Christ the Savior Orthodox Church

The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Anatole (the “Younger”)

(February 15, 1855 – July 30, 1922)

Commemorated on July 30

Raised in Moscow, the future Elder Anatole, stayed there until his teenage years. Born Alexander Potapov, he had a desire to go become a monk from an early age but when he approached his mother this she asked that he wait until she died and to honor her, he agreed. After graduating from high school, he became a clerk in Kaluga. In 1885, after the repose of his mother, he went to Optina, at the age of thirty. He was made a novice in 1888 and became the cell attendant of Elder Ambrose. While a cell attendant, Elder Ambrose would occasionally send people to him because he showed the gifts of clairvoyance and love.

After the death of Elder Ambrose, Alexander became the cell attendant of his successor, Elder Joseph. In 1895 he was tonsured a monk and given the name Anatoly in honor of St. Anatole, Patriarch of Constantinople. In 1899, he was ordained a deacon and people began to come to him as an elder. Later, he had the gift of healing but hid it instructing people to go pray for healing at Elder Paphnutius grave or attributing it to Elder Ambrose among other things. Many witnessed to his gifts of clairvoyance and prophecy, especially regarding the future of the church. In 1906 he was ordained a priest and then appointed as the spiritual father of the neighboring Shamordino Convent which position he held until his death. In 1908, the confessor of the skete reposed, and Fr. Anatole was asked to take over the post. He responded saying, “How blessed,” and moved from the monastery to the skete.

He took his time with each pilgrim despite a painful hernia that he developed as well as painful and bleeding legs. Despite his infirmities it is noted how he was attentive and loved listening to their complaints and sorrows. Often he would give out the book, “On True Christianity” by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. He was “uncommonly simple and kind.” Old women especially loved him. His treatment of people was said to be reminiscent of St. Seraphim or Sarov and he was affectionately called, Anatole the Comforter.

Elder Nektary said of Elder Anatole when a pilgrim had gone to him for advice, “Well now, that’s good that you wound up going to Fr. Anatole for guidance. Some people seek me out as an elder; but I – what can I tell you – I’m just a pie without a filling. But Fr. Anatole – well, he’s just like a pie with filling.” Elder Nektary always preferred to remain in the background, therefore, in his humility, when he saw visitors approaching his own cell he would go up to them and say, “Whom are you going to?” and would lead the away to Elder Anatoly without them suspecting anything.

Elder Anatole fulfilled this ministry up until that fateful year of 1917. In this year the prophecies of previous Elders were fulfilled – monasteries were closed down and monks imprisoned. Shortly thereafter the Elder was arrested and his beard and hair were cut. He was released and went back to the monastery being exhausted and looking “barely alive”, he crossed the threshold of his cell crossing himself and saying, “Glory to Thee, O God; glory to Thee, O God; glory to Thee, O God!”

In 1921, when the elder was quite infirm, Abbot Isaac suggested that the elder accept the Great Schema. He did and during the service he was so weak that he could barely hold a candle. He slowly became better and was even able to get out of bed. There were more accusations against the monastery as the new government wanted to close it down for being a “hotbed of counter-revolutionary activity.” In 1922, they again came to arrest the elder. He asked to be given twenty-four hours in which to prepare and this they allowed. They came back the next day and found him reposed lying in his coffin in the middle of his cell.

Sayings of Elder Anatole (the “Younger”) of Optina

On Pride and Humility

Pride comes in various forms. There is worldly pride: this is knowledge; and there is spiritual pride: this is self-love. This is exactly so: people will truly go insane if they expect their intellect to cope with everything they hope to receive from it. But how can our mind get down to its own business, since it is insignificant and infected? Take from it that which it is able to give, and make no further demand upon it. Our teacher is humility. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble: and the grace of God is everything… That’s your greatest wisdom. Humble yourself and say to yourself: ‘Although I’m a speck of earthly dust, still God cares for me, and may the will of God be done in me.’ If you say this not only with your mind, but also with your heart, and really boldly, as becomes a true Christian, rely on the Lord with a firm intention to submit to the will of God, whatever it may be, without murmuring, then the clouds will disperse before you and the sun will look out, and will enlighten and warm you, and you will know true joy from the Lord and everything will seem clear and transparent to you, and you will cease tormenting yourself, and it will become light in your soul.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Andreyev, Ivan, Russia’s Catacomb Saints (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Press, 1982).

“The Prophet’s Mantle” at http://www.roca.org/OA/44/44d.htm accessed on December 31, 2013.

“Anatolius and Seraphim of Optina, Hieroconfessors” at http://www.orthodox.net/russiannm/anatolius-and-seraphim-of-optina-hieroconfessors.html accessed on December 31, 2013.

“The Full Life of St. Anatole (Potapov), Elder of Optina” at http://www.optina.ru/starets/anatoliy2_life_full/ accessed on December 31, 2013(in Russian).

“Reverend Anatole of Optina: A Short Life” at http://www.optina.ru/starets/anatoliy2_life_short/ accessed on December 31, 2013(in Russian).

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Nektary

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The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Nektary

(January 15, 1853 – April 29, 1928)

Commemorated on April 29

Optina Elder Nektary was raised in a poor family. His father died when he was seven and he buried his mother later in his youth. Born Nicholas Vasiliovich Tikhonov, his mother taught him to pray and encouraged him to read, which he grew to love. She found him a job when he was eleven years old which he kept until he was seventeen. When he was seventeen he went to see a spiritual daughter of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Schema-nun Theoktista to ask questions regarding marriage and what he should do with his life. She said to him, “Young man, go to Optina to Fr. Hilarion and he will tell you what to do.” The year was 1876 and he set off for Optina and searched out Fr. Hilarion, who then instructed him to go talk with Elder Ambrose. While waiting in the Elder’s reception room, Nicholas noted that some people had been waiting for two weeks to speak with the elder, but when the Elder came out he spotted Nicholas, immediately took him and spoke with him for two hours. From that day on he remained in the Skete.

He became the spiritual son of Elder Anatoly (Zertsalov) and also received occasional direction from Elder Ambrose. While still young he often came to the church late with red, swollen, sleepy eyes. The brethren complained to Elder Ambrose about this to which he replied, “Just wait for Nick will wake – and all your burdens take!”

In 1887 he was tonsured a monk and given the name Nektary. In 1894 he was ordained a hierodeacon and then in 1898 he was ordained a hieromonk. After being tonsured, he almost never left his cell. Sometimes he would even cover his windows with blue paper. He often said, “For a monk there are only two exits out of one’s cell – either to church or to the grave.”

During this time he would read not only the Holy Fathers and spiritual works but also works of science, mathematics, history, geography and classical literature, both Russian and foreign. In his only hour of rest, after dinner, he asked to be read aloud some Pushkin or some fairy-tales – either Russian or the Brothers Grimm. He studied various languages also – Latin and French – and always had an interest in art. During this time he exhibited the spiritual gifts of healing and clairvoyance which he hid by jokes and foolishness.

In 1912, Elder Nektary was elected to be elder of the skete to which he replied, “No, fathers and brothers! I’m feeble-minded and can’t carry such a burden.” But in obedience, he accepted. He moved into the small house (“hut”) to the right of the main gates of the Skete where Elders Ambrose and Joseph had lived previously. From morning until late in the evening there was a steady stream of

people coming from all over Russia. Grand Duchess Elizabeth came to see him in 1914.

In 1920, the skete superior reposed and Elder Nektary was elevated to this position. In 1923, six years after the Russian Revolution had begun, there were more than two thousand bishops, priest and monks imprisoned at Solovki. The number of people coming to see the elder increased even more during these times. Shamordino Convent was closed and many of the nuns came to live near Optina. The situation only became worse throughout the country and on Palm Sunday in 1923, Optina was closed. The Elder was taken to the local prison, interrogated and was to be executed. A pious spiritual daughter wrote to the authorities asking for his release and it was granted. With his blessing, this elderly lady brought him to the farm-house of another spiritual child and then a short while later he settled in Kholmishche. After having spent fifty years at the skete, Optina was now closed with a sign hung on the front gates to say so.

The transition to life in Kholmishche was very difficult and left the Elder in a terribly depressed state. In time people found out where he lived and came for counsel or wrote to him.

In April, 1928, after a year of increasing health issues, surrounded by those who had assisted him while at Optina, Elder Nektary reposed under the epitrachalion of Fr. Adrian Rymarenko. Later, his body was found to be incorrupt.

Sayings of Elder Nektary of Optina

Learning

If you will live and study in such a way that your intelligence will not spoil your morality, but rather that your morals affect your intelligence, then you will be successful in life.

The Jesus Prayer

Drive away the enemy and those who bring temptations of evil thoughts with prayer; “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This prayer can be said during all activities.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Alexandrova (Pavlovich), Nadezhda, “Optina Elders: Elder Nektary of Optina” in The Orthodox Word (July-August, 1986):169-214.

Kontzevitch, I.M., Elder Nektary of Optina (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1998).

Makarios, Hieromonk of Simonos Petra, The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church, trans. Christopher Hookway, vol. 1 (Chalkidike: Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady Ormylia, 1998).

Rimarenko, Matushka Eugenia, Reminiscences: Recollections about Elder Nektary of Optina (Jordanville: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev, 1993).

Schaefer, Archimandrite George (trans.) Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina (Jordanville: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev, 2009).

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Isaac II

The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Isaac II

(1865 – December 26, 1937)

Commemorated on December 26

Elder Isaac was born Ivan Nikolayevich Bobrikov into a pious peasant family in Ostrov in Orel province. Latter in life, his father became a schemamonk in Optina. Ivan came to Optina in 1884 and became a novice under Elder Ambrose until the Elder’s repose and then under the guidance of Elder Joseph. He fulfilled his obediences with zeal and in silence. He was distinguished by his great calm, simplicity and the abundance of tears he shed at the Divine Liturgy. He had an amazing talent for singing, was placed in the kliros and learned and studied the typicon. In his humility he always tried to make himself invisible. He performed this so well they he was forgotten about for being made a monk and therefore was not tonsured until the late date of 1898 and given the name Isaac, having been a novice for fourteen years. Later in that same year he was ordained to the deaconate and in 1902 he was ordained to the priesthood.

In 1908, his biological father, Schemamonk Nicholas, reposed at Optina. He was buried near the St. Mary of Egypt Church and Fr. Isaac often visited his grave.

In 1914 he was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite as others saw much piety and spiritual discernment in him. Elder Nektary, speaking to one of his spiritual daughters concerning the new Archimandrite said that he would be the last Abbot of Optina. On November 7, 1914 he was raised to the rank of Abbot and was “quite worthy of such a high position.” As the Abbot, he devised new plans which were unable to be achieved due to the current wartime conditions of World War I.

He wanted to build a chapel over the graves of the previous elders. He had also wanted to compile a biography of Elder Leonid which was mostly in manuscript form and had been worked on by Elder Ambrose. The difficulty of the times, however, made the completion of such honorable projects impossible

Due to World War I there were many displaced persons who found a refuge at Optina. Elder Isaac offered up one of Optina’s guesthouses for them, and for those who were sick there was the hospital.

Nearing the end of the war, another guest house was used for orphaned children.

In February, 1917 the beginnings of the Russian Revolution started. During Holy Week of that year, there was the burial of an officer who did not die on the front lines but was killed during the revolutionary riots. A few more people were buried there under similar circumstances that same week.

In 1918, Optina closed as a monastery and many monks were removed – some even forcibly. For the next five years, Optina existed as an “agricultural cooperative” which allowed people to still find assistance and consolation within its walls. Those monks left were under constant threat of arrests, eviction and government harassment. The government had placed paid employees there who often stole from the monastery.

In 1923, the monastery was turned into a museum and Elder Isaac, leading some other monks, stayed in the neighboring town of Kozelsk to serve at the only open parish – St. George’s. In 1928 Optina was completely closed and in 1929 all of the heiromonks were arrested and imprisoned in the Kozelsk prison except for a few who were too infirm. In 1930, at the end of the “investigations”, Elder Isaac was released and he moved to Tula in Belev province. While there, many people came to him and became his spiritual children. In 1931, he received news about the death of his co-struggler, Elder Nikon. In December, 1937, he was arrested for “counter-revolutionary activities” and sentenced to be executed which was then carried out on December 26, 1937 after first being tortured. His body was secretly buried near Simferopol.

Sayings of Elder Isaac II of Optina

(There are no sayings of Elder Isaac II found possibly due to the revolutionary time and the difficulty of keeping notes. Despite this, perhaps the following saying would be appropriate:)

The same Abba Theophilus, the archbishop, came to Scetis one day. The brethren who were assembled said to Abba Pambo, “Say something to the Archbishop, so that he may be edified.” The old man said to them, “If he is not edified by my silence, he will not be edified by my speech.”

–Abba Pambo

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

“Martyr Isaac II (Bobrakov): The Full Biography” at http://www.optina.ru/starets/isaakiy2_life_full/, accessed on January 1, 2014(in Russian).

“Martyr Isaac Optina: The Short Biography” at http://www.optina.ru/starets/isaakiy2_life_short/, accessed on January 31, 2013(in Russian).

“Isaac, Hieromartyr of Optina and Those with Him” at http://www.orthodox.net/russiannm/isaac-hieromartyr-of-optina-and-those-with-him.html accessed on January 1, 2013.

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Fr. Seraphim (Rose)

Fr. Seraphim (Rose)

Fr. Seraphim Rose

(July 31, 1934 – August 20, 1982)

These brief, hagiographical accounts of the Elders of Optina are concluded with the life of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose. He did not consider himself a hesychast or an Elder and said that he did not have any experience of such things. Nonetheless, he desired to learn the life of the Church – life that has been in existence since the beginning of Christianity and in our modern times can be seen through the lineage of St. Paisius (Velichkovsky). This was carried to Optina and eventually passed on to Fr. Seraphim through spiritual children of the Optina Elders that he knew. In his journal entitled “Chronicles,” he writes, in 1970, that one of the aims of the St. Herman of Alaska monastic brotherhood was “to live a monastic life as much as possible in the tradition and spirit of the Orthodox desert-dwellers of all centuries, and in particular of those nearest to us in time: the desert-dwellers of the Russian Thebaid of the north, the Blessed Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and his disciples, the Elders of Optina and Valaam Monasteries, the dwellers of the sketes and wildernesses of Sarov, Sanaxar, Briansk, and others of the same spirit…” Fr. Seraphim desired this to such an extent that the first publication by St. Herman Press was the Life of St. Paisius Velichkovsky, which was also the first publication of Optina works under the guidance of Elder Macarius.

So if Fr. Seraphim is not an Elder, what is the relevance of placing him at the end of the lives of these Elders of Optina? Because he communicate and transmits the same truths about the Christian life that has been handed down to us from St. Paisius Velichkovsky and truly from the entire ascetic tradition. In these truths, the entire life and Tradition of the Church is contained. Fr. Seraphim has sought to embody these truths within his own life in his monastery in the wilds of Platina, and to transmit these to the contemporary, largely non-Orthodox, population. This is the relevance of placing him at the end of this work.

+ + + + + + +

Fr. Seraphim Rose was born Eugene Dennis Rose on August 13, 1934 (according to the new calendar dating). He was one of three children. His father did not go to church and his mother brought the children to various Protestant churches – Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian. As a young Boy, Eugene attended a Presbyterian church and developed a good knowledge of the Scriptures from which he used to quote many things to his parents. His mother described him as having strong religious inclinations.

Following high school, and possessing a brilliant mind, Eugene went on to university. Here he struggled to understand reality in its highest form. He studied the Western philosophical tradition, but also, after attending a lecture by Dr. Alan W. Watts, turned his attention to the study of Zen Buddhism. He went on to attend the American Academy of Asian Studies, all the while perfecting his knowledge of German, French and now Cantonese (later he would learn Russian). Feeling dissatisfied with his studies, Eugene continued pursuing the truth until one day he ventured into an Orthodox church. Writing about this experience he said, “…when I entered an Orthodox church for the first time (a Russian church in San Francisco) something happened to me that I had not experienced in any Buddhist or other Eastern temple; something in my heart said that this was ‘home,’ that all my search was over. I didn’t really know what this meant, because this service was quite strange to me, and in a foreign language. I began to attend Orthodox services more frequently, gradually learning its language and customs…”

In 1962, Eugene was received into the Orthodox Church and shortly thereafter became a disciple of the Blessed Archbishop John Maximovitch, a hierarch known the world over as a miracle-worker and ascetic. From this time Eugene dedicated his whole life to bringing Orthodoxy to his contemporaries. He began with a small bookstore next to the cathedral in San Francisco and started to publish a magazine called The Orthodox Word. After his spiritual father, Archbishop John, died in 1966, Eugene along with a close friend of similar spiritual desires began to look for land in the wilderness where they could continue their publishing, but also live the ascetic, “desert-dwelling” life. In 1969, they found a plot of land in northern California and they moved there. After a year, they were both tonsured monks and Eugene took the name Seraphim, after St. Seraphim of Sarov. From here, Fr. Seraphim continued his publishing endeavors and also other writings and translations that were soon sent all over the world. The point of this publishing, as he said, was, “To bring basic Orthodox Christianity to as many Americans as will listen.”

Fr. Seraphim is described as a man of few words who had no interest in idle chatter and seldom expressed any personal preferences. He was sick often but people never knew how much because he never complained.

In 1976, he was ordained a deacon at the San Francisco Cathedral and in 1977 he was ordained a priest at the monastery chapel by Bishop Nektary (Kontzevitch) of Seattle. From this time, he slowly increased his pastoral responsibilities as people made the trek up the mountain to ask questions and seek consolation.

In his last homily out on “Noble Ridge,” Fr. Seraphim said, “Our home is in heaven. Never forget that for which we are created.” The next morning he served Liturgy for the last time. Soon afterwards, he was taken to the hospital due to pains in his stomach. On September 2, 1982, after a brief illness, Fr. Seraphim reposed at the age of forty-eight. Before his death several of his spiritual children had dreams concerning this as well as dreams of consolation for their imminent loss.

While Fr. Seraphim’s body was being washed and prepared by two Abbots they noted that “his face naturally fell into a quiet smile of unmistakable heavenly joy. His body never stiffened, nor did decay of any kind set in.” Even when lying in his coffin, his unembalmed body remained soft without smell in the California sun during his funeral. It is a Russian tradition to cover the face for the funeral, but Fr. Seraphim’s face was so comforting that they left it uncovered and even children stayed close to his coffin.

Sayings of Fr. Seraphim

The Development of the Soul

In our own day, the chief ingredient missing from this ideal harmony of human life is something one might call the emotional development of the soul. It is something that is not directly spiritual, but that very often hinders spiritual development. It is the state of someone who, while he may think he thirsts for spiritual struggles and an elevated life of prayer, is poorly able to respond to normal human love and friendship; for “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen.” (1 John 4:20)

Christian Education

Our most important task, perhaps, is the Christian enlightenment of ourselves and others. We must go deeper into our faith-not by studying the canons of Ecumenical Councils or the typicon (although they also have their place), but by knowing how God acts in our lives; by reading the lives of God pleasers in the Old and New Testaments (we read the Old Testament far too little–it is very instructive); Lives of Saints; writings of the Holy Fathers on practical spiritual life; the sufferings of Christians today and in recent years. In all of this learning our eyes must be on heaven above, the goal we strive for, not the problems and disasters of earth below…

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Damascene, Hieromonk, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 2003).

Rose, Fr. Seraphim, The Soul After Death (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1993).

Young, Fr. Alexey, “For His Soul Pleased the Lord” in Orthodox America at http://www.roca.org/OA/22/22a.htm accessed on January 1, 2014.

Rassophore-monk Reader Laurence, “A Man Not of this World” in Orthodox America at http://www.roca.org/OA/22/22b.htm accessed on January 1, 2014.

“With the Saints Give Rest, O Christ, To the Soul of Thy Servant” in Orthodox America at http://www.roca.org/OA/22/22f.htm accessed on January 1, 2014.

“It’s Later Than You Think!” in Orthodox America at http://www.roca.org/OA/22/22d.htm accessed on January 1, 2014.

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Nikon, the Confessor

The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Nikon, the Confessor

(September 26, 1888 – June 25, 1931)

Commemorated on June 25

September 26, 1888, Nicholas Balaev, the future Elder Nikon was born. It was in this first year that the family was visited by Fr. John of Kronstadt who gave his picture to Nicholas’ mother. Nicholas was raised in a pious and God-fearing family and was one of eight children. After the death of his grandfather, Nicholas committed himself further to the Christian life and decided to become a monk. With the blessing of his mother. he set out for Optina. He arrived on February 24, 1907 and later that year Elder Barsanuphius accepted him as a novice.

Nicholas was given general obediences at first and then assigned the task of answering letters for Elder Barsanuphius. In his obediences he was zealous and worked with cheerfulness, not complaining or getting upset. He completed every task joyfully. In 1908 he was assigned to be Elder Barsanuphius’ secretary and was freed from all other obediences except those in the church. The elder, in taking great interest in him, would keep him behind after giving general talks, elaborating for him at length. Elder Barsanuphius shared with him all his experience and knowledge trusting him also with his memories, joys, sorrows; he taught the future Elder Nikon, guided him and protected him. “Use the time you have now,” Elder Barsanuphius said, “the time will come when you will not have the possibility to read. Within five or six years… then you will have to read life’s book.” This the Elder said prophesying his own future removal from the monastery.

In 1912, Elder Barsanuphius was slandered and removed from Optina and sent to be the Abbot of the St. Nicholas Golutvin Monastery. The Elder said to Nicholas, in one of his last talks, “O Lord, save Thy servant Nicholas. Be his helper, protect him when he will be without shelter or lodging.”

Nicholas grew firm and wise and was exemplary in humility to the young and elderly alike.

In 1915 he was tonsured a monk and given the name Nikon in honor of the Holy Martyr Nikon. He was ordained hierodeacon in 1916 and to the priesthood in 1917, the year of the Russian Revolution. In 1918, the monastery was closed and turned into a museum. All of the monks except for twenty workers were left. He was allowed to stay on at the monastery and continue to receive pilgrims. In advising them he only gave the advice of former elders. In 1919 he was arrested and taken to the local prison but freed shortly thereafter. In 1924 the last Optina church was closed down. Elder Nikon served vigil in his cell. On the last vigil he served, many in attendance wept and he turned to them and said, “You are silly. I am a monk and gave a vow to bear all kinds of evils, reproach, persecution and banishment. If these things befall me then I should rejoice, since in this way the service of tonsure will take place in reality.”

He moved into Kozelsk and then was invited to the Dormition Cathedral. While there the number of his spiritual children grew. Elder Nektary and Elder Isaac, both now displaced from Optina, also sent people to Elder Nikon. Daily, there were people seeking him out. This lasted for three years before he was arrested and imprisoned. He was held in a local jail for six months where his distressed spiritual children were still able to write to him and send him packages, and possibly receive a blessing from him outside his jail room window. After six months he was condemned to three years at the prison camp of Solovki. He stayed there for two years, was transferred to the Popov Islands and then sentenced to exile in Archangel. Before he left, upon medical examination it was discovered that he was suffering from advanced tuberculosis. He did not request a transfer to an easier placed but instead abandoned himself to the will of God. He finally was settled in Vonga where he met up with Fr. Peter from Optina and moved into an apartment with him. He was often sick now and at times could not even get out of bed. He frequently suffered from fevers and had pain in his left leg due to varicose veins. Throughout his imprisonment, he still managed to keep in touch by writing with many of his spiritual children by writing

Near the middle of May, 1931, his illness became torturous as he suffered with fever, chills, shortness of breath, weakness and bed sores. For the last two months of his life he received the Holy Mysteries daily. On Wednesday, June 25 he was so weak that he could not speak and that evening, after having the Canon for the Departure of the Soul read to him, after tracing the sign of the cross in the air to bless all of his spiritual children he died peacefully.

Sayings of Elder Nikon, the Confessor, of Optina

Humility

Without humility it is impossible to be a disciple of Christ. Without humility the human heart cannot accept and make its own the teachings of Christ. Humility of heart allows a person to submit to the will of God, to submissively accept everything that the Lord may see fit to send a man on his earthly path, to subjugate his mind, disposition, and desires in obedience to Christ.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Makarios, Hieromonk of Simonos Petra, The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church, trans. Christopher Hookway, vol. 1 (Chalkidike: Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady Ormylia, 1998).

Author Unknown, “Holy Hiero-Confessor Nikon of Optina” in Orthodox Life (September-October, 1989): 31-42.

“Elder Nikon, the Confessor, of Optina: A Short Biography” at http://www.optina.ru/starets/nikon_life_short/ accessed on December 31, 2013(in Russian).

“From the Diary of Hieromartyr Nikon of Optina” in Orthodox Life (March-April, 1997): 45-48.

“Venerable Nikon of Optina at http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/06/25/149002-venerable-nikon-of-optina accessed on December 31, 2013.

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Hilarion

The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Hilarion of Optina

(April 8, 1805 – September 18, 1873)

Commemorated on September 18

April 8, 1805, Pascha night, Rodion Nikitich Ponamarov, the name given to the future Elder Hilarion at his birth, was born. Rodion was clumsy in his youth, earning the ridicule of friends. He was also treated rudely by his siblings for being introspective. Growing up he desired monasticism and desired to learn his father’s trade, tailoring, thinking it would be beneficial for a monastery. He was engaged to be married twice. His first wife-to-be died and he lost interest with the second.

In 1837, fulfilling his desire to become a monk he went on a pilgrimage to the largest monasteries in the area and finally settled at Optina. When Elder Anthony was transferred to http://www.viagrabelgiquefr.com/ St. Nicholas Monastery in Maloyaroslavets, Elder Macarius then became the Skete Superior and Rodion became his cell attendant and became obedient to him in the fullest sense. Rodion, now Fr. Hilarion, confessed to Elder Macarius but also went daily to Elder Leonid. For his first twelve years as Elder Macarius’ cell attendant he was also the vegetable and flower gardener, the baker, the kvass brewer, the care-taker of the bees and had many other responsibilities. This external activity was seen by all but his inner life was hidden in God. Elder Macarius recognized Fr. Hilarion’s maturity and progress and soon began to give him some of his own spiritual children as well as responsibilities at other convents, in this way preparing him to be his successor. When Elder Macarius was on his deathbed, he blessed Elder Hilarion with the mantle and paraman which he had inherited and which had once belonged to St. Paisius Velichkovsky. Being the closest to Elder Macarius, at his repose, after twenty years of being his cell attendant, Elder Hilarion became the Skete Superior and confessor of the monastery.

Elder Hilarion confessed all the brothers in the monastery and also those who lived at the farms in the areas, both men and women. He would confess all day long, and even during Lent, when he would also have to be at the lengthy church services and completing other labors. Despite the amount of people who came to him, he refused no one. When giving advice, the Elder did not speak from himself but gave counsel from the Scriptures, the Holy Fathers or what he had heard his Elder say. He was always approachable and received all his visitors with the same attention and courtesy whatever their rank in society. Anyone coming to the monastery who would want confession he would require a period of three days of examination of their conscience before coming to confess.

Two years before his death, Elder Hilarion suffered from a serious illness. During this time he never asked to be relieved of it, but only to be given patience during such a trial. The Elder did receive doctors but only due to the insistence and zeal of his spiritual children. For the last four weeks he suffered day and night with no sleep and found it impossible to move around on his couch due to fluid rising in his lungs. For the last thirty-three days of his life he received the Holy Mysteries daily. Until his final moments he always completed the full cell rule assigned to the skete.

When his death was imminent, Elder Macarius appeared to him several times in his dreams. The more he suffered and the closer he came to death the more the Elder appeared. On September 18, 1873, he received communion at 1:00a.m. and then at 6:00a.m. he straightened himself out on the couch, took a few slow breaths, and looking neither right nor left, committed his soul to God, his prayer rope tightly in his hand.

Sayings of Elder Hilarion of Optina

On Prayer

God does not demand undistracted prayer from beginners. It is acquired with much time and labor, as the writings of the holy fathers say: “God grants prayer to those who pray…”

Anger

If you feel that you cannot control your anger, remain silent, and for the time being say nothing, until, through continuous prayer and self-reproach, your heart has become calm.

Repentance

In case of a fall of some kind in deed, word, or thought, you should immediately repent and, acknowledging your infirmity, humble yourself and force yourself to see your sins, but not your corrections. From examining his sins, a person comes to humility and acquires a heart that is broken and humble, which God does not despise.

Matins Verse at Ode VII

O Father Hilarion, having fled the world, and abandoned all things in it and having counted them but dung, thou didst cleave to the elders, Leonid and Macarius, and thou didst receive of Christ power to drive away demons.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Author Unknown, “The Life of Hieroschemamonk Hilarion of Optina” in Orthodox Life (January-February, 1990): 2-8.

Kavelin, Fr. Leonid, Elder Macarius of Optina (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1995).

Optina’s Elders: “Instructor of Monks and Conversers with Angels” at http://www.roca.org/OA/97/97k.htm accessed on Dec. 17, 2013.

Schaefer, Archimandrite George (trans.) Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina (Jordanville: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev, 2009).

“SERVICE To the Holy Fathers, the Elders Who Laboured Ascetically In Optina Hermitage” in Orthodox Life (May-June, 1990): 27-48.

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Macarius

The Elders of Optina Monastery

Elder Macarius

(November 20, 1788 – September 7, 1860)

Commemorated on September 7

Elder Macarius, born Michael Nikolaevich Ivanov in Orlov province near Kaluga, was raised in a noble family. He spent his youth reading many books and developed a wide breadth of theological understanding. He enjoyed nature, loved music and played the violin well. He was not favored with good looks and never tried to marry. He was of medium height and his face showed traces of small pox.

In 1810, at the age of twenty-two, he went on a pilgrimage to the Ploshchansk Hermitage and at this time decided to dedicate his life to God. Here Michael came under the obedience of Fr. Athanassy, a disciple of St. Paisius Velichkovsky. In 1815, he was tonsured a monk and given the name Macarius after St. Macarius the Great. In 1824, his elder died and he was sent to be the confessor of the Svensk women’s monastery. It was here at Svensk that Fr. Macarius met Elder Leonid. He asked Elder Leonid if he could become his disciple and although Elder Leonid considered Fr. Macarius his peer in monasticism, in humility, he yielded to his request. Shortly thereafter, Elder Leonid was sent to the Optina Skete and Fr. Macarius corresponded with him until he also moved there to share the work of eldership in 1834.

When Elder Macarius arrived at Optina, Elder Leonid was living in the skete along with Elder Moses and Elder Anthony. In 1836, he was made confessor of the whole monastery and then Skete Superior. Elder Macarius kept himself in constant obedience to Elder Leonid never doing anything without a blessing, and endured all things with humility and patience. Elder Leonid offered him many opportunities to do so.

Elder Macarius was always to be found with Elder Leonid. They directed the spiritual life of the monks and thousands of visitors. Together they “brought up” Elder Ambrose. They were of such oneness of mind that when Fr. Macarius was asked for counsel regarding anything he would not reply without first consulting Elder Leonid and vice versa.

In 1841, Elder Leonid reposed; Elder Macarius wrote his obituary. That year he took over the responsibilities of the skete. As rector he enhanced the solemnity of the services and also created a rich library. He himself would rise at 2a.m. for four hours of prayers then afterwards would sit at his work table to translate or revise Patristic texts. At this time he would also engage in correspondence. In the afternoon at 2p.m. he would accept visitors, meeting them in the guest house at the entrance of the skete, and after supper and evening prayers, he would continue with his written correspondence. People were anointed from the lampada that burned in his cell in front of the Vladimir icon, in his cell and through this many were healed of sickness and demon possession.

The publications at Optina Monastery of a series of Patristic texts on the spiritual life began with Elder Macarius urged by his friend and spiritual son, Ivan Kireyevsky. These publications began in 1846 with the life of Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and would grow from there. In most cases the works were revisions of the Slavonic texts from the Neamts Monastery from the time of St. Paisius and translated into Russian. Through these publications, Optina became known to the intellectual elite of Russia and draw them to itself.

Much profit came to the whole church through Optina at this time but much persecution also came to Elder Macarius. He was accused of spreading the teaching of the Jesus Prayer when others opposed it based on the mistaken belief that it would give rise to spiritual delusion. Talk began of transferring him to another monastery. During this time he became very sick. During his final illness he often hand out little crosses, icons or books as a blessing. On September 7, 1960, after receiving Holy Communion at 6a.m. and saying “Glory to Thee, our God!” thrice he fell asleep in the Lord having been forewarned of this beforehand. His body remained incorrupt.

Sayings of Elder Macarius of Optina

The Knowledge of God

If we strive to cleanse our hearts from the passions, then according to the amount that we have purified ourselves, Divine Grace will open the eyes of our hearts to the vision of the True Light; for as it is written, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8), but only when we perfect ourselves through humility, for through humility the mysteries are revealed.

On Forests

Man finds peace of mind and benefit for his soul in forests. We see that in former times people used to withdraw into thick forests, and there, away from worldly vanity, through prayer and ascetic labor, sought salvation. Just one look at the evergreen conifers of our homeland gladdens the eyes, portraying a symbol of our hope for eternal life, which people go to the deserts to seek… The forests which surround our monasteries should be preserved from destruction by all means, in order to prevent the word “wilderness” from finally losing its meaning.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Kavelin, Fr. Leonid, Elder Macarius of Optina (Platina: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1995).

Kontzevitch, I.M., “Elder Macarius of Optina” in The Orthodox Word (January-February, 1986): 11-22.

Optina’s Elders: “Instructor of Monks and Conversers with Angels” at http://www.roca.org/OA/97/97k.htm accessed on Dec. 17, 2013.

Sederholm, Fr. Clement, Elder Leonid of Optina (Platina: St. Herman of Alasaka Brotherhood, 2002).

Schaefer, Archimandrite George (trans.) Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina (Jordanville: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev, 2009).

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Optina Monastery and the Righteous Transmission of Tradition – Elder Moses

THE ELDERS OF OPTINA MONASTERY

Elder Moses

(January 15, 1782 – June 16, 1862)

Commemorated on June 16

First in the line of Optina Elders is Moses, born Timothy Putilov. He and two brothers became monks and later abbots at different monasteries. On their father’s gravestone was written: “He was the father of three abbots: Moses of Optina, Isaiah of Sarov, and Antony of St. Nicholas Monastery of Little Varoslavetz.” He was always an avid reader which nurtured in him the desire for the monastic life. As a young man he was influenced by Eldress Dosithea of the Moscow Ivanovsky Convent and under her encouragement he set out for the Novo-Spassky Monastery. Later he went to Sarov Monastery where St. Seraphim had been struggling for thirty-seven years already. Here, young Timothy had many occasions to talk with the experienced Elder. He left Sarov for the Svensk Monastery where he was made a novice and then in 1811 he was tonsured a monk in the Roslavl forests by the eldest of the anchorites there, Hiero-schemamonk Athanasy. He was given the name Moses after St. Moses, the Ethiopian. He would stay in these forests continuing under the tutelage of the disciples of the Moldavian Elder, Paisius Velichkovsky, who grew to greater influence amongst monastics in Russia and even further abroad. In the Roslavl forests, Fr. Moses’ main occupation, apart from his rigorous cell rule, was the reading and copying of many texts of the Church Fathers. He copied many translations from books which had been copied by Elder Paisius Velichkovsky, and he also compiled volumes of anthologies. Interestingly, he always stood when he read and wrote.

In 1821, at the invitation of Bishop Philaret of Kaluga he was invited to create a skete at Optina for those who wanted to devote themselves more completely to prayer, later to be known as the Skete of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. He arrived there with his younger brother, Fr. Anthony, and three other monks. Five years later, in 1826, he was appointed Abbot of the whole monastery and then shortly thereafter invited Fr. Leonid – another Paisian disciple whom he had met and lived with earlier in his life – to come and live in the Skete. In 1834, Hieromonk Macarius (Ivanov) accepted an invitation to settle in the Skete with Fr. Leonid. With these two elders began the establishment and growth of eldership.

The Optina skete and monastery were revived under the supervision of Elder Moses with the building of the St. Mary of Egypt refectory church, more cells, a library, apiary and various other buildings. More importantly, through, was the spiritual flowering of the monastery the preservation of the ancient wisdom of monasticism, fostered under his guidance. With the rise of eldership also came persecution from those who did not understand it. Despite the persecution, Elder Moses firmly supported Elders Leonid and Makary and did all he could to protect them. Elder Moses himself depended on them in the daily running of the monastery. He would not accept or tonsure anyone without their advice. From them he constantly sought direction and had Fr. Leonid as his confessor. The crowds of people seeking help from these Elders for their troubled souls grew steadily

In 1862, after reviving the life at the Optina Monastery and establishing Eldership in the Skete life of Optina, Elder Moses reposed. At the time of his repose was read, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works. Amen, I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom” (Matthew 16:27-28). His body was later found to be incorrupt.

Sayings of Elder Moses of Optina

On being grieved by others

We must bear one another’s spiritual infirmities cheerfully, without bitterness. After all, if someone is physically ill, not only are we not offended with him, but we even help him in any way we can. That is how we must treat spiritual illnesses also.

On nurturing the fear of God

And truly we need only ceaselessly keep watch and be prepared, as if mentally on the lookout, beholding God’s omnipresence with the eye of our intellect and reflecting that He dwells not outside us only, but also within us, in our heart, in our soul as in His temple. It is in this spiritual practice that the fear of God consists. For one who knows with exactness that God is everywhere present, that He sees all his thoughts and that he tries his heart and reins – such a one will fear not only to do evil, but even to think evil.

Patience

We must thank the Lord for everything, the labor which he imposes on us to teach us patience, which ennobles the soul and is more beneficial for us than comfort. Evidently, this is pleasing to the Lord. Sorrows cannot befall us except through God’s permission – for the sake of our sins. And these very sorrows protect us from other temptations.

– Subdeacon Matthew Long

Bibliography

Clare, Fr. Theodosius, Glinsk Patericon (Wildwood: St. Xenia Skete, 1984).

Holy Trinity Convent (trans.) The Elder Moses of Optina (Boston: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1996).

Kontzevitch, I.M. “Abbot Moses: the Builder of the Optina Tradition” in The Orthodox Word (May-June, 1985): 125-128.

“Life in the Forrest by Abbot Moses of Optina” in The Orthodox Word (May-June, 1985): 129-135.

Optina’s Elders: “Instructor of Monks and Conversers with Angels” at http://www.roca.org/OA/97/97k.htm accessed on Dec. 17, 2013.

Schaefer, Archimandrite George (trans.) Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina (Jordanville: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev, 2009).

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