Metropolitan Nikodim is well known in the church world. It is known not only to Christians, but also to representatives of other religions. He is known not only to believers, but also to all people of good will. He gained such wide fame due to his outstanding activities in the field of interchurch relations, ecumenical relations and the peacekeeping movement. His fame as a church and social figure seemed to overshadow his actual episcopal service. But he carried it out with the same inherent energy with which he worked in other areas.
This essay is an attempt to draw attention to this side of his activity. True, the reader will not find here full description pastoral ministry of the Bishop. A deeper exploration of this topic will require careful and serious research in the future. And in this essay only individual touches will be made, which at best can be considered only a prelude or only an introductory chord to a comprehensive disclosure of the image of Metropolitan Nicodemus as a church shepherd.
In his speech at the memorial meal after the burial of Metropolitan Nikodim, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen noted that the deceased hierarch, being a faithful son of the Russian Church, “revealed himself, first of all, as a good shepherd of the Church of Christ.” Metropolitan Nikodim considered pastoral service to be the cornerstone of all his activities. He recognized himself, first of all, as a shepherd, obligated to take care of the entrusted flock, feed them with the word of God, nourish them in the field of earthly life, and educate them in the spirit of patristic covenants and patriotic traditions. Shepherding was his main responsibility when he was parish priest. It remained in the foreground even when he became a vicar bishop and began to carry out church and social assignments. With constant zeal, he continued to exercise pastoral service when he was appointed ruling bishop. For about thirty years he faithfully served the Church - from the moment of ordination until his last breath. During this period, only the volume of his pastoral labors changed, but the basic guiding principle of ministry remained unshakable, which he expressed in his speech at his consecration as a bishop, saying: “My entire conscious life belongs to the Church” 1).
Metropolitan Nikodim, in his practical activities, strove to meet the high requirements for a pastor of the Church. In numerous speeches when presenting the bishop's staff, he repeatedly reminded both his younger brothers and himself about the pastoral duties that occupied his thoughts and feelings and were the subject of his constant concerns. Metropolitan Nikodim diligently carried out archpastoral work on the organization of church life, always remembering the great responsibility before the Chief Shepherd and the Church, and called others to zealous service 2).
In one of the speeches, admonishing the newly installed bishop, he calls on him to warm up, according to the apostolic covenant (2 Tim. 1:6), the grace of the priesthood with heartfelt prayer in the temple and cell, the offering of the Eucharist, and the celebration of others church sacraments 3). And this is not abstract instruction, but fraternal advice based on personal deep religious experience. Who among the flock of his metropolis does not know how the Bishop loved church services, how he devoted himself entirely to them, how he immersed himself in the element of church prayer! By earnestly performing divine services, he inspired others to fervent, sincere prayer. And some of them were quite long. Thus, the all-night vigil with an akathist preceding it on the eve of the feast of St. Alexander Nevsky sometimes lasted more than six hours, but the upbeat festive mood was maintained from beginning to end for all participants in the service. The Bishop possessed a great charge of spiritual vigor, which could create a feeling of special joy from participating in divine services.
Returning to Leningrad after trips abroad and experiencing natural fatigue after working at important meetings, the Bishop found a source of renewal of spiritual strength in performing divine services. Physical illness did not prevent him from taking part in services. If a holiday or Sunday service was to take place on the day of his return, he performed it in the Trinity Cathedral or in some other church in the city. If it was a weekday, the service was performed in the Assumption Cross Church. Setting off on a journey, each time the bishop, together with his companions and mourners, sang a prayer service in the church of the cross. He highly valued the importance of God's gracious help in his works and always resorted to prayer, considering it the greatest means for strengthening human strength in all life circumstances 4).
Public worship and private prayer were the urgent needs of Metropolitan Nikodim. He vividly felt their necessity and experienced joy from prayer, which can be called joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17) 5).
Here it is appropriate to quote the words of the Bishop when presenting the staff to the Bishop of Ryazan, his former mentor. “In those years,” he said, “as a young boy, when I first began to go to the holy temple in the morning, when I first began to consciously come to the Church of God, when true consolation and joy for me was the opportunity to give you a censer or receive from your hands the prosphora, your service, your performance of Divine services attracted me and captivated me and ensnared me in the realm of Christ...” 6) Such a perception of divine services and such an attitude towards church services remained with Metropolitan Nicodemus until the end of his days. And if all his activities were inflamed by deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which always burned in his soul 7), then in his performance of divine services this great spiritual power manifested itself especially brightly and expressively. And when he says that “combination with God, sanctification from above from God, grace-filled abiding in God is a living reality, full of spiritual consolation and inner joy that fills a person’s entire life and moves it,” then with these words he not only testifies to experience of devotees of piety 8), but, undoubtedly, shares his own spiritual experience.
Metropolitan Nikodim had special treatment to the Divine Liturgy as the most important Christian service. He expressed his views on its significance more than once in reports, sermons and private conversations. Pointing out that the Eucharist is the focus of the spiritually grace-filled life of believers in Christ, he refers to the example of ancient Christians who took an active part in the Eucharistic service and necessarily received communion, which showed how they valued this greatest Sacrament 9). It was unthinkable for the early Christians to simply attend the Eucharistic meeting. Even the thought of self-estrangement from communion was alien to their consciousness, and they experienced the deprivation of the Eucharist as the greatest tragedy. In ancient times, at the Eucharistic meeting, all participants in the Lord's Table partook of the Holy Mysteries 10).
It was precisely this attitude towards the Liturgy that Metropolitan Nikodim constantly instilled both by word and by example, being deeply convinced that for every Christian in the Eucharist the door of communion with God opens, that through it the believer joins the source of grace. More than once he said that in prayerful communication with God, a Christian feels in his being the closeness of God and thereby strengthens his strength. “Each of us,” he notes, “could experience experimentally that in himself he is weak and powerless, but able to do all things in Christ and with Christ” 11). If a believer gains such a gracious experience through any heartfelt, sincere prayer, then all the more is communion with God achieved in the Eucharist, through which the Lord gives a person the opportunity to partake of eternal blessings 12).
Speaking about the need to partake of the Holy Mysteries as often as possible, the Bishop also referred to the canonical norms that guided the ancient Church. In particular, he cited the eighth Apostolic Canon, according to which a bishop, priest or any cleric is subject to excommunication if he does not receive communion at the Eucharist without good reason. The Bishop himself often celebrated the Liturgy. He always partook of the Holy Mysteries even in those cases when he did not serve, but only prayed during the Liturgy. He permitted and even encouraged the communion of non-serving priests and deacons. He condemned the service of deacons without communion as an unecclesiastical phenomenon, contrary to the meaning of the Eucharist.
Metropolitan Nikodim especially loved to celebrate Liturgies on days when usually the majority of those present in the church received communion. Thus, he served the Liturgy on Holy Thursday with great inspiration, when almost all those praying are communicants. With the same mood, he celebrated the Liturgy on Saturday of the first week of Great Lent in the church of the Theological Academy. According to established tradition, on this day, teachers and students and regular parishioners of the church receive Holy Communion after fasting and fervent prayer. previous days. Congratulating the communicants, the bishop usually expressed joy that those gathered in the church by unanimous communion in the Eucharist resembled the early Christian community.
When going on long business trips abroad, the bishop always took with him an antimension, holy vessels and vestments for celebrating the Eucharist. He simply could not do without communion for a long time. I remember one of these trips in the summer of 1975, when a delegation of representatives of the Russian Church was in Italy and participated in the Fourth Theological Conversation with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church. Then in the city of Trento, where the meeting took place, the Orthodox Liturgy was celebrated almost daily during the meetings. Either the Bishop himself or one of the members of the delegation served. After the Liturgy, during which all Orthodox participants received communion, there was a special feeling of spiritual joy from Eucharistic communion and the awareness that a small community, located far from its Church, represents a single whole, united by the Eucharist. During the same trip, Metropolitan Nikodim and those accompanying him received communion at the Liturgies, which they performed in the catacombs of St. Callista, as well as at the burial places of the Apostle Peter and Saint Cyril, Equal to the Apostles. Contact with these ancient Christian shrines evoked unique religious experiences, which strengthened the understanding of the significance of the Eucharist celebrated at the same time. Without serving the Liturgy when visiting these holy places, of course, there would not be such a vivid perception of the shrines dear to the Christian heart and it would be impossible to fully express one’s faith in communion with the saints. Thus, by his attitude towards the Eucharist, the bishop helped others to become aware of its special importance in the life of a Christian.
After Metropolitan Nikodim suffered several heart attacks, he had to be bedridden for a long time. When he could not get up at all, the Liturgy was performed on a portable throne, and he received Holy Communion. When his strength returned and he was allowed to walk, he prayed at the Liturgy celebrated in the Church of the Cross, sang with others and received communion. But he experienced the fullness of spiritual satisfaction when he himself performed the liturgy. Therefore, even not having fully recovered from his illness, he hurried to the temple. And if they told him that he needed to take care of himself, he always answered that worship gave him strength and would contribute to his final recovery. It was impossible to argue with him on this issue, for his own liturgical experience was most convincing to him. At the same time, of course, he was guided by both archpastoral duty and the desire to have communication with his flock.
Metropolitan Nikodim expressed his understanding of his liturgical duty towards his flock as follows in one of his speeches: “In the grace-filled process of spiritual growth, ascent from strength to strength in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God, the limit of which is the perfection of the Heavenly Father and the deification of man, the bishop as the builder of God’s mysteries and in word, and action, and prayer, and with his whole life, he instructs and edifies his flock, confirming and strengthening the inner strength of his spiritual children, who, obeying the voice of Christ, resist sin and walk the path of salvation” 13). His pastoral duty prompted him to perform church services as often as possible, which brought him great consolation and joy. During the church year there are periods during which the bishop performed divine services daily. Thus, on the days of the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, he served every day, starting from December 20 (old style), when Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer is remembered, whom he especially revered for his teaching about the Church, the Eucharist and the church hierarchy. Every day he performed services during the first week of Great Lent and during Holy Week, as well as during Easter week. On patronal feast days, he always served in parish churches, while also visiting remote parishes of his diocese. During his stay at the Leningrad See, he visited parish communities several times during church celebrations or on Sundays.
Metropolitan Nikodim also extended his concern for his flock to making the language of divine services more understandable to modern believers. His view of this issue and the difficulties in solving it are reflected in the paper “The Changing World”, which he read at a theological interview in Trento 14). As you know, some liturgical texts have been translated into Russian, but some of them are not adapted for singing performance, others are not distinguished by the accuracy of their translation. Therefore, it is currently impossible to change the existing practice of performing services in Church Slavonic.
However, “in our time,” as the Bishop notes, “in the opinion of many, it is becoming very desirable, sometimes necessary, to use the Russian text of the Holy Scriptures for liturgical evangelical, apostolic and some other readings” 15).
Metropolitan Nikodim knew well that there were not only supporters, but also opponents of the use of the Russian translation for liturgical purposes. He calmly listened to the arguments of the latter, knowing full well that there are many Christians who do not express their opinions, but internally they are against the use of the Russian text. The Bishop also took into account the fact that the language of the existing translations of the Holy Scriptures is not perfect and requires some improvement 16). Therefore, guided by wise pastoral tact, he did not make instructions or circular orders to introduce the reading of the Holy Scriptures in Russian in all churches of the metropolis. Initially, such a reading took place in the Church of the Cross, where the services were performed by students of theological schools. The latter circumstance led to the fact that after some time the reading of the Gospel and the Apostle in Russian began to be practiced in the Academy Church, where they then gradually began to read parimia, six psalms and kathisma in Russian translation. This practice has shown that many believers approve of reading in Russian. But the Metropolitan, for pastoral reasons, did not give his blessing to extend this practice to other churches, allowing it only for the Holy Trinity Cathedral, of which he himself was the rector. True, together with Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, he could say: “The Orthodox Russian Church should not deprive the Orthodox people of reading the word of God in a modern, generally intelligible language, for such a deprivation would be incompatible with the teaching of the holy fathers, with the spirit of the Eastern Catholic Church and the spiritual good Orthodox people" 17). However, he took into account that changes in established practice are not always perceived painlessly, and therefore did not want to force events for which the favorable time had not yet arrived.
Vladyka knew and appreciated the Church Slavonic language very well for its beauty and expressiveness. Evidence of this is his own liturgical works - those church services to the saints that he compiled in the Slavic language. But he also knew well that for many ordinary believers this language is difficult to understand. Therefore, to make the service more edifying, he sought to translate some of the liturgical texts into a more understandable language. For a number of years he worked on the text of the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. During the first week of Great Lent, when this canon was read, the Bishop could often be seen at this work. During the breaks between morning and evening services, he sat, surrounded by books, and was engaged in comparing the Greek, Russian and Slavic texts of the canon. He was not satisfied with the Russian translation of the canon made by Professor E. Lovyagin 18). This translation seemed to him not to fully correspond to the Greek original. The Slavic text, although it corresponds to the Greek, is inaccessible to the understanding of many worshipers, which is why the deep edification of this wonderful work of church songwriting is largely lost. In this regard, the bishop, while maintaining the usual combination of words of the Slavic text, tried to replace incomprehensible expressions with clearer ones. Based on the text he corrected, he himself read the canon, but did not consider this work completed, intending to continue it with further comparison of the Slavic and Russian translations with the Greek original.
Metropolitan Nikodim considered it his pastoral duty to encourage all believers to meaningfully, actively and unanimously take part in divine services. This goal, in particular, was facilitated by certain features of the services that he performed. Thus, following the ancient practice 19), he read prayers aloud during the Liturgy. Thanks to this, all those who served, as well as those who were in the altar, on the salt and near the pulpit, could offer their prayer to God with one mouth and one heart. When the choir sang quietly or completely fell silent, the words of the Eucharistic prayers reached the ears of those standing in the middle of the church, and in small churches all those gathered could hear what was being read in the altar and pray together with the bishop.
Guided by the same considerations, the bishop began to practice the celebration of the Liturgy of the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord. For ten years, he served this ancient Liturgy twice a year: on the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostle James - October 23 (old style), and on the second day of the Nativity of Christ. At first, this Liturgy was performed only in the Academy church and was initially perceived by some believers as an innovation. However, this idea of her soon dispelled, which was greatly facilitated by the sermons of Metropolitan Nikodim, which he delivered every time he served the Liturgy. In recent years, the Liturgy of the Holy Apostle James has also been celebrated in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. She attracted believers with her truly apostolic simplicity. Despite the fact that some hymns of later origin were introduced into it (“The Only Begotten Son,” the Trisagion, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, etc.), it retained its original appearance from apostolic times. It should be noted that until the ninth century it was often performed in the Jerusalem, Alexandria, Cyprus and other Churches. Currently, the Liturgy of the Holy Apostle James is celebrated once a year (October 23) in Jerusalem, Alexandria and on the island of Zakynthos 20).
To celebrate this Liturgy, the clergy silently put on all sacred vestments. The bishop serves in a phelonion, on top of which an omophorion is placed, without a miter and without a panagia. Dikiriy, trikiriy and orlets are also not required. All that is needed is the “pastoral staff of the bishops,” and that without a sulka. Priests serve in priestly vestments without kamilavkas and crosses. On the throne lie the antimension, the Gospel, the Apostle and the parimiynik. The altar cross and the seven-branched candlestick are placed on a high place. The servants (twelve priests) stand around the throne, forming a closed circle with the bishop. The deacons recite the litanies facing the people. To read the Holy Scriptures, the bishop and his concelebrants go out to the middle of the church, where there is a bishop's pulpit with a seat, as well as seats for the presbyters. The parimia and the Apostle are read by the deacons, facing the people. In the same way, the eldest of the priests reads the Gospel. After this, the servants sit down, and the bishop teaches the people, holding his staff in his hands. During the Great Entrance, deacons and priests walk through the entire temple. All believers receive communion in the same way, the only difference is that the clergy at the altar receive the Holy Body from the bishop into their hands, and the bishop places “part of the Holy Bread into the mouth” of the rest of the communicants. When teaching the Holy Body, the bishop says: “Body of Christ,” and the communicant responds: “Amen.” They also respond by approaching the Chalice when the deacon says: “The Blood of Christ, the Chalice of Life.” All these very briefly described features of this Liturgy give all participants the opportunity to vividly feel their closeness to each other, to realize themselves as a single community in which the liturgical bishop, clergy and people form a single whole in Christ.
Here we should also dwell somewhat on Metropolitan Nikodim’s ordination to the deacon and priest. After reading the prayers prescribed for Ordination at the altar, the bishop, following the example of the practice of the Greek Church, took the ordained one out of the altar and placed him on one of the steps of the solea. All his co-workers came out with him. The Bishop blessed each of the sacred garments and, before laying them on them, showed them to the people, exclaiming: “Worthy.” This same proclamation, instead of the equivalent Greek “Axios,” was sung three times by clergy and singers. This practice of vesting before the people allowed believers to better understand the sacred rites of Ordination, making them participants in this most important Sacrament in the life of the Church. The vestments on the steps of the ambo, near those praying, are deeply symbolic - it testifies that one taken from the people and elevated to a sacred degree, becoming a servant of the altar, should not be torn away from the people of God and exalted before them.
The Bishop was constantly concerned that, according to the words of the Apostle, divine services were performed “decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). As a shepherd of the Church, guided by patristic traditions in the upbringing of his flock, he saw in divine services one of the most effective means of the religious and moral progress of believers 21). Therefore, he strictly ensured that there was no haste or carelessness during services, so that reading and singing were expressive and reached the ears and consciousness of those praying. He made a lot of efforts to create a choir of the clergy of the Leningrad Metropolis and introduced the constant practice of singing by the clergy who served him at the altar and among the temple. The services performed by him were always solemn and impressive. Of course, the solemnity of the services was not an end in itself for him. He believed that in the ministry of a bishop, “triumphant pomp and majestic solemnity are only justified and necessary when they are a means to serve, through external splendor, the internal structure of souls faithful to God, but at the same time, even when they are necessary, the bishop must have apostolic simplicity and inner humility" 22). With these words, in one of his speeches when presenting the staff to the newly installed bishop, he convincingly testifies that not for personal self-exaltation, but only for the good of the souls of his flock, bishops should take care of the external splendor and solemnity of divine services. And therefore, the services of Metropolitan Nikodim invariably attracted many believers, who found in the divine service great consolation and abundant spiritual food, conducive to moral growth.
Metropolitan Nikodim revered the memory of the saints with special reverence. He believed, as he repeatedly said in his sermons, that the prayerful intercession of the saints of God, glorified by the Church, bestows grace-filled help on the believers, creating their salvation. The Bishop’s unshakable trust in God’s help through the prayers of the saints was most clearly manifested in his veneration of the Mother of God. This is already evidenced by the fact that the cross churches in his chambers are dedicated to the name of the Most Pure One: in the Moscow residence - in honor of Her Annunciation, in Leningrad - in honor of Her Dormition and Intercession, and in the Novgorod bishop's house - in honor of Her miraculous icon "The Sign" .
On the feasts of the Mother of God, Vladyka performed services without fail, no matter where he was. On the Feast of the Assumption he usually served in Leningrad or Novgorod. And this holiday was always followed by a solemn ceremony of burial of the Mother of God with a procession of the Cross around the temple. He just as constantly performed divine services on holidays in honor of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God. Thus, on the holiday in honor of the icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” he served an all-night vigil and Liturgy in the Leningrad Holy Trinity Church, colloquially referred to as “Kulich and Easter”; on the holiday in honor of the icon “The Sign,” he performed services in the Academy Church or in Novgorod, on a holiday in honor of the Kazan Icon - in the Vladimir Cathedral in Leningrad, etc. Church hymns in honor of the Most Pure Mother were Metropolitan Nicodemus's favorite. This especially applies to the hymn, which he introduced into constant practice since 1971 during services in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, namely: “Oh, glorious miracle! The Queen, implored by our holy relatives, covers heaven and earth to this day and mercifully enriches the Russian land with her image. Oh, Sovereign Lady, do not stop pouring out mercy and miracles in the future for the establishment of Orthodoxy in Rus' until forever. Amen". This chant was usually solemnly performed by the concelebrating clergy during the services of the metropolitan and in other churches. Such reverent veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos and the saints, of course, was transmitted to both the clergy and the flock, who saw in the person of the archpastor good example faith in the prayerful intercession of the zealous Intercessor and saints of God.
Pastoral service is not limited to the performance of liturgical duty. Along with the feat of sacred rites, the shepherd is also obliged to accept and worthily fulfill the duty of a mentor and spiritual leader of the believers 23). “The bishop,” according to Metropolitan Nikodim, “is not only the celebrant of the Sacraments and church services, he is a shepherd and teacher, mentor and father of the people of God entrusted to him and their priests” 24). Therefore, preaching the word of God is a necessary component of the episcopal ministry 25). The latter, in fact, in its essence is the ministry of the gospel, according to the Divine establishment 26). In fulfillment of the commandment of the Lord, the shepherd must kindle the light of the Lord in the minds and hearts of his flock, preach the good news of Christ who came in the flesh, preach His Gospel 27). The bishop, who is entrusted with the fullness of teaching in the Church, is obliged to base his evangelism on the preaching of the Kingdom of God, the preaching of the joy of life in Christ, the preaching of peace and love.”28).
This is how the Bishop looked at the sacred duty of preaching the word of God. This is how he instructed his newly ordained brethren when presenting them with the pastoral staff. He himself was guided by the same rules, zealously and inspiredly preaching the Gospel of Christ.
The preacher not only conveys to others the truths of Christian teaching. He should not be merely an impartial teacher who limits his task to imparting the necessary knowledge. The preacher is a witness of Christ (Acts 1:8). “To be a witness of Christ means,” according to Metropolitan Nicodemus, “to accept the Lord into your heart, it means to be imbued with His saving teaching and to embody the commandments taught by the Gospel” 29). To be a worthy witness of the Risen Lord, one must preach Him not only in word, but also in deeds, by example throughout life. “The sowing of the gospel seed,” says the bishop, “will only be fruitful when the preacher sets a good example of life in Christ” 30).
Considering preaching to be an indispensable duty of a pastor, Metropolitan Nikodim made sure to preach at every Liturgy after the reading of the Gospel or after dismissal. Over the 15 years of his archpastoral activity in Leningrad, the bishop performed hundreds of divine services 31), and the number of sermons he delivered can be counted in the hundreds. Possessing great theological erudition and excellent memory, he did not need to first compile the text of his sermons. He knew the patristic works well, from which he could freely cite a saying of the holy father or a hagiographic story at the right place in the sermon. He also knew the Holy Scriptures excellently, the texts of which he always used in great abundance in his sermons. He knew many psalms or parts of psalms by heart, since he always listened attentively to the reading of kathismas and he himself loved to read in church. His sermons were the fruit of improvisation and therefore, for the most part, remained unwritten. Only a few of them were published in the “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, and in its “Collected Works” (vol. 1) there are Christmas and Easter messages that can, to a certain extent, serve as a characteristic of the evangelistic ministry of Bishop 32).
The general direction of Metropolitan Nikodim’s preaching is determined by the need to reveal dogmatic and moral truths to his flock. He believed that in his doctrinal word, the preacher should proceed primarily from the world-saving event - the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into the world, for in the knowledge of the mystery of the Incarnation and in explaining to the believers its saving significance, the basis of moral success is laid. In one of his speeches to the newly installed bishop, he speaks about it this way: “Reflecting on the Incarnation and its comprehensive significance for the human race, learn for yourself and teach others that the Lord Jesus Christ truly is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that one can come to the Heavenly Father only through Him, through participation in His Theanthropic Body - the Holy Church" 33). The basis of the “teaching made wise by God” is “the great and unsearchable mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, which marked the beginning of our salvation in Christ, indicating a new path for spiritual development man, preached in ancient times by the apostles... in the Incarnation of the Son of God, the Savior of the world, is the basis of our preaching and the meaning of Christian life” 34).
In his sermons, Metropolitan Nikodim indeed touched upon the topic of the Incarnation many times, each time emphasizing the great significance of this ineffable mystery 35). Such frequent reference to this topic shows that, while instructing his fellow bishops to make it the basis of his preaching, he first of all did so himself. His Christmas messages and sermons eloquently testify to this, offering insight into various aspects of this fundamental tenet of the Christian faith 36).
Occupying a central place in the sermon of Metropolitan Nikodim, the theme of the Incarnation encouraged him to cover other important subjects of the doctrine of faith. In the same Christmas sermons and messages, along with revealing the main theme, he speaks about the fall of our first parents 37), reconciliation 38), about the Kingdom of God, about the Church and other dogmatic truths. Moreover, these truths are revealed from different sides. Thus, in speeches when presenting the staff to newly installed bishops, the doctrine of the Church is considered mainly in the aspect of the apostolic succession of episcopal ministry and the meaning of the priesthood 39). And in his Christmas messages and sermons, he speaks of the Church as the Body of Christ, in which all members are quickened by the Holy Spirit, pouring out abundant and varied gifts of Divine grace on believers to strengthen them in a new life 40).
Metropolitan Nikodim does not stop at revealing only the internal properties of the Church. He also points out the pastoral tasks that face her. Although the main mission of the Church is the sanctification and salvation of people within its boundaries, those outside “this court” should also be the subject of its care (John 10:16). The Church cannot be self-closed; it must be turned to the world. Therefore, she always has a double task: proclaiming the Gospel and serving people. In no case should the gospel of salvation, which elevates man from earth to God, be contrasted with the ministry that turns people’s aspirations to creating peace and goodwill on earth, for the implementation of both of these tasks is the dual responsibility of the Church and all its members 41).
Touching upon the doctrine of the Kingdom of God, Metropolitan Nikodim does not limit himself to explaining only its hidden essence, but also speaks about external manifestation Kingdom of God in the world. He, in particular, notes that Christ laid the solid foundation of the Kingdom of God in the Church He created (2 Tim. 2:19) and bequeathed His disciples and followers to continue the active ministry He began, aimed at the creation of this Kingdom, which, beginning in the heart of man (Luke 17:21) must spread and embrace the entire area of earthly relations and conditions of the earthly existence of people, purifying and renewing everything earthly and worldly (1 Cor. 15:28) 42).
In the sermons of Metropolitan Nikodim there are often judgments about the Sacraments as grace-filled means of the Church for the sanctification of believers 43). In one of his sermons, he reveals the Orthodox teaching about the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity as the Hypostatic Wisdom of God 44). In his homily for the Feast of Pentecost, he speaks of the participation of the Holy Spirit in the economy of salvation and the significance of His gifts of grace in the Church 45).
Easter sermons and messages have a special theme. They set out the teaching about the meaning of the Sacrifice of the Cross of the Savior of the world, about redemption 46), the Resurrection of Christ and its fruits for humanity 47).
The range of doctrinal truths expounded by Metropolitan Nikodim is, of course, much wider than in his published sermons and epistles, for he considered it his duty to proclaim Christian teaching to his flock in its entirety. The published preaching works are intended primarily for believers who are capable of perceiving deeper thoughts and higher truths. But the bishop could speak simply when circumstances required it. He knew, according to the word of St. Gregory the Theologian, when, in front of whom, how and how much to speak 48). Some of the published sermons are simple in structure and content 49). These are mostly sermons of a moralizing nature. True, his dogmatic sermons are not devoid of moralizing conclusions, for Metropolitan Nicodemus always believed that the dogmas of faith are the basis of the Christian teaching of life. Thus, the sermon on the Nativity of Christ, which reveals the doctrine of Hypostatic Wisdom, the Incarnation and the Church, ends with moralizing conclusions corresponding to the ideological meaning of the celebrated event. The preacher emphasizes that on the days when the Christian world celebrates the feast of the rebirth of the world, we cannot help but add our prayers and our Orthodox wisdom to the prayers, thoughts and aspirations of all Christians. On these holidays, when the coming of the Savior to earth is remembered, when Christians must ascend with their thoughts from earth to Heaven, we should not forget about the need to be worthy of the Lord’s closeness to us and take care to stop evil in ourselves and the world around us. Penetrating into the meaning of the Nativity of the Son of God and the entire work of Christ on earth, Christians become better aware of their high moral responsibilities imposed by the need to imitate Christ in establishing peace and love on Earth.
The preacher concludes his edification with a call for believers to strive in the establishment, creation and growth of the Kingdom of God within themselves and in multiplying the love of Christ and peace on earth 50).
The Bishop not only zealously preached about peace, but also called on others to proclaim peace. He believed that all pastors should bring the holy sermon of peace to their flock, instill the spirit of peacemaking, so that the angelic gospel of peace would increase in the world, so that “peace on earth, peace and prosperity in our Fatherland, peace in the Church and family, peace in the soul of everyone” would be established. "51). He called for all this to offer fervent prayer to the Lord Almighty 52).
In his sermons, the bishop spoke not only about virtues, but also about the obstacles that stand in the way of doing good and which are rooted in man himself. Thus, in “A Homily for the Second Sunday of Great Lent” he reveals the concept of sin on the basis of Holy Scripture and examples of life 53).
In the homiletical works of Metropolitan Nikodim, deep judgments about spiritual life and communion with God are often found. For example, the “Sermon for the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost” speaks of grace-filled communion with Christ. “Christ is your life” (Col. 3:4). This brief saying of the Apostle Paul expresses the innermost essence of the Christian faith, which revives and saves man, grafts every human soul into the fruitful tree of Christ (Rom. 11:17), makes it a partaker of the grace-filled forces necessary for life and piety (2 Pet. 1 , 3). Outside of Christ there can be no Christian life. Just as light and warmth are concentrated in the sun, which pour out onto the earth and awaken all nature to life, so in Christ lies the source of true life. Only Christ awakens the soul to a holy and godly life, which makes us partakers of eternal blessings. Therefore, Christians must draw closer to Christ by doing good deeds, according to His gospel law 54). The theme of communion with God is also devoted to the word on the Transfiguration of the Lord, which indicates the need for spiritual achievement to achieve blissful communion with God. To become capable of communion with God, a person must come out of the state of slavery to sin and move into a state of purity and righteousness, for which he needs to go through a complex, difficult path of internal purification and spiritual transformation with the help of the gifts of God’s grace 55). This is a very difficult feat, but as a result a person achieves a high spiritual state, for “in communion with God, in abiding in God, in life with the Heavenly Father there is bliss, and eternal life, and endless joy” 56).
Metropolitan Nikodim was always attracted by the topic of Christian service, and he repeatedly addressed this important issue in his sermons. “A homily on the text “Whoever serves Me, let him follow Me” (John 12:26) is dedicated to this current topic.” The thoughts expressed in it reflect the bishop’s view, which he often expressed in his sermons. Serving Christ faithfully was considered the highest calling by countless evangelists, confessors, ascetics of faith and piety, who fought the good fight both openly and hidden from the world, and whose labors adorned the Church and enriched its spiritual life. A person who lives only in earthly things is often unable to understand the joy and happiness of being a servant of the Lord. Genuine service to God, not in the spirit of trembling slavery or envious mercenaryism, but in devoted filial love for God, is a joyful and blissful state, giving a person moral satisfaction and happiness 57). The sermon reveals the concept of “servant of Christ.” The Lord became the Servant of Jehovah (Isa. 49:6) in order, through His redemptive feat, to give people the opportunity to become “slaves of righteousness for holy works” (Rom. 6:19). The title of servant of Christ is not similar to the human concept of slavery, which is humiliating and unnatural to the very God-created nature of man. The title of servant of Christ is holy and righteous, for the one who serves Christ by faith, has entered into grace-filled communion with the Savior in His Church, and is sanctified by the Holy Spirit can be rewarded with it. Treasuring this title, a Christian must serve the Lord not only by glorifying His greatness and mercy, but also by actively fulfilling His gospel law 58).
True following of Christ must be manifested in serving others. A Christian is obliged to serve humanity in the spirit of the love of Christ, to be a bearer of peace, a defender of truth, a preacher of truth, a zealot for good deeds, building life in accordance with the covenants of Christ, to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, in everything setting an example of selfless and selfless work for the good of others, laying down, if necessary, his life for his friends (John 15:13) 59).
Even a brief review of the homiletical heritage of Metropolitan Nicodemus shows the strength of conviction, the depth of faith, and his zealous desire, according to the apostolic word, to proclaim to his flock “the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27), without omitting anything useful (Acts 20:20). ).
Metropolitan Nikodim’s sermons often contain excerpts from liturgical texts 60), and the latter are sometimes given in translation into Russian. You can also find Slavicisms in his sermons, but for church people they are quite understandable, since they are part of the usual church terminology. He, of course, knew that among his listeners there were many people for whom Christian truths in the traditional form of presentation were not always accessible. Therefore, he sought to speak in a language understandable to the modern listener, taking into account his spiritual needs and desire to know the truth 61).
The bishop must combine the duty of priesthood and preaching with the responsibilities of church administration. To be a bishop, says Metropolitan Nikodim, means to take upon oneself, with the feat of priesthood and teaching, also the work of governing one’s flock as part of the universal flock of Christ, so that, together with the entire episcopate, the right to rule the word of truth and guard the Church of the Lord and God 62).
The bishop must keep intact the dogmas of the faith, be a faithful guardian of the Apostolic Tradition and at the same time take into account the peculiarities of local traditions and customs that do not contradict the general Tradition of the Church and help many generations of believers to lead a Christian life 63). Called to unite his flock with bonds of love, he is the leader of the local Church. He is entrusted with the utmost responsibility to serve church-wide unity, preserving love and like-mindedness with his fellow bishops 64). The bishop must not forget that he lives among his flock, therefore he is obliged to direct all his spiritual activities, including his internal improvement, to the benefit of the people of God, for whose sake he has entered the difficult path of hierarchal service 65).
A bishop must have high spiritual qualities, without which it is impossible to govern his flock. Quoting the words of Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky), Bishop Nikodim says that shepherding without a soul is a waterless spring that does not quench thirst and to which the traveler will not go next time. Pastoral service requires the bishop to daily renounce personal interests for the sake of the flock, so that at the end of his feat he can appear before the Chief Shepherd Christ with a spiritual flock in which not a single sheep perished 66). The height of the episcopal rank, which determines the respect due to him, should not be a high threshold over which those who wish to come to the bishop with with a pure heart and an open soul 67). Vanity and conceit must not enter the heart of a bishop. He needs to combine dignity and simplicity, severity and fatherly attention with affection, which, subordinate to wisdom, serve to create brotherhood and unanimity in the clergy and flock under his jurisdiction 68).
The bishop should exercise his spiritual authority with humility, combining strength of spirit with meekness, demandingness with love. He must always be kind to everyone, condescending to infirmities and weaknesses, trying to understand their causes, but at the same time be merciless towards sin, trying to pluck it from human hearts. In the ecclesiastical rule of the bishop, justice is combined with mercy, fiery zeal with wise prudence, which does not allow haste in resolving complex matters, he balances his personal responsibility with the wisdom of conciliar reasoning 69). He needs to be strong and firm, calm and insightful in order to discover goodness where it is hidden under the cover of human imperfection, to see evil and deceit under the guise of imaginary virtue, in order to grow and develop the first, correct and eradicate the second. All this means for the bishop the right to rule over the flock entrusted to him by Christ 70).
Indications of these duties and the spiritual qualities of the bishop as a spiritual leader are found in the instructions of Metropolitan Nikodim, which he gave to his younger brothers when presenting the bishop's staff. He himself carried out these instructions in the management of his diocese. He did not lead the diocese alone. In the matter of governance, he was assisted by suffragan bishops (first one, then two). He also had a diocesan council of experienced clergy who examined and discussed the issues entrusted to them and submitted their opinions and considerations to his discretion and approval 71).
While administering the diocese, the bishop devoted a lot of time to receiving visitors, considering current affairs, and reporting to the diocesan chancellery, dean districts, and church rectors 72). As the ruling bishop, he had to take care of resolving various issues concerning the general state of the diocese, parish life, the activities of the clergy, and relationships between clergy. Sometimes it was necessary to understand complex conflict situations that arose due to misunderstandings or other reasons 73). To personally get acquainted with the life of the parishes, the bishop often visited churches and communities of the metropolis 74).
The annual reports of the Leningrad Metropolis speak about all this very briefly, but behind the meager information lies evidence of the enormous amount of work that fell on the shoulders of Metropolitan Nikodim. The reports, for example, provide data on the total number of cases on which he had to make an appropriate decision. There were many such cases. Thus, during the first three years of his ministry in Leningrad, he had to consider about three thousand cases of various kinds 75), and over the last three years more than three thousand six hundred similar cases were considered 76). Most of them required investigation in conversation with interested parties. On many matters it was necessary to call people, admonish them, instruct them, give them advice, and show them fatherly attention. Every time Vladyka returned from foreign business trips, many visitors came to him, awaiting his arrival, hoping to get from him a solution to the issues that worried them. And these hopes were not in vain. Almost all free time the bishop gave to those in need of his fatherly care. He often devoted entire days to receiving visitors in order to satisfy everyone. Sometimes the reception ended long after midnight, when the bishop, completely tired, had to go to rest.
Metropolitan Nikodim repeatedly convened diocesan meetings at which important issues of church life were discussed. The last such meeting with the participation of the Bishop and vicar bishops took place in March 1978. In addition to the parish clergy, some teachers of theological schools were also present. Those gathered discussed issues of preaching activities of priests 77), liturgical practice, spiritual leadership, as well as the requirements that believers place on a modern pastor. In addition, a report on a pastorological topic was presented to the attention of the meeting participants. At such meetings there were messages and reports from the Bishop on the activities of the Russian Church in the interchurch, ecumenical and peacemaking fields. Thus, in December 1975, upon the return of the delegation of the Russian Church from Nairobi, a diocesan meeting was held in the assembly hall of the Leningrad Theological Academy, which was attended by parish priests, the pedagogical corporation and students of theological schools. The Bishop and other participants in the Assembly of the World Council of Churches shared their impressions of its work. In general, the bishop kept the clergy of the diocese informed of the most important events in modern church life, encouraging them to take an interest in the current problems that are now facing the Christian consciousness. He believed that a modern pastor can more successfully carry out the spiritual leadership of his flock if he knows well the life and activities of his Church, the main pan-Orthodox and general Christian problems, if he is generally comprehensively educated 78).
Saint Gregory the Theologian says that managing people is very difficult, the business of management “is the art of the arts and the science of the sciences” 79). In that difficult task there are not and cannot be trifles. It is impossible to limit the business of management to a certain administrative framework. Much here depends on correct attitude bishop to the clergy and flock. Personal contacts and close acquaintance with the life of the clergy, with their spiritual world, interests and requests of the flock are very important. This is also necessary in order to be able to respond to people’s spiritual needs, to better see their strengths and weaknesses, and to exert the proper influence on them.
Taking these requirements into account, Metropolitan Nikodim always strived to have lively communication with the people around him. Here, first of all, it should be said about his attitude towards future clerics. If any young man from his diocese expressed a desire to become a minister of the Church, the bishop would certainly have a conversation with him, revealing at the same time how much his personal qualities corresponded to the high service he was looking for. After a conversation or several conversations, the bishop sent some to the seminary for training, instructed others to serve at bishop's services, and recommended others to seek the use of their strengths and abilities in another field. Those admitted to the Theological School, those enrolled in the staff of subdeacons, and those temporarily performing subdeaconal duties were always under his close supervision. He treated them as future clergy of his diocese, often had conversations with them, looked closely at their behavior, gave his archpastoral instructions, preparing them for the upcoming service. He was aware of the great responsibility for the souls of the people entrusted to his care, preparing to become shepherds of the Church. He always remembered the words of the apostle: “Lay hands on no one hastily” (1 Tim. 5:22), calling for wise caution in the exercise of the power “to give birth to new bearers of Christ’s priesthood” 80). First, he had to make sure that “a true calling, and not the honor of the priesthood, not base desires, but conscious service to the Holy Church directs a Christian to the Altar of the Lord,” and only after that he performed ordination 81).
Some of those who were under the direct leadership of Metropolitan Nikodim expressed a desire to serve the Church in the monastic rank. After a proper test, the bishop tonsured such people and subsequently did not stop caring for them, being a caring mentor for them. He always confessed to all his tonsures, constantly met with them, provided them with the necessary help, and took their concerns and concerns to heart.
Despite his enormous busyness, the bishop found time for direct communication with his clergy, which manifested itself in various forms. If, for example, one of the clergy asked him to be a successor, he did not refuse to baptize infants. He brought joy to the priests by visiting them at home. On holidays, he sometimes invited the clergy himself to talk with them in a relaxed atmosphere. A cordial and hospitable host, during these festive meals he always provided some important information about church life or directed the conversation to topics that would be of interest to everyone. Such meetings invariably left the best impressions. They contributed to the rapprochement of the clergy, the establishment of a spirit of benevolence, the creation of good relationships, and evoked a feeling sincere gratitude Bishop for the fatherly warmth and broad generosity of his heart.
The meetings of Metropolitan Nikodim with the clergy and people on the days of the greatest Christian holidays - Holy Easter and the Nativity of Christ - were of a special nature. In the evening on the second or third day of both holidays, a divine service was held in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, after which the clergy and people congratulated the bishop. At Easter greetings during the celebration of Christ, the Bishop, according to the ancient custom observed in Orthodox families, gave a red gift to everyone who approached Easter Egg as evidence of our faith in the Risen Lord. The congratulations were usually lengthy, with the choir and people alternately performing festive chants. The general festive joy that the believers experience these days was aggravated by the fact that it was shared with them in close communication by their loving and beloved archpastor. This custom of congratulations, of course, is common in our church practice. However, the bishop followed him not only for the sake of observing established traditions. He took care that these meetings were informal, that they were genuine living communication in a single Christian family, which brings joy and spiritual father, and his children. In addition, one of the significant moments of the congratulations was the announcement of the bishop’s festive message, which was always distinguished by its deep content, good wishes and paternal instructions to the clergy and flock.
Metropolitan Nikodim considered it his pastoral duty to be with his flock as often as possible. And he grieved deeply if he had to be away from them, especially on days when he usually performed solemn services. In the Holy Trinity Cathedral, he invariably performed services on the days of remembrance of the heavenly patron of our city - the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky. But sometimes, due to illness or due to a trip abroad, he could not serve. In such cases, he sent a message with which he showed his participation in the celebration and spiritual connection with the flock 82). In one of these messages, he, expressing regret that he was far from his family and friends, wrote: “I am separated, but I do not feel separation, for my whole soul is with you” 83). Congratulating his flock on the holiday, the bishop did not leave them without archpastoral instructions and good wishes. He called on his children to zealously imitate the faith and life, exploits and service of Saint Alexander Nevsky, a true Christian and our great fellow citizen 84), a fearless mourner and protector of the Russian land 85). “On this holiday, I wish you all to especially remember the Christian virtues and civic valor of St. Alexander, so that, illuminated on your life’s path by his bright example, you imitate him in the faith of God, Christian love and selfless service to your neighbors and the Fatherland” 86). Thus, even when he was away from his flock, he cared for and led them.
Metropolitan Nikodim was in charge of the Leningrad Theological Schools - a seminary and an Academy, which train clergy for many dioceses of the Church. Lord with special attention and was concerned about the preparation of future shepherds of the Church. In reports on this side of his activities, he usually very briefly noted that his general leadership of the Theological schools was manifested in the consideration and approval of the journals of the Council and the minutes of the Educational Meeting; in receptions on the affairs of the rector and inspector, in conducting conversations with teachers and students; attending lectures, lessons and exams; in delivering reports and performing services in the Academy temple 87). But these words can describe, and only in the most general terms, only the external side of his concern for Theological schools. The bishop put a lot of painstaking work into preparing the young pastoral shift. With multifaceted responsible activities and constant employment, he always found the opportunity to take the closest part in the educational process. From entrance exams to graduation, the seminary students and Academy students were under his unflagging attention. On the days of admission of applicants, he talked with applicants for many hours in a row to determine their general development, understand their inner world, spiritual state and mood. Repeatedly during school year The bishop held personal conversations with students, as well as general interviews with graduates, to whom he gave the necessary orientation in the upcoming practical pastoral activities. These meetings undoubtedly had great educational significance. He also made sure that future shepherds had a broad outlook, were aware of modern life, and knew about the achievements of scientific thought. All this indicates that he attached great importance to the comprehensive training of clergy, who, after completing their education at school, should carry out responsible service in the Church.
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The Otradnensky Church is dedicated to a rather rarely mentioned saint - John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria. But it was precisely thanks to this fact that fifteen years ago a teacher of St. Petersburg Theological Schools, Emeritus Professor, Archpriest Vasily Stoykov became its rector. After all, the first church in which the future priest had the opportunity to serve as a 12-year-old boy in a distant Ukrainian village was also consecrated in honor of John the Merciful... A week later, Father Vasily turned 83 years old, and, like many residents of our country, he has a difficult life behind him. life. Much of this life is devoted to serving God.
Dispossessed for an orchard
Father Vasily remembers his grandfather Savva very well. He was a strong man, but he lived poorly - because his main wealth were 12 children. Is it easy to feed and clothe such a crowd? There was one pair of boots for everyone - one works, the others sit at home. Like this large family and Vasily’s mother Olga grew up (and they lived in the Odessa, now Kirovograd, region). Then they gave the family a two-hectare plot of land. And grandfather Savva decided to plant an orchard. The whole family planted them in the fall. It was cold, and the children were barefoot. But they planted apple trees, pear trees, cherries, plum trees, and cherries. The garden began to work. A few years later, they took the harvest to the market, but it turned out that you couldn’t get rich from the fruit – your neighbors also had more than enough of such goods. But the garden still turned out good, especially when it gained strength. Many were envious then; grandfather was later dispossessed for this same garden. He was forced to move to the neighboring village of Olshanka, which became home to the future priest.
Father Vasily’s father, Ivan Stoykov, on the contrary, was an orphan, Bulgarian by birth. Entire Bulgarian villages existed in those places. Catherine II also gave land in the Novorossiysk region to the Bulgarians so that they could live here and at the same time protect the borders of the state. After all, the Polish border and the Turkish coast are nearby.
How the parents met, Father Vasily does not know, he only heard that before the First World War dad was a worker on Mount Athos - his relatives sent him. But when the war began in 1914, all Russians were returned to their homeland...
After the wedding, the young people began to live in Olshanka, in a house on the banks of the Sinyukha River. In 1929, the first-born Vasily was born, then two daughters. And in 1932, trouble struck the Stoikovs. In the spring, a strong flood carried away both the house and the living creatures. All that's left is sewing machine"Singer" on a heavy cast-iron frame.
We had to wander around the neighbors until we could buy another house. And we bought it like this. One Olsha family was dispossessed, the house was taken by the Village Council, and the family took shelter in a small old house. Vasily’s parents bought the house from the village council. But this home did not become permanent. When the Germans occupied the village, the dispossessed returned to their home, although in return they gave away an old small house. The Stoikovs had to move again. There was one joy - near the house itself there was a 24-meter deep well, to which half the village went for water: in other places they could not reach the water vein.
Father Vasily's parents were religious people. At home, we often read the Gospel aloud, and in two languages.
“The adults especially liked it when I read the Holy Scriptures in Bulgarian,” the priest recalls. – My parents spoke Ukrainian to us, and Bulgarian to each other. And there were many Bulgarians in the village. So I learned the language from childhood.
First services - under occupation
During the occupation, the Germans allowed the resumption of services in the temple, which in the 30s was given over to a club. Mom introduced 12-year-old Vasily to his priest, and he offered to help the boy in the service as a sexton.
One winter, having gone to the priest for some reason, Vasily saw the Germans hanging partisans in front of his father’s house. There were about 10 of them, wearing only their underwear, barefoot - a terrible sight that I will remember for the rest of my life.
When the Germans were driven out, the temple was again taken over as a cultural center, but in return they allocated a small hut in the center of the village. To install an ancient iconostasis brought from Bulgaria in this mud hut, it had to be cut. But at least they were no longer persecuted for their faith, as was the case in the twenties and thirties. After graduating from school in 1948, Vasily received a recommendation from a local priest to the Odessa seminary.
He was immediately enrolled in the second year. It was a hard time, post-war. Bread - rationed. Each student was given a loaf of bread so that he could independently distribute it for the week. But what a joy it was when the cards were canceled, and the seminarians had bread cut into plates, and they could eat it without counting the pieces! During this half-starved time, Vasily also managed to help his student sister. As a successful student, he received a scholarship, and in addition, he worked part-time with friends: sawing and chopping wood.
In 1951, Vasily Stoykov graduated from the seminary and was sent to the Leningrad Theological Academy to continue his studies. I got married in my second year. The wife was not embarrassed that her husband was a future priest. Mother Nina herself comes from a believing family, and cousin also studied at the academy. It was he who introduced the young people. After the wedding, they started blaming her at work: how could she marry a potential priest? However, Nina was a lively girl and immediately retorted: “Where is that Theological Academy open - in America or here, in the Soviet Union?”
True, in the future the girl more than once had to feel what it meant to be the wife of a priest in the USSR. And we didn’t have to wait long. The young couple decided that while Vasily completed his studies at the academy, his mother, who gave birth to her first child Georgy, would live with his parents in Ukraine. In Olshanka, she even managed to get a job in a canteen at first. However, a certain party leader found out that Nina Stoykova was the wife of a future priest, and was indignant that she was in public place got a job. Mother was immediately fired, despite the fact that she was pregnant with her second child.
“Are there really such fools left?”
Meanwhile, Vasily Stoykov successfully graduated from the academy. During his studies, his knowledge of the Bulgarian language was very useful. The library of St. Petersburg Theological Schools contains translations of sermons by the Bulgarian Patriarch Kirill, “Discussion of calendar problems” by professor of the Sofia Theological Academy Todor Sybev and a number of other translations made by Vasily Stoykov.
At the end of the IV year, on March 20, he was ordained a deacon, and two months later, on June 5, 1955, in St. Nicholas Cathedral in Leningrad, Vasily Stoykov became a priest, that is, a priest. After graduation, the newly minted priest remained at the Theological Schools as a professorial scholarship holder (for scientific training, he had to write a scholarship report within a year). He was also assigned to teach the history of Slavic churches.
Now that Father Vasily was teaching and could serve, he called the family. Moreover, he was promised living space at the academy. However, this housing was given to another professor. And the Stoikovs and their children had to live with a priest they knew in Vyritsa.
– All summer we lived on the veranda with our children. When it got cold, we rented a room from a local religious woman. It took 3 hours to travel one way,” Father Vasily recalls the first years family life. But what to do, because with a small salary and children it is not easy to find housing in Leningrad. But they managed to come to an agreement with the headman of the Pargolovo church and remove the frame of the new bathhouse, in which they lived until they bought an old pre-revolutionary house in 1958. So Pargolovo became the second small homeland of the Stoykovs. Their third child, daughter Marina, was born here.
Unfortunately, the children also had a chance to learn what it means to be “priest’s children.” The eldest, Georgiy, suffered the most. He did not join the pioneers, for which he was subjected to serious pressure from teachers at school. And in fights with classmates, they always considered him to be to blame. So Mother Nina had to visit school quite often. The middle son Nikolai and daughter Marina were no longer so “pressed” - apparently, they got used to it. However, when Marina entered the pedagogical school, one of the members of the admissions committee, when he found out that she was the daughter of a priest, was “smart enough” to blurt out: “I didn’t even think that there were still such fools left!” Maybe it would have been funny for someone to hear this about a professor at the Theological Schools, but Marina burst into tears and ran away. Well, in the same selection committee there was a woman who caught up with her, calmed her down and convinced her not to pay attention to such remarks. The girl entered and studied successfully. Although at first they also did not want to give her a scholarship for good academic performance, as a priest’s daughter.
6 rubles in the account
If Pargolovo became a second home for Father Vasily, then the Theological Schools became a place with which 56 years of teaching, scientific and administrative activity are associated. Thanks to his analytical mind, broad outlook and ability to get along with people, Archpriest Vasily Stoykov was appointed first secretary and then vice-rector for educational work. In 1982, Metropolitan Anthony sent Father Vasily to serve as rector of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral. For four years Stoikov cared for the parish of one of the most famous churches in Leningrad. Then the future Patriarch Alexy II, who became a metropolitan, returned Father Vasily to the Theological schools, appointing him first as vice-rector and then as rector.
When Stoykov headed the Theological Schools (academy and seminary), the year was 1992. The time is materially very difficult for both the country and the Church.
“I accepted the academy with 6 rubles in my account,” says Father Vasily. “We received food for our canteens from city bases, and we had to pay, but there was nothing to pay with. It’s good that they lent food. But the workers left because there were no salaries. We had to “bomb” Patriarch Alexy II with letters to get help with money. In 1994, finances became easier. Vasily Stoykov served as rector for 4 years. Then he was again assigned closer to his favorite scientific and teaching path - vice-rector for academic affairs.
Then, in the late 90s, a group of like-minded people gathered in Otradnoye, who were inspired by the idea of restoring the Church of St. John the Merciful in the city, destroyed during the war.
Or, at the very least, revive parish life, and with the construction of the church - as God willing. But things somehow didn’t go well, it was not possible to decide on the abbot, the premises, and in general it was clear that everything would have to start from scratch.
When Father Vasily, by this time already a venerable archpriest and professor (this title was awarded to him in 1975), learned that in Otradnoye they wanted to revive a church in honor of the same saint as the church in Olshanka - his first church, he realized that this is fate. And unexpectedly for everyone, despite his high position and advanced age, Archpriest Vasily Stoykov agrees to become rector of the Church of St. John the Merciful, while continuing to engage in teaching activities.
In 1997, a meeting was held in Kirovsk with the participation of Metropolitan Vladimir and regional authorities, where Vladyka blessed Stoykov to become rector. And already on April 9, a founding meeting was held in Otradnoye, where activists for the creation of the temple were present, as well as the head of the local administration, Vladislav Kiselyov.
For religious services, the city authorities allocated the corridor of the old clinic. An altar was installed in it, and regular services began on Sundays and holidays. And a year later a miracle happened. With the support of the district and city leaders Andrei Vasiliev and Vladislav Kiselyov, the former club building near the Ivanovskaya station was transferred to the parish. It was very suitable for a church, and after the bell tower was added and repair work began to look just like a real church.
15 years have passed since that memorable April 9th. Over the years the parish has grown and strengthened. And hundreds of Otradnaya residents were able to not only get baptized, get married, or see off their loved ones on their last journey in the Church of St. John the Merciful, but also receive advice and spiritual support here in difficult life situations.
Instead of an afterword
For millions of our fellow citizens who are now in old age, fate has a difficult life in store for them. Few can boast that their bread was light. But among priests in the USSR, he was often also bitter from undeserved insults and insults. By choosing to serve the Orthodox Church at that time, people essentially embarked on the path of achievement. Those who have walked this path with dignity, knowing how to forgive, love and console deserve even more respect.
Opinion
Dean of the Kirov district, rector of the Assumption Church in the village of Lezye-Sologubovka and the Sorrow Church in St. Petersburg, confessor of the St. Petersburg Theological schools, Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov, who embarked on the path of priestly service in this church, under the leadership of Father Vasily, recalls: “...Father Vasily really supported me in difficult moments. He appreciated what I was doing in terms of understanding the war, perpetuating the memory of our soldiers, and studying history. I learned and am learning from him to be a patriot of my country. He definitely had a big influence on me. The phenomenon of this personality forced me to repeatedly reflect on many things that would never have been resolved in my pastoral practice if I had not met this man." From an interview with the electronic publication "Orthodoxy and the World"
Reference
For years of service and teaching, Archpriest Vasily Stoykov was awarded the orders of: Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles (2nd class), St. Sergius of Radonezh (2nd class), St. Clement of Ohrid (2nd class) of the Bulgarian Church, the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of the Jerusalem Church, St. Sophronius of Vrachansky (2 art.) Bulgarian Church, St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow (2 art.).
Elena LOGINOVA
STOYKOV VASILY IVANOVICH
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE".
Vasily Ivanovich Stoykov (born 1929), archpriest, professor.
From 1948 to 1951 he studied at the Odessa Theological Seminary.
In 1951 he entered the Leningrad Theological Academy.
On March 20, 1955, he was ordained to the rank of deacon by Metropolitan Gregory (Chukov) of Leningrad and Novgorod in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany in Leningrad.
On June 5, 1955, he was ordained to the rank of presbyter by Metropolitan Grigory (Chukov) of Leningrad and Novgorod in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Epiphany in Leningrad.
In 1955 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree for a dissertation on the topic: “Yu. I. Venelin and his significance in the revival of the Bulgarians” and was retained in teaching.
In 1956 he was awarded the title of associate professor.
In 1972 he was appointed secretary of the Academic Council of the LDAiS.
In 1975 he was awarded the title of professor.
In 1976 he was appointed acting inspector.
In 1983 - 1987 - rector of the Prince Vladimir Cathedral in Leningrad.
Since 1987 - Acting Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of LDAiS. In 1990 - confirmed as vice-rector.
Since 1992 he served as rector of SPbDAiS. In 1996 - confirmed as rector.
In 1996, he was awarded the title of Honored Professor, as well as Academician of the Academy of Humanities. Appointed Vice-Rector of SPbDAiS for Academic Affairs.
Currently he is also the rector of the Church of St. John the Merciful in the city of Otradnoye-on-Neva.
Order of St. Clement of Ohrid, II degree (1977, Bulgaria).
Order of St. Daniel of Moscow, III degree (2000)
Also has awards:
Order of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, II degree,
Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, II degree,
Order of St. Sophronius of Vratchansky, II degree (Bulgaria).
Used materials
http://www.ortho-rus.ru/cgi-bin/ps_file.cgi?4_2837
TREE - open Orthodox encyclopedia: http://drevo.pravbeseda.ru
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Orthodox encyclopedia Tree. 2012
See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what STOYKOV VASILY IVANOVICH is in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:
- BASIL in the Directory of Characters and Cult Objects of Greek Mythology:
Vasily II the Bulgarian Slayer (958-1025) - Byzantine emperor from 976. Suppressed the uprising of the Asia Minor nobility in 976-979. and 987— ... - IVANOVICH in the Pedagogical Encyclopedic Dictionary:
Korneliy Agafonovich (1901-82), teacher, doctor of science. APN USSR (1968), Doctor of Education Sciences and Professor (1944), specialist in agricultural education. Was a teacher... - IVANOVICH in the Big Encyclopedic Dictionary:
(Ivanovici) Joseph (Ion Ivan) (1845-1902), Romanian musician, conductor of military bands. Author of the popular waltz "Danube Waves" (1880). In the 90s lived... - BASIL
(Basileios), Byzantine emperors: V. I the Macedonian, emperor from 867, founder of the Macedonian dynasty. From Macedonian (more correctly Thracian) ... - BASILIUS BISHOP OF SELEVKIYA
(in Isauria). He was present at the council in Constantinople (448), where he argued against Eutyches. At the “robber” council in Ephesus, V. served ... - BASIL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
a name very often found in Russian epics and folk stories; The epic heroes include: V. Kazimirovich, V. Okulevich, V. Ignatievich, ... - BASIL in the Modern Encyclopedic Dictionary:
- BASIL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
I (1371 - 1425), Grand Duke of Moscow from 1389. Son of Dmitry Donskoy. In 1392 he received a label in the Golden Horde... - IVANOVICH
IVANOVIC (Ivanovici) Joseph (Ion, Ivan) (1845-1902), rum. musician, military conductor. orchestras. Author of the popular waltz "Danube Waves" (1880). In the 90s ... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILY MIROZHSKY (?-1299), abbot of the Spaso-Mirozhsky monastery. in Pskov. Killed by Livonians, canonized by Rus. Orthodox ... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
BASILIY THE COPPER HAND (? - ca. 932), leader of the cross. restore in Byzantium (c. 932), who took the name Constantine Ducas. Executed. Restore ... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILY KOSOY (?-1448), appanage prince of Zvenigorod. Together with his brother Dmitry Shemyaka, he fought a long war with Vasily II the Dark. Tried to capture... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILY KALIKA (in the world Gregory) (? - 1352), Archbishop of Novgorod (from 1330), writer. He entered into agreements with Veliky Novgorod that were beneficial for Novgorod. princes... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
BASIL THE GREAT (Basily of Caesarea) (c. 330-379), Christ. church activist, theologian, father of the Church. Brother of Gregory of Nyssa, friend of Gregory the Theologian, together with... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILY BUSLAEV, hero of the epics of the Novgorod cycle (14-15 centuries), reveler and mischief-maker, who entered into battle with everything... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
BASILIY THE BLESSED (?-1569), Moscow. holy fool. One of the most famous Moscow. saints whose gift of providence was revered even by Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible. ... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILY IV Shuisky (1552-1612), Russian. king in 1606-10. Prince's son I.A. Shuisky. He led the secret opposition to Boris Godunov, supported False Dmitry I, ... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILI III (1479-1533), leader. Prince of Moscow, Sovereign of All Rus' (since 1505). The son drove. book Ivan III and Sophia Paleologus. Killed... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILI II the Dark (1415-62), leader. Prince of Moscow (from 1425). Prince's son Vasily I and Sofia Vitovtovna, who ruled the joint prince. With … - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
VASILI I (1371-1425), leader. Prince of Moscow (from 1389). The son drove. book Dmitry Donskoy and Evdokia Dmitrievna. According to his father's will, he became... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
BASILI II Bulgarian Slayer (958-1025), Byzantine. emperor since 976; from Maked. dynasties. Suppressed the recovery. Asia Minor nobility 976-979 (led by Varda... - BASIL in the Big Russian Encyclopedic Dictionary:
BASILI I Macedonian (c. 836-886), Byzantine. Emperor since 867. From the peasants of the theme of Macedonia. Founder Maked. dynasties. He fought against the Arabs... - BASIL
Chapaev, Lanovoy, ... - BASIL in the Dictionary for solving and composing scanwords:
Male... - BASIL in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language.
- BASIL in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
Vasily, (Vasilievich, ... - IVANOVICH in Modern explanatory dictionary, TSB:
(Ivanovici) Joseph (Ion, Ivan) (1845-1902), Romanian musician, conductor of military bands. Author of the popular waltz “Danube Waves” (1880). In the 90s ... - BASIL in the Large Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language:
I m. Male name. II m. The popular name for the day March 13 as significant for farmers; ... - VASILY PAVLOVO-POSAD
- LIKHAREV VASILY ALEXEEVICH
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Likharev Vasily Alekseevich (1871 - 1937), archpriest, martyr. Memory November 14, ... - GORBACHEV VASILY GRIGORIEVICH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Gorbachev Vasily Grigorievich (1885 - 1938), priest, martyr. Memory 13 February, at... - GOLOSCHAPOV SERGEY IVANOVICH in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Goloshchapov Sergei Ivanovich (1882 - 1937), archpriest, martyr. Memory of December 6, at... - VASILY (RODZYANKO) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Vasily (Rodzianko) (1915 - 1999), bishop b. San Francisco and Western American (Orthodox Church in ... - VASILY (BOGDASHEVSKY) in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Vasily (Bogdashevsky) (1861 - 1933), Archbishop of Kanevsky, vicar of the Kyiv diocese. In the world... - RAKOVSKY (SAVVA STOYKOV)
Rakovsky (Savva Stoykov, 1818 - 68) - Bulgarian politician and writer; studied in Constantinople, then in Athens. In 1841... - VASILY III IVANOVICH in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia:
Vasily III Ivanovich - Grand Duke of Moscow and All Rus', son of Ivan III and Sofia Paleologus. Born on March 25... - RAKOVSKY GEORGI STOIKOV in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
(Rakovski) Georgi Stojkov (April 1821, Kotel, - 10/9/1867, Bucharest), Bulgarian revolutionary. He studied at the Greek school in Istanbul. In 1841 in... - MENDELEEV DMITRY IVANOVICH in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
Dmitry Ivanovich, Russian chemist who discovered the periodic law of chemical elements, a versatile scientist, teacher and public figure. ... - BAKHTIN NIKOLAY IVANOVICH in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
born Jan 3 1796 in Tula. His father (see Bakhtin I.I.), an intelligent, educated man, of high integrity, but endowed with passionate, ... - BAKHTIN NIKOLAY IVANOVICH in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia:
? born Jan 3 1796 in Tula. His father (see I.I. Bakhtin), an intelligent, educated man of high integrity, but endowed with... - CATHEDRAL OF THE BUTOVSK NEW MARTYRS in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Synaxis of the New Martyrs in Butovo, a moving celebration on the 4th Saturday after Easter. The celebration has been introduced... - SERAPHIM VYRITSKY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Seraphim (Muravyov) (1866 - 1949), hieroschemamonk, Vyritsky miracle worker, reverend. Memory 21... - ST. PETERSBURG THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree.
- ST. PETERSBURG THEOLOGICAL ACADEMY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy, the highest spiritual educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church. Address: Russia, 193167, … - MOSCOW PIMENOV TEMPLE IN NOVIYE VOROTNIKI in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Moscow Church of St. Pimen the Great (Life-Giving Trinity) in Novye Vorotniki. Address: 103030, Russia, Moscow… - APRIL 9 in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". April 22, new style April (old style) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... - in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox encyclopedia "TREE". Chronology of the Century: XIX XX XXI 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 … - SHUISKIES (PRINCELY ROOM) in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia.
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Ancient church historians say nothing about Saint Asterius. Biographical information about him can only be gleaned from his few sermons, which provide too little information about the time and circumstances of his life and activities.
Based on some historical facts and events mentioned by Saint Asterius, it is believed that the saint was born at the end of the first half of the fourth century. His homeland, or at least his place of long-term residence, was Antioch. In this city he received an excellent education, having as his teacher a very learned man, versed in many sciences, who, according to Saint Asterius, was glorious and famous among the Greeks and Romans.
Saint Asterius thoroughly studied classical literature and oratory, natural sciences and jurisprudence, as evidenced by his sermons, in which he successfully applied his extensive knowledge. This gave him the opportunity to practice law in the “court of the archon”.
During his service in court, Saint Asterius repeatedly saw the vices of his contemporaries in all their nakedness, and became closely acquainted with the most negative aspects of public life. He saw “underminers of walls and slave traders, also robbers and thieves, even murderers themselves.” He undoubtedly had to deal with the blatant injustice that reigned in legal proceedings. It is no coincidence that he reproaches “those judges who are not very picky about rumors and are easily carried away by the censures of accusers.” He could not be indifferent to the imperfection of the Roman laws themselves, which were often unable to protect innocent people. He was especially outraged by the discrepancy between Roman law and Christian moral requirements. Accusing, for example, those who tried to justify their crimes by referring to laws, Saint Asterius says that “they are in a terrible error, not knowing that God lays down laws otherwise.”
All this led the future saint to the consciousness of “the powerlessness of legal truth in matters moral education humanity and relief of heavy social conditions his life." That is why, having become a bishop, he with great boldness denounces the greed of money-grubbers, the cruelty of the rich, the inequality of people and other manifestations of social injustice.
Saint Asterius entered the clergy at the time of his maturity, unshakably convinced of the correctness of his intended path in life. The place of his presbyteral service can be considered Amasia, in which Eulalia, a man of a kind heart who firmly adhered to the Nicene faith, was then bishop.
The condition of the Church during the presbyteral ministry of Saint Asterius was difficult. Arianism, despite its ideological defeat and internal divisions, continued to excite church society. Being under the patronage of state power, the Arians occupied churches and expelled bishops who disagreed with them. Due to the machinations of the Arians, Bishop Eulalia was also deprived of his throne.
One might think that after the imprisonment of the archpastor, Saint Asterius, being one of the influential presbyters, took part in the leadership of the community, just as in Antioch, after the expulsion of Bishop Melegius by the Arians, the Orthodox were led by Flavian (later a bishop) and other presbyters. This is probably why, after the death of Bishop Eulalius, Saint Asterius was elevated to the See of Amasia. This happened between 380–390. .
The new bishop had to put in a lot of work to pacify Amasia, to eradicate the tares of temptation sown by heretics, to strengthen those wavering in the faith, and to correct bad morals. He saw the main task of his preaching ministry not in abstract dogma, but in the practical implementation of the gospel rules of life. In constant concern for his flock, Saint Asterius reached old age and died at the beginning of the fifth century.
Saint Asterius is not mentioned either in the martyrologies or in the ancient monthly books. But his spiritual heritage became the focus of attention of defenders of the Orthodox faith. The Seventh Ecumenical Council in its acts several times refers to Saint Asterius and, to substantiate its judgments on icon veneration, twice cites his Word about the holy martyr Euphemia. This fact indicates that Saint Asterius was known in ancient times as a person distinguished by the holiness of his life and purity of faith. The same is indicated by the high title with which the fathers of the Council honored the Amasian saint, calling him blessed and God-bearing. Also authoritative is the testimony of Pope Hadrian I (772–795), who in one of his letters notes that the entire East revered Asterius as a saint.
The works of Saint Asterius, stored for a long time in various libraries in the form of separate handwritten collections, began to be published in the 17th century. The first edition appeared in 1615 in Antwerp. It contained five conversations. In addition to these, the Paris edition of 1648 included several more words, mostly praiseworthy, as well as a number of excerpts from the sermons of Saint Asterius preserved by church writers. In 1681, his homilies on the psalms were published in Paris, but their authenticity was soon questioned, and at present patrolologists do not consider them to belong to the Amasya preacher.
All of the above publications were used in the 19th century by Abbot Minh. He collected previously published works bearing the name of Saint Asterius and placed them in his Patrology. There are 21 sermons here, but only 14 of them are authentic. At the beginning of our century, two more conversations of Saint Asterius, published by A. Bretz, were discovered among the manuscripts of Athos. His original sermons, with the exception of the last two, have been translated into Russian.
It is not intended here to provide a detailed homiletical analysis or a complete overview of the contents of the spiritual legacy of the Amasite preacher. Only some of his thoughts will be given, which, however, can give a certain idea about the main direction and characteristic features of the shepherding and preaching of Saint Asterius.
First of all, we should dwell on the saint’s judgments regarding pastoral ministry. In the 4th century, many aspired to the priesthood, “considering this rank not a model of virtue, but a means of subsistence, not a service subject to responsibility, but an authority that does not give an account.” This misconception also existed among the Amasian clergy. Therefore, Saint Asterius says that “the priesthood is not power... not the rank of superior self-will, but service to a God-fearing economy.” The shepherd is obliged to worry not about his own benefits, but about the benefits of his flock; he must show humanity and comprehensive care even towards those who are like the barren fig tree. Recalling the loving father from the parable of the prodigal son, Saint Asterius appeals to the priest: “Imitate the long-suffering of God, take into your arms those who turn from wandering and embrace them; thus you will be a leader of the blind and a teacher of the erring.” IN last words consists both of the bishop’s instructions to his clergy and the basic rule that the saint followed in his activities. It was not easy to fulfill this requirement. To implement it, the love of the shepherd had to be combined with an unyielding will. It was necessary to courageously resist the tendencies that appeared then in relation to heretics. The episcopal ministry of Saint Asterius took place at a time when, according to the edict of Emperor Theodosius I (379–395), heretics were subjected to widespread persecution. Many of the Orthodox, showing extreme intolerance, insisted that the church hierarchy strictly punish those persecuted by the law. For example, in Constantinople the saint was accused of refusing to act against heretics with the same measures of violence that the latter used against the confessors of the Nicene faith. There were equally strict judges in Amaziah. It is no coincidence that Saint Asterius says with bitterness: “Nowadays, those who are angry with those who sin, drive away those who come from them, pass without attention past those who are falling down and do not bow their faces to those who cry.” This statement of facts also refers to a heartless attitude towards various kinds of penitents and converted heretics, whom the preacher likens to a sheep who separated from the flock and left his parental home to the prodigal son.
Having compassionate love for the erring, Saint Asterius did not show any inclination towards polemics in his sermons. He saw how many Christians, carried away by disputes, forgot that they were required not only to have the right understanding and adherence to dogmas, but also to live an immaculate life. Therefore, without going into subtle discussions about dogmas, he calls on everyone to believe in simplicity of heart. Saint Asterius especially clearly expressed his attitude towards fruitless debates in words in his Eulogy to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Referring to the confession of faith of the holy Apostle Peter (), he emphasizes that the apostle “did not begin with some distant cleverness and gave an answer to the question without selecting a circle of syllogisms and evidence, as talkers about faith usually do now; but in the simplicity of his heart he briefly outlined the truth.”
Saint Asterius pays his main attention to practical issues, directing his flock to the creation of a Christian life according to the commandments of Christ, turning them away from the disastrous path “through the elements of the world” (). These were the most pressing problems that required urgent solutions. Divisions and religious disputes gave rise to a careless attitude towards moral demands. In addition, many in the 4th century accepted it for everyday reasons, not caring at all about changing their lifestyle. By accepting the faith without deep conviction, these nominal members of the Church brought dissonance into the spiritual life of Christians and exerted a bad influence on others. Among Christians there were often pagan superstitions, customs, habits and even vices generated by the old world. The Amasite preacher arms himself against all this, striking moral ills with his fiery word.
With special “strength”, Saint Asterius rebels against selfishness, in which he sees a terrible enemy that undermines the foundations of good relationships between people. He repeatedly denounces those susceptible to this evil vice. He preached two sermons against greed, one of which has survived. Having defined the blameworthy passion as “the desire in every matter to have more than what is due and what belongs,” the preacher cites many sad examples from Old Testament history and points out the harmful consequences of this evil, which is difficult to get rid of. “For those at home, a selfish man is unpleasant,” Saint Asterius then says, “for friends he is useless, for strangers he is unbearable, for his wife he is a difficult partner, a stingy and mischievous provider of children, a bad manager of himself... he has an abundance of everything and sighs as if he is in need; does not enjoy what is present, but strives for what is not there; does not use his own, but directs his gaze to someone else’s.”
Selfishness, according to Saint Asterius, is the root of all evil, giving rise to countless vices and all kinds of crimes. “This is your fruit, nasty greed,” Vitia addresses passion, as if he were an accused person in court, “receiving excitement from you, the son becomes the enemy of the parent. You fill the earth with robbers and murderers, the sea with pirates, cities with rebellions, courts of justice with false witnesses, informers, traitors, solicitors, judges leaning in the direction in which you lead.” From this rotten source flow disorder in life and inequality between people. Some suffer from satiety, and others from lack of food; some live in luxurious palaces, while others are forced to seek refuge in the open air. “These are the consequences of insatiable greed.”
To properly expose this destructive passion, Saint Asterius takes advantage of any convenient occasion. Thus, in one sermon, condemning the pagan customs associated with the celebration of the New Year, he, with the boldness of a prophet, points out the acquisitiveness of those occupying a high social position: “Owning the greatest government positions, they mercilessly take from each as much as possible: some appropriating the maintenance of poor soldiers, others, often selling justice and truth, and others, drawing on the untold wealth of the state treasury and, in general, carefully collecting from everywhere and not neglecting any self-interest, neither dishonest nor unjust.”
There are similar denunciations in the Discourse on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in which the preacher condemns the desire for luxury. Satisfying the whims of this “very large and many-headed depravity” is accompanied by unrighteous acquisitiveness, because of which many poor people are offended, orphans are scolded, widows shed tears. Convicting the rich man from this parable, Saint Asterius endows him with features characteristic of the life of high-ranking Amasians, and boldly throws a fair reproach to them for heartlessness and cruelty: “O villain and despiser! And the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. You did not honor your brother of the same tribe with this gift. But the dogs were carefully fed, especially guard dogs, separately hunters, were awarded both a bed and shelter, and had servants, carefully selected; and the image of God is thrown to the ground, despised and trampled underfoot.” Showing extreme stinginess in relation to those in need, the rich Amasites generously squandered large amounts of money on themselves. At the same time, they inventively covered themselves with ostentatious piety, decorating their expensive clothes depicting various gospel events. Saint Asterius condemns such “proud attire” and commands instead to adorn oneself with virtues. “Do not have the paralytic on his clothes,” he instructs, “but look for the one lying in weakness. Do not remind the story of the bleeding woman (with an image on clothes), but show mercy to the oppressed widow... Do not carry a blind man everywhere on your clothes, but comfort a living and sightless (person) with good deeds.”
The saint constantly defends human dignity. Strongly speaking out against social inequality and injustice, he repeatedly calls for fraternal relationships between people. And he does this not only when exposing greed with all its manifestations, but also when covering issues related to family life.
Based on the sermons of Saint Asterius, it can be seen that the Amasians often did not value the sanctity of marriage. In the Discourse on “the preacher addresses the marriage breakers with the following accusation: “Listen to you... who frivolously change wives like clothes, set up bridal chambers as often and quickly as fair stalls, marry on estates and take wives for their own profit, Even with a little irritation, you write a letter of divorce and leave many widows during your lifetime. Make sure that a marriage can only be dissolved by adultery.” Saint Asterius could not look at this indifferently. Any manifestation of injustice could not but worry him. Since in this case the reason for the derogation of women’s rights is the civil law, the saint considers it his duty to point out the latter’s contradiction to Divine institutions. He warns that it is harmful to justify injustice “by appealing to Roman laws,” for everyone must give an answer before the face of the Righteous Judge.
The preacher acts as an accuser and very skillfully refutes all the arguments given by husbands to justify their supposed rightness. He emphasizes that the wife is not only free and equal in dignity to her husband, but also has undoubted advantages as a loyal friend and caring mother. The wife “is a part of your body,” the saint inspires to husbands who despise their spouses, “an assistant, a collaborator in the conduct of life, in the birth of children; She is a support in illness, a consolation in sorrows, a guardian of the house, a treasury of property. She is saddened by your sorrows and rejoices in your joys. Together with you, she owns wealth, if there is any, and eases the burden of poverty with savings; skillfully and firmly resists the troubles directed at her; constantly working on raising children, enslaved by cohabitation with you. And if any unfortunate coincidence happens, she is plunged into grief and care; while those who are considered friends, measuring friendship by time of happiness, lag behind in danger.” These words sound like a hymn to a wife and mother, and the entire Conversation as a whole makes a strong impression with the depth of thought, the persuasiveness of judgments and the desire of the preacher to introduce Christian principles into the relationship between spouses. Archimandrite Modest calls this Conversation “a Christian apology for women and wives,” and one cannot but agree with this.
Saint Asterius also touches on family issues in the Sermon on the Prophet Daniel and Susanna, in which, revealing the meaning of the biblical narrative, he calls on his flock to learn edifying lessons for themselves from the Old Testament tale. “Lovers of beauty and virtue,” he addresses his listeners, “let us renew that ancient court in memory, let us strike with the example of ancient chastity the newly appeared intemperance of the present time, putting to shame adolescent old age and paying tribute to the surprise of gray-haired youth.” Having then revealed the crime of the lawless elders and the triumph of justice, the preacher encourages Christians to pay due attention to what they heard and use it to organize their lives: “Wives, imitate Susanna, remain faithful to your husbands as she was to hers; prefer to suffer and be exposed to danger, rather than anger God through debauchery, dishonor your husband, destroy homes and families, and produce dubious children. Elders, despise such elders; authorities, be afraid of the death of lawless judges; young men, imitate a young man of similar age (Daniel – V.S.).”
In the sermons of Saint Asterius, there is a noticeable desire to show the flock the genetic connection of vices. One passion, according to him, gives birth to another, and that one to the next. This especially applies to carnal passions, which are based on voluptuousness, suppressing a person’s spiritual aspirations. This is why “it is difficult for one and the same person to be a sensualist and a lover of God.” If at least one passion has taken possession of the soul, it will crowd out all that is good and open access to many other vices. “He who loves flesh will necessarily be covetous, and he who is covetous will be unjust; Having fallen into untruth, he easily transgresses the rules of piety and violates the laws of the wise, calmly taking up what is prohibited, collecting material for himself from here for pleasure and bringing all this spoils of untruth as a gift to lust, as if it were a mistress.”
These instructions were very necessary for the voluptuous Amasites, who dared to indulge in “feasts and pleasures during Lent,” inventing various excuses to justify their behavior. In denouncing them, the preacher says: “Do not lie about Pentecost as the cause of illness; on the contrary, it is the source of health. Don’t invent excuses for sins... it’s only because of a bad habit that abstinence seems disgusting, and not in essence it’s hard... Accustom yourself to abstinence, and over time it will become a completely unburdensome cohabitant for you.”
Abstinence, according to the saint, is the most important means for freeing the soul from the enslavement of the flesh, and the Holy Pentecost is the most favorable time for realizing this goal. “All of you, children of philosophy,” the preacher calls to Christians, “all lovers of the sublime and students of the word, love the coming time and greet the Holy Pentecost with joy, as a teacher of moderation, as the mother of virtue, a teacher of the children of God, a leader of the disorderly, peace of souls, the support of life , the world is strong and unperturbed. Its severity and importance pacifies passions, extinguishes anger and rage, cools and calms all sorts of unrest that arise from overeating.” “Fasting is a common peace of soul and body, a serene life, a stable way of behavior.” “Fasting is not hunger, but a slight distraction from food; not inevitable punishment, but voluntary abstinence; not slavish necessity, but free philosophy."
Fasting should remind us of the fall of our ancestors, for “the law of fasting would not have been given to us if the law of first abstinence had not been broken... if the pretext for pleasure had not entailed sin.” In this regard, one must not only abstain from enjoying a hearty meal and long sleep, but one must also repent of sins and “mourn over the failings of the heart.”
In the “Exhortation to Repentance,” Saint Asterius instructs his flock so that they not only express their readiness for repentance with their lips, but also in practice strive for correction. “He who is sick at heart... come to your senses, know yourself...,” he says. “Have you come to a bad state from luxury?” “Heal satiety with fasting.” Has unbridledness harmed your soul? - Let chastity be the cure for the disease. Has material self-interest caused spiritual fever? - Let alms empty the surplus... Has the theft of someone else harmed us? - Let the stolen property return to its owner. Has a lie led us close to destruction? May concern for the truth avert danger... This is, after all, repentance—the liberation and erasing of what was previously either done by the deed itself, or intended by intention.” Having realized his sins, the penitent must tell his innermost thoughts to the priest, reveal to him the secrets of the soul in order to receive healing for the hidden illness.
From shepherds, Saint Asterius demands a fatherly attitude towards the repentant: “If someone is a priest and is appointed to him to be the leader of the people, then let him look condescendingly at the failures of those under his control,” imitating the shepherding of the Lord. Addressing “people with an overly harsh mood and showing cruelty instead of compassion,” the saint convincingly speaks of the harmfulness of heartlessness. He especially condemns those who think highly of their moral virtues, despise those who sin and are too strict judges of them, but do not notice their shortcomings. Those who stand at a high level of perfection should not be overcome by the disease of arrogance, for the Savior Himself set an example of condescension towards the weaknesses of people. “Let us imitate,” the saint calls, “the mercy and love of the Lord, therefore condescending to the lower ones, not in order to lower ourselves to the level of the fallen, but in order to elevate them, like some swimmers diving into the water, lifting the dead into this life-giving air.”
Among the sermons of Saint Asterius, Words of Praise occupy a special place. They differ in that they use techniques and rules of oratory more than other sermons. However, this does not make them distracted. The saint never misses his main goal in them - to give specific instructions to his flock.
According to Saint Asterius, everything in the Church should serve edification: both the holiday itself in honor of the saint and the word of the preacher. “For what reason are martyrs revered by the construction of beautiful churches and these annual meetings? And what purpose, having in mind, did our fathers establish what we see now, and leave a lasting law (regarding this) for posterity? - asks Saint Asterius in a Discourse against greed, delivered on the day of celebrating the memory of the holy martyrs, and answers: - Not Is it clear and for a little straining thought that this is bequeathed to us by zeal for piety; solemn assemblies gather as general schools of souls, so that, honoring the martyrs, we imitate their courageous feat for piety, so that, by inclining our ears to the teachers who gather (on this occasion), we learn something useful, which we did not previously understand, whether the rationale dogma, the resolution of confusion in Scripture, or some argument that improves the state of morals.”
“...So,” the saint concludes, “let us, on the one hand, reverence the saints as teachers, and on the other, fear them as accusers; Let us imitate in our lives the saints we honor and begin to obey God in the same way as the saints obeyed His commandments and firmly hoped for His promises.”
A significant part of the surviving sermons of Saint Asterius is directly related to the passage from the Holy Scriptures read during the service, mainly the New Testament. The biblical text in such sermons serves as the starting point and main source from which the preacher draws evidence of the correctness of his judgments and vivid examples that explain his moralizing conclusions. “The Word of God,” says the saint, “sets forth admonition for us, so that we, having been vividly and clearly taught the law of a well-ordered life, “sometimes do not neglect the commandments of God.” Based on this, Saint Asterius explains the Holy Scriptures for moral and edifying purposes and only sometimes in passing reveals the dogmatic meaning of the sacred text. Thus, in the Discourse on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the preacher touches on the doctrine of judgment and retribution, but explains in detail those parts of the parable that help him draw the attention of his flock to their moral state, so that they “become prudent judges of their own behavior.” He acts in a similar way when explaining the Holy Scriptures and in other sermons (for example, in the Conversation on, on, etc.).
The content of all the sermons of Saint Asterius clearly shows that the saint was sensitive to the life around him and always responded without delay to alarming signs of the ailments of his flock. He knew to the smallest detail the life of his flock, their interests, affections, customs, habits, and even the reservations with which they tried to justify their misdeeds.
Saint Asterius vividly reflected in his sermons the moral state of his contemporary society, timely and wisely applying eternal truths, like a healing plaster, to concrete reality, the high evangelical requirements for Everyday life Christians, indicating in the light of Christian teaching the right paths and means of spiritual renewal.
