Moscow elder Archpriest Vasily Nikolaevich Serebrennikov (1907–1996)

The elder prays for everyone

For 12 years now, the Russian elder, confessor of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov), has been in bodily weakness, carrying out the feat of prayer and martyrdom. The Pokrov magazine, founded with the blessing and participation of Father Kirill, continues to publish testimonies about the priest of his spiritual children. We present to your attention materials collected by priest Viktor Kuznetsov.

“Read the Gospel – it’s all in it!” – Father Kirill repeated.

Edification

An old monk of the Lavra, when asked about Father Kirill, exclaims enthusiastically:

- Father Kirill? Wow!.. He is a great expert on the Gospel! Everyone consults with him... A little free minute - he immediately puts his hand in the pocket of his cassock, there is always his inseparable companion - the Gospel. Glasses on nose and reading. He always carries it with him, small, old, shabby.

– Maybe what he found in Stalingrad?

“Maybe,” the old monk readily agreed and continued admiringly.

– Father Kirill does not spend a second without the Gospel. Where does wisdom come from!.. And he always tells us: “Read the Gospel. Read the Gospel as much as possible. Everything is in it!”

Spiritual mentor

This happened after a sad event for everyone - a stroke of our dear father, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov).

On October 9, 2006, the day after the feast of St. Sergius of Radonezh, when the Church honors the memory of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, I arrived in Peredelkino near Moscow - leaving all my important affairs, buying a bouquet of blue cornflowers at the Kievsky station.

How not to come? After all, this is a double holiday of our elder, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)!.. His birthday is October 8th. 87 years ago he was born in the Ryazan region on the day of memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh and it was in the monastery of this saint that he lived most of his life. And the next day is the feast of the Apostle John the Theologian - his name day. In honor of the apostle, the future All-Russian elder was named John by his parents.

“We also glory in tribulation, knowing that from tribulation comes patience, from patience comes experience, from experience hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

(Rom. 5:3-5).

The gray sky, drizzling rain, and the lack of agreement on how to get to the priest did not bother me. The unusual emptiness in front of the massive gates at the priest’s house did not frighten me either. In response to my call, a small door on the left opened. However, the policeman refused to accept flowers and a note for Father Kirill - it was not allowed.

One consolation is the temple! The golden domes shine especially brightly on a cloudy, stormy day, quietly glowing with heavenly joy...

The church was open, and I went to venerate the icons, relics and, especially, the ever-present helper - the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, the “Goalkeeper”. Unfortunately, the approach to the image was closed. This saddened me, but when I returned outside into the rain and wind, I was incredibly comforted. Archimandrite Kirill again sent me his white dove, which had already met me when I visited my father on his namesake day, June 22. And besides, a car drove up to the gate, and two priests who got out of it said that the brethren from the Lavra would soon arrive, from which they could get to the priest.

About two more hours passed. The rain did not stop for a minute, falling in small, prickly arrows. Finally, a dark blue Gazelle appeared. The monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra came out of it, the eldest called the priests. My heart rejoiced. Will I really see my father?!..

…We are warmly greeted by the cell attendants and taken into the priest’s chambers. Closer to the bright window, in the middle of the small room, a metal bed was pulled out, where Father Kirill lies in bodily weakness.

For some time we look at the priest with a keen sense of compassion, miraculously combined with the joy of meeting him.

The eldest from our group, Archimandrite Alypiy from the Lavra, worried, begins to say:

- Father Kirill! We congratulate you on the holidays. Yesterday was the day of our Venerable Father Sergius, today is the day of the Apostle John the Theologian. Happy 87th birthday!

Cell attendant Natalia leans towards Father Kirill’s face and loudly, almost in his ear, “translates” what was said:

- Father! Father Alipius from the Lavra conveys his greetings to you from all the brethren. Happy holidays and birthday!

Father Kirill, after a pause, says quietly, hoarsely:

- Thank you all. I wish you patience in your monastic labors...

Archimandrite Alypiy asks loudly again:

- How are you feeling?

Father Kirill heard this. Not immediately, but he answers:

- Depending on the weather. When it's cloudy, I feel worse, when it's sunny, I feel good.

The elder smiles sparingly, and so do we.

After waiting a pause, Archimandrite Alypiy continues:

– This year it rained on the feast of St. Sergius. It’s always sunny, but yesterday the prayer service was served in the rain... The large refectory was opened, under the refectory church. All the brethren are now accommodated there, in one shift.

Father Kirill approves without pause:

- Not bad.

- Father, we miss you! We miss you. It is difficult for us without a confessor and mentor. Lavra is lonely without you,” Father Alypiy sighs.

The monks of the Lavra and the priests sadly lowered their heads, and Natalia also cried.

Father Kirill is silent. Then he begins to silently whisper something to himself. The cell attendant explains:

- Father first says to himself what he wants to say, and then says it.

Finally, Archimandrite Kirill begins to speak:

- Not true. There are many spiritual priests in the Lavra!

After waiting a short pause, Father Alypiy gently objects:

- Yes, but this is different. They won't replace you. For us, the older brethren, who have been in the Lavra for 20 years or more, you are a father and mentor.

Long silence. Finally Father Kirill says:

“I also really miss the Lavra... If God willing, I’ll get better, I’ll immediately ask and go to the Lavra.” Lavra is home...

Natalia is crying, and we all tear up.

To interrupt the onset of sadness, the cell attendant begins to place boxes of chocolates into Father Kirill’s disobedient hand. Tells him loudly:

- Father, let us also congratulate the brethren and priests who have arrived on the holiday! Father Kirill, having poor control of his hand, slightly moves the boxes towards the guests.

Father Kirill (Pavlov) spent most of his life in the monastery of St. Sergius. “All the monks in the Lavra are good! “They are all good, one might say, saints,” he once answered a monk who had condemned his brother.

Archimandrite Alypiy, the first to receive an expensive gift from Father Kirill, kisses his hand, touches his snow-white beard, and asks:

- Bless, father, me, a sinner, and our brethren in the Lavra, for the monastic feat. To carry it through to the end.

Father Kirill heard this, said quietly, and he slightly raised his right hand:

- I bless you...

We, quickly replacing each other at Father Kirill's bedside, receive gifts from him, kiss his hand, and whoever is lucky enough, his cheek, and then move away. Everyone can see with their own eyes that Father Kirill is tired. We say goodbye and receive a general blessing.

One of us, parish priests, asks everyone:

- Bless, fathers and brothers.

We bow to him. He, having crossed himself at the icon at the head of Father Kirill, says significantly:

- A prosperous, peaceful life, health, salvation! Good haste in everything, God grant to Hieroarchimandrite Kirill! And keep it for many years to come!!…

We all join in and sing:

– Many years, many years, many years, many years!...

Father Kirill, barely raising his thin, weak hand, blesses us. The main group of arrivals leaves, and we, bowed, stand without moving. Finally the cell attendant prompts:

- You go. Otherwise, the priest will not stop blessing you.

As if from heaven, we return to earth. Meanwhile, Natalya can be heard tenderly asking Father Kirill:

- Well, father, let's get some fresh air?

He moves the bed on wheels deeper into the cell and opens the window.

We, priests and monks, politely kiss each other on the cheek and right hand. Even those who just an hour ago were strangers to each other are now brothers, because we have a common father - Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)!

admonition

Servant of God Anastasia, exhausted from sorrows, went to the grave of an old man she knew at the Vagankovskoye cemetery. She pressed her forehead to the wood of the cross:

“It’s very difficult for me now, old man.” Illness, age, alone... and so much sorrow! Life is not sweet!

She sobbed, wiped away her tears and continued:

- It was good before. You talk to Father Kirill, and it becomes much easier. And everything somehow worked out on its own... And now he’s gone.

Immediately horrified by what was said, she corrected herself:

- Or rather, he is! Still alive. But you can’t get to him, and besides, he can’t hear anything now. It’s as if he doesn’t exist anymore.

At that same second, something painfully squeezed her larynx, then squeezed her head. Anastasia got scared and froze. She immediately realized that this was a definite answer to her unreasonable, inappropriate speech. For a long time, in fear of remaining paralyzed, she stood on her knees, crying tears of repentance for what she said about her living confessor. As soon as the spasm subsided, Anastasia jumped up and began kissing the cross:

- Forgive me, elder! Forgive me, Lord! Sinful, damned, chattering who knows what... I understood everything! Father is alive, alive, alive!.. He hears everything. What sorrows he has! Mine is nonsense, but I'm babbling with my tongue. I was stuck in my worries, but he, father, is still helping everyone - in spirit, with prayer... I’ll go now and order a prayer service for his health. Tomorrow I will go to see him in Peredelkino!

That same evening, Anastasia’s friend from the Lavra called and, not suspecting anything about what had happened at the cemetery, said that she had heard from the monks of the Lavra how Father Kirill said that he prayed for everyone who prayed for him.

The icon painter's touch

Hieromonk Gerontius:

I have known Archimandrite Kirill since 1983. I studied at the seminary with his blessing, and then entered the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

...Since the most important commandment about love is the most difficult, the enemy tries to sow discord, including in monasteries, where people are constantly with each other... Suspicion, dislike, condemnation, and lack of humility arise. Father watched this very closely and taught us to overcome all hostility.

Once I told him about my temptation. Father Kirill replied: “Yes, just one unkind thought towards your neighbor is like one stroke of an icon painter who changes the image of the entire icon! Hostile thoughts and dislike are very harmful and distort everything.”

Father Kirill taught: “Even if you are absolutely right, but you are all in passion, in anger, stop, don’t continue. It’s better to leave, because the other side, also in passion, will not hear you.”

An evil thought that is not driven away in time by repentance is often the beginning of discord. Especially new novices, who do not yet have experience in struggling with thoughts, are easily wounded by this, mistaking other people’s thoughts for their own - but they are from the evil one.

When we ask for God’s help, passions are dispelled and conquered, self-love, selfishness, and pride are eradicated. Father Kirill says that you need to cultivate abstinence in yourself. But as? Painstaking, everyday work: “You have to be attentive to yourself, work constantly. Passions quickly return."

On one of Father Kirill’s trips to Valaam, an archimandrite traveled with him. When they were sailing on the ship, the priest looked thoughtfully at the gloomy rocks and forests of Valaam and said: “If you don’t have pure prayer here, then you will run away from this place.”

About the Jesus Prayer, he once said: “We must begin with humility and contrition of our hearts... My heart has not yet been purified.” With what instructive humility, without any posturing, this was said!

I immediately wanted to take an example from him - how to pray, acquire virtues, overcome passions, and acquire transcendence. This experience greatly strengthens one’s monastic life.

“We sometimes focus on external aspects, but the main thing we lose is that we offend our neighbor - we don’t notice,” says Father Kirill. - There is a rule: “Cover your brother’s sin.” He often repeats the rule of Ambrose of Optina: “Don’t offend anyone, don’t annoy anyone, and my respect to everyone!”

...One of the brethren once began to complain to the priest: they say, I am embarrassed by the behavior of another brother and generally want to leave the monastery. Father Kirill cut him off sternly:

– You know, here in the Lavra all the monks are good! All are good, one might say, saints. Why do you speak so poorly of him? Why are you judging him?

This strict suggestion had such an effect on the complainant that he not only remained in the monastery, but also changed his attitude towards the brethren, his way of thinking.

…Father Kirill taught us: “Even if you are absolutely right, but you are all in passion, in anger, stop, don’t continue. It’s better to leave, because the other side, also in passion, will not hear you. Discord and misunderstanding will only intensify. There will be no truth between you. Peace first!”

Following the Lord, Father Kirill brings His greeting to everyone: “Peace be with you!”

Source: Pokrov: Orthodox magazine.
– M.: Foundation for the Preservation of Spiritual and Moral Culture “Pokrov”. 2016. No. 2(542) March-April. From 4-7.

Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)

See also: - Hegumen Dionisy Shlenov. Prayer of Elder Kirill Pavlov. On his name day

Prayer of Elder Kirill Pavlov. On his name day

06/22/2015
* * *
See also: - Hegumen Dionisy Shlenov. Dialogue of the Elder Fr. Kirill with his spiritual children. On his name day

Dialogue of the Elder Fr. Kirill with his spiritual children. On his name day

22.06.2016

Tags: Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov), Igum. Dionysius (Shlenov)

July 4, 2016

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Moscow elder Archpriest Vasily Nikolaevich Serebrennikov (1907–1996)

Archpriest Vasily Nikolaevich Serebrennikov was born on October 17/30, 1907 in the city of Tomsk in the family of a military doctor Nikolai Nikolaevich Serebrennikov. At the beginning of the First World War, Nikolai Nikolaevich’s wife, Maria Alekseevna, and her young son moved to her relatives in Odessa. Soon after the revolution, the Serebrennikovs settled in Moscow in the Old Arbat area.

During his studies, Vasily often visited Moscow churches and monasteries. In the Danilovsky Monastery I met Archimandrite Georgy* (Lavrov) (now illustrious). (*Reverend Confessor George (1862–1932)) Elder George became his spiritual father. After the arrest of the ascetic, he received spiritual nourishment from Father Pavel Troitsky.

In 1925, Vasily graduated from ten classes of high school in Moscow and entered Moscow State University at the Faculty of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1930, after which he became an attending physician. In subsequent years, he worked in various medical institutions, married Margarita Vasilievna Ananskaya, in 1940 he defended his candidate's dissertation, was preparing to defend his doctorate, but due to health reasons he interrupted his medical and scientific activities.

By the Providence of God he was destined to become a priest. From the memoirs of Archpriest Vasily Serebrennikov: “At that time... due to illness, I did not work and felt that mental stress was generally difficult for me (before that I worked at a medical research institute)... I did not know how to continue living. It was then that one of my friends... took me to introduce me to Olga Serafimovna...” That day he met the perspicacious old woman Olga Serafimovna (secret nun Seraphima (Defendova), who at the first meeting called him a “monk-like priest” and asked for his blessing.

From the memoirs of Archpriest Vasily Serebrennikov: “I was overcome with internal excitement - a feeling that this was not a simple matter... Finally, it came up for the third time. Here I could not stand it and reluctantly blessed her...

After some time, I turned to Metropolitan Nicholas* with a request for the priesthood. (*Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna Nikolai (Yarushevich) (†1961))

He sent me to the Theological Seminary, which was located on Devichye Pole, to the rector. (Theological Institute and pastoral courses, revived in 1944, on the premises of the Novodevichy Convent)

Then I prepared for the exams for a year and two months... When I passed the exams and received a certificate, for a long time there was no place for me as a priest... Finally, a place became available in the Church of the Holy Martyr John the Warrior..."

On March 28, 1948, during the Week of the Worship of the Cross, Metropolitan Nikolai (Yarushevich) ordained Vasily Nikolaevich Serebrennikov to the rank of deacon, and a week later to the rank of priest.

Deacon Sergius K. recalls: “Father Vasily became a priest in 1948 and served in the Church of the Holy Martyr John the Warrior on Yakimovka. And I was born in 1948, and I was baptized - precisely in the Church of St. John the Warrior. I was baptized by the honorary rector, Father Alexander Voznesensky... Many years later, when I came home to Father Vasily, I saw a huge portrait of some priest. I asked: what kind of priest? And this was Father Alexander Voznesensky. It turns out that Father Vasily started with him and studied with him. Father Alexander was a seer, a real old man. Father Vasily learned a lot from him.

Father Vasily sensed the man immediately. He knew what was necessary for whom, and took care of all our needs...

When Father Vasily spoke a sermon, his voice was quiet and weak. But he said so that everything was clear to everyone... His words fell straight into the heart, like a healing balm.

When they asked questions, he did not answer right away - first he would pray, and the Lord would reveal it to him. He did everything with prayer, he was a great man of prayer. And the Lord, through prayer, gave him what he asked for, because he had pure and strong faith.

Father Vasily and his children had those who, back in the 30s, went to church and carried their faith through all the trials. Father Vasily strengthened those people who had recently come to God, and much of what he told them had already come true...

His spiritual children are now grieving that there is no one to turn to now... Father Vasily is not with us, but prayer remains as a consolation. And all the people who pray for him receive comfort and help...

The Optina elders said that in recent times we will have to save ourselves through books, maybe this time is already coming? I would like to hope that in any case the Lord will not abandon us.”

From the memoirs of nun Glykeria: “In his spiritual instructions, the priest paid the main attention to prayer and sobriety. He said that it is useful at the end of the day to analyze the mind and heart to see whether they were with God (Jesus Prayer). He taught me to ask for God’s help in prayer throughout the day. He reminded us of deep heartfelt self-reproach, which leads to humility: one must consider oneself worse than everyone else, avoid vanity and gluttony, make a good beginning not with the mind, but with the heart.

Signs of true humility, according to the teachings of St. John Climacus, are when all self-reproach is accepted as medicine. When we are not angry with anyone or anything, when we do not believe our virtues and want to learn them...

Father Vasily was physically very weak... He ate very little and everything was pureed. I didn’t eat tasty or sweet food at all. Eating was accompanied by physical pain. But the sufferer did not show it, he endured everything like a monk. The priest himself dressed very modestly. But he generously helped people - both secretly and openly...

The elder called to work to acquire God's mercy in all circumstances of life, which is quite possible if you ask God for it with a pure heart. He reproached us for getting used to prayers, he called it read out.

Reminded me of heartfelt prayer, especially in the rule of thanksgiving.

He taught me not to rush in any serious matter. “Let time pass,” he said, “then you will see the right decision.”

From the instructions of the priest I remember: do not delve into the shortcomings of your neighbor, be able to listen to your confessor under all circumstances, try not to correct anyone, do not read morals... Thoughts that you are “holy” or that “you will not be saved” are from demons, they can be raised in thoughts to Heaven and cast into the abyss. From God - a mortal memory... Each time in prayer, overcome the reluctance to “work”, “seek”, force yourself to pray until the soul feels a heartfelt response... He advised to endure sorrowful, unpleasant things, so that the Lord does not take away His mercy and good disposition , for example, during Lent...""

From September 1955 until his death, Elder Vasily was a cleric of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word on Arbat, and in July 1965, at the request of parishioners, he was appointed rector of this temple.

From the memoirs of Archpriest Vasily Baburin: “I had a spiritual father - priest Sergei Orlov, he served in the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Akulov, Odintsovo district. When he died, Father Vasily became my spiritual mentor, they met constantly. I remember Father Sergius often came to the Church of the Apostle Philip on Arbat... Father Vasily confessed to Father Sergius. These were our two real elders - ours, Moscow...

I met Father Vasily in 1973, when I was assigned to serve at the Church of the Resurrection of the Word, on Filippovsky Lane, where he was rector...

When the priest was alive, I constantly felt his prayers and care; any issues could be resolved with him... He knew how to love. He knew how to stand up for someone who was in trouble, he knew how to help a person out, to save him... When Father Vasily came to church... then immediately, right from the threshold, he was surrounded by people, each with their own problems, with their own ailments. He treats everyone with tenderness...

He had no anger, no resentment, never irritation. During all the time we served together, I never saw in him any temper, resentment, or anger... He was distinguished by mercy, compassion, and his love was boundless; he was always attentive to people. Sometimes he spoke directly and opened a person’s eyes. He didn’t answer some questions right away; he asked me to wait, while he prayed. I used to say more than once: “I’ll pray, I’ll pray some more.” Indeed, he will pray and only after that will answer what the person needs. Or he’s confessing, a lot of people are standing next to him, and he looks at the very end of the crowd: “Come on. Martha, come here. I told you what, why didn’t you do such and such? That’s why you’re suffering, that’s why you got sick”... The Lord revealed to him. And this happened before my eyes. Not what I heard from anyone.

But the most amazing thing was the way the priest served the Divine Liturgy! I only felt the Divine service so fully with Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) in the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery and with Father Sergius Orlov. Here are three priests who actually had real prayer.

Let me give you an example. In the Church of the Resurrection of the Word, I was the only deacon and I was very tired, because I had to go to early and late Liturgies... You literally fall off your feet, weak, dizzy...

And so Father Vasily performs the late Divine Liturgy - they sang the Cherubim, the Eucharistic canon begins, and suddenly the fatigue disappears! As soon as Father Vasily begins to read the Eucharistic prayers, a state arises that the soul parts with the body! You no longer feel your body, but it seems that you are in Heaven...

It happened that after the Eucharistic canon, Father Vasily could suddenly turn around and say: “Vasya, the Lord has just revealed to me that you have not repented of such and such, such and such are your sins.” And he calls them...

Father Vasily knew how to love everyone... He was a deep connoisseur of human souls.

Let me give you one interesting case. Having served for many years as a protodeacon, I became a priest, and on the day of remembrance of the Holy Martyr Evdokia, I conducted confession. One old woman comes up to me and says that she is 93 years old, her name is Evdokia, which means the birthday girl. I say: “Come on, grandma, confess.” And she says: “Why, dear, should I confess, everything has already been told, I have no sins, I’m not sinning”... And so I ask. And so, but she doesn’t want to repent - she’s a saint. What to do. I don’t know what to do... I go to the altar to Father Vasily, I explain everything... And Father Vasily answers: “Ask, has anyone offended her in her life?” I immediately understood, I return to the old woman and say: “Has anyone offended you in your life?” - “Oh, dear, how much they offended me. How many tears I shed!” That’s the sin – self-love...

How he served prayer services! At all prayers, all names were mentioned: twenty are ordered, which means twenty prayers are read. In Moscow they never served like this anywhere - they read only three prayers, to the Savior, the Mother of God and all the saints...

Not only in church, but also at home, Father Vasily was attentive, responsive, hospitable... Sometimes you came to Father Vasily for some advice. He lies sick, reads, there are many books around him. When you come, he will receive you, as always, kindly, and as soon as you sit with him, without even asking anything, your soul becomes light and joyful. Sometimes you don’t even need to say anything, just stay next to him - and everything becomes clear and understandable. Spiritual warmth came from him, so it was enough to be near the priest to receive: consolation, and peace, and resolve questions without asking anything ... "

Father Vasily not only called on everyone to free themselves from sin, purify their hearts, and fulfill the will of God, but he himself monitored the purity of his heart, listened to the voice of God within himself. Here are a few quotes from his diaries: “I served the Liturgy. I began with difficulty and dryly, and suddenly a feeling appeared in my heart that I had to repent myself - to pray for my sins and the ignorance of Christians (parishioners). He began to repent, force himself to repent and offer the Bloodless Sacrifice for himself, for his sins. During communion, my heart was filled with tenderness and grace, so that twice I tried to read aloud, as usual, the prayer “I believe, Lord, and I confess,” but I couldn’t from the experience - I only partially read it to myself and felt that everything was from God and the beginning God for everything. This means that during the Liturgy one must diligently repent of one’s sins...

I was greatly shocked by the unpleasant incident. Indignation in the heart (this is an old wound in my heart from some incidents in the service); I prayed, but [the indignation] did not go away completely. Having confessed to some of the people, I went to the Altar of the Apostle Philip on Cherubimskaya, prayed on my knees, and it became clear in my heart that there must be sincere heartfelt forgiveness of the suspect, and that I was, as it were, before the judgment of God. Then everything went away...

At home I read the Octoechos and the canon to the Great Martyr Marina (Margarita). Although this is known, it has now been revealed in my heart that (my) present sufferings are God’s love for us, and our glory, if we endure them correctly.”

“Once I spent my vacation at my dacha. One day, getting up in the morning, I felt - I don’t know how exactly to express this - grace that covered my entire being - tears flowed, prayer covered the entire composition of my soul and body. It was a state of repentance, with a deep feeling of one’s insignificance, but not despair. The prayer either intensified or weakened, and when it weakened, I extended my left hand to the image of the Smolensk Mother of God, saying: “Mother of God, give me a penny,” and the prayer intensified. This was repeated every morning throughout the entire vacation. During such prayer, I felt a grace-filled change in my soul, so that I even changed outwardly, in my face.

After my vacation, I returned to Moscow and was firmly convinced that such prayer would continue, but I was deeply mistaken. Prayer became the same, ordinary. I was saddened, but after a fairly short period of time the Lord gave me a prayer of grace during the Liturgy. And at each such Liturgy, something was revealed to me in my heart, previously hidden - something that seems simple without grace, during a visit to grace becomes very deep in perception...

The prayer was especially strong during the Cherubim. Every time during the Cherubim I shed copious tears. I read secret prayers out loud, experiencing them with my whole body. For some time, the priests serving with me empathized with me, we prayed with one heart, but soon this unity was upset.

Coming home after the service, I read the Missal in order to penetrate deeper into the words of the service, and the grace-filled prayer returned. I found similar examples in the book “Ascetics of Piety in the 18th and 19th Centuries.” I became convinced that this was not my invention, that great people also experienced similar things, only their experience was much brighter, stronger...”

In the sixties, Father Vasily was granted the grace-filled service of the Liturgy. Those who observed him then said that his face glowed. This went on for two or three years.

Hieromonk Jonah (Zaimovsky) recalls: “I met Father Vasily in the Church of the Holy Apostle Philip, on Old Arbat, where I served as a reader and altar boy... Father Vasily was 84 years old at that time. Tall, thin, slightly stooped, with gray hair combed back, a small beard, and a face gaunt from illness and age. He seemed like a priest from a completely different, bygone century... He was truly “not of this world”...

Once Father Vasily invited me to the altar of the Filippovsky chapel during the festive liturgy that he served... He didn’t just pray, he talked with God, as we talk with a person close to us... He seemed to be looking for something, waiting for something from Christ. To be present and to see him praying during the liturgy was a great happiness; for me it was a wonderful example, a great consolation...

He once said that by the grace of God he survived Stalin’s and Khrushchev’s persecutions... “The Lord preserved me... If I told you about all the temptations that I suffered from unkind people from the KGB, then I could write a book...

Previously, Father Vasily had the gift of tears during the service of the Divine Liturgy. He said that before the service he always put a stack of napkins next to him, but still there weren’t enough - everything was wet from tears...

-But you’re not crying now?

-The Lord took away tears for pride, for one act.

He didn’t say which one... He was one of the last elders, giants of the spirit, devotees of piety, who survived the times of bloody persecution of the church, who will be replaced?

People who knew Elder Vasily believed in the power of his prayer, and were themselves more than once convinced of the wisdom of his advice and insight .

People came to him with sorrows and illnesses, for a blessing for the undertaking and for consolation.

On May 23, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Father Vasily came to the temple for the last time. A serious illness, a malignant tumor of internal organs, confined him to bed for the remaining months of his life. But he continued to confess at home, gave advice over the phone, and read confessions sent to him. Morning 29, around midnight, Father Vasily said: “I’m dying.” He was breathing heavily. After a while, he turned his head and, opening his eyes wide, fixed his gaze on the holy corner, where the icons hung and the Holy Gifts stood. He did not say anything, only with a weak gesture of his hand he invited the spiritual children to look where he was looking, his face was transformed, his gaze was very deep, he looked unusually joyfully, with amazement and delight, his eyes became wide open, blue, with luminous beams of them . This went on for several minutes. Then his head returned to its previous position. According to the recollections of parishioner T., who was present at his death: About five o’clock in the morning, the priest smiled three times with a blissful, happy smile... At six o’clock in the morning he fell silent.

The news of the death of Father Vasily Serebryannikov quickly spread throughout Moscow; during the day, memorial services were served at the priest’s apartment, and the Holy Gospel was read.

On the morning of December 31, the coffin with the body of the deceased was placed in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word, and the Moscow clergy came to say goodbye to their deceased brother. The burial ceremony was performed on January 2, 1997 by Bishop Arseny of Istra, co-served by numerous Moscow clergy (44 priests and 8 deacons).

The grief of separation from a dear colleague, mentor, and father, so natural in these moments, was imperceptibly dissolved by the quiet joy that always overshadows the death of a righteous person..."

Archpriest Vasily Serebryannikov was buried at the Vvedensky cemetery in Moscow (burial place 23–9).

“I turned to the elder and now I am suffering. How can this be?

Fragment of a photo by Alexandra Anisimova

Recently, the editors of Thomas have increasingly received letters with questions about eldership and clergy. Here are typical examples:

"Hello! Are there any perspicacious elders in our time? I need help!"

“I dated a girl whom I love very much for a year, but we broke up because my mother was categorically against her, she even went to the elder, and he said: let him think carefully about whether he needs this... But how can I understand this? So my family said to break up. It’s very difficult and painful for me without her, I can’t find a place. What to do?"

“Why is it that the will of God, which was revealed to the perspicacious elder (I had a question of a medical nature), does what the elder predicts happen sometime, BUT SOMETIMES NOT?.. I take communion once every two weeks, I do not commit mortal sins . What else can you do? I really need what the elder said to happen.”

“Is it possible to seek consolation from people or from the elders in a monastery, or anywhere else, when the heart cannot calm down, reaches despair and there is no desire to live? At the same time, I can’t tell my confessor about my condition and its cause - I’m afraid that I won’t find understanding.”

“My son’s godmother, his grandmother, recently dreamed that she asked: “How long does this child have to live?”, and they answered her: “10 years.” Now I'm very worried. Should I turn to the perspicacious old man?

In search of spiritual guidance, people often make mistakes, the consequences of which then have to be dealt with for a long time and not always successfully.

We asked the rector of the Moscow Church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Kuznetskaya Sloboda, the rector of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University, Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov, to help them understand themselves first of all and to warn them against the dangers lurking along this path.

— Father Vladimir, readers of “Foma” are increasingly asking whether there are still perspicacious elders in the world.

“I think there have always been such people.” For example, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) was a wonderful old man from whom one could learn the will of God, who could tell him how to act, how to think correctly. But not every confessor, not every priest has such a grace-filled gift.

“But our readers write that, having followed some advice from a person who seemed insightful to them, they made some mistakes, and then they cannot correct them and fall into despair.

— Caution is needed in spiritual life. Everyone knows this; confessors have always warned about this. If a person, making an important decision, understands that he can make a mistake and this mistake can become fatal for him, he will naturally look for the right answer. And he will hope to find out, as they say, the will of God. This explains the desire to find a perspicacious old man.

But one cannot so easily rely on the fact that a certain person is famous as a visionary. There are truly holy people who have such a gift. I knew such a person - everything about a person was revealed to him even at a distance. But these are very rare cases, especially in our modern life. And of course, as they say, it is not written on a person’s forehead that he is perspicacious. Moreover, confessors themselves often warn not to be perceived this way. Therefore, reasonable caution is needed here.

Elder Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

— And yet, people often seek not so much spiritual advice as prophecy, some kind of miraculous revelation. They dream of finding a “synthetic” confessor with whom they can constantly discuss all the little things in life and at the same time receive fateful prophecies through him. And then they complain that they followed the priest’s advice, for example, they got married, but the marriage broke up.

“Not everyone can speak on behalf of God.” Therefore, the priest, knowing that he does not have such a gift, must be careful and not give categorical instructions. But still, in such cases, responsibility falls on those entering into marriage themselves. Although, if both the bride and groom have been spiritually cared for by this priest for many years, and he knows them very well, he can firmly advise them on something - without any revelation from above, simply from experience. But this doesn't happen so often. For the most part, the priest has to advise based on general considerations, guided by some general church rules, but the priest cannot always take responsibility. For the most part, responsibility for the decisions made should still lie with the questioner himself.

Algorithm for searching for a confessor

- What should a person do if, because of his own mistake or the mistake of a priest who gave him the wrong advice, he fell into despondency or even despair, unable to fulfill what was entrusted to him?

- He needs to find a good, experienced confessor. It is difficult to find holy, visionary elders, but such confessors exist and can be found.

— Is there any algorithm for such a search?

- Eat. I am already quite old, I was born before the war and lived most of my life under Soviet rule. There were few functioning temples and priests; if questions arose, there was no one to ask. And I prayed constantly, every day: “Lord, send me such a confessor or elder who would tell me Your will, so that I know how to act.” This prayer became familiar to me; I prayed this way for many years. And I myself did not notice how the Lord literally fulfilled my request - he sent me both a confessor and an elder. They were in close communication. The confessor constantly confessed to me and guided my life. But, when it was necessary to make some decision on a difficult issue that could not tolerate delay, I turned to the elder, and he answered: such and such a matter is the will of God, but such and such a matter is not the will of God. His words were always fulfilled. When I became a priest, I often asked him about the problems of my spiritual children, and he gave the necessary answers, although I could only ask, and it was not possible to talk in detail about the circumstances. But the elder’s foresight was so amazing that he answered the letters before he had received them. So I asked him for 20 years. Therefore, I am sure that God will definitely help a person who asks sincerely and with faith to find a confessor. You need to really want and pray. This can be begged from God.

— Were there any mistakes?

“I don’t know of a single mistake the elder made.” But I know a number of cases when he was not obeyed, and this led to tragedy.

Be careful, youngsters!

— Spiritual guidance involves some kind of long process, and people expect quick answers and want quick actions. According to the principle: they said it, they did it.

- Yes, it happens. But priests are different.

There are young elders who pass themselves off as elders without being them. They really want people to turn to them, and they begin to say: you get married, you don’t get married - without having any reason for this, without having such a gift. This is, of course, a difficult and dangerous case. You need to be very careful, and when a priest begins to solve life-changing issues so easily, you still need to really think about whether it’s worth going to him yourself.

“But when a person is looking for a spiritual leader, he often begins to rush from one confessor to another and confuses himself with their sometimes contradictory instructions.

“That’s why experienced priests always said that you shouldn’t do that.” There is no need to rush around, you need to pray. And then the Lord will arrange everything and give everything.

— And yet, where to look for a spiritual leader? On arrival? In monasteries?

- First of all, you need to pray. And you shouldn’t place special hopes on monasteries. Of course, there are experienced confessors in monasteries, but it is very difficult to get to them. And sometimes the people who confess there are not very experienced monks who have not only spiritual, but also worldly experience. They took monasticism early, did not live a family life, so they often say the wrong things. If, of course, there is some wonderful elder there whom you want to go to, that’s a different matter. But among older parish priests you can find a confessor to whom you can constantly turn for guidance.

—What should a person do if he mistakenly took ordinary advice for the spoken will of God?

- This is very similar to a medical case: when a person went to a not very skillful surgeon and he performed an operation on him - ineptly, unsuccessfully, incorrectly - and now he is sick. What should he do? You need to find a more experienced, skilled doctor, perhaps perform another operation, or maybe be treated in some other way. You can't think of anything else. So it is here. You need to look for a good confessor. Not necessarily a visionary old man. Just an experienced spiritual priest.

- Maybe people are just trying to find a person who will say on behalf of God what they want to hear?

- This also happens. And if such people hear something that is not what they want, they say that this is not the truth and run on until they find someone who will tell them what they are waiting for.

- But is there any way to prevent them from doing this?

“You can warn, but they don’t listen.” It is very difficult to cure a person who is already in the grip of his passions. Life cures such things.

How to find out the will of God?

— How long does a person need the constant vigilant supervision of a confessor? All life? Or does there come a certain moment when his spiritual formation is basically complete, and he is able to take responsibility for his decisions and actions without having to check his every step with the help of a confessor?

— Of course, no one issues a “Certificate of Spiritual Maturity.” But there is God’s Providence for man, and the Lord arranges everything in a way that is better for man and more useful for salvation. Usually the confessor is older than his spiritual children and leaves earlier, and it is not possible to find another confessor right away. A person’s age is different, his needs are different, and he has already learned a lot. But he needs to confess to someone, and, if possible, it is better to do this with a priest who can give spiritual advice. At any age, it is good to have a priest with whom you can consult and discuss something.

— Some people express the view that the desire to definitely find a person who can be internally called a spiritual father and who will tell you with authority: do this or do that, is dictated not so much by a spiritual search, but by psychological trauma from the lack of paternal upbringing in childhood .

- This also happens. But I don't think that's the main explanation for the problem. There is a difference between a spiritual father and just a confessor. The Apostle Paul has these words: “Though you have thousands of instructors in Christ, yet you have not many fathers; I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:14-15). The father is the one who gave birth. And there can’t be too many fathers. And confessors can change. A confessor is someone with whom you regularly confess, with whom you consult, and who helps you spiritually. And it is better that this is a spiritual, experienced priest - not necessarily insightful, just experienced. Which can suggest something that you don’t see in yourself. But having a spiritual father is, of course, a special gift from God.

Elder Archimandrite John Krestyankin

—Can a person himself feel and understand the will of God without the help of spiritual authority?

“You know, I once asked my elder in the same way about the will of God. And he answered me: the will of God is not prosphora that you can eat; and not an apple that can be picked and put in your pocket; In order for the will of God to be revealed to a person, one must live a life of grace, free oneself from the influence of sinful passions. When a person prays and lives with God, then the will of God begins to reveal itself to the person’s heart, and he feels what to do.

It happens, of course, differently. It happens that there is no one to ask. But a person prays and really wants to act according to the will of God, and not in his own way. And to do this, you need to renounce your will and ask God: “Lord, I want to do not my own way, but as You please.” Then the person is at least ready for admonition, and the Lord often reveals his will in some everyday circumstances.

When I once wanted to change my specialty, I was not advised to do so. But I really wanted to. And at the same time, I wanted to act according to the will of God, if the Lord showed it to me. Once I came to see my confessor, and he explained to me that there was no need to look for a new specialty, but then, realizing that I was not ready to obey, he said: “Okay, do as you want.” I went to enroll in another university, get another job, and... nothing worked out for me. Everywhere I was refused. I no longer knew where to go. And then I was offered a place in graduate school in my specialty. I got scared and said, “I’m not ready.” And they: “We’ll take you without an exam.” And I realized that this is the will of God.

“But from the moment a person learns the will of God until he understands its meaning, sometimes years pass. How to endure this pause, when you, overcoming yourself, seem to be fulfilling this will, but nothing in your life changes for the better?

- Well, it's a matter of faith. If you know your confessor well, and he knows you, you will see that through him the will of God is proclaimed to you in response to your prayer, so that the Lord will reveal it to you through your confessor. According to your faith it will be done to you, as it is said in the Gospel. This is the mysterious life of the soul. It cannot be sorted into shelves, there are no “road maps” or simple recipes, you cannot set a thermometer to “100 percent” find out the will of God.

The most important thing that is required of a person is a pure life and prayer with faith and love. Then the Lord, I am convinced of this, will definitely give what a person needs for salvation. God “desires that all men should be saved and come into the understanding of truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, when a person seriously, truly asks and believes, the Lord will definitely send both a confessor and an elder, if this is really necessary.

Miracles at the grave of the Saransk elder

In the Makarovsky monastery near Saransk, miracles do not stop at the grave of the elder and confessor of the Saransk diocese Theophan, and in the world of Vladimir Dankov. Crowds of people gather here to ask for healing or the fulfillment of a wish. A SmartNews correspondent found out whether something unusual was really happening at the monastery.

Pilgrimages to the Makarovsky St. John the Theologian Monastery to the grave of Elder Theophan do not stop even for a day. People come for healing, just to pray, and sometimes for spiritual advice. They say that the elder, as in life, never refuses anyone, and healings occur more and more often.

“Today I came to Father Feofan, too many times to count.”
There are not enough words to convey all the grace and peace that I receive after coming here. The elder was very kind during his life, he listened to everyone, he could always be seen surrounded by people, with a large stack of memorial notes. Many different people come to see him even now. He helps me even after death, recently my son had an accident, the hospital said that there was almost no chance, but I went and prayed and asked Father Feofan to help... and he helped! My son is on the mend; the doctors say this rarely happens with such severe wounds. But I am sure that he will be healthy, because the priest’s help is with us. Marina Akimova, parishioner of the Makarov Monastery

The story of the healing old man began a long time ago. Father Feofan was born in 1935, in the Penza region, in the village of Orlovka, Bashmakovsky district. An ordinary peasant family for that time: the father was a communist, and the mother was a deeply religious person, which she tried to instill in her children. The boy's first spiritual mentor was Elder Gregory, who strengthened his faith in God and taught little Vladimir to wear a cross. One day, having gone 30 km from home, to a church in the village of Bashmakovka, Volodya remained there to work as an altar boy for 20 years. Afterwards he went to the village of Kamenny Brod and stayed there for 12 years, and when the Sanaksarsky Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery opened, he went there as one of the brethren.

After he spent two years in Sanaksary, Vladimir Dankov was tonsured into the schema with the name Feofan. After which Metropolitan Barsanuphius of Saransk and Mordovia sent Feofan to Chufarovo to restore the Holy Trinity Monastery, and it was there that the elder’s fame began. People came little by little and asked for help. But after the restoration of the monastery, Father Theophan moved in 2004 to the Makarovsky St. John the Theological Monastery. Now this monastery is known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. Even from America and Germany, not to mention the neighboring countries, people come to see the priest both before and now.

Elder Theophan met with many famous elders of our time. He also visited Father Nikolai on Zalit Island, went to Father Elijah of Optina, and met with Father John from the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. During all the years of living in the monastery, Feofan presented a high image of monastic obedience, meekness, and endless love for everyone who came to him. He always took the misfortunes of pilgrims and parishioners to heart. Thanks to his spiritual activities, his popularity extends far beyond the borders of Mordovia.

The elder treated thousands of people, and last October he himself needed help. The disease attacked Father Feofan, but, despite the severe pain, he continued to receive people and said that when talking with pilgrims, he gained the strength to live. However, he prophesied death for himself.

“Several years before Father Feofan’s death, he and I had a conversation about people who pass away on Easter. It is believed that they enter the kingdom of God. The elder said that he, too, would die on Easter week. I was very scared then, because the holiday was just around the corner. But he smiled and said that not this year.

Olga Eremina, organizer of pilgrimage trips from Nizhny Novgorod

Numerous parishioners and pilgrims arrived from all over Russia and neighboring countries to participate in the funeral after Easter on May 18 this year. The funeral service for Schema-Archimandrite Theophan took place in the main cathedral of the St. John the Theologian Makarov Monastery. He was buried in the monastery cemetery behind the St. John the Theologian Cathedral. Now funeral services and lithiums at the grave of Schema-Archimandrite Feofan (Dankov) are held daily at 9:00 and 17:00, after which people stay, kiss the cross and each ask for their own.

A large number of believers from the most remote corners of Russia say with gratitude: “Father Feofan helped!” These words are spoken upon the appearance of the long-awaited firstborn, upon the return of the husband to the family, upon the retreat of a serious illness, there are many life stories and examples of help and healing through prayer and visits to Elder Theophan both during his life and after death. Hundreds of pilgrims go to the elder’s grave every day. “After all, how could it be otherwise, if he helped during his lifetime, then in the next world he might put in a word for us,” the pilgrims say.

— He can be put on a par with such elders as Father Nikolai (Guryanov) from Zalit Island, Ioann (Krestyankin). These are the ascetics with whom Orthodox Rus' is strong. A distinctive feature of the Makarov righteous man is that he had unfeigned love for his children and was a model of true obedience.

Clement, Bishop of Krasnoslobodsky and Temnikovsky, stolica-s.su

However, love for neighbors, miracles during life and after death do not yet give Elder Theophan the status of a saint. This requires more than one procedure and a large amount of time. But perhaps Father Feofan still has more to come.

- No matter how paradoxical it may sound, there really is a procedure to avoid various confusions. The process of recognition of holiness can begin only several years after death and in the presence of facts of helping people after death. More than one meeting is held among the diocese and everything is carefully thought out.

Representative of the press service of the Saransk diocese

The number of miracles that occurred after praying to the elder has long been lost. With its help, the most severe ailments recede. Miracles after death became not uncommon in the Makarovsky churchyard; people came and still come to Father Feofan’s grave over and over again, remembering him as bright and smiling during his lifetime. Some people pass stories about this by word of mouth, and others post them on the Internet.

- Of course, whether to believe or not is a personal matter for everyone, but the facts of miraculous healings and real help in difficult life situations of Elder Theophan are numerous. Once I was at a reception with Feofan, and I personally felt the extraordinary warmth and kindness that emanated from this frail, gray-haired old man. In conditions of unbearable heat, he tried to accommodate all those suffering. As far as I remember, more than 200 people came to see him on that July day. People started pouring in early in the morning, around 6:30. As a result, we got to him only in the evening at six o’clock.

The healing method of Elder Theophan is of course specific, has no scientific basis and is very painful. After he “massaged” the body with his heavy metal copy, many people were left with long-lasting bruises on their bodies. Everything may be illogical, but this is a kind of physical catharsis that was worth it - my problem was solved, yes, not immediately, after a while, but it was solved. I believe this is Feofan’s merit. I personally saw the faces of hundreds of people, pilgrims, filled with faith in healing and hope for a bright future. At the same time, I heard real human stories of miraculous healings. Therefore, Feofan really helped people, and rumors and gossip about the fact that this quackery is spread by charlatans themselves, scoundrels and swindlers. Well, there are still those who do not believe, but this is their right... The kingdom of heaven to the elder Theophan and eternal memory...

Mordovian81, stolica-s.su

“While I was still alive, the elder dissuaded me from having an abortion; I was stupid then, I didn’t know what I wanted. But now I am grateful to him. It was just that everything was going badly with my work, I didn’t even know what to hope for, I thought that the old man was gone now, there was no one to help, but I still came to his grave. She bowed to the cross and said everything. And you know, after I left the monastery, I took out my phone to check the time, and then it rang right in my hands, it was good news from work. Now I’ve come to say thank you to Elder Theophan for this. The main thing is not to ask, but to pray with great contrition and warmth of heart.

Galina Fedorova, resident of Saransk

Of course, there are skeptics who do not believe in healings and the fulfillment of desires, but in this case, even experts who are reserved about miracles try to explain what is happening with a special feat that Elder Theophan suffered.
Expert opinion.
Eduard Rogachev - Eldership is a special service that God gives only to the chosen ones. Among them is Father Feofan, the confessor of the Makarov Monastery. Even at a young age, he devoted himself to serving God. Eldership is like a feat; it has been revered in Rus' at all times. This gives special strength. Unfortunately, in our time, eldership has become an extremely rare phenomenon.