The name of the God-bearing elder Ambrose of Optina is on a par with the most beloved and revered saints by the people: Sergius of Radonezh, Nicholas of Myra, Seraphim of Sarov. His holiness has long sanctified not only the Russian land, but the whole world.
St. Ambrose Optinsky
The life of Ambrose of Optina is rich in miracles. It was on this holy man that the prophecy was fulfilled: “The power of the Lord is made perfect in human weakness.”
Childhood of the future saint
The boy Sasha Grenkov was born in 1812 in one of the villages of the Tambov province. In infancy, he received Holy Baptism with the name Alexander, in honor of the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky (it is on the baby’s birthday - November 23 - that his memory is celebrated).
Sasha's father served as a deacon in a local church, and his mother was raising eight children.
Frisky and cheerful Alexander loved noisy games, he constantly invented children's amusements for himself and his friends, he could not sit at home. It happened that, having received a job or an assignment, he would, as soon as he started, quit the job and run off for a walk with his many friends in the yard.
Alexander’s parents, including his grandparents, were deeply religious people, and their piety brought a special atmosphere to the family’s way of life.
The boy's pranks, even minor ones, were treated by the household as significant offenses. As a result of the boy’s irrepressible energy, the family’s attitude towards him was quite cold - his brothers and sisters, who had a calm disposition, were loved more and treated with special warmth.
Venerable Ambrose of Optina
One day, annoyed, Sasha decided to take revenge on his brother and deliberately teased him so that he would fall under the heavy hand of his father and grandfather. But as a result, they both got hit on the top of the head.
Read about the saint:
- Relics of Saint Ambrose of Optina
- Icon of St. Ambrose of Optina
- Prayers to the Reverend
When is the feast day of St. Ambrose of Optina in 2022?
The Day of Remembrance of Ambrose of Optina will be celebrated twice in 2022.
- October 23
is the day of the death of Ambrose of Optina. - July 10
- discovery of the holy relics of Ambrose of Optina.
According to the old style, the day of memory of Ambrose of Optina was celebrated on the church calendar on October 10. The discovery of the relics of Ambrose of Optina according to the old style church calendar is celebrated on June 27. The dates are not moving; they are celebrated by the Orthodox Church on the same day every year.
Adolescence. The beginning of the way
The parents tried to instill in the boy a love of reading the Word of God and raised him in a religious direction. Every church holiday, the family went to the Temple of God, where the boy really enjoyed singing in the choir.
At the age of 12, the boy entered the theological school in the city of Tambov, and upon graduation he became a student at the theological seminary. Gifted by nature, the seminarian successfully studied science and found it easy to study. At a time when his peers were poring over textbooks, Grenkov, having read the material being studied once and hastily, answered in class without hesitation, as if written.
Most of all, he fell in love with the Holy Scriptures, history, theological and verbal sciences.
Among his seminary friends, he was famous for his cheerful and kind disposition, he was a sympathetic and cheerful comrade, the soul of society. He was fond of music and singing, loved poetry and even tried to write poetry himself, secluded in the lap of nature. The youth did not turn out to be a poet, but being an old man, he was very fond of altering his teachings into rhyme.
Being a witty, merry fellow, Alexander retained deep religious feelings, which he had known since childhood.
Icon depicting Ambrose of Optina
parents revived. Possessing a lively character, the young man was thinking about entering military service and did not even realize that the fate of a monk - a heavenly angel - was destined for him from Above.
"Live like a wheel turns"
He had an unusually lively, sharp, observant and insightful mind, enlightened by constant prayer, attention to himself and reading the holy fathers. And it was difficult to understand where his insight turns into perspicacity.
From morning to night he received people - both laymen and monks - he listened to everyone, helped everyone. No psychotherapist can withstand such a regime. But the old man held out. Thirty years. Although he was practically bedridden. How did he manage to receive crowds of people every day and answer dozens of letters?! People came and went to him from all over Russia. And not only simpletons. Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Konstantin Leontyev, Vladimir Solovyov, Vasily Rozanov... What attracted them to a monk from some provincial monastery?
Konstantin Leontyev, having learned about the death of Elder Ambrose, wrote: “He died, burdened with years and illnesses and finally tired of back-breaking labor for our correction and salvation...”
All contemporaries describe in their memoirs the elder’s humility, his kindness, holiness and sincere joy from communicating with both the capital’s aristocrat and the illiterate village woman. But people came to him not only for spiritual, but also for purely everyday advice. And he advised: how to achieve peace in the family, how to feed turkeys, how to build a water supply system, how to sell a house.
And only a few people saw how difficult the cross of clergy was for the elder.
However, if the reverend himself had been asked about this, he would probably have only repeated what he most often said to his spiritual children: “No matter how heavy the cross that a person bears, the tree from which it is made grew from the soil of his heart "
"How to live?" - they asked him, and he answered: “To live is not to bother, not to judge anyone, not to annoy anyone, and my respect to everyone.”
Life in the Optina Desert
After graduating from the seminary, Alexander realized that worldly life with its gaiety and entertainment was alien to him and made a decision in secret from his family and friends, who might persuade him to stay in the world, to go to Optina Pustyn, which happened in 1839. Elder Lev received him kindly.
Soon the young man took monastic vows and was named Ambrose. He was later ordained a hierodeacon, and after 5 years he was awarded the rank of hieromonk.
Within the monastery walls, the future Saint baked bread in the bakery, helped the cooks, did construction, and brewed yeast. Despite his brilliant abilities in the sciences, Ambrose did not disdain any work, which instilled in him humility, tolerance and the ability to cut off his own will.
“We will have a monastery here”
In the last ten years of his life, the elder took upon himself one more concern: the founding and organization of a women’s monastery in Shamordin, 12 versts from Optina, where, in addition to cells for 1000 nuns, there was also a shelter and a school for girls, an almshouse for old women and a hospital.
In general, the history of the Shamorda women's community is a real mystical detective story. At the end of the 1860s, Kalygin, a nobleman, decided to go to a monastery and asked Elder Ambrose to sell his farmstead near the village of Shamordino to someone. Father Ambrose offered the farm to the landowner Klyuchareva, who by that time had already taken monastic vows. Having become the mother of Ambrosia, she settled with her twin granddaughters Vera and Lyuba in her own house near Optina and willingly agreed to buy land for the girls.
Shamordino. Svklimkin/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 4.0
But when she died, Vera and Lyuba’s father suddenly showed up—a paternal feeling surged up: he decided that his daughters should live with him. But the girls, who had lived at the monastery almost since birth, resisted. And Father Ambrose proposed a compromise: to place them in the Oryol women's boarding school, the head of which was his spiritual daughter. But from there they rushed back to Optina. And when it became clear that their father was about to take them away from there, the head of the boarding house, without waiting for the end of the school year, put them in a tarantass and secretly sent them to Optina.
They arrived safely, but a few days later Vera fell ill with diphtheria, followed by Lyuba. Even when they were very little, Vera once asked Lyuba: “Do you want to live?” She answered: “No.” Then Vera said: “I kept thinking about it and decided that it’s not worth living longer than twelve years.” They died a month and a half before their twelfth birthday. Vera quickly, Lyuba suffered for a long time. This is Dostoevschina.
And Elder Ambrose, even when Klyuchareva had just bought the farm, gave his blessing to begin construction there. Then everyone was surprised at the strange layout he proposed: a large hall in the eastern part of the house and many small rooms. When the twins died, everything became clear, because according to the will of Ambrosia’s mother, in the event of the death of her granddaughters, a women’s community should be established in Shamordino. And capital was allocated for its maintenance.
Spiritual Acts of Saint Ambrose of Optina
In spiritual matters, Ambrose of Optina gradually gained fame as an experienced mentor. It happened that, with the blessing of Father Macarius, some monks came to the saint for the revelation of their thoughts. The elder foreshadowed a great future for the young monk.
One day, exhausted from fasting and hard physical work, Ambrose caught a bad cold. The illness was very severe and greatly undermined the monk’s health, confining him to bed for a long time. As a result, Ambrose now did not have the physical strength to participate in long monastic services and perform the Liturgy. He had a very difficult time moving, suffered from shortness of breath and hemorrhoidal discharge, was very sensitive to changes in weather, and could only take a tiny portion of food.
In the saint's cell there were many icons and portraits of prominent figures of his era.
Elder Ambrose did not refuse medical care. In his cell, there was a shelf nailed to the wall, which was filled with various medicines. Taking them regularly, the elder still hoped more for the help of God and His Most Holy Mother.
In his cell there were a lot of icons and portraits of prominent figures of his era. In addition to the bed, there was a small lectern, at which the elder read the rules, and a table, at which the novice wrote letters under the dictation of the saint. In addition to them, against the wall there was a wardrobe, the shelves of which were filled with patristic literature, a couple of armchairs for guests and several chairs.
All day long the door of Ambrose's cell was open to numerous visitors. Women were forbidden to enter the cell, and a room was specially allocated for their reception. The parishioners of the monastery received from the kind elder consolation in sorrows, advice in resolving everyday issues, admonition, forgiveness of sins, and prayerful help.
Life and spiritual instructions of St. St. Ambrose of Optina
Psalm to David, who at times fled from the face of Absalom his son, 3.
Lord, why have we multiplied the cold? Many people rise up against me, many people say to my soul: there is no salvation for him in his God. But you, Lord, are my Protector, my glory, and lift up my head. With my voice I cried to the Lord, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I fell asleep and fell asleep, and arose, as if the Lord would intercede for me. I will not be afraid of those people around who attack me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God, for you have struck down all those who were at enmity with me in vain: you have crushed the teeth of sinners. Salvation is the Lord, and Your blessing is upon Your people.
In the end, in songs of reason to David. Suddenly Zipheem came and said to Saul, “ Has David hidden himself in us?” 53.
God, in Your name save me and in Your power judge me. God, hear my prayer, inspire the words of my mouth. As strangers rose up against me, and sought my soul with strength, and did not offer God before them. Behold, God helps me, and the Lord is the Protector of my soul. Evil will turn away my enemy; consume them with Thy truth. I will devour You, I will confess to Your name, O Lord, that it is good that You have delivered me from all sorrow, and that my eye has looked upon my enemies.
In the end, let him not corrupt David in writing the pillars, when Saul sent and kept watch over his house, even before he put him to death, 58.
Deliver me from my enemies, O God, and deliver me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from the blood of men. For behold, you have caught my soul and attacked me with strongholds, lower my iniquity, lower my sin, Lord. Having flown without iniquity and corrected it, arise to meet me and see. And You, Lord God of hosts, God of Israel, visit all the nations, so that you may not restrain all those who practice iniquity. They will return in the evening and will hunger like a dog and will go around the city. These answer with their lips, and the sword is in their mouth, for who can hear? And You, Lord, laugh at them and destroy all languages. I will preserve my power towards You, for You, O God, are my Protector. My God, His mercy will go before me, my God will show me in all my adversities. Do not kill them, lest they forget Your law, scatter me with Your power, and bring me down, my Protector, Lord. The sin of their lips, the word of their lips, and let them be in their pride, and from oaths and lies they will be proclaimed in death. They will die in wrath, and they will not: but they will proclaim that God rules over Jacob and the ends of the earth. They will return in the evening, and will hunger like a dog, and will go around the city. The food will be scattered. If they are not satisfied, they will grumble. I will sing of Your power and rejoice in the morning about Your mercy, for You were my Protector and My refuge in the day of my tribulation. Thou art my helper, I sing to Thee: for thou art my God, my Protector, my God, my mercy.
Psalm to David, when his son Absalom persecuted him, 142.
Lord, hear my prayer, inspire my prayer in Your truth, hear me in Your righteousness: and do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for no one living will be justified before You. Because the enemy drove away my soul, he humbled my life to eat in the ground, he planted me to eat in dark, like dead ages. And my spirit is sad within me, my heart is troubled within me. I have remembered the days of old, I have learned from all Your deeds, I have learned from Your handiwork. I lift up my hands to You, my soul, like a waterless land to You. Hear me soon, O Lord, my spirit has disappeared, do not turn Your face away from me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit. I hear you show me Your mercy in the morning, for I have trusted in You. Tell me, Lord, the way, I will go, as if I have taken my soul to You. Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, I have fled to You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Your Good Spirit will guide me to rightness on earth. For Thy name's sake, Lord, live me, by Thy righteousness remove my soul from sorrow. And by Your mercy consume my enemies and destroy all my cold souls, for I am Your servant.
The prayer of a beggar, when he is discouraged, and before the Lord he pours out his prayer, 101.
Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Do not turn Your face away from me: even if I mourn for a day, incline Your ear to me: even if I call on You for a day, hear me soon. As if my days had disappeared like smoke, and my bones had dried up like dry land. I was wounded like grass, and my heart wasted away, as if I had forgotten to bear my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning my bone clings to my flesh. I became like the tawny owl of the desert, like a nighttime corvid on its dive. I walked and walked like a special bird here. All day long I have reproached you, and those who praise me swear by me. It became ashes like I ate bread, and I dissolved my drink with tears. From the presence of Thy anger and Thy wrath: for as Thou hast exalted Thou hast cast me down. My days have turned away like the shade, and I have dried up like hay. But You, Lord, remain forever, and Your memory endures forever. You have risen to show mercy to Zion, for the time has come to show mercy to it. For Thy servants have favored his stone, and his dust they will buffet. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kingdoms of the earth will fear Your glory. For the Lord will build Zion and appear in His glory. Consider the prayer of the humble, and do not despise their prayers. Let this be written for generations, and the people of the land praise the Lord. As from His holy heights, the Lord looked down from Heaven to earth, to hear the groaning of the chained, to release the sons of the slain, to proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem. Sometimes the people and the king will gather together for the work of the Lord. Answer Him on the way of His strength: make known to me the decline of my days. Do not bring me to the end of my days: in the generation of your generations. In the beginning, O Lord, You founded the earth, and Your hand made the heavens. They will perish, but You remain, and all like a robe they will promise, and like a garment I will wear, and they will be changed. You are the same, and Your years will not fail. Your sons will dwell, and their seed will be perfected forever.
Psalm to David, 36.
Do not be jealous of those who are evil; be not jealous of those who commit lawlessness. Like the grass they will soon dry up, and like the potion of grain they will soon disappear. Trust in the Lord, and do goodness, and populate the earth, and enjoy its riches. Delight the Lord, and He will grant you the petitions of your heart. Open your way to the Lord, and trust in Him, and He will create: and He will bring forth your righteousness like light and your destiny like noonday. Obey the Lord and beg Him. Do not be jealous of a man who is late on his journey and commits a crime. Stop being angry and leave rage: do not be jealous or be deceitful. Those who are wicked will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth. And yet a little while, and there will be no sinner: and you will seek his place, and will not find it. The meek ones will inherit the earth and enjoy the abundance of the world. The sinner looks down on the righteous and gnashes his teeth. The Lord will laugh at him and despise him, when his day comes. The sinner has drawn the sword, strained her bow, cast down the wretched and the poor, and slain the upright in heart. Let their sword enter into their hearts, and let their bows be broken. A little is better for the righteous than the much wealth of sinners. For the sinners' arms will be broken, but the Lord will strengthen the righteous. The Lord knows the way of the blameless, and their inheritance will endure forever. They will not be ashamed in times of cruelty, and in days of famine they will be satisfied, as sinners will perish. Defeat the Lord, become greatly glorified by them and ascend, vanishing like smoke. The sinner borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. For those who bless Him will inherit the earth, but those who curse Him will be consumed. From the Lord a man’s feet are straightened, and his ways are greatly delighted. Whenever he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord strengthens his hand. The youngest was, for he grew old, and did not see the righteous man left, below his seed asking for bread. All day long the righteous one has mercy and gives back, and his seed will be a blessing. Turn away from evil, and do good, and dwell in the age of the century. For the Lord loves judgment and will not forsake His venerables, they will be preserved forever. But the wicked will marry, and the seed of the wicked will be consumed. The righteous women will inherit the earth and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous shall learn wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet will not falter. The sinner looks at the righteous and seeks to kill him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand; he will judge him even when he judges him. Be patient with the Lord, and preserve His way, and He will exalt you, even though you will inherit the earth, and be consumed by a sinner, you will see. I saw the wicked being exalted and towering like the cedars of Lebanon. And he passed by, and behold he was not, and sought him, and his place was not found. Maintain kindness and see righteousness, for there is a remnant for a man in peace. The wicked will be consumed together: the remnants of the wicked will be consumed. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, and their Protector is in time of tribulation. And the Lord will help them, and deliver them, and remove them from sinners, and save them, because they trusted in Him.
Psalm to David, before the anointing, 26.
The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom shall I fear? Sometimes you come close to me with malice, even if you tear away my flesh, those who insult me and defeat me, you become weak and fall. Even if a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear, even if it rises up to fight against me, I will trust in Him. I have asked one thing from the Lord, and this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy temple. Because He hid me in His village in the day of my evils, He covered me in the secret of His village, He lifted me up on a rock. And now, behold, I have lifted up my head against my enemies: I have eaten and devoured in His village the sacrifice of praise and shouting, I will sing and sing praises to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, my voice, where I cried: have mercy on me and hear me. My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord. I will seek Your face, O Lord, I will seek Your face. Do not turn Your face away from me, and do not turn aside in anger from Your servant: be my helper, do not reject me, and do not forsake me, O God of my Savior. For my father and mother abandoned me, but the Lord will accept me. Lay down the law, O Lord, in Thy way and guide me on the right path for my enemy’s sake. Do not betray me to the souls of those who are afflicted by me, as if I stood up as a witness to unrighteousness and lied untruthfully to myself. I believe in seeing the good Lord in the land of the living. Be patient with the Lord, be of good courage and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.
The praise of the song of David, not written among the Jews, 90.
Living in the help of the Most High, he will dwell in the blood of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: You are my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the net of the trap, and from the words of rebellion, His splash will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not fear from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies in the days, from the things that pass in the darkness, from the grime and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, but look with your eyes, and see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not approach your body, as His Angel commanded you about you, to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but when you dash your foot against a stone, you will step on the asp and basilisk, and cross over the lion and the serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, because I have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will destroy him, and I will glorify him, I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.
Finally, Psalm to David, 39.
I have endured and endured the Lord, and he has heeded me and heard my prayer. And bring me up from the pit of passions, and from the clay of the mire, and set my feet on the stone, and straighten my steps, and put in my mouth a new song, singing to our God. Many will see and fear, and trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man for whom the name of the Lord is his hope, and will not despise lying vanity and turmoil. Thou hast done many things, O Lord my God, Thy wonders, and by Thy thought there is no one who can be like Thee: I have proclaimed them in words, multiplying more than in number. You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you fulfilled the body for me, burnt offerings, and you did not require sin. Then he said, “Behold, I have come; in the book of the book it is written about me: I have pleased to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is in the midst of my belly.” The gospel of righteousness is great in the church; behold, I will not hinder my lips: Lord, you have understood. I have not hidden Your righteousness in my heart, I have not hidden Your truth and Your salvation, I have not hidden Your mercy and Your truth from the multitude. But You, Lord, do not remove Your compassions from me: I will take Your mercy and Your truth away, intercede for me. Because the evil one has taken possession of me, which has no number, my iniquities have befallen me, and I am not able to see the hair of my head multiply, and my heart forsake me. Deign, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, come to my aid. Let those who seek to take away my soul be ashamed and put to shame, and let those who wish to harm me turn back and be ashamed. May those who say: good, good, receive their coldness. Let all who seek You, O Lord, rejoice and rejoice in You, and let them say: May the Lord be exalted, they who love Your salvation. But I am poor and wretched, the Lord will take care of me. Thou art my Helper and my Protector, O my God, do not become stubborn.
Completion of the earthly journey
In the last years of the elder’s life, with his blessing, a women’s monastery, the Kazan Hermitage, was built in Shamordino. Poor and sick women lived within its walls. It was here that Father Ambrose met his death, being a completely sick and motionless man. On October 10, 1891, at 11:30 a.m., the elder sighed three times, made the Sign of the Cross and died. As the Saint bequeathed, his body was transferred to Optina Pustyn.
Icon of Ambrose of Optina
The body of the deceased did not exude a deathly smell at all, and on the day of the funeral a pleasant honey aroma began to emanate from it. It is noteworthy that during the funeral, none of the large candles surrounding his coffin went out, although it was constantly drizzling that day.
The coffin, which the men carefully carried on their shoulders, towered above the huge crowd of people who came to see off their beloved elder into eternity.
The body of Ambrose of Optina was buried not far from the monastery church, next to the grave of his mentor, Elder Macarius.
Biography of Hieroschemamonk Ambrose
At the beginning of July 1890, Elder Ambrose left for Shamordino, intending to stay there no more than ten days176. As on each of his visits to this monastery, so this time Fr. Ambrose visited the buildings, went to the monastery dacha in the village of Rudnevo, and talked with the abbess and sisters. Having stayed in Shamordino for more than 2 weeks, the elder began to prepare to return to Optina. The departure day was set. On the appointed day, all the sisters gathered near the cell where the elder was, wanting to see him off. The carriage had already arrived and the priest’s things were packed into it. Everyone was waiting impatiently for the elder, wanting to receive his last blessing, but he still did not come out. The day has already begun to fade into evening. The carriage was sent back, announcing to the sisters that the priest was not feeling well and had postponed his departure. Just before leaving Fr. Ambrose felt so weak that he did not have the strength to set off. Having rested overnight, the next day he thought about leaving Shamordino, but again he felt bad and could not leave. A few days later, during which he continued to receive visitors and attend to monastic affairs, Fr. Ambrose wanted to leave again, but the same weakness did not allow him to carry out this intention on the third day.
Having understood, after three failed attempts, the will of God for him to remain in this monastery, the elder no longer tried to leave Shamordino. In Optina he wrote: “I stayed here by God’s special providence, and why, this will become clear later.”177
Days passed by. Autumn passed, winter came, and the old man still lived in Shamordino. There were many different rumors among his admirers about the reason for his delay. Many condemned him; but there is no doubt that at this time the elder was needed more by the Shamordino monastery than by Optina. The young Shamordino monastery, which had not yet been established spiritually and economically, needed the constant care of the elder, and he gave it the last days of his life.
With the relocation of Elder Ambrose to Shamordino, the entire numerous stream of visitors headed to this monastery. Visiting the elder, many influential people became acquainted with the Shamordino monastery and, seeing the elder’s love for it, out of respect for Father Ambrose, they themselves became zealous benefactors of the monastery, which was extremely necessary for its continued existence. All winter the elder received visitors every day, but it was noticeable that he was gradually weakening. Often in the evening he became completely exhausted and completely lost his voice. On Sundays and holidays, “vigils” were held in the elder’s cell, for which a hieromonk came specially from Optina Hermitage. At first, when the priest had more strength, he himself made exclamations and read the Gospel during the vigil. When the time came for reading the Gospel, everyone present (several sisters and a few of the visitors) moved to the door of the priest’s cell and turned their ears and attention. The elder walked out with his hasty gait to the lectern and read the Gospel in a quiet senile voice. His reading made a deep impression on everyone. One of the eyewitnesses writes: “What a solemn moment it was: a gray-haired, hunched old man - a living preacher of the Gospel, and the words he uttered became as if alive, grew... and filled the whole soul!..”178
Living in Shamordino, Fr. Ambrose received communion once every two weeks.
A special celebration for the Shamordino monastery in the winter of 1890 was December 7th - the day of the angel of their beloved elder. The temple was decorated in a festive manner for this day. Archimandrite Isaac and his elder brethren came from Optina Hermitage to congratulate their spiritual father on his name day. There was a solemn vigil, Divine Liturgy and prayer service for many years to the birthday boy. The entire large Shamorda family came to congratulate the elder. Many sisters prepared gifts for him: some an icon, some a rosary, some knitted something. Father was very touched by the unanimous expression of love, thanked everyone, but was somewhat embarrassed by the celebration and even said to Fr. Isaac: “They... did a lot of parade”179.
It was winter. The sisters were daily edified by the priest’s soul-saving word. He himself gradually melted away and increasingly began to secretly talk to others about his death. When on New Year's Day all the sisters came to Fr. Ambrose to congratulate him and receive a blessing, he went out to them, blessed everyone, then sat down on the sofa and very seriously said the beginning of the poem: “The swan on the waters of the Meander sings the last song...” And then added: “The swan on the waters of Shamordiandra sings the last song.”180 . At the same time, the elder explained that the swan sings its song only once, before death. All the sisters were saddened by these words, but they were soon forgotten, because life went on as usual; the elder, although weak, continued to receive visitors.
Great Lent passed calmly, in the usual monastic labors. The Shamorda sisters celebrated Holy Easter with special joy; their beloved elder was with them. Throughout Bright Week, the sisters sang Matins, Hours, and Vespers in the elder’s cell. Father himself sang along with the singers, infantile joy shone on his face. On Friday, Bright Week, thanking the sisters for the consolation they brought to him, Fr. Ambrose affectionately said to them: “God bless you,” and then added, “you will remember this Holy Week.”181 The sisters did not attach much importance to these words, and only a year later, when on the same day the six-month commemoration of the elder’s death was celebrated, did they understand the meaning of the elder’s words.
When the warm weather arrived, Fr. Ambrose repeatedly went to the construction site of residential buildings and an orphanage. Not a single important issue of economic, disciplinary and spiritual life was resolved at this time without the advice of a wise old man. Incessant worries deprived Fr. Ambrose's last strength. Many of his relatives said that he needed complete peace and rest, but the elder responded with his characteristic humor that peace would come for a person only when they sang over him: “Rest with the saints”182. Often the elder was so weak that he could not receive numerous visitors and, knowing that those who could not get to him for a long time were offended by him, he said: “They don’t believe that I’m weak, but they grumble.”183
Throughout the summer, rumors came to the Shamordino monastery that the new Kaluga bishop, His Eminence Vitaly, was going to visit their monastery. The arrival of the Bishop caused fears among many, since it was known that the Eminence was dissatisfied with such a long stay of Fr. Ambrose in Shamordino. The sisters anxiously asked the priest how they could meet the Bishop? To this, the elder, encouraging them, half-jokingly said: “We will not meet him, but he will meet us, and we will sing hallelujah to him.”184 When another time the sisters said Fr. Ambrose that the bishop wanted to talk to him about many things, he replied: “We will talk to him quietly, no one will hear”185. These words caused bewilderment among the sisters and were understood by them only when the days of sadness came for the monastery...
The autumn of 1891 arrived. On September 21, Saturday, as always, the hieromonk came from Optina to perform a vigil in the priest’s cell, but on that day the elder was so weak that he could not listen to the service; he developed a chill. The disturbing news, like lightning, spread around the monastery and alarmed everyone. “Father has fallen ill,” the sisters told each other with trepidation. Everyone understood that for an old man, exhausted by many labors, any illness could be very dangerous. No one wanted to think that an illness had begun that would take the old man to the grave, but it was so. The next day, Father Ambrose's ears began to hurt; over the course of several days, the pain intensified, and he almost completely lost his hearing. These days, the elder told one of the sisters serving him that “this is the last test”186. The disease gradually progressed; In addition to the pain in the ears, there was also pain in the head and throughout the body. The alarmed abbess sent a telegram to Moscow, asking a famous, experienced doctor to urgently come to the sick elder. On September 27, an abscess in the ear of Fr. Ambrose broke through, and the pain began to subside. In the evening the doctor arrived and reassured everyone, saying that the disease was not dangerous. The elder actually began to apparently improve and even received some visitors. However, to everyone’s chagrin, on October 4 the elder’s headaches intensified, and in the evening the fever rose. All the following days the elder was in a feverish state, sometimes falling into oblivion due to intense heat. At rare intervals, when Fr. Ambrose felt better, he made orders for the monastery, called some people and talked with them.
During these days, the elder’s foresight manifested itself. A large crowd of his admirers stood at his porch from morning to evening, although for health reasons he could not receive anyone. But one day the elder suddenly said out loud: “Who is this again asking to join the monastery?” There were no strangers in the cell, and they tried to reassure the elder that no one was asking. A few minutes later, the sick man again, but with anger, said: “Why won’t they tell me who else is asking to enter the monastery?”187 After these words, the cell attendant went out onto the porch, wondering how he could find out which of the large crowd wants to enter the monastery? monastery When the cell attendant appeared on the porch, a young man approached him, wanting to ask Fr. Ambrose, which monastery he will bless him to enter. The questioner was once a novice in the Optina Hermitage, then he went to Athos, but he could not get along there either; but his soul yearned for peace, and he decided, with the blessing of Fr. Ambrose to enter some monastery again. The cell attendant conveyed the request of the questioner. Father invited him to his place, blessed him and ordered him to enter the Glinsk hermitage, famous for its height and severity of spiritual life. On the eighth, the fever intensified, which at times gave way to chills, at times the patient became delirious and fell into oblivion. Fr. were called from the monastery. Anatoly (the head of the hermitage) and Fr. Joseph (senior cell attendant of Father Ambrose). The priest was unconscious all day. The heat reached forty degrees. In the evening, it was decided to perform the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing on the sick man, but he was so weak that those around him thought that he was dying, and Fr. Joseph read the exit note; and then the blessing of oil was performed. All the time the sacrament was being performed, Fr. Ambrose was unconscious. After 12 hours the fever began to gradually subside, and the patient regained consciousness. On the 9th at six o'clock in the morning the elder, with great difficulty, received Holy Communion. That day he did not lose consciousness, but was very weak. When Mother Euphrosyne approached him, he looked at her tenderly and quietly said: “It’s bad, mother.”188
On this day, the rector of Optina Pustyn, Fr., came to say goodbye to the dying man. Isaac. Entering him, he was struck by his emaciated appearance and began to cry with pity. At this time, the elder could no longer speak, but he learned about. abbot. Fixing a deep gaze on him, he raised his hand and took off his cap - with this he expressed his last greeting to his beloved abbot.
An eyewitness to the last hours of the life of Elder Ambrose says that on the last night the elder whispered a prayer until the morning; at three o'clock in the morning the fever began to subside, but at the same time the last of the strength began to leave the old man. His gaze began to stop at some point, his lips stopped moving, his pulse became weaker. At eleven o'clock we read the departure prayer. A few minutes later, the agony began: the legs stretched out, those present could notice that the elder quickly looked to the left and quickly turned away, squinting his face in pain, as if from fright or acute pain. With his right hand he seemed to wave it off, throwing it to his left shoulder, and turning his head to the right, he beamed, his face lit up, and he smiled a little189. The old man’s face began to become deathly pale—the old man was dying. Breathing became less and less frequent. Soon he took a deep breath of air; a few minutes later the inhalation was repeated, after which the priest raised his right hand, weakly crossed himself and inhaled for the third and last time190. The soul of the great old ascetic left his long-suffering body. All those present stood in sacred awe around the bed of their spiritual father; no one dared to break the sacred silence, during which the mystery of the separation of the soul from the body took place; everyone was silent, and “his holy soul was already far away: it quietly flew off into another world and appeared before the throne of the Most High, in the radiance of the love with which he was full on earth”191.
A few minutes after the death of the priest, the entire monastery was plunged into a general groan. It is impossible to describe in words the grief of the sisters, for whom Elder Ambrose was the only support in their difficult earthly fate.
On the same day, many telegrams were sent to all parts of Russia notifying about the death of the elder. A telegram was also sent to Bishop Vitaly of Kaluga, but it found him already on the way to the Shamordino monastery. Vladyka left Kaluga at half past twelve, at the very time when the elder died. Upon learning of the death of Fr. Ambrose, the Right Reverend said: “Now I see that it was the elder who invited me to the funeral service; Bishops do not perform funeral services for ordinary hieromonks, but this elder is so great that a bishop must certainly perform his funeral service. The doctors released me on the condition that I not serve anywhere, but I consider it my duty to perform the funeral service for the elder.”192
Immediately after the death of the elder, in the next room the sisters began to alternately read the psalter for the deceased. On October 11, funeral liturgies were served in the Shamordino Monastery, Optina Hermitage and many other places. After the liturgy, a continuous service of memorial services began, during which the incessantly arriving admirers of the elder poured out fervent prayers for the repose of his soul and in this they found relief for their inconsolable grief. The memorial services were mostly served by representatives of the white clergy, who came from surrounding villages and towns. They considered it an honor to serve a memorial service for the great elder. The Belevsky convent sent its choir of singers. The tired Shamordino singers were replaced by the Belev singers, then the orphanage students sang, the Optina monks sang, and finally, everyone who could sing, and as they had to, sang, because they still didn’t have the strength to serve all the funeral services. At two o'clock the coffin with the body of the deceased elder was transferred from the abbot's building to the temple. The people began to approach the coffin in an endless line and, bidding farewell to the great sad man, gave him their last kiss. Many brought their children and placed them at the coffin. They also brought handkerchiefs, pieces of linen and various things, placed them on the body of the righteous man and, like a great shrine, took them back.
The funeral service was scheduled for October 13th. By this day, many admirers of the elder came to the monastery. Many abbots and abbesses of neighboring monasteries, hieromonks and priests of neighboring monasteries and parishes arrived, most of them were disciples of the deceased. On the same day, in the morning, Bishop Vitaly arrived to perform the funeral service. He entered the temple unexpectedly. At this time, another memorial service was performed and “Alleluia” was sung (at the end of “Blessed are you, Lord”). Thus the prophetic word of Fr. Ambrose, that when the bishop meets, the sisters will sing “hallelujah” to him.
His Grace Vitaly served a funeral liturgy in the monastery church on this day, co-served by numerous clergy. After the communion verse, a student at the Moscow Theological Academy, Hieromonk Gregory (Borisoglebsky), spoke at length in which he spoke beautifully about the significance of Elder Ambrose for Russian monasticism and the entire Russian people. Several times the inspired words of the young preacher were drowned out by the sobs of those present in the church.
After the liturgy, Bishop Vitaly, co-served by 30 clergy, performed the funeral service.
This funeral service left an extraordinary impression on the souls of all those present. All the clergy were in white robes, the bishop's choir sang majestically, and the host of clergy soulfully echoed him: “Rest, O Lord, the soul of Thy departed servant.” Before the singing of the kontakion “Rest with the Saints...”, a student at the Moscow Theological Academy, Hieromonk Tryfon (later Metropolitan of Dmitrov) said a short but deeply felt word. After the funeral service ended, the clergy, and then again many people, began to say goodbye to the deceased. At this time, the abbess in her chambers offered the guests a funeral dinner, which was attended by about 500 people. During lunch, an incident occurred that once again showed everyone the elder’s foresight. Among those dining there was a young couple who had no children and were very sad about it. Even during the life of Elder Ambrose, the couple asked him to bless them to take in a child. The father replied that in a year he would send them a girl to raise. And now, a year later, they sat at the funeral table and grieved not only that the elder was no longer alive, but also that he did not have time to fulfill his promise. At this time, a rumor spread that a baby girl had been found on the stairs of the abbot's chambers, abandoned by an unknown person. Hearing about this, the couple immediately announced that they would take this girl into their upbringing, as a promised gift from Elder Ambrose.
On October 14, after the funeral liturgy, the coffin with the body of the elder was lifted by the sisters of the monastery, carried around the temple, and a large procession headed to the gates of the monastery. The elder returned to his monastery - Optina Pustyn. It was hard for the sisters to part with their abbot. They wanted to bury the elder in their monastery so that they could pour out their sorrows at his grave at any time. But the Optina monks also demanded that the elder be buried in their monastery. It is surprising that the elder foresaw such a course of events and, shortly before his death, said in a joking tone to the Shamordin sisters around him: “Look, autumn is coming: here and there, the ducks and geese will get it. The geese will drag, and the ducks will cry"193. And indeed, unable to convince the Shamordin sisters, the brethren of Optina Hermitage turned to the Holy Synod for a resolution of this issue, which ordered the elder to be buried in Optina Hermitage, next to the grave of his teacher, Fr. Macaria. “A terrible, difficult moment came,” writes one of the eyewitnesses, “the dear, loving father was forever leaving his beloved brainchild, on which they had put so much effort and labor. His Shamordino saw his foundation in him... With desperate eyes, the sisters watched the coffin moving away from their borders”194. The transfer of the coffin with the body of Elder Ambrose took place solemnly and unusually touchingly. The funeral procession stretched for a mile. Many people surrounded the coffin. The sisters, Optina monks and monks alternately carried a stretcher with a coffin in their arms; banners, lighted candles, the ringing of bells with which the procession was greeted in every village - all this was more reminiscent of the transfer of relics than an ordinary burial195. In the villages through which the funeral procession passed, clergymen in vestments and presenting banners greeted the elder’s coffin; They made short stops near the temples and served litiyas.
The transfer of the body of the deceased elder continued for seven hours. All this time the weather was very stormy, it was raining almost continuously and a strong wind was blowing. It is remarkable that during the entire time the elder’s body was transferred from Shamordino to Optina, the candles at the coffin never went out, and the usual crackling sound that happens when droplets of water fall on the wick of a burning candle was not even heard. During his lifetime, Elder Ambrose was a lamp who, throughout his long life in any living conditions, brightly shone the light of his virtues to humanity, weary of a sinful life, and now, when he was gone, the Lord, by burning candles in inclement rainy weather, testified to everyone once again about the holiness of the elder.
Not far from Optina Hermitage, the funeral procession was met by the entire clergy of the city of Kozelsk, with eminent citizens and a multitude of people, and everyone joined the general procession. At about five o'clock the majestic procession approached Optina Pustyn. The large Optina bell, with its thick, smooth, mournful ringing, announced to the Optina residents the approach of their elder, who had labored in this monastery for more than 50 years. The entire numerous Optina brotherhood, led by two archimandrites, abbots, hieromonks and visiting white clergy, came out of the gates of the monastery to meet the funeral procession. All the clergy were in vestments. The brethren carried many banners and icons. This entire oncoming procession approached the Zhizdra River and stopped at a bridge specially erected for this day. Near the bridge, two processions merged into one, and everyone headed to the monastery gates. “It was a majestic sight,” writes Archimandrite Agapit (an eyewitness), “when the elder’s coffin, carried across the bridge, was carried into the ranks of a large host of clergy in brilliant vestments, and countless crowds of people from both sides united together. The ringing of funeral bells, the singing of choristers, the fluttering banners, and this immense multitude of people both in front and behind, far away, far across the river, and finally, this poor coffin, to which the tearful gaze of all those present is directed, to which heartfelt sighs rushed from all sides - all this struck the hearts of everyone who had gathered to pay their last respects to the elder.”196
Through the northern gates the coffin was carried into the monastery and then into the cold Vvedensky Cathedral, which was decorated in a festive manner and shone with many lit candles and chandeliers.
After the coffin was installed in the middle of the temple, Fr. the rector, with several pairs of hieromonks, served a memorial service. At this time, a solemn funeral all-night vigil began in the warm Kazan Church. All night long funeral services were held in the Vvedensky Church, and a large number of people stood at the elder’s tomb.
The next day, October 15, the coffin was transferred to the Kazan Church. At 9 o'clock, His Grace Bishop Vitaly, co-serving the senior brethren of the monastery, celebrated the Divine Liturgy, at the end of which he delivered a speech filled with deep sorrow for the deceased elder. After the liturgy, Vladyka, co-served by forty clergy, celebrated a requiem mass. After the 9th song of the canon, Hieromonk Gregory (Borisoglebsky), with the blessing of the Right Reverend, spoke a short word in which he expressed his last farewell words to the elder from the Moscow Theological Academy. The preacher ended his speech with a bow to the deceased.
After the funeral service, the coffin with the body of the elder was raised by the brethren of the monastery, and in the presentation of banners and icons, with the initial funeral chimes and the touching singing of funeral hymns, it was carried to the south-eastern wall of the Vvedensky Cathedral, where a fresh grave was prepared next to the chapel over the grave of Elder Macarius.
It is known how reverent Fr. was throughout his life. Ambrose in front of his teacher - Fr. Makariy. Close to Fr. Ambrose often heard the following from him: “Father Fr. was a great man. Macarius! “If only the Lord would bring me to lie down at his feet.”197 And now, not even “at the feet”, but next to the great teacher, his no less, and perhaps even greater, student was buried.
After the litiya was performed and “Eternal Memory” was proclaimed to the deceased, the coffin was lowered into the grave. The Bishop was the first to throw a handful of earth onto the coffin, followed by the rest, and soon a small mound rose above the eternal resting place of the great righteous man.
“Here, finally, a new fresh grave has appeared, in which a precious treasure is hidden, a vessel of God’s grace, a temple of the great holy soul - the laborious body of the elder hieromonk, Father Ambrose!”198 writes one of his life writers.
Until late at night, funeral services were held over the new grave. The people did not leave for a long time. It was very difficult for everyone to get used to the idea that the kind, all-forgiving, wise and omniscient priest was no longer alive. Ordinary people said: “Father was needed for everyone, but apparently he needed rest: they tortured him too much.”199
Shortly before the death of Elder Ambrose, he was asked: “The time will come when you will no longer be with us. What are we going to do then? And he answered with love then: “If I’ve been fussing with you here, then you probably won’t be able to get away from you there.”200 And he did not leave us. He settled where the saints intercede for the Russian land and do not abandon those in need with their gracious help. As if to confirm this, the cases of healings through the prayers of the deceased elder cited in the “Biography” of Elder Ambrose.
In conclusion, we present two wonderful dreams of one Shamorda sister, which depict the afterlife of Elder Ambrose. “Several time before the death of the priest,” she says, “I saw as if I was standing in a beautiful garden. The leaves on the tall trees tremble, and each leaf repeats the prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It’s as if there is a bright temple in the garden. I entered it and saw that its dome was unfinished. And I thought how the temple is not finished. Then I heard a voice: “This dwelling has been prepared for Elder Ambrose and will soon be finished.” And when the priest had already died,” the nun continues, talking about her second dream, “I saw that his coffin was standing. And then four angels in white robes descended, and in their hands they held candles and a censer. And I asked: “Why did they, so bright, go down to the tomb?” And they answered me: “This is because he suffered so much in life and so patiently bore his crosses.”201.
What do people pray to Ambrose of Optina for?
Even after his death, Elder Ambrose appeared to people who needed his help. In 1988, he was numbered among the Saints of God. Prayers to Ambrose of Optina help everyone who asks for many troubles and needs. They pray to him:
- about healing in various ailments;
- about good morals and Christian upbringing of children;
- in various everyday and everyday problems;
- about the granting of strengthening in the Orthodox faith.
Prayer to Ambrose of Optina for every day
Lord, let me meet with peace of mind everything that the coming day will bring me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and a firm conviction that everything is Your holy will. In all my words and deeds, guide my thoughts and feelings. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.
