Temple of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki, Moscow. Schedule of services, history

Days of remembrance: January 29 (February 11) (new martyr), June 9 (22), August 20 (September 2) (Cathedral of Moscow Saints), September 16 (29) (Transfer of Relics)

Born in Moscow on March 17, 1859, into the pious family of the regent of the Chudov Cathedral Choir, Alexei Ivanovich Mechev. From birth the life of Fr. Alexia is associated with the name of St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. Alexy grew up in a family where there was a living faith in God, love, and a kind-hearted attitude towards people.

Alexy Mechev studied at the Zaikonospassky School, then at the Moscow Theological Seminary, after graduating from which he dreamed of going to university and becoming a doctor. But the mother opposed this. It was hard for Alexy to leave his dream, but he did not go against the will of his beloved mother. Subsequently, Alexy Mechev realized that he had found his true calling, and was very grateful to his mother. After graduating from the seminary, Alexy Mechev served as a psalm-reader in the Znamenskaya Church, where he was often treated very rudely, but Alexy endured everything without complaint, did not complain and did not ask to be transferred to another church. Subsequently, he thanked the Lord for allowing him to go through such a school. In 1884, Alexy Mechev married the daughter of a psalm-reader, Anna Petrovna Molchanova, out of great love. On November 18 of the same year, he was ordained a deacon and began to serve in the Church of the Great Martyr George in Lubyansky Proezd, outwardly showing the greatest simplicity, and inwardly experiencing fiery zeal for the Lord. On March 19, 1893, Deacon Alexy Mechev was ordained by Bishop Nestor, who runs the Moscow Novospassky Monastery, as a priest to one of the smallest churches in Moscow - St. Nicholas on Maroseyka. Despite the fact that Fr. Alexy prepared himself for shepherding in the village, having received a parish in the capital, he completely surrendered himself to the will of God and began to work, putting prayer and spiritual vigilance at the basis of his work. He introduced daily worship in his church, and for 8 years he served in an empty church almost alone. But gradually, mourning people and burdened with sorrows flocked to this temple, and from them the rumor spread about its kind abbot.

In 1902, Fr.'s wife died. Alexia. O. Alexy was very sad and inconsolable. He locked himself in his room and poured out his soul before the Lord. But one day it happened at Fr. Alexy meeting with the now glorified holy righteous John of Kronstadt. Father John advised: “be with the people, enter into someone else’s grief, take it upon yourself, and then you will see that your misfortune is small, insignificant in comparison with the general grief, and it will become easier for you.” O. Alexy entered the path of eldership.

To all those who came to the Maroseya temple, who were looking for help, who were mired in sins, who had forgotten about God, Fr. Alexy greeted with cordial friendliness, love and compassion. The joy and peace of Christ were infused into their souls, hope appeared in the mercy of God, in the possibility of renewal of the soul. The love shown by Father gave everyone the feeling that he was loved, pitied, and consoled most of all. Father was filled with love. He did not know the cruel word “punish”, but knew the merciful word “forgive”. He did not impose on his children the burden of heavy obedience, did not demand special feats from anyone, at the same time emphasizing the need for at least the smallest external feat, indicating that one must weigh one’s strengths and capabilities and do whatever it takes, what I decided on. Father's sermons were simple, sincere, touching the heart with the depth of faith, truthfulness, and understanding of life.

In the lower residential floor of the temple, Father opened a parochial school, set up a shelter for orphans and the poor, and for 13 years taught the Law of God at the E.V. girls’ gymnasium. Winkler; contributed to the revival of ancient Russian icon painting, blessing his spiritual daughter Maria Nikolaevna Sokolova (later nun Juliania) to paint icons. The true spiritual friends of Father Alexy were the Optina elders, Hieroschemamonk Anatoly (Potapov - also now canonized as a venerable one), and Abbot Theodosius. They were amazed at the feat of the Moscow elder “in a city as in a desert.”

In the last days of May Fr. Alexy went to Vereya, where he had been vacationing for the past few years. He had a presentiment that he was leaving forever. Before leaving, I served the last liturgy in my church, said goodbye to my spiritual children, and when I left, I said goodbye to the church. Cried a lot. Fr. passed away. Alexy on Friday 9/22 June 1923. Coffin with the body of Fr. Alexy was taken to the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki. Until the very morning of the next day, the church communities of Moscow said goodbye to the deceased and sang requiems. Canonized by the Council of Bishops in 2000. In 2001, on the feast of All Saints who shone in the Russian land, the relics of the holy righteous Alexy of Moscow were found.

Temple of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki today

The temple in honor of the holy righteous Alexei (Mechev) of Moscow is located in the municipal district of Moscow - Veshnyaki. With its appearance, it seems to complete the schematic cross drawn up by regional churches and clearly visible on the map: on top is the Church of the Entry, below is the Assumption Cathedral, on the left is the Monastery of the All-Merciful Savior, on the right is the Church of the Righteous Alexy.

The church was one of the first in Russia to receive the patronage of the righteous elder Alexy, who was canonized 20 years ago.

The Church of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki is under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Vicariate of the Nativity Deanery of the Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Divine services are regularly held on the territory of the parish, there is a parish school, a pilgrim service, and missionary activity is actively developing.

Alexey Mechev was born in Moscow in March 1859. His father served as regent of the cathedral choir of the Chudov Monastery. The boy's childhood passed in an atmosphere of love, kindness and living, sincere faith. After graduating from the Zaikonospasskoye School and the Moscow Theological Seminary, he became interested in medicine and seriously thought about a medical career. But after listening to his parents’ advice, he changed his mind and chose the path of a preacher for himself.

The ascent to holiness began with the position of psalmist at the Znamenskaya Church. In 1884, the young man became a deacon of the St. George Church on Lubyanka. He served in the diaconate for almost 10 years, and in March 1893, Bishop Nestor ordained Alexei Alekseevich to the priesthood. He inherited one of the smallest parishes in the capital - St. Nicholas Church on Maroseyka.

For a long time the priest served practically without parishioners. In subsequent years, with a lot of effort, he managed to rally a large and friendly community around him. Without abandoning the feat of prayer and spiritual wakefulness, the clergyman, as best he could, arranged the life of the community entrusted to him. He introduced daily worship in the temple. Through his efforts, an orphanage for the poor was opened.

A parochial school was organized on the lower floor of the church. For 13 years, Archpriest A. Mechev served as a teacher at the E. V. Winkler girls’ gymnasium, preached and explained the Law of God. In 1902, he met Righteous John of Kronstadt. Father John, seeing the priest's modesty and insight, blessed him to take on the feat of eldership (to be a mentor).

Parishioners of Father Alexy recalled that his advice was always delicate and humane. He preached without lectures, very sincerely and heartily. The elder’s instructions penetrated deeply into the souls of believers and always found a lively response there. One of the spiritual sons of the shepherd was the philosopher N. Berdyaev.

In the first half of the 20th century, during the persecution of monasticism, A. Mechev escaped arrest because he was seriously ill. He died in May 1923 and was initially buried at Lazarevskoye, and later his remains were transferred to the territory of the Vvedenskoye cemetery. Today many of his teachings, recorded from memory by devoted students, have been published.

The holy righteous Alexei of Moscow was canonized by the Synoidal Commission at the Council of Bishops in 2000. The priest’s son, Archpriest Sergius Mechev, was also canonized as a saint, but as a new martyr and Russian confessor. The holy relics of Archpriest Alexei Mechev are kept in the Moscow St. Nicholas Church in Klenniki, on Maroseyka, where he spent his last years as rector.

1. Introduction

At the beginning of the twentieth century in Moscow, at the St. Nicholas Church on Maroseyka, a remarkable phenomenon arose - a community-parish, which in the time of fierce temptations of that revolutionary time was, as it were, a single organism supporting its members in difficult circumstances. But in order to talk about it, it is necessary first to describe the spiritual path of its founder, the wonderful Moscow elder Alexei Mechev.

2.The beginning of the journey

The holy righteous Alexy Mechev was born in Moscow on March 17, 1859 in the pious family of the regent of the Chudovsky Cathedral Choir, Alexei Ivanovich Mechev[1].

The birth of Father Alexy occurred under significant circumstances. His mother, Alexandra Dmitrievna, felt unwell at the onset of childbirth. The birth was difficult, very long, and the lives of mother and child were in danger.

In great grief, Alexey Ivanovich went to pray at the Alekseevsky Monastery, where Metropolitan Philaret served on the occasion of the patronal feast day. Walking into the altar, he quietly stood aside, but the grief of his beloved regent did not hide from the bishop’s gaze. “You’re so sad today, what’s wrong with you?” he asked. - “Your Eminence, my wife dies in childbirth.” The saint prayerfully made the sign of the cross. “Let’s pray together... God is merciful, everything will be fine,” he said; then he handed him a prosphora with the words: “A boy will be born, name him Alexei, in honor of Saint Alexis, the man of God, whom we celebrate today.”

Alexey Ivanovich was encouraged, defended the liturgy and, inspired by hope, went home. At the door he was greeted with joy: a boy was born.

In a two-room apartment on Troitsky Lane, in the family of the regent of the Chudovsky choir, a living faith in God reigned, warm hospitality and hospitality were shown; here they lived the joys and sorrows of everyone whom God brought to be in their home. It was always crowded, relatives and friends constantly stopped by, who knew that they would be helped and consoled. This served as a good school of mercy for the future good shepherd.

This was expressed in something that Father Alexy recalled with reverence all his life - in the selfless act of his mother, who took in her sister and three children after the death of her husband, despite the fact that she herself was too close to her three children - sons Alexei and Tikhon and daughter Varvara. We had to build a bed for the children.

Among his siblings and siblings, Lenya, as Alexei was called in the family, stood out for his kind-heartedness and quiet, peace-loving character. He did not like quarrels, he wanted everyone to feel good; loved to cheer, console, joke. All this came out to him in a pious manner. When visiting, in the midst of games in the children's rooms, Lenya suddenly became serious, quickly walked away and hid, withdrawing into himself from the noisy fun. Those around him nicknamed him “blessed Alyoshenka”[2].

Alexy Mechev studied at the Zaikonospassky School, then at the Moscow Theological Seminary, after graduating from which he dreamed of going to university and becoming a doctor.

But the mother, feeling with her kind heart a completely different purpose for her son, resisted this: “Be better a priest.”

It was hard for Alexy to leave his dream, but he did not go against the will of his beloved mother. Subsequently, Alexy Mechev realized that he had found his true calling, and was very grateful to his mother.

After graduating from the seminary, Alexy Mechev served as a psalmist at the Znamenskaya Church of the Prechistensky Forty, where he was often treated very rudely, but Alexy endured everything without complaint, did not complain and did not ask to be transferred to another church. Subsequently, he thanked the Lord for allowing him to go through such a school.

In 1884, Alexy Mechev married the daughter of a psalm-reader, Anna Petrovna Molchanova, out of great love. On November 18 of the same year, he was ordained a deacon and began to serve in the Church of the Great Martyr George in Lubyansky Proezd, outwardly showing the greatest simplicity, and inwardly experiencing fiery zeal for the Lord.

His marriage was very happy. But Anna Petrovna suffered from a serious heart disease, and her health became the subject of constant concern for her father Alexy.

Children were born into the family: daughters Alexandra (1888) and Anna (1890), sons Alexey (1891), who died in the first year of his life, and Sergei (1892), and the youngest daughter Olga (1896).

On March 19, 1893, Deacon Alexy Mechev was ordained by Bishop Nestor, head of the Moscow Novospassky Monastery, as a priest of the St. Nicholas Church in Klenniki. The consecration took place at the Zaikonospassky Monastery. The small church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki was located on Maroseyka Street and its parish was very small, because... There were large and well-visited temples nearby.

Despite the fact that Father Alexy prepared himself for shepherding in the village, having received a parish in the capital, he completely surrendered himself to the will of God and began to work, putting prayer and spiritual vigilance at the basis of his work.

The life of the clergy of small parishes of that time was financially difficult, and living conditions were also poor. Moreover, Mother Anna Petrovna was seriously ill; she developed dropsy with large swelling and painful shortness of breath. She suffered so much that she began to ask her husband to stop begging her and died on August 29, 1902, on the day of the beheading of the head of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John.

Father Alexy was very sad and inconsolable. The light went dark for him. He locked himself in his room and poured out his soul before the Lord. But one day Father Alexy had a meeting with the now glorified holy righteous John of Kronstadt, which turned his life upside down.

3. Eldership

One day, friends invited Father Alexei to the family where Father John of Kronstadt came. Father Alexei looked to Father John for advice and consolation. To Father Alexy’s question: “Have you come to share my grief with me?” Father John replied: “I have not come to share your grief, but joy: the Lord is visiting you.” Subsequently, Father Alexy will say about himself: “The Lord visits our hearts with sorrows in order to reveal to us the hearts of other people”[3].

Father John told him: “You complain about your sorrows and think that there is no sorrow in the world greater than yours. And you be with the people, enter into someone else’s grief, take it upon yourself, and then you will see that your misfortune is small, insignificant in comparison with the general one, and it will become easier for you.”

From that moment a new life began for Father Alexei. He was lucky enough to serve as a pastor of Kronstadt, and he Fr. After this, Father Alexey began to celebrate the liturgy every day. Thus began his many years of work to organize the liturgical life of the Marosei parish: the priest tried to organize and rally his parishioners and everyone who turned to him around the life of the temple[4].

He entered the path of old age. He was prepared to accept the grace of old age by many years of ascetic life, when Father devoted himself entirely to prayer and serving people. So he, in the words of one of Father Alexy’s spiritual children, priest Nikolai Rudnev, “became a faithful and unchangeable guardian of the sorrowful human heart”[5].

For eight years, Father Alexei served the liturgy every day in an empty church. How painful it must have been for him to hear the careless, harsh words: “No matter how you pass by your temple, everyone calls you. I went into the church - it was empty. Nothing will work out for you, you’re just calling in vain.” Yes, but the “forecast” did not come true - people came, and the temple was filled, and people flocked to Maroseyka from all over Moscow[6].

Those who came to the temple on Maroseyka for the first time could see the following picture. A short, wrinkled priest with a scraggly beard and an old deacon were performing the service. The priest was wearing a faded kamilavka: he served somehow hastily, and, it seemed, carelessly, constantly left the altar, confessed in the choir, sometimes talked, laughed, looked for someone with his eyes, carried out and served prosphora himself. All this, and especially confession during the Liturgy, had an unpleasant effect on some. And the fact that the woman read the Apostle, and the fact that there were too many communicants, and the untimely blessing of water after the Liturgy. But the priest did all this out of love for people, so that no one would leave unconsoled[7].

Father Alexy greeted everyone who came to the Maroseya church, looking for help, mired in sins, forgetting about God, with cordial friendliness, love and compassion. The joy and peace of Christ were infused into their souls, hope appeared in the mercy of God, in the possibility of renewal of the soul. The love shown by Father gave everyone the feeling that he was loved, pitied, and consoled most of all. Father was filled with love. He did not know the cruel word “punish”, but knew the merciful word “forgive”. He did not impose on his children the burden of heavy obedience, did not demand special feats from anyone, at the same time emphasizing the need for at least the smallest external feat, indicating that one must weigh one’s strengths and capabilities and do whatever it takes, what I decided on.

“The path to salvation lies in love for God and neighbors,” the priest used to say. And he himself was full of merciful love.

Father loved the lives of saints. He himself re-read them a lot, and in each he was able to find the edification necessary for the person who came to him. His evening sermons consisted mostly of explanations of the lives of the saints.

Regarding prayer, Father, following the words of the Apostle: Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:7), he taught to pray at any time and in every place: “Whether you walk down the street, do something with your hands, or sit in a carriage, say a prayer.” . Father especially recommended the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Father, just as he himself did not like idleness and idleness, pointed out to others that idleness is the main cause of bad thoughts and desires.

Father Alexy had the grace-filled gift of clairvoyance, but out of his deep humility he tried not to show the fullness of this gift. Father gave instructions on what to do in a particular case only once. If the visitor objected, he would withdraw from the subsequent conversation without explaining what his unreasonable behavior would lead to. To those who came with a repentant feeling and full of trust, he provided prayerful assistance, interceding for them before the Lord and bringing deliverance from difficulties and troubles[8].

Father was very fond of saying that “everyone has their own path to salvation and in their own measure,” and everyone goes to Christ in their own measure, each along their own path. Therefore, Christianity considers the chaste monastic life, marital cohabitation, the state of a shepherd, the state of a layman, the state of a warrior, and the state of a judge to be equally saving. Therefore, there are many ways to Christ. Each human title, state, position, each individual property is already a special path. And the task of the elder, the spiritual father, is to reveal his calling in a person and show him the path in which he should go to Heaven. And since every elder has his own personal, well-trodden path to Heaven, his own personal understanding of things, wandering among the elders cannot give anything lasting to the inquisitive Christian soul. He said that there should only be one confessor and that one should only turn to him[9].

He directly did not let many who asked to join the elders in monasteries or monasteries. All this would happen not because, of course, they are not old or not spiritually experienced enough, but because their path diverges from the path that Father destined for their spiritual children[10].

Father's sermons were simple, sincere, touching the heart with the depth of faith, truthfulness, and understanding of life.

Father Alexy's prayer never stopped. She filled his temple, creating an atmosphere of prayer, the confidence that, despite all the bustle of life, one can be far from everything earthly, have unceasing prayer, a pure heart and stand before God here on earth. When Father prayed, according to the reviews of those who saw him, “he was burning with prayer, he listened to every word of the prayer greedily, as if afraid to miss a moment of spiritual delight.” The elder recommended personal prayer, his own conversation and turning to the Lord as a reliable and saving means for strengthening oneself in faith in God’s providence.

Father Alexy greatly revered the shrine of the temple - the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, and served prayers in front of it. One day, on the eve of the events of 1917, during a prayer service, he saw tears rolling down from the eyes of the Queen of Heaven. Everyone present saw this.

After 1917, when those who left the Church, having experienced numerous troubles, rushed to churches in the hope of God’s help, zealous young priests began to serve on Maroseyka, including the son of Father Alexei, priest Sergius Mechev, who was ordained a priest in 1919, now glorified among the saints as a hieromartyr, as well as Father Sergius Durylin, who left his memories and others about Father.

Great was the humility of Father Alexy. He was never offended by rudeness, avoided showing signs of deference and respect to himself, and avoided pompous services.

The true spiritual friends of Father Alexy were the Optina elders, Hieroschemamonk Anatoly (Potapov - also now canonized as a venerable one), and Abbot Theodosius. They were amazed at the feat of the Moscow elder, who lived in the city as if in a desert[11]. Pilgrims from Moscow who came to Optina Pustyn in those years often heard from the elders, Father Anatoly (Potapov) and Father Nektary: “Why do you come to us when you have Father Alexey?” He had the same spirit with them - kindness - all-covering, merciful, although demanding[12].

A like-minded person of Father Alexy was Archimandrite Arseny (Zhadanovsky), the future bishop. Father’s spiritual child was also a researcher at the psychological institute, Boris Vasilyevich Kholchev (future archimandrite).

Saint Patriarch Tikhon always took into account the recall of Father in cases of consecration, then he invited him to take on the work of uniting the Moscow clergy.

4. Community-parish

The rumor about the wonderful priest spread everywhere. And people reached out to him from all sides. Sometimes people came who were critical. There are hundreds of such examples. A person will come to be curious, sometimes even criticize, laugh, and, after a month or two, he is already standing at the pulpit and moving to Communion. Who is the culprit of such miraculous transformations? Father! To be with people, to live their lives, to rejoice in their joys, to be saddened by their sorrows - this is the purpose and way of life of a Christian, and especially a shepherd. One had only to look at Father Alexei’s memorial book, covered with hundreds of names of both the living and the dead, a book with which he never parted, to understand his own words, which he said, pointing to his heart: “I carry you all here!” . It was he who created on Maroseyka the spirit of love, prayer and detachment from the vain world, which united people in the terrible years of devastation and revolution. And, following the example of their spiritual father, people were transformed. As a result, Maroseyka had its own community[13].

Father Alexey used divine services as a unifying basis. He “understood that it was necessary to give believers a real, genuine divine service, not an imitation, not a surrogate, but an eternal divine service, consisting in the Orthodox liturgical experience. And on this foundation, the priest begins to introduce his spiritual children to eternity. It is not the practice of a parish church or monastery that is taken, but the divine service is performed according to those books according to which it should be performed, and is performed day after day in the morning and evening... A true communion with eternity through divine service begins”[14].

In 1920, Father held conversations on Mondays with his spiritual children, mainly young people, in which he revealed issues of marriage and raising children that were of concern to many at that time. These conversations were presented in simple, generally understandable language, in a warm atmosphere of family comfort, and the presentation of these issues was taught not in the form of abstract teachings, but in the form of stories from real life, Father’s personal experience, as well as through reading the diaries of his spiritual children, commented by himself , which greatly interested the listeners and left edifying memories of the conversations in their souls for a long time [15]. All this united the community and made it like one family.

Father Alexei set himself the task of establishing a “monastery in the world,” meaning not the monastery walls, but a “flock-family,” under a single spiritual leadership and bound within itself by bonds of love. In it, each person lives as an ordinary layman and member of society, but in his soul he works for God and strives to fulfill the vows of Baptism, to keep the commandments of God, to holiness, and deification. Some might not marry, others might live a family life, but both needed spiritual guidance to build a life on Christian principles[16].

In addition, under Father Alexei, in his parish “there were small spiritual families or groups, the participants of which were especially closely united with each other, met more often, sometimes every week, read something spiritual or prayed together”[17].

“Go to church more often, take communion more often!” - Father Alexey said to his spiritual children, knowing that for them the church should and will be that spiritual foundation that is rarely encountered by people wandering in the desert of this world. “And if on the streets, in the service, at home there is anger, abuse, irritation, malice - then here you will feel truly at home - brothers, sisters and children of the Heavenly Father,” Father told us. And indeed, as soon as a person came to church on Maroseyka, the whole world with its malice and injustice remained behind its walls - and whoever this person was, he felt that everyone standing here was not strangers to him, that all of them and he with them are the children of one Christian family, united and united. And in fervent prayer, he forgot his drab, dreary life and family discord and troubles in the service - and left the temple peaceful and joyful.

Therefore, the parish of St. Nicholas Church became not just a community, but a real Christian family, in which love and mutual assistance reigned, which was a striking contrast with the surrounding ominous reality of ever-increasing godlessness, rampant sin and persecution of the Church.

During the difficult times of famine 1920-1921. Many employees of Soviet institutions told the priest that they were careless in serving the new government, were late, sat idle, because “anyway, atheists shouldn’t work,” and he, by virtue of obedience, forced them to be imbued with a sense of duty and work honestly.” not for fear, but for conscience,” pointing to the example of ancient Christians who regularly paid taxes to godless Roman rulers.

Father’s bright soul had no sin against the civil authorities: everywhere and everywhere he was “the rule of faith and the image of meekness,” winning the hearts of even the atheists[18].

Twice Father Alexei was called for an interview at the OGPU (at the end of 1922 and March 17/30, 1923). They were forbidden to receive people. The second time he was released immediately because... They saw that he was seriously ill[19].

5. The death of the righteous

In the last days of May, Father Alexy left for Vereya, where he had rested the previous years. He had a presentiment that he was leaving forever. Before leaving, I served the last liturgy in my church, said goodbye to my spiritual children, and when I left, I said goodbye to the church. Cried a lot.

Father Alexy died on Friday, June 9/22, 1923. Coffin with the body of Fr. Alexy was taken to the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki on horseback on June 14/27. Until the very morning of the next day, the church communities of Moscow said goodbye to the deceased and sang requiems. In the evening, two funeral vigils were served (in the church and in the courtyard). The funeral liturgy was performed by Archbishop Theodore (Pozdeevsky), rector of the Danilov Monastery (Father asked for this, and Vladyka Theodore was released from prison on June 7/20 and was able to fulfill his wish). Saint Patriarch Tikhon, who was released from prison that day, arrived at the Lazarevskoe cemetery to see Father Alexy off on his final journey. His Holiness served a litany for the deceased, lowered the coffin into the grave and was the first to throw a handful of earth into it. The grief over the loss of an irreplaceable shepherd was simultaneously “dissolved” by joy on the occasion of the unexpected release of the Patriarch[20].

Many responded to the death of the beloved shepherd. Here is an excerpt from the funeral eulogy of Bishop Arseny (Zhadanovsky): “So, God-forgetting Christian world! Come here and see how you need to arrange your life. Come to your senses! Leave worldly vanity and know that you need to live on earth only for Heaven.”

Or, here is the funeral oration of priest Pavel Florensky: “Father Father Alexey belongs to those Russian righteous men, a number of which begins with the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, goes through Optina Pustyn and reaches the present day. This is the type of elders, gifted with the quiet light of humble pity and love for all who suffer. It is precisely such righteous people who are needed by people who are tired, exhausted by the bitterness of life, afraid of any careless touch to their wounds... He came up to us, already weak in body, but strong in love and pity, went with us at that moment when we all especially needed consolation, he went and... very soon, to great sadness, he reached the grave. However, he hid in it only in body, but in spirit soared to the Mountainous Jerusalem, so that there he would again meet us on the difficult paths of the afterlife ordeals and also lovingly, compassionately and affectionately go with us to the throne of the Lord, paying with our prayers for our sins. Father, Father Alexey, eternal memory to you, dear!”[21]

In love, edifying and warming, Father Alexy walked his life's path from a child's cradle to a modest grave at the Lazarevskoye cemetery. The life of a priest is a continuous feat of love.

Ten years later, due to the closure of the Lazarevskoye cemetery, the remains of the holy righteous Alexy and his wife were transferred on September 15/28, 1933 to the Vvedenskie Gory cemetery, to a plot that belonged to the relatives of his spiritual daughter Elena Vladimirovna Apushkina. The body of Father Alexy was incorrupt at that time.

Over his grave stood a marble monument with a small cross above it. In its lower part were carved the words of the Apostle Paul, so close to the heart of Father Alexy: “Bear each other’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ.”

6. After death

Many of his spiritual children, who formed the “core” of Maroseyka, united under obedience to the priest. This core was so imbued with the spirit of Father that even after his death, the community-parish on Maroseyka lived as before, in serving God in spirit and truth, as it lived with him alive and active. This spirit of the priest, the spirit of his elder teaching is something unique and self-sufficient[22].

But still, a shepherd was needed, a successor to Father Alexei. And his son, priest Sergius Mechev, became such a successor. After the death of Father Alexei, Priest Sergius Mechev (1892-1942) was worried and could not decide whether he, who had only recently become a priest, could take responsibility before God for the very large and diverse spiritual family of his father. After all, Father Alexei himself was recognized by his spiritual children only at the top of his path, which Father Alexei ascended gradually, through the experience of a lifetime full of sorrows and feats of prayer. And Father Sergius is young, inexperienced, although gifted, sincerely wishing the best for everyone and well-read in the holy fathers. What to do? And how to refuse? To whom should the community be left – the life’s work of Father Alexei?

And Father Sergius took into his pastoral care the “penitential-liturgical family,” as he called the parish, and cared for it until his martyrdom.

Father Sergius also had difficult periods when the burden of “father’s inheritance” seemed unbearable. He gave all his strength, spiritual and physical, to his flock, but was often met with misunderstanding and murmuring. He even wanted to leave the parish. But the Optina elder Nektarios, through his spiritual daughter, confirmed him in the necessity of his ministry[23].

It was difficult for many, and it was also difficult for Father Sergius: after the death of Father Alexei, the parishioners involuntarily compared them and demanded from the young Father Sergius the wisdom and experience of old age. He himself struggled with passions and taught others the same. Thus, overcoming passions, they grew closer and closer and became true friends.

Regarding divine services, Father Sergius said many times that the service should be full, and the question of how much to attend the service is individual[24].

Father Sergius carefully prepared for each sermon in order to give people something new for the mind and heart, for spiritual life.

In troubled times, when renovationism captured many parishes in Moscow, and Patriarch Tikhon was arrested, Maroseyka was one of the few who remained faithful to the patriarch. Father Sergius, like Father Alexei, knew that it was necessary not to renew the Church, but to go to it and learn from it, to use its Sacraments to renew the image of God in oneself.

The Marosean community grew and the number of groups, or spiritual families, grew. At the head of each was someone more knowledgeable, experienced or older in age, who was to some extent an assistant to the spiritual father in choosing reading and could provide first spiritual assistance to his sisters, console, encourage, advise, and in difficult times guide to the spiritual father. This was a great help for Father Sergius[25].

In 1929, Father Sergius was arrested and exiled, and in 1932 the church on Maroseyka was closed. But the friendly and united community continued to exist under the leadership of its shepherd. Small spiritual families headed by their elders also provided great spiritual support for community members.

At the first opportunity, Father Sergius wrote to his spiritual children. “You are my way in Christ, how can I go without you?” – he wrote to them in 1930.

In 1942, after four months of interrogation and torture, he was shot. Until his death, he continued to communicate with his parish, nourishing and strengthening his spiritual children[26].

The community-parish that Father Alexei Mechev created on Maroseyka absorbed the spirit of love, prayer and renunciation from the bustle world, which remained alive in it even after his death, and will live as long as the successors and spiritual deputies of the Great Shepherd shepherd the Maroseyka flock .

7.Conclusion

Father Alexy Mechev was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church by the Act of the Jubilee Council of Bishops on August 14, 2000; his canonization took place at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on August 20, 2000.

In 2001, on the feast of All Saints who shone forth in the Russian land, the relics of the righteous saint Alexy of Moscow were found. When the lid of the coffin became visible, a wonderful fragrance was felt in the air. The smell was reminiscent of holy ointment.

The holy relics of the righteous man were placed in the Novospassky Monastery. On September 29, 2001, the transfer of the holy relics took place. Regarding this event, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II addressed the people of God with two messages (the case in itself is unique). A great many priests and laity took part in the procession that carried the holy relics of the righteous throughout Moscow. Hieromartyr Sergius Mechev was also glorified as a saint. In November 2001, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy signed a Decree establishing special days in memory of Saints Alexy and Sergius Mechev[27].

The life of these saints of God is not only an example of personal piety for every Orthodox person, but also an example of the fact that on the basis of an ordinary small parish it is possible to create a real Christian family, comparable in love, faith and piety to the first Christians - a parish community. And that no storms of revolution, famine, or devastation can destroy this building created on the Rock - Christ (Matthew 7:24).

And now people go to Maroseyka to the Church of St. Nicholas to pray at the relics of the holy righteous Alexei Mechev. And just as when he was on earth, he never left anyone inconsolable, so now, being at the Throne of God, he continues to ask for God’s help to everyone who asks him.

Help in troubles and console in sorrows, / good shepherd, Father Alexie, / because you have shone through the world with the feat of eldership, / you have confessed the faith and love of Christ in the darkness of iniquity, / your heart aches for all those who come to you. // And now pray to God for us, / who honors you with love. (Troparion, tone 1).

[1] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[2] The holy righteous Alexy Mechev is a prayer book and seer. https://www.pravmir.ru/svyatoj-pravednyj-aleksij-mechev-molitvennik-i-prozorlivec/

[3] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[4] Moscow elder - righteous archpriest Alexy Mechev. In the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – pp.22-23

[5] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[6] Father Alexey Mechev: “Optina on Maroseyka.” https://www.pravmir.ru/otec-aleksej-mechev-optina-na-marosejke/

[7] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[8] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[9] Peter Yurgenson. Notes about Father. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/notes.html

[10] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[11] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[12] Father Alexey Mechev: “Optina on Maroseyka.” https://www.pravmir.ru/otec-aleksej-mechev-optina-na-marosejke/

[13] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[14] “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – P.26

[15] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[16] Moscow elder - righteous archpriest Alexy Mechev. In the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – P.27

[17] Moscow elder - righteous archpriest Alexy Mechev. In the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – P.28

[18] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[19] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[20] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

[21] P. Florensky. Death of father Alexei Mechev. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm4/florensky.html

[22] Deacon Vladimir Sysoev. Spirit of Maroseyka. https://co6op.narod.ru/txt/books/mechev/htm2/spirit.html

[23] From the pastoral experience of the holy martyr Sergius Mechev. in the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – pp.39-42

[24] “From the pastoral experience of the holy martyr Sergius Mechev. in the book: Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – P.49

[25] From the pastoral experience of the holy martyr Sergius Mechev. in the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – pp.53-54

[26] From the pastoral experience of the holy martyr Sergius Mechev. in the book: “Give us some of your oil...”: Advice from experienced confessors. Saratov, 2009 – P.40

[27] Holy Righteous Alexy (Mechev). https://www.st-nikolas.orthodoxy.ru/newmartyres/alexy_mechev.html

Architect, exterior decoration, architectural ensemble

The design development of the temple in the name of St. Alexis was carried out by the engineering organization “Mosproekt-3” under the leadership of the famous Soviet and Russian architect I. G. Biryukov. Architect Biryukov's creative portfolio includes many significant projects. He designed the Central Moscow Archive, the sanatorium of the Ministry of Defense in Marfino, shopping and residential complexes.

He is responsible for the restoration of the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery and the creation of the Cathedral of the Holy Princess Euphrosyne in the area of Nakhimovsky Prospekt. The design of the temple ensemble named after St. Alexius became one of the last works of the order-bearing master. The temple in Veshnyaki attracts the eye with its architectural and artistic expressiveness. The compact, but at the same time majestic church of Alexei Mechev fits well into the surrounding microdistrict.

The temple is made according to the strict canons and traditions of Russian architecture. Despite the small internal area, 1250 m², the church can simultaneously accommodate up to 300 parishioners. The shape of the building is a classic quadrangle - a tetrahedral volume used in Russian stone and wooden architecture. The quadrangular building of the church symbolizes the fullness of the world, concentrated in Christianity.

The facades are painted sand color with white edging along the edge of the semicircular zakomara. A black Byzantine dome rests on the light drum. Its helmet-shaped outlines mean the eternal spiritual confrontation between good and dark forces. The single dome is perceived by believers as a symbol of Divine unity. The height of the building from the foundation to the cross is 31.5 m.

A staircase of 7 steps leads to the porch at the oak western doors. The image of the Savior, surrounded by vines, was chosen as the gate icon. The clergy house is a two-story building with a bell tower attached to it. There is a refectory, Sunday school classes and a conference room here. There is a small icon shop.

Literature

"The Good Shepherd" The life and works of the Moscow elder Archpriest Alexei Mechev / Compiled by Sergei Fomin based on materials from the personal archive of Elena Apushkina. - M.: Pilgrim, 2007. 784 p. (B-ka “Russian Orthodoxy of the 20th century”).
Biography of the Moscow elder Father Alexei Mechev. Compiled by nun Juliania (in the world Maria Nikolaevna Sokolova). M.: Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, 2005. - 271 p.
Akathist to the holy righteous Alexy, presbyter of Moscow. - M.: Russian history, 2003. - 32 p.
The Life of Saint Righteous Alexy, Elder of Moscow. Cases of clairvoyance, intravital and posthumous miracles, signs, prayerful help of the elder about Alexy Mechev. - M.: Russian Chronograph, Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, 2002. 79 p.
Salt of the earth. Compiled by Sergei Fomin based on materials from the personal archive of Elena Apushkina. - M., 1998. - 335 p.
Alexander Dobrovolsky. Stories about Elder Alexei Mechev, about the miracles he performed, and about other miracles. Alexander Solodovnikov. Poetry. - M.: Mega-Service, 1995. - 95 p.
Moscow priest. Memories of Father Alexei Mechev. M: Svyato-Danilov Monastery, 1994. - 112 p.
Father Alexey Mechev. Memoirs, sermons, letters. Ed. N. A. Struve. - Paris: YMCA-Press, 1989. - 391 p.
The life and works of the righteous Alexy Mechev:

History of construction

Alekseevsky Church is one of the first buildings erected as part of the “Program-200” construction project. The concept is based on a plan for the establishment of 200 new Orthodox parishes in all metropolitan districts. The main goal of the program is to provide residents of the city’s residential areas with churches located within walking distance. To date, more than 60 facilities have already been put into operation.

The construction is carried out at the expense of extra-budgetary funds collected from monetary donations from large enterprises, philanthropists and ordinary residents. The foundation stone of the temple took place in February 2012. Most of the construction work was completed by the end of 2015. And already at the beginning of 2016, a small consecration took place. After this significant event, regular services began to be held in the church.

Until July 2022, when the temple was consecrated by the great rite, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the decoration of the shrine continued. On a plot of land with an area of 0.4 hectares, flower beds were laid out, trees and shrubs were planted.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 5

[2]

To the Shepherd of Christ, Father Alexis, / you fought a good fight, / you confessed the Orthodox faith in the darkness of lawlessness, / and, as a comforter and a spiritual doctor, / you are a doctor to all who come to you You are here./ Help us, who honor you with faith, // in love for one's neighbor will be established.

Troparion, same voice

Help in troubles, comfort in sorrows,/ good shepherd, Father Alexis./ Through the feat of old age you have brightened the world,/ you confessed the faith and love of Christ in the darkness of lawlessness,/ more Knowing in your heart about all those who flow to you. // And now pray to God for us , who honor you with love.

Troparion for the Transfer of Relics, Tone 4

The day of a new celebration has come, / the city of Moscow rejoices, / and the whole Russian country rejoices / with new spiritual stumps, / today is a sacred celebration / in the presentation of the honest and multi-healing relics / of the righteous and the wonderworker Alexy, / for the most bright luminary shone upon us with blessed rays, / consuming the darkness of illness and passions from those who sing diligently, / save us with your prayers, // Righteous Alexis, our father.

Kontakion, tone 8

[2]

Through the simplicity of faith you have reached the heights of humility, / while striving in prayer and good deeds, / you have been enriched with spiritual gifts, / and you have been enlightened by the light of Christ, / Father Alex, helper and comforter e./ Moreover, strengthen our faith,/ teach love for the Lord and our neighbors// and Bring us to salvation through your prayers.

In Kontakion, voice 2

[2]

You have undertaken great labors of love and mercy, / the righteous elder than Alexie, / from the holy shepherd of Kronstadt the blessing to help the suffering has been received, / the troubles and sorrows of people are like faith Place your yokes on your frame. / We, leading you boldly to the Lord as a prayer book, call to you with tenderness: // pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Interior decoration

The Temple of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki is quite modest inside, ascetic by the standards of the Christian church. After passing through a small porch, a person finds himself in the only church boundary. There are no frescoes on the walls, just simple whitewash. To the left of the lectern there is an eve table. A carved four-row iconostasis rises above the narrow salt. The room is illuminated by narrow elongated window openings.

In the evening, ministers light the round central chandelier and several small side lamps. Through the open Royal Doors you can see a gilded altar with an ornate seven-branched candlestick and a large icon of the Lord Pantocrator. The windows in the chancel are made in the tradition of stained glass technology. The pattern of colored glass, made in the style of the Orthodox tradition, carries deep symbolism.

The image of Christ, shining from the sun's rays falling on it, reminds parishioners that the Lord is the “East of Easts” (unfading). According to Christian tradition, glass also carries a symbol of purity and innocence. Along the perimeter of the middle part of the temple, a second tier is built on the choir choir, where singers are located during services.

Shrines and relics of the temple

Like any other temple, the Veshnyakov Church has its own, especially revered relics:

Mosaic icon of the Descent from the Cross.
Image of Saint David of Gareji.
A particle of the relics of St. Amphilochius of Pochaev.
A half-length image of Saint Alexis with hagiographic stamps (stamps, or frames around the perimeter of the icon, reproducing episodes from his life).

In 2022, His Holiness the Patriarch presented the icon of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul as a gift to the temple.

Time of the Soviets and death

In 1917, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God showed a new miracle - tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God. The beginning of revolutionary upheavals returned many who had previously departed to the walls of the Church. Many people gathered to serve the righteous Alexy the Moscow Archpriest; people came from all over the country to receive the blessing of the saint.

There was always a crowd in front of his house. Pilgrims sometimes stayed overnight to attend the conversation.

Hagiographic icon of Saint Alexy Mechev

The great thinker and philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev considered it an honor to have a spiritual mentor in the person of the righteous Alexy Mechev, the archpriest who gave his blessing for emigration. Berdyaev was forced to leave Russia due to his lack of understanding of the ideas of communism and fascism.

A follower of the Optina elders, a disciple of John of Kronstadt, without taking monasticism, acquired the status of an elder. Over the course of two years, 1922 and 1923, the holy father was summoned several times to the political department, where each time he was given a ban on communicating with Christians.

Only a serious incurable illness prevented the Bolsheviks from arresting Archpriest Alexy Mechev, who at the end of May 1923 moved to the small town of Vereya to rest, where he reposed in the Lord on June 22, 1923, spending his last evening in joy and peace.

Many people gathered for the funeral of the holy father. The funeral liturgy was performed by Archbishop Theodore (Pozdeevsky) in the presence of Patriarch Tikhon, who had recently been released from arrest.

Clergy, mentors

The rector of the temple is priest Viktor Malshakov. Priest was born in 1974. He graduated from the State Conservatory. A. Nezhdanova with a degree in Choral Conducting and the Odessa Theological Seminary. In parallel with his studies, he worked as a regent and reader in the churches of his native city.

In 2001, he entered the full-time department of the Moscow Theological Academy. In July 2005, after graduation, he was ordained to the rank of deacon, and a month later to the rank of priest. Before becoming a clergyman in Veshnyaki, Father Victor served in such parishes as the Elias Church in Cherkizovo and the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica in the village of Vostochny. For excellent services he was awarded a gaiter and a pectoral gold cross.

The Church of the Hieromartyr Sergius Mechev was consecrated with the Great Rite

Today, on the Sunday of Zacchaeus, Metropolitan Theodore of Volgograd and Kamyshin performed the rite of the Great Consecration of the Church of the Hieromartyr Sergius Mechev in the city of Volgograd and led the Divine Liturgy.

His Eminence was served by: the dean of the parishes of the Zatsaritsynsky district, Archpriest Vladislav Sidorenko, the dean of the parishes of the Beketovsky district, Archpriest Alexei Zimovets, Archpriest Konstantin Sibil, the rector of the temple, Priest Alexander Morozov, Priest Nikolai Likholetov, and Priest Viktor Ivashchenko.

The parish of Hieromartyr Sergius Mechev was founded in 2007. In 2010, construction of the temple began next to City Hospital No. 1 in the Kirovsky district of Volgograd. The rector, Father Alexander Morozov, regularly conducts counseling work in the hospital.

Today, with God's help, this small temple was consecrated with the Great Order. The names of all concelebrating clergy will remain on the lid of the consecrated altar.

The prayers and actions of consecrating the temple raise our gaze from temples made with hands to temples not made with hands, members of the spiritual body of the Church, which are all faithful Christians (2 Cor. 6:16). Therefore, during the consecration of the temple, what is done is similar to what is done for the sanctification of each person in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.

The consecration of the temple, performed by the bishop, is the most solemn.

Based on the sacramental verse, Priest Viktor Ivashchenko preached a sermon on the significance and meaning of the rite of consecrating the throne and the temple.

At the end of the service, Metropolitan Theodore addressed the worshipers with an archpastoral word:

— You and I know the Russian proverb “The Church is not in logs, but in ribs,” and therefore the parish is famous not for the beauty of its walls, but for the inner beauty of human souls, which in this Divine sanctuary are filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, growing until they reach the age of perfection Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we heard in the sermon about how church life developed and how in the beginning the first Christians gathered in the catacombs, performing services at the graves, at the relics of the holy martyrs. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of faith on which Christ establishes his Church. And the Savior calls us the temple of the Holy Spirit, because we must become a dwelling place of grace. Christ speaks terrible words: whoever corrupts this temple, God will corrupt him. How is our temple of the heart corrupted? Sins, passions, sinful thoughts, lusts, feelings, dreams... We must, at least when crossing the sacred threshold of the Church of God, leave everything earthly, everything material, material, everything temporary beyond this threshold and here be completely different people - citizens of Heaven.

Every Christian is a heavenly man, an earthly angel. We are called to such a height of service, to such a life, and if so, then we must correctly understand the words of Christ “I send you like lambs among wolves.” People who are faithful to Christ, His commandments, His teaching, being in an aggressive, hostile world, must be like gentle lambs among fierce beasts. But to maintain this purity of your heart, you need to be as wise as a snake. She always goes around corners gently and doesn’t cut rashly. We must learn to bypass all temptations wisely and maintain deep meekness.

Our hearts are the altar of a martyr, because a person cannot help but suffer in such a division: the heart belongs to the spiritual heaven, and the body is in the material world with its own laws, rules and requirements. How to maintain inner balance here? Christ says: it is impossible to serve two masters, either he will love one and hate the other, or he will serve one and not care for the other. You need to establish yourself in the right choice - who to serve and who to follow, what to accept and what to reject.

At every Liturgical service we hear the commandments of God, the Beatitudes. One of them says that you and I should be hungry and thirsty for truth. Thirst for the fulfillment of Christ’s commandments, but not so much in the world around us, but in ourselves. When not just a desire arises in us, but a thirst for fulfilling them, then we already reach a different level of spiritual life.

After consecration, the temple acquires special Grace. We heard with you in our prayers that the Lord closes His ear, if we speak humanly, to everyone who from now on walks here, from the moment of the Great Consecration. He will treat all our requests carefully, and if He does not immediately fulfill them, it is not because He did not hear them, but because He considered that it was not yet time for them to be fulfilled. Or maybe He didn’t see the firmness in our hearts? Maybe we ourselves don’t know what we want? You need to understand what you want from life, from people. What do you want from yourself, what do you want from God. And when you have built this system of values in your heart, then ask, and everything will be given to you, and maybe even before your request, because the Lord, the knower of the heart, knows all our needs before our prayers.

Let us turn to our God the Savior, the Creator, our Heavenly Father, not only here, in the temple, which is the foot of Heaven, but also in every place of the Lord’s creation, because there is no place where the Lord does not dwell with His gracious presence. But His most important seat should be the throne of our heart, and it is sanctified by the sacrifice that we offer to God through our neighbor. Sacrifice of humility, patience, meekness and love. Each of us must grow in this service, and there is absolutely no limit to this.

May the mercy of God and His saving grace be in this sacred place, in this temple dedicated to the hieromartyr and confessor Sergius Mechev, who for us is an example of imitation of life in Christ in a world against God. May this grace abide in the hearts of each of you, and may this grace flow from your hearts to the world around you. Share it with others through good deeds, through words of comfort, words of welcome and evangelism.

Happy holiday to all of you, beloved ones.

(494)

Parish and choir of the temple

The Church of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki leads traditional parish life. People go to services, order services, make donations, help with cleaning and landscaping the surrounding area, and obey in the refectory.

Lectures and meetings with Moscow clergy are organized for adults, where listeners can ask questions. Many parishioners make the pilgrimage. Groups gather to visit churches in Moscow and the nearest Moscow region. Some parishioners go to services in churches in St. Petersburg and Pskov. A group of lovers of choral singing has been created within the walls of the temple.

Study and beginning of ministry

Alexei’s mother chose the Zaikonospasskoye School for his education; the boy himself dreamed of becoming a doctor, but did not dare to disobey his parents. Further, the Moscow Seminary became the next stage in learning the foundations of Christianity. The young seminarian studied at night, because their apartment was still filled with people, and the young man did not have a separate room. Looking back, the holy father more than once spoke with gratitude about his mother, who had chosen for him the path of serving God.

In October 1880, seminarians graduated, and Alexey became a psalm-reader at the church on Znamenka. Thanks to the obedience, patience and humility absorbed with his mother’s milk, the young minister was able to walk this path of life with dignity, enduring nagging, sometimes even light beatings, and excessive loads from the rector of the church, Father George.

Father Alexy Mechev performs a prayer service

The time came, and in 1884 Alexey Mechev married Anna Petrovna Molchanova, the daughter of a clergyman. In the same year, His Eminence Misail, Bishop of Mozhaisk, ordained Alexy as deacon of the St. George Church of the Sretensky Forty. The Lord blessed the saint with a beautiful wife, who became his friend and first assistant, but who suffered from heart disease.

They had three daughters and two sons, however, the first boy died before he was a year old, and Sergei, born in 1892, was subsequently numbered among the holy martyrs.

Social work, everyday life

The parishioners and the rector carry out feasible social activities. Educational and missionary services are actively developing. Parishioners provide spiritual assistance, care for the sick, located next door to the Clinical City Hospital No. 15 named after. O. Filatova. Priests do not refuse confession, communion, or unction to hospital patients.

Fathers visit not only simple hospital wards, but also those who are in the palliative department. A parishioner of the temple, artist M. Myshkovskaya, creates mosaic icons for Russian churches free of charge. She has already completed more than 30 similar works. Several of her icons are located within the walls of the temple. Young parishioners perform concerts and performances in nursing homes.

Righteous Alexy Mechev

The holy righteous Alexy Mechev was born on March 17, 1859 into the pious family of the regent of the Chudovsky Cathedral Choir.

His father, Alexey Ivanovich Mechev, the son of the archpriest of the Kolomna district, as a child was saved from death in the cold on a cold winter night by St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. Among the boys from the families of the clergy of the Moscow diocese, selected according to the criterion of sufficient musicality, he was brought late in the evening to Trinity Lane at the metropolitan courtyard.

When the children were having dinner, Vladyka Metropolitan suddenly became alarmed, quickly got dressed and went out to inspect the arriving convoy. In one sleigh he found a sleeping boy, left there due to an oversight. Seeing the Providence of God in this, Metropolitan Philaret paid special attention and care to the child he saved, constantly caring for him, and subsequently for his family.

Alexey Ivanovich was encouraged, defended the liturgy and, inspired by hope, went home. At the door he was greeted with joy: a boy was born.

All his life, Father Alexy recalled with reverence the selfless act of his mother, who took in her sister and three children after the death of her husband, despite the fact that he himself was close to his three children - sons Alexei and Tikhon and daughter Varvara. We had to build a bed for the children.

Alexey Mechev studied at the Zaikonospassky School, then at the Moscow Theological Seminary. He was diligent, efficient, ready for any service. When I graduated from the seminary, I still didn’t have my own corner, which was so necessary for studying. To prepare homework, I often had to get up at night.

Together with many of his classmates, Alexey Mechev had the desire to go to university and become a doctor. But his mother resolutely opposed this, wanting to have him as a prayer book. “You’re so small, why should you be a doctor? You’d better be a priest,” she said firmly.

It was hard for Alexey to give up his dream: the activity of a doctor seemed to him the most fruitful in serving people. He said goodbye to his friends with tears, but he could not go against the will of his mother, whom he respected and loved so much. Subsequently, the priest realized that he had found his true calling, and was very grateful to his mother.

After graduating from the seminary, Alexey Mechev was appointed on October 14, 1880 as a psalm-reader at the Znamenskaya Church of the Prechistensky Forty on Znamenka. Here he was destined to undergo a difficult test.

The rector of the temple was a man of tough character, unreasonably picky. He demanded that the psalm-reader perform duties that lay on the watch, treated him rudely, even beat him, and sometimes waved him with a poker. The younger brother Tikhon, visiting Alexei, often found him in tears. Sometimes the deacon stood up for the defenseless psalm-reader, and he endured everything resignedly, without expressing complaints, without asking to be transferred to another church. And subsequently he thanked the Lord for allowing him to go through such a school, and remembered the abbot, Father George, as his teacher.

Already a priest, Father Alexy, having heard about the death of Father George, came to the funeral service, accompanied him to the grave with tears of gratitude and love, to the surprise of those who knew the attitude of the deceased towards him.

Then Father Alexy said: when people point out shortcomings that we ourselves do not notice, they help us fight our “yashka”. We have two enemies: “okayashka” and “yashka” - this is what the priest called pride, the human “I”, which immediately declares its rights when someone, willy-nilly or not, hurts and infringes on it. “Such people must be loved as benefactors,” he later taught his spiritual children.

In 1884, Alexy Mechev married the daughter of a psalm-reader, eighteen-year-old Anna Petrovna Molchanova. That same year, on November 18, he was ordained as a deacon by Bishop Misail of Mozhaisk.

Having become a servant of the altar, Deacon Alexy experienced a fiery zeal for the Lord, and outwardly showed the greatest simplicity, humility and meekness. His marriage was happy. Anna loved her husband and sympathized with him in everything. But she suffered from a serious heart disease, and her health became the subject of his constant concern. In his wife, Father Alexy saw a friend and first assistant on his path to Christ; he valued his wife’s friendly remarks and listened to them the way another listens to his elder; immediately sought to correct the shortcomings she noticed.

Children were born into the family: Alexandra (1888), Anna (1890), Alexey (1891), who died in the first year of his life, Sergei (1892) and Olga (1896).

On March 19, 1893, Deacon Alexy Mechev was ordained by Bishop Nestor, head of the Moscow Novospassky Monastery, as a priest to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki Sretensky Forty. The consecration took place at the Zaikonospassky Monastery. The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki on Maroseyka was small, and its parish was very small. In the immediate vicinity there were large, well-attended temples.

Having become the rector of the single-staff Church of St. Nicholas, Father Alexy introduced daily services in his church, while usually in small Moscow churches they were performed only two or three times a week.

The priest came to the temple almost at five o’clock in the morning and unlocked it himself. Reverently venerating the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God and other images, he, without waiting for anyone from the clergy, prepared everything necessary for the Eucharist and performed proskomedia. When the appointed hour approached, he began Matins, which he himself often read and sang; then followed the liturgy. “For eight years I served the liturgy every day in an empty church,” the priest later said. “One archpriest told me: “No matter how much I pass by your church, everyone calls you. I went into the church - it was empty... Nothing will come of it, you’re calling in vain.” But Father Alexy was not embarrassed by this and continued to serve.

According to the then-current custom, Muscovites fasted once a year during Great Lent. In the St. Nicholas-Klenniki Church on Maroseyka Street one could confess and receive communion any day. Over time, this became known in Moscow. A case is described when a policeman standing at his post found the behavior of an unknown woman suspicious at a very early hour on the banks of the Moscow River. When he approached, he learned that the woman was in despair from the hardships of life and wanted to drown herself. He convinced her to abandon this intention and go to Maroseyka to Father Alexy. Grieving, burdened with the sorrows of life, dejected people flocked to this temple. From them a rumor spread about his good abbot.

The life of the clergy of numerous small parishes of that time was financially difficult, and living conditions were often poor. The small wooden house in which Alexy’s father’s family lived was dilapidated, half-rotten; The neighboring two-story houses standing closely shaded the windows. In rainy times, streams, running down from Pokrovka and Maroseyka, flowed into the courtyard of the temple and into the basement of the house; the apartment was always damp.

Mother Anna Petrovna was seriously ill. She developed cardiac dropsy with large edema and painful shortness of breath. Anna Petrovna died on August 29, 1902, on the day of the beheading of the head of the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John.

At that time, a merchant family very close to Father Alexy (Alexey and Claudia Belov) invited the righteous Father John of Kronstadt, who had come to Moscow, to their home, with whom they were in contact on matters of charity. This was done so that Father Alexy could meet him.

“Have you come to share my grief with me?” Father Alexy asked when Father John entered. “I didn’t come to share your grief, but your joy,” answered Father John. – The Lord visits you. Leave your cell and go out to people; only from now on will you begin to live. You rejoice at your sorrows and think: there is no greater grief in the world than yours... But you be with the people, enter into someone else’s grief, take it upon yourself, and then you will see that your misfortune is insignificant in comparison with the general grief, and it will become easier for you.” .

The grace of God, abundantly resting on the Kronstadt shepherd, illuminated the life path of Father Alexy in a new way. He accepted what was indicated to him as obedience entrusted to him. He was undoubtedly prepared for the perception of the grace of old age by many years of truly ascetic life.

Father Alexy met those who were looking for help in the Maroseya church, broken by difficult circumstances, mutual hostility, mired in sins, who had forgotten about God, with heartfelt friendliness, love and compassion. The joy and peace of Christ were infused into their souls, hope was manifested in the mercy of God, in the possibility of soul renewal, the love shown towards them gave everyone the feeling that they were loved, pitied, and consoled more than anyone else.

Father Alexy received from God the gracious gift of clairvoyance. Those who came to him could see that he knew their whole life, both its external events and their spiritual aspirations and thoughts. He revealed himself to people to varying degrees. Out of deep humility, I always tried not to show the fullness of this gift. He usually spoke about any details, details of a situation still unknown to the interlocutor, not directly, but allegedly talking about a similar case that had recently taken place. The priest gave instructions on how to proceed in a specific matter only once. If the visitor objected, insisted on his own, then Father Alexy withdrew from further conversation, did not explain what the unreasonable desire would lead to, and did not even repeat what was originally said. He could sometimes give the blessing required from him. To those who came with a repentant feeling and full of trust, he provided prayerful assistance, interceding for them before the Lord for deliverance from difficulties and troubles.

Father Alexy became known as a kind father, whom one should turn to in difficult moments for the family. It was not in his rules to read instructions, denounce, or analyze someone’s bad deeds. He knew how to talk about the moral aspects of family situations without affecting the painful pride of the parties to the conflict. And he was invited to services at critical moments. Coming to a family that was ready to fall apart, the priest brought into it peace, love and an all-forgiving understanding of everyone. He did not blame anyone, did not reproach, but tried, by citing vivid cases of mistakes and delusions, to bring those listening to the consciousness of his guilt, to evoke in them a feeling of repentance. This dissipated the clouds of anger, and the guilty began to feel wrong in their actions. Proper understanding often did not come immediately, but later, when a person, remembering the words of Father Alexy and looking deeper into his softened soul, could finally see that his stories were directly related to him, and understand what new path he was charting for him.

In the lower residential floor of the temple, the priest opened an elementary parochial school, and also set up a shelter for orphans and children of poor parents. Children learned useful crafts there. For 13 years, Father Alexy taught children the Law of God at the private girls’ gymnasium E.V. Winkler.

Having blessed his spiritual daughter Maria, who came to his church as a teenage girl shortly after her father’s death, to paint icons, the priest contributed to the further revival of ancient Russian icon painting, which had been in oblivion for several centuries, giving way to painting.

At that time, Father Alexy began to perform divine services in the church not only in the morning, but also in the evening (vespers and matins).

The priest's sermons were simple, sincere, they were not distinguished by eloquence. What he said touched the heart with the depth of faith, truthfulness, and understanding of life. He did not use oratorical techniques, focusing the attention of his listeners on gospel events and the lives of saints, while remaining completely in the shadows.

Father Alexy's prayer never stopped. By his example, the priest showed that with the noise and bustle of life in the city, you can be far from everything earthly, have unceasing prayer, a pure heart, and stand before God while still here on earth.

When asked how to improve the life of the parish, he answered: “Pray!” He called on his spiritual children to pray during the funeral services: “Once again you will come into contact with the departed... When you appear before God, they will all raise their hands for you, and you will be saved.”

The number of worshipers in the temple increased. Especially after 1917, when those who left the Church, having experienced numerous troubles, rushed to churches in the hope of God’s help. After the closure of the Kremlin, part of the parishioners and singers of the Chudov Monastery moved, with the blessing of Bishop Arseny (Zhadanovsky), to the church of Father Alexy. Many young people appeared, students who saw that the revolution, instead of the promised benefits, brought new disasters, and now sought to comprehend the laws of spiritual life.

During these years, zealous young priests and deacons who had received their education began to serve on Maroseyka, including the son of Father Alexy, Father Sergius Mechev, who was ordained a priest on Holy Thursday 1919. They also helped in conducting lectures, conversations, and organizing courses on the study of divine services. But the burden on Father Alexy was increasing. Too many wanted to receive his blessing on any matter, to listen to his advice. Previously, Father had to receive some of those who came in his apartment in the clergyman’s house, built before the First World War by the famous publisher I.D. Sytin. Now one could see endless queues at the doors of the house; in the summer, visitors stayed overnight in the temple courtyard.

Great was the humility of Father Alexy. He was never offended by any rudeness towards himself. “What am I?.. I’m poor...” he used to say. Once, having forced his spiritual daughter to remember in confession that she spoke badly about her relative and did not attach any importance to it, he told her: “Remember, Lydia, that there is no one worse than you and me in the whole world.”

The priest avoided showing signs of reverence and respect towards himself, avoided lavish services, and if he had to participate, he tried to stand behind everyone. He was burdened by awards, they burdened him, causing him deep, sincere embarrassment.

Due to the efforts of the Chudov sisters, in 1920 His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon awarded the priest the right to wear a cross with decorations. Priests and parishioners gathered in the temple in the evening to congratulate him. Father Alexy, usually smiling and joyful, looked alarmed and upset. After a short prayer service, he turned to the people with contrition, speaking of his unworthiness, and, bursting into bitter tears, asked for forgiveness and bowed to the ground. Everyone saw that, accepting this award, he really felt unworthy of it.

The true spiritual friends of Father Alexy were the contemporary Optina ascetics - the elder Hieroschemamonk Anatoly (Potapov) and the monastery leader Abbot Theodosius. Father Anatoly directed Muscovites who came to him to see Father Alexy. Elder Nektarios said to someone: “Why are you coming to us? You have Father Alexy.”

Father Theodosius, having once arrived in Moscow, visited the Maroseya temple. I was at the service, I saw how the lines of confessors walked, how earnestly and long the service went on, the commemoration was performed in detail, how many people were waiting to be received. And he said to Father Alexy: “For all this work that you are doing alone, we would need several people in Optina. This is beyond the strength of one person. The Lord is helping you."

His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon, who always took into account the recall of the priest in cases of consecration, invited him to take on the work of uniting the Moscow clergy. The meetings took place in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, but due to the conditions of that time they were soon discontinued. The attitude of the clergy towards the priest was very different. Many recognized his authority, some of the shepherds were his spiritual children and followers, but there were also many who criticized him.

In the last days of May according to the new style of 1923, Father Alexy went, as in previous years, to rest in Vereya, a remote town in the Moscow region, where he had a small house. Before leaving, he served his last liturgy in the Maroseya church, said goodbye to his spiritual children, and when he left, he said goodbye to the temple. Father Alexy died on Friday, June 9/22, 1923. The last evening he was joyful, affectionate with everyone, remembering those who were absent, especially his grandson Alyosha. Death occurred as soon as he lay down in bed, and was instantaneous.

The coffin with the body of Father Alexy was delivered to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki on a horse on Wednesday, June 14/27 at nine o’clock in the morning. The church communities of Moscow, led by their pastors, came one after another to sing requiems and say goodbye to the deceased. This lasted until the very morning of the next day to give everyone who came the opportunity to pray. Two funeral vigils were served in the evening: one in the church and the other in the courtyard. The liturgy and funeral service were performed at the head of the host of clergy by Archbishop Theodore (Pozdeevsky), rector of the Danilov Monastery - Father Alexy requested this in his letter shortly before his death. Vladyka Theodore was then in prison, but on June 7/20 he was released and was able to fulfill the priest’s wish.

Easter chants were sung all the way to the cemetery. The confessor of Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon, who had just been released from prison, arrived at the Lazarevskoye cemetery to see off Father Alexy on his final journey. He was enthusiastically received by crowds of people. The prophetic words of the priest came true: “When I die, there will be joy for everyone.” Lithium was served by Archimandrite Anempodistos. His Holiness blessed the coffin being lowered into the grave and was the first to throw a handful of earth on it.

During his lifetime, Father Alexy told his spiritual children to come to his grave with all their difficulties, troubles, and needs. And many went to see him at the Lazarevskoye cemetery.

Ten years later, due to the closure of the Lazarevskoye cemetery, the remains of Father Alexy and his wife were transferred on September 15/28, 1933 to the Vvedenskie Gory cemetery, popularly called German. The body of Father Alexy was incorrupt at that time. Only on one of the legs the ankle joint was broken and the foot was separated.

All subsequent decades, the grave of Father Alexy was, according to the cemetery administration, the most visited. Thanks to stories about the help received, and later publications, many people learned about Father Alexy and, asking for his intercession in their troubles and difficult everyday circumstances, were consoled by the priest.

We regularly had to add more land to the grave mound, since those who resorted to the help of Father Alexy took it with them...

On the first anniversary of the death of Father Alexy, the Maroseya community invited everyone who wished to write about their meetings with the priest, to which many responded. These memories were unequal; but in some of them cases of clairvoyance, examples of miracles, signs and prayerful help of the elder are attested.

One woman from Tula lost her only son. There was no news from him for six months; the mother was in a difficult state. Someone advised her to contact Father Alexy. She came to Moscow, came straight to the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki, and at the end of the liturgy, along with everyone else, went to venerate the cross. Several more worshipers separated her from the priest, whom she saw for the first time, when he handed her a cross over the heads of those walking in front of her and said impressively: “Pray as if you were alive.” Confused by surprise, she became embarrassed and was embarrassed to approach again. Not having the strength to calm down, she turned to the priest, who knew the priest well, and he brought her to his home. As soon as she entered the room and took the blessing, the priest, having not yet heard a single word from her, and she could not speak from excitement and the tears that were choking her, took her by the shoulder and, looking into her eyes with love and affection, said: “ Happy mother, happy mother! What are you crying about? I’m telling you: he’s alive!” Then, going up to the desk, he began to sort through the paper icons lying on it, saying: “The other day, too, my mother visited me: she’s always worried about her son, but he’s quietly serving in Sofia at a tobacco factory. Well, God bless,” and with these words he blessed her with an icon. It was during Bright Week. At the end of September, she received a letter from her son from Bulgaria, where he said that he was working in Sofia at a tobacco factory.

Olga Serafimovna, a person from the upper strata of society, deeply religious and church-going, was the head of an orphanage, which was under the guardianship of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. She often visited the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki with Father Alexy. And he visited the shelter at her invitation.

One day, one of her subordinate employees, the caretaker of the orphanage, gathered with her for mass in this church. After the liturgy, approaching the cross, Olga Serafimovna thought: “What if the priest tells me something now that will lower my dignity and authority in the eyes of my subordinate?” Fearing this, she invited her colleague to go ahead of her, but she did not want to. Seeing Olga Serafimovna, the priest raised the cross high and, blessing her with a broad, firm gesture, loudly and abruptly said: “Olga! for others he said...” and, looking at her with the usual benign smile, continued to give the cross to those who approached.

One day, a boy who had learned to steal was brought to his priest for a reception. Father, who opened the door himself and had not yet heard anything about him, said sternly to him: “Why are you stealing? It's not good to steal."

One lady named Vera, who served in the church, received permission to see the priest during his illness. On the way to him she kept thinking: “Lord! What should I do, because I have two sisters, both disabled, I support them, what will happen to them when I die?..” As soon as she entered the priest’s room, he greeted her with the words: “Oh, Vera, without faith, and you also wear a headscarf, church sister. Why do you take everything upon yourself and don’t want to leave anything to God? No, this is what you say, leave all these doubts at the door and believe that God will protect your sisters better than you.”

One woman came to ask the priest if she should get married. Her husband was captured by the Germans during the 1914 war. Almost 9 years have passed since then, and there is no news about him, but a very good man is wooing her. Instead of answering, the priest said: “Here, dear ones, are some cases: one woman came to me and said: “Father, bless me to get married, since my husband has been in captivity for many years and, apparently, he is no longer alive. And a very good man is wooing me.” I didn’t bless her, but she still got married. She just got married, and eight or nine days later her husband returns from captivity. And so two husbands, and with them a wife, came to resolve the question of whose wife she was now. These are the cases...” The questioner got scared and decided to wait, and a few days later her husband unexpectedly returned.

One Friday, after the end of the liturgy, two girls dressed in black approached the priest with a request to bless them to enter the monastery. He blessed one of them willingly and gave a large prosphora, and the other said: “You go back home, you are needed there, and I will not bless you for going to the monastery.” The girl walked away embarrassed and disappointed. People around were curious about who she lived with and under what conditions. The girl replied that she lives with a sick old mother who doesn’t want to hear about her daughter leaving for a monastery, because then she will be left completely alone.

After the prayer service on Wednesday, a woman approached the priest, fell at his feet and, sobbing, began shouting: “Father, help! Father, save me! I can’t live in the world anymore: my last son was killed in the war,” and she began to bang her head on the candlestick next to the icon of St. Nicholas. Approaching, the priest addressed her with the following words: “What are you doing, how can you despair so much? Here is our great intercessor and prayer book before the Lord.” And, helping her get to her feet, he immediately began a prayer service to St. Nicholas, and said to her: “Make three prostrations. You don’t have time to stand for prayer. I’ll pray for you alone, and you go home quickly, great joy awaits you there.” And the woman, encouraged by the priest, ran home. The next day, during the early liturgy, which was celebrated by Father Alexy, yesterday’s visitor noisily ran in. She wanted to see the priest as soon as possible, repeating in an excited voice: “Where is the priest?” She reported that when she came home yesterday, she found on the table a telegram from her son, which told her to immediately come to the station to meet him. “Yes, here he comes,” she pointed to the young man who was entering at that moment. The priest was called from the altar. With a sob, the woman fell to her knees in front of him and asked to serve a thanksgiving prayer service.

During Great Lent, after a prayer service, a woman approaches Father Alexy: “Father, help, I’m completely tormented by grief. You won’t have time to see off five before you’ll meet nine.” Father, looking intently into her face, asked: “How long have you taken communion?” Not expecting such a question, the woman became embarrassed and began to say confusedly: “Yes, recently, father, I was fasting...” - “How recently? – the priest repeated the question, “will he be four years old already?” - “No, father, I just missed last year, and the year before last I was unwell.” - “Were you in the village before this year? Here you are, four years old.” Realizing that the priest knew her whole life, she knelt before him, asking for forgiveness. “What are you asking of me? - the priest noted, - ask God, Whom you have forgotten. That is why sorrows overcame you.”

Father Sergius Durylin, having become rector of the chapel of the Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God in the spring of 1921, continued to serve on Maroseyka on a certain day of the week. He said that on one of these days in 1922 a woman came to the temple, cried a lot and told about herself that she was from Siberia, from the city of Tobolsk. During the civil war, her son disappeared; she didn't know whether he was alive or dead. One day, having cried especially in prayer to the Monk Seraphim and exhausted from tears, she saw the reverend himself in a dream. He was chopping wood with an ax and, turning around, said: “Are you still crying? Go to Moscow to Maroseyka to see Father Alexy Mechev. Your son will be found."

And so she, who had never been to Moscow, had never heard the name of Alexy’s father, decided on such a long and difficult path at that time. I had to travel either on a freight train or on a passenger train. God knows how she got there. She found Maroseyka, the church and the priest, whom the Monk Seraphim pointed out to her. Tears of joy and tenderness flowed down her face. After the death of the priest, it became known that this woman had then found her son.

There is a lot of evidence of grace-filled help in various needs through prayers to the elder. Many such cases were noted during the restoration of the temple on Maroseyka. On the days of the priest’s memory, help came unexpectedly several times with paperwork and urgent matters related to repair work in the church and church house; donations came in. It is known from experience that when in grief they turn to him: “Father Father Alexy, help,” help comes very quickly, Father Alexy acquired from the Lord the great grace to pray for those who turn to him.

At the Jubilee Council of Bishops in 2000, the elder in the world, Archpriest Alexy Mechev, was canonized as a saint of the Russian Orthodox Church for church-wide veneration.

Currently, the relics of St. Alexy Mechev are located in Moscow in the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki.

Moscow Diocesan Gazette. 2000. No. 10-1. pp. 34-43.

Sunday School

There is a Sunday school at the temple. Not only middle-aged students come here, but also children with whom they study according to a separate program. For preschoolers, an introduction to the Law of God is taught in a playful way. In addition to studying, they enjoy drawing and sculpting.

Middle-aged children are introduced to biblical stories in lessons; the structure of the temple and the meaning of Orthodox holidays are explained to them. Teachers tell stories from the Old Testament.

Children enjoy attending hobby groups:

drawing;
artistic modeling;
choral singing.

In addition to lessons together with school teachers, students prepare thematic theatrical performances and concerts for parishioners. A Youth Association has been created for teenagers and students. Participants in the movement help teachers work with children, try their hand as volunteers, and take part in tournaments of the Moscow Orthodox Intellectual Club “What? Where? When?".

The Sunday school director and teachers take an active part in preparing performances, concerts dedicated to Orthodox holidays, and church events.

Every Sunday in the church there are readings and conversations in the Gospel circle. Anyone can come up, listen, and chat with the priest. The work of the circle starts at 15:30.

CIVIL INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP SUPER SOCIAL COMMUNITIES MOVEMENT

Anna Alieva, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, St. Philaret Orthodox Christian Institute

MONASTERY IN THE WORLD.

THE FATHER'S PASTORAL TREATMENTS

ALEXEY MECHEV

There are two approaches to people: St. Seraphim and John the Baptist. The approach of St. Seraphim is closer to me, and I try to approach it that way. Everyone must be approached very carefully and tenderly. Holy Righteous Alexey Mechev

Father Alexey Mechev is one of the key figures in the spiritual life of Moscow at the beginning of the 20th century. He became famous as a shepherd in the 1910s. During this difficult period for Russia, he not only helped people, but was also able to become a real example of Christian life. In his pastoral activities, he achieved amazing results; very different people came to him for advice and considered him their confessor: actors, philosophers, ordinary workers, students, etc. But the main result of his ministry is that he raised such church people , which remained in the church even after his death (1923). They were able to become a community, lead a deep church life, and this life, preserved throughout the Soviet period, has been carried down to the present day. There are few such shepherds, and that is why their experience is so important for us both in its content and in its forms of embodiment.

THE PASTORAL WAY OF O. ALEXEY MECHEV

Leading a person in the church, i.e. healing of sins and enlightenment occurs in different ways. Father Alexey made his own accents and in his own way embodied shepherding in his contemporary world. Therefore, we will begin to consider the topic of shepherding from the spiritual path of the shepherd himself.

Father Alexey Mechev

Father Alexey Mechev was born into the family of the regent of the choir of the Chudov Monastery (the residence of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow). The birth was difficult, as Father Fr. Alexey informed the Metropolitan. Saint Philaret, who was always attentive to the needs of his regent’s family, responded to this sorrow with fervent prayer. The baby was born safely and was named Alexei in honor of St. Alexei, man of God. Father Alexei subsequently always said: “The Lord and I are of the same spirit,” meaning the spirit of ardent faith and zeal for the gathering of the Church of God.

To characterize the pastoral path of Fr. Alexei, as well as his attitude to life in general and to church life in particular, it is necessary to mention three provisions on which he relied. This is the initial desire to create a “monastery in the world”, i.e. a living parish, a living church community. The second moment is the meeting with Fr. John of Kronstadt, as a result of which Fr. Alexey seemed to turn from focusing on himself and his grief outward, to people. And the third is the deep humility of Fr. Alexei, who always avoided all kinds of awards and seriously considered himself to be doing little. The entire pastoral activity of Fr. Alexei.

The main qualities of Fr. Alexey as a shepherd, which his spiritual children note, is firmness on the chosen path, missionary orientation of life, the ability to choose the middle path between indulging weakness and “tightening the screws.”

An example of firmness on the chosen path is the persistent performance of daily worship for eight years in an empty temple. And the result is thousands of people coming to the temple at the end of his life. Missionary activity of Fr. Alexei immediately followed his appointment as rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki to the nearby Khitrovoy Market, a famous place where the most disadvantaged residents of Moscow gathered. And this brought considerable fruit: to Fr. People of different classes came to Alexey, and next to him many, many found faith, strengthened in faith and in life in God.

In his approach to his flock, Fr. Alexey used the principle of oikonomia. He taught that it is necessary for a Christian to fulfill all the commandments given by the church. But “for the sake of love, which overcomes many sins,” he considered it possible to break some of the regulations. Yes, oh. Alexei allowed those who were very late for the service and even those who arrived already before the chalice to confession. But at the same time, he strictly treated those who violated church piety and behaved irreverently during divine services. He called for attending church services as often as possible and condemned those who did not attend church for various everyday reasons, but at the same time did not approve of those who, “for the sake of the temple,” neglected the house or left children to their fate. He did not chase the number of parishioners, always paying attention to quality, and entered into the problems and concerns of his neighbors.

O. Alexey Mechev with his wife

From the very beginning Fr. Alexey strove to create a community. He thought:

...Prayer for the flock, fervent worship and preaching - these are the necessary conditions of life for a shepherd. A circle of spiritual children gradually forms around the priest. There is no need to strive for it to be big. It is better to act deeply, and it is a small number of flocks that allows for better spiritual leadership. The breadth will come by itself from the depths. The shepherd must enter into all the circumstances of the lives of his flock and serve them with love. He should not disdain anyone [3, p. 189].

PASTORING IN RELATION TO PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH

The first step that a shepherd takes in relation to a “lost sheep” is to “bring it back to normal.” Before such a “sheep” is led anywhere, it needs to be “brought to its senses,” washed, warmed, and fed. Likewise, a spiritual shepherd must bring a person to a sane state, restore him to human dignity, before leading him to God. This means that it is necessary to listen to him, console him, help him, cry out to God about him and thus “unload” the burden that oppresses him.

Father Alexey Mechev with his family

“Unloading” and consolation is something that almost everyone who came to Fr. Alexey. Sometimes even the priest himself had to go on a visit “for tea,” and this was also a “relieving” of some family situation. But if a person wanted more, then Fr. Alexey gave more, but then he asked differently. Moreover, confession was often a transitional moment from “unloading” to the beginning of spiritual life1.

The priest demanded not formal repentance, but deep, sincere, humble, tearful, capable of bringing about the renewal of a person, he tried to lead him to it, and achieved this not with lengthy explanations or patristic examples, but with a short, simple, but apt word that penetrated the soul and made you shake yourself up and think [5, p. 39].

If the priest saw that a person was ready to take the path of spiritual life, he began to lead him. This knowledge was very different in form in relation to each person, but had common principles. The forms that Fr. used. Alexey, were as follows: regular confession and participation in divine services, letters, keeping a diary, attending meetings held by Fr. Alexey or those whom he blessed. The main principles were the following: “everyone has their own measure” and “take according to your strength, but whatever you take, do it at all costs.”

Work on changing life should begin with a narrow circle - family, loved ones. The basis of this change was an attentive attitude towards oneself, one’s actions and words.

And in life he did not demand much, but above all, a good attitude towards loved ones and relatives. But he strictly demanded this at every confession [5, p. 38].

Father Alexey Mechev performs a prayer service

One important pastoral method was spiritual correspondence. In letters to specific people, Fr. Alexey could directly talk about a person’s problems, what he needed to improve on, and also give specific recommendations for correction, each to his own. For example, in case of problems with self-esteem and pride, he suggested reading the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian in the morning and evening, talking with spiritually experienced people, and generally participating in serious conversations, while avoiding empty ones. In addition, Fr. Alexey recommended “thinking about the Sweetest Jesus and embodying His life and teachings”, not paying attention to what others say [3, p. 161–162] and others.

Another important form is keeping a spiritual diary. Such work, thought Fr. Alexey, useful for analyzing your condition and path, as well as maintaining a constant memory of God. In addition, these diaries served as good food for conversation and a reason for edification. Father Alexey often read out some passages from these diaries at meetings (so that the author could not be recognized) and, when typical situations were resolved, he showed examples of how and what can be done in spiritual life to each listener.

Father Alexey liked to say that “everyone has their own path to salvation and in their own measure” [3, p. 160].

Direct instructions were given by Fr. Alexey only to those closest to him: in letters, in personal conversations, in the “Brief Rule for a Pious Life.” In it, he touched upon issues of both clear regulation of the external structure of life and serious thinking through its internal structure.

…From his constant spiritual children, the priest demanded that the small prayer rule that anyone had be fulfilled strictly, regardless of fatigue or other circumstances [5, p. 40].

Father Alexey Mechev

Any business, including shepherding, consists of two aspects: content and methods. Father Alexey established a normal Christian life for his spiritual children. This led to the correction of their life in the world, i.e., its ethical and ascetic aspects (ethics of relationships in the family, at work, etc., in relation to asceticism: the rule of pious life, personal advice, the rule of obedience). In addition, the establishment of liturgical life took place. To revive church life, Fr. Alexey used the form of meetings and classes: so in 1919–1922. At the temple, classes were held on liturgics, as well as on the holy fathers and the Gospel. At these meetings and classes, the necessary knowledge was given, as well as church experience in the ethical, ascetic and liturgical spheres of church life.

The main goal of the priest’s actions was “to reveal his calling in a person and show him the path in which he should go to Heaven” [3, p. 160]. In this, according to Fr. Alexey, and that was the task of the spiritual father.

Depending on the spiritual age and condition, the degree of maturity of a person, Fr. Alexey could lead him very differently:

With one he was strict and demanding, with the other he was affectionate and soft; he spoke to one, as if conversing; to another - he decisively ordered or reprimanded; He endlessly spared and begged one, sometimes demanded repentance from another in the presence of others, when he saw that this person would withstand such suppression of pride [5, p. 178].

If a person came with a storm in his soul, the priest never immediately reproached him and did not impute his offense to him. At that moment he left only caressed and with a light heart. But then, when he came to him in a calm state of mind, he would expose all his sin in such a way that it was impossible not to feel it or forget it [5, p. 188].

When a person acquired one skill, Fr. Alexey pushed it further:

In his elder guidance, Fr. Alexei always led those he led to spiritual feats, that is, the most difficult and significant. But everything difficult begins with something easy. External feat is necessary, even the smallest one; it cultivates willpower, without which no, let alone spiritual, feat is possible [5, p. 182]. When someone became unaccustomed to obvious manifestations of anger and impatience, the priest gradually began to strictly punish for thoughts and wishes, even for the slightest internal sinful, impatient movement of the soul, and thereby constantly supported the repentant feeling and led to composure [5, p. 182].

The priest approved and condemned those at the beginning of the spiritual path, either in private, or in a way that would be clear only to those to whom his words were addressed. When a person got used to spiritual life, entered into it, began to grow, then, helping to suppress self-love and pride, he denounced such a person without pity in front of everyone. If this difficult science was mastered, then at times (sometimes for the benefit of someone present at the moment) he would suddenly expose you to a sin or misdemeanor of which you were not at all guilty. The answer to everything should have been the same: “Sorry, father.”

There is an opinion that Fr. Alexey did not impose penance, but only corrected the sinner with love. In fact, it depended on the degree of familiarity of the person with Fr. Alexey. With closer and more serious relationships, both demands and penance appeared. In addition, there was a wise human attitude that combined praise and severity, which aimed at both instilling inspiration and at the same time sobriety:

Father rarely praised me and rarely gave me prosphora, but when he did feel sorry for me, he felt sorry for me and caressed me, like a mother would caress her child, and all the orphanhood of my soul disappeared instantly. Praising, he gave strength to go further. But after such cases he was especially demanding and serious [5, p. 189].

Taking care of everyone's soul, Fr. Alexey used an indirect reference to sin instead of a direct one. It happened this way: in the presence of a person who needed healing from a certain sin, Fr. Alexey talked about similar actions and their consequences [3, p. 160] or read from edifying books concerning the problems of the listeners [3, p. 178].

The stories and cases cited by the priest were always designed for the circle of people among whom he was, for their inclinations and interests. His examples were striking in their simplicity and brightness, strength and accuracy, they were perceived easily and with lively interest, since they came from modernity, and brief comments and explanations unobtrusively helped listeners to correctly assess the existing situation of life, especially the newly formed, post-revolutionary one, from a Christian point of view. At the same time, these stories outlined the right path and course of action [5, p. 134].

Father Alexey Mechev

The main condition for the flock was obedience [5, p. 180–185]. But at the same time, everyone had their own measure of obedience: for some - down to the smallest detail (what book to read, where to go, etc.), for others - only in basic issues: how to lead a spiritual life, what to do at turning points. moments of your life.

To the obedience of Fr. Alexey taught by the example of those who had already found it. So, he asked one girl to go to the church and interrupt the memorial service, which was being served by one of the priests of the St. Nicholas Church in Klenniki, and correct the rank by which he serves, saying that Fr. Alexei. Father Lazar, who was interrupted in this way, thanked this girl and immediately began to serve as he blessed Fr. Alexei.

In addition to obedience to the word, the priest also taught by the example of his life.

One sister once asked Nina, a girl who lived in one of the rooms in her father’s apartment, whether father often talks to them about anything. “No,” she answered, “he believes that if his example does not work, then words will not work” [5, p. 208].

The priest also demanded consistency in choosing a shepherd:

There must be consistency in everything: you have chosen a confessor, stick to him, and do not run from one to another [5, p. 185].

In order for some spiritual children to realize what they are doing (i.e. for their repentance), Fr. Alexey talked about how he himself was upset by the quarrels in the church, selfishness, etc. with specific examples of cases, but without names. Those who loved the priest heard this and tried to improve.

In front of a meek, humble and loving priest, I felt like I was at the Last Judgment, especially when he read my written confessions out loud, sometimes adding: “Why are you doing this, well, listen. I blush for you." It seemed better to fall through the ground than to hear his distressed voice. But immediately it was necessary to promise not to sin like that again at all costs [5, p. 181].

It is very important that Fr. Alexey gave the right direction to action and thought, introducing personal life into the context of Christian life:

Think about everything. Try to identify Christ the Savior in your life. Before you do or say anything, think about what Jesus Christ Himself would have done or said in this case.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

The first thing Fr. started with. Alexey, the creation of a community, there was a divine service - the main thing a parish can do to gather people.

From the first day of his abbot in the temple, he introduced daily services, which subsequently created a good rhythm of common prayer for his spiritual children and parishioners. But what is especially important is that Fr. Alexey purposefully introduced into the temple worship those elements that were accessible to everyone, thereby including the entire temple in the co-service. During some services, the Scriptures were read in Russian and there was always a sermon.

Unforgettable are those moments when, at the end of the all-night vigil, the priest himself began, kneeling down, to sing in a voice full of cheerfulness: “Under your mercy we resort...” and the whole church echoed him as one person... [5, p. 122].

The following liturgical tradition deserves special attention. On the night from Saturday to Sunday (from about 1919), a fairly full all-night vigil was served, then a liturgy. At all-night services, the people sang along with everything they could, and Scripture was also read (in Russian). During the reading of the kathismas, everyone could sit down, and the regent from time to time alternated the reading of the kathismas by singing them with the canonarch, from which the people did not fall asleep, but participated more fully in the reading of the kathismas. The same thing happened with the canon's choruses. The all-night vigil ended at 4 am, at 5 am the liturgy began, “at which almost everyone who took part in this exceptional service received communion” [5, p. 124].

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki today

After the liturgy, a meal was held in one of the premises of the temple with communication on spiritual topics and the reading of psalms. The meals were called agapes. Initially, conversations on agapes were organized by Fr. Alexey, but gradually began to transfer the situation into the hands of those gathered.

At about 8 o'clock, the singers and constant spiritual children of the priest gathered in the lower room of the temple, where a modest treat was arranged for those who had labored during the night vigil. This treat was called agape. Here in advance, whoever could, brought some vegetables, bread, sugar or caramels for tea. Tables, benches, chairs were placed; the clergy and the priest came. Father took part in the common meal and, as at conversations on Wednesdays in his apartment, said something, touching on the most pressing issues of life and relationships. Someone present spoke up. At some point, the priest did not say anything so that others would learn. Each time the meal was interrupted twice: one of the canonarchs stood up and slowly, clearly pronounced the verses of the psalm, and those sitting behind her sang together. The first time Psalm 8 was sung in the 3rd tone, the second time - 132 in the 7th tone [5, p. 124–126].

Father Alexey purposefully built interpersonal spiritual and emotional relationships. He began simply with an attentive, responsible, compassionate attitude towards his spiritual children, then he began to establish relationships between them, constantly working to create a close spiritual family. He sent one of the sisters to visit another who was ill; He gave something edible to take to her, blessed, when they stayed late, one sister to spend the night with the other. And I rejoiced when the evening was spent reading good spiritual literature, and especially in joint prayer at night. I didn’t bless going to places where there were more stories about news and other chatter. He blessed us to periodically gather without him, indicating what to read and what to pay attention to. Gradually Fr. Alexey taught his spiritual children to serve each other in whatever way they could, to live in each other’s joys and sorrows, to gather for spiritual enlightenment and to join the church tradition.

The Marosei Community was, in its spiritual meaning, the daughter of the Optina Hermitage: here life was built on spiritual experience. Father Alexey taught with his life, and everyone around him lived, each in his own way and to the best of his ability, participating in the growth of the spiritual life of the entire Community. Therefore, although the Community did not have its own hospital, numerous professors, doctors, paramedics and nurses are the spiritual children of Fr. Alexei - served patients who came to Fr. Alexey for help. Although he did not have his own school, a number of professors, writers, teachers, students, and also Fr.’s spiritual children. Alexei, came with their knowledge and their connections to help those who needed it. Although the Community did not have its own organized shelter, nevertheless, those in need or who asked for help were clothed, given shoes, and fed. Members of the Marosei Community, penetrating into all sectors of life, helped Fr. Alexey in the matter of “unloading” the suffering. There was no external organization here, but this did not prevent everyone from being united by one spirit (The spelling and punctuation of the source has been preserved. - A.A.) [8, vol. 2, p. 626].

Further, the need arose for more subtle work to unite the disparate groups that appeared in the parish in 1919–1920. The unification was based on communication in the joint knowledge of God.

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki

House-to-house conversations on Wednesdays were started by Fr. Alexey to unite new groups, unfamiliar with each other and with previous parishioners: “chudovskie”2 and “course students”3, who had difficulty understanding each other and did not get along well.

Father o. Alexey, embarking on the path of shepherding, understood the needs of the believing heart, wanted to serve the Christian remaining in the world, wanted to give him what he was looking for in the monastery and, as he directly expressed in the last years of his life, he really wanted to found a monastery in the world. He did not mean the external side of the monastery, but what should constitute its content, that is, genuine spiritual life, which found its most vivid expression in the life of the early Christian community, described in the Acts of the Apostles [5, p. 34].

The priest did not call to run away from life and from people, he said that a Christian should be the salt of society and everyone at his post should improve the environment around him, and not abandon his duty [5, p. 135].

In the penultimate year of his life, at one of the meetings in the circle of his closest spiritual children, the priest again touched upon the topic of the monastery in the world. He spoke about constant inner work, prayer, and being with the Lord.

Now the monastery should be in the world. The monastery must be worldly. I’ve been working on this for a long time and I think we already have a wall. I think that there is... the internal structure remains [5, p. 136].

As some conclusions, it should be noted that Fr. Alexey Mechev, in his pastoral practice, understood from the very beginning that it was impossible for a Christian to live and be saved alone. Establishing Christian life in the conditions of a contemporary big city, he saw the need to create a community, or “a monastery in the world,” as he called it, following Archpriest. Valentin Amfitheatrov.

At the same time, Fr. Alexey did not forget about the personal spiritual, mental and physical needs, the personal spiritual path of his children, placing in it an important basis for the general gathering. This personal spiritual path of Fr. Alexey based on the patristic tradition of prayer, ordering of life, obedience and sobriety. The basis of the common path was: worship and agapes as its continuation, a joint study of Church Tradition (the works of the Holy Fathers, liturgics, the history of holiness) and Scripture (mainly the New Testament). This helped Fr. Alexei to gather both the life of everyone and the entire community around Christ.

His experience of actualizing ascetic, liturgical and community life “in the world” is a very significant phenomenon for the Russian Church, especially at the beginning of the 20th century. Many famous modern pastors were educated by this experience (for example, Archpriest Alexander Men, Priest Georgy Kochetkov, Bishop Sergius (Sokolov), Archpriest Nikolai and Fedor Sokolov, etc.), who created their own numerous communities on its basis. This suggests that the experience of the communities created by Fr. Alexey turned out to be viable. This experience is especially valuable for us in the current situation of the revival of the life of the Russian Church.

LITERATURE:

1. Ambrose of Milan, St. On the duties of clergy. Kazan, 1908. 2. Gregory the Theologian. Selected words. M., 2002. 3. Biography of the Moscow elder Father Alexei Mechev / Comp. mon. Juliana. M., 2002. 4. John Chrysostom, St. Six words about the priesthood. M., 1987. 5. Cyprian (Kern), archim. Orthodox pastoral ministry. Paris, 1957. 6. St. Gregory the Theologian. Word 3 // Handbook of a clergyman. M., 1992. T. 1. P. 562–591. 7. The Good Shepherd: The Life and Works of the Moscow Elder Archpriest Alexei Mechev. 2nd ed. M., 2000. 8. Florensky P., priest. Father Alexey Mechev // Florensky P., priest. Collection cit.: In 4 vols. M., 1996. T. 2. P. 621–627. 9. Shavelsky G., protopr. Orthodox shepherding. St. Petersburg, 1996. 139

FOOTNOTES:

See, for example: memoirs of Konstantin Apushkin [7, p. 315–326].

Those who came to the temple about. Alexei after the closure of the Chudov Monastery.

Those who came to the temple from courses on divine services.

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Service schedule, operating hours

The Temple of Alexy Mechev in Veshnyaki is open daily:

Temple of Alexy in Veshnyaki, contacts and information.

Day of the week	Time
Weekdays	09:00 — 19:00
Days of worship, holidays	08:00 — 20:00
On Sundays, the beginning of the Divine Liturgy	08:30
Great holidays, beginning of the Divine Liturgy	09:00
On the eve the All-Night Vigil is served, the sacrament of confession is performed	17:00

Accurate information about the times of services on holidays, custom prayers and memorial services can be obtained on the official website in the “Schedule of Services” section, on the website page VKontakte, Facebook.

Used materials

Life according to the magazine: Moscow Diocesan Gazette
, 2000, No. 10-1, p. 34-43:
Website page of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki:
The Life of Saint Righteous Alexy, Elder of Moscow. Cases of clairvoyance, intravital and posthumous miracles, signs, prayerful help of the elder about Alexy Mechev. - M.: Russian Chronograph, Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, 2002.

[1] Alexey Ivanovich Mechev, the son of the archpriest of the Kolomna district, as a child was saved from death in the cold on a cold winter night by St. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. Among the boys from the families of the clergy of the Moscow diocese, selected according to the criterion of sufficient musicality, he was brought late in the evening to Trinity Lane at the metropolitan courtyard. When the children were having dinner, Vladyka Metropolitan suddenly became alarmed, quickly got dressed and went out to inspect the arriving convoy. In one sleigh he found a sleeping boy, left there due to an oversight. Seeing the Providence of God in this, Metropolitan Philaret paid special attention and care to the child he saved, constantly caring for him, and subsequently for his family.

[2] Website of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Klenniki, .

Interesting facts about the temple in the surrounding area

The temple complex is often given the role of a functioning cultural site. A variety of events are held here, which are attended not only by local residents, but also by Muscovites from other parts of the city. So, not only parishioners of the temple, but also residents of nearby houses come to Easter and Christmas Sunday school concerts. Maslenitsa and Christmas are celebrated together with the residents.

Children of different ages, members of the Youth Church Association, parishioners, and residents of the area take part in the festive festivities. Directly adjacent to the temple territory is the space of the city park "Rainbow", where, in addition to alleys and benches, there is a large sports ground and a children's play area.

Across the road are the Perinatal Center, two secondary schools and the building of the Children's Football Academy. If you walk from the church along Zhemchugovaya Alley, you can get to the Kuskovo museum-estate.

Attractions nearby:

Rainbow Park. On its territory there is a cascade of ponds, the Big and Small Count Ponds, and the Bridge of Lovers.
A memorial stone laid in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Victory of the Great Patriotic War.
Memorial stone "To the liquidators of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster."
Playgrounds.
Football field.

Where is it located, what is in the surrounding area, how to get there

The temple is located in the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow at the address: st. Veshnyakovskaya, building No. 16. From the stop complex near the Vykhino metro station, buses No. 232 and No. 247, as well as trolleybuses No. 30 and No. 64, depart towards the temple. Transport reaches the stop "15 city hospital" in about 6 minutes.

Travelers are interested in the Temple of Alexei Mechev in Veshnyaki primarily as an example of modern architecture and religious national culture. Getting to know it is included in the excursion program of most pilgrimage tours in the capital.

Russian Orthodox Church

On July 12, 2022, on the day of remembrance of the glorious and all-validated chief apostles Peter and Paul, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' performed the rite of great consecration of the Church of the Holy Righteous Alexy of Moscow (Mechev) - the Patriarchal Metochion in Veshnyaki, Moscow (Christmas Deanery of the Eastern Vicariate of Moscow city diocese) and the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church.

Concelebrating with His Holiness were: Metropolitan Ignatius of Vologda and Kirill, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Panteleimon, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, Administrator of the Eastern Vicariate of Moscow; Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, secretary of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' for Moscow; Archpriest Leonid Roldugin, rector of the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Izmailovo, Moscow; Archpriest Alexander Dasaev, dean of the Voskresensky district, rector of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Sokolniki, Moscow; Archpriest John Ermilov, dean of the Nativity district, rector of the Church of the Kazan-Peschanskaya Icon of the Mother of God in Izmailovo, Moscow; Priest Viktor Malshakov, rector of the Church of Righteous Alexy of Moscow; metropolitan clergy.

Present in the church were: Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Advisor to the Mayor of Moscow, Advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' on construction issues V.I. Resin; Prefect of the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow N.V. Aleshin; Head of the Veshnyaki District Administration of Moscow E.D. Shcherbachev; benefactors and builders of the temple.

Liturgical chants were performed by a male choir under the direction of Andrei Antarinov.

The Patriarchal service was broadcast live on the Soyuz TV channel.

At the small entrance, by decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, in consideration of the work on the construction of the Church of the Holy Righteous Alexy of Moscow (Mechev), Priest Victor was awarded the right to wear a gold-colored pectoral cross.

At the special litany, petitions were offered for the unity of the Orthodox Church and the preservation of the Church from divisions and schisms.

After the special litany, His Holiness the Patriarch prayed for peace in Ukraine.

During the Liturgy, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church ordained Deacon Konstantin Kokora, clergyman of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - Patriarchal Metochion in Mitino, Moscow, to the rank of presbyter.

The sermon before communion was delivered by Archpriest Andrei Alekseev, rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy in Northern Butovo, Moscow.

At the end of the Liturgy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed glorification of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

The rector of the temple, Priest Viktor Malshakov, greeted His Holiness and presented His Holiness with an icon of the righteous Alexei Mechev, painted by a parishioner of the temple.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the believers with the Primate's word.

His Holiness the Patriarch donated an icon of the holy apostles Peter and Paul as a gift to the newly consecrated church.

All participants in the service were presented with icons of St. Alexy Mechev with the Patriarchal blessing.

Then His Holiness presented church awards. In recognition of their assistance in the construction of the Church of the Holy Righteous Alexy of Moscow (Mechev) in Veshnyaki, Moscow, awards were given to:

D.Yu. Stulov, Deputy Head of the Department of Urban Development Policy of Moscow - Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, III degree;
A.A. Stepanenko, head of the prefecture department of the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow - medal of the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Patriarchal certificates were awarded to:

P.A. Bide, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Moscow Region;
V.A. Timofeev, director of the State Budgetary Institution "Moscow State United Art Historical-Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve";
A.V. Kotaev, first deputy head of the administration of the Veshnyaki district of Moscow;
D.M. Seledchik, member of the presidium of the General Council of the All-Russian public organization “Business Russia”;
O.V. Zaitsev, Advisor to the Prefecture of the Eastern Administrative District of Moscow;
N.S. Shcheblyakova, Advisor to the General Director of Etalon Invest LLC;
V.V. Ordintsev, General Director of MPO Elektromontazh CJSC.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also thanked Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation V.I. Resin for his efforts in the construction of Orthodox churches in the Russian capital. “We always keep in mind your special role in the construction of new churches in the city of Moscow,” noted the Primate of the Russian Church.

The Temple of Righteous Alexy of Moscow (Mechev) in Veshnyaki is the first church in Russia in honor of the famous Moscow saint, a shepherd of the 20th century.

The main construction work was carried out from 2012 to 2015. On January 2, 2016, Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevsky performed the minor consecration of the temple. From that day on, regular services began to be held in the temple. At the same time, the beautification of the shrine and the construction of the parish house continued.

Opposite the temple is the city clinical hospital No. 15 named after. O.M. Filatova is one of the largest medical centers in the city. The priests of the church care for patients, including those in the palliative department: they confess and give communion to the sick, and explain to them the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith.

Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'