The biography of priest Daniil Sysoev is very interesting, despite the fact that he lived a short life. The rector of the Moscow Church of St. Thomas the Apostle on Kantemirovskaya, he is an active man with his own position; he devoted his entire life to faith and people. He founded the Orthodox Missionary School and actively preached to people.
He died when he was very young - at the age of 35, at the hands of an undetected killer in a temple, while performing his priestly duties. People who came to him believe that Father Daniel, a holy martyr, should be awarded canonization.
He painted mountains, hermit cells and the sky
“We went to the monastery from the opposite side from the entrance, went out onto the slope, and from there we saw the monastery.
It was sunset, and we all thought we were seeing the real Jerusalem. ...We knew for sure that it was him. And Father Daniel sang the stichera “May God rise again, and His enemies be scattered... Shine, shine, New Jerusalem,” recalled one of the friends, Fr. Daniil Sysoev about a pilgrimage trip to the New Jerusalem Monastery. “It was autumn... We stood in front of the New Jerusalem, and Father Daniel sang about it, and we contemplated this beauty.” As a child, the future priest drew unknown countries, where there were mountains, waterfalls, hermit cells, and below - villages with people. Processions of the cross took place through the streets, and in each village there were several churches.
“The main thing is space, the sky. It was constantly present to him with some incredible sparkle,” recalls Fr.’s mother. Daniila Sysoeva, Anna Midkhatovna. The preschooler knew the book about saints “Byzantine Legends” practically by heart.
During Easter services, Father Daniel radiated so much joy that it overwhelmed all his parishioners. But even on the most ordinary days, he constantly smiled and laughed. According to many of Father Daniil’s friends, he did not like loneliness, he easily became the life of the party, and guests often came to his house. People who knew him closely enough remember the “childish simplicity” of Father Daniel.
Daniel's childhood
The future clergyman spent his childhood in Moscow in the 70s. His childhood was a small prophetic chronicle of his entire subsequent adult life: the first attempts to talk about his faith in a state that treats faith with contempt, the ridicule of classmates and teachers, and the diligent, joyful singing of the Creed during the Liturgy, which delighted even adults.
A sincere freedom-loving child, ready to defend his views and not ashamed of them, he remained that way all his life.
Origin and birth
Sysoev was born in Moscow on January 12, 1974 in a family of two artists. As he himself said, he was half Tatar, half Russian. His father subsequently became a cleric of the Church of Peter and Paul in Yasenevo. My mother's great-grandfather was a mullah.
Family
The boy's family was churched, and both parents were baptized. But under pressure from grandparents who were categorically against religion, they were afraid to baptize the child for a long time. And only when the boy became seriously ill did they decide to take this step; this happened in 1977.
Afterwards, they and their parents began attending church services, mostly visiting the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kuznetskaya Sloboda. Daniel's dad worked as an altar boy in Afineevo and at that time often took his son with him. The boy became familiar with the Orthodox faith, watching the service with pleasure, participating in singing in the choir, readings and prayer.
According to the recollections of his mother, Anna Midkhatovna Amirova, at the same time as their son walked towards faith and grew up, they followed the same path, also growing spiritually.
When he was 14, he participated in the restoration work of the Optina Hermitage, where the priest Artemy Vladimirov gave him his blessing to enter the Moscow Theological Seminary.
“Father Daniel is walking along the passage and reading the Bible as he goes.”
Prayer before the session with the missionaries.
February 2008. Photo by Ekaterina Zagulyaeva “The first time I saw Father Daniel on the street: he was arguing with sectarian agitators, and I was amazed that he knew the Bible almost by heart. He operated the Bible as a text that was constantly before his eyes,” said Miloserdiya.ru journalist Ilya Agafonov. – While working on some material, you could call him at any time and ask what the holy fathers or Russian spiritual authorities said on this or that issue. He immediately gave the answer."
Incredible erudition was characteristic of Father Daniel already in the seminary. One day the inspector began to scold him for taking communion “too often.” “Based on canonical rules, sayings of the holy fathers, texts of divine services and priestly prayers, which were generally unknown to us at that time, Daniel easily proved that a person is called to receive communion at every service,” recalled Priest Alexey Lymarev.
In the same way, the seminarian knew the liturgical regulations and strove to strictly observe them. “We had certain concessions that he really wanted to correct: for example, when he read the Canon, he made sure to read it into six troparia, as according to the Rule, and not into four,” said Archpriest Mikhail Shchepetkov. “He was even nicknamed the “walking Typikon.”
Father Daniel re-read the Bible all his life. “I’m riding on the subway and I see Father Daniil walking along the passage and reading the Bible as he goes, sometimes bumping into passers-by,” said Elena Krylova, a friend of the Sysoev family.
Books by Daniil Sysoev
During his life, he wrote more than 30 articles and books on religious topics, including some in Latvian. The title of this work by Father translated means “Instructions for the Immortals.” His works undoubtedly play a huge role for the entire modern Orthodox world.
Moral and ascetic works
His moral and ascetic works include “Marrying an Unbeliever,” “Why Go to Temple Every Sunday,” and many others.
His works tell us about the close interweaving of our everyday experiences with religious ones, about the problems and solutions that the Orthodox faith offers us. He says that every person is a sinner, everyone makes their own mistakes, but everyone also has a chance to correct them, and everyone will be forgiven by the Lord.
Theological books
In his theological books, he talks about biblical events and personalities. Such stories contain an interpretation of certain events, commandments, as well as discussions about God and his unity, about his representation in other religions, and about the correctness of this representation from the Orthodox point of view.
Among these books:
- “Interpretation of the book of the prophet Daniel”;
- “In simple words about the mystery of the Trinity”;
- "A Protestant's Walk through an Orthodox Church."
Other articles and works
There is a fairly large number of publications of his articles, most of which were published in the Holy Fire magazine, as well as in several collections.
All of them are devoted to the same topics as his books: the everyday problems of the common man, his mental anguish, stories about Orthodox saints and church holidays and customs, discussions about the relationship between faiths, about the causes of quarrels between them and about the view of all this from the outside. sides of Orthodox Christianity, about who God is, about the correctness of the teachings about him and about his unity.
“Listen to how beautiful the stichera of Easter sounds!”
The bloody cross of Father Daniel, which was on him at the time of his death.
Photo: pitanov.livejournal.com “We very often build Christ around our lives, but for him Christ was the center, and he built everything from Him,” recalled Archpriest Igor Fomin.
“He was a man completely immersed in faith, just as they said about the Old Testament righteous people that they “walked before God,” and something like this can be said about Father Daniel,” shares Ilya Agafonov. “In his words, deeds, actions, he always seemed to stand before God.”
He expected the same boundless faith from those around him. Elena Krylova, a family friend of Daniil’s father, gave birth to a premature boy, the child was in intensive care. Mother Yulia called her: “Wait, we are going to baptize your son!” “Father brought with him a bottle of holy water, very cold, because it was freezing outside,” Elena recalled. “And I was very scared, because the baby had pneumonia, and dousing him with ice water could worsen his condition. “Don’t you believe in God?” - Father Daniil asked me sternly. I couldn’t argue, the child was baptized, and he immediately began to recover.”
Any conversation with Father Daniel, no matter where it began, turned out to be a conversation about God, about the need to serve him and become like him, the priest’s friends recall.
Moreover, he could speak on theological topics in any situation: on the way to the subway, sorting through potatoes in the kitchen, balancing on one leg with his trouser leg rolled up, and washing the other in the sink.
He could stop a classmate in the seminary corridor and say: “Listen, listen how beautiful the stichera of Easter sounds!” – and start singing a melodica to a Byzantine tune.
Personal life
On January 22, 1995, Daniil Alekseevich married Yulia Mikhailovna Brykina , daughter of businessman Mikhail Brykin. At the end of the year, the couple had their first daughter, Justina .
With his wife Yulia
Dorofea, was born . At this point Fr. Daniel was already ordained a priest. the third daughter, Angelina , in 2007.
With a family
He didn't want tolerance
Class with missionaries.
February 2008. Photo by Ekaterina Zagulyaeva “There were no authorities for him: he could publicly, without fear of anything, argue with any person, even with a professor, if he believed that he was mistaken in something,” recalls Archpriest Dionisy Pozdnyaev.
Seminarian Daniil Sysoev could get involved in a discussion even during a lecture, for which he was sometimes punished. But this did not stop him from starting theological disputes again and again.
Then in his life there were thousands of meetings, broadcasts, debates, round tables. He participated in discussions with Muslims, sectarians, and neo-pagans. In his youth, as his wife put it, he “boiled with zeal for God”; later he learned to argue more calmly. But he always remained disconcertingly straightforward.
“He did not want tolerance, did not want Christ to be put on the same level as Mohammed, Buddha or Jehovah and to be prayed to,” recalled Fr. Alexy Sysoev, father of the priest.
Many things related to other faiths, sins or misconceptions are not customary to say out loud. But Father Daniel always finished his thoughts to the end. And speaking, for example, at a scientific conference, he could say that science should be the “handmaiden of theology.”
Thanks to his recklessness, Father Daniel gained some scandalous fame. One Muslim journalist even contacted the prosecutor's office demanding that a case be opened against him for inciting interreligious and ethnic hatred.
During his life, Father Daniel baptized more than eighty Muslims, including several Wahhabis and two people who were going to become martyrs. And more than five hundred Protestants.
Active Orthodox position
Just some twenty years ago it was difficult to imagine that in Moscow, the mothers of Russian Orthodoxy would kill priests for preaching the Christian faith. Father Daniel's missionary work was aimed at preaching and converting people from the Tatar and Chechen people to the true faith.
He conducted constant polemics and discussions with Muslim preachers, talking about patriotism and creationism. Even Orthodox ministers criticized his harsh statements against Islam; the ardent defender of Orthodoxy received threats from skinheads, Old Believers, occultists and sectarians.
It would seem that there is no side of worldly life that the priest would not write about. He considered yoga, karate and belly dancing immoral and forbidden for Christians. His position in “Uranopolitism” was based on the fact that we are all relatives by the blood of Jesus Christ, and nationalism leads to a departure from true Christianity.
He activated his negative attitude towards communism in calls to demolish the mausoleum and thus perform an act of repentance. Sysoev’s book “Marriage with a Muslim” literally blew up the Muslim world; Father Daniil was accused of inciting ethnic hatred, and lawsuits were filed against him more than once.
Book by D. Sysoev “Names of the Most High God”
The Old Believers were outraged by Sysoev’s book “Reflections on Archpriest Avvakum, Church Troubles and Love for the Motherland”; they attributed slander, lies, distortion of history to the author of the scandalous book and incitement of interreligious enmity. The results of clarifying this problem were discussions around a round table, organized at the suggestion of Patriarch Kirill.
The restless priest did not leave the Orthodox believers alone, addressing them in his books:
- “Why go to church every Sunday?”
- “Who is like God?”
- "Married to an Unbeliever"
- “Why haven’t you been baptized yet” and many others.
Walking around in a cassock all the time was normal
Father Daniel talks with a follower of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect at the stadium.
Kyrgyzstan, June 2008. Photo by Ekaterina Zagulyaeva Father Daniil was always a missionary; he did not turn into an ordinary “citizen Sysoev” in the evenings or on weekends.
“We lived nearby, and after services we drove home together several times,” recalled Archpriest Vladimir Shmaliy. “He shows me: “Here is a beer stall where I go to drink beer with the men and talk about Christ.”
I tell him: “Listen, Father Daniil, is it normal that you go on the subway in a cassock, or walk down the street in a cassock? This means that anyone can come!” - “Yes, anyone.” I think he never took off his cassock. He believed that it was important to be in a cassock all the time, because the priest is a warrior of Christ.”
One day, Father Daniel managed to save a woman who was about to commit suicide. She spoke to him on the street precisely because of his priestly clothes.
“Even to hooligans in the subway who pestered him about his appearance, he answered in such a way that it turned out to be a sermon about faith and about God,” said Evgeny Kudashov, a friend of the Sysoev family.
Father Daniel, without hesitation, could organize a prayer service in a public place that was not intended for this at all: at the airport, on the ruins of a crusader fortress, etc.
With the blessing of the clergy, he served prayer services in the Tatar language and went to preach on Sabantuy.
At the Seliger youth camp he served as a missionary among Chechen participants, and in Moscow he made “forays” into places where migrant workers lived crowdedly.
“Do not be afraid, I will petition that you be glorified as martyrs.”
Church of St.
Apostle Thomas. A few hours after the murder of the rector, priest Daniil Sysoev. November 20, 2009 Photo by Deacon Andrei Radkevich In 2007, Father Daniel organized a missionary circle at the Church of the Apostle Thomas and convinced other priests to create the same in their parishes. Before attending a meeting of sectarians, he instructed the missionaries as follows: “Disperse one by one. While listening carefully to the sermon, ask your neighbors clarifying questions. Point out contradictions between the pastor's words and the Bible. Your task is to show logical inconsistencies without scaring the person away.”
“Father Daniel treated the missionaries as a fighting unit of the Church, whose weapon was the knowledge of the Word of God,” recalled Ekaterina Zagulyaeva, correspondent for the Neskuchny Sad magazine. She traveled with Father Daniel's group to Kyrgyzstan in 2008.
“We had to go to a mountainous Muslim village known for its radical sentiments. There was an assignment to secretly baptize a dying woman - it was her own desire.
Before the flight, Father Daniil joyfully admonished us: “Don’t worry at all, if they kill you there, I will petition that you be glorified as martyrs,” said Ekaterina Zagulyaeva.
Seraphim Maamdi, an Orthodox Kurd, recalled how Father Daniel suggested that he organize a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan (the center of Yazidism, a religion that arose from Zoroastrianism) to preach about Christ. “I said that... I would be guaranteed the crown of martyrdom, because the radicalism of the people of Iraq is known to the whole world.
But Father Daniil said that there was nothing to be afraid of, they threatened to cut off his head fourteen times, but will we really retreat out of fear,” he said.
“Our only and eternal Motherland is heaven”
Funeral service for the murdered priest Daniil Sysoev.
November 23, 2009 Photo by Deacon Andrei Radkevich “The best death for a Christian, of course, is martyrdom for Christ the Savior. This is the best death that is possible for a person in principle,” wrote Father Daniel in his book called “Instructions for Immortals, or What to Do if You Still Died.”
He didn’t just want to be saved, he dreamed of martyrdom. “He said that it was wrong to argue that “there’s no way to get into heaven.” “Over the edge” was not enough for him,” said Yulia Sysoeva.
Father Daniel constantly received threats from radical Islamists, Satanists, etc. When his friends urged him to be careful and reminded him of his children, he replied that the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos would not abandon the family of the martyr.
“I once asked him: “Don’t you like it here? You do this all the time that everything can collapse at once.” And in response I heard: “And it’s much more interesting there!”,” recalled Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev.
“Our only and eternal Motherland is heaven. Our Father lives there, our fellow citizens are saints there, there the Church will find eternal peace after a long war with the devil,” Father Daniel once said in an interview with Neskuchny Sad magazine.
Dear brothers and sisters, the entire legacy of Father Daniil Sysoev has been made available for free access!
| books | video | audio |
(c) These materials belong to the copyright law of Yu.M. Sysoeva. The author agrees to their free, gratuitous, charitable and missionary use and distribution.
Films with the participation of Father Daniel or telling about him, as well as lectures and conversations:
Macedonian schism, Conversation on the creation of the world, Orthodox upbringing of children, Sunday school, Christmas conversation, Conversation on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, the Bible and the Koran as a revelation of God. Theological debate, The concept of God in Christianity and Islam. Religious debate, Conversation on Holy Thursday and others...
The unfinished diary of Father Daniel
Quite recently, Yulia Sysoeva, while sorting through papers, accidentally found Father Daniil’s unfinished diary. This amazing discovery occurred on the eve of the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the martyrdom of the priest. Maybe this is a clear sign from Father Daniel himself? Maybe he didn’t have time to tell us something? We decided to publish it on our website. This diary has never been published anywhere, it was not included in the book of memoirs “Unknown Daniel”...
Collection of materials and testimonies about the help of Father Daniel and those who turned to faith and Orthodoxy after his death!
“The life of a preacher of the word of God does not end with his death. On the contrary, the Lord, with his wisdom and mercy towards people, allows his chosen ones to realize after death what was planned, but not completed in earthly life. And we are witnesses to this: having the gift of veneration of saints and martyrs, we feel a living prayer connection and help, even from those who are aptly called “unholy saints.” The Lord gives his chosen ones much greater opportunities for this realization than a person has in temporary life.”
“During the five years that Father Daniel is not with us, not with us on earth, in our worldly life, we have seen an amazing, miraculous phenomenon, how Father Daniel continues, through his sermons and his word spoken then, to lead people to Christ. How people, inspired by his life and the power of his preaching, discover faith in God. Many people, literally, met Father after his death. We just met, we have been continuously watching this for five years. More and more people are meeting Christ in their lives, thanks to the works of Father Daniel. Many receive obvious help from him in everyday sorrows and affairs, honoring him and praying to him privately. This is a secret, in a sense mystical, connection that confirms the words of Scripture “... with God everyone is alive.”
“We are becoming more and more convinced that death was defeated by the power of the Resurrection of Christ, which is why we have such evidence.
He always dreamed of bringing as many people as possible to Christ, so that as many people as possible would become children of the Church and have hope of salvation. Many thought that his aspirations would not come true with his departure from earthly life, but his preaching not only did not stop, moreover, it began to gain strength. And now we have testimonies of people who met Father Daniil after the events of November 20, 2009.”
Yulia Sysoeva
It is precisely such materials that we are looking for now, we are collecting testimonies of those people who encountered the help of Father Daniel after his death, whom he helped turn to God, to Orthodoxy, who moved away from other religions or sects and accepted apostolic Christianity. If you know such evidence, then send it to Yulia Sysoeva's mailbox - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
A word with power. Yulia Sysoeva
The life of a preacher of God's words does not end with his death. On the contrary, the Lord, with his wisdom and mercy towards people, allows his chosen ones to realize after death what was planned, but not completed in earthly life. And we are witnesses to this: having the gift of veneration of saints and martyrs, we feel a living prayer connection and help, even from those who are aptly called “unholy saints.” The Lord gives his chosen ones much greater opportunities for this realization than a person has in temporary life.
During the five years that Father Daniel is not with us, not with us on earth, in our worldly life, we have seen an amazing, miraculous phenomenon, how Father Daniel continues, through his sermons and his word spoken then, to lead people to Christ. How people, inspired by his life and the power of his preaching, discover faith in God. Many people, literally, met Father after his death. We just met, we have been continuously watching this for five years. More and more people are meeting Christ in their lives, thanks to the works of Father Daniel. Many receive obvious help from him in everyday sorrows and affairs, honoring him and praying to him privately. This is a secret, in a sense mystical, connection that confirms the words of Scripture “... with God everyone is alive.”
We are becoming more and more convinced that death was defeated by the power of the Resurrection of Christ, which is why we have such evidence.
He always dreamed of bringing as many people as possible to Christ, so that as many people as possible would become children of the Church and have hope of salvation. Many thought that his aspirations would not come true with his departure from earthly life, but his preaching not only did not stop, moreover, it began to gain strength. And now we have testimonies of people who met Father Daniel after the events of November 20, 2009.
This is exactly the kind of evidence we are looking for now.
Here are some of them. Roman and Natalya from France wrote to us (the authors’ style was preserved): “We did not know Father Daniel personally, but listening to his fervent laughter during his speeches, it seemed that he was very close to us: he was born in a godless union of republics, he strove for God in spite of society, He zealously grabbed onto Christ with both hands: with faith and love, and still hasn’t let go. Only faith became knowledge, and love ignited even more and continues to ignite us.
Father Daniel leads to Christ through his childhood. Having turned and become like one of these little ones, he sometimes amazes with his childish spontaneity and stubborn straightforwardness. One way and no other way, without the right to tolerance for sin and leniency towards lawlessness. “Why not?” sigh the liberal in spirit. “The Lord said so...”, Father Daniel puts the seal on his word.
In his service, the martyr Daniel is close to the Apostle Paul. Something tells us that he was married, but as if not married, crying as if not crying; and he who rejoices, as if he did not rejoice; and he who buys, as if he does not acquire; for he felt and saw with his heart's eye the passing image of this world. Imitate Christ and learn from him humility and meekness. If this is high for you, imitate the Apostle Paul, as he imitates Christ. If you have not yet grown to this extent, imitate Father Daniel, as he imitated the Apostle Paul.”
Here is another short excerpt from the story of R. B. Adriana: “I very carefully turn to Father Daniel with requests for prayerful help. I perceive him as a close person, his voice has long become familiar, he accompanies me wherever there is an opportunity to listen to audio - in the car, at home, while traveling. Therefore, for fear of losing my reverence, I try to briefly ask Father Daniel for help. I am sure that in difficult moments of life, including his prayerful help, helped me and my loved ones. When my daughter’s health was unclear, I turned to Father Daniil asking for help, and everything worked out well, it turned out that there was no reason to panic.”
And here’s what little we read about him: “We can say about. Daniel helped me come to God. When I started listening to his conversations, something immediately touched me inside, he told everything so simply, in a real way. I think he was such a person in life. I don't even know what else to say. I still listen to him. It’s as if he lives with us and teaches us that our Homeland is in heaven, and not here. Sometimes the mood is not very good, listen to Fr. Daniel and cheerfulness immediately appears. I think it's not just me that invigorates me so much. It’s true that there is real help from him.” - R.B Marina
All the people who write about him are united in the fact that they feel Father Daniel is alive, they feel his presence and his help. These people are very different, they live in different parts of the globe, but this is the miracle that there is no distance, no time, no abyss of separation. He is here and he is among us. This is exactly what the meeting will be dedicated to on the fifth anniversary of the death of Father Daniel, which we now celebrate not as an anniversary of death, but as a birthday for eternity. We congratulate each other on having a new prayer book in heaven.
As Father Artemy Vladimirov accurately said in his memoirs for the book “Unknown Daniel”: “The fire that burned in his chest called him to the Heavenly spheres, where he drew his listeners, wanting to quickly take them beyond the boundaries of earthly history. Many felt that for him, as for St. Paul, death would be a gain: he lived with the thought of meeting Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
So, on the fifth anniversary, we are collecting testimonies from those people who discovered Fr. Daniel after his death, evidence of his help and strengthening in faith through his sermons and his books, as well as cases of prayer help.
We ask those people who care about Father Daniel to respond, who have evidence of his help, and who have found faith through him. This is very important evidence that shows that the life of a preacher of God does not end with his death, that his works live on and that a righteous person after death can do even more than he did during life. We also ask those people who came to Christ from other religions to respond, let them remember their communication with Father Daniel and tell them what influenced their heart, what captured their mind and influenced their choice of truth, their desire to know the living God and Christ, desire to renounce one's opinion in favor of the opinion of the Creator of the universe
We hope that such a meeting will take place on the day of memory of Father Daniel.
We won't remember what he was like. There is a lot of such evidence; there is a whole book about this called “Unknown Daniel”, which was published two years ago. We will testify to what he is now in the lives of those people who love, remember and honor him, those people with whom he is still close and for whom he continues to be a teacher, adviser and just a friend.
Rest, O Lord, the soul of Your murdered servant Priest Daniil Sysoev, forgive him every sin, voluntary and involuntary, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.
“The Good Shepherd lays down his life...” Jn. 10.11
Birth, baptism, childhood, school
Priest Father Daniil (Daniil Alekseevich Sysoev) was born in Moscow on January 12, 1974 into a family of teachers and artists. His parents, Alexey Nikolaevich Sysoev and Anna Midkhatovna Amirova, were baptized after Daniil’s birth, but for Daniil the time of baptism was pushed back and occurred only in 1977. The reason for this delay turned out to be the grandmother, who stated that she would not allow the child to be baptized, and that in case of baptism in secret, she would take him through the party authorities. At that time, this was a serious threat, and therefore the baptism of the child was postponed indefinitely.
My parents went to temple without Daniel for a long time. Three years later it happened that the baby became very ill. And one believing woman, having learned that Daniel was not baptized, warned of a terrible fate for a mother who did not baptize her child and a terrible tragedy that awaits an unbaptized baby if he passes into another world. These words turned out to be decisive for Daniel’s mother, and she decided to baptize the child. On October 31, 1977, Daniel received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on the Sparrow Hills. The priest who anointed the child was Fr. Eugene.
Daniel always wanted to become a priest. Daniel’s mother talked about how he loved to preach instead of games. Daniel and his parents were regular parishioners of the St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In the summer of 1988, he participated in restoration work in the reviving Optina Pustyn, where he met the future hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov), who was killed on April 18, 1993, along with the Optina Pustyn monks Trofim and Ferapont).
In 1991, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary with a reference and recommendation issued by priest Artemy Vladimirov. At the Seminary he served as a singer and director of the mixed choir of the Regency School. Even at a young age, while studying at the Moscow Theological Seminary, he was imbued with the ardent conviction that only Orthodoxy contains saving truth. Possessing excellent abilities, already in his student years he knew the canons of the church and heatedly argued with students and teachers when they made the slightest compromise.
In 1994, Bishop Rostislav (Devyatov) of Magadan ordained him as a reader. In the same year he married Yulia Mikhailovna Brykina. In 1995 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary. In 1995 he was ordained to the priesthood of deacon. In the same year he entered the Moscow Theological Academy, continuing his education in the correspondence sector. The deacon's service took place in the Church of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gonchari (Bulgarian Compound). Without supporting any compromises in observing the charter, he was in conflicting relations with the rector of the temple, Archimandrite Boris (Dobrev) (now the Bishop of Agathonica of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church).
In 2000 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a PhD in Theology. Topic of the defended dissertation: “Anthropology of the 7th Day Adventists and the Watchtower Society and its analysis.” In January 2001, he was ordained to the priesthood of priest by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, and appointed cleric of the Church of Peter and Paul in Yasenevo, under the rector, Abbot Melchizedek (Artyukhin). In 2003, he organized an independent parish community in the Kantemirovskaya metro area, and having received the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II in November 2003, he began organizing the construction of a new church in honor of the Prophet Daniel (his heavenly patron) on the territory of the Southern Administrative District of Moscow.
On the occasion of Holy Easter 2004, for his diligent service to the Church of God, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II was awarded the right to wear a kamilavka. In November 2006, a temporary wooden temple was erected, the throne of which was consecrated in honor of the Apostle Thomas. At the Church of the Apostle Thomas, where he was rector, a missionary movement developed, which included training courses for Orthodox “street missionaries,” whose task was to attract people to the Orthodox faith by addressing passers-by on the street.
On November 19, 2009, he was mortally wounded in the Church of the Apostle Thomas with two pistol shots. The killer (“non-Russian,” as noted by eyewitnesses by his “characteristic accent”), who was wearing a medical mask, also shot twice at the choir director who met him at the exit and disappeared. Daniil Sysoev died on the operating table at 0:15 on November 20.
Funeral service for Fr. Daniil Sysoev on November 23, 2009 in the Church of Peter and Paul in Yasenevo was headed by Archbishop Arseny (Epifanov); At the end of the funeral service, Patriarch Kirill performed a funeral litany at the coffin of the deceased. In his speech, Patriarch Kirill, in particular, said: “Father Daniel did a lot to establish God’s truth <...> But, probably, the most powerful word he uttered is the one to which we are witnesses today. If a person is killed for God’s truth, this means that this truth strikes people who do not accept it and has enormous power.” At the funeral service Fr. Daniel was attended by 237 priests and about a thousand laity.
Evening in memory of Priest Daniil Sysoev (November 8, 2015, New York)
Evening in memory of Father Daniil Sysoev in Moscow (November 21, 2014)
On November 21, an evening dedicated to Father Daniil Sysoev was held in Moscow, the 5th anniversary of whose tragic murder was celebrated this year. Hundreds of people came to honor the memory of one of the brightest modern preachers of Orthodoxy...
A charity concert in memory of priest Daniil Sysoev was held in St. Petersburg
Charity concert of classical music “Touch” dedicated to the memory of Father Daniil Sysoev. The program featured the most beautiful works of great composers: Glinka, Bach, Chopin, Liszt, as well as Rachmaninov, Prokofiev...
Memorable evening at Bolshoi Gostiny Dvor in St. Petersburg (November 30, 2014)
November 30 in the church of St. Seraphim Vyritsky at the Big Gostiny Dvor, a litany was held for the murdered priest Daniil Sysoev, which was led by Priest Artemy Naumov, rector of the churches of St. Petra...
- Books by Father Daniil Sysoev (46 Materials)
- Publications by Father Daniil Sysoev (54 Materials)
- Conversations and sermons (audio) (28 Materials)
Dear brothers and sisters!Below are all the audio recordings of priest Daniil Sysoev, which our publishing house has. The recordings are formatted as mp3 discs, which are available via links for free downloading, listening, copying, charitable and missionary distribution in undamaged form, i.e. just as the author left the materials behind. If you are going to a sermon, to missionary work, to a person who is interested in issues of faith, then it will be useful to record disks or flash drives with conversations of Father Daniel and give or distribute them.
Reposting this page or individual links to download specific discs is also very welcome. As experience shows, discs are usually used for missionary purposes: Discussions, Instructions for Immortals, Defense of the Truth, Religious Disputes, Sermons.
Each disc can be downloaded in its entirety (archived), and you can also download or listen to any track separately (sermon, lecture, conversation).
(c) These materials belong to the copyright law of Yu.M. Sysoeva. The author agrees to their free, gratuitous, charitable and missionary use and distribution.
** However, it is prohibited to create for any purpose any other works based on copyrighted works by cutting out parts, adding comments to them, paraphrasing, or distorting the meaning given by the author.
Books and videos by Father Daniel can be downloaded here
books video Explanation of the liturgical psalms (six psalms)
The disc in mp3 audio format presents six conversations by priest Daniil Sysoev, which took place in the summer of 2005 and 2006 at the Krutitsy Patriarchal Metochion.
Interpretation of the book of the prophet Daniel
The book contains prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, the destinies and end of the world, and the coming kingdom of the Savior.
Interpretation of the Book of Job
The Book of Job is one of the most ancient and mysterious books of the Bible. Much theological and philosophical research has been devoted to it, and controversy about it still does not subside.
Interpretation of the Gospel of Luke
The holy apostle and evangelist Luke most fully described everything that is known about Jesus Christ.
Public conversations
Conversations for the catechumens have been taking place since 2003. Conversations will help you communicate more correctly with the unchurched and help with words to those who have recently come under the protection of the Holy Church.
Interpretation of the Apocalypse
The most mysterious and soul-stirring book of the Bible: “The Revelation of John the Theologian.” The book, written in the language of symbols and metaphors, contains prophecies about the fate of the world from the resurrection of Christ to the end of time and the day of judgment.
Interpretation of the first book of Chronicles
The books of Kings are followed by two books of Chronicles, written 300 years before the birth of Christ. They record the events of the history of the “chosen people” day after day.
Interpretation of the Book of Proverbs of Solomon
For almost three thousand years, this book of the Old Testament has been a source of wisdom, laconic and figurative instructions from the wise King “to impart intelligence to the simple-minded, knowledge and prudence to the young.”
Instructions for immortals
“Instructions for immortals”, “How the Lord God rules the world”, “On love”, “On the will of God”, “On external prayer”.
Orthodox parenting
Orthodox education of children.
Sermons
The 7 discs present a large number of sermons by priest Daniil Sysoev on various topics.
Interpretation of the Epistle to the Romans of St. Apostle Paul
A letter addressed to the Roman Christians of the time, dealing with Christ's atonement and other matters.
Religious disputes
For the first time since the 14th century, dialogues took place in Moscow between representatives of Orthodox Christians and Islam on issues that form the basis of each faith.
Interpretation of the book of the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah is notable for its prophecies about the birth of the Messiah, the atoning sacrifice of Christ. Isaiah condemned the Jews for their iniquity.
Interpretation of the first letter to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul
The message was written in 57 in Macedonia. Many passages in 1 Corinthians are central to Christian theology.
Unshot sermon. Interpretation of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians by St. Paul the Apostle
Is it possible to silence a preacher? All the apostles, except one, were killed, but their preaching flourished and intensified even more, joining many souls to our Church.
Conversations about passions
Presented are 4 conversations by priest Daniil Sysoev, which took place in 2009 in the Church of the Apostle Thomas during Great Lent: “On gluttony, on despondency, on the love of money, on envy.”
Questions to priest Daniil Sysoev
How often on our spiritual path do we need a timely answer to one or another question that worries our souls. We believe that if we pray to God before asking the priest for advice, the Lord, through His servant, will give us the correct answer.
Islam - Orthodox view
Using historical chronicles and facts, Father Daniel talks from an Orthodox point of view about the religion of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad and Islam in the history of Russia.
Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesians by St. Paul the Apostle
The Ephesians were the beloved disciples of the Apostle Paul, who lived in Ephesus for three years, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. In Ephesus, together with his disciples, he endured many trials from the Jews, so the hearts of the Ephesians were especially open to preaching.
Interpretation of the book of Ecclesiastes
The main subject of the book of Ecclesiastes is the image of the vanity and emptiness of everything earthly - labor, knowledge, wealth, luxury and pleasures without faith in God and the afterlife. The book teaches about the fear of God, about keeping His commandments.
Defense of Truth
The disc contains 8 conversations by priest Daniil Sysoev: “On the creation of the world, the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, Conversations at Christmas and Epiphany, Easter conversations on Bright Thursday, conversations on the Transfiguration and Ascension, Sects and heresy, Occultism, Dispute with sectarians.”
Those wishing to donate for the discs for the construction of the temple of the prophet Daniel, which the murdered priest Daniil Sysoev wanted to build, can do so using the following details:
Local religious organization Orthodox parish of the Temple of the Prophet Daniel on Kantemirovskaya Mountains. Moscow, Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) 115563, Moscow, Kashirskoye Shosse, 61A
TIN/KPP 7704270119/772401001 account number 40703810200100000124 in JSCB ROSEVROBANK (JSC), Moscow, account number 30101810445250000836 BIC 044525836
- Donation to the family (2 Materials)
- Poems in honor of Father Daniel and memories (23 Materials)
Dear friends, brothers, sisters, fathers... Poems in honor of Father Daniel began to come to us. Therefore, we are making a section dedicated to this. Anyone who would like to sing about our martyr in verse, please send it via the contact . - Wonderful Father Daniel (7 Materials)
- Sermons of Father Daniil Sysoev (66 Materials)
- Conversations and sermons (video) (32 Materials)
1. Daniil Sysoev about Islam: The Bible and the Koran as the revelation of God. Theological debate The concept of God in Christianity and Islam. Religious dispute Islam. Orthodox view of Muhammad. Who is he? What is Allah? Presentation of the book “Marriage to a Muslim”2. Daniil Sysoev about Old Believers and Rodnover: Dispute with Old Believers About Old Believers Conversation with Rodnover
3. Missionary School: Instructions for a Fisher of Men Missionary School
4. Conversations for children and youth: Orthodox upbringing of children Sunday school with Father Daniel (all episodes) Biblical answer to youth problems
5. Conversations on various topics: Conversation about the creation of the world Conversation on Bright Thursday Christmas conversation Conversation on the day of the Baptism of the Lord Ouranopolitanism Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Psalm 87 Church and secular holidays Sacred Tradition and modern theology The meaning of human life About ordeals About heresies, about INN and chips About trust in God About crisis, disasters, wars The truth about yoga Why does God need nations? How to find out the will of God? On external prayer Macedonian schism
