"Serve the people." Historian Alexey Svetozarsky about Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov)

Veniamin (Fedchenkov)
(1880 - 1961), Metropolitan b. Saratovsky and Balashovsky In the world Fedchenkov Ivan Afanasyevich, was born on September 2 [1] 1880 in the village of Ilyinka (Vyazhli), Kirsanovsky district, Tambov province. Father - Afanasy Ivanovich - was a serf peasant of I. I. Baratynsky, then served there as a clerk. Siblings - priest. Alexander and Sergey, teacher at Bethany Theological Seminary.

As a child, Vanya was often sick. Due to poor health, he was even baptized on the very day of his birth. At the age of one and a half years, he became dangerously ill with pneumonia, and his mother made a vow to God: if her son remained alive, she would go with him to venerate the relics of St. Mitrophan of Voronezh. The baby recovered, and the mother set off with him on the journey. The bishop learned about what happened next many years later from his sister. “Mother stood in the church of St. Mitrofan. A monk watchman walked past her. I, a baby, was spinning around (and maybe even standing decorously) next to my mother. He must have blessed us, but about me he said: “He will be a saint!” And my mother never told me about this.”

He received his primary education at the zemstvo school in the village of Sergievka, Kirsanovsky district, then studied for two years at the Kirsanovsky district school (1891-1893).

In 1897 he graduated from the Tambov Theological School with the first category [2], in 1903 - the Tambov Theological Seminary with the first category [3].

Then he entered the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, graduating in 1907 with a candidate's degree in theology. At the academy, he met the spiritual mentor Archimandrite (later Archbishop Feofan (Bystrov), with whom he remained in touch in the future, when both of them, teacher and student, found themselves in forced exile outside the Fatherland. Archimandrite Feofan was the confessor and “abba” of Ivan Fedchenkov. He He was tonsured a monk on November 26, 1907, on the eve of the celebration in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”.

As a first-year student, the future Metropolitan Benjamin became seriously ill and was hospitalized, where, on the advice of Archimandrite Theophan, he began to diligently read the ascetic works of the holy fathers (Abba Dorotheos, Saints Barsanuphius and John, Saint John Climacus and Saint Macarius the Great, whom he had not known until that time or read superficially. “Reading these ascetic works,” Metropolitan Benjamin later wrote, “had such a strong effect on me that very soon I felt an attraction to monasticism, without telling anyone about it... And gradually the desire for God began to grow. I began to realize the insufficiency of others ideals, even good ones, like serving one’s neighbors; and in any case, it became completely clear to me that nothing can satisfy a person except love for God.”

In the summer of 1905, Ivan, together with two fellow students, visited Valaam, where the students, who were getting acquainted with the life of “Northern Athos,” visited the resident of the St. John the Baptist monastery, Schemamonk Nikita the Elder, who was revered by the brethren of the monastery and visiting pilgrims. The ascetic talked for a long time with the young man, prophetically called him “lord” and blessed him to enter the monastic path. Another ascetic, the elder of the Gethsemane monastery at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Hieromonk Isidore (Kozin), also predicted the future metropolitan’s path in life.

During the academic years in the life of I.A. Another significant meeting took place between Fedchenkov and Hieromonk Veniamin. In November 1904, the future saint, together with two comrades from the academy, visited Father John for the first time in Kronstadt. After his ordination, Hieromonk Benjamin again visited the Kronstadt righteous man and served him in the Divine Liturgy. The last time Father Veniamin visited Father was six months before his death, which followed on December 20, 1908.

Subsequently, throughout his long life, he turned to the works of the holy righteous John of Kronstadt and kept in his heart the image of this fiery prayer book. In conditions of emigration (the Bishop himself called his life abroad a refugee, thereby emphasizing the forced nature of the separation from the Motherland), Bishop Veniamin brings the name of Father John to the educational activities of Russian refugees who remained faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate. At the Three Hierarchs' Metochion he founded in Paris, there operated an Orthodox publishing house and a printing house named after Father John of Kronstadt. Among the books published by this publishing house was his book, compiled based on the works of the Kronstadt ascetic - “Heaven on Earth. Teaching about. John of Kronstadt about the Divine Liturgy." The book “God's People” includes the essay “Father John” - a small work compiled by the bishop during his ministry in America (1933-1948). Metropolitan Veniamin’s work “The Feat of Venerance” is also dedicated to Father John. In the 1950s, Vladyka completed his fundamental study “Father John of Kronstadt.”

He was tonsured a monk and named in honor of the martyr Benjamin, deacon of Persia.

On December 3, 1907, he was ordained a hierodeacon by the rector of the academy, Bishop Sergius (Tikhomirov) of Yamburg, and on December 10 he was ordained a hieromonk. The ordination in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra was performed by Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) of St. Petersburg and Ladoga.

He was left at the Academy as a professorial fellow in the Department of Biblical History by Professor Archimandrite Feofan (Bistrov). At the end of the fellowship year, he was appointed personal secretary of the Archbishop of Finland and Vyborg Sergius (Stragorodsky).

In 1910-1911 he served as associate professor at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in the department of Pastoral Theology, Homiletics and Asceticism.

In October 1911, at the request of Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky), he was appointed inspector of the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, but he did not hold this position for long, about three months.

On December 21, 1911, he was appointed rector of the Tauride Theological Seminary, and on December 26, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Archbishop Sergius (Stragorodsky).

On August 26, 1913, he was appointed rector of the Tver Theological Seminary.

The events of February 1917 found Archimandrite Veniamin in Tver and aroused in him a feeling of heartfelt grief over the flaring up fratricide. A monarchist by conviction, he grieved the fall of the Orthodox monarchy; as a patriot-statist, he mourned the military defeats of Russia and the “paralysis of power” that threatened to lead the country to chaos.

In the summer of 1917, at the Tver diocesan congress, he was elected a member of the Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church and took an active part in its work. Archimandrite Veniamin was a supporter of the restoration of the patriarchate and participated in the election of St. Tikhon to the Patriarchal throne, whom he deeply revered.

In the fall of 1917, he was elected rector of the Taurida Theological Seminary. As a representative of religious educational institutions and deputy diocesan bishop, Archimandrite Veniamin participated in the work of the Ukrainian Supreme Council in Kiev (from December 1917 to December 1918), where he, together with Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky), other hierarchs, clergy and laity, had to defend the unity of the church from the encroachments of the Ukrainian church “independents” grouped around the so-called. The “Verkhovna Rada,” which demanded an immediate break with the legitimate Supreme Church Authority and acted under the slogan: “Away from Moscow!” The firmness and sometimes even personal courage shown by supporters of legitimate canonical authority in the Church destroyed the plans of the “independents.” A sad consequence of the activities of the Church Rada was the “Lipkovsky” or “self-saintly” schism, the followers of which Bishop Veniamin had to deal with later during his ministry in America.

By the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Autonomous Church, which acted under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) in Odessa, Archimandrite Veniamin was elected to the Sevastopol episcopal see.

On February 10, 1919, he was consecrated Bishop of Sevastopol, vicar of the Tauride diocese, and appointed to the position of rector of the Chersonesos monastery.
The consecration took place in the Intercession Cathedral in Sevastopol, it was led by Archbishop Dimitri (Abashidze) in the co-service of other hierarchs. At that time, Sevastopol was occupied by the Armed Forces of Southern Russia. In the summer, the city was occupied by the Reds, and Bishop Veniamin was arrested by the local “emergency”, but under pressure from his flock the authorities soon had to release him. The spring of 1920 was marked for him by his entry into the white movement. At the invitation of General P. N. Wrangel, he headed the military and naval clergy of the Russian Army, formed in May 1920 from the reorganized Armed Forces of Southern Russia, evacuated to Crimea in January-February 1920. As the Bishop of the Army and Navy (this was the new title of the Bishop), he coordinated the activities of military priests, went to the front, and under his leadership the publication of the newspaper “Holy Rus'” was carried out.

Bishop Benjamin did a lot of work to help refugee clergy and members of their families. Bishop Benjamin developed a fairly close relationship with the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, and Wrangel invited him, as a representative of the Church, to the Council of Ministers formed in Crimea. Bishop Benjamin took part in organizing days of national repentance, in organizing religious processions, and made efforts to raise the spiritual and moral level of his flock, but very soon he encountered the lukewarmness and even irreligion of many white leaders and warriors. But for the sake of that part of the white army, albeit insignificant in quantity, but infinitely dear to him, who fought “for God and the Motherland,” he went along with the whites to the end and left the borders of Russia in November 1920.

In Constantinople, Bishop Benjamin became a member of the Supreme Church Administration Abroad, and also became a member of the Russian Council formed under General Wrangel. Living in Bulgaria in 1920-1921, he, as Bishop of the Army and Navy, visited churches and parishes established by refugee and military organizations in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. During the same period, Bishop Veniamin headed the commission for organizing the church life of the Russian Abroad. Under his chairmanship, a “diocesan congress” was held in Constantinople, preparing the Karlovac Council of 1921, which took place in November 1921 under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky). On behalf of the Council, Bishop Benjamin, as the initiator of the all-diaspora church forum, was expressed gratitude and proclaimed many years.

Making efforts to organize independent church administration for the Russian Abroad, Bishop Veniamin, like most Russian refugees in those days, believed that his stay abroad would be temporary. First of all, he strove to ensure that foreign church authorities acted under the omophorion of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia. When Sremski Karlovci received the Decree of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon and the joint presence of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council on the abolition of the Karlovac All-Foreign High Church Administration (No. 347 of May 5, 1922), Bishop Veniamin (the only one from the VCU) accepted the decree for execution and decided to retire to the monastery of Petkovica (St. Paraskeva) near the city of Sabac in Serbia, where he gathered more than 20 brethren from among the Russian refugees. However, until 1923 he continued to serve as Bishop of the Army and Navy.

In the fall of 1923, at the invitation of Archbishop Savvaty (Vrabets), who was under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bishop Benjamin became his vicar in Carpathian Rus, which was at that time part of Czechoslovakia. During the eight months of his activity there, Bishop Veniamin annexed 21 Uniate parishes to Orthodoxy, but in May 1924, under pressure from the Yugoslav government, the Czechoslovak authorities expelled Bishop Benjamin from the country. This was due to the fact that Orthodox parishes of Serbian jurisdiction operated on the territory of Czechoslovakia, headed by Bishop Gorazd (Pavlik), and the activities of Bishop Benjamin could lead to complications in relations between the countries.

In the summer of 1924, Bishop Veniamin lived in Petkovitsa, but did not manage the monastery, devoting himself to monastic work and work on theological works, and in the fall of the same year he became a teacher of the law of the Don Cadet Corps in the city of Bilecha. In the summer of 1925, Bishop Benjamin was invited by Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky) to Paris as an inspector and teacher at the Orthodox Theological Institute named after St. Sergius.

In 1926, Bishop Veniamin accepted from Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) an appointment to the post of head of theological and pastoral courses and teacher of the law of the Russian Cadet Corps, as well as rector of the Russian parish in the city of Bela Crkva in northeastern Yugoslavia, but in the summer of 1927 he again retired to Petkovica. Here he was found by the famous “Declaration” of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky). In resolving the difficult issue for us of accepting or rejecting the “Declaration”, the Bishop was guided not only by considerations of church benefit, he sought to resolve this issue spiritually, performing the “forty-morning” service of the Divine Liturgy, turning to the inhabitants of Holy Mount Athos, Schema-Archimandrite Kirik, for advice and blessing - confessor of the Panteleimon Monastery, and Archimandrite Misail (Sopegin). The service of the “magpies” in difficult moments of life is an integral feature of the spiritual appearance of Bishop Benjamin. The records of his experiences during the “Sorokoust” left by the Bishop are extremely useful and instructive for Orthodox Christians, especially for clergy.

Having joined the “Declaration”, Bishop Benjamin simultaneously submitted a request for retirement through Metropolitan Eulogius and, having received a corresponding decree from Moscow, retired to the deserted monastery of St. Savva of Serbia, where he lived together with a Serbian ascetic monk. This monastery was located near the famous Serbian monastery of Studenica. The bishop labored in the monastery in 1927-1928, and in 1929, with the blessing of Bishop Michael of Shabatsky, he accepted the abbotship in Petkovitsa, but in the fall of the same year he was again summoned to Paris by Metropolitan Eulogius and again took up his former post of inspector and teacher of the Sergius Theological Institute. In 1930, after Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky) broke with the Moscow Patriarchate and his departure under the omophorion of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bishop Benjamin, who remained faithful to the Mother Church, had to leave the institute, and at the same time lose what every Russian exile in a foreign land treasured - a roof over your head and a modest means of subsistence.

On the initiative of Bishop Benjamin, around whom a small but very united group of parishioners gathered, a Patriarchal courtyard with a church in the name of Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom was organized in Paris. Bishop Benjamin explained the dedication of the main throne with his hope that “just as three parties of Orthodox Christians, each challenging the advantage of their head - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, eventually united together, giving equal honor to the saints (January 30), so Through the prayers of these saints, the current division abroad, which has purely earthly goals in its splits from the mother church, will leave sinful principles and reunite with our One Patriarchal Church.”

In May 1933, Bishop Veniamin went to America, where he was to give a series of lectures on the Russian Orthodox Church. The Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), who authorized this trip, gave the Bishop the assignment to find out the position of Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) in relation to the Moscow Patriarchate. Metropolitan Platon, who arbitrarily declared his Metropolitan District autonomous, avoided contacts with Bishop Veniamin, and then the initially conditional order of Metropolitan Sergius came into force on the appointment of Bishop Benjamin as administrator of the diocese with the rank of archbishop and temporary exarch of the North American diocese. The corresponding decree No. 319 of March 27, 1933 soon followed. Metropolitan Platon did not obey this order and was removed for causing a schism and declaring autonomy. Then, by the determination of the Provisional Patriarchal Synod of November 22, 1933, Bishop Veniamin was appointed Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America, leaving him as Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in America.

At the same time, Archbishop Benjamin found himself in an extremely difficult situation.
On the one hand, he recognized himself as a representative of legitimate canonical authority, but on the other hand, he was an exarch without an exarchate, an archpastor without a flock. Metropolitan Plato and the successor of his line, Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky), had their own, albeit not canonically justified, but very compelling reasons, which determined their activities. These reasons were related both to the specifics of church life in America at that time and to the mood of the flock. They were supported by the overwhelming majority of the clergy and laity, and Vladika Benjamin had to put in a lot of effort to acquire the high authority that he possessed by the end of his ministry in America. And at first he had to sleep on the floor, sweep the streets, endure insults for his loyalty to the Mother Church. Once, after one meeting, for safety reasons he was asked to leave through the emergency exit. But the bishop decided to go, as he had entered, through the main entrance. Someone threw a cigarette butt at him, and insulting cries from the schismatics were heard. But Archbishop Benjamin calmly and courageously retained his dignity. But despite all the sorrows and hardships that befell him and his colleagues, the bishop invariably thanked God and prayed for his persecutors and everyone who “annoyed” him in some way. Evidence of this is the pages of his diaries and “magpies”. They also testify to how deeply and contritely the Bishop experienced any conflict with his neighbor, how he knew how to ask for forgiveness, how he protected his spiritual peace and harmony of spirit. The bishop endured reproaches with Christian meekness and humility.

The tireless work of organizing church affairs required a colossal amount of mental and physical strength from the bishop. He often visited American and Canadian parishes, performed services and preached. After services, he enjoyed having spiritual conversations over meals. He was generally a wonderful preacher, and his sermons were remembered by his listeners for a long time.

During the Great Patriotic War, Metropolitan Veniamin became one of the inspirers of a powerful patriotic movement that embraced all layers of the Russian emigration. People of very different political and religious views, Orthodox Christians from different jurisdictions, joined this movement. The latter greatly contributed to the unification of Orthodox people in America, a trend toward which began precisely during the war years.

On June 22, 1941, on the day the war began, Metropolitan Benjamin delivered an inspired sermon in the church of the Seraphim Metochion of the Russian Patriarchal Church, in which he expressed his firm hope that the upcoming difficult trials were allowed by God’s Providence “for the good of our Orthodox Church and Motherland,” and then he served the first prayer service to All Saints of the Russian Land for the granting of victory to the Orthodox Russian people. On the first day of the war, he declared: “Everything will end well!” And from that day on, Vladyka worked tirelessly in the patriotic field, combining his church service with public service. He gave lectures in auditoriums where funds were collected in favor of Russia, and gave speeches at rallies in different cities of America. His speech, delivered on July 2, 1941, at a grand rally in New York's Madison Square Garden, made a particular impression on those present. “Everyone knows,” the bishop said then, “that the most terrible and responsible moment has come for the whole world. It can and should be said that the fate of the world depends on the end of events in Russia... All of Rus' has stood up! Let’s not sell our conscience and our Motherland!”

Metropolitan Benjamin was the chairman of the Medical Committee for Assistance to Russia, a member of the National Committee of the Slavic Congress of the USA; Member of the International Committee for Assistance to Russia.

In December 1944, Metropolitan Benjamin received an invitation from Moscow to come to the Local Council and, for his part, made every effort to ensure that representatives of Metropolitan Theophilus (Pashkovsky) were also invited to Moscow. The stay of the delegation of the Metropolitan District in Moscow subsequently led to the reconciliation of the breakaways with the Mother Church. True, the unity did not last long.

At the beginning of 1945, after 25 years of exile, Metropolitan Benjamin re-entered his native land. He participated in the work of the Local Council (January 31-February 2, 1945), in the election and enthronement of Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky), performed divine services in Moscow churches, communicated with the church people, with the clergy and hierarchs. The main impression that he took with him to America was the confidence that the people retained a living faith in God, despite years of severe persecution, and for the most part remained faithful to the Orthodox Church.

On February 18, 1948, Vladyka finally returned to his homeland and was appointed to the Riga See. “Rejoice, rejoice always, and rejoice in sorrow,” with these words he greeted his new flock. The bishop’s ministry in Latvia lasted relatively short-lived, until March 1951, but during this time he managed to do a lot: he obtained permission from the authorities to publish the bulletin of the Riga diocese “Vesti”, on the pages of which his theological articles and sermons were published, to prepare for the opening of a two-year pastoral courses, to establish a monastery in Dubulti near Riga (under the guise of a bishop's dacha) with a temple in the name of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

In March 1951 he was transferred to the Rostov department, where he remained until the end of 1955. During these years, he became especially close to Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea.

On November 30, 1955, he was appointed Metropolitan of Saratov and Balashov. The new appointment was due to the fact that at that time there was a theological seminary operating in Saratov, and therefore a bishop with a higher theological education and experience in teaching was required there.

By this time, the bishop’s health had deteriorated greatly; he suffered a stroke and was often ill, but during the period of new persecution of the Church launched by the authorities in the late 50s, he called on his flock to stand firmly for the faith and the Church.

In February 1958 he retired and from February 27 settled in the Pskov-Pechersky Assumption Monastery. When his health allowed, he served in monastery churches and preached, putting his rich spiritual and literary heritage in order. In these last years, he experienced the most difficult test - he became speechless.

Died on October 4, 1961. He was buried in the caves of the monastery.

Metropolitan Veniamin Fedchenkov: emigrant, Orthodox ascetic, missionary and spiritual writer

Metropolitan Veniamin Fedchenkov is known as a prominent figure in the Russian emigration who returned to his homeland. Abroad he was known as a bishop of the Russian Church, exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in America, and archbishop. His activities contributed to the creation and development of Russian Orthodoxy abroad.

Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov). Vladyka became famous as an outstanding missionary and preacher, teacher, theologian, writer

In addition, Father Benjamin became famous as an Orthodox ascetic and preacher. He carried out active missionary work, including in hard-to-reach areas, for example, in the Aleutian Islands. The metropolitan's literary activity is well known, as he wrote many books of spiritual content.

“Father Alexander, you and I are not in the Garden of Gethsemane”

Metropolitan Veniamin of Petrograd at trial
Vladyka Veniamin was arrested on May 29, 1922, shortly after he banned Archpriest from serving. Alexander Vvedensky “for arbitrariness and causing a schism.” Prot. Alexander, hoping to persuade the ruler to lift the ban, came to his home, taking commandant Petrograd Bakaev to strengthen his position.

Vvedensky approached Saint Benjamin for a blessing, but the Metropolitan did not give him a blessing, saying: “Father Alexander, you and I are not in the Garden of Gethsemane.”

Then Vvedensky began to threaten: if Met. Benjamin does not cancel the decree exposing him, then the bishop will be arrested, accused of resisting the “confiscation of church valuables” and executed along with people close to him.

Having not received what he asked for, Rev. Alexander wrote a letter to Leningradskaya Pravda, where he accused bishops close to Patriarch Tikhon of “resistance to the seizure of church valuables and a counter-revolutionary conspiracy against Soviet power,” which became the reason for the arrest.

This is despite the fact that Metropolitan Benjamin blessed the transfer for those in need of all valuables that do not have liturgical use, and called for everything to be done to prevent unrest, swearing, and especially bloodshed:

“I, with my archpastoral authority, allow communities of believers to donate to the needs of the hungry and other church values, but without touching the shrines of the temple, which include the holy altars and what is on them (sacred vessels, tabernacles, crosses, Gospels, containers of holy relics and especially revered icons ).

I urge you to start making donations immediately and hand them over no later than April 9/22 to the places indicated by representatives of the civil authorities. The donated items must be accurately inventoried on site with the assistance of civil authorities.

But if the civil authorities, in view of the enormous scale of the national disaster, deem it necessary to begin confiscating other church values, including sacred objects, then I convincingly urge the pastors and flock to take a Christian attitude towards the confiscation taking place in our churches...

Opening of the shrine with the relics of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky. 1922

The manifestation of violence in one form or another is completely unacceptable on the part of believers. Harsh expressions, irritated, angry cries against individuals or nationalities, etc., are not appropriate either in the temple or near it.

since all this insults the holiness of the temple and defames the church people, from whom, according to the Apostle, all irritation, rage, anger, shouting, and slander with all malice must be removed (Eph. 4:30).

When confiscating church valuables, as in any church matter, there cannot be any manifestation of any political tendencies. The Church is essentially outside of politics and should be alien to it. “My kingdom is not of this world,” the Savior declared to Pilate.

With this course, outside of politics, I steered the ship of the Petrograd Church and am leading it, and I persistently invite all shepherds to follow it. Any kind of political unrest that may arise near churches regarding the confiscation of valuables, as happened, for example, near the temple on Sennaya, has nothing to do with the Church, especially the clergy.

We carry out the confiscation of church valuables from our churches with the prayerful wish that they achieve their goal and help the hungry. Always lovingly attentive to the word of your archpastor, and this time listen to him, my dears.

Patriarch Tikhon and Metropolitan Benjamin

Maintain a good Christian mood in the difficult ordeal we are going through. Do not give any reason for a drop of any human blood to be shed near the temple where the Bloodless Sacrifice is offered.

Stop worrying. Calm down. Surrender yourself to the will of God. Calmly, peacefully, forgiving everyone, welcome the Bright Resurrection of Christ. Then your sorrow will be transformed into joy, and no one will ever take this joy away from you (John 16:20-22).”

Father Benjamin was born into a pious Orthodox family

Metropolitan Veniamin, in the world Ivan Afanasyevich Fedchenkov, was born on September 2 (14), 1880. According to other sources, this happened on September 12. Place of birth - the village of Vyazhli or Ilyinka, Kirsanovsky district, Tambov province. Died October 4, 1961.

The future metropolitan was born into a pious Orthodox family. His father, Afanasy Ivanovich Fedchenkov, came from landless serfs in the Smolensk province. He served as a clerk for the Baratynsky landowners on their Tambov estate.

Hieromonk Veniamin in Boratynsky Park. 1900s. The future metropolitan was born into a devout peasant family. His father worked for the Boratynsky landowners as a clerk, his mother was a peasant from a deacon’s family

Mother - Natalia Nikolaevna Fedchenkova, née Orzhevskaya. She is from a deacon family. In addition to the future metropolitan, his mother gave birth to five more children. The family lived poorly, sometimes even begging.

At the same time, Father Benjamin later recalled his childhood as one of the brightest and most joyful periods of his life. The dedication of his parents allowed three children to receive higher education and three more to receive secondary education.

Metropolitan Veniamin Fedchenkov received his primary education in his family

The future metropolitan received his primary education in his family. Thanks to his parents, by the age of six he could already read and write. He entered the zemstvo school, located in a neighboring village, straight into the second grade.

Having graduated from it at the age of nine, he continued his education at the Kirsanovsky district school, where he studied from 1891 to 1893.

Tambov Theological School. 1900s. Valentin Fedchenkov passed the exams at the Tambov Theological School, having failed to study at the Kirsanov School

Veniamin did not finish school, since in his last year of study he passed the exams at the Tambov Theological School. Afterwards he studied at the Tambov Theological School, the Tambov Theological Seminary, and the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

In total, Father Veniamin’s training lasted 15 years. He graduated from it, graduating from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy with a candidate's degree in theology.

A monarchist by conviction, Metropolitan Veniamin Fedchenkov did not accept 1917

After graduating from the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in 1907 with a master's degree, Hieromonk Benjamin became a professorial fellow in the department of biblical history.

At the end of his fellowship year, he was appointed personal secretary of the Archbishop of Finland and Vyborg Sergius (Stragorodsky).

In addition, in 1910 - 1911, Father Benjamin served as associate professor at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in the department of Pastoral Theology, Homiletics and Asceticism.

Archimandrite Veniamin (Fedchenkov). 1918 As a monarchist, the future Metropolitan Benjamin did not accept 1917

In 1911-1913, Father Veniamin was appointed inspector of the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, but he did not hold this position for long, about three months.

He then served as rector of the Tauride Theological Seminary, and on December 26 in Vyborg, Archbishop Sergius (Stragorodsky) elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

Vladyka Veniamin adhered to monarchist beliefs and did not accept the Revolution.

In addition, from 1913 to 1917, Vladyka served as rector of the Tver Theological Seminary. Became a Knight of the Order of St. Anne, 2nd degree.

Archimandrite Veniamin - rector of the Tver Seminary 1914. Metropolitan Benjamin observed the revolutionary events from Tver, where he served as rector of the Tver Seminary

Archimandrite Veniamin observed the events of the February Revolution while in Tver. A monarchist by conviction, he deeply mourned the fall of the Orthodox monarchy and did not accept the revolution.

The future metropolitan met the October Revolution already in Moscow as a delegate from the Tver diocese to the Local Council of the Russian Church of 1917-1918.

As a member of the Local Council, Archimandrite Veniamin was a supporter of the restoration of the patriarchate and participated in the election of St. Tikhon to the Patriarchal throne.

In addition, he supported the proposals of the cathedral-peasants to oppose the increase in the number of reasons for church divorce.

“He believes in the truth in his heart.” Life and books of Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov)

If we try to talk about Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) very briefly, in a few words, we will have to use a superlative definition for this: one of the most highly educated archpastors of his time, an outstanding figure in the Russian diaspora, a talented spiritual writer, a great saint of God, against whom process of canonization.
But all these definitions are pompous, and in the words and books of the Lord himself there is not even a trace of grandiloquence. On the contrary: when you read his memoirs, notes about worship, about people, a feeling of some kind of bright simplicity, spiritual warmth flowing from the pages fills your heart... The Saratov diocese became the last place of Vladyka’s ministry. He was appointed to the Saratov department at the end of 1955, and in 1958 he retired, settled in the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery and completely devoted himself to writing, putting his scattered manuscripts in order. His legacy amounted to 18 thousand typewritten pages. A significant part of it is memories of those with whom I had a chance to meet, about the righteous - not only priests, monks of exceptional talents and high life, but also about the “little righteous” - the simplest people. No matter who Vladyka wrote about, his memories are full of the most sincere love: the Lord awarded him with the rare gift of seeing the best and most sacred in people. Let us also try to tell about the life of Vladika Benjamin, first of all, on the basis of his own books, what this man of God told about himself and the people around him.

Unnoticed dedication

The future Vladyka, in the world Ivan Afanasyevich Fedchenkov, was born on September 2 (15), 1880 in the Kirsanovsky district of the Tambov province. More than once in his books he returns to his childhood, to his parents: “They deserve to be remembered gratefully by their son. That’s why I can write that they hardly gave six children, including me, an education.”[2]

Father, Afanasy Ivanovich Fedchenkov, was born a serf. Then for many years he served as a clerk managing the estate of the Boratynskys, although the life of his family was almost no different from the usual peasant life. Mother, Natalya Nikolaevna, ran the household. Their “working day,” as they now say, began at 3 o’clock in the morning and lasted at least 15-17 hours (it is described in detail in the chapter “Dedicated to my parents” in the book “Notes of a Bishop”). The life of the Lord’s parents is a real feat of selflessness, but they themselves hardly thought about it...

The Fedchenkov family gave their children not only education, but also faith. Three brothers - Ivan, Sergei, Alexander - graduated from theological schools. Vladyka recalls that the mother spent her entire life “working on Mondays” for her children - she took upon herself the feat of additional fasting for their well-being and carried it out unnoticed by everyone. She told her son that he survived by the grace of God: “When I was about a year old, I fell ill with pneumonia. There was no hope for recovery. Then my mother made a vow to go on foot to venerate the relics of St. Mitrophanius of Voronezh. I've recovered. Mom fulfilled her vow.”[3].

The mother told Vladyka’s sister about what happened in Voronezh only before her death, and she wrote to him in a letter: “Mother was kneeling in the temple, and you were near her. At this time, the elder schemamonk passed by. He took you in his arms, blessed you and said to your mother: “Mother!” This will be a spiritual lamp!?. I'm sorry I wrote to you about this. But you, in your humility, accept this with love and meekly!”[4].

Lessons for life

After graduating from theological school and seminary in Tambov, in 1903 Ivan Fedchenkov became a student at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. “Now, after the shocks of the revolution, it is customary for many to praise the past. Yes, there were a lot of wonderful things. But here’s the problem: we ourselves didn’t want to notice it,” [5] writes Vladika Benjamin. Recalling his years of study, he speaks of the spiritual impoverishment that was characteristic of pre-revolutionary Russia and was especially acutely felt in theological schools: “We must admit that our religious appearance continued to be still brilliant, but the spirit was very weakened. And “spiritual” became worldly. <…> There was very little interest in lectures: only 2-3 “on duty” people attended. to register for professors and so that there is no complete emptiness in the classrooms. Services were also attended at will. <...> There is absolutely no need to think that theological schools were nurseries for apostates, atheists, and renegades. There were also only a few of these. And they were afraid to show their atheism even in front of their comrades, because we all knew each other well and did not attach any serious value to these atheists. But much more dangerous was the internal enemy: religious indifference. Most of us studied not for the priesthood, but to get positions as teachers, sometimes as officials, and only 10 percent went into the pastorate, that is, for 50-60 people in the course, some 5-6 people.”[6].

In St. Petersburg, the inspector of the Academy, Archimandrite Feofan (Bistrov),[7] became Ivan Fedchenkov’s confessor, who had a huge influence on his entire life. Deep education, and most importantly, complete immersion in the inner, spiritual life, the truly monastic appearance of the inspector’s father attracted the hearts of students to him. A small circle gradually formed around him: once a week, members of the circle (it was called “Zlatoust”) gathered to read the holy fathers, discussed what they had read, and then, in conclusion, Father Theophan spoke - and his judgments were so deep and interesting that, as Vladyka recalled, one of his comrades quietly rubbed his hands - out of admiration. “He, like no other of his contemporaries, knew patristic literature... He especially loved, it seems, the works of Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov). This is probably due to the fact that both of them were looking for reasons for faith. This is how Bishop Ignatius found the works of the holy fathers, due to their unity; and he explained this unity by the One Holy Spirit, who inspired them. Here is the truth!”[8].

Apparently, under the influence of Archimandrite Theophan, Ivan Fedchenkov begins to seriously think not only about shepherding, but also about monasticism. On the advice of his confessor, he visits monasteries and contemporary ascetics: Father John of Kronstadt, Schemamonk Nikita in the skete of St. John the Baptist on Valaam, Hieromonk Isidore - the elder of the Gethsemane skete of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Talking about the “all-Russian lamp” Father John of Kronstadt, the future Bishop testifies: the general religious cooling was such that neither the professors, nor the students of the Academy, nor most of the capital’s clergy were at all interested in him. Only the so-called ordinary people “walked, and rode, and sailed to Kronstadt for thousands and thousands of miles”...

Shocked by the fiery faith and service of Father John, the future Bishop came to him several times during his student years, the last time - already in the rank of hieromonk, shortly before the death of Father John, he served him at the Divine Liturgy.

“...I asked him the following question:

- Father! Tell me, where do you get such ardent faith?

- Faith? – he asked again and thought for a minute. Then he answered with firm clarity: “I lived in the Church!”

…These words about the significance of the Church are etched in my memory for the rest of my life”[9].

During his student years, Ivan Fedchenkov received another vital lesson - the active fulfillment of the commandments - from the Elder of Gethsemane Isidore (he was “love itself,” “like the warm sun”). Having answered the question about future monasticism (“The time will come, you still won’t be able to stop you”), Father Isidore entrusted the then academic student with the care of a certain armless disabled person: “? Try somehow, work hard... for the salvation of both...? And for another eleven years I had to “try?”[10]. The armless man had a very difficult character, as the Vladyka says, a desperate character...

“So little by little the answer to Fr. Isidora about my monasticism: I thought mainly about the form, and he - about the spirit; I thought that you would take monastic vows, put on monastic robes, and as if the main thing had already been done. <...> A person who tries to fulfill God’s commandments will first see HIMSELF, his weaknesses, his imperfections, his sins, the corruption of his will, to the very recesses of his soul. This is what it means: the commandment of the Lord “will enlighten the eyes?”[11].

Ivan Fedchenkov took monastic vows with the name Veniamin in honor of the holy martyr Deacon Veniamin (October 12 and March 31), in his last year at the Academy, on November 26, 1907, on the eve of the celebration in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”. The tonsure was performed by Archimandrite Theophan (Bistrov). On December 3 of the same year, Monk Benjamin was ordained a hierodeacon, and on December 10, in the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, his ordination to the rank of hieromonk took place.

After graduating from the Academy in 1907, Hieromonk Benjamin was left as a professorial fellow at the Department of Biblical History. In 1910-1911, he served as personal secretary to Archbishop Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Finland, the future Patriarch. From 1911, having already been elevated to the rank of archimandrite, he held the position of rector of the Taurida Seminary, and from 1913 to 1917 he worked as rector of the seminary in Tver.

It would seem that the path of “scientific monasticism” is determined for life. However, even at this time, Father Veniamin’s search for the direction of spiritual life and its experimental knowledge does not stop. During these years, he visited Optina, Zosima Hermitage, lived for a long time in monasteries, confessed to the elders, often realizing that he had a chance to meet holy people.

The first conversation he remembers with the abbot of the Zosimova Monastery, schema-hegumen German (Gomzin), is noteworthy: “Among the questions he asked: “What will you teach at the Academy?” I started with a more innocent subject: ?Homiletics? (teaching on preaching).

- And what else? – like an investigator during an interrogation, he asked.

It was already difficult for me to answer right away.

“Pastoral theology,” I say. And I myself felt ashamed that I took upon myself such a subject as teaching students to be good shepherds.

- And what else? – he definitely foresaw the third object.

I'm already completely confused.

“An ascetic,” I said quietly, lowering my eyes...

Ascetic... The science of spiritual life... It's easy to say! I, a spiritual baby who came here to resolve my own confusion, teach others how to live correctly... It was a shame..."[12].

Directly and secretly, the elders predicted to Father Benjamin both his future bishopric and a life full of sorrows. And he preserved their lessons, recalling them many times in various life situations, and returning to them in his notes.

“Endure the sorrows, endure the sorrows! Without patience there is no salvation! (Schemonk Nikita)

“Stick to humility, self-reproach and simplicity!” (schema abbot Herman)

“Take this advice for the rest of your life: if your bosses or elders offer you something, then no matter how difficult or even how high it may seem to you, do not refuse. God will help you for obedience!” (Reverend Nectarius of Optina)

At the turn of two eras

The events of February 1917 found Archimandrite Veniamin in Tver. In his memoirs, he does not draw a line between the two Russian revolutions, which he witnessed, and says that the February Revolution was not a “bloodless revolution,” as it is commonly called.

At the Diocesan Congress in Tver, Father Veniamin was elected a member of the Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church and met the October revolution in Moscow. The conciliar meetings were held in the Diocesan House in Likhov Lane, and the bishops and clergy who participated in them lived in the very center of the fighting - in the Kremlin, which changed hands several times between the fighting sides. Archimandrite Veniamin was a supporter of the restoration of the patriarchate and participated in the election of St. Tikhon (†1925) to the Patriarchal throne, whom he deeply revered throughout his life.

The book of memoirs of Metropolitan Veniamin “At the turn of two eras” is partly dedicated to the revolutionary events, the White movement, and partly to life in exile. On the one hand, this is a book of testimony: “I write only about my personal experiences and observations”; on the other hand, it is an attempt to answer the questions that many thinkers - writers, historians, politicians, philosophers - have begun to answer: what happened to Russia, why the terrible events of the 20th century became possible.

Vladika Benjamin is also looking for answers based on his own life experience. Here are the childhood years - and the feeling that “the people lived peacefully,” “our people were resigned.” Already in the seminary he encountered an “underground revolutionary organization”, he even read forbidden books - but his heart was not in them.

Citing many examples from life, Vladyka comes to the following conclusion: the landowner and wealthy class lived a life completely separate from the people, the liberal zemstvos were even further from the people’s hearts than even other serf gentlemen; wealth put a wall between the people and the merchants. This gap between the ruling classes and the common people became so insurmountably deep by the beginning of the twentieth century that “it was not by chance that a revolution occurred. This is not a “revolt of the despicable mob,” as right-wing figures sometimes like to refer to Pushkin... There is a measure for everything, and it has probably overflowed...”[13].

The Bishop especially notes that in the highest circles of Russian society, by the beginning of the twentieth century, contact with the Church was lost. But here’s a paradox: even among the revolutionary people, remnants of the simplest faith remained.

Picture from life: 1917, Kharkov, in front of a large number of people, a soldier climbs onto the roof to knock down the royal coat of arms: “...Slowly takes off his military cap, earnestly puts three crosses on himself, covers his head, takes a club with both hands and with both hands - with three deft blows he knocks off both the crown and the heads of the eagle.” – “...What kind of mystery is this - this Russian and Ukrainian man? And he overthrows the king and prays to God.”[14].

In the fall of 1917, Archimandrite Veniamin was elected to the post of rector of the Taurida Theological Seminary. On February 10, 1919, according to the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Autonomous Church, he was consecrated Bishop of Sevastopol, Vicar of the Tauride Diocese. The consecration took place in the Intercession Cathedral in Sevastopol, and was led by Archbishop Dimitri (Abashidze). Handing the archpastoral staff to the newly consecrated bishop, Vladika Demetrius said to him:

– You accepted the apostolic ministry. And here is a testament for you: do not be afraid to speak the truth in front of anyone, even if it is the Patriarch himself or other high-ranking people in the world[15].

Vladyka Benjamin took this instruction as the word of God.

And the day before, the “traveling” all-night vigil was served in the carriage of a special train, on the occasion of which one of its participants, Bishop Gabriel of Chelyabinsk, said with a smile:

- Well, newly-christened saint! If you begin your bishopric by traveling, then, obviously, you won’t be able to walk, you won’t be able to travel![16].

And this word, the Lord admits, became prophetic.

White Guard

In the spring of 1920, Vladyka Veniamin joined the White movement: General Wrangel asked him to lead the clergy of the army and navy.
Shortly before this, when the Reds entered Sevastopol, he survived arrest and imprisonment in the Cheka. The choice of the White Army was a deeply conscious step for him: he “did not think about the end and victories, like others, but followed the voice of conscience and duty”[17], perceiving the White movement as deeply patriotic and religious. By the beginning of 1920, the White Army suffered an almost complete defeat, several tens of thousands of soldiers remained in the Crimea - Russia had narrowed down to this tiny peninsula for them. The Lord talks about the heroism of almost desperate people. Forever remained in his heart a group of very young guys, “mustacheless aristocrats”, who, warming themselves at night by a fire near the Perekopsky Val, asked him with sadness:

- Father, won’t we win? After all, we are for God and for the Motherland!

And at the same time, having found himself in the midst of a military environment, Vladyka was not only deeply disappointed, but was even shocked by the picture that unfolded before him. He is outraged by senseless executions and “prayer services with ramrods” (when, immediately after a prayer service for victory for the White Army, demonstrative punishments are carried out on people suspected of sympathizing with the Reds). He writes with pain about decay, looting and acquisitiveness, about cases when things intended for seriously wounded soldiers ended up in city markets the very next day. But most of all, he is shocked by the disbelief of Russian officers, the foul language and blasphemies that he hears from them. He recalls the calm, mocking words of the outwardly pious officer with a golden beard:

– Where can we, little devils, defeat the big demons – the Bolsheviks[18].

One day a man came to him (he turned out to be a member of the famous family of philanthropists and Old Believers Ryabushinsky) and cried:

- Holy Lord! We are Bolsheviks just like them! Only they are Red Bolsheviks, and we are White Bolsheviks!

A few years later, the Bishop will write: “... In our revolution there is God’s Providence - partly already understood, and even more so not yet revealed... And for this reason alone we must accept this power, and not just because it was accepted by the people.” This position was very similar to the position of Patriarch Tikhon.

“Let’s not blame, but just understand everything ”[19]. condemned anyone . And this, by the way, could not be forgiven for him in the future either in Soviet Russia or in extremely politicized emigrant circles abroad.

“One must wait for justification only from the Lord”

In November 1920, together with the remnants of the White Army, Vladyka Veniamin left Russia for a long time.

Living in Bulgaria in 1920-1921 and remaining a bishop of the emigrated army, he headed the commission for organizing the church life of the Russian Abroad. Under his chairmanship, a “diocesan congress” was held in Constantinople, preparing the Karlovac Council, which took place in November 1921 under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky, +1936). However, Vladyka always strived for the unity of the Russian Church, and when Karlovtsi received the Decree of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon on the abolition of the Karlovac All-Foreign High Church Administration (No. 347 of May 5, 1922), Bishop Veniamin (the only one from the VCU) accepted the decree for execution and retired to Petkovica monastery in Serbia.

In 1925, in Paris, Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky) founded the Orthodox Theological Institute named after St. Sergius of Radonezh, and Bishop Veniamin was offered the position of inspector and teacher there. In 1925-27 and 1929-31, he carried out teaching activities and served at the Sergievsky metochion, where at that time statutory services were held, close to the monastic ones.

In 1927, Vladyka made his first attempt to return to his homeland. He talks about it this way: “This desire and thought developed a long time ago, immediately after the Karlovac Cathedral. I then felt like a stranger to emigration... Then church disputes began between Anthony and Eulogius, this even more increased my desire to “go home”, away from these endless group political squabbles”[20].

One of the conditions under which it was possible to obtain an entry visa to Russia at that time was a written condemnation of the White movement. Vladyka refused to fill out this item of the questionnaire. Despite this, the Soviet embassy was ready to grant him entry. Vladyka remained abroad at the personal request of Metropolitan Evlogy and regretted it for a long time: “One thing is reassuring that I did this for the sake of mentioning the name of God and fulfilled the prayer of the elder. According to our teaching, no harm will come of obedience.”[21]

Another strong crisis occurred in the life of the Bishop after the emigration received a document known as the “Declaration” of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) (its full name is “Message of the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Sergius of Nizhny Novgorod and the Temporary Patriarchal Holy Synod under him on the attitude of the Orthodox Russian Church to the existing civil power" dated July 29, 1927). Despite the fact that today it is known for certain that the “Declaration” was adopted under strong pressure from the authorities, who made the signing of this document a condition for the legal existence of the Orthodox Church in the USSR, disputes about it continue even now. The emigration was outraged by him: Metropolitan Sergius was accused (and is still accused) of collaborating with atheists, of betraying the interests of believers.

Vladyka Veniamin (Fedchenkov) resolved this crisis in his life in the same way as many others in his life. Possessing a spirit of deep churchliness and ardent love for God, in difficult moments of his life he served the “Sorokoust” - forty liturgies, listening carefully to what was happening in his soul. He recorded his thoughts in a diary published under the title “Holy Magpie. Thoughts on the decrees of Metropolitan Sergius." Here are the lines from it:

“Now for the first time I felt in my heart that there was humility in the important decision I had made... And the opposite decision (in one version or another) would not be humble...”

“And Metropolitan Sergius is probably in pain... But we must silently endure this reproach from children who are relatives (?in the flesh?), but not yet related in spirit. We must wait for justification only from the Lord, and history, perhaps, over time, will speak its word of truth...”

“...In the evening at dinner I began to read about St. Alexander Nevsky, who, saving the soul of the people, saved the state; and humbled himself before the khans.

But our job as the clergy is to think about at least one soul of the people... And leave everything else to the will of God - and the people themselves with their power.”

“We make everything up out of our own minds, but don’t read the words of God. It is not only more necessary and stronger than any of our books and thoughts, but it also cuts through everything like a sword, clearly separating lies from truth.”

“Thoughts permeated me about the way to save other people: no, neither struggle, nor reproof, nor cold withdrawal (this is also a type of enmity) can save anyone... But only by humility of oneself and self-sacrificing love and another - Christian love! Love is just a creative beginning!..

And how difficult it is!.. But also sweet!.. And I transferred this particular case to the question of the relationship to my question: SAVING LOVE IS NEEDED. We need both sides, otherwise it would be strange: to help some and harm others... But how can this be combined?”

Three Saints Compound

In 1931, a diocesan congress of clergy and laity met in Paris, which decided to transfer the metropolis of Metropolitan Eulogius to the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch. And again Bishop Veniamin (Fedchenkov), the only one of the bishops, declared his allegiance to Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) and the Church of the Suffering Fatherland. Two hieromonks joined him: Theodore (Tekuchev) and Stefan (Svetozarov). After this statement, Vladyka was forced to leave his job at the Orthodox Theological Institute and, due to separation from Metropolitan Evlogii, was no longer able to serve in the church of the Sergius Metochion.

The emigrant press shouted: Bishop Benjamin is a chameleon, a traitor, a supporter of Satanists and satanic power, “will our refugee really not answer this challenge?” And refugee responded. Finding himself without shelter, Vladyka was going through an extremely difficult time: he had to spend the night with friends and strangers, practically go hungry and even, according to stories, sweep the streets, but most importantly, endure terrible insults and ridicule from his relatives, Russians, Orthodox people, and fellow exiles , like himself.

Why, with such persecution, did he not remain completely alone, why did people continue to believe him? From the memoirs of N.M. Zernov, who met Vladyka Veniamin in Constantinople: “Only once in my life did I meet a person to whom I was ready to give myself entirely to obedience. <…> His faith was genuine, complete. Perhaps his greatest gift was his pastoral zeal for people. He knew how to greet people with warm personal attention and take the needs of others into his warm heart.”[22]

In the same 1931, together with a group of like-minded parishioners (about 20 people), Vladyka was able to organize the first parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Paris. With funds donated by one parishioner, the community was able to rent an underground garage on rue Petel. In the semi-basement, a church was built in the name of Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, and the Patriarchal Three Hierarchs' Metochion with a printing house arose.

Let us give the floor to a witness to the events of those years - Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, who came to the courtyard as an eighteen-year-old young man: “I remember once at the Three Hierarchs’ courtyard - for some reason I arrived late, and I saw: Vladika Benjamin was lying on the stone floor, wrapped in his a black monastic robe, without even a pillow, just lying there. I say to him: “Vladyka, what are you doing here?” - “You know, I settled down to sleep here.” - “What, don’t you have a room?” - “You know what, now there’s one beggar sleeping on my bed, another one is on the mattress, another one is sleeping on the pillows, and another one is sleeping on my blankets. So I settled here, because I feel warm in my robe.”

This is typical for him. It was really hungry at this time. At the Three Saints Compound at that time there were five people, it seems, priests. They ate only what parishioners left in cardboard boxes at the door. There was no money. But Vladyka Benjamin knew how to inspire the entire service, to lift it to heaven like that. This is all I can say about him, because this is the only thing that he is memorable for me: his lying on the stone floor and lifting up the service to heaven. And integrity, although with a fair amount of naivety”[23].

In America

In May 1933, Vladyka Veniamin, already in the rank of archbishop, went to America, where he was to give a series of lectures on the Russian Orthodox Church. At the same time, the Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), gave him the assignment to find out the position of Metropolitan Platon (Rozhdestvensky) in relation to the Moscow Patriarchate. Soon, Metropolitan Platon arbitrarily declared his Metropolitan District autonomous, thereby escaping into schism, and on November 22, 1933, Vladika Benjamin was appointed Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America, leaving him as Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in America.

And again, as a few years earlier in France, Archbishop Benjamin found himself in an extremely difficult situation: he was an exarch without an exarchate, an archpastor without a flock. The overwhelming majority of the clergy and laity supported Metropolitan Plato. The reason for this, first of all, was the extreme rejection by the flock - the emigrants of the first wave - of everything connected with the Soviet Union, including the Patriarchal Church. The newspapers wrote: “Now there is no longer any doubt that Bishop, who came to New York. Veniamin... a clever Soviet agent-propagandist, transferred with a dark hand from Paris to America in order to strengthen the already frenzied cadre of supporters of the recognition of Soviet Russia”[24]. The intensity of passions was such that one day after a meeting, for safety, Vladyka was asked to leave through the emergency exit, but he decided to go through the main exit as he had entered. Someone threw a cigarette butt at him, insulting cries were heard... However, Vladyka invariably maintained his goodwill and equanimity, humility - and self-esteem.

Looking ahead, let's say that the result of his ministry in North America, which lasted 14 years, was the creation of the Exarchate, which united about 50 parishes. In 1938, Vladyka was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War, Metropolitan Veniamin devoted all his strength to helping the Motherland. He had no doubt: “Everything will end well!” In all the churches of his diocese they prayed daily at the Divine Liturgy for the Russian people to be granted victory over the enemy.

They say that on July 2, 1941, the Metropolitan of Aleutian and North American made a speech at a grand meeting in New York's Madison Square Garden, making a huge impression on those gathered: “Everyone knows that the most terrible and responsible moment has come for the whole world. It can and should be said that the fate of the world depends on the end of events in Russia... And therefore we must welcome the intention of the president and other statesmen to cooperate with Russia... All of Rus' has risen!... Let’s not sell our conscience and our Motherland!” – these words, according to newspapers, literally electrified an audience of thousands. Patriotic feelings gripped the masses of the Russian population in America. Metropolitan Benjamin was elected Honorary Chairman of the Russian-American Committee for Assistance to Russia and received the right to report to the President of the United States at any time of the day[25].

At home

In 1945, Vladyka was finally able to visit Russia. He participated in the work of the Local Council (January 31 - February 2, 1945), in the election and enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky), served in Moscow churches, and communicated with people. He took with him the warmest ideas about the Russian people - sacrificial, patient, preserving the faith, and this strengthened him in his decision to return to his homeland: “Warmness, simplicity, modesty, friendliness shone almost everywhere. As soon as you said somewhere a kind word of greeting, in response to this, the lips of your heart almost instantly opened, like rose petals towards the warm sun, and showered you with breath and what fiery love!”[26].

On February 18, 1948, Metropolitan Benjamin returned to his homeland and was appointed to the See of Riga. “Rejoice, rejoice always, and rejoice in sorrow,” with these words he greeted his new flock. Later, Vladyka was transferred to the Rostov See, where he remained until the end of 1955. In November 1955, Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) was determined by the Decree of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy I (Simansky) to become Metropolitan of Saratov and Balashov.

Despite the fact that he spent a relatively short time in each of his departments, he managed to do a lot, trying to revive and improve church life in the bloodless dioceses after all the trials that the Russian Church suffered in the Fatherland. For example, in the Rostov region at his arrival there were 35 empty parishes, but a year later there were only five of these left.

In Russia, as well as abroad, he often visited parishes, performed divine services and preached, and he was a wonderful preacher. His archpastoral labors were never limited to some kind of household chores. His special concern was to give his flock and clergy the right direction for spiritual life, first of all, to teach repentance. As a surviving document testifies, in 1956, at a meeting of deans of the Saratov-Balashov diocese, the Bishop spoke not about finances, not about contributions and taxes, as one might expect, but about... the Holy Spirit: “Let's start with the most important thing, with an explanation of the essence of Christianity. Now everyone reading the life of the saint [Seraphim of Sarov] began to repeat boldly and even with frivolous boldness his words: “the essence is in the acquisition of the grace of the Holy Spirit”... But, without thinking about others, let us look at ourselves, at us Orthodox: who now thinks about grace as the main goal of our lives? And do we even know her? Do we live in the Holy Spirit?

And suddenly we hear Rev. Seraphim: “If someone outwardly does all this without achieving gracious results, even if he were a monk, he is a “black brand” from which a living tree can no longer grow...

It's even getting scary...

Worldliness has also penetrated into our Church.

Now the Lord is purifying His Church with bitter sorrows. Glory to Him!”[27].

"Holy Child"

Vladyka Veniamin was always loved by the church people. In essence, he answered Vladyka to his extraordinary gift of love and goodwill towards people. He also possessed another absolutely exceptional quality: “He had some kind of amazing simplicity,” noted Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, “you need to look for such simple people with a lantern.” He was an absolutely unpretentious person, unmercenary, but, in addition, in the words of the same Metropolitan Anthony, “in some amazing sense, he managed not to notice a lot.” He did not understand (not notice), for example, many political realities.

From mouth to mouth in circles close to Patriarch Alexy I, such a funny story was passed on. Being a bishop in Saratov, Vladyka calls the Patriarch and asks for advice: how to buy an airplane? He and Mother Anna[28] decided to buy an airplane for the diocese in order to fly to Moscow for food, since it is very difficult to get food in Saratov... The shocked Patriarch begins to gently persuade the Bishop to abandon this plan... due to the fact that the airfield in Moscow is terribly overloaded and It will be too difficult to fit the “diocesan plane” into the schedule...

There are places in the Lord’s notes that cause bewilderment and even rejection among the modern reader. First of all, these are warm words regarding I.V. Stalin. In the preface to one of the books, the opinion is expressed that Vladyka is not entirely sincere here: “... The cold of the Gulag blows at his back, and he finds a convenient literary excuse to testify to his good intentions.”[29] But is it? Can the person about whom Vladyka Anthony recalled act like this: “...When he returned to Russia many years later, he was assigned either to Saratov or to Samara. An authorized representative came to him. This was back in Stalin's times. And so, he said that he was the Commissioner for Church Affairs and wanted to talk to him. Vladika Veniamin asks him: “Oh yes, are you a communist and a believer?” “No, I’m an atheist.” “Get out!” Vladika Veniamin stood up and said. That unfortunate man flew out, and two days later Vladika Benjamin also flew out. He somehow knew how to not see certain things.”

Maybe the point is something else - in the quality of the saints, which the Vladyka himself noted: “This is the greatness of the true saints of God, that they, according to the God-likeness of their loving soul, no longer distinguish (although they probably know) neither good , not the evil ones: but they accept us all. Just as the sun shines on the righteous and sinners, and as God rains on “good and evil” (Matthew 5:45), so these Christ-like people, or earthly Angels, are ready to warm every soul with their affection. And even when we are sinners, they feel especially sorry for us. It is not for nothing that the Lord honored Judas with special trust, entrusting him with the management of the cash drawer... This is what is wonderful about the saints: this is what especially attracts the sinful world to them.”[30]

Evening in Pechory

In February 1958, Vladyka retired and settled in the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, where he spent the last years of his earthly life. When his health allowed, he served in monastery churches and preached, put in order his rich spiritual and literary heritage - notes on worship, spiritual life, pre-revolutionary monasteries, saints - remembering that he “had the duty to preach the gospel about this, according to the word of Scripture : “He believes in the truth in his heart, but confesses with his lips for salvation?”[31].

Vladyka Veniamin was visited and greatly revered in those years by the future wonderful Pechersk elder, Father John Krestyankin. He especially remembered and loved to quote the humble words of the Lord, gained through experience: “We are essentially unnecessary and are of no use to anyone except God.”

In the last years of his life, Vladyka Veniamin experienced a difficult ordeal: after a stroke, he was left speechless. He went to the Lord on October 4, 1961, on the day of remembrance of St. Demetrius of Rostov, and was buried in the God-created caves of the monastery.

One priest told me an amazing story about the last days of Vladika Benjamin. He, in turn, was told about this by I.N. Birukov is an Orthodox man, a Muscovite, who recently died. Being a believer, then, in Soviet times, he repeatedly came as a pilgrim to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, many knew him there. With the help of nun Anna (Obukhova), he was able to visit Vladyka, who was seriously ill. It was clear that Vladyka really wanted to, was trying with all his might to say something to the newcomer, but could not. Then Mother Anna brought the pilgrim closer, and Vladyka... hugged him and pressed his head to himself. And this simple expression of love meant more than any words.

After his arrest in June 1919, Archimandrite Veniamin Fedchenkov headed the military clergy of the AFSR

During the October Revolution of 1917, Father Veniamin personally saw the clashes between the Bolsheviks and cadets for the Kremlin. Vladyka participated in the work of the Ukrainian

Supreme Cathedral in Kyiv (from December 1917 to December 1918). Here he defended the unity of the church from the encroachments of the Ukrainian church “independents” grouped around the “Verkhovna Rada”.

Government of the South of Russia. Crimea, Sevastopol, July 22, 1920. After Crimea was occupied by white troops, Father Veniamin accepted the offer of Baron Wrangel and became the head of the military clergy of the All-Soviet Union of Socialists. In addition, he also became a member of the Council of Ministers of the Crimean Government as a representative of the Church

In 1919, Archimandrite Veniamin became Bishop of Sevastopol, vicar of the Tauride diocese, and was assigned to the post of rector of the Chersonesos monastery in Odessa. After the occupation of Crimea by the Reds, the ruler was arrested in June 1919 and placed in the prison of the Sevastopol Cheka.

8 days after the arrest and interrogation, at the request of the flock, the archimandrite was released. When Crimea became white and those Cheka officers who interrogated Veniamin’s father were sentenced to death, he managed to get it abolished.

Vladika Benjamin joined the White movement in the spring of 1920.

In the spring of 1920, Vladyka, on his own initiative, joined the White movement. In particular, he accepted the offer of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (AFSR), General Wrangel, to head the military clergy of the AFSR.

At the same time, the bishop declared: for the Church, both whites and reds, if only they are believers, are equally acceptable...”

Flight of whites from Novorossiysk to Crimea. 1920 In 1920, together with refugees and the remnants of the Russian Army transported from Novorossiysk to Crimea, the future Metropolitan Benjamin was evacuated from the peninsula to Constantinople

Father Benjamin repeatedly went to the front, under his leadership the publication of the newspaper “Holy Rus'” was carried out, and as a representative of the Church, Baron Wrangel invited the Bishop to the Council of Ministers formed in Crimea.

At the same time, the Future Metropolitan noted with grief that many white soldiers and their leaders were irreligious.

After the defeat of the White movement in November 1920, Bishop Veniamin was evacuated from Crimea on the battleship General Alekseev, along with the remnants of the Russian Army and civilian refugees.

During the years of emigration, Bishop Benjamin visited many countries

In Constantinople, Bishop Benjamin was invited to join the Supreme Church Administration Abroad. In addition, he is also a member of the Russian Council formed under Baron Wrangel. From 1920 to 1920, Vladyka lived in Bulgaria.

Here he, as Bishop of the Army and Navy, visited churches and parishes established by refugee and military organizations in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia.

Participants of the First All-Diaspora Council of 1921 in Semskie Karlovtsy. Bishop Benjamin became the chairman of the “diocesan congress” held in Constantinople in 1921, which prepared the holding of the Karlowitz Cathedral

During this period, Vladyka also headed the commission for organizing the church life of the Russian Abroad. He became the chairman of the “diocesan congress” held in Constantinople in 1921, which prepared the holding of the Karlowitz Cathedral.

Despite the fact that Bishop Veniamin made significant efforts to organize independent church administration for the Russian Abroad, he still believed that emigration for him was temporary.

Life showed the fallacy of this belief, and he had to spend years in exile, while visiting a large number of countries around the world.

Vladika Veniamin accepted the “Declaration” of Metropolitan Sergius (Starogorodtsky)

In 1926-1927, Bishop Veniamin lived in Yugoslavia. Here he was found by the famous “Declaration” of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), locum tenens of the patriarchal throne.

It spoke about the attitude of the Moscow Patriarchate to Soviet power and called on the clergy of the Orthodox Church to recognize it.

The Bishop decided to join the declaration, but at the same time retired to the desert monastery of St. Sava of Serbia. He remained a monk until 1929 and even accepted the abbotship in Petkovitsa.

Declaration of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) dated July 29, 1927. Vladyka Veniamin recognized the declaration of the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, Metropolitan Sergius, but after that he retired to the desert monastery of St. Sava of Serbia

His solitude was interrupted by a call to Paris to his former post of inspector and teacher at the Sergius Theological Institute.

In 1930, Father Benjamin had to leave the institute due to the fact that Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgievsky) broke off relations with the Moscow Patriarchate and went under the omophorion of the Patriarch of Constantinople.

On December 24, 1930, Father Veniamin was appointed temporary administrator of the Russian parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Western Europe.

In the summer of 1933, Vladyka became Archbishop of Aleutian and North American while remaining exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate in America. On June 14, 1938 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

Cover of the program for the rally and concert at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium on June 22, 1944. The main sponsor is RUR (Russian War Relief). Metropolitan Veniamin headed the work of the Medical Committee for Relief of Russia, which collected funds and medicines for the needs of the Red Army

After the German attack on the Soviet Union, Metropolitan Veniamin called on the Russian emigration to forget their differences and provide assistance to the USSR.

He headed the work of the Medical Committee for Assistance to Russia, which collected funds and medicines for the needs of the Red Army; became a member of the International Committee for Assistance to Russia.

In the summer of 1949, he met with the Consul General of the USSR in the USA, Yevgeny Kiselev, who advised the Bishop to write autobiographical essays “At the turn of two eras.”

“I deny all charges brought against me”

Metropolitan Veniamin and Bishop of Kronstadt Benedikt (Plotnikov) at the car in which they were taken from the House of Pre-trial Detention to the courtroom.
The protocols of the interrogation of Bishop Veniamin at the court hearing have been preserved. Renovationist Bishop Vvedensky, the organizer of the collective indictment letter in Leningradskaya Pravda, was summoned to the trial as a witness, but did not appear “due to illness.”

From the court record (“Case” of Metropolitan Veniamin. M.: Studio “TRITE” - “Russian Archive”, 1991):

“The defendant is citizen Kazansky,” the chairman calls him.

Former Metropolitan Benjamin rises from his seat and with a measured step, slowly, leaning on his staff with one hand and placing the other on his chest, goes out into the middle of the hall. There are no signs of either excitement or embarrassment on his face. He is stingy in his movements, stingy in his words, doesn’t say anything superfluous, and answers to the point.”

Defendants in the case of confiscation of church valuables. Metropolitan Benjamin - in a white hood

Metropolitan Benjamin pleaded not guilty. Addressing the tribunal, he said:

– The first time I was at the people’s court was 5 years ago, when the elections for the Metropolitan of Petrograd took place in 1917. The then Provisional Government and the highest Petrograd clergy did not want to elect me. But parish meetings and workers in factories called my name. I was, contrary to my own wishes, elected by an overwhelming majority of votes to the Metropolitan of Petrograd.

Why did this happen? Of course, not because I had any great merits, but only because the simple Petrograd people knew me well, since for 23 years before that I had taught and preached in a church on the outskirts of Petrograd. And for five years in the rank of metropolitan I worked for the people and in front of the people and served them, bringing only calm and peace to the masses, and not quarrel and enmity.

I have always been loyal to the civil authorities and have never been involved in any politics. I worked all the time under the Soviet regime, and everywhere I went, wherever I came, at first the authorities greeted me with suspicion, but when they recognized me, the relationship changed dramatically. Representatives of the authorities were convinced that I was not an enemy of the people, not an enemy of the people’s power...

Suddenly, unexpectedly, I found myself in the eyes of the authorities as an enemy of the people and a dangerous counter-revolutionary. I, of course, reject all the accusations brought against me and once again solemnly declare (after all, perhaps I am speaking for the last time in my life) that politics is completely alien to me, I tried to the best of my ability to be only the shepherd of human souls...

I don’t know what you will announce to me in your verdict, life or death, but no matter what you proclaim in it, I will turn my eyes to the mountain with equal reverence, place the sign of the cross on myself (the saint crossed himself widely) and say: “ Glory to You, Lord God, for everything.

On the night of August 12-13 of the same year, Metropolitan Veniamin, along with Archimandrite Sergius (Shein), laymen Yuri Novitsky and Ivan Kovsharov, were shot on the outskirts of Petrograd.

Bishop Benjamin died in his homeland

In December 1944, Metropolitan Benjamin received an invitation from Moscow to come to the Local Council. The purpose of the 1945 council was to elect a new Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' after the death of Patriarch Sergius.

After his trip to Moscow, Vladyka decided to return to Russia. On February 18, 1948, he finally returned to his homeland and was appointed to the Riga department.

Speech by Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) of North America and Aleutia at the Local Council in 1945. After a trip to the Council in Moscow, Bishop decided to return to his homeland

In March 1951, Father Veniamin was transferred to the Rostov department, where he remained until the end of 1955. The activities of the metropolitan were not liked by the communist authorities of Latvia and in 1955 he was appointed metropolitan of Saratov and Balashov.

The bishop, who cared about the affairs of the Church, constantly came into conflict with the Soviet authorities. In addition, his health condition worsened. Therefore, on February 20, 1958, the Metropolitan was dismissed. His place of residence was the Pskovopechersky Monastery.

Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) at rest in the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. To his right is Archimandrite Alypiy (Voronov). After retiring, Bishop Veniamin was left speechless after a stroke. Before his death, he accepted schism and was buried in the caves of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery

All his life, Vladyka wrote books. In total, he wrote more than 30 of them. They are devoted to explaining the Lord's Prayer, name-glorification, the liturgical heritage of the Church, etc. Among them are: “Letters on monasticism. God’s People”, “About the End of the World”, “At the Border of Two Epochs”, etc.

Shortly before his death, Father Veniamin was left speechless as a result of a stroke. There is evidence that before his death he accepted schism. Died on October 4, 1961. He was buried in the caves of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

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