Tag: Christianity

Priest Alexander Paramonov, a guest of Sretensky monastery, resides and serves in an Australian town called Gold Coast. He answered our questions regarding his life and, together with his wife, matushka Leah, he told us what life is like for Christians in that remote corner of the world.

Priest Alexander Paramonov —Father Alexander, tell us about yourself, please. How did you become an Orthodox priest?

—I was born in Australia, and thank God, I grew up in an Orthodox family in the town of Geelong not far from Melbourne. We had one Orthodox church there. Its rector took me in as an altar server when I turned six. I later tried to learn more about our faith and the divine services. I also sang in the choir and served as a reader. Over time, I came to the realization that I needed to enter the Holy Trinity Seminary (Jordanville) celebrating 75th anniversary this yearAs the only ROCOR seminary, it has trained and molded generations of clergy, monastics, choir directors, cantors, iconographers, and lay leaders for the Church Abroad.

“>Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, USA and I graduated there in 2003. Then I returned to Australia and served as a choir director in a parish located in northern Australia, in our balmy state of Queensland.

Then, a local bishop ordained me a priest to serve at a parish church in the resort town of Gold Coast. With its oceanfront stretching as far as forty kilometers, the town is a well-known vacation spot. The weather here is warm year-round. I served for half a year in the cathedral in Brisbane assisting Protopresbyter Gabriel Makarov. Their parish of Sts. Cyril and Methodius has been famous for its missionary work over the last forty years. When we arrived to Gold Coast, we at first held services every Saturday on the premises of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Later on, a benefactor was able to organize a temporary location for our church and so we began weekly services on both Saturdays and Sundays. This is where we are still located today.

—Outside of your duties as a priest, do you have a secular job?

—Yes, I am an IT specialist. I currently work Monday through Friday at a local emergency department and minister as a priest on weekends.

—Who are your parishioners and how many do you have?

—We have about fifty members who are regulars at our services. They represent quite a diverse mix, because Australia is a multinational country. There are, of course, old émigrés from Russia, but they are few and far between. There are also those who arrived only ten or so years ago from Russia. We also have native Australians who converted to Orthodoxy, Africans, Ukrainians, Romanians, Americans, and so on. But for the most part, our parish is made up of Russian speakers. We also have several catechumens who are getting ready to be baptized. We have new converts and they make an effort to become regular churchgoers.

—Australia is a wealthy country. Does this influence people’s spiritual life in any way? Do the faithful have the desire to come to Communion and pray more often?

—Yes, Australians live quite comfortably, they are also very active in sports and surfing. Our parish has easy access to a great number of beaches. Speaking of our parishioners, they do come to Communion often. We try to encourage everyone who comes to us to lead an active spiritual life. That’s why the majority of adults from our parish commune often. Sure, anyone can be slothful in prayer, when all you want to do is have non-stop fun, or to read something distracting, or to watch something online. We all go through these moments all the time. Under such circumstances, it’s definitely hard to concentrate not only on prayer, but more on genuine prayer, when you feel that the Lord hears your prayers and the Most Holy Mother of God and our God-pleasing saints offer your prayers up to God. There is less interest in praying when you live comfortably than when you encounter problems, have temptations or suffer. The Lord sends them our way, but differently: through illnesses or through other people. I think that the majority of Australians don’t even have a passing thought about God. And it’s quite a challenge to hold conversations about faith with them.

With Matushka Leah —How many Christians are there in Australia in general?

—Well, there are very many here who consider themselves Christians. It’s more likely you will be able to explain to locals that we are Orthodox if we say we are like Greeks, except that we are Russians. Because practically everyone in Australia heard about the Greek Orthodox Church. The Christians from various Local Churches do communicate with one another. We recently celebrated the one-hundred-year anniversary of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brisbane. Many people came there from other churches. On a personal level, we have close relationships with both the Greeks and the Ukrainians. Sure, the Greek priests do not concelebrate with the Russians. But Serbs do invite us to concelebrate on their liturgical feasts.

—What challenges does your parish face?

We currently have a temporary church that is set to be demolished. We are in the process of purchasing a plot of land, and God willing, we will build our own church. Most likely, it will be in honor of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg. There are some pressing issues with the local authorities and we try to handle them with patience. We have almost all the money needed to buy that land, with just a little bit left to collect. Of course, our parishioners face challenges, as some are sick or have issues in their family life. Well, just like anywhere else.

We try to encourage everyone who comes to us to lead an active spiritual life

Matushka Leah:

—There is this problem here when the state provides no support to the Church whatsoever. In Russia, the state sides with the Church, while Australian economy and society have a plain-out marketing operating model. And so, the Church is not supported by the state in any way. No subsidies, nothing. The state may choose to support certain projects on the condition that they are not under the auspices of a religious organization, but rather a social or a cultural one. This is a huge stumbling block. We don’t feel the support of the state at all. We can’t build a church in any neighborhood of our choice, but only in the so-called semi-industrial zones. Our zone is different, but we were able to get permission to build a church. We can’t simply buy a plot of land and build a church there.

—What saints do your parishioners love most?

—Of course, St. Xenia of PetersburgSt. Xenia of Petersburg

“>Holy Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, since our parish is dedicated to her. We have a wonderful new icon of St. Paisios the Athonite painted for our parish. There is also St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and St. Seraphim of Sarov. We venerate the Serbian saints, such as Saint Basil of Ostrog. Our parishioners often travel to holy places in Serbia and bring icons for the church.

— How difficult is it to bring up children in Christian tradition in your country? After all, it supports those who adhere to the so-called non-traditional values.

— Of course, we, as priests and as a parish, can do little and we have limited effect on our children. Maybe some Sunday schools hold additional conversations with children. But it is very important that children receive proper Christian education in their families. They need to hear explanations regarding our views about these unions, that we don’t accept them and try to avoid them like any other sin. It is important to explain Orthodox values to children in the family. Priests won’t always say everything from the pulpit. Especially since children are constantly moving around at church, with some going outside and others crying. People have limited attention while the priest is preaching. So, it is important to talk to children in the family.

Matushka Leah:

— We don’t yet feel like our lives have been greatly influenced by all this because we live in the state of Queensland, and it differs from, say, the state of Victoria in South Australia. The schools there are fully immersed in the process called “safe school” when a boy can think he’s a girl. They’ve gone too far there. Our state is somewhat backward, and that’s an advantage for us.

But we already feel like our children are being inculcated with an idea that non-traditional values are the norm. We see how it happens with the kids studying at grades higher than our own children. It’s not as obvious at the elementary school level. But in high school, there are already after-school programs for children who identify themselves as “non-traditional.” Even our children, who are being brought up in an Orthodox family, already begin to ask such questions as, “Why does our family consider it wrong?” In other words, society emphasizes not simply the idea of accepting such people but it offers something much more cunning—its goal is for no one to ever question it whether it is abnormal or not. So they subtly promulgate it.

It is truly important that children receive proper Christian education in their families

Sure, it is hard, because you have to be on guard. But it is the family’s job to decide how much time the family will spend on conversations about all these issues with the child. Besides, it is necessary to handle the matter subtly in order to avoid generating aggression in children against those who live with this delusion and sin. Our goal is to develop a negative attitude to sin, not to people. We don’t want to raise aggressively minded people. Yet, at the same time, we don’t want them to forget the dogmas of the Church, why we treat it this way, so that they would be able to explain it to other people. Work needs to be done in this respect, we have to stay focused and we can’t have schools be in charge here, because that’s where our children will be led astray. Speaking of Russia, for example, you can allow yourself to be lax in this matter.

—But Australia doesn’t oppress Christians, does it? Can you walk down the street wearing a cross?

—I can walk down the street wearing the cross. No problem. Even after the Liturgy I often go to different places wearing a pectoral cross. A total stranger can even call out, “Hi, Father! I’m a Christian too!”

Matushka Leah:

But it’s not because Australia is so Christian a country; it’s because you can do anything you want in Australia. You can walk around wearing anything you want.

—Your parish belongs to the Russian Church. Do you feel like outcasts in some way these days, in light of the current situation?

—It could have been really bad, but thanks be to God, that never materialized. We and the Ukrainians try to support each other.

Matushka Leah:

—Our small parish has expanded greatly over the last year and a half precisely because of the influx of refugees from Ukraine. It has probably increased in size by twenty percent or so. We try to find salvation as a community and to support one another. We help in any way we can, but we don’t discuss politics.

—Are there Orthodox believers among the Australian Aborigines? Does anyone evangelize them at the moment?

—Yes, there are believers among them. Generally speaking, they have an ancient legend called “Dream Time.” and it has many stories similar to those in the Book of Genesis of the Old Testament. There was an Aboriginal Orthodox in their community named Seraphim. He was ordained a priest in Melbourne just when the choir from the Sretensky monastery came on tour there. He even had a special set of vestments made and decorated with Aboriginal embroidery. He had his own radio program for ten years. Unfortunately, he has already passed away. So, we don’t know what life is now like in that community where he lived. Theirs are isolated tribes and they practically live according to the “Domostroy.” ¹

When missionaries came to Australia two hundred years ago, they adopted an American approach to missionary work. It was a bad match with Aborigines. They forced them to become Christians, to learn a new culture and faith, and their children were separated from them. The ripple effect from such missionary activities was felt up until the 1970s. In Fr. Seraphim’s opinion, had they been treated the way the Russians treated the Aleuts in their time, perhaps every Australian Aborigine would be Orthodox by now….

I can walk safely with the cross. Even after Liturgy, I often travel to different places wearing a pectoral cross

—Do they visit your parish?

—They live in the deserts and almost none of them resides in urban areas. So, they don’t visit us. But ordinary Australians are interested in Orthodoxy. In Brisbane, for example, there is a strictly English-language parish with an active Australian priest.

Matushka Leah:

—This is the fastest growing parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, because it attracts so many Australians and catechizes them. They also have many young people who are interested in Orthodoxy.

—What monasteries are there in your diocese?

—Our diocese has three monasteries, including two women’s monasteries. In the desert near Bombala, there is the Holy-Transfiguration monastery. It has only a few monks, maybe as little as five. There is a women’s monastery called New Shamordino located south of Sydney. It has only a few nuns and they aren’t young anymore. But there are no monasteries in our part of the state of Queensland.

Metropolitan Laurus (Shkurla) —Can you think of any examples of spiritually gifted people you encountered in your life? What memories do you have of them?

—Metropolitan Laurus—the Rusyn who reunited the Russian ChurchOne of Vladyka’s most well known traits was his humility.

“>Metropolitan Laurus (Shkurla), the abbot of Jordanville Monastery and rector of our seminary, remains alive in my memory. He served at our church almost every Sunday when he wasn’t away on business. I loved attending the hierarchical services and holding the book for him, or seeing him immersed in prayer for all of us. I also remember the elderly monks there. I spent five years near them and observed their efforts, feats, restraint—and their silence. This made an impression on me. My grandmother also had a great influence on me, when I visited her in childhood and heard her praying while she walked around the house. It was if she was talking to the Lord. Or, there was my aunt, who sewed two hundred sets of vestments for priests all over Australia, how she prayed earnestly and very diligently. All this, of course, influenced me.

—What can you say about modern Russia? How much has the country changed since your last visit?

—My last visit to Russia was seven years ago. I think there are positive changes. There is much less advertising everywhere. It was quite shocking to see it at the time. It’s clear to me that Russia is trying to pursue a domestic policy that supports family, as well as large families, and traditional Christian values. I think this is a very good thing and the West really can’t stand it.

—In conclusion, what would you like to say to Russian believers?

—As strange as it may sound, I think it is very important that your people keep trying to take matters of faith seriously. It is important that they don’t just celebrate and feel the greatness of their country, but also have repentance, humility, contrition of heart, and know that the Lord is close to them….

St. Alphonsus (also known as Alonso) was born in Spain in 1532. He married when he was 26, and worked as a cloth merchant. After a series of personal tragedies — his wife and two of their children had died by the time he was 31, his last child died after he embraced a life of prayer, and his business went under — Alphonsus began to consider religious life. 

Because he had not received higher education, Alphonsus had trouble joining the Jesuits or pursuing ordination. He attended the college of Barcelona for two years, but was unable to graduate. The Jesuits in Valencia refused him, but a provincial of the society, moved by Alphonsus’ dedication to his faith, allowed him to join as a lay brother. 

In Alphonsus’ time, lay brothers assisted the priests of the society, cooking, doing construction, and farming. He was sent to the College of Montesion in Majorca, where he worked as a doorkeeper, greeting guests, carrying luggage, delivering messages, and distributing alms to the poor. 

Even as a doorkeeper, Alphonsus gained a reputation for his wisdom and his faith. Students sought him out, and the Jesuit superiors took note, asking Alphonsus to begin recording his thoughts and his life. Alphonsus developed a friendship with one man in particular, and encouraged him to go to South America as a missionary. That man, St. Peter Claver, followed his advice, and went on to baptize 300,000 slaves in South America. 

In 1617, Alphonsus died. Examining his written records, his superiors found a simple but saintly way of life. Alphonsus believed that every person who appeared at his door was Christ, and his work was to encounter God in every task. This simple philosophy led him to a life of contemplation. 

Alphonsus was declared a saint in 1887, and he is buried on the island of Majorca, where he found Christ in every person he met. 

Washington, D.C., October 30, 2023

Photo: robertamsterdam.com     

Robert Amsterdam, whose law firm AMSTERDAM & PARTNERS LLP is offering pro bono defense to the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church as it faces persecution state and local authorities, penned a warning letter to the deputies of the Ukrainian Parliament last week.

Amsterdam appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show Tucker on X on Thursday, Truth about what’s happening to the Ukrainian Church is banned in the U.S., UOC lawyer tells Tucker Carlson (+VIDEO)“It is shocking to me that a country such as the United States, with strong Christian leadership—I thought—could allow this to go on,” Amsterdam says.

“>October 26, to talk about the persecution and the deafening silence of the American government.

On the same day, Amsterdam published his open letter to the Verkhovna Rada, emphasizing that its fervent desire to ban the majority religion of its own people constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of religion, which could have negative consequences both for Ukraine as a whole and for individual deputies.

People who violate such basic human rights often fall under sanctions of even face criminal prosecution, the lawyer writes.

Read his full letter, published on the AMSTERDAM & PARTNERS LLP site:

Ruslan Stefanchuk
Chairman, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy

Oleksandr Kornienko,
1^st Deputy Chairman, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy

Olena Kondratiuk,
2^nd Deputy Chairwoman, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy

Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy

October 24, 2023

Chairman Stefanchuk, Deputy Chairman Kornieno, Chairwoman Okdratiuk, and Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy:

The vote of 267 members of the Verkhovna Rada in favor of draft law 8371 on Friday, October 20^th is a grave violation of international human rights law that could have serious consequences both for Ukraine’s sovereignty and for you personally. As you know, draft law 8371 bans the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) from the territory of Ukraine. In so doing, it violates the internationally protected right of the freedom of religion. Before the law undergoes a second reading, I write to make you aware of applicable international law and the consequences of your support for this dangerous bill.

If enacted, this legislation would deny the Ukrainian people of one of the most basic human rights—the freedom of religion. It would require people of one faith to abandon their church and instead worship under the government’s preferred branch of Orthodoxy—the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). Telling people how they must worship is blatantly inconsistent with international human rights.

Ukraine has entered into solemn international legal commitments to respect and preserve international human rights, including the freedom of religion. This guarantee has its origins in the aftermath of WWII, which waw the last time a significant religion was banned anywhere in Europe. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, binds all countries as a matter of customary international law and guarantees:

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Ukraine ratified on November 12, 1973 requires that Ukraine:

“respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction… the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.”

Significantly, no derogation from this absolute commitment is permissible, even in time of war or other national emergency.

Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which Ukraine ratified on July 17, 1997, obligates Ukraine to

“secure to everyone within [its] jurisdiction” the “right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” including the freedom, “either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”

Draft law 8371 violates these most basic commitments of the Ukrainian nation. It privileges a state-selected and backed branch of Orthodoxy by banning the preferred institution of worship of millions of Ukrainians. There is no justification that can relieve Ukraine of these binding legal commitments. Neither historical religious ties nor the possibility of foreign influence can override the freedom of religion. In a democratic society, it is not for the state to judge canonical links to other branches of Orthodoxy or to invoke national security without justification. No evidence has been presented that would demonstrate foreign control of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

At the time the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) was granted Tomos by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, then President Poroshenko made a firm commitment to protect the freedom of religion of all Ukrainians. Speaking at a press conference after the establishment of the new church, he indicated that “it is not the business of secular authorities to determine” where and how people should worship. To do so would “violate interfaith relations….and can completely discredit the idea of creating a local church.” He committed that the government would “take a neutral position” and “be categorically against” any effort to privilege the OCU over the UOC. Today, the Verkhovna Rada must live up to those promises.

Passage of this law could have grave consequences for Ukraine’s sovereignty and political future. Since Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has relied on the UN Charter and other rules of international law affirm its independence. Ukraine’s violation of international law by banning a church would render Ukraine in pari delicto (to have unclean hands), undercutting its ability to invoke international law against Russia. Maintaining the legal and moral high ground is absolutely essential to Ukraine’s self-defense and independence. Further, passage of draft law 8371 undermines Ukraine’s candidacy to join the European Union. The Copenhagen Criteria for EU membership “require that the candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.” To be admitted to the EU, a country must comply with the European Convention on Human Rights, including the freedom of religion. This legislation would render Ukraine inadmissible to the EU, again undermining the country’s future prospects. Your support for this legislation may also render you personally liable for violating the human rights of your own people. Key allies of Ukraine, including the US, the EU and the UK routinely impose individual sanctions on the perpetrators of human rights violations far less egregious than those contained in draft law 8371. Such sanctions typically range from travel bans to the freezing or seizure of assets, and can have profound impact on the lives and finances of those responsible. In addition, some countries committed to upholding human rights bring criminal charges against the perpetrators of human rights abuses in their own courts under the principle of universal jurisdiction. Members of the Verkhovna Rada who continue to support this legislation may someday find themselves in a foreign court facing criminal conviction. As the second reading of draft law 8371 approaches, you and the Verkhovna Rada have a stark choice. You may denounce this legislation, and uphold international law by preserving the right of freedom of religion of your own people. Or you may support the bill, violating one of the most basic human rights and, in so doing, undermine Ukraine’s political future and expose yourself to sanctions or even criminal prosecution. The choice should be very clear.

Sincerely,

Robert Amsterdam

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Call this the most overdue book report in recorded history. “The Master and Margarita” (Penguin Classics, $19) sounds like something spawned from the imaginations of Hispanic writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Jorge Luis Borges. It certainly fits into the realm of “magical realism” that those two novelists inhabited. Despite this, the book is as Russian as it gets.

Written in Stalin’s Soviet Union during the 1930s, the book was, for very obvious reasons, not published then. The author, Mikhail Bulgakov, was already in enough trouble with the tyrannical regime and spent time in gulags for various “crimes against the state.” If this book had been published, the gulag would have been the least of his worries.

Imagine the cultural arc this writer’s life had traveled. He was born into a Russian empire, as close to a feudal state this side of the 20th century one was going to find. It was led by an elite aristocracy capped by a God-approved monarch in a medieval system of rights and jurisprudence. He then saw that system collapse in a nanosecond by the tumult of the Russian Revolution and replaced by an upside-down model of Godlessness ruled by a different mode of tyranny.

In the midst of this civilizational rubble, Bulgakov builds his own absurdist world filled with ridiculously impossible characters but armed with universal truths. The book is the counterweight of the absurdist Marxist paradise he was living in, which was built on universal falsehoods.

The roller coaster of a plot begins with the head of a state-approved literary guild meeting with a state-approved author on a park bench in the center of Moscow one sweltering summer afternoon. The meeting was called by the head of the literary guild to discuss the status of the writer’s approved book aimed at proving Jesus never existed. The draft has come up wanting and the writer admits his shortcomings, mainly because he is struggling with the irrefutable evidence of the existence of Pontius Pilate.

The meeting is interrupted abruptly when a strange “foreigner” sits between the two men on that park bench and volunteers that he knows all about the trial Pontius Pilate adjudicated. The two literary types press him on how he is so sure, whereupon the foreigner calmly answers, because “I was there.”

The foreigner is immediately dismissed in their eyes as either insane, or worse, a foreign spy. He takes no offense, but before he takes his leave, he gives the head of the literary guild a strange warning and bids adieu.

It is when the strange warning comes true — resulting in the grisly death of the head of the literary guild — that the reader becomes aware the stranger is Satan, even if most of the characters, living in a state where God does not exist, have an almost impossible task of recognizing evil when it stands before them with a goatee and pince-nez glasses. And things are just beginning.

The mischief that ensues is equal parts broad comedy and diabolical nihilism. “The Master and Margarita” is a story that could only be written with the aforementioned upheaval where God was banished, and the state formed in the image mapped out by a relatively small band of elites. 

It is this cabal of elites the book takes aim at, in wildly comic, tragic, and supernatural ways. The author embraces absurdity like the folly of man-made mechanisms, such as the literary guild that outwardly seeks the “truth” about Jesus just as long as the truth coordinates with the party line.

Like all great Russian literature, the book is longer than it has to be, but it takes time and a hefty page count to ruminate on the nature of evil when Satan moonlights as a professional magician, scantily clad witches fly around the domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, and when one of his possessed accomplices is a 5-foot-tall talking black cat who walks on two feet and has a penchant for vodka. If all that is not enough, the book includes star-crossed and doomed lovers and a satanic ball of lost souls.

Bulgakov was not a closet Christian. His book makes it clear he was a resolute skeptic, though the segments of his book that flash back to Pontius Pilate and his crisis of dealing with this strange Nazarene prisoner hint that Bulgakov may have had some doubts about his doubts.

“The Master and Margarita” reminds me of my favorite humanist American author Kurt Vonnegut. He, too, turned the volume of the absurdity dial to 11, and by doing so searched for the truth. Neither author used the light of Christ to guide them, but there is certainly something of value in literature of this caliber that we out-of-the-closet Christians can and should be able to appreciate.

Nea Krini, Thessaloniki, October 30, 2023

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr     

A chapel in honor of the recently canonized St. Joseph the Hesychast was consecrated in Thessaloniki this weekend.

St. Joseph the Hesychast, one of the greatest saints of the 20th century, was Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Elders Daniel and Ephraim of Katounakia officially added to calendar of saintsThe great 20th-century Athonite spiritual fathers Elder Joseph the Hesychast and Elders Daniel and Ephraim of Katounakia were officially added to the calendar of saints of the Orthodox Church by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople yesterday, March 9.

“>canonized by the Patriarchate of Constantinople in March 2020.

In America and Canada, St. Joseph is especially venerated as the spiritual “grandfather” of the brotherhoods and sisterhoods of the many monasteries founded by Elder Ephraim, who was a spiritual child of St. Joseph for many years. The saint’s precious skull is treasured at St. Anthony’s Monastery in Florence, Arizona, where Elder Ephraim spent the last decades of his life.

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr     

And of course, St. Joseph is highly venerated in his native Greece, where a chapel was consecrated in his honor yesterday, Sunday, October 29. The chapel, located at the Church of St. Paraskevi in the Nea Krini section of Thessaloniki, was consecrated by Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos in the presence of Metropolitan Justin of Nea Krini, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.

Earlier, Fr. Ephraim celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Paraskevi.

Met. Justin thanked the Vatopedi abbot for his presence at the consecration, as he was a spiritual grandson of Elder Joseph the Hesychast.

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr     

St. Joseph the Hesychast church consecrated in Tbilisi (+VIDEO)On Wednesday, July 22, the first parish church in the world dedicated to the newly-glorified St. Joseph the Hesychast was consecrated in Tbilisi, Georgia.

“>In July 2020, the world’s first parish church in honor of St. Joseph the Hesychast was consecrated in Tbilisi, Georgia. Church of St. Joseph the Hesychast consecrated at Madagascar monasteryConstruction on the Church of St. Joseph the Hesychast at Madagascar’s first male monastery was completed one year ago. And on Saturday, June 12, the church was consecrated by Bishop Prodromos of Toliaras and South Madagascar”>In June 2021, St. Joseph the Hesychast Church at St. Joseph the Hesychast Monastery in Toliara, Madagascar, was consecrated.

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St. Abraham Kidunaia was born in the third century. His parents were very wealthy, and ensured that their son was well-educated. After he finished school, his family encouraged Abraham to get married, but he had other plans — he told his new wife that he wanted to dedicate himself to God and remain a virgin. Abraham went to live as a hermit near Edessa and Mesopotamia.

Abraham’s parents died after he had been living in solitude for 10 years. They left him a large inheritance, and when he found out, he asked a friend to take the money and distribute it between several charitable causes. His acts of generosity and his devout spirituality gave Abraham the reputation of a man of great holiness, and he was sought out often for his wisdom and advice. 

When the city of Edessa fell into great sin, and people there started worshipping idols, the bishop ordained Abraham and asked him to go into the city to save the souls there. Although Abraham didn’t want to give up his life of solitude and prayer, he obeyed. 

At first, no one in Edessa wanted to hear Abraham’s words. But through tireless prayer and preaching, he was able to convert them and end the idolatry. After the city was saved, Abraham returned to his hermitage until he died, around the year 360. 

Photo: sevosetia.ru     

The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (8:5-15)

Today we hear the familiar The Parable of the SowerWhoever desires to know the truth, whoever does not silence the voice of conscience within himself, let him ponder the meaning of this parable and apply it to himself…

“>parable of the sower who went out to sow his seed. As we listen to the whole of this parable we are left with the understanding that the soil is man’s heart and the seed in the word of God. It is obvious that there is nothing wrong with the seed, since the seed comes from and belongs to God. However, the question that we must answer for ourselves is “What can I do to prepare my heart to properly receive and keep the word of God?”

In a garden, the soil must be prepared or else it will be difficult to expect much from what is planted. Sometimes this means tilling the soil, removing rocks and debris, and pulling up the weeds. It seems that Our Lord Jesus Christ also views the heart of each human being as a garden that can bear unbelievably abundant fruit under the correct conditions.

So how do we prepare our hearts to receive the word of God and keep it? The great teachers and fathers of the church speak of a number of things that we must do to prepare and soften our hearts. I would like to briefly focus on three methods of preparing and softening the heart: almsgiving, repentance and confession and the reading of Scripture.

Almsgiving mean to give to the needs of the poor. What can we give? Whatever we have the ability to give that will be a blessing to another person or group. When we give, our pockets are emptied but our souls are filled. We not only make room in our pockets and wallets and purses, we make room in our hearts for God since our possessions were taking up important space in our hearts.

On Instructions for AlmsgivingCharity is a gift to God.

“>Almsgiving St. John Chrysostom writes “This makes men like God….Though virginity, fasting and sleeping on the ground are more difficult than this, yet nothing is so strong and powerful to extinguish the fire of our sins as almsgiving. It is greater than all other virtues. It places the lovers of it by the side of the King Himself, and justly.”

On What Is True Repentance?True repentance is impossible without the renewal of a constant petition, invocation, repentant falling, prayer, and supplication to the Heavenly Father. It’s also a sign of the forgiveness of sins—the constant turning of the mind and heart to God.

“>repentance and confession, St. Isaac the Syrian writes, “He who acknowledges his sin is higher than he who raises the dead through his prayer; and he who is worthy of seeing his true self, is higher than he who can see Angels.”

Repentance and confession begin at home. It is something that we do on a daily basis at the end of the day, when we say our evening prayers and take account of our actions and failings of that day. When we feel genuine remorse for our sins, we then bring this energy of repentance to the spiritual hospital, the Church, in order to bear a little shame and humble ourselves before the priest who has been given the great grace to offer the forgiveness of Christ.

The more ashamed we are of our sins, the more important it becomes to relieve this burden and share this with a priest in confession. As long as we hide it deep in our hearts, our hearts are hardened and the demons use it against us and it creates anxiety, depression and a multitude of other issues for us. In fact, St. Nikolai of Zicha says that if we don’t repent, we won’t be saved at all. He writes, “The Lord desires the salvation of each and every person. But not everyone wants to be saved. In a word they all desire it, but in deed they reject it… The ones who perish are the ones who sin but do not repent and only justify their transgressions. That is the worst, most deplorable state.”

Now we come full circle to the reading of Holy Scripture. In the parable we are reminded that the seed is the Word of God. So it makes sense to us that one of the best things we could possible do to ensure that some of the seed takes hold and bears fruit is to make sure we encounter the seed as often as possible and have as much of the seed as possible. The more seeds that we have in our field, the more likely we will be to have an abundant harvest at the right time. Likewise for us, the more we fill our hearts with the word of God, the more we meditate on the Scriptures, the more we study them and commit them to memory, the more blessings we will obtain. The word of God is a two-edged sword. It changes us. It cleanses us, purifies us, give us light and hope. It is a deep well with life-giving waters. Are we constantly depressed, anxious, scattered and feeling hopeless? The Holy Scriptures will help us reorient our lives while they also soften our hearts for the Lord.

On the reading of Scripture, Abba Poemen wrote: “By its nature, water is soft while a stone is hard. However, when it runs along a watercourse and drips on a stone, it slowly but surely makes a hole in it. Likewise, the word of God is soft while our hearts are tough. However, if a person frequently listens to the Word of God, his heart softens and becomes capable to accept the fear of God.”

Finally, we are reminded that it is not enough to just do these things in an empty and mindless way. It is not the works that save us, but God alone. Regardless of what we do, we rely on the grace of God to bless our efforts and to provide the fruit. St. Symeon the New Theologian writes,

“Just as the farmer wearies himself by merely plowing, digging and sowing the seed on the ground, but it grows and produces fruit early and late (cf. Jms. 5:7) by God’s gift, so it is in reality, as you will discover, in spiritual matters. It belongs to us to engage in every activity and with much toil and weariness to sow the seeds of virtue, but by God’s gift and mercy alone the rain of His loving-kindness and grace falls and causes the unfruitful soil of our hearts to bear fruit. When the grain of the word falls on our souls it receives the moisture of God’s goodness; it germinates, grows, and becomes a great tree” (cf. Mt. 13:31-32) (The Discourses; Paulist Press pgs. 219-220)

May our Lord Jesus give strength to our efforts and soften our hearts and may He pour out His great grace so that our struggles may be fruitful. AMEN.

On October 21, 2016, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Chosen By God: Life of Abbess Arsenia of Ust-MedveditsThe amazing purity of heart that God gave Anna from birth was preserved in her until the end of her life, and therefore the path of her life was clear and straight.

“>St. Arsenia of Ust-Medvedits as a locally venerated saint of the Volgograd Metropolis.

Abbess Arsenia (1833-1905) came from a notable family of the Don region. At the age of seventeen, Anna Mikhailova entered the Ust-Medvedits Monastery of her own accord. The monastery reached its highest peak in the forty years of her abbacy, from 1864 until her repose on August 3, 1905.

Besides her educational and charitable activities, the main fruits of Venerable Arsenia’s labors were the Kazan Cathedral, which was erected from 1785 to 1885, and the famous caves, dug in the image of the Kiev Caves. Today the monastery’s main shrine is there—the miraculous stone slab with hand and knee imprints of people kneeling in prayer, where the faithful come to beseech St. Arsenia for healings, the good arrangement of worldly affairs, and prosperous family lives.

In addition to her holy life, St. Arsenia left us valuable writings on the spiritual life, which we present in honor of the anniversary of her canonization.

What Does it Mean to Believe in God?In addition to her holy life, St. Arsenia left us valuable writings on the spiritual life, which we present in honor of the anniversary of her canonization.

“>Part 1
The State of the Human Soul and the Asceticism of RepentanceThe Lord doesn’t leave a man’s labors without recompense.”>Part 2

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On despondency and the mercy of God

Photo: azbyka.ru How can a soul not fall into despondency when it remains alone with its sins, passions, and infirmities? How can it not fall into despondency when it sees only evil within itself, only impurity, and it has no strength to get out of this state of perdition and even can’t see the exit that it could take? But when it turns to God, when the abyss of God’s mercy for mankind—the ways of His good providence that saves a lost man—is revealed to it, when it begins to seek its salvation in this abyss of mercy, when it walks by faith along the path of His providence, which unspeakably saves us, it destroys all doubts within itself—then it will sense strength, and peace, and consolation. Then gloomy despondency will depart from the soul; the stone of insensibility will be rolled away.

Peace and joy are the fruit of humility. Here is the pier where all the good ascetics have found their rest, all those who grieved in soul, all who thirsted for salvation. Don’t fear to lose everything in order to acquire humility; don’t be afraid to pass through the desert of despondency where the soul loses everything and the poor, insensitive soul is unable to move. From this path, it’s most likely to come to humility by renunciation of oneself.

On love

Love is good because it gives freedom; it is not limited in where it can follow its beloved to, but on the contrary, it follows them even into Hell. That’s why it’s strong, and has more than once admired its loved ones from the pits of Hell.

If you love your neighbor for yourself, you must desire the fulfillment of your own desires, your own carnal will. If you love him for his own sake, then you must fulfill his will, his desire. But if you love your neighbor for the sake of the Lord, then you must strive to fulfill the will of God in relation to him and walk blamelessly in His righteousness. Let us love our neighbor for the Lord’s sake. We must be cut off, but not from man, not from things, but from our own predilection to one or the other.

On the mercy of God

We need not only the mercy of God, which forgives our sins, bears our infirmities, and endures our iniquities, but also the bounties of God, which cleanse us from our iniquities, enlighten our minds to the knowledge of His will, strengthen our spirit to the pursuit of what is pleasing to God, and direct our will to fulfilling His commandments.

When the soul comes to know how much it needs God’s bounties and sees how much His bounties benefit us in both our external and internal lives, then only the soul is able to pray to Him with a contrite and grateful heart, and only then will prayer be the living word of the soul. The holy Prophet David was led into the knowledge of the merciful and bountiful Lord, and therefore his prayer was full of thanksgiving, doxology, and contrition. Only the knowledge of one’s sinfulness leads to the search for the mercy of God; only knowledge of one’s impotence, helplessness, and complete infirmity leads to the knowledge of the most merciful Lord.

On silence

Silence is more fruitful than any word.

Silence in word, thought, and feeling—this is the type of silence that is desired, because everything you say, think, and feel is passionate and sinful.

Peace of soul

Peace of soul is not always found in external peace and quiet. On the contrary, often, if not always, in this external peace, a storm of passions arises in the soul. And if temperance is needed during a time of distraction, then patience is all the more necessary during solitude. Patience is also a vital power of the soul with spiritual understanding, discerning the changes in things and all things earthly, with faith in the heart and humility of spirit. Patience gives the soul constancy; it turns into courage and then becomes not a passive, but an active sense.

On the will of God

Our heart is so corrupted, so darkened by sin, our life is so entangled with our vices, corrupted by the self-willed intentions of our sin-loving heart, that not only can we not do the will of God or know it, but we don’t even allow the all-holy will of God to act in us and in our lives. The Prophet says: In the saints that are in His earth hath the Lord been wondrous; He hath wrought all His desires in them (Ps. 15:3). Do you see that in holy souls, and only in them, the Lord fulfills His will? There are no obstacles in them to the fulfillment of the will of God. The sinner who lives in his passions lives constantly in opposition to the will of God. It’s good if he accepts what the Lord allows him to endure, if he is humbled by this permissiveness of God. Such humble submission to what God has allowed is a sign of a penitent sinner.

On the monastic life

A goal gives the direction and character of a man’s whole future life and activity, and therefore it’s very important.

If you only look at the external side of life, and because of the sorrows of life you desire to find peace in the quietness of the monastic life, then you’re mistaken. The monastery has its own sorrows, perhaps even heavier than those in the world. If you have understood the vanity of earthly life in your spirit, if you don’t find satisfaction for your soul there, and you desire to find this fullness in the spiritual life, to live for eternity, for God, then your aspiration is correct. But with this decision you must prepare yourself for all sorrows, both spiritual and bodily.

Much is required of a man who desires salvation. The walls of the monastery, a black cassock, even all the external labors of the monastic life mean nothing without the inner labor that is the goal of the monastic life. It consists in the perfect rebirth of the entire man, in the removal of all things earthly, in the mortification of everything that is of him—human reason, every human feeling—in order to come alive for God and in God. As far as a man is from God, so great is the abyss that separates him from God, so great is the work of reunification. Not only is this path difficult, but it’s not even accessible to everyone, it’s not open to everyone; not everyone finds it, not everyone seeks it, not even everyone wants it.

This path is desired, sought, and found only by those who are called to it by the Lord Himself. The soul feels the calling of God when it’s not satisfied by anything in earthly life, when it constantly feels some kind of incompleteness and when it seeks to discover in itself a sense of immortality that leads it into eternal life and brings it near to the Eternal Lord. The soul can’t resist such a Divine calling; it becomes obedient and will not stop in its search for the inner life, for communion with the Lord until it finds the path that leads to this goal; and then it will not stop, but will continue to labor in the field of its heart; it will go further and further, despite the path becoming more and more difficult…

If you don’t accept this inner labor, if you aren’t seeking this path, then don’t go to a monastery. People enter a monastery in order to form their spirit in this school of spiritual life, to find guides and all the means for passing through this spiritual arena.

We must love ourselves

We also have to learn how to love ourselves.

Indeed, this is something we truly must labor over.

For example, sometimes a man is unfair to himself, demanding more than he can give. He demands victory over his passions and grieves, worries, and resents himself when he sees that he is being taken over by those very passions that he had decided to leave behind. But is such indignation against oneself justified? No. Man will never be able to defeat his passions by his own power: They are overcome in us by the power of God. This power is inherent in His commandments. When, with the help of God, a man makes them his own, when they live in his heart, then sin and the passions weaken and completely cease to operate in his heart. We must constantly revive in our hearts the desire to live according to Christ’s commandments; we must entreat His help in prayer, humble ourselves in our deviations, endure our infirmity, and not resent ourselves for it. After all, if I’m not strong enough to overcome it in myself, why demand from myself that which only the Lord can give? Why should I grieve myself for not becoming higher than myself? Such a demand for spiritual success reveals our pride. Let us await everything from the One Lord and deeply humble ourselves in our infirmities and sinfulness.

On the soul and the flesh

Our spirit is so closely connected with the flesh that they make up one inseparable being. If we develop all the animal powers in ourselves, then we’ll become bestial. By animal powers, I mean not just the physical powers, but also all the powers of the soul given for earthly life. If, with the help of God, we strive to develop the powers of the immortal spirit within ourselves, this will certainly be to the detriment of the animal powers, and will even contradict all the laws and demands of our animal nature. Only a soul strengthened by the grace of God can rise above this nature.

The law of nature draws us to the actions inherent to it, regardless of whether they’re holy or sinful, without even asking our consent. This attraction of the law of our animal nature is called natural in our fallen human nature. It’s unnatural for our spirit, because it oppresses, suppresses, and kills it.

Living by the laws of our fallen nature, we still sometimes feel an unaccountable longing, dissatisfaction, desire for something higher, for freedom from everything that makes up our earthly life. This longing, this desire, reveals the need of our spirit. If we drown out this voice in ourselves, then it will fall completely silent or turn into a feeling of despair. But why is it so weak? Because due to our fall, we can’t do any good by our own strength, and only the grace of God can do good in us when we give room to grace by our humility and faith. That’s why the spiritual life is called “above nature.” We have to work on ourselves, we have to see what is above earthly interests, and we have to believe that everything holy is obtained only by the grace of God—and that’s why we have to humble ourselves.

The way of Christ’s commandments

Although all Christians must follow the path of Christ’s commandments, the path of renunciation of our sinful passions, there is a difference in spiritual labors and approaches to life, so to speak. A recluse, a novice, and a layman can all achieve the renunciation of their will, but they achieve this goal in different ways. The first of them sees the will of God before which he renounces his own will in light of the word of God; the second—in the will of his spiritual father; and the third—in the circumstances of life. Purity of heart is possible for all three, but the first strives for it with unceasing prayer, the second with the work of obedience and confession of thoughts, and the third by the honest fulfillment of his work and familial duties. They all achieve the same goal, but in different ways. It’s the same in all matters of life. I have mentioned the main characteristics, briefly pointed them out, but I want to tell you only one thing: I’m afraid you might veer too much into asceticism. Monasticism is nothing more than an external form of life, and however good it may be, it mustn’t be the ultimate goal of our search. Strive for the best gifts, says the Apostle (cf. 1 Cor. 12:31). In the commandments of Christ is hidden all spiritual treasure: to love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves. How much we must renounce our passions in order to love God more all things earthly—more than ourselves! How much we must struggle over ourselves in order to love our neighbor as ourselves! These two commandments contain all the purity, all the holiness of the soul.

Human dignity and nobility

The dignity and nobility of man is not so much in the privileges he received from his ancestors as in those good qualities of the soul that he acquired by working on himself. This is how the Lord appreciates all the good in us; this is how rational people appreciate us. And man himself must appreciate everything that the Lord gives him.

To be continued…

Holy Confessor Bishop Ambrose (before monasticism, Alexander Alexeyevich Polyansky) was born on November 12, 1878, in the village of Petelino, Elatma County, Tambov Province, to the family of a priest. The Polyansky family had many priests in their line, and they were known for their strong Christian piety. Alexander received his primary education in the parish school in his hometown. When he was nine years old, his father sent him to study at a religious school in the city of Shatsk, Tambov Province. He continued his education at the Tambov Theological Seminary, graduating in 1899. In the same year, he entered the Kazan Theological Academy.

In 1901, he took monastic vows with the name Ambrose and was ordained as a deacon. In 1902, he was ordained as a priest. In 1903, Father Ambrose graduated from the academy with a degree in theology and was appointed as a teacher at the Kiev Theological Seminary. He was also assigned to the brotherhood of the Kiev Caves Lavra. In 1905, he was awarded the pectoral cross. In 1906, he was appointed as the rector of the same seminary and elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

Revolutionary riots and moral degradation in society also affected the Theological Seminary, despite the rector’s best efforts. On March 29, 1907, a revolt erupted among the students, driven by their dissatisfaction with the evaluation of their behavior over the last quarter. The disorderly conduct involved whistling, making noise, shouting, and the stomping of feet directed at the members of the inspection present during lunch and dinner when the disturbances occurred. After evening prayers, despite repeated warnings from the rector and the inspector, the disturbances continued, particularly in the form of loud whistling, noise, and offensive outbursts, which lasted continuously for about two hours. The lights in the corridor where all of this was taking place were extinguished. Items like spittoons, lampshades, pieces of plaster, and even classroom boards appeared on the scene.

At midnight, a delegation that came to the rector presented the following demands: 1) more humane treatment of the students by the inspection; 2) a review of behavior grades, changing the grades from four to five; 3) the reinstatement of dismissed students, and 4) immunity for the delegates’ personal safety. The demands were not accepted. The next day, whistling resumed before classes; occasional whistles and shouts were heard between the lessons, which escalated the general disorder. On March 30, an emergency meeting of the educational assembly decided to suspend classes and send the students home.

Despite such disheartening occurrences, which indicate how the spirit of the times had permeated young people in the church, Fr. Ambrose was actively involved in assisting financially disadvantaged students. He was a permanent member of the Society for the Assistance of Needy Students of the Kiev-Podolsk Theological Seminary and served as the chairman of the council of the Petropavlovsk Trusteeship for poorly supported students of the Kiev Theological Seminary. In 1915, in recognition of his diligent service at his diocesan obediences, Archimandrite Ambrose was awarded the Order of Saint Vladimir, 3rd class.

Archimandrite Ambrose was known for his deep piety and humility, and he was beloved by both the students of the seminary and by the ecclesiastical authorities, particularly by Metropolitan Flavian of Kiev and Galicia (Gorodetsky). On several occasions, there were discussions about consecrating Archimandrite Ambrose a bishop, but Metropolitan Flavian, who highly valued the devout monk and zealous worker in the field of preparing young men for service to the Church, would only say, “I need him.” Metropolitan Flavian himself was a missionary, an ascetic, and a man known for his exceptional charity; he never refused anyone material assistance. In Kiev, he designated specific days for meeting with the needy, and people gathered in the morning to receive his generous contributions. Being a devout man himself, he valued piety in his associates.

On October 22, 1918, Archimandrite Ambrose was consecrated as the Bishop of Vinnitsa, serving as the vicar of the Kamenets-Podolsky Diocese. In 1922, he was transferred to the Kamenets-Podolsky and Bratslav Diocese, but his time there was relatively short.

After the end of the civil war in Ukraine and the emergence of the Soviet government, harsh measures were taken against the Orthodox Church. The renovationist Archbishop of the Kamenets-Podolsky Diocese, Pimen (Pegov), invited Bishop Ambrose to join the renovationist organization. However, the Saintly Bishop declined, which the renovationists reported to the OGPU (the predecessor of the KGB), leading to his arrest. He was falsely accused of supposedly sheltering former officers of the Tsarist army by ordaining them as priests. The accusation was baseless, as the individuals in question had long retired from military service and were working as teachers. Having chosen martyric path awaiting them under the soviet regime, they passed an examination for the priesthood and were ordained by Bishop Ambrose.

In 1923, Bishop Ambrose was exiled from Ukraine and he settled in Moscow. Following the expulsion of the Orthodox hierarch from the Kamenets-Podolsky Diocese, with the support of Soviet authorities, the renovationists completely devastated it. For instance, in Vinnitsa, there was not a single Orthodox church left.

In 1923, the renovationists entered into negotiations with the Russian Orthodox Church regarding terms of reunification. Their primary condition was the removal of Patriarch Tikhon from Church administration and his retirement. At the end of September 1923, a meeting of twenty-seven hierarchs was held at the Donskoy Monastery to discuss matters related to reconciliation with the renovationists. Reports were presented by Archbishops Seraphim (Alexandrov), The Life of Holy Hieromartyr Hilarion (Troitsky), Archbishop of VereyOne of the most eminent figures of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1920s was Archbishop Hilarion of Verey, an outstanding theologian and extremely talented individual. Throughout his life he burned with great love for the Church of Christ, right up to his martyric death for her sake. His literary works are distinguished by their strictly ecclesiastical content and his tireless struggle against scholasticism, specifically Latinism, which had been influencing the Russian Church from the time of Metropolitan Peter Moghila [of Kiev].

“>Hilarion (Troitsky), and Tikhon (Obolensky).

Archbishop Seraphim was the first to speak: “Godly-wise shepherds, acting as three delegates of Patriarch Tikhon

“>His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon, we have just now held a thorough discussion with His Eminence Metropolitan Evdokim regarding the question of the liquidation of our ecclesiastical division. His Eminence Metropolitan Evdokim proposed that we immediately discuss three questions concerning this matter… The first question is whether we agree to reconciliation with him. If we agree, then we need to establish communication and begin joint preparatory work for the upcoming Local Council. In this case, the Local Council will be convened by His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon. At this Council, Patriarch Tikhon must relinquish the administration of the Church and retire. If we agree to carry this out, His Eminence Evdokim has given us the assurance that Patriarch Tikhon will be reinstated to his current rank at the Council.”

Photo: pravlife.org Bishop Ambrose responded to the essence of Archbishop Seraphim’s report: “I am surprised, your Eminence, that you refer to Evdokim as His Eminence,” he said. “Do you recognize him as the legitimate hierarch?” Archbishop Seraphim replied that he did, but he agreed that his decision on this matter was not straightforward. “But for me, and probably for others present here, Evdokim is not at all His Eminence, but a former archbishop, because he joined the schismatics (self-proclaimed clergy who separated from His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon and, according to their ideology, from the Church of Christ). Consider for yourselves, who were the leaders among them? Former Archbishop Antonin, who is now retired at the Zaikonospassky Monastery. He opposed Patriarch Tikhon out of personal motives, and others with dubious pasts joined him. Antonin turned out to be a blasphemer. As we know, he opposes the veneration of God’s saints and acknowledges only the Holy Trinity and sacred events from the life of Christ and the Mother of God. He refers to the iconostasis as an unnecessary partition that should be torn down. Bishop Leonid is not well-known to us, but he is undoubtedly compromised in order to undermine the canonical principles of Holy Orthodoxy. Vvedensky, a former priest from Petrograd, is now a married bishop, is basically a member of the Jewish community. Priest Boyarsky expressed blasphemous views at their unlawful Council against the veneration of the relics of the saints. These corrupt individuals rebelled against His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon and holy Orthodoxy. Archbishop Evdokim joined them and, by doing so, renounced the Church of Christ. Therefore, he cannot be a legitimate bishop.”

After discussing the question of reconciliation and unity with the renovationists, a closed vote was held, in which the majority of the bishops expressed their opposition to such a move.

A year later, Bishop Ambrose was arrested again. He was held in custody by the OGPU for ten days. Upon his release, he served in various churches in Moscow, regularly delivering sermons during worship services. In 1925, Bishop Ambrose was appointed as the administrator of the Kamenets-Podolsky Diocese, but he had no possibility of travelling there. At the end of November 1925, all the bishops who were assisting the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne in managing the Russian Orthodox Church were arrested in Moscow. Bishop Ambrose was arrested with them. The interrogations were conducted by Tuchkov and Kazansky.¹

The first interrogation protocol was recorded half a month later, on December 16, 1925.

“In which church or monastery do you primarily serve?” the investigator asked.

“At the Danilov Monastery,” Bishop Ambrose replied.

“Whom among the bishops living in or near the Danilov Monastery and serving there do you know?”

“I know Bishops Damaskin, Parfeniy, German, and Ioasaf; Archbishops Pakhomiy and Prokopiy.”

By that time, all of them had been arrested along with Bishop Ambrose and were detained in the inner prison of the OGPU or in the Butyrka Prison.

The second interrogation protocol was drawn up on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, February 15. The investigator, relying on the testimonies of informants, inquired about the content of the bishop’s sermons in the churches.

Bishop Ambrose responded, “In my sermons, I speak on purely ecclesiastical and moral topics, avoiding any societal elements. I did not specially deliver sermons on the theme, ‘All rulers are ruled by God,’ but I did touch upon the text in my sermons. I interpreted it as meaning that everything on Earth occurs by the will of God, and if there are calamities and misfortunes, whether in the lives of individuals or nations, it is solely the punishment of God for their sins, intended for their correction. Regarding these punishments on nations, I referred to the post-revolutionary famine, without specifying dates or particular events, using terms like ‘shortage of provisions’ and ‘general need,’ generally discussing ‘severe trials’ in life in a broad sense.”

As for my stance on the The October Revolution: Prophecies on Russia’s DestinyWhy is this subject so important to us (and we must understand that it is of very serious importance to us) who may have nothing to do with Russians or Russia? Those who have ears to hear, let them hear; and those who have eyes to see, let them see.

“>revolution, I have never expressed my thoughts and convictions on this matter in my sermons. Personally, I consider the revolution as God’s judgment upon all classes of the Russian people for their past actions.

I reiterate that I have never touched upon political events in a specific manner and have not given any reason to interpret my views on the revolution differently from what I have already stated. Perhaps people misunderstood me in this way without any grounds on my part, or maybe they did not understand me; I do not know.”

The next interrogation took place a month and a half later, on March 29. By this time, Tuchkov and the 6th OGPU department had already formulated their judgment, resolving that the bishops residing in the Danilov Monastery constituted an illegal Synod under Metropolitan Peter. Therefore, any meetings of these bishops in the monastery and any discussions of church matters were viewed as discussions of pressing church issues by the Synod. When asked whether the bishops’ meetings were sessions of the Synod under the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Bishop Ambrose responded, “In the Danilov Monastery, we had discussions on various church matters to exchange opinions, but the views expressed in these discussions were not binding on anyone. There were quite a few such issues, and it’s difficult to remember them all.”

After returning to his cell following the interrogation, the bishop began to recall the details of the questioning, particularly the zeal and desire with which the interrogators sought to reinterpret and distort the meaning of every word, aiming to ascribe a political character to church decisions and actions. What in the bishop’s view was purely a church action necessitated by ecclesiastical canons compiled and recorded hundreds of years ago, long before Soviet authority existed, took on a political significance in the interrogator’s eyes, with far-reaching implications. In response to this, the bishop decided to provide an explanation.

The next day after the interrogation, he sent a statement through the prison department’s secretary of the OGPU to the interrogator. He wrote, “Regarding the interrogation on March 29, I consider it necessary to state the following: For me, the Church is a religious community, and, like any community, it has its own laws and rules. Furthermore, the Church is a Divine institution with Divine rules at the core of its life, as expressed in Holy Scripture and the canons of Ecumenical and Local Councils. Anyone who wishes to belong to the Church must obey its rules and laws; otherwise, they depart from the Church, even if they outwardly appear to belong to it. Moreover, a clergyman must adhere to the laws and rules of the Church.

“I have embraced the spiritual life, become a servant of the Church, and I wish to continue belonging to it. Therefore, I strive to adhere to the laws and rules of the Church, and I view all events in the Church’s life solely from the perspective of Church rules and regulations, not from any other perspective, for example a political perspective. For example, I do not acknowledge the Renovationist movement solely because it violated Church laws (they are self-appointed, have married bishops, and so on). I acknowledge the Patriarchate solely, because it, not the Synod, is a canonical institution, as this exists in Eastern Churches.”

Regarding politics, I have never aspired to it and do not aspire to it. My soul is not inclined toward it. In the past, I was not involved in politics, did not participate in any organizations or societies, and now, under Soviet rule, I do not engage in politics. I do not belong to any organizations or societies, nor do I participate in any political activities, nor have I committed any crimes against Soviet authority.”   

Bishop Ambrose was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and sent with Archbishop Prokopy (Titov) of Kherson to the Solovki Concentration Camp. On November 30, 1928, the bishops were informed that they would be exiled to the Ural region after serving their camp sentences. They traveled together via Ekaterinburg and Tobolsk. On April 7, during the Annunciation holiday, they arrived at the Tobolsk isolation chamber and were released on the same day. However, their freedom was short-lived, as they were re-arrested on April 9 and placed in the Tobolsk Prison, where they spent one and a half months. As soon as the river navigation season began, they were transported by the first steamboat to the town of Obdorsk. After a month, Bishop Ambrose was sent from there to the small village of Shuryshkary, where he remained until July 5, 1931, at which time he was returned to Obdorsk.

Photo: fond.ru On July 30, 1931, Bishop Ambrose and Archbishop Prokopy were arrested again. The true reason for their arrest was these saints’ profound faith, their unwillingness to compromise, their lifestyle in remote exile, and the fact that they dared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy even in exile, albeit with only a few people in attendance. Their correspondence with Metropolitan Peter, who was in the far north as the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, also irritated the godless authorities.

The decision to arrest them was made in Moscow, and therefore, witness interrogations and the search for charges began after their arrest.

The daughter of the church warden, Antonina Rocheva, testified: “Last year, when there were rumors amongst the population that they would close the church, Polyansky told my mother and my father, ‘They are going to close and desecrate the church. You shouldn’t let them close it, or you’ll all become atheists, and God will punish you. If you don’t agree, they won’t close the church forcibly.’ I spoke at the meeting in favor of keeping the church open. I did it because I was afraid of becoming an atheist. My father, the church warden, also opposed closing the church. My father… worked to keep the church open, collected money, and as a result, he was fined 150 rubles. When my father received the court’s verdict, Polyansky came to our house and said, ‘You have been unfairly condemned by the local authorities; file an appeal, and you will be acquitted.’ He also said, ‘The newspapers are writing that there won’t be any consumer goods, but there will be bread, although it will be expensive. You need to stock up a little at a time, or else you’ll go hungry. Everything is getting worse. Life was better before, and now there’s nothing left.’ Polyansky organized religious services, which local Zyryan women attended. I saw Maria Dyachkova and an old exile named Terenti Zhupikov praying at his services.”

Terenti Zhupikov, who lived in the same house as Bishop Ambrose, was summoned to the OGPU, where he stated: “In the village of Shuryshkary, he (Bishop Ambrose) has settled. He knows everyone, has become close with the Zyryan and Ostyak people. He visits the homes of each Zyryan, and some of them visit him. Ostyak people often visit him, providing him with fish, fat, and other things he needs. He does not engage in discussions with them because they do not understand each other’s language, but he is friendly with them. He told me and my comrade Sergienko, ‘Now is the time of persecution against the Church, believers, and clergy. The authorities are now exiling people because they are believers and refuse to close churches, and they don’t want to become atheists. Everywhere churches are being forcibly closed under pressure from the government. Once the churches are closed, it’s clear that people will become non-believers. Clergy are being exiled for serving the Church, with no other crimes committed. They exiled me, and I don’t know why. Others don’t know why they were exiled either. They arrested an elderly woman from our village in Kherson. Presumably, because she is a believer and sent me packages.’ He asked me and Sergienko why we were exiled and how long we had been in exile. I told him I was arrested in January 1930 and exiled along with a fellow villager. He told me, ‘They exiled you because of collectivization. Apparently, people didn’t want to join the collective farm. To intimidate the others, they took you and arrested you, and the rest joined the collective farm.’ He frequently tried to convince us of the truth of the Russian Orthodox Church and always criticized the sectarians, calling them charlatans and deceivers.”

The Head of the Organizational Bureau of OKRIK, Konev, stated, “Bishop Polyansky, upon his arrival in the village of Shuryshkary, had a close connection with Rechev and Dyachkov… Their connection was based on the fact that Polyansky frequently visited their apartments, and they also visited him. I cannot say exactly what kind of conversations they had… upon Polyansky’s arrival, the above-named individuals became the most knowledgeable in religious matters. Moreover, I personally saw prayer texts written on paper with a pencil by Dyachkov’s children. I believe this is also Polyansky’s doing, as Dyachkov and his wife are illiterate. All of these individuals strongly opposed the closure of the church… In addition, they all collected money illegally for the church’s upkeep, for which they were convicted. Once, in the spring of 1930, probably in May, Polyansky came to register with the Shuryshkary Village Council, where he began a conversation on religious topics first with the Village Council Secretary Karpov… and then I intervened in their conversation. Polyansky vigorously argued that ‘God exists and is real… He exists, and everything depends on Him…’ From this, I conclude that if Polyansky talks this way in the village council, he certainly does not hesitate to conduct such work among the unenlightened Zyryans and native masses.”

However, there was not enough evidence for the accusations. They introduced informants into the cell with the bishops, and one of them reported that Bishop Ambrose had said that every time he was summoned for questioning by the OGPU representative, he was offered to become an agent of the OGPU. “But I will never stoop to such treachery,” said Bishop Ambrose.

Summoned for questioning, the bishop insisted on writing his statements by hand. He held the word in high regard, especially the word of a bishop, and did not want any changes to be made to his testimony by the atheistic investigator. The bishop wrote, “I explain my arrest and expulsion from Ukraine by the fact that I did not join the renovationist organization, as suggested to me by the then Archbishop of the Podolsk Diocese, Pimen. I saw his report, as well as the report of a former comrade of the Chairman of the Supreme Church Administration of the renovationists, after my arrest in the local OGPU. Based on these reports, questions were posed to me. Based on this fact and others, I have the impression that the renovationist organization is in more a favorable position with the authorities than the Old Believers are. As for the motives and reasons for this favorable attitude of the authorities towards the renovationist organization, it is not for me to decide this issue; it is a matter for the authorities. Presumably, I can say that this may be due to the fact that the renovationist organization appears to be suitable and perhaps beneficial to the authorities, taking into account the reports of renovationist activists that I saw in the OGPU, as well as the fact that the renovationists violate church laws and rules, build church life according to their own will, and create divisions in church life, which may be favorable for the authorities that have set themselves the task of combating faith and the Church…”

In September 1931, the “case” of the archbishop was concluded. In the accusatory statement, the authorized representative of the Yamal Department of the OGPU wrote: “The Yamal Regional OGPU received information that the administratively exiled bishops Polyansky and Titov, while in exile in the village of Muzhi in 1929, established extensive connections with the local Zyryan and native Ostyak population… by conducting conversations on religious topics, giving them an anti-Soviet bias… organized illegal religious services in people’s homes and conducted overtly anti-Soviet agitation.

“Subsequently, the authorized representatives of the OGPU relocated Polyansky to Shuryshkary, and Titov to the village of Kievat, where they continued the same activities, exerting a harmful influence on the surrounding indigenous population. As a result, individuals in close contact with them began actively opposing the measures implemented by the Soviet authorities, such as the closure of churches, collectivization, the distribution of lands, and so on.

“During their interrogations as defendants, Polyansky and Titov did not admit guilt in the above-mentioned crimes and vehemently denied engaging in anti-Soviet agitation. However, taking into account that the existence of such activities was corroborated by witness testimonies, the OGPU decided to forward the case materials “to the Troika of the OGPU for the Urals for extrajudicial consideration.”

After the conclusion of the investigation, the bishops were sent to Tobolsk Prison. On December 14, 1931, a Special Meeting at the OGPU Collegium sentenced Bishop Amvrosy and Archbishop Prokopiy to three years of exile in Kazakhstan.

Bishop Amvrosy was sent to exile in the city of Turkestan, where he arrived in early September 1932. During this time, many exiled nuns from Russia, including those from the Sts. Martha and Mary Convent [in Moscow], lived in the area. One of the convent’s novices, Euphrosinia Zhurilo, took Bishop Amvrosy in. The OGPU authorities had told the bishop that he would have to travel 120 kilometers, crossing the desert to a small village named Suzak, where his place of residence was assigned. The journey involved a narrow and hazardous road, with sections running along the cliffs, where camels sometimes fell off the trail into the abyss. Novice Euphrosinia went to the head of the OGPU to plead with him not to send the bishop on such a distant and perilous journey and to allow him to stay in the city. However, her request was denied.

In the evening, the bishop talked with the nuns and novices from the Sts. Martha and Mary Convent. The next morning, they began packing his belongings and preparing him for departure. They gathered everything needed, arranged a cart, loaded his things, and handed him letters addressed to an exiled doctor they knew from Saint Petersburg and to the exiled nuns. They placed the bishop in the cart, and with tears in their eyes, they bid farewell to the confessor. The journey under the scorching sun took a toll on the bishop, and he barely made it to the place of exile. Upon arrival, he was immediately admitted to the hospital. However, his health deteriorated to such an extent that, despite the efforts of the doctor and nurses, the bishop passed away a week later, on December 7/20, 1932.

    

He was canonized among the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Jubilee Hierarchical Council in August 2000 for universal veneration.

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser and a relative of Jesus. According to ancient writings, he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia. Eusebius writes that Jude returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as bishop of Jerusalem. 

Jude is the author of an epistle to the Churches of the East, in particular to Jewish converts, against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. 

Jude was beaten to death with a club and then beheaded post-mortem in 1st century Persia. His relics reside at St. Peter’s in Rome, at Rheims, and at Toulouse, France. 

St. Jude is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, impossible causes, and the diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. 

St. Simon the Zealot

Little is known about the life of St. Simon. He is thought to have preached in Egypt and then to have joined St. Jude in Persia. Some accounts say that Simon was martyred by being cut in half with a saw, and he is often depicted with one. But the fourth-century St. Basil the Great reported that Simon died peacefully in Edessa.