In mid-October, several editorial staff went on a pilgrimage to the Narovchatsky Trinity-Skanov Convent of the Serdobsk and Spasskaya Diocese of the Penza Metropolis. The place is holy, prayed for. And I have long wanted to pray at the miraculous Trubchevsk Icon of the Mother of God. The editorial board of Blagovest has a long-standing friendship with the Trinity-Skanov Monastery. The ever-remembered Abbess Evstolia (Frolova, † January 7, 2010) every time congratulated the editors on Christmas and Easter and cordially received the newspaper employees. Good relations developed after her death with the new abbess, Abbess Tavifa (Bakulina). And the new trip to Skanovo left an unforgettable, blessed impression.

We arrived late: the evening service had already begun. Having left worldly concerns - we still had time to settle down for the night - we went to the high temple outside the monastery gates. And after the service they approached Abbess Tabitha. She gave her blessing to stay in the monastery and added:

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to give an interview - I’m leaving, but I’ll send you an interlocutor...

In monastic silence

There is silence in the Assumption Church of the Trinity-Skanova Convent. That special monastic silence, which is not disturbed by quiet requests at the icon shop: “I want an icon and candles... Write it down to the Indestructible Psalter...”. An elderly woman bowed in silence before the miraculous Trubchev Icon - and could not move away. The bows of nuns and nuns in black robes are silent. And the quiet voice of the woman reading the clock on the choir easily enters this prayerful silence.

In the silence of my heart I leave the priest who has accepted Confession. I stand next to the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. And quietly, without words, I thank the Saint for the easy road given to us yesterday...

And soon the Liturgy will end, soon - Communion, but a very middle-aged priest comes out to the worshipers - Abbot German, the confessor of the monastery. And it’s not just a general Confession - a conversation from soul to soul. Asks:

How many children do you have? One? Do you have two? Should there really be that much in a family? And you, mother, how many times have you been married? Well, you can get married five times and give birth to a child for each husband. You give birth to one and only one as much as God gives! Then you will truly be saved by childbearing. Then you and your husband will raise godly children. If you take them to church, you yourself will set an example of piety...

Father, I call my adult daughter to church, I call her, and she gets angry and hits me! - an elderly woman complains.

How long ago have you started going to church? - asks Father Herman.

For a long time! Five years already...

So you had to go yourself and bring your daughter, still in diapers, to God’s temple! - the priest sighs. - How can you now expect her to pray and take care of you!

And many more simple words were said, but so necessary for the salvation of the soul, many questions were answered wisely...

And - amazing! - when the Liturgy ended, Abbess Tabitha came out onto the solea. It is not often that you hear a sermon from the abbess of a monastery. But that’s what it was - a mother’s word about love. About love for the dearest and closest people - children and parents, because if we are not able to love them, how can we love God?...

“Don’t forget your dear dead,” mother admonished. - Even having lived a righteous life, they can no longer pray for themselves, but you can and should beg the Lord God for their good posthumous fate. We don’t know how much they pleased God with their lives, where their souls now live - in Paradise or in the abysses of hell... You laugh, young people,” she raised her voice, looking towards the door where a flock of young people had gathered, “but not laugh: all this really exists, both Heaven and hell. We have evidence of this both from the holy books and from our unforgettable mother Eustolia. She was honored with a blessed death on the feast of the Nativity of Christ. After her repose, mother dreamed of one of our sisters and said: “Everything we knew about the afterlife is true. I saw it all - Heaven and hell. Pray!...”

“We are grateful to the Queen of Heaven...”

Well, nun Euphemia is temporarily replacing our dean, she will answer all your questions,” said Abbess Tabitha, already dressed for the trip. But I delayed my mother for a minute:

Remember, mother, more than three years ago, in the days of sorrow, you wrote to the editor about the deceased Mother Evstolia: “We will no longer have such an abbess!” But you, then the dean of the monastery, had to lift the cross to the abbess. And here is today’s sermon, your word about Love... You are striving to preserve what was under Abbess Evstolia, aren’t you?

With God’s help,” Mother Tabitha smiled. - I try to imitate Mother Evstolia, I was her student. How is it possible...

And, blessing us, she left the cell-office.

At one time there were about eighty nuns in the monastery,” nun Euphemia began the story. - But about twenty people have already left for eternal abodes. Mostly elderly nuns, including our dear, beloved Mother Abbess Evstolia. In addition, from us, since we have already lived here for more than twenty years, the Hierarchy sends several sisters to lay the “leaven” in the newly opened monasteries. I have to share my sisters. Now there are just over fifty nuns in the monastery.

- In her sermon, the abbess spoke so well about love. And one feels that there is a spirit of love in the monastery.

This comes from our mothers. Mother Evstolia was loving towards both the laity and the sisters. And Mother Tabitha also tries to be like that.

They say that every monastery has its own uniqueness. Somewhere there are more spiritually literate sisters, but we are united by a certain simplicity. Well, where the sisters are simple, and it’s easier to communicate. “Where it’s simple, there are about a hundred angels...” This is what St. Ambrose of Optina taught. I’m not talking about something lofty, about Christian love. Only God can judge this. But mother instructs us in this.

- Are there any old nuns left in the monastery?

Yes, they remained. I arrived only two years after the opening of the monastery. And the first to come to this destroyed monastery, with the blessing of the now deceased, ever-remembered Bishop Seraphim of Penza, was schema-nun Macaria. There were only walls here, even the domes were glowing with holes right through them. Even though she was already elderly then, she was very cheerful, purposeful, and hard-working. She had to work hard to begin the restoration of the monastery. Then several more sisters arrived. Soon the Bishop tonsured the first nuns. These mothers, who came here during the opening of the monastery, were already prepared for monastic life in the world. They had a community led by Mother Eustolia. Our current abbess, Mother Tabitha, was also a tireless helper to Mother Evstolia in the community. Both mothers and several other nuns were tonsured into the monastery. And everything in the world was already monastic. Many of the first sisters of the monastery are still alive, awake and well - venerable nuns, one might say, even elders. Many of them, under the supervision of mother, guide the newcomers. The devil immediately begins to attack those who come to the monastery a hundred times more in order to drive them out from the haven of salvation. Therefore, it is much easier when there is a leader, and everything depends on how much the newcomer trusts her soul to the elder and how much she listens to her advice.

Love is even manifested in the fact that mother often allows the new sister to choose the elder from several experienced nuns.

Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

- Do young sisters come to the monastery?

More came in the 90s. Many people in Soviet times, no matter what, kept their faith in God. And when the monasteries began to open, this wave filled the monasteries. Nowadays there are fewer people who want to be saved in monasteries, but they exist - and they will probably exist until the end of time.

If the Lord has chosen someone, then from any society there will come those who want to work for God and who have managed to maintain chastity in the world. There are always people who do not want to live according to the laws of the sinful world. And now there are such people - and they come to the monasteries, thank God.

- Within the walls of monasteries and in the world there are your own temptations, your own cross.

It’s hard for me to judge this, because I haven’t communicated with the world for more than twenty years. Although I communicate with the laity here in the monastery and give excursions. In today's youth, one often feels a spirit that is not ours, not Russian, but Western. It’s very sad, you look at it almost with tears. And how can I explain this to them? But if a person has a clear conscience, even if he sins in some way, but at the same time has the fear of God, then he will understand and correct himself.

Miracles that took place in the monastery in former times are known. Are such miracles happening now?

They happen all the time. Most often, some kind of grief pushes us to prayer. Not only the laity, but us too. Yes, from my life - there were serious situations when I had to kneel before the miraculous Trubchevsky image of the Mother of God. With the help of God, not without the care of our mother Evstolia, the miracle happened.
Mother Evstolia was already deceased at that time. I prayed in front of the miraculous icon, and Mother Tabitha came up to me and said: “Go and pray again at the grave of Mother Evstolia.” I went to the grave and said: “Mother, if you have pleased God, help me.”
And help came immediately. I’m not saying that Mother should be canonized, but I can only testify to what happened to me. I have already had two such cases. One of them is more serious, the other is simpler. I know that our sisters are also out of love for mother
They pray to Eustoli at her grave. Not in vain - mother really helps us. The Lord gives us, the grieving and suffering, such people who help us both in life and after our death have intercession before God.

Mother appeared to one young sister in a dream and said that God exists, and everything, everything, everything that we knew about the afterlife was true. And she said all this both during her earthly life and in such visions out of love for us. To strive for repentance, accumulate more good deeds, so that death does not take you by surprise. If only there was a desire to be saved, the Lord and the Mother of God will not abandon their help.

If we talk about our miraculous icon, of course, numerous help flows from it. Recently, children from a Sunday school came from Mordovia on an excursion. There was a priest with a group of children. And after the excursion, the priest told how a few days ago one woman, on a similar trip to our monastery, shared with him an incident that happened in her life ten years ago. She became seriously ill; her son was 12 years old at the time. She was going to go to the hospital, and her son, school, and classmates were about to make a pilgrimage to our monastery. He went here, and mom went to the hospital. When my son returned home after visiting our monastery, he saw his mother at home. And she began to tell me: “Dear son, at the hospital they did an examination and said that I was completely healthy. No surgery is needed." And he says: “Mom, I prayed for a whole hour in front of the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God for you, so that you would be healthy.” We are grateful to the Queen of Heaven that we have this miraculous icon in the monastery. There are many of them throughout Rus', different images of the Most Holy Theotokos, and each one pours out help from the Mother of God.

And here's another case I'll tell you. Many sisters know about this. One woman, she is originally from Russia, but lives in America, also ended up in her homeland on a tourist trip and visited our monastery. She was very glad that the monastery was restored, we later learned this from her letter; we did not see this pilgrim in person. She bought a reproduction of our miraculous icon and took it to America as a piece of her native land. After some time, the abbess receives a letter from her: “Mother, your miraculous icon is great! There has been a disaster in our state ( a tsunami, maybe a typhoon, a tornado or something else - I don’t remember exactly right now,” said nun Euphemia). When this terrible disaster began, I got down on my knees and seemed rooted to the floor in front of your icon. And she prayed, and she prayed, and she prayed. There were disasters and destruction in the area, but for me everything was smooth, nothing was destroyed. Everybody is alive".

Some come here, talk about some of their experiences of God’s mercy, their voice trembles with excitement. People have felt the grace of the Holy Spirit - and are excited by the excess of grace.

Underground monastery

... And again we are late! While we went into the Anthony-Pechersky church of the monastery, while we waited for the acting abbot, Hieromonk Seraphim (Popov) and got blessed by him, the guide left.

All! We will not see the underground cells of the Skanov Cave Monastery...

If you want, after the evening service I myself will take you and tell you about everything,” Father Seraphim unexpectedly suggested. And we, rejoicing at such a fortunate delay, remained in the temple.

And when the long monastic service ended, Father Seraphim climbed the metal stairs with us to the top - and led us deep into the mountain, along underground corridors and passages.

Father walked quickly - we could barely keep up with him. Moreover, they were afraid: if the candle goes out, what should we do then? Of course, Father Seraphim did not let us out of sight, and if someone had fallen behind, he would have found us. But he also told us stories!…

The local boys have set up a good “business”. Wealthy people come and ask some local kid to take them through the caves. For a small fee. He agrees: why not lead them... But he took them somewhere far enough and suddenly realized: “Oh, I need to go home, my mother told me to!” Well, I’m off...” And he picks up the pace. Tourists shout after him: “What are you doing - come back now, we’ll kick your ears!” - “And you catch it!” - the impudent man laughs. At this point, the hair on the tourists’ heads begins to move. There are so many tiers, such labyrinths - it’s difficult to get out on your own! And they humbly begin to beg: “Darling, don’t give up - we’ll pay you more money!” The boy raises the price, and they are happy to give him everything they have in their wallets. One of my friends told me how he was ready to give away both the apartment and all the money. It’s good that the conductor didn’t ask for so much...

Why did you increase your pace? Don't be afraid, I won't run away!…

There was also a case: two boys decided to prepare for Communion - in underground cells. They seem to be pretty good at navigating caves. Let’s pray here, they think, and we’ll be in time for the evening service. But as soon as they entered, closed the doors behind them, walked a little along one or the other... - out of nowhere a draft blew out both candles at once. And the matches were damp. Suddenly they heard a noise somewhere nearby, some steps... Out of fear, they started running and lost each other. They run around, calling out to each other, but cannot meet. We ran like this for two hours, we were exhausted and hoarse. Finally got together. We calmed down a little. And they feel a breath of fresh air. Let's go there - and here it is, the exit!

We went down the mountain and ran to the temple. And there they bring out the Cup: “Approach with the fear of God and faith!...”. It turns out that they were the ones who ran through the labyrinth all night, until the very end of the Liturgy! They say one of them turned gray - I didn’t see it myself, I won’t lie.

Father and I walked through the caves where tourists are taken, and into the underground temple, where few people have ever been. We saw cells where hermits labored, saw stone beds on which, according to the priest, in former times there were coffins with the relics of dead monks. Very similar to what we see to this day in the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra! There is an opinion that the underground monastery was founded by immigrants from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in the 14th century. And judging by the height and width of these stone ledges, they were clearly not intended for living guests!

These icons were made by a specialist - ... a prosthetist dentist! - we again cannot understand whether Father Seraphim is joking or speaking seriously. Not kidding. - After all, by profession he is supposed to be good at making prosthetics. Only at first he made icons from wax, but the wax turned out to be susceptible to mold, and then we began to make them from paraffin. See how snow-white the faces are here...

Father Seraphim told a lot of interesting things. And about an underground lake, which local residents allegedly saw in the very depths of the caves, and near the shore, an ancient boat allegedly rocked on the waves. And about the prayer monks of these places, about the secrets that still hide these dark depths... Everything you see and hear takes your breath away.

But the excursion in the free air is not over yet. Father Seraphim led us to a lonely grave.

Father Tikhon, one of the last monks of the cave monastery, which was closed in 1917, is buried here. He didn’t go anywhere after closing, he stayed here to pray. One day they came to him with a demand to give him the monastery gold - it’s not just that, they say, he endures cold and hunger here... Father Tikhon replied that all the riches of the monastery had long been plundered, he didn’t even have a penny. He was brutally tortured and, having achieved nothing, was hacked to death with an ax. Of course, no one was looking for the killers... It was in 1928...

We stood at the grave under a sky strewn with unusually large and clear stars. And another star shone welcomingly among the grass. Firefly!... - isn’t it a wonder: after all, it’s autumn, the coolness of the night penetrates through, and he glows with a golden light, like a small spark in the night.

And Father Seraphim told us how a few years ago, just like that at night, one priest came down the stairs from this mountain... - he hesitated a little and very quietly added that now that priest had become a Bishop. - It was dark, and suddenly the whole staircase lit up, as if illuminated from below by many flickering joyful lights: these were fireflies that shone, illuminating the way for the future Bishop...

We did not have to hope for a repetition of such a miracle, and Father Seraphim led us down the mountain along a gentle path known only to the local residents. There was no need to stumble on the narrow steps of the stairs.

We stood still and talked about life...

“I’ll go,” said the priest. - I also have Vitka there (novice Victor - he alone replaced the entire monastic choir during the service... - approx. auto) unfed, you need to light the stove and cook dinner.

Blessed for the journey. For now, not far - to the pilgrimage hotel of the convent.

And tomorrow, after the festive Liturgy of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, we are going to Mordovia, to Kimlyai, still unknown to us.

To Kimlyai, to Archimandrite Seraphim

... Narovchat was left behind, and then the border of the Penza region. We are in Mordovia. Somewhere very close is the regional center of Kovylkino, and from there it’s a stone’s throw to the village of Kimlyai.

This is on the map.

In reality, everything turned out to be not so simple.

When we saw a sign with the inscription: “Alexander Nevsky Monastery, 3 km,” Evgeniy did not even bother turning onto the bumpy, rutted road. Don't pass!

Archimandrite Seraphim (Novakovsky).

Let's try through Volgalino - there is a village marked on the map, maybe we can get through from there.

In Volgalino, a local resident, when we asked how to get to Kimlyai, pointed to the highway along which we had just arrived. There is no other way.

But you still won't get through! No, now, after the rains, the road there is even worse than this one,” he waved his hand towards a deep and boundless puddle. - If only in the field... And then - unlikely! Don't even try: you'll get stuck!

But we took the risk anyway. Because my companions didn’t let me in alone (as if it was my first time, as a rural native, to walk off-road!): “Either we’ll all go together, or...”

But we passed!

Apparently, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Seraphim (Novakovsky), who was awaiting the arrival of the Samara guests, prayed well for us.

And a magnificent, handsome temple opened to our eyes.

And finally, not by telephone, we met the priest.

I have such a big date today! - said Father Seraphim. - Exactly 55 years since I have been entirely and completely in the Church.

Listen, Novakovsky, you’ll probably go to work tomorrow instead of lessons, won’t you?

Of course I'll go. It's a holiday...

Yes, I know... Well, here's what: if you prove to me that God exists, so be it, I will let you go to all holiday services. Let's prove it.

And what could I, a ninth-grader boy, answer him, how could I prove such? - Father Seraphim recalls. - And without thinking, I blurted out: “And tomorrow there will be snow!” And the autumn was warm, like now, I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Warm, sunny. What kind of snow is there?! And when I came home, I simply prayed: “Lord, help me! For the sake of admonishing the unbeliever, let’s at least get some precipitation!”

In the morning I got up - everything around was white and white. It snowed.

And I run to school, to the director.

Well, I say, you see, God exists!

But he reared up:

Choose - school or church!

And I chose. Church. Since then, my whole life has been in the Church. Mother and I have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and we are already expecting a fifth great-grandchild... When the children grew up, mother and I accepted monasticism. My mother pesters me from afar with text messages: how is my health, am I sick... The children, thank God, are good. Two became priests, the daughter is married to a priest.

My sons and grandsons, boys, were altar servers in their time. One day my grandson began to put on his surplice, and he expressed displeasure to me: “Grandfather, why is the surplice so short?” - “So this is Dankin! - I answer. - You are five years old now, but he was only two years old. That’s why there’s a short surplice…” Danya is my youngest son. I remember waiting at the altar for Danka with the censer, I had to start the service, but he was still not there. I leave the altar, and he stands with a censer and cries: “I couldn’t open the door! And it hurts my fingers...” The censer was heavy, the chain cut into my fingers...

He served in his native Pyatigorsk and beyond. When there was an Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, many priests left the Caucasus. I was offered to serve in Baku, I gladly agreed.

And I had already served here in Mordovia for many years, and Archbishop Alexander of Baku and Azerbaijan invited me to serve again in Baku. But I can’t make such a decision myself. Like a soldier: wherever they say, I will go there and serve. We met with Vladyka Alexander in Moscow, he says that my issue was resolved in all instances. “Okay, father, get ready - they’ll transfer you to us.” Good - the monk doesn't have to get ready for long. I got on the train, going to Mordovia to finish all my business here and return to Azerbaijan. And then suddenly I felt so bad, I collapsed. What a Baku!... From the train I sent a telegram to Vladyka Alexander that I was seriously ill and was staying in Kimlyai. And I immediately felt much lighter. He got out of the car with his own feet.

And on December 23 last year, a fire broke out in the monastery. Human laziness and foolishness: they put the wood in the wrong place to dry. I was lying at that time, sick. This cassock was on me, and that was the only thing left. Everything burned! But everything in the church was saved.

And now, you see, the temple has already been restored in all its glory. Kind people helped. We serve. Our choir is wonderful. And what beautiful icons in the temple, the altar paintings, the forged throne... - I love everything beautiful. Especially in the temple.

... I listen to the priest and think: who is seventy years old - him?! I can’t even believe it... And Father Seraphim calmly shows me a deep tomb in the lower church:

I made it for myself in advance, otherwise they’ll take it away. No, this is where I serve - this is where I should lie...

Our reader Maxim from the city of Krasnoslobodsk , which is in Mordovia, wrote:

... The Alexander Nevsky Flegontov Monastery was assigned a courtyard - a small church in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our little Krasnoslobodsk. And in January 2007, Archimandrite Seraphim (Novakovsky) arrived with his brethren.

Father Seraphim is a man with an immensely broad soul. Cheerful, never discouraged, purposeful. He soon managed to win over his flock, and moreover, more and more even unchurched townspeople came to the temple, who were interested in rumors about the complacent and sympathetic priest.

How many pilgrims came to the priest’s monastery in the summer!... Large buses brought people from Saratov, Samara and somewhere else. Mostly they went to Diveevo, but they certainly stopped overnight in Kimlyai. In this tiny monastery, more like a monastery, they managed to feed and accommodate everyone. For the night, the pilgrims made a bed in the temple. People came both individually and with families. Everyone wanted to talk to Father Seraphim. The spiritual father managed to devote to everyone exactly as much time as the person required.

To my question to a humble elderly nun living at the monastery how she ended up here, she answered: “By the providence of God, I learned through people that there is a priest who can give wise advice in any difficult situation.”

The last time I visited the monastery itself was in the hot summer of 2010. Even then, the construction of the new monastery church was nearing completion.

And last winter they told me that there was a fire in Kimlyai and the entire residential building burned down. By God's grace, none of the inhabitants were harmed!

I remember each of them prayerfully and ask the Lord to grant them strength, fortitude and everything necessary for salvation!

... Father Seraphim said:

I convinced one of my childhood friends to become a priest. He agrees, but his brother is hostile. Then I reminded him:

Do you remember how you ate the priest’s bread? It was hungry, after the war, and Father Mikhail’s mother brought us, boys, pieces of rye bread. How we ate it! Mother was still offended and said to her husband: “Misha, how can it be that A.’s father takes white bread for himself from the eve, and only leaves us black bread... Our son is so sick, he would like some white bread!” And Father Mikhail will only say: “Lida, Lida, what are you talking about! We have some bread, and there is still enough for the boys - why should we anger God! Thank God for this bread!” And you, my friend, know how much we now need to earn this bread! - I tell my friend. - Hungry old women brought it in the hope that the priest would pray for it for their deceased loved ones and for the living - children and grandchildren, for themselves, for old little legs and worn-out little hands - you see, their health will improve, and life will become easier.

So I have to beg for this priest’s bread all my life...

And the way back from the monastery, with the prayers and blessing of Father Seraphim, turned out to be much easier. The car got lost, bouncing on potholes, and flew onto the highway. On the way back to Samara...

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A new book

The publishing house of our monastery has published a new book - “The Life of the Hieromartyr Veniamin (Kazan), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and those like him who suffered the Venerable Martyr Sergius (Shein), the martyrs Yuri Novitsky and John Kovsharov » .

In the new book of the famous Russian hagiographer Archimandrite Damascene (Orlovsky), the reader is offered the life of Metropolitan Veniamin (Kazan) of Petrograd - one of the first holy martyrs who did not sin with their soul or conscience during the persecution that began and gave their life for Christ and His Church .

IN All life is a wondrous secret, known only to God alone. There are no random combinations of circumstances in life - everything is mental. We don't have any knowledge of this or that environment, there are many schools in front of us. lock, but there are no keys. Were there people who discovered this...

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Memory of the discovery of the relics of the venerable elders of Optina

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Spiritual conversations with pilgrims

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And van Mikhailovich Kontsevich spent his summer holidays in Optina Pustyn during the war in 1915. Daily going to the monastery was always instructive for a young student, but the elders, busy with visiting visitors who came to them with all sorts of sorrows, did not specifically devote time to the young stranger. They gave him “to be raised” by Father Joseph (Polevoy), experienced in spiritual life, who had lived in Optina for decades. In the world - director of a bank, he was a widely educated person. During the two months spent by I.M. in Optina, often, after church services, Fr. Joseph invited I.M. to his cell. In a conversation with him, the spiritual world was revealed to the young student.

From Fr. Joseph I.M. heard an incident from the life of Elder Ambrose that was not included in his biography. One day Elder Ambrose, bent over, leaning on a stick, was walking from somewhere along the road to the monastery. Suddenly he imagined a picture: a loaded cart was standing, a dead horse was lying nearby, and a peasant was crying over it. The loss of a nursing horse in peasant life is a real disaster! Approaching the fallen horse, the Elder began to slowly walk around it three times. Then, taking a twig, he lashed the horse, shouting at it: “Get up, lazy one!”, and the horse obediently rose to its feet.

The elder taught the people with folk proverbs and sayings with his characteristic humor. He put his deepest wisdom into well-aimed and witty words for easier assimilation and memorization.

For example, “Where it’s simple, there are a hundred angels, but where it’s sophisticated, there’s not a single one.” “Don’t boast, peas, that you are better than beans: if you get wet, you’ll burst.” “Why is a person bad? “Because he forgets that God is above him.” “Whoever thinks of himself that he has something will lose.” “Speaking well is scattering silver, but prudent silence is gold.”

To one person who was ashamed to admit to sin, he said: “Sidor and Karp live in Kolomna, but who doesn’t experience sin and misfortune?” She burst into tears, threw herself at the Elder’s feet, and confessed her sin. “The Apostle Peter leads the righteous into the kingdom of God, and the Queen of Heaven Herself leads the sinners.”

On All Saints’ Day, Father said: “They were all sinful people, like us, but they repented and, having set about the work of salvation, did not look back, like Lot’s wife.” In response to the remark that we are all looking back, Father explained: “That’s why they push us with rods and a whip, i.e. sorrows and troubles, so as not to look back.”

The Elder said to the one who condemned others: “... they, perhaps, have such a secret good that redeems all the other shortcomings in them, and which you do not see. You have a lot of capacity for sacrifice. But the Lord said: I want mercy, not sacrifice. But you have little mercy... You see your sacrifices and are exalted by them. Humble yourself more in spirit—humility replaces deeds. Endure all adversities and surrender to God.” With these and many other words the elder taught and saved the people who came to him.

From the book by I.M. Kontsevich “Optina Pustyn and its time”

Philosophy is science
about the fallacies of human thought.**

One day they were walking along the road to the Temple. At first the path was smooth and comfortable, walking along it was easy and pleasant. But then holes, potholes, puddles and mud began to appear on the way. It became harder and harder to walk.

How could the road to the Temple be so abandoned? - the Sage was surprised. - People probably go to the Temple a different way.

“But I don’t see anything else,” answered the Simpleton. – On the left is an insurmountable swamp, on the right is the dense Philosophical Forest, it won’t take long to get lost there.

How dense is he? Look how many paths it has! One of them will definitely lead to the Temple,” the Sage objected.

How do you know which is the right path?

By compass, of course. I’ll determine the azimuth and I won’t get lost. It’s so nice in this forest, look how beautiful it is! Went!

No, I don’t understand these compasses and azimuths. I trust my eyes more than all sorts of scientific things. When you walk along the road, you always see the Temple ahead of you, and in the forest there are only trees around! Therefore, I will go straight, and, I hope, I will overcome all difficulties with God’s help.
- Well as you know! If you want to knead dirt, that’s your business. Apparently, this is a road especially for people like you – simpletons and ignoramuses.
And they each went their own way. A simpleton - he makes his way along a straight but difficult road through holes and potholes, tries to get around puddles and mud. Although the road was difficult, it soon led to the Temple. The Simpleton washed the roadside mud in a stream and entered the Temple.
And the Sage walks through the forest, admires flowers, listens to birds, and eats raspberries. It’s good, it’s nice to walk along forest paths - no dirt, no dust, only green grass tickles your feet and pleases your eyes. And how many of these paths there are! One is more tempting than the other! The wise man does not choose the road anyhow, but scientifically: he checks the compass and tries to follow the azimuth. I followed one path, but soon it turned in a completely different direction. I went down the second one - again it was not the same one. There were already many paths, but none led to the temple. The Sage became sad: he spent so much time searching for the right road - and all in vain. Of course, it’s nice to be in the forest, but I also really want to get to the Temple. The simpleton, the ignoramus, has probably been standing in the Temple for a long time, praying. And he, so wise and educated, keeps wandering around in the forest, unable to find the right path. The Sage finally got tired of this and prayed: “Lord, help me get to the Temple!” Yes, and I went straight along the required azimuth, through an impenetrable thicket, windbreaks, and swamps. He tore all his clothes, scratched his legs and arms, almost drowned in the swamp, but still made it to the Temple with God’s help. God bless!

_________________

* – The title of the parable contains the first part of the saying of St. Ambrose of Optina “Where it is simple, there are a hundred Angels, and where it is sophisticated, there are not a single one.”

** – The words of the learned Archbishop Vladimir, who was previously an inspector and professor in St. Petersburg, are taken as an epigraph. Academy. I will quote this story in full:

The archbishop came to the seminary for an exam in philosophy. The best student was called. He answered boldly on his ticket. And then the bishop asked him a question:
- Tell me: what is philosophy?
The best student immediately remembered its definition in the textbook and began briskly: “Philosophy is the science of being and its essence,” etc., etc.
- And you taught all this?
“Yes,” the young philosopher answered in bewilderment.
- And crammed?
The seminarian remained silent.
- So forget all this. I'll tell you what philosophy is. Philosophy is the science of the errors of human thought.

Philosophy is science
about the fallacies of human thought.**

Once upon a time there lived a Simpleton and a Sage. The sage was nicknamed so for his intelligence and extensive knowledge of science. The simpleton did not have such education. Although he really loved to listen to the Sage’s deep thoughts about various phenomena of life, he himself understood little about it.
One day they were walking along the road to the Temple. At first the path was smooth and comfortable, walking along it was easy and pleasant. But then holes, potholes, puddles and impassable mud began to appear on the way. It became very difficult to walk.
“It can’t be that the road to the Temple was so abandoned,” said the Sage. - People probably go to the Temple in a different way.
“But I don’t see anything else,” answered the Simpleton. – On the left is an insurmountable destructive swamp, on the right is the dense Philosophical Forest, it won’t take long to get lost there.
- He’s not dense! Look how many paths it has! It cannot be that at least one of them would not lead to the Temple,” the Sage objected.
- How do you know which is the right path?
- I have a compass. I’ll determine the azimuth - and I won’t get lost. It’s so nice in this forest, look how beautiful it is! Went!
- No, I don’t understand these compasses and azimuths. I trust my eyes more than all sorts of scientific things. When you walk along the road, you always see the Temple ahead of you, and in the forest there are only trees around! Therefore, I will go straight, and, I hope, I will overcome all difficulties with God’s help.
- Well as you know! If you want to knead dirt, that’s your business. Apparently, this is a road especially for people like you - simpletons and ignoramuses.
And they each went their own way. The simpleton follows a straight but difficult road through potholes, but tries to get around potholes, puddles, and mud. Although the road was difficult, it soon led to the Temple. The Simpleton washed the roadside mud in a stream and entered the Temple.
And the Sage walks through the forest, admires flowers, listens to birds, and eats raspberries. It’s good, it’s nice to walk along forest paths - no dirt, no dust, only green grass tickles your feet and pleases the eye. And how many of these paths there are! One is more tempting than the other! The wise man does not choose the road anyhow, but scientifically: he checks the compass and tries to follow the azimuth. I followed one path, but soon it turned in a completely different direction. I went down the second one - again it was not the same one. There were already many paths, but none led to the temple. The Sage became sad: he spent so much time searching for the right road - and all in vain. Of course, it’s nice to be in the forest, but I also really want to get to the Temple. The simpleton, the ignoramus, has probably been standing in the Temple for a long time, praying. And he, so wise and educated, keeps wandering around in the forest, unable to find the right path. The Sage finally got tired of this and prayed: “Lord, help me get to the Temple!” Yes, and I went straight along the required azimuth, through an impenetrable thicket, windbreaks, and swamps. He tore all his clothes, scratched his legs and arms, almost drowned in the swamp, but still made it to the Temple with God’s help. God bless!

Http://www.lgromova.ru/

_________________

** – The words of the learned Archbishop Vladimir, who was previously an inspector and professor in St. Petersburg, are taken as an epigraph. Academy. I will quote this story in full:

Where it’s simple, there are about a hundred angels.

Proverbs of the Russian people. - M.: Fiction. V. I. Dal. 1989.

See what "Where it is simple, there are a hundred angels." in other dictionaries:

Where it’s simple, there are about a hundred angels; where it is cunning (where it is tricky), there is not a single one. See DIRECTNESS, CLINISHMENT...

He who kisses a lot rarely fails to bite. Caresses in the eyes. A flatterer under words, snakes under flowers. Flattery has no teeth, but will eat you with bones. Flattery seems to eat you with your teeth. Simplicity will lead to a different cunning! Politics is a rotten egg (if you break it carelessly, then one... ... IN AND. Dal. Proverbs of the Russian people

Without further ado it is Evil- do something Without complicating the matter; without unnecessary thoughts, unnecessary undertakings. This means that a person, a group of persons (X) imagines the matter to be simple and clear. Spoken with approval. speech standard. ✦ X does what l. without further ado. unism. In the role... Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Language

Husband. a spiritual being, gifted with reason and will. Angel of the Great Council, Savior. A guardian angel assigned by the Lord to man to protect him. Angel of light, good, kind; angel of darkness, angel, evil spirit. Someone's angel, saint, whose name is someone... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

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