed to him that not enough light. And he, suspected one of the church servants, took out some kind of monetary paper from his pocket and said out loud:

- Light is not enough! Sveta! Obviously, a half-party temple did not fit his fiery spirit: God is the God of Lights! God of glory and bliss! - And because Father John sent for candles ...

It approached the reading time of the canons. According to the charter, it is supposed to read two regular canons of the day of the week; And over this, the third canon - in honor of the saint, whose memory took place on that day. There was a medium. And he was celebrated, as I remember, the memory of Reverend Alpiya, November 26th. And how did the father read! Not at all, as we read, ordinary priests: that is, exactly, without expressions, a singery speaking. And we do it absolutely correctly, for church teachings from ancient times: the reverence of our foremost and the consciousness of their own unnecessaryness do not allow us to be doried and reading; The inconsistency of even, calm, reverent committing worship is more decentable for our modesty. Not by chance, the subordinates at all speak with the supervisors not unleashed, not voluntarily, but "respectfully report" to a smooth tone. This is especially noticeable in the military environment, where the warriors respond to chiefs, like a church speech, on "alone notes."

"... the law is put," says the apostle Paul, "not for the righteous ..."

And Father John - with its burning energy, a rattling faith; with thousands of people who are thirsting for his daring prayer; If they are conscious of the needs, grief, sorrow, the sins of these ordinary children of God; Even with the hips of the very temple, demanding a strong voice, - Father John could not pray as we pray. And he prayed extremely loudly, and most importantly: daring. He talked with the Lord, the Mother and Saints ... The father could not enter or go through the temple, as we do everything - both the priests, and the bishops. We can this; And he could not. The people would then rush to him and in the rustling could flood it. I had to hear about the long-lasting such case, as a crowd knocked him off his legs, ripped into a bug "for the blessing" of his rjas and barely left him alive.

And therefore it was necessary to choose a different path: it was brought from the house on the cab (and not in the carriage, as other) to the garden, although there was only some five minutes. And on the cab hurt. There was no soul in the garden: the high gate was locked. Batyushka quickly sat on the pool; The driver immediately raced in the garden to the gate. And there were already servants, they immediately opened the departure, and the horse rushed straight, although there was a people who waited for the father "at least to take a look." And only from fear to get under the hooves or under the wheels, people involuntarily moved away, and the father pulled out "to freedom."

But it was not without incident. In my eyes - we came out of the altar behind him in the garden - some kind of peasant rushed right in the middle of the flight, wanting, apparently, to get a personal blessing. But quick ride he was instantly shot down and fell to Earth. I was afraid for him and, closing my face with my hands, shouted instinctively:

- Ay, set, crushed! And suddenly I hear a completely calm answer to my fright:

- Do not be afraid, do not be afraid! Butyushkina wheels are not pressured, but heal!

I opened my eyes: it said a slender old woman, really calm.

I climbed and the brave, unharmed, smoked off my dust and went into his way, and people in their own way: exactly nothing happened. Where did the father left, I do not know: they said that in St. Petersburg.

General confession

I want to tell how with me there was a common confession from Father John. Junior we simultaneously appealed to him in the altar:

- Battyushka! We would like to see your overall confession.

He answered with simplicity and love: "I just made it yesterday." But for the sake of you, I now show you how it is done by me. Before the communion, Father John went through the royal gates to the Ambon and said approximately the next preaching. I bring it in extracting.

- In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen! - He began with force. - Tsar and Psalmopevets David said: God with heaven prinic on the sons of man, video, whether there is a reasonable or recovery of God! WSI applied, babysitting a blessing, to carry a good job, bother to one (Ps. 52: 3-4). In Russian: "The Lord looked from the sky ..." - and so on. Batyushka translated Psalm into Russian. Then he applied to everyone with an indication that in our time - everyone drew into sins ... and he began to list them. In the temple, sobbing, sobbing, then exclamations:

- Battyushka! Pray for us! Then the father exclaimed the whole temple: - Find out! In the temple, a universal cry of repentance rose: every loud shouted about his sins; No one thought about her neighbor; Everyone was watched only on the father and in their soul ... And we cried, and shouted, and sobbed ... So it lasted not one minute ... Then Father John gave his hand sign so that the believers subsided. Quite soon the noise of duck. And the father continued his sermon:

"See: As we are all sinful. But the father of our heavenly does not want their death. And for the sake of our salvation, he did not regret his son's son, sent him to the world for our redemption, so that for the sake of him to forgive all our sins. And not only - forgive us, but even call us on your divine feast! To do this, he gave us a great miracle, granted us to food and beings the holy body and the holy blood of his son of his own, the Lord of our Jesus Christ. This wonderful feast is performed on every liturgy, according to the word of the Lord itself: "Press, database. This is my body! " And: "Pite from Neiya (Bowls) of the WSI, this is my blood."

As in the parable, the father with love takes his impregnated, but the rich feast reappeared and suits him, rejoicing his salvation - and now the Heavenly father is every day and everyone who needs a divine meal - Holy Communion.

Come with full faith and hope on the mercy of our Father, for the purpose of the petition of his son! Come and proceed with fear and faith to the Holy Communion.

And now all tilt your chapters; And I, as a clergyman, the power of God, given to us, read the vacation of sins on you. "

All in a reverent silence bowed heads; And Father John raised his Epitrohil on the air and read the usual permits of a prayer, making a sovereign of the cross in the words "Farewell and I allow" ... "In the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit," then the communion began.

The last days

As far as was known, the Batyushka though was sick more than once, but relatively little and rare.

Shortly before death and he fell ill. Before that I managed to be with him even twice. Once, being already Ieromonakh, I was invited to serve him on liturgy. He was coming. I stood before the throne on the left side. And as soon as he was heading, I usually grant him: "Blessed the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," me, exactly lightning, pierced the clear consciousness, expressed in mind in such words: "God! What is he a spiritual giant! " And contemplating this is obvious, I, in reflections, closed your servant. "What a giant". Suddenly he stretches his left hand, moves the book from the mouth, says power:

- Do not think! Pray! He probably hesitated my secret thoughts about him. The last one visit was approximately six months before the death of it. We are with an academy of academy, Ieromonach Shm, visited John's father because of my friend's disease. Batyushka came to us already weak. Invisible to sit down, he was tired of asked us:

- And what do you have from me, old man, you need? - Batyushka, - I answered freely, forgive me for it, Lord! - If you were a simple old man, then Russia would not go to you.

"Well, well," he waved his hand, not wanting to argue. - Tell us anything to save the soul. Then he took the cross, hanging on my friend's chest, and, looking at him, began to pray. Then he began repeatedly and for a long time to kiss it; He pressed him to his forehead, kissed again. Then he did the same with my cross ... All this was happening silently, a few minutes. Then he said:

- Monks, monks! Do not look back! Remember the wife of lot!

- Vera? - He asked and thought for a minute. Then answered with hard clarity:

- I lived in the church! - And what is it - lived in the church? - I asked. "Well," he continued with some surprise from my question, "what does it mean to live in the church?" I have always stayed in church life ... I served as Liturgy ... Loved to read in the temple of the liturgical books, Minei. Do not check Mini (the lives of saints), although those are beautiful! - And the liturgical mines, the poem, canons ... here! I lived in the church!

Unfortunately, I did not record the whole conversation, but these words about the meaning of the church crashed into my memory for life.

Thanking the father, we left ... my friend died shortly in the young years. I ... still live, by the grace of God. And often remember his words ...

Father's illness of John did not pass. Waited for the end. And December 20 (Art. Art.) 1908, Batyushka died. This news instantly flew off the whole of Russia. Buried him in the women's monastery created by him in St. Petersburg, "on Karpovka".

I could not get into the temple for the funeral, and I walked far behind the coffin in the immense crowd of the people. Any movement here was discontinued. But the hearts of thousands of thousands of people breathed: in one place they sang "with the saints," the other group began "eternal memory", the third - "Holy God" - the funeral ... Large moan stood over these spiritual children of the Batyushki. Sometimes I had to hear shouts:

- No longer see us of such a father! Or: - Dear Patushka! Pray for us! And again the singing of the darkness of the votes ... It was difficult to restrain from the tears among this common sadness and sobs.

In the basement floor of the monastery temple - a bright, lined with white marble - was cooked the white marble tomb on the floor. And here they put honest relics of St. Battyushka. Now, instead of Kronstadt, the pilgrimage "on Karpovka" began. Daily services ... Permanent memories. Wonder again. Universal reverence. Holy Synod decided to consider the death day of the father of John - irregular in spiritual schools. The king turned to Russia with a special manifesto - about the meaning of it and reverence. And the people burned about him in their hearts and recorded in "remember" ...

So it began already the glorification of the father in the church. And not long to wait for it, when it is completed and the canonization of him in the saints.

Three years ago (1948) I was in Leningrad and learned that the monastery "on Karpovka" is closed, but everything, including the tomb, remains intact.

Rev. Father John! Moth of God about us, sinful! ... So I recorded that I remembered him. No matter how you describe, nevertheless it can not give such impressions about him as the living genuine words of the Batyushka himself ...

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