Our contemporary, Mother Zipporah, whose life and prophecies are not known to us from records, lived a long and pious life. Many say that it was given to her so that this thin thread of time between the believers of pre-Soviet Russia and modern ones, many of whom are only cautiously embarking on this path, would not be interrupted.
A lot of people came to Klykovo, the monastery. Mother Zipporah, whose miracles near the grave and thanks to whose prayers continue to this day, warmly received everyone, and also always tried to suggest a solution to the problem with which they came to her. This is exactly what will be discussed in this article.
Mother's life before the shock of 1933
Mother Zipporah was born on March 19, 1986 in the Tambov province, in the town of Glukhovo. Her family was a peasant family, and everyone in it was Orthodox. Her parents gave her the beautiful name Daria.
Everyone in her family was very hardworking and honest. Daria's mother gave birth to thirteen children, but only three survived. According to mother’s recollections, they lived well. In their family, both on the father’s and mother’s sides, there were monks and nuns, so it is not at all surprising where she got such an ardent craving for the Lord and communication with him.
She was taught women's crafts (weaving, sewing) at the monastery. At the same time, she was taught a prayer rule that had to be performed while working. Since then it has been like this all her life.
If it had been her will, Daria would not have gotten married, but immediately became a nun. But she was an obedient daughter, so with her mother’s blessing she married a fellow villager. She entered a large and truly believing family. I had to work a lot there, but Daria didn’t complain. During the time that she was married, four children and daughters were born.
Before dispossession began in 1933, the father-in-law allocated a plot of land for the young family on which they built a new hut. They were also given part of their father's farm. But they didn't live like this for long. The new government decided to drive all the peasants into collective farms, so the ruin of all more or less prosperous farms began. A lot of people died as people resisted and rebelled.
Completion of tonsure. How it was
After moving to Kireevsk, Daria stopped caring about earthly things. Her children became adults, and they helped her, giving her what she needed, taking care of her. But these needs were very small. Not yet a nun, she already had several spiritual children who consulted her in everything.
Very often, mother lived in Sergiev Posad, with her eldest daughter Alexandra, who found a job there, and after some time bought part of the house. Mother came here to see her very often, went to services and prayed a lot. It was here that her unusual tonsure into monasticism took place.
One day, during prayer, angels came down to mother and began to walk around her, performing an unknown ritual. After they began to put monastic robes on her, Daria realized that this was tonsure. She spoke about this in confession at the Lavra. After this, she was blessed to be tonsured a monk. And on October 20, 1967, she was dressed in monastic robes in the world. They named her Dosithea.
Mother lived in Sergiev Posad for a long time, but when her eldest daughter Alexandra died of illness, she was in Kireevo and was also sick. Paraskeva and Lydia went to bury their sister.
Mother Zipporah, whose life and prophecies were permeated with love for man and his troubles, received many monks, which bewildered her neighbors. They didn’t understand why they were suddenly driving like that. They thought that grandma Dasha was treating him.
Long difficulties and undivided faith in God
At this time, Daria's husband decided to move to Bolokhovo, near Tula. There he planned to work in a newly opened mine. At first he wanted to move there himself, and after he settled in, call his family. He managed to leave, but literally immediately Daria and the children were kicked out of the house and it was dismantled. All property was taken away.
Nobody wanted to shelter the family. The father-in-law and mother-in-law were sent to Solovki, the younger brother was beaten to death. However, there was one kind soul, the unsociable widow Agafya, who lived on the outskirts. It was difficult. Hunger and cold, but we survived. They begged for alms, worked tirelessly, and collected any fuel for heating. The eldest daughter almost immediately went to live with her father, and the whole family moved in with him only two or three years later. Mother Zipporah and her family lived there before the war. Scanty, but stable.
With the advent of the war, ordeals and relocations began again. Daria's husband went to the front, and they went to the Tambov region, and then returned to the Tula region. It was hungry and cold, but prayer always saved me. Daria prayed not only for the children, but also for her husband, who was fighting. Thanks to this, they all survived these difficult times.
In 1955, Daria lost her husband and remained a widow. A year later the family moved to the modern city of Kireevsk. Nearby, in the village of Panin, there was a temple, which they began to visit. Thus, mother’s external spiritual life also resumed.
Completion of tonsure. How it was
After moving to Kireevsk, Daria stopped caring about earthly things. Her children became adults, and they helped her, giving her what she needed, taking care of her. But these needs were very small. Not yet a nun, she already had several spiritual children who consulted her in everything.
Very often, mother lived in Sergiev Posad, with her eldest daughter Alexandra, who found a job there, and after some time bought part of the house. Mother came here to see her very often, went to services and prayed a lot. It was here that her unusual tonsure into monasticism took place.
One day, during prayer, angels came down to mother and began to walk around her, performing an unknown ritual. After they began to put monastic robes on her, Daria realized that this was tonsure. She spoke about this in confession at the Lavra. After this, she was blessed to be tonsured a monk. And on October 20, 1967, she was dressed in monastic robes in the world. They named her Dosithea.
Mother lived in Sergiev Posad for a long time, but when her eldest daughter Alexandra died of illness, she was in Kireevo and was also sick. Paraskeva and Lydia went to bury their sister.
Mother Zipporah, whose life and prophecies were permeated with love for man and his troubles, received many monks, which bewildered her neighbors. They didn’t understand why they were suddenly driving like that. They thought that grandma Dasha was treating him.
Life of Zipporah
Childhood
The prayer book was born in 1896 in the village of Glukhovo in the Tambov region. The parents named their daughter Daria. Besides her, there were 12 more children in the family. Only three of them survived: Dasha, as well as her two brothers Pavel and Vasily, who faced a sad fate. Both died early. One was destroyed in the war of 1914, the other during dispossession.
-nun Zipporah absorbed the traditions of ancient piety The family walked to the temple. When the girl turned 7 years old, grandfather Alexey brought rosary beads from the holy place.
The girl was surrounded by monks from both parents. In the Church of the Intercession in the village of Glukhovo, the nuns taught her to sew, and during needlework to offer to the Lord the prayer petition “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the wicked one”...
Marriage
At the age of 20, Daria married a local guy, Dimitry Shnyakin. A year later, the newlyweds gave birth to their first child, a girl, Alexandra, and the weather began to change: the son Vladimir, who died in infancy, the Lord sent the couple another daughter, Paraskeva.
In 1933, difficult times came for the family. Right before dispossession, the head of the family went to Bolokhovo to earn extra money and settle down there. He found out later what happened in his absence. The Russian authorities destroyed the house, driving the mother and children out onto the street.
The widow Agafya sheltered the poor fellow, but the family’s failures did not end there. There was nothing to eat. We recovered from the grass that was plucked right outside the house. Bread was baked from potatoes and a pinch of flour. Mom worked as a dressmaker and received pennies for her work. It was a joy when customers gave us food in addition to payment. They did not disdain to stand at the porch with an outstretched hand. It was more difficult in the winter, when there was nothing to heat the hut with. They did not provide firewood or grass; they themselves collected brushwood in the forest and dried sunflowers in the field.
The family survived the Great Russian War, and in 1950 they lost their breadwinner. Fortunately, the daughters grew up and went to work and became income for their mother.
At this time, the family was already living in Kireevsk. Pious family members walked to the local church, but Daria herself was treated specially by the local inhabitants. They called her Mother and asked her for advice in difficult situations. At home, she and her daughters read akathists, and each one separately in solitude was a prayer rule.
Prophetic Vision
At one point, she saw images of angels above her. They circled and put monastic robes on her. Daria realized that the vision of tonsure was not accidental. To be convinced of the need for spiritual achievement, I went to the Lavra. During confession, the future old woman shared what she saw.
The beginning of the monastic path
Her hypotheses were confirmed, then in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra she was blessed for monastic service. After some time, the tonsure took place. In 1967 she was named Dosithea.
The nun settled with her daughter, then still in Zagorsk, next to the monastery. And then the old woman had spiritual children. The rumor about the prophetess reached here too. And she perceived everyone and gave instructions, protected them from inappropriate actions. And what’s amazing is that sometimes she quoted by heart the instructions of the holy fathers. I recommended that my spiritual children write out valuable advice to make it easier to understand.
For her, any prayer She read some of them by heart.
Watch the film about Sipporah, in which the monks and clergy remember the old woman:
Schima
In 1989, the nun was tonsured into the schema. Now more and more, Sipporah wanted silence, solitude, true monastic life, hermitage. The goal is to serve the Savior. Worldly life weighed heavily on the wife of Christ. She prayed to the Mother of God to end her earthly journey in the monastery. In a dream, the Most Pure Virgin appeared to her and said: “You will not die in the world, you will die in Klykovo.”
4 years after accepting the schema, in the spring, mother made a pilgrimage to Optina. At the monastery I heard about the restoration of an ancient Orthodox pearl in Klykovo , and met novice Sergei, the future rector of the church, Hieromonk Misha.
Zipporah's Predictions
Later he will describe the meeting: “I left the Vvedensky Church and heard exclamations: “The old woman is coming, the old woman is coming!” Let’s go and take the blessing!” The novice, like everyone else, took the blessing, and she asked him what he was doing here. And later she smiled, as if she knew in advance what path awaited the coming monk, and added: “In the meantime, run, run!”
Klykovo, Kozelsk and Shamordino are located on the banks of the Sirena River. In 1992, the restoration of the temple in Klykovo began, and the beautification of the Bishop's Compound began there. The monks of Optina set to work. Here novice Sergei accepted the priesthood, becoming Misha. Zipporah herself settled here only in 1996.
At one point, Father Misha, in upset emotions, complained to the schema-nun about the lack of funds for restoration work in the temple. The old woman reassured the shepherd: “Don’t be sad. There will be bells, you’ll build houses, and you’ll make a fence...”
During her lifetime, schema-nun Zipporah prophesied. She foreshadowed the future for people, but most of all she taught Christian piety and understanding of one’s own deeds. For example, she taught how to give alms. She scolded me for asking for “donations.” It is true to say “do holy alms.” She confirmed her instruction with the words of Holy Scripture, where the Lord said: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 12:7).
The schema-nun restrained herself in food. Three days before communion, she ate prosphora, washing it down with water. After accepting the Holy Mysteries of Christ, she continued to hold the monastery fast for three days, secluded herself and offered her prayer requests to God.
Another fascinating episode from the life of Zipporah is associated with a blessing for trips to holy places. She rarely welcomed long-distance pilgrimages and warned that far from home one could lose almost everything.
The old woman also knew the time of her own death. She shared that during prayer, close people who had died long ago appeared to her. They called her with them, but it was too early for her to leave this mortal world. At one fine moment, Angels appeared, but she folded her hands on her chest, as during Communion. She showed with a gesture that she would not give her soul. The angels promised to return in 4 months.
Mother's move to Klykovo
Very often, mother traveled to holy places, was even in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, and visited Optina Pustyn. In December 1989, Mother Dosithea was tonsured into the schema. She was given a new name, Zipporah, which means “bird” in Hebrew. Her further life continued in her cell, where she carried out her feat, despite her age.
Mother was very worried that she lived in the world, because she would have to die like that, although she was a schema monk. One day her worries were dispelled by the fervent prayer of the Mother of God. She appeared to the old woman and said that mother was not destined to die in the world. Priests from Klykovo were supposed to come to her. Mother Zipporah did not even ask or even think about how to get to him. She knew that they would come for her. Only sometimes I asked visiting priests if they were from there.
Meanwhile, in Klykovo, the bishop's courtyard was built and the church was restored. After some time, schema-abbot Iliy informed the monks who were restoring the area that schema-nun Zipporah would spiritually care for them. It was to her that they went for advice and prayers. And construction went smoothly. Already before Christmas, a log house was built for mother.
This is how Mother Sipporah moved to Klykovo. How to get to it now? You will need the Kaluga-Kozelsk road, you need to go by car. When you see a sign for Optina Pustyn, you should go in the direction of Meshchovsk. On the road you will see a sign with a sign. Focus on the chapel of Oleg Bryansky.
With a prayer against cholera
In addition to the life story of Saint Kuksha, who once lived in these parts, pilgrims during a tour of the monastery are told stories about miraculous healings that took place both in the past and in our times.
The first of them tells that seven miles from the village of Klykovo is the village of Kurynichi. In 1733, through the efforts of the Davydovs, who owned Kurynichy at that time, a church was built in the village. But in March 1826 there was a fire and the church burned down. From the wooden church that burned down in the village of Kurynichi, the following were preserved: the ancient Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands and the Gospel, printed under Patriarch Andrian.
The history of the appearance of this ancient image of the Savior in the Kurynichsky Church is little known. There are only legends that it was brought to Kurynichi by one of the relatives of the Kurynichi landowners, the Shulgins.
In the 20s of the 19th century, cholera was rampant in Kozelsky district. And according to legend, preserved to this day among the peasants of the village of Klykovo, during the epidemic, the Image of the Savior from Kurynich was brought to Klykovo. With the religious procession, the Image of the Savior was surrounded around the village, and the cholera gradually began to weaken, and by August 16 it completely stopped. In gratitude to the Savior God, the then owner of the village of Klykov Guard, Lieutenant Alexander Fedorovich Poltoratsky, built a new stone church on the site of a dilapidated wooden church in honor of St. Nicholas. In 1829, construction was completed, and, at the request of Poltoratsky, the temple was consecrated in honor of the Uncuttered Image of Jesus Christ. Instead, this temple is now the main cathedral of the desert in Klykovo.
Cases of healing
Many people talk about how, after coming to the old woman, they completely recovered. For example, there is one letter from a woman who talks about her disappointing diagnosis - purulent mastopathy. They sent me for surgery. Before this, she prayed to her mother for a long time, asking for her intercession. The day of the operation was set, but before that I had to go for an ultrasound. Thanks to the prayers of the old woman, nothing was discovered. Instead of surgery, the woman went to the grave of Mother Zipporah.
Another woman, whose name is Elena, spoke about another inexplicable miracle. One day her husband, who works as a driver, went on a business trip. The wife felt trouble and asked mother to pray for her husband. Returning from a business trip, he showed a deep scratch, which was the only thing left from the accident. Thus, the prayers of the old woman helped to save her.
Again, Elena also talked about helping her son when he was burning in the fire of childhood illness. Sincere prayer and crying for help did their job - the next morning my son recovered from his high fever.
Another woman from Kireevsk talked about her friendship with her mother. They went to church together, which was located in Panino. Mother was already endowed with the gift of insight, but most often she was silent. But then she said a few words about the future life of her children. She said that her daughters would become wives of priests, and her son would become a priest. She also predicted that he would give her communion. And so it happened.
Miracles in Klykovo
After moving to the village of Klykovo, Mother Zipporah continued to offer her prayers. She attended every liturgy and never missed one. Through my mother’s prayers, a car was found for the temple, which she told me how to choose. She accurately described the necessary signs, which were used to find the car.
While praying, Mother Zipporah continued to perform miracles. Both at a construction site and among people. According to her, entire blocks were unfrozen, which had previously been impossible to get out, and grown men, for whom swearing was a part of life, became like lambs.
With her staff, smeared with holy water from the Jordan, and also with lamp oil, she healed people. After death, cases of healing did not stop. One day, after a long prayer to his mother, anointing him with oil from the lamp that stood on her grave, a boy recovered from leukemia. After that, he saw his mother in his dream. She leaned over him with ease, and he kissed her hand. After some time, a miracle happened again in the same family. The boy's grandmother, who fell ill with an incurable disease, suddenly recovered. Of course, this happened because of fervent prayers to mother.
Completion of mother's earthly journey
Mother Zipporah foresaw her death. The day before, she gave gifts to everyone, distributing her property. Before her death, she felt bad, but she had no intention of leaving. It all happened on May thirteenth, 1997. And so Mother Zipporah rested in her house. Her grave is located near the altar of the St. Nicholas chapel. There is a mass grave nearby. Everything was done as she wished.
If you want to visit the grave where Mother Zipporah is buried, how to get to her is described above. And today miracles are happening there that cannot be explained from a scientific point of view, but are quite possible from a Divine point of view.
It should be noted that some time after the death of the old woman, they discovered myrrh in her photograph, which stood in mother’s cell. At first they thought it was fogging, but soon there was so much mirrh that the photograph stuck to the glass. Witnesses of this miracle are the Optina monks.
Origin and birth
Daria Nikolaevna Shnyakina (the future Mother Zipporah) came into this world on April 1, 1896, and reposed on May 13, 1997. The Lord gave her more than a hundred years of life in order to pass on the Orthodox traditions of past times to the modern generation, to draw a connection between two eras that are far apart in time and in spirit. Believers pass on the life and prophecies of the amazing elder schema-nun Sepphora from mouth to mouth.
Family
Daria was born into a peasant family. Parents, Nikolai and Matrona, were simple and illiterate, but believing people. Both had monks in their family, so there were always icons in the house, and the spirit of prayer was present. Among their fellow villagers they were distinguished by their hard work, piety and other Christian virtues.
Life at that time was not easy. Of the 13 children born into the family, only Daria and her younger brothers, Pavel and Vasily, survived. The couple raised their remaining children in a Christian spirit, instilling in them a love of prayer and work from an early age. I had to work hard from early childhood - in the garden, on the arable land, in the barnyard. On Sundays, the whole family was required to attend church. Life flowed among the pristine Russian nature, with its beauty teaching to love and glorify God.
Training in women's crafts
In the neighboring village of Glukhov, nuns lived at the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God. Daria became friends with them and spent a lot of time in the church, helping the sisters in their obediences. The nuns fell in love with a girl who, instead of playing and having fun, devoted her time to work and prayer, and often secluded herself from everyone to read akathists and the lives of saints.
Daria learned to sew and weave. But not only this skill was mastered by the young novice. The nuns taught the girl to constantly repeat the Jesus Prayer while working. And Daria’s grandfather, returning from another pilgrimage trip, gave his seven-year-old granddaughter a rosary brought from holy places. Thus arose in Daria an ardent desire to devote herself to God and leave this world, hiding from it behind the walls of the monastery.
Elder's prophecies
The prophecies of Mother Zipporah were numerous. She clearly saw every person, his life and everything that would happen to him. The predictions were also more global. For example, many prophecies have been made for Russia. Mother saw that if a king came to this country for a ruling position, then nothing would threaten her, she would not accept the seal of the Antichrist, unlike other states. It is very important that this happens after the second or third president. And, as can be seen from the current political situation, this is possible.
Mother also spoke about the coming Apocalypse. According to her, everything will be as described in it. Only unshakable faith can save humanity.
Another prediction from Mother was the renaming of Klykovo to the city of Spassk. At the same time, the monastery will become much larger, a large number of buildings will appear in it, and many people will come to live here.
Mother's instructions
During her life, Mother Zipporah gave many instructions to her spiritual children and simply to people who asked her for help. Let's look at some of her teachings:
- Mother often repeated how to pray: “Lord, make my heart burn for you!” Everyone remembered these words of hers. She also talked about praying for her superiors and elders.
- She also instructed that one must constantly follow the Rule of the Theotokos, and also not forget to turn to the saints and the Lord, assuring that they hear everything.
- Very often, mother said that little children should not be scolded, since they are raw wax, from which you can sculpt anything. When your children misbehave, you need to pray to the Lord so that he can direct them to the righteous and good path.
- The old woman always forbade blaming anyone. She said you shouldn't talk bad about anyone. This is the work of the Lord, who knows what to do with a person’s life, and not ours at all.
- Mother always advised us to pray to God before coming to her. Then he will reveal to the asker everything he needs through her.
- According to the old woman, for all the icons that are in the house, you need to know the prayers, the troparion, as well as the life of the one who is depicted on it. Otherwise, these are not icons, but an ordinary exhibition of paintings.
- She talked a lot about the need to think less about worldly things, and more about life after death, in the Kingdom of God.
- She talked about the importance of prayer for the salvation of the human soul, which is the most important task in a person’s life.
- Mother always repeated that you should do all your deeds for the Lord, be with him all the time. Then he will always be with us.
- The most important prayer was the Jesus Prayer. She commanded it to be repeated everywhere. If a person is alone, then repeat it out loud; if in a public place, then to yourself.
Each instruction of the old woman was very significant and was spoken out of great love for humanity. Obviously, this is why so many people flocked to Klykovo (monastery). Mother Zipporah helped many and prayed for many.
MOTHER ZEPPHORAH Miracles, prophecies, spiritual instructions. Schema-nun Sepphora (†05/13/1997) reposed in the 102nd year. She, a great prayer book, a perspicacious old woman who departed to the Lord at the end of the twentieth century, in May 1997, was given the opportunity to live a long life. True, in order to convey to the people of modern times the traditions of ancient piety, genuine righteousness, and strong standing in the faith. Mother Zipporah spiritually supported the Optina monks and novices. Lay people from Moscow, Tula, Tambov, Smolensk came to her for advice and instructions from other monasteries. Among her children are abbots, abbots, monks, novices, laypeople, whom she helped straighten the path to God, and sometimes be reborn, start life again. Raising children, advice to women Schema-nun Anastasia (Mary, nun of Panteleimon): - Mother Zipporah often said that you should not scold children or shout at them. Child - raw wax. You can mold it into whatever you want. And when children commit some offenses, when they disobey their parents, the mother must pray to God, so that the Lord will have mercy and guide them on the good path. A woman is often more preoccupied with herself. And this is one of the diseases of the century. And further. Nowadays, mothers and wives often revel in self-sufficiency and want to excel in their pride. Mother lamented: “Just think - not to obey a man... So he came drunk, and you said to him: “My dear! You've had a little to drink and are tired. Well, lie down." If he's hungry, feed him. Treat him kindly. Then everything will be peaceful, okay.” And indeed, this is what happened to me, for example. I tried to follow my mother’s advice, and everything changed in the family (this was even before I became a widow). She never missed an opportunity to remind me, and others, that the Holy Scripture says: “Let a wife fear her husband.” You should not be in awe, but respect. She asked us: “What did Sarah call her husband?” And she immediately answered: “My lord!” Alms - “I want mercy, not sacrifice” From the memoirs of abbot Father Nikon (then novice Sergius), in connection with his new obedience, collecting donations for Optina: - Never ask: “Donate.” Say: “Do holy alms.” The Lord says: “I want mercy, not sacrifice”... Prayer. Jesus Prayer. About prayer to the Saints From the memoirs of Abbot Father Michael, rector of the Monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands of the Hermitage: “She prayed in such a way that it was obvious to me: the blind old woman sees the angelic world as clearly as you and I see each other. And every day, communicating with her, I tried to find out the secret of the old woman. How did she learn such strong, bold prayer?.. Mother Zipporah was laconic. But when my persistent questioning began, I gradually revealed my “secrets”: “It used to be that you were digging a garden bed. You push the shovel at once: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God...” - and then you pull it back and finish: “... have mercy on me, a sinner.” That’s what the Glukhov nuns taught me as a child.” She dug in the ground, looked after the cow, cooked, worked in the field, and silently said the Jesus Prayer. So that she could stand under the icon and pray for hours - in her youth she did not know such luxury. There wasn't a minute without something to do in my hands. I would like ... for people to know how, living an ordinary worldly life, filled to the brim with hard, sometimes backbreaking work, a person can achieve truly angelic heights - righteousness.” The icon painter nun Ksenia recalls: “...Mother never tired of repeating that we must turn to the saints more often. If you have five icons hanging in your home, each one needs to know the troparion, the life of the saint, so that it is not a stranger. Otherwise, these are not icons, but an exhibition of paintings. She also said that we must always turn to the heavenly world. Mother Zipporah herself was in constant prayer. She didn’t talk for a long time, didn’t tolerate empty chatter. And she was still sitting with rosaries... Some were on her hand, some made of wood, weave. Then another thirty. In the hands of the rosary, on the headboard of the bed. She was such a doer of prayer that if a person fell into the sphere of her influence, he began to gradually turn towards prayer... From the memoirs of Schema-nun Anastasia Chad, Mother Zipporah taught her fervent prayer, reverent veneration of saints and often repeated: “Icons are not an exhibition of paintings.” You need to pray in front of them, you need to know the troparia, every day you need to turn to the saints that are on the icons. If at first it is difficult to remember the troparion, at least learn the refrains from the akathist. Mother has said more than once that in the troparia the Holy Scripture is revealed, the images of those saints to whom we turn are revealed. “I tried to unquestioningly fulfill all obediences, ... but then I tried to object: “When should we teach them? My mother is sick and has three children. Work from eight to eight.” And mother advises: “Take a piece of notebook paper, write a troparion on it, fold it like an accordion.” And while we are going to church - to Tula, hold it in your hand and read it quietly. “So I started learning troparia... And she also used to ask: “What did you read today?” I answer: “The Gospel.” And mother meticulously finds out: “The Gospel is from whom?” And I forgot, of course. She will sigh reproachfully: “No. It won't work like that. You should know who wrote such holy gospel words...” And can you imagine? She begins to repeat to me word for word what I read at home. I stand and listen in numbness. Again, mother knows more about me than I do myself. She didn’t like people to just read, she had to delve into every word, understand every verse of the Psalter. Let’s say the ninth kathisma of the Psalter is about the obedience of the sons of Adam. Mother tells me: “Kathisma is about obedience. So learn from them, remember how they obeyed their father.” How many times has it happened - I’ll read it at home, and my mother already knows what she read. He will check how I understood it and correct it if necessary. Alla S. recalls: “I hold on to my mother’s blessing.” 13th year in Optina. I try to follow the prayer rule that Mother Zipporah gave me. She often reminded: “Pray to the Mother of God 150 times, read the Gospel, Pentecostal, Psalter”... If I relaxed, allowed myself to disobey, temptations simply fell on me. For example, there was a period when I stopped reading 150 “Virgins”. Soon I completely cooled down to prayer. And such a pressing despondency came over me. It became unbearably hard. I came again to my mother. And her first words were: “Why don’t you pray?” Right from the doorway it began to bring me to my senses. And my mother also made me understand that she knows: there are things that I hide from my spiritual father. I'm ashamed to tell you. Mother Zipporah taught that one must say everything, get it from the very bottom, without hiding anything. Devilry. About demonic attacks - “You have to be fighters.” Nun Ksenia told about the sign of the cross, and others too, that mother had several staves. She rubbed them with water from the Jordan and lamp oil from the holy icons before which she prayed. And whether she walked or stood in the temple, she leaned on one of her sticks. And when they came to her (most often they were her children), she lightly hit her arms, legs, and back with a staff. Those who knew mother better than others claim that this is how she fought off demons and cleansed people. Yes, mother fought with evil spirits, for which the demons took fierce revenge on her. One day, novice Sergius came to see his mother after another demonic attack on her. “Imagine,” recalls Father Nikon (formerly Sergius), “I go into my cell, and the sand crunches under my feet. And mother groans: “Oh-oh, they fell asleep, all my eyes fell asleep.” I look: the bed, the rug, my mother’s clothes are all covered in sand. But this is not the Sahara Desert. There was nowhere for it to come from: the window was closed, not a single crack, not even a window. The doors were also closed, and there was no sand around the house. And another time, Sergius, getting ready for Moscow, went to his mother to take a blessing for the road. “She gave her blessing,” says Father Nikon, “and then she said: “If you see Father Elijah, ask him to come and read.” Such attacks are coming at me. So now the enemy is fiercely embarrassing me, even beating me. Do you see the bruises on my arms? And it’s like that all over the body.” Noticing my surprise, mother nodded her head: “Why are you surprised? Of course they beat me, they still beat me. I’m disturbing them.” He understood that mother was praying for an increase in love, for peace and tranquility in a person’s soul. Well, the spirits of evil fought with her, taking revenge for every victory. She was not afraid and did not yield, she always remained a warrior of Christ. Sometimes she told her children that they had to be persistent, to be able to fight, saying in their own way: “You have to be fighters.” Sometimes his blood froze with fear. And then, almost without breathing, he looked around: “Mother, do you see them?” - But of course. There he is, the horned one, standing there. O. Nikon admits that he was shocked and scared then. I understood that this was not theater, not games, that mother was here like a fighter on the front line. But, alas, he could not protect her; in general, he could do little to help her. — She waved her rosary at the uninvited “guest.” “Well,” he says, “get out of here.” Then she turned to me: “See, he’s gone away.” And the hair on my head just started to move... It used to be that people who were possessed came to Mother Zipporah. If mother received such people, then after they left she would call me or Father Mikhail. He was already a priest. He brought incense and censer, and prayed with mother. Well, if I happened to be nearby, my mother hurried: “Let’s quickly sprinkle some water. Sprinkle everything with holy water. Oh my, how many of them were put here. People think that they come alone, and a herd follows them.” By the way, the Orthodox have the first defense,” Father Michael picks up, “by making the sign of the cross.” Mother crossed herself very clearly. And she told us that demons laugh if we apply it carelessly. This is the symbol with which we protect ourselves and protect ourselves from evil spirits. And if we do it carelessly, we don’t bring our fingers to the forehead or stomach, we just wave them in front of our face, then this is not protection at all. The demon is not afraid of such a sign. From the memoirs of Schema-nun Anastasia (Maria, nun Panteleimona) about demonic attacks: ...In her native Kireevsk in Soviet times there was not a single church. We went to the village of Panino, often to Tula, where, as a rule, we stayed overnight... It was there, in Tula, that an event occurred that lifted the veil of secrecy for the nun Panteleimona over the ominous presence of omnipresent “neighbors” in the world. The night was already looking out the windows. It was late, and daytime fatigue was making itself felt. They made bed for them in a separate room. ...At midnight, her mother woke her up with difficulty: “Pantyush, look what’s running around there? It looks like two people are scurrying around...” Panteleimon looked fearfully into the dark corner (little did she know how close mother was to the angelic world). And at the very thought they began to run: “Oh my God, mother is feeling bad.” And she continues: “They snatched my rosary from me. Go look." And then for Panteleimona it was as if the curtain opened. For several whole moments she clearly saw the insidious fuss started in the room, and watched with fear as ominous shadows darted from wall to wall. However, no, she saw them as clearly as she saw herself and her mother... When she got up from bed, crossing herself, the picture faded, she stopped seeing the uninvited “guests,” but with all her soul, with all her skin, she felt the presence of evil spirits. She searched almost by touch, barely suppressing fear, trusting in her mother’s prayers. I found the rosary in the most unexpected place: on the opposite wall, behind the new cabinets of the then newfangled furniture wall. And for a long time I could not forget about the ominous aliens. Years later, in the presence of the nun Panteleimon, another demonic attack occurred on Mother Zipporah. They arrived in Klykovo (this was mother’s first appearance in the new monastery) on January 5 - just before Christmas. We went to bed, and suddenly there was a loud knock on the windows. It grew stronger every minute. Soon it was thundering and ringing so that it seemed that the glass was about to fly out. Mother called her: “Pantyusha, get up. Pray, baby." Much time has passed since that memorable night, and to this day Schema-nun Anastasia recalls with a shudder: “We stood up to pray. I stand there, shaking like a leaf. And mother is calmness itself. So much power came from just her sign of the cross (and she applied it firmly, as if she was imprinting it)! She prayed, was baptized, and everything calmed down. It was as if nothing had happened... The demons trembled and feared her both during her life and after her death... I remember that I once brought blessed oil from the grave of Mother Zipporah to the temple (it was in Tula). The all-night vigil was going on in the church. Well, I distributed mother’s butter to everyone. And there we had a woman possessed by a demon, Valentina, she didn’t get it. And I promised to bring it the next day. Well, I promised, I did. We went out to the water prayer service to St. Nicholas and stood at the chapel. Here Valentina comes up to me. I hand her the oil, but she suddenly changes her face and literally screams in a strange, inhuman voice: “Why did you bring this here? I'm afraid of her! I do not like! Get away from me!" Everyone is looking at us, they don’t understand what’s going on. At first I was confused, and then I began to pray: “May God rise again, and let His enemies be scattered…” I overshadowed her with a cross and anointed her with oil. She immediately sank and blushed: “Sorry, mother. Do you see what it does in me? And she took the oil. Condemnation - “Never dare to speak badly about anyone” Schema-nun Anastasia (Mary, nun of Panteleimon): “...Mother really didn’t like it when someone was condemned. She forbade me: “Never dare to speak badly about anyone. Every person stands before God. The Lord knows how to manage his life. And who are we to judge!” Post. About abstinence in food and fasting - “Abundant food does not bring you closer to God” Schema-nun Anastasia remembers what kind of faster Schema-nun Sepphora was: - On the day before communion, she ate only prosphora. I did not eat food during Holy Week. Nothing but tea. Only tea, and that was cold... Mother Zipporah had such a small cup, and she ate one single spoonful of the tea. I loved salted fish. He will eat a piece and drink tea. By the way, the tea was only called that. Most often it was plain water. I didn’t eat sweets at all. If they brought anything, I divided it into pieces. She also collected candy and cookies. And apparently, all this was sanctified by strong prayer. Because we noticed: if the mother treats a sick person with such candy (she called candy and all sorts of sweets “trifles”), he will eat it and be healed. Whether it was a cold, a headache, a toothache, or something else... She was a rare faster. But she kept it a secret. Only those who were very close saw what a feat she was carrying. However, she never allowed herself to be enslaved by others, although she believed that abundant food does not bring you closer to God. Chad taught her family to fast in secret. Also because that was the time. One day I complained: “What should I do, mother? Due to the nature of my work, I have to meet with big bosses. And even if we dine together, fasting is not fasting, nothing is served except simple food.” She tells me: “Eat, then talk. Don’t show yourself so that no one knows.” Obedience. How to perform obedience Hegumen Father Nikon. From the first meeting, the schema-nun slowly and gradually began to admonish. She taught how to pray, how to perform obedience: “Whatever they tell you, do it as for the Lord.” And most importantly, you must be with the Lord all the time. You will be with Him, and He will be with you. About the Divine Liturgy and behavior in the temple, Schema-nun Anastasia (Mary, nun of Panteleimon) recalls that Mother Zipporah constantly reminded that when entering the temple, one must reverently stand before God, and be sure to know the Divine Liturgy. And if the service has already begun, do not run from icon to icon, but pray together with everyone. She said: “Our Arkhipka (blessed villager) always said: “The goats climbed up. They don’t know the troparia, they don’t read them, why are they kissing?” When she herself entered the church, she bowed to the icon of the holiday, the Mother of God, the Cross, St. Nicholas, the icon of “All Saints.” She never tired of repeating to her children: “You must know the Holy Scriptures, be able to think about it, meditate on it.” Read, for example, Clock. And at this time, someone walks around the temple, someone lights candles. She used to lament: “Do you understand what’s going on? There is a proskomedia, pieces are taken out for the dead, for the living. You need to pray, and not “let me light the candle myself.” This is a great sin. And when I read the troparion
Prayer and akathist to the old woman
Mother has long become a savior for many people. There, in heaven, she continues to conduct her intercession for those who turn to her. Therefore, there is a special akathist to Mother Zipporah, thanks to which believers can speak directly to her. It pays a lot of attention to her unshakable faith, which saved her mother in various life situations.
Prayers to Mother Zipporah are very helpful when you need to strengthen your faith and also ask for intercession. There is also a special appeal to the oxbow.
The Life of Mother Zipporah in the film
After the death of the old woman, many believers come to Klykovo (monastery). Mother Zipporah, whose miracles were quite numerous during her lifetime, continues to do this even after her death. This is all collected in the form of records in the place where she lived.
Today there is a film that tells about this companion of our time. It was removed in 2011 on the initiative of Abbot Michael, who is the abbot of the monastery of the Savior Not Made by Hands. It contains many facts from mother’s life, advice and instructions. A lot of work has also been done to organize meetings with spiritual children who were cared for by Mother Zipporah, as well as with her relatives. Based on all this, this film appeared.
