Theophan the recluse short biography. From the Life of St. Theophan the Recluse Vyshensky. Archpastoral labors of St. Theophan the Recluse in the Tambov diocese

Commemorated: January 10/23, June 16/29 (transfer of relics)

Childhood

The great teacher of the Russian Church, St. Theophan the Recluse, in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov, was born on January 10, 1815 in the village of Chernava, Yelets district, Oryol province.

His father, Vasily Timofeevich Govorov, was a priest and was distinguished by true piety. As an outstanding among the clergy, he was appointed to the responsible position of the dean and carried it for 30 years, earning the approval of his superiors, as well as the love and respect of his subordinates. Father Vasily was a man of direct and open character, kind-hearted and hospitable.

Mother, Tatyana Ivanovna, came from a family of a priest. She was a woman deeply religious and extremely modest. She had a quiet, meek disposition. hallmark her character was softness and kindness of heart, especially clearly expressed in her compassion and always ready to help anyone in need. From her, George inherited, according to the testimony of his closest relatives, a tender, loving heart and some characteristic personality traits: meekness, modesty and impressionability, as well as features of appearance. The happy time of the childhood of the saint recalls a similar period in the life of the ecumenical teachers - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, when the ancient Christian mothers, in a good family upbringing, laid the foundation for the future glory of their children.

From his father, Saint Theophan inherited a strong and deep mind. The father-priest often took his son with him to the temple of God, where he stood on the kliros or served at the altar. At the same time, the spirit of churchness developed in the youth.

Thus, under the wise guidance of the father and the tender, loving guardianship of the mother, with the pious disposition of the whole family, the first years of childhood flowed: besides George, the parents had three more daughters and three sons.

College and seminary studies

It must be said that the lad Georgy received his initial education in his parents' house: in the seventh year they began to teach him to read and write. Father Vasily supervised the training and listened to the given lessons, and the mother taught the children. “Even as a child, George showed a very bright, inquisitive mind, searching for the root causes of phenomena, quickness of thought, lively observation and other qualities that often surprised others. His mind was even more exalted, disciplined and strengthened school education", - writes one of the biographers of St. Theophan I. N. Korsunsky.

In 1823, George entered the Livny Theological School. Father Vasily arranged for his son to live in an apartment with one of the teachers of this school, Ivan Vasilyevich Petin, who had a beneficial effect on the boy, encouraged the boy to properly prepare his lessons and taught him obedience and good manners. The moral and spiritual climate in the school was the most favorable. A capable, well-prepared youth easily passed the course of the theological school and six years later (in 1829) among the best students was transferred to the Oryol Theological Seminary.

At that time Archimandrite Isidore (Nikolsky), later a well-known hierarch of the Russian Church, the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod, was at the head of the seminary. The teachers were exceptionally gifted and diligent people. So, the teacher of literature was Hieromonk Platon, later Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia. Philosophical sciences were taught by Professor Ostromyslensky. George was indebted to him for his particular interest in philosophy and psychology. This was the reason that he stayed in the philosophy class for a refresher course.

In the seminary, George studied just as successfully as in the school. It was here that the young man first began to consciously work on himself. Already at this time it feature there was a love of solitude. The seminar notes noted that he was distinguished by a "tendency for solitude"; instructive in dealing with comrades; sets an example of diligence and good morals; meek and silent."

During the years of study at the seminary, George developed an extraordinary, ever-increasing reverence for St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Together with his relatives, he made a pilgrimage to the Zadonsky Monastery, where the relics of the saint, who at that time had not yet been glorified, rested.

Georgy Govorov graduated with honors from the seminary and in the depths of his heart dreamed of an academy, but did not hope for such happiness and was already busy with the thought of finding a suitable rural parish. But unexpectedly, in 1837, he received an appointment to the Kiev Theological Academy on the personal order of His Grace Bishop Nikodim of Oryol, despite the fact that the rector of the seminary, Archimandrite Sophrony, did not have George in mind and was even against it, for he valued in his students the firm memorization of the textbook, which Govorov was no different from.

Studying at the Kyiv Theological Academy

The Kiev Theological Academy flourished in those years. It was auspicious time both in the good moral direction of the life of the academy and in the abundance of talents in the professorial corporation. Metropolitan Philaret of Kiev (Amfiteatrov), nicknamed Philaret the Pious for the holiness of life, paid great attention to the spiritual and religious life of students. The rector of the academy at that time was Archimandrite Innokenty (Borisov) - a famous church preacher who lectured on the encyclopedia of theological sciences. He taught his students to speak impromptu sermons and he himself captivated listeners with his inspired improvisations. Each of his lectures and sermons was an event that awakened the work of thought and raised the spiritual mood in the student family.

The inspector of the Kyiv Theological Academy since 1838 was Archimandrite Dimitry (Muretov), ​​who lectured on dogmatic theology. About him St. Feofan retained the brightest memories: of all the hierarchs of his time, he considered him "the most gifted in mind, broad education and the best in life." Of the other teachers, Archpriest John Mikhailovich Skvortsov, a teacher of metaphysics and philosophy, stood out in particular. Holy Scripture was taught at that time by a young and gifted bachelor, later a member of the St. Petersburg Spiritual and Censorship Committee, Archimandrite Photius (Shirevsky). The professor of eloquence Yakov Kuzmich Amfiteatrov also had a great influence on the young men, from whom the student Govorov learned deep Christian conviction, simplicity of style and clarity of thought.

According to contemporaries, it was here, at the Kyiv Academy, that Saint Theophan developed the ability and love for writing. With his written preaching works, he earned respect not only from fellow students, but also from teachers. “No one wrote better than him,” said his classmate at the academy, Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov), “only because of his modesty he could not read his compositions aloud.”

The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra had a beneficial influence on George, the impressions from which were so deep and strong that the saint remembered them with delight until the end of his life: “The Kiev Lavra is an unearthly monastery. to another world."

With the permission of the academic and higher spiritual authorities, on February 15, 1841, he was tonsured with the name Feofan. The rite of tonsure was performed by the rector of the academy, Archimandrite Jeremiah. Together with the other newly tonsured, he visited Hieroschemamonk Parthenius, whose advice he carried out throughout his life: “Here you are learned monks, having typed rules for yourself, remember that one thing is most necessary: ​​to pray and pray unceasingly with your mind in your heart to God. This is what you strive for.” On April 6, 1841, by the same Jeremiah, but already Bishop of Chigirinsky in the large Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Monk Theophan was ordained a hierodeacon, and on July 1 - a hieromonk. In 1841, Hieromonk Feofan was among the first to graduate from the academy with a master's degree.

In the educational field (1841-1855)

On August 27, 1841, Hieromonk Feofan was appointed rector of the Kiev-Sofiev Theological School. He was entrusted with teaching Latin in the higher department of this school. He was a wonderful teacher and achieved excellent results. This was achieved through a skillful combination of the educational process with moral and religious education: “The most real means of cultivating a true taste in the heart is churchliness, in which educated children must be kept indefinitely. Sympathy for everything sacred, the sweetness of being among it, for the sake of peace and warmth can be better imprinted in the heart. The church, spiritual singing, icons are the first most elegant objects in terms of content and power, "- such is the view of the saint himself on the upbringing of children. He valued piety, high morality, and good behavior no less than education, if not more. He put Christian love at the basis of his educational activities: "Love children, and they will love you." For the zealous performance of his duties, the young rector received the blessing of the Holy Synod.

Father Feofan worked for a short time at the Kiev Theological School. At the end of 1842, he was transferred to the Novgorod Theological Seminary as an inspector and teacher of psychology and logic. His work as an inspector was very fruitful. In order to protect the pupils from idleness, he disposed them to physical labor: to carpentry and bookbinding, to painting. In the summer, out-of-town walks were undertaken in order to take a break from tedious mental pursuits. During his three years in Novgorod, he managed to prove himself as a talented educator and an excellent teacher of the Christian science of the human soul.

The higher spiritual authorities highly valued the moral qualities and mental gifts of Hieromonk Feofan, and therefore, at the end of 1844, he was transferred to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy for the post of bachelor in the Department of Moral and Pastoral Theology. Hieromonk Feofan treated the subjects he taught with great attention and, in preparing for lectures, showed high demands on himself. The main sources of his lectures were Holy Scripture, the works of the holy fathers, the lives of the saints, and psychology. However, he did not rely on his own strength and showed his lectures to a connoisseur of ascetic creations, the future Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov), who read them and approved them.

In 1845, Father Feofan was appointed assistant inspector of the academy, and then became a member of the committee for reviewing abstracts of the sciences of seminary education. At the same time, Hieromonk Feofan acted as the inspector of the academy. For the zealous fulfillment of these duties, he was awarded the blessing of the Holy Synod for the second time, and in May 1846 - the title of cathedral hieromonk of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. He was deeply devoted to the cause of a good Christian upbringing, but he was attracted by something else - a monastic secluded life: "... I begin to become burdened by a learned position to the point of intolerance. I would go to church, and sit there."

Soon an opportunity presented itself to satisfy the spiritual need of Father Theophan. In August 1847, at his own request, he was appointed a member of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, which was being created. Returning from Jerusalem in 1854 to St. Petersburg, for his labors he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite with the title of abbot of a third-class monastery, and on April 12, 1855, he was appointed to teach canon law at the St. Petersburg Academy. In addition, he was engaged in preaching.

In September 1855, Archimandrite Feofan received a new appointment - to the post of rector and professor of the Olonets Theological Seminary. On behalf of his superiors, he was to organize the construction of a building for the seminary. Father Theophan arrived at his appointment at the moment when Archbishop Arkady of Olonets was summoned to St. Petersburg to attend the Holy Synod. Due to his absence, many diocesan affairs were also entrusted to the father of the archimandrite. In October 1855, he was appointed a member of the Olonets Spiritual Consistory. Here, too, he found areas of activity that were closely related to his high spiritual disposition and to the good of the population - this, first of all, the preaching of the word of God and the development of measures to combat schism. However, the main concern, meeting the lofty aspirations of the soul of Father Theophan, was still the education of students.

Holy Land. Constantinople

In 1856-1857. Father Theophan was again sent to the East as rector of the Embassy Church in Constantinople. Upon returning from there, a new field for serving the Holy Church opened up for him: in May 1857, by decree of the Holy Synod, he was appointed to the post of rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. He paid special attention to educational work in the academy entrusted to him: he was the leader and father of students and treated them like a father with his children. The pupils of the academy trusted their rector and freely turned to him with all their needs and perplexities. Archimandrite Theophan was also intensively engaged in editorial and theological and popularizing work. He had to receive many prominent scientists and distinguished visitors. On the day of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Academy, its rector was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir III degree for excellent, zealous and useful service. Not long after that, Father Feofan had to be rector. The all-good Providence of God was pleased to elevate him to the rank of bishop.

But first I would like to highlight his ministry to the church from another side - with pastoral and academic activities abroad. Father Feofan himself compares his wandering life, full of various activities, with a ball, without crackling or noise, rolling back and forth in the direction of the blows communicated to it. In these words, his obedience to the will of God is expressed.

So, in August 1847, Hieromonk Feofan was appointed a member of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem that was being created, headed by Archimandrite Porfiry (Uspensky), an excellent connoisseur of the East, a well-known church archaeologist, a man of remarkable mind and indestructible energy. On October 14, 1847, the mission set off from St. Petersburg to Palestine via Kyiv, Odessa, and Constantinople, and on February 17, 1848, was cordially received in Jerusalem by His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill.

The purpose of the mission was determined by the following terms of reference:

To have representatives of the Russian Church in Jerusalem and an example of our excellent service,

To transform little by little the Greek clergy themselves, for they experienced a decline in morality, to exalt them in their own eyes and flock,

To attract to Orthodoxy those who waver and apostate from Orthodoxy due to mistrust of the Greek clergy and influence from different faiths.

In addition, many pilgrims and pilgrims from Russia demanded the satisfaction of certain religious needs.

The members of the Mission had permanent residence in Jerusalem and, getting acquainted with the Christian East, visited many holy places in Palestine, Egypt and Syria. Father Feofan worked especially diligently, rigorously fulfilling everything that was required of him.

At the same time, he managed to do a lot for self-education: he learned icon painting, perfectly studied the Greek language, thoroughly studied French, studied Hebrew and Arabic, got acquainted with the monuments of ascetic writing. past centuries, studied libraries, found old manuscripts in the ancient monastery of Savva the Sanctified. In Jerusalem, Father Theophan thoroughly familiarized himself with Lutheranism, Catholicism, Armenian Gregorianism and other faiths, in fact he learned what was both the strength of their propaganda and the weakness. In conversations with non-Orthodox members of the mission revealed the truth of Orthodoxy, but they showed the best, clearest example of the superiority of their religion with their highly moral, pious life.

In 1853 the Crimean War began, and the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission was withdrawn on May 3, 1854. I had to return to my homeland through Europe. On the way to Russia, Hieromonk Feofan visited many European cities, and everywhere he visited churches, libraries, museums and other places of interest. For example, in Italy, the country of classical art, Father Feofan, as a great lover and connoisseur of painting, was interested in paintings. In Germany, I got acquainted in detail with the organization of teaching in educational institutions various sciences, especially theology. On May 5, 1851, Hieromonk Feofan was most mercifully granted a cabinet gold pectoral cross for his scholarly work and zeal for the fulfillment of his duties.

The appointment of the Holy Synod of May 21, 1856, by Archimandrite Theophan to the important and responsible post of rector of the Embassy Church in Constantinople was due to the fact that he was well acquainted with the Orthodox East and was fully prepared for this position.

The Church of Constantinople at that time was going through a difficult period in connection with the conflict between the Greeks and the Bulgarians. The Bulgarians defended their religious independence and demanded worship in their native language and shepherds from their people. The Patriarchate of Constantinople categorically did not agree to any concessions. The Bulgarians in their legitimate demands were supported by the Turkish government, representatives of the Western powers and Archimandrite Feofan, who won his great love for himself with his sympathy and sincere desire to help this people. However, Father Feofan lived in peace with everyone: with the Bulgarians, and with the Greeks, and with the members of the embassy, ​​and with all his colleagues.

Archimandrite Theophan fulfilled the mission entrusted to him and in March 1857 presented Archbishop Innokenty with a detailed report, covering in detail the situation of the Greek-Bulgarian strife, as well as revealing the state of the Eastern Orthodox Church in general, mainly the Patriarchate of Constantinople. This report was of great importance later in the discussion of the Greek-Bulgarian feud by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

While abroad, Archimandrite Feofan further improved his knowledge Greek which was brilliantly manifested in his translation activities. He collected here many pearls of patristic wisdom in the field of ascetic writing.

Archpastoral labors of St. Theophan the Recluse in the Tambov diocese

On May 29, 1859, Archimandrite Feofan was named Bishop of Tambov and Shatsk. The episcopal consecration was performed on June 1, and on July 5, Saint Theophan took over the administration of the diocese. “We are no longer strangers to each other,” he said, greeting his flock. “At the hour of the naming, not yet knowing you, I already entered into communion with you, having made a vow to God and the Holy Church to belong to you by care, work and even my life. In the same way, you must determine yourself for attention and, if necessary, for obedience to my weak word and deed in faith and love. From now on, we have good and evil in common. "

Many worries, labors, all sorts of obstacles, even grief awaited His Grace Theophan at the Tambov cathedra. The diocese was one of the most extensive and populous. The saint's ministry lasted only four years, but during this time, by the extraordinary meekness of his character, rare delicacy, and most sympathetic attention to the needs of his flock, he managed to become related to his flock and acquire universal most sincere love.

Vladyka Theophan showed himself to be a zealous minister in all spheres of church life. His attention was focused not primarily on the affairs of external government, but on counseling ministry. He was a true bishop of God, a true gospel shepherd, capable of laying down his life for his sheep.

In the matter of religious and moral enlightenment, church preaching of the word of God is of great importance, and therefore St. Theophanes accompanies almost every divine service with a sermon. His sermons are not the product of dry mental work, but a living and direct outpouring of a feeling heart. The saint knew how to capture the attention of the listeners in such a way that perfect silence reigned in the temple, as a result of which his weak voice was heard in the most remote corners of the temple.

Vladyka himself clearly and definitely expressed the main task of his preaching works as follows: “The best use of the gift of writing and speaking is an appeal to the admonition and awakening of sinners from sleep, and this should be any church sermon and any conversation.”

St. Theophan also took care to improve the education of the clergy themselves. At his request to the Holy Synod, from July 1, 1861, the Tambov Diocesan Gazette began to be published at the Tambov Theological Seminary. In each issue, he placed at least two sermons. One sermon was patristic, and the other was delivered by himself or by one of the Tambov pastors.

The spiritual and educational institutions of the diocese were the subject of his close attention and concern: Vladyka often visited the Tambov Seminary and attended examinations. He also took care of the external improvement of spiritual and educational institutions. The saint worked hard to open a school for girls from the clergy, but the opening itself took place after the transfer of the bishop to Vladimir.

The saint sought out various ways of educating the common people. Under him, parochial schools began to operate, to help them - private literacy schools, as well as Sunday ones - in cities and large villages. There were many concerns about the improvement of the monasteries; especially a lot of work had to be done regarding the Diveevsky convent, where at that time there were great riots. On one of his trips, in order to view the churches and monasteries of his diocese, Saint Theophan visited the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, which he liked for its strict monastic rules and beautiful location.

Pure and sublime was the private, domestic life of St. Theophan the Recluse. He led a very simple life. He prayed a lot, but he also found time for scientific and literary work. Rare moments of leisure were filled with needlework - carpentry and turning work on wood, and only for a short time did Vladyka go for a walk in the garden. Vladyka passionately loved nature, admired its beauty, saw traces of the Creator's wisdom in everything. In clear weather, in the evenings, I watched the heavenly bodies through a telescope, and then it was usually heard from the lips of an astronomer, touched by the contemplation of the vast world: "The heavens will tell the glory of God."

No one has ever heard from St. Theophan the menacing word of the chief. “Here is the program of the rulers of all kinds,” Vladyka advised, “dissolve strictness with meekness, try to earn love with love and be afraid to be a monster for others. True kindness does not shy away, where it should, a strict word, but in his mouth it never has the bitterness of reproof and reproach ". His trust in people, in particular in subordinates, was boundless. In his moral delicacy and nobility of soul, he was afraid to offend a person even with a hint of suspicion or distrust.

In the summer of 1860, the Tambov province suffered a terrible drought, and in the autumn fires broke out in Tambov itself, in county towns and villages. In these difficult times for the diocese, Bishop Theophan appeared as a true comforting angel to his flock and a prophetic interpreter of the will of God, manifested in people's calamities. His instructions on the inner strength of thought, cordiality and animation are reminiscent of famous words St. John Chrysostom in such cases.

With the close participation of Bishop Theophan, the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk were uncovered. It happened on August 13, 1861. "It is impossible to describe the joys of Bishop Theophan on this occasion!" - writes his nephew A. G. Govorov, who was then in Zadonsk.

For a short time, the Tambov flock had to be under the rule of St. Theophan: on July 22, 1863, he was transferred to the ancient, more extensive Vladimir cathedra. In a farewell speech to the flock, Bishop Theophan said: “... The all-ruling right hand of God, having brought us together, combined souls in such a way that one might not even want separation. then one must benevolently submit to the decrees of God…”

At the Vladimir department

At the end of August 1863, Bishop Feofan arrived in the God-saved city of Vladimir. His ministry in the new place was even more varied and fruitful than at the Tambov department. During his three years of service here, he delivered 138 sermons. "The people here are painfully good ... they marvel. From the very arrival, until now, not a single service has been held without a sermon ... and they listen."

The diocese of Vladimir was in great need of Orthodox missionary work, since the province was the cradle of schism: hiding from Moscow from government persecution, schismatics found refuge here and many followers. Saint Theophan undertook journeys to the schismatic centers of the diocese, where he delivered sermons and, in the simplest and most accessible form, revealed the inconsistency of the schism, both from a historical point of view and in essence.

For diligent and fruitful archpastoral activity at the Vladimir see for the benefit of the Holy Church on April 19, 1864, Bishop Feofan was awarded the order Anna I degree.

But St. Theophan wished for solitude, peace and silence in order to engage in the labors of spiritual writing and thus serve the Holy Church and the salvation of others. This was hindered by extensive practical activity. As a diocesan bishop, he was also obliged to engage in such affairs that were not akin to his character and often disturbed his high spirits, brought sorrow to his loving heart. He expressed his inner state in one of his letters: “I don’t see any difficulty in business, only my soul doesn’t lie to them.” After consulting with his spiritual leader, Metropolitan Isidore, Bishop Feofan submitted a petition to the Holy Synod for his retirement with the right to stay in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. On July 17, 1866, after long hesitation on the part of the higher authorities, Saint Theophan was released from the administration of the diocese of Vladimir and appointed to the post of rector of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. During the parting of the archpastor with his flock, it was clearly revealed what great love St. Theophan enjoyed in his diocese. According to an eyewitness, many of those present in the temple shed tears, for they realized that they would never see their dear shepherd again.

Vyshensky recluse

On July 28, after the prayer service, Bishop Feofan went straight to Vysha. At first he settled in the rector's chambers. Later, by 1867, Vladyka moved into a wooden outbuilding, built over a stone prosphora building by Archimandrite Arkady especially for his residence.

The vain position of the abbot disturbed the inner peace of Bishop Theophan. Soon, on September 14, 1866, Saint Theophan sent a petition to the Holy Synod for his dismissal from the management of the Vyshensky monastery and the assignment of a pension to him. The Holy Synod granted his request. Freed from the worries of managing the monastery, Bishop Theophan began to lead a truly ascetic life. Together with the monks for six years, he went to all church services, and on Sundays and holidays he himself served the Liturgy conciliarly with the brethren. With reverent service, Bishop Theophan brought spiritual comfort to all those present in the church. Hegumen Tikhon later recalled: “It is unlikely that any of us, the monks of Vyshensky, have ever heard in the holy altar what a third-party word from the lips of St. Theophan, except for the following of the liturgical service. And he did not speak teachings, but his very service before the Throne of God was a living teaching for all".

When Vladyka did not serve himself, but only attended services in the church of the monastery, his prayer was highly instructive. He closed his eyes for the sake of gathering his mind and heart and gave himself up entirely to a sweet conversation with God. Deeply immersed in prayer, he, as it were, completely renounced the outside world, from everything around him. It often happened that the monk who brought the prosphora to him at the end of the Liturgy stood for some time, waiting for the great man of prayer to descend in spirit into our earthly world and notice him.

Having closely become acquainted with the internal order of the monastery, the saint wrote to N.V. Yelagin: “I feel very well here. The orders here are truly monastic. it will be 8-10 hours. They start at 3 in the morning. The last one is at 7 in the evening. Sarov singing."

No matter how little His Grace Theophan devoted time to relations with the outside world, and, in particular, to receiving visitors, it nevertheless distracted him from the main cause for which he had come to Vysha. And then the idea of ​​​​a complete shutter appeared, which, however, was not realized suddenly. At first, the saint spent the Holy Forty Day in strict seclusion, and the experience was successful. Then he retired for a longer time - for a whole year, after which the issue of a full shutter was irrevocably resolved.

The solitude of the saint turned out to be "sweeter than honey", and he considered Vysha "God's habitation, where God's heavenly air is." Partially he experienced heavenly bliss already here on earth, in this very corner of boundless Russia, which in the days of the life of the saint was completely provincial. But who knows now the words of the reclusive hierarch that “You can only exchange the Higher for the Kingdom of Heaven”?! Or here are some more lines in his letters about this blessed corner of Russia: "There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the Vyshenskaya desert!" or: "Your heaven is a comforting and blessed abode... we have, for example, a dissolved paradise. Such a deep world!" Until his blessed death, the saint felt completely happy. “You call me happy. I feel like that,” he wrote, “and I would not exchange my Highness not only for the St. Petersburg Metropolis, but also for the patriarchate, if it were restored with us and I was appointed to it.”

What was hidden behind this so-called "peace", behind this shutter, behind this bliss? Colossal work, daily feat, which modern man and it is unthinkable to imagine, let alone lift on yourself. Vladyka himself, belittling his deeds, hiding them before people out of the deepest humility, having this virtue as a kind of spiritual foundation at the base of the soul, in one of his letters gives the following description of his seclusion: “Laughter takes me when someone says that I am in seclusion "This is not at all. I have the same life, only there are no exits and receptions. The shutter is real - do not eat, do not drink, do not sleep, do nothing, just pray ... I'm talking with Evdokim, I walk along the balcony and see everyone , I correspond ... eat, drink and sleep enough. I have a simple solitude for a while. "

The most important occupation of the hermit saint was prayer: he indulged in it during the day and often at night. In the cells, Vladyka set up a small church in the name of the Baptism of the Lord, in which he served the Divine Liturgy on all Sundays and holidays, and for the last 11 years - every day.

The pagination of this e-book matches the original.

LIFE ST. THEOPHAN, THE HERMIT VYSHENSKY

Saint Theophan, in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov, was born on January 10, 1825, in the village of Chernavskoye, Yelets district, Oryol province, into the family of priest Vasily Timofeevich Govorov, who for 30 years served as dean, earning the respect and love of his superiors and subordinates. In addition to George, father Vasily and his wife Tatyana Ivanovna had three more sons and three daughters. The Govorovs led an exemplary family life, and both were distinguished by deep religiosity and cordial responsiveness to people. In the same vein, they

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Foxes to raise their children. Being a very well-read person, Father Vasily personally prepared his children for school, and Tatyana Ivanovna, who had a rare kindness of heart and deep piety, took care of their strictly religious education.

When George was 8 years old, he was sent to the Livny Theological School. Having received thorough home training, the boy studied very well and behaved, according to the recall of the school authorities, "with exemplary modesty."

In 1829, Georgy Govorov, among the best students, was transferred to the Oryol Theological Seminary. It was then headed by Archimandrite Isidore, later Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod. The seminary teachers were gifted and diligent people. Hieromonk Platon, the future Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia, was then a teacher of literature, for example, professor Evfimy Andreevich Ostromyslensky taught philosophical sciences. in the seminary,

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Just as in the school, Georgy stood out sharply among his comrades for his diligence in his studies and good manners. In the last classes of the seminary, the mindset and interests of the future saint began to be more clearly defined. Of the subjects of the philosophical course, he liked psychology most of all, and in the theological class he studied the Holy Scriptures especially diligently.

Having excellently graduated from the seminary in 1837, Georgy Govorov, as the best of the pupils of his course, was sent to continue his education at the Kyiv Theological Academy, which in those years experienced a period of real prosperity. Metropolitan Filaret (Amfiteatrov) of Kiev, whom his contemporaries called "Pious Philaret" for the holiness of life, paid great attention to the development of the inner, spiritual and religious life of the students of the academy. Here education was completed and the general direction of the spiritual path of Georgy Govorov was clearly defined. Favorite items of the future

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The archpastor had theological subjects, especially Holy Scripture and ecclesiastical eloquence. The academic authorities characterized him as a person "very humble", "honest in behavior", "distinguished by good morals, serviceability in relation to his duties, love for worship." All these good qualities of Georgy Govorov's character clearly foreshadowed his path to monastic life, for which, obviously, he had been preparing himself from his youth. The decision to consecrate himself to God was firm and unshakable in him. A year before the full completion of the academic course, on October 1, 1840, on the feast of the Intercession Holy Mother of God, he submitted to the academic authorities a petition for monastic vows, in which he wrote: “Having a constant zeal for theological subjects and for a solitary life, in order to combine both in the service of the Church set before me, I made a vow to devote my life to the monastic rank.” The request of student Govorov was

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Satisfied, and on February 15, 1841, he was tonsured a monk with the name Feofan. The rite of tonsure was performed in the Holy Spirit Church of the Kiev-Bratsky Monastery by the rector of the academy, Archimandrite Jeremiah, who later became the Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod. In April 1841, in the large Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the same Jeremiah (at that time already Bishop of Chigirinsky) monk Feofan was ordained a hierodeacon, and in July a hieromonk. Experiencing these important changes in his life, Hieromonk Feofan continued to study in his last year at the academy. "Review of the legal religion" - such was the theme of his term paper, which later, among the best, was sent by the Academic Academic Council to the Synod for consideration. A strict connoisseur of theological writings, a permanent member of the Synod, Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow especially noted the talent and hard work of Fr Theophan.

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In 1841, Hieromonk Feofan graduated from the academy with a master's degree and entered the teaching and educational field. He successively passed the positions of superintendent of the Kiev-Sofia Theological School, rector of the Novgorod Seminary, and then professor and assistant inspector of the St. Petersburg Academy. WITH early years having accustomed himself to treat each case with due responsibility, Father Feofan fulfilled all the duties that lay on him conscientiously and with zeal. In his teaching activities, the young theologian, leaving philosophical and speculative methods of work, relied on ascetic and psychological experience. The main sources of his lectures after Holy Scripture and the works of the holy fathers were the lives of the saints and psychological studies.

Hieromonk Theophan was deeply devoted to the important cause of Christian education, but he was attracted by something else - a solitary monastic life. His duties in the service included administrative

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New and economic concerns, to which his soul never lay, and therefore he was not internally satisfied with his activities. His spirit aspired to the more familiar sphere of monastic life and prayerful communion with God. “... I am beginning to be weary of my academic position to the point of intolerance,” he wrote to His Grace Jeremiah, “would go to church and sit there.”

By that time, the Russian government had finally resolved the issue of establishing a Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem. An excellent connoisseur of the East, a well-known church archaeologist, Archimandrite Porfiry (Uspensky), was placed at its head, and mentors and students of the St. Petersburg Academy were invited to work with him. Hieromonk Theophan has long been burning with the desire to visit the holy places of Palestine, to personally get acquainted with the state of Orthodoxy in the East, with the skete life of God’s special chosen ones - ascetic desert dwellers, to get closer to the living tradition

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patristic thought. Hieromonk Feofan could hardly have expected a more favorable occasion for the fulfillment of this desire; therefore, he gladly responded to the call for cooperation with Archimandrite Porfiry.

Six years of stay in the East became for Hieromonk Theophan a time of tireless work and scholarly studies. Members of the brotherhood were in the Jordan, in Bethlehem, Nazareth and other evangelical cities and historical sites of ancient Palestine. In 1850 they traveled to Egypt, visited Alexandria, Cairo and local monasteries. Father Feofan worked diligently: strictly fulfilling his official duties, he managed to do a lot for self-education. In Jerusalem, he learned iconography, perfectly studied the Greek language, studied French, Hebrew and Arabic.

In Palestine, Father Theophan became acquainted with the asceticism of the ancient monks.

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Eastern monasteries, especially close - with a living tradition of smart work in the Lavra of St. Savva the Sanctified, where he was fortunate enough to live for some time. Here, monuments of ascetic writing of the past centuries became available to him: he studies the library of the Lavra, studies ancient writings. Here he found and collected many ancient manuscripts of the patristic heritage. At Sinai, the future saint got acquainted in detail with the famous biblical manuscript of the 4th century, later published by Tischendorf. In Egypt, he traveled and explored the ancient desert - this true cradle of Christian asceticism and the field of the first Christian ascetics. Although Father Theophan did not have to personally bow to the shrines of Mount Athos, during his travels in the East he heard a lot about the life of the Athos elders, deeply imbued with it and struck up a strong spiritual connection with the monks, which he retained until the end of his life.

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It was to this time that the future saint began to collect manuscripts and printed publications, which he translated from Greek and Modern Greek into Russian during his life, including the works of the holy fathers of the Greek Philokalia.

The six-year service of Hieromonk Theophan in Palestine was of particular importance for his entire subsequent life: the Lord was pleased to place his future ascetic and one of the pillars of faith in the center of Orthodoxy so that he would improve in asceticism and serve as an example of faith and piety to others. In 1853 the Crimean War began, and the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission was withdrawn on May 3, 1854.

In 1855, Hieromonk Feofan was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

The appointment of Archimandrite Theophan to the important and responsible post of rector of the embassy church in Constantinople took place on May 21, 1856. The Church of Constantinople at this time

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Lived great difficulties due to the conflict between the Greeks and the Bulgarians. The Bulgarians defended their religious independence and demanded worship in the Slavic language and shepherds from their people. The Patriarchate of Constantinople categorically did not agree to any concessions. The Russian government and the Holy Synod, taking care to end this strife as soon as possible, instructed Archimandrite Theophan, as an expert in the East, to collect information that could clarify the state of the conflict. Archimandrite Feofan fulfilled the mission entrusted to him and in March 1857 submitted a detailed and detailed report to Archbishop Innokenty of Kherson. Archimandrite Feofan did not express his own assumptions about how the Greek-Bulgarian strife would end, but he expressed his attitude very clearly: he did not doubt the fairness and legitimacy of the demands of the Bulgarians and at the same time was interested in improving

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Positions of the Church of Constantinople in the Turkish Empire.

By his sympathy for the Bulgarian people, sympathy for their legitimate demands, sincere desire to help them, Father Feofan earned himself big love among Bulgarians. Of the noble secular persons, he was in especially close relations with the Samosad prince Borodi, who fervently interceded for the Bulgarians before the Turkish government.

preoccupied difficult situation in the Bulgarian Church, Archimandrite Theophan did not forget about the good of the Church of Constantinople. He became closely acquainted with the inner life of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the position of the clergy, and a disastrous picture was revealed to him. Father Feofan wrote about all this in his report to the Holy Synod, appealing for help to "generous Russia", which "should not leave its mother by faith in this helpless state." For Russian sailors and pilgrims who lived in Constantinople, Archimandrite

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Feofan offered to arrange a hospital and organize a brotherhood with the church. Father Feofan lived in peace with everyone: with the Greeks, and with the Bulgarians, and with his colleagues, members of the embassy. For peacefulness and friendliness, Archimandrite Feofan fell in love with secular persons with whom he had to talk about the subjects of faith.

The future saint collected in the Orthodox East many precious pearls of patristic, mainly ascetic, writing, he continued to study the Greek language, knowledge of which helped him in subsequent works.

In the same years, the correspondence between Father Theophan and Princess P. S. Lukomskaya began, as a result of which “Letters on the Christian Life” appeared.

In 1857-1859, Archimandrite Feofan headed the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

In 1859, after such frequent and unexpected movements from place to place, Archimandrite Theophan was finally called to episcopal service in Tampa.

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Bovskaya department, and in 1863 he was given the management of a more populous diocese - Vladimir. In a speech at his nomination as a bishop, Archimandrite Feofan compared his life and various activities with a ball rolling noiselessly in the direction of the blows communicated to it. He expressed his submission to the will of God, his humility and unworthiness. Addressing the members of the Synod, he told that he had a secret desire for the highest feats of virtue: “I do not hide,” said Father Feofan, “that it would not be alien to the secret desires of my heart if such a place fell to my lot where I could freely indulge in the pursuits of one's heart." Even then, the intention was born in the soul of the Right Reverend to leave the world and retire to the desert. But, having accustomed himself to be silently submissive to every appointment, he, although not without embarrassment, took upon himself this high feat of hierarchal service to the Church of God, as a duty of obedience entrusted to him.

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Seven years of successive archpastoral service in two cathedras—first in Tambov and then in Vladimir—were for His Grace Theophan a time of tireless concern for the welfare of his flock. volumes of his Words to the Tambov flock. Saint Theophan took care of the improvement of theological and educational institutions. He prompted the authorities of the Tambov Seminary to overhaul the seminary church; with his assistance, many parochial schools, Sunday schools and private literacy schools were opened. From July 1, 1861 At the request of the Most Reverend, the Tambov Diocesan Gazette began to appear before the Holy Synod, and since 1865, the Vladimir Diocesan Gazette.

In spite of the many and varied affairs and cares of managing

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As a diocese, Saint Theophan found time for scholarly and literary work. By this time belongs his theological work "Letters on the Christian Life", which contains a whole system of Christian moral teaching.

In 1861, Saint Theophan experienced great joy. By decision of the Holy Synod, he took part in the celebration of the opening of the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. This event made a great impression on him and served as a special gracious consecration of his own aspirations.

As head of the diocese of Vladimir, Saint Theophan often undertook missionary journeys to its schismatic centers, zealously preached the teachings of the Orthodox Church there, and at the end of 1865 opened the Epiphany Orthodox Brotherhood in the village of Mstera, Vyaznikovsky district.

Leaving only a short time for sleep, Bishop Feofan devoted himself entirely to

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Serving your flock. Always affectionate and friendly, he treated everyone, regardless of rank and age, complacently and with the greatest meekness. If he, as a diocesan leader, needed to punish the offender with a reprimand, then he instructed the dean of the cathedral to do this, as if afraid of violating the law of love by which he was steadily guided in his life and pastoral activity.

But no matter how high the personal qualities of His Grace Theophan were, thanks to which his service as a hierarch promised to bring so many good fruits to the Holy Church, he, as a diocesan bishop, still had to very often deal with things that were not at all akin to his heart. From a young age, he strove for solitude and saw the ideal of monasticism in the complete renunciation of all worldly concerns. Therefore, the idea of ​​retiring from the affairs of the diocesan administration and of electing

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For himself such a place of residence, where he could devote himself exclusively to spiritual exploits. Even when he was at the Tambov department, he fell in love with the Vyshenskaya hermitage, about which he said more than once: "There is no place better than Vysha." This is where the thought of the saint rushed when he decided to finally retire from the duties of diocesan administration, which were alien to his contemplative soul.

When, in 1866, the Synod received a petition from the Right Reverend for dismissal “to retire” as a simple monk in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, the members of the Synod involuntarily became perplexed and, not knowing how to deal with this request, first of all asked the leading member of the Synod, Metropolitan Isidore, in private correspondence with the applicant to find out what makes him make such a decision. In his response letter, His Grace Theophan wrote: “I am looking for peace, so that I can more calmly indulge in the pursuits I desire, with the indispensable intention that there be both the fruit of labor, and useful, and necessary for

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Church of God. I have in mind to serve the Church of God, only to serve in a different way.” At the same time, the saint admitted with complete frankness that he had long kept in his soul the dream of devoting himself to a contemplative life in the quiet of solitude and to labors in the study and interpretation of Holy Scripture.

Having accepted this explanation, the Holy Synod granted the request of the Right Reverend, and he was appointed rector of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. The farewell of the Vladimir flock to their beloved archpastor was touching. It was not easy for him to part with her. “Do not blame me, for the Lord's sake,” he said in his farewell speech, “for leaving you. I'm not going away to be forced to leave you, your kindness would not allow me to change you to another flock. But, as a follower, I lead myself to a stay free from worries, looking for better tea, as it is akin to our nature. How this could have come about, I do not dare to explain. One thing I will say that in addition to external

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His currents of events that determine our affairs are internal changes and dispositions, leading to certain determinations; in addition to external necessity, there is an internal necessity, which the conscience listens to and which the heart does not strongly contradict. Being in such a position, I ask your love for one thing - leaving judgments and condemnations of the step I have already taken, deepen your prayer, so that the Lord does not frustrate my aspirations and grant me, although not without difficulty, to find what I am looking for.

The residents of Vladimir saw off their beloved saint with tears...

Arriving in Vysha, His Grace Theophan first of all resigned his position as abbot of the desert, preferring to remain here in the simple rank of a monk. The long-awaited solitude, to which the saint so insistently strove, finally came, by the grace of God... Saint Theophan felt quite happy on the Higher until the end of his life. “You call me happy. I feel like

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such - and I will not exchange my Highness not only for the St. Petersburg Metropolis, but also for the patriarchate, if it were restored with us and I would be appointed to it. The height can only be exchanged for the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The monk-hierarch devoted the first six years of his stay on the Above, as it were, to preparing himself for the lofty feat of seclusion. He, along with the brethren, invariably attended all the monastic services, and on Sundays and feast days he himself served at the cathedral with the archimandrite and the monastics. He did not pronounce instructions, but his very service before the throne of God, according to the testimonies of the Vyshensky monks, was a living instruction for everyone: like an unquenchable candle, he prayerfully burned before the faces of the Savior, the Mother of God and the saints ...

After Pascha 1872, Saint Theophan began a reclusive life. He arranged in his cells a small church in the name of the Baptism of the Lord, in which he began to perform all church services with

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Completely alone, without co-workers. He did not receive anyone except hegumen Arkady, his confessor, and his cell-attendant, so that neither relatives, nor acquaintances, nor even persons of royal origin, when visiting the monastery, could break his shutter. For the first 10 years, the hermit saint served the liturgy in his cell church only on Sundays and feast days, and for the last 11 years, every day. To the question of one of his closest admirers, how he serves the liturgy alone, the saint answered: “I serve according to the service, silently, and sometimes I will sing ...” But if the living voice of the saint is silent for those who once had personal and direct communication with him, then he began to influence people even more fruitfully with his God-wise creations and letters. No one who turned to him for advice and clarification on matters of spiritual life, he never refused his written guidance. Receiving from twenty to forty letters daily, the recluse saint

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He gave answers to each of them, delving into the position and state of mind of the writer with extreme sensitivity. They turned to him for advice, for the resolution of perplexities, in him they sought consolation in sorrow, relief in troubles, everything from dignitaries to commoners.

As a person who has experienced all stages of spiritual development, and as a deep connoisseur of the human heart, His Grace was inimitable in his answers even to such, at first glance, general issues like: what is the spiritual life? How do we reconcile the requirements of Christian law with the various responsibilities that family and society place on us? how not to fall into despair among various temptations? how to begin the work of moral improvement and, following this path step by step, enter deeper and deeper into the saving fence of the Church? In solving these and similar questions, it seems that he left nothing unexplained ... Almost not a single detail of spiritual life in all its innermost

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The movements did not escape his deep, attentive observation. And he knew how to explain everything so simply, so clearly and illuminate it with such a clear light!

In his letters, Bishop Theophan expressed the same propositions as in his writings, but in a simpler and clearer form. Sensitively capturing the spiritual needs of the writer, sparing no effort, the saint thoroughly and cordially explained all questions and perplexities. He somehow especially knew how to enter into the position of the writer and immediately establish with him the closest spiritual connection, based on complete frankness. The saint preserved this sincerity and love for people until his blessed death.

The theological works of St. Theophan were undoubtedly the fruit of his lofty spiritual achievement. During his stay on Vyshe, St. Theophan created the main part of his spiritual works.

The subjects and content of Vyshensky Zatvor's creations are very diverse.

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Nick, but the main theme of his creation is salvation in Christ. In 1868, the main work of the holy archpastor, The Path to Salvation (A Brief Essay on Asceticism), was published. It is based on lectures on moral theology, read by St. Feofan at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. The whole essence of the moral teaching of St. Theophan is set forth in the book. He himself said about this: "Here everything that I wrote, is being written and will be written." In this work, the author traces the whole life of a person who has embarked on the path of salvation, gives the guiding rules for Christian work. “These rules take a person at the crossroads of sin, lead him through the fiery path of purification and raise him before the face of God, that is, to the degree of perfection possible for a person, to the extent of the age of the fulfillment of Christ.”

In 1870-1871, "Letters on Spiritual Life" were published in "Home Talk", later released as a separate edition. This is a deeply meaningful

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Marriage is a manifestation of spiritual life, starting with the first grace-filled movements of the Christian heart towards communion with God and ending with the highest moral perfection of man.

In 1878, the monks of the Athos Panteleimon Monastery published the book of the saint “What is spiritual life and how to tune in to it?” “Letters,” the saint reported, “are written to the beauty and depict the matter of spiritual life in its present form... The beauty, to whom the letters are written, lives at home with her father; she doesn’t want to get married, but she didn’t have the courage to enter the monastery either. The Lord will arrange it. She has a very good and strong temperament. Yes - salvation is not tied to a place. Everywhere it is possible and everywhere it actually works. For those who are saved everywhere the path is strait and sad. And no one has yet managed to cover it with flowers.” This work, like the Path to Salvation, helps a person turn away from sin and, looking deeper into himself, embark on a narrow path leading to eternal life.

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The basis for the divinely wise writings of the holy archpastor were the works of Eastern church teachers and ascetics. An outstanding connoisseur of ascetic writing, His Grace Theophan not only guided its traditions in his creations, but also embodied it in his life, believing the truth of the patristic ascetic prerequisites with his own spiritual experience.

In his works, St. Theophan appears as an independent profound Orthodox theologian, a thinker of the contemplative trend, a theologian in whom theological Orthodox concepts penetrated deeply through consciousness, took on an original form and received a peculiar system.

Especially great value for theological science are the numerous works of the saint on Christian morality. In his moralistic writings, His Grace Theophan depicted the ideal of true Christian life and the paths leading to its achievement.

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The writings of St. Theophan expound the foundations of patristic psychology. A comprehensively educated archpastor penetrated into the innermost recesses of the human soul. His writings naturally combine depth of psychological analysis and theology with simplicity of presentation. Surveying the mental and spiritual abilities of a person, His Grace Theophan penetrates deeply into his inner world. This penetration is the result of careful self-observation and great spiritual experience of the saint. The author, as it were, descends into the dark labyrinths of the spirit and, despite the weak light of the lamp, everywhere manages to distinguish in them very subtle manifestations of the moral principle.

One of the most important deeds in the life of His Grace Theophan is his wonderful work on the interpretation of the word of God, which constituted a valuable contribution to Russian biblical studies. In 1869, a spiritual and edifying interpretation of the saint on the 33rd psalm was published, in 1871 -

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The interpretation of the Six Psalms, and from 1872 the exegetical works of the holy archpastor began to be regularly published in diocesan periodicals: his famous successive interpretations of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul and the Commentary on Psalm 118 saw the light of day. In 1885, his book "The Gospel story of God the Son, who was incarnated for our salvation, in sequential order, set forth in the words of the holy evangelists" was published. This work of St. Theophan is an addition to the work “Instructions according to which everyone for himself can compose one consistent gospel story from the four Gospels,” published back in 1871.

In close connection with all the theological works of Bishop Theophan is his translation activity. He drew his spiritual experience not only from personal inner experiences, but also from ascetic writing, in which he was always especially interested. The most important of the translated works of the saint is

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There is a “Philokalia”, which is based on the writings about the spiritual life of the founders and great teachers of Christian asceticism: Saints Anthony the Great, Macarius of Egypt, Mark the Ascetic, Isaiah the Hermit, Evagrius, Pachomius the Great, Basil the Great, Maximus the Confessor, John of the Ladder and other holy fathers. His translations are distinguished by ease and general accessibility, accompanied by additions and explanations. In 1881 St. Theophan finished translating the works of St. Simeon the New Theologian. Subsequently, he himself often recommended reading them to his spiritual children: “Simeon the New Theologian is an inestimable treasure. He inspires most strongly the zeal for the inner life of grace. “How persistently he sets forth the essence of the work of the Christian life, producing it in all space from the Lord Savior – exclusively. And everything with him is so clearly stated that it unquestioningly conquers the mind and demands obedience.

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By constant attention to himself, sobriety and vigilance, the ascetic-recluse achieved the highest degree of spiritual perfection. What exactly the inner, spiritual life of the saint consisted of and how it flowed during the 22 years of seclusion remained a secret secret for everyone. The only witness with whom the ascetic, of necessity, had to have personal contact was his cell-attendant Evlampios. But the duties of the latter were limited to very few. Every day, at a special conventional knock, he came from his room, located on the lower floor of the lord's chambers, to serve him a cup of coffee and dinner, which on fast days consisted of one egg and a glass of milk, and at four o'clock in the evening - to bring a cup of tea , which limited the daily food of the ascetic. The duties of the same cell-attendant included the preparation from the evening of everything necessary for the celebration of the early liturgy by the saint - prosphora, red wine, incense ...

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The saint himself usually wrote jokingly about his seclusion, in his characteristic humility not attaching special importance to the fact that he lives in seclusion from the world. “They called me a recluse,” he wrote, “but here there is no smell of a recluse either. Laughter takes me when someone says that I'm in lockdown. It's not like that at all. I have the same life, only there is no way out and tricks. The shutter is real: do not eat, do not drink, do not sleep, do nothing, only pray. I speak with Yevlampy (cell attendant), walk on the balcony and see everyone, I correspond ... I eat, drink and sleep to my heart's content. I have a simple solitude for a while. I'm going to at least hold a post, like real recluses, but the weak flesh backs down from this ... And laziness overcomes something to work. Everyone would have slept, yes, with his arms folded, he sat. Sometimes you scribble (write) something. Yes, think to yourself, because of what I will torment myself and leave ... and days after days flow, and death approaches. What to say and how to justify - I can’t find it at all! Trouble!

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Ephraim the Syrian has a lamentation for his writings. “After all, it’s written, he says, it’s good, but what am I ?!” Alas! Well, if he found it necessary to say this, then, brother, how will he dodge? Somewhere in the Prophet it is written: "Woe to those who write." True, grief! After all, you can’t write anything, but you don’t move from your place ... That’s the trouble ... True, only the grave will correct us scribes in this part ... Of course, it will correct it, but will it not be too late ?! But my soul is hardened and does not lead with the ear. As if not guilty of anything - a saint. Oh! Oh!"

In recent years, the recluse saint's eyesight began to weaken from constant and intense writing, but he continued to work as before, trying to keep the same daily routine. Only from January 1, 1894, five days before his death, this daily routine of the life of the saint began to be violated ...

The ascetic's candle of life was gradually burning down, and he, realizing this, calmly

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Waiting for death. “Dying,” Vladyka wrote, “is not a peculiarity. And you have to wait. Just as one who wakes during the day waits for the night to sleep, so those who live must see the end ahead in order to rest. Only grant, O God, to rest in the Lord, so that you can always be with the Lord.

On the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, feeling weak, Vladyka asked his cell-attendant to help him walk around the room. He held him under the arms several times, but the weak bishop, tired, sent him away, and he himself went to bed. However, the next day, on the temple feast of his cell church, he was still able to serve the Divine Liturgy. On this day, he did not give a sign for evening tea longer than usual, and the cell-attendant had to look into the room of the saint himself. Vladyka was lying on the bed, his eyes were closed, left hand rested on her chest, and the right one was folded as if for a hierarchal blessing. Saint Theophan rested peacefully in the Lord

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On the day of the patronal feast of his cell church ...

The funeral service for the reposed reclusive bishop was performed on January 11 by Bishop Jerome of Tambov with a huge gathering of clergy and people.

The body of the deceased archpastor was buried in the Kazan Cathedral of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage in the right Vladimir aisle. A tombstone of white marble was erected over the grave of the deceased, depicting three books of the saint: "The Philokalia", "The Interpretation of the Apostolic Epistles" and "The Outline of Christian Moral Teaching".

In one of his writings, Saint Theophan writes: “The dead continue to live on earth in the memory of the living through their good deeds.” ... The holy archpastor devoted his whole life to searching for the path to eternal life, and in his writings he showed this path to subsequent generations.

In 1988, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, St. Theophan the Recluse was canonized

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Saints. He is canonized as “an ascetic of faith and piety, who had a profound influence on the spiritual revival of contemporary society. By his prayerful contemplative feat, purity of heart, chastity and piety preserved from youth, Saint Theophan acquired the gift of experienced comprehension of patristic asceticism. He, as a theologian and exegete, expounded this experience in his numerous works, which can be considered by church children as practical aids in the matter of Christian salvation” 1).

1). In compiling the life of St. Theophan, the following sources were used.

lifeSt. Theophan, the hermit Vyshensky // Canonization of the Saints. M., 1988.

Archpriest Alexei Bobrov.His Grace Bishop Theophan (biographical sketch) / / Wise advice to those seeking salvation according to the letters of His Grace Theophan from the Vyshensky Gate. Sergiev Posad, 1913.

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ABOUT One of the most influential spiritual writers of the 19th century was St. Theophan the Recluse, who became a great teacher of Christian life. His writings are extremely necessary for all who yearn for salvation. Bishop Feofan left us an invaluable treasure in the form of more than 60 spiritual works, most of which were written by him during a 28-year seclusion, which he bequeathed to the entire Russian people before his death. In the lines of his works one can find an inexhaustible source of spiritual uplift, deepening into oneself and aspiration to heavenly heights. His most significant works are “Letters on Christian Life”, “Philokalia” (translation), “Interpretation of the Apostolic Epistles”, “Outline of Christian Moral Teaching” .

childhood

(in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov) was born on January 10, 1815 in the village of Chernavskoye, Yelets district, Oryol province, in the family of a priest.

His father, Vasily Timofeevich Govorov, was a priest of the Vladimir Church in the village of Chernavskoye, and all his life he was distinguished by deep piety. The saint's mother, Tatyana Ivanovna, came from a priestly family and had a quiet, meek disposition and a loving heart. Egor was the fifth child in the family. There were seven children in Father Vasily's family: three daughters and four sons.

Father Vasily often took his son with him to the temple of God, where he stood on the kliros or served at the altar. During these visits, the boy was not averse to sometimes making his way to the church bells and ringing.

College and seminary studies

The lad George received his initial education in his parents' house: in the seventh year they began to teach him to read and write. Father Vasily supervised the training and listened to the given lessons, and the mother taught the children. Even as a child, George showed a very bright, inquisitive mind, searching for the root causes of phenomena, quickness of thought, lively observation and other qualities that often led to the surprise of others. Even more exalted, disciplined and strengthened the mind of his school education.

In 1823, George entered the Livny Theological School. Father Vasily arranged for his son to live in an apartment with one of the teachers of this school, Ivan Vasilyevich Petin, who had a beneficial effect on the boy, encouraged the boy to properly prepare his lessons and taught him obedience and good manners. The moral and spiritual climate in the school was the most favorable.

A capable, well-prepared lad easily passed the course of the spiritual school and after six years (in 1829) among the best students was transferred to the Oryol Theological Seminary. At the head of the seminary was then Archimandrite Isidor (Nikolsky), later a well-known hierarch of the Russian Church - Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Novgorod.

In the seminary, George studied just as successfully as in the school. It was here that the young man first began to consciously work on himself. Already at this time, his characteristic feature was a love of solitude. The seminary records noted that he was distinguished by “a penchant for solitude.” During the years of study at the seminary, George developed an extraordinary, ever-increasing reverence for St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Together with his relatives, he made a pilgrimage to the Zadonsky Monastery, where the relics of the saint, who at that time had not yet been glorified, rested.

Georgy Govorov graduated with honors from the seminary and in the depths of his heart dreamed of an academy, but did not hope for such happiness and was already busy with the thought of finding a suitable rural parish. But unexpectedly, in 1837, he received an appointment to the Kiev Theological Academy on the personal order of His Grace Bishop Nikodim of Oryol, despite the fact that the rector of the seminary, Archimandrite Sophrony, did not have George in mind and was even against it, for he valued in his students the firm memorization of the textbook, which Govorov was no different from.

MONISHED

A few months before the end of the course, Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov took monastic vows with the name Feofan in honor of the Monk Theophan the Confessor.

In monasticism he found his true calling; to this he was disposed both by the natural kindness of the heart, and dove-like meekness, and condescension, and gullibility towards people, and even some shyness in address. The young student looked at monasticism as a difficult feat of serving the Church and finally decided on it only after long-term reflection, having experienced a difficult spiritual struggle. In addition, while studying at the Academy, events occurred in his family that finally strengthened his intention to become a monk: in 1838 his mother died, and a year later his father, priest Vasily.

Soon he is dedicated to hierodeacons, and then in hieromonks. After taking tonsure, he visited the Lavra, where Elder Hieroschemamonk Parthenius labored. This clever prayer book instructed the young monks in this way: “ Here you are, learned monks, having collected many rules for yourself, remember that one thing is most important: to pray and pray unceasingly with your mind in your heart to God - that's what you strive for».

TEACHING (1841-1847)

Having successfully graduated from the Kyiv Academy with a master's degree in theology, in 1841, Hieromonk Feofan was appointed acting rector of the Kiev-Sofia schools and teacher of Latin. Theological schools were intended "for the initial education and preparation of children for the service of the Orthodox Church."
Children of Orthodox clerics were admitted here free of charge, and from other classes - with a fee. Schools had 4 classes, the program of which approached four gymnasium classes.

But Father Feofan did not work long at the Kiev School: a year later he was appointed Inspector of the Novgorod Seminary. Novgorod Seminary was the most important center spiritual education and education of the north-west of Russia in the XVIII - early XX centuries. and one of the centers cultural life Veliky Novgorod ( one of the first graduates of the Novgorod seminary was Tikhon Zadonsky, later a saint and saint of the Russian church). The seminary accepted children from 12 to 15 years old, taught to read and write.

Hieromonk Feofan spent 3 years in Novgorod. During this short time, he managed to prove himself as a talented educator and an excellent teacher of psychology and logic.

The higher spiritual authorities highly appreciated the moral qualities and outstanding mental abilities of Hieromonk Feofan, and therefore in December 1844 he was transferred to Petersburg Theological Academy for a bachelor's degree in moral and pastoral theology.

Hieromonk Feofan treated the subjects he taught with great attention. Leaving philosophical and speculative methods of work, the young theologian relied on ascetic and psychological experience. The main sources of his lectures after the Holy Scriptures and the works of the holy fathers were the lives of the saints and psychology. For the zealous fulfillment of his duties, certified by the academic authorities, Hieromonk Feofan was awarded the title Cathedral Hieromonk of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

RUSSIAN SPIRITUAL MISSION IN JERUSALEM (1847-1854)

View of Jerusalem, 19th century

In 1847 he was sent to Jerusalem as part of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission. The six-year stay in Palestine was of great spiritual and moral significance for Hieromonk Theophan. He visited the holy places of Palestine, Egypt and Syria, ancient monastic cloisters (the famous Lavra of St. Sava the Sanctified), talked with the elders of Mount Athos, studied the writings of the Church Fathers from ancient manuscripts.

In Jerusalem, the future saint learned icon painting and supplied the poor churches with his icons and even whole iconostases. Here, in the East, he thoroughly studied Greek and French, got acquainted with Hebrew and Arabic.

Streets of Jerusalem in the 19th century

In 1854, in connection with the beginning of the Crimean War (1853-1856), the members of the Spiritual Mission were recalled to Russia. In connection with the war, the Mission returned to its homeland through Europe. On the way to Russia, Hieromonk Theophan visited many European cities, and everywhere he visited churches, libraries, museums and other sights, visited some educational institutions in order to get acquainted with the state of affairs in Western theological science. In Rome, Hieromonk Theophan had an audience with Pope Pius IX. In Italy, Father Theophan, as a great lover and connoisseur of painting, was interested in paintings; in Florence, he examined the paintings of Raphael in detail and acquired for himself many excellently executed photographs. In Germany, Hieromonk Feofan got acquainted in detail with the organization of teaching in educational institutions of various sciences, especially theology.

For his labors in the Mission in 1855, Hieromonk Feofan was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and was appointed to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy as a bachelor in the department of canon law, and six months later - to the position Rector of the Olonets Theological Seminary.

In his office as rector of the seminary, he used all his strength to properly guide the young men entrusted to his care, trying, on the one hand, to protect them from the dangers and passions inherent in adolescence, and on the other, to develop good inclinations and introduce good habits in order to the pupils at the end of the seminary course were useful members of the Church and the sons of their Fatherland. First of all, he tried to excite and strengthen religiosity in the pupils. He instilled in them love for the church and worship, instilled zeal for prayer, fasting, and other church institutions. On Sundays and feast days, he himself performed divine services, encouraging his disciples to participate in it by prayers, reading, and singing on the kliros. At the same time, Father Theophan often spoke in the seminary church teaching about the truths of faith and piety. He certainly attended the morning and evening prayers in the seminary, praying fervently with the young men and thereby setting an example for them. So that the pupils would not be in idleness in their free time, Father Feofan introduced a drawing and icon painting class into the seminary.

CONSTANTINOPOLE (1856)

In 1856, Archimandrite Feofan was appointed to the position rector of the embassy church in Constantinople.

Constantinople

The choice of Father Feofan for such an important and responsible post was due to the fact that he was well acquainted with the Orthodox East and was fully prepared for this position. The Church of Constantinople at that time experienced great difficulties in connection with the strife between the Greeks and the Bulgarians. The Russian government and the Holy Synod, concerned about the speedy end of this strife, instructed Archimandrite Feofan to collect information that could shed light on the situation of the Greek-Bulgarian strife. Father Feofan fulfilled the mission entrusted to him. His report was subsequently of great importance in the discussion of the Greek-Bulgarian feud by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

RECTOR OF THE PETERSBURG SPIRITUAL ACADEMY (1857-1859)

Since 1857, by decree of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Feofan was appointed to the post Rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy(SPDA). As a rector, he attended professors' lectures, attended examinations, followed the entire course of academic affairs at the academy. He paid special attention to educational work in the academy entrusted to him. At the same time, Father Theophan was intensively engaged in editorial and theological work. He published his writings mainly in the academic journal Christian Reading, which was then published under his supervision.

TAMBOV DIOCESE (1859-1863)

In 1859, the naming of Archimandrite Feofan took place in Bishop of Tambov and Shatsk. Vladyka had to endure many worries and labors in managing the Tambov diocese. The service of Bishop Theophan lasted only 4 years. But in this short time, with the extraordinary meekness of his character, rare delicacy and sympathetic attention to the needs of his flock, he managed to become related to his flock and win universal most sincere love. Saint Theophan showed himself to be a zealous minister in all spheres of church life. He accompanied almost every divine service with a sermon, and his word, coming from the heart and breathing deep conviction, attracted numerous listeners. With the assistance of Bishop Theophan, many parochial schools, Sunday schools and private literacy schools were opened.

Among his worries about the management of the Tambov Diocese, St. Theophan found time for literary activity. By this time, his theological work " Letters on the Christian Life”, which includes a whole system of Christian moral teaching.

In 1861, Bishop Theophan took part in the celebration of the discovery of the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. This event made a great impression on the Tambov archpastor and served, as it were, as a special grace-filled consecration of his own ministry.

VLADIMIR CHAIR (1863-1866)

Vladimir of the 19th century

In 1863, he was transferred to Vladimir, where he opened a women's diocesan school with a six-year term of study and began to publish the Vladimir Diocesan Gazette.

But extensive practical activity in diocesan administration was not dear to the soul of the archpastor. As already mentioned, from a young age he strove for solitude and saw the ideal of monasticism in the complete renunciation of all worldly concerns. And now, after 25 years of serving the Church in various fields, the saint found it timely to fulfill his everlasting aspiration.

VYSHENSKAYA DESERT (1866-1872)

In 1866, at the request, he was released from the administration of the diocese and retired in Assumption Vyshenskaya Hermitage Tambov diocese. Bishop Theophan arrived in the Vyshenskaya hermitage as its rector.

Vyshenskaya Hermitage

According to its internal structure, the Vyshenskaya Hermitage represented
a community monastery. Its charter and customs were distinguished by great severity. Until the end of his life, Saint Theophan felt completely happy on the Higher. In the first 6 years of his stay in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, Bishop Theophan did not completely retire. Together with the monks of the monastery, he went to all church services, and on Sundays and holidays he himself served the liturgy in concelebration with the brethren. The external environment fully corresponded to the spiritual needs of the ascetic saint. He willingly received visitors - relatives and admirers who sought his spiritual advice, admonishment and instructions, and left the cell for a walk. But soon the vain position of the abbot began to disturb his inner peace, and he submits a new petition - for his release from this position. The Holy Synod granted his request.

SHUTTER (1872-1894)

In 1872, immediately after Easter, he made a firm decision to retire from the world and go into seclusion.

He was deeply aware of the height of the feat of complete seclusion, and therefore, just as he warned other monks against haste in fulfilling the desire to indulge in full seclusion, he himself was in no hurry. " When your prayer is so strengthened that it will always stay in your heart before God in reverence, do not leave it, and will not want to do anything else. Look for this shutter, but don't bother about it. You can stagger around the world with closed doors, or let the whole world into your room"(Letters to different persons about various subjects of faith and life, p. 298). The saint himself at first withdrew from the affairs of public service, and then, when he saw that under the cenobitic conditions of monastic life, many things nevertheless prevented him from completely surrendering to God and conversing alone with Him in solitude, he passed to complete seclusion.

House in the Vyshensky Monastery, where Saint Theophan lived for 28 years

The most important period in the life of St. Theophan began - the period of his seclusion, which lasted almost 22 years.

He stopped all contact with people, stopped going to the monastery church for worship, and shut himself up in a separate wing. From that time on, he received only the rector of the desert, the confessor of Abbot Tikhon and the cell-attendant, Father Evlampy.

For the celebration of divine services, Saint Theophan arranged for himself a small church in the name of the Baptism of the Lord, allocating a part of the living room for this. Instead of an iconostasis, there was a simple curtain made of cheap material, which separated the altar from the rest of the church. Next to the cell church was his office. Here he studied patristic literature.

The daily routine of the recluse saint was unpretentious. At the end of the Liturgy, the saint with a light knock let the cell-attendant know about the time for morning tea. After tea, Vladyka was engaged in mental work, the fruits of which were his numerous writings and letters. At one o'clock in the afternoon he had dinner, at which in recent years the saint in fast days ate only one egg and a glass of milk. Tea was served at four o'clock in the afternoon; and there was no dinner. On fasting days, of course, the bodily abstinence of the ascetic saint was even more intensified, who was nourished and strengthened only by spiritual studies and prayerful deeds.

Over time, the life of St. Theophan became hidden for people, but known to God alone. Even for a walk, in order to enjoy the fresh air, Bishop Theophan, during the years of complete seclusion, went out onto the balcony near his outbuilding so that no one could see him.

Secluded in his cell, refusing to communicate with people and putting the seal of silence on his lips, Saint Theophan in the shortest possible time became known to all believing Russia thanks to his numerous articles, books, letters and sermons, which won the heart of a Russian Orthodox person. And the longer the language of the recluse was silent, the louder the pen spoke, enlightening the lost, encouraging the despondent, denouncing apostates and heretics. Saint Theophan became one of the first Russian bishops who fearlessly embarked on the path of not only purely spiritual, but also ecclesiastical and political journalism with a pronounced patriotic content.

At this time, he wrote literary and theological works: the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, the translation of the works of the ancient fathers and teachers, wrote numerous letters to various people who turned to him with perplexed questions, asking for help and guidance. Every day he wrote about forty response letters. He noted: “ Writing is a necessary service to the Church. The best use of the gift of writing and speaking is its use for the admonition of sinners.". The letters of St. Theophan are a rich treasury from which one can endlessly draw wise advice for the salvation of the soul. Being in the Shrine, far from the world, Saint Theophan did not cease until the last minute of his life to be the true leader of all who would not turn to him.

DEATH

In the last years of his life, Saint Theophan suffered from rheumatism, neuralgia, cardiac arrhythmia and dizziness, as well as progressive cataracts, as a result of which in 1888 he became blind in his right eye.

On the eve of death January 5, 1894 year, Vladyka, feeling weak, asked his cell attendant (Evlampy) to help him walk around the room. The cell-attendant saw him off several times, but Vladyka, tired, sent him away and went to bed. On the very day of his death, the saint celebrated the Divine Liturgy according to custom and then ate morning tea, but at dinnertime he did not give a conventional sign longer than usual. The cell-attendant glanced into the saint's office and, seeing that he was sitting and writing something, did not bother him with a reminder. Half an hour later, Vladyka gave a conventional sign for dinner (it was at half past two in the afternoon), but at dinner, instead of a whole, he ate only half an egg and instead of a whole glass of milk, only half a glass. Then, not hearing the knock for evening tea, the cell-attendant again looked into Vladyka's room at half past five and saw him lying on the bed. Although for a moment the cell-attendant thought that perhaps the saint had gone to rest, his loving heart told him that there was something else, more disturbing, in this. Approaching the saint, he saw that he had already rested forever, and his eyes were closed, his left hand rested calmly on his chest, and his right was folded as if for a blessing ...

The saint rested peacefully January 6, 1894, on the feast of the Epiphany. When dressed, a blissful smile shone on his face.

Vyshensky convent. Kazan Cathedral

After the news of the death of the saint revered by all, tens of thousands of people began to flock from different places to pay their last respects to the deceased. The body of the deceased stood for 3 days in his cell church, and then another 3 days in the warm cathedral monastery until burial, and corruption did not touch him: the deceased saint looked like a calmly sleeping person.

The saint was buried in the Kazan Cathedral of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. A magnificent marble monument was erected over his grave with a list of the main scientific and literary works of the saint and inscriptions: “The memory of the righteous will be blessed,” says the wise one (Prov. 10:7).

ACQUISITION OF RELIGIOUS AND CANONIZATION

The holy relics of Theophan the Recluse were secretly found on the territory of the Shatsk Psychiatric Hospital, located in the buildings of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage devastated by atheists in 1973.

Immediately after gaining power, they were transported to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where they were in the basement of the Assumption Cathedral until 1988.

In 1988, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', Theophan the Recluse Vyshensky was canonized And glorified in the face of saints, as an ascetic of faith and piety, who had a profound influence on the spiritual revival of society with his numerous creations, which can be considered by the children of the Church as practical guide in Christian salvation.

After canonization, his holy relics were transferred to the church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh, located a few kilometers from the Vyshensky Monastery.

Vyshensky Convent

On June 29, 2002, the relics of St. Theophan were transferred from the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the village of Emmanuilovka (Shatsk district of the Ryazan region), where they had been kept since 1988, in Vyshensky Convent, which was revived in 1993 ( the transfer of the relics was led by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II). And on March 14, 2009, the relics were transferred from the Assumption Cathedral to the Kazan Cathedral, the main temple of the Vyshensky Monastery.

Relics of St. Theophan the Recluse, Vyshensky

THE CREATIVE HERITAGE OF THEOPHAN THE HERMIT

Most of the theological works and letters of the saint were written during his seclusion. In such major works as “The Path to Salvation”, “The Order of a God-pleasing Life”, “Letters on the Spiritual Life”, “Thoughts for Every Day”, “What is the Spiritual Life and How to Attune to It?” , “Brief thoughts for each day of the year, arranged by the numbers of the months”, “The outline of Christian morality”, as well as in many small-scale creations, Bishop Theophan highlighted the main stages of the spiritual development of a Christian. The main idea of ​​his moral teaching is the idea of ​​communion with God, which is the essence of Christian life. His creations not only induce the Christian to repentance, correction, and grace-filled renewal in Christ, but also show him the path of living communion with God.

Saint Theophan made a significant contribution to Russian and world biblical studies. His works devoted to the translation of Holy Scripture into Russian are very interesting. Also he wrote detailed interpretations to all the Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul. A special place among the works of St. Theophan is occupied by his interpretations of Psalms 33, the Six Psalms, Psalm 118, Psalms 1, 2, and 51.

The crowning achievement of the theological creativity and life path of the saint was the translation into Russian of the Philokalia, a collection of works by teachers of ancient Christian asceticism. "Philokalia" is a broad, comprehensive depiction of various aspects of the spiritual life of a person striving for asceticism and communion with God, a presentation of practical methods of spiritual struggle and prayerful doing. Saint Theophan not only translated this work from the Greek language, but translated it for the monastics and laity of the 19th century, so that all members of the Russian Church could, with the advice of their confessor, use it in their spiritual life. Five volumes of the Russian "Philokalia" in the translation of Saint Theophan went out of print in 1877-90.

A special type of literary work of Bishop Theophan is his letters. They are a moral guide, a joy and consolation for many souls in difficult, mournful moments. The content of the letters is extremely diverse, but their main tone is moralizing. They, like books, contain answers to the great question - the question of the path to salvation.

FROM THE LETTERS OF THE HOLY THEOPHAN

About the human body after the fall

“The body is something external to the soul, something that it must separate from itself and, considering it to be its own, not merge with itself,” for, after the fall of the first people, it became the seat of passions, so that if it is in power, then the spirit weaken, for "the flesh grows strong at the expense of the spirit ... the spirit ... at the expense of the flesh." (Path to salvation)

There is no salvation outside the Church

“No one is saved alone. Of all the believers, the Lord deigned to unite a single body and Himself became its Head. Everyone is saved only in the Church, i.e. in living union with the whole host of believers, through the Church, and with the Lord Himself as its Head. The Lord called His Church a vine tree, in which He Himself is a vine, or a tree trunk, and all believers are branches on a vine, therefore the Church is a single indivisible whole, livingly united in itself and in all parts ... So hitherto all true believers in the laws of life, leading to salvation, suppose union with the Church…”

“In matters of faith and salvation, it is not philosophy that is required, but a childlike acceptance of Divine truth. You need to trample the mind with your feet, this is how Michael the Archangel tramples Satan in the picture. Michael the Archangel is a mind submissive to the truth of God, and Satan is an indignant, superstitious mind, from which all revolutions, both in families and in the Church ... "

“Let the holy teaching, which has been preached in the Church since ancient times, be a testing stone for you. Reject everything that disagrees with this teaching as evil, no matter how plausible it may be covered by a title. You only observe this, and everything else will be added to you by itself. The purity of faith will be followed by the overshadowing of grace.”

About revolution and freedom of speech

“There, and everywhere, they groan and groan. Trouble! trouble! and the problem is visible. But no one comes to mind - to block and fill up the source of trouble. How did the French Revolution go? First spread materialistic views. They shook both Christian and general religious beliefs. There is general disbelief: there is no God; man is a clod of dirt; beyond the coffin there is nothing to look forward to. However, despite the fact that a lump of dirt could be trampled on by everyone, it turned out for them: do not hinder! don't touch! give me freedom! And they did! Demands began - sometimes reasonable, then half-smart, then insane. And everything went upside down. What do we have?! With us, materialistic views are more and more gaining weight and being generalized. Forces have not yet taken, but they are taking. Unbelief and immorality are also on the rise. The demand for freedom and arbitrariness is expressed freely. It turns out that we, too, are on the road to revolution. How to be? It is necessary - to stop the freedom of ideas - to shut the mouths of journalists and newspapermen. Declare disbelief a state crime, Prohibit material views under the death penalty. Material views spread through schools. Who is to blame for this? Government. It allowed. Therefore, who should stop all this? Government." (from letters)

About prayer

“And one must learn to pray, one must acquire the habit of prayerful turns of thought and movements of feelings, through the prayers of others, as one learns foreign languages ​​from printed conversations.”

“Beginners must first be taught to pray properly with ready-made prayers, so that they learn for themselves thoughts and feelings and prayer words. For to God the word must be turned to God. When the teacher notices that they have succeeded enough in this, then let him tell them how to pray not in strangers, but in their own words, prayerfully raising their personal spiritual needs to God and asking Him to be merciful to him and help him. At the same time, they can be offered to pray in short prayers, indicating a sample of them in the 24 prayers of St. Chrysostom and allowing him to type other similar prayers from psalms, from church prayers and compose them himself. With these short prayers, they will kindly get used to keeping their attention not distracted during prayer. Here at last it is possible to teach them lessons about the Jesus Prayer, without furnishing it with any outward devices and instilling only one thing—wearing this prayer from the heart. Every prayer must come from the heart, and no other prayer is prayer. And prayers according to the prayer book, and your own prayers, and short prayers all - should go from the heart to the Lord, foreseeable before you. All the more so should the Jesus Prayer be.”

“The strength is not in the words of the Jesus Prayer, but in the spiritual mood, the fear of God and devotion to God, in constant attention to God and Him standing with the mind. The Jesus Prayer is only a help, and not the very essence of the matter. Allow yourself to live in the memory of God and walk in the presence of God, and this alone will lead you to a good end. All this is from the grace of God. Nothing spiritual can be acquired without the grace of God in any other way.”

About humility

"Ps. 50:19. Chase the humility that always runs away. It is the trace of Christ, the fragrance of Christ, the act of Christ! For his sake, God will forgive everything and will not exact all the shortcomings of exploits; and without it, no strictness will help.

“Simplicity is an inseparable feature of humility, why, when there is no simplicity, there is no humility. Simplicity is not crafty, not suspicious, not touchy, does not see itself, does not attach any importance to itself, does not philosophize, etc. All this humility signifies. The main feature of humility is to feel that I am nothing, and if there is anything, then everything is God's.

About the soul

“What to do with the soul? Great cunning is needed to control oneself. The elders of God overcame themselves, but even then not always. Here and talk about the power of will and autocracy of the soul! Where is it, point out, philosophers? Only the one who gives himself completely to the Lord is given the power to control himself, or such power is poured into him.

About patience

“We see that everyone is torn from what they have to endure, but still they can’t break out, even with large means. Why so? From the fact that they took the wrong road. It is necessary to embark on the path of the commandments of God and complacently endure what one has to endure, then this very enduring thing will begin to exude consolation. Here is paradise, despite the opposite appearance! Those who in another way want to establish paradise on earth are only toiling in vain. Another wise man said to them: vanity of vanities!

“Blessed is not the one who began a good life, but who will remain in it to the end.”

About death

“Who fears death? To the one from whom she takes everything and escorts to the next world with nothing. Whoever managed to stock up on imperishable wealth, hope consoles him at the hour of the exodus. (Thoughts for every day)

About faith

“The restless mind keeps rummaging in the hope of finding something better and finds nothing; Faith gives everything: all wisdom and all means.

“Of people who become firm in the will of God, he immediately becomes steadfast and firm.”

“Let them not think that there is no philosophy in the realm of faith… No, the totality of the truths of faith is the most harmonious, sublime philosophy, comforting philosophy, a true system, which no other system of philosophy represents. Only before the contemplation of this system it is impossible to ascend suddenly. It is necessary to purely accept truth after truth, as it is taught, without superstition, and compose them in the heart ... When all the truths are gathered, then the consciousness, refined by prayer, will see their order and will enjoy, and then a great light will shine in the soul. This is wisdom hidden from the sons of this world.”

Troparion, tone 8:
Orthodox mentor, piety to the teacher and purity, Vyshensky ascetic, St. Theophan the God-wise, with your writings the word of God explained, and all the faithful showed the path to salvation, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

Documentary film dedicated to the memory of St. Theophan the Recluse "DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE A TEMPLE ..."

Movie Information
Name: Don't you know that you are a temple... in memory of St. Theophan the Recluse
Released: 2004
Genre: Documentary
Production: "Echo-film", Ryazan
Director: Elena Alexandrina

Saint Theophan, known throughout the world as Vyshinsky the Recluse or simply Theophan the Recluse (Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov in the world), was born on January 10, 1815, in the village of Chernavskoye, Yelets Uyezd, Oryol Province, into the family of a priest. He studied at the Livny Theological School, the Oryol Seminary, the Kyiv Theological Academy ...

This issue is dedicated to the Christian attitude to illness and death, which we so often encounter in life, and these meetings are always associated with sorrow, despair, and despondency.

The advice given by the Saint will help us move away from those values ​​that are imposed on us by the fallen world and look at life the way the Gospel teaches us.

Sins and passions and struggle with them

Saint Theophan the Recluse is not only a high ascetic of the Church, but also one of those about whom the holy Apostle Paul said that they are "lamps in the world."

The advice of this God-wise mentor will undoubtedly be useful to every Christian on the path to salvation.

gospel story

This edition is one of the most important interpretive works of St. Theophan the Recluse, which occupies a special place in Russian spiritual literature. It provides a guide to the Holy Gospel - the main book that leads a person to salvation.

The whole earthly life of our Savior is described in detail by the author in the words of the holy Evangelists in chronological order. The reader can easily find a description of the event of the Gospel story that interests him by the title of parts and paragraphs, indicating their content. In an extensive address to readers, the saint explains the principles and rules adopted by him to establish order gospel events, offers a synopsis of the Gospel history corresponding to that, indicating its main parts and all divisions and a detailed table of contents of the contents of the Gospels.

How to learn to pray

“Whoever knows how to pray is already saved,” says St. Theophan the Recluse. “Prayer is a science of sciences... It is everything: faith, piety, salvation...”.

The book contains St. Theophan's advice on how to learn to pray, what is most important in prayer, what the Jesus Prayer is, how to perform it, and what mistakes there are in prayerful doing. The advice is taken from the letters of St. Theophan.

How to Maintain Piety in Family Life

Building an Orthodox family, we seek help and advice from spiritually experienced mentors. An invaluable treasury of practical spiritual experience is the letters of St. Theophan the Recluse.

Among the spiritual children of the saint are a variety of people, many of them have chosen marriage as one of the paths of earthly life leading to Salvation.

The instructions of the saint are not only spiritually deep and precise, but also vitally necessary for us today, because every word of the saint is warmed by love and care, every word is addressed to us who seek help and advice.

Instructions in the Spiritual Life

A special place in the spiritual and literary heritage of St. Theophan is occupied by his letters to various people who asked him for advice or spiritual help, solutions to puzzling questions, consolation in sorrow, relief in troubles ... From all sides of Russia, these requests flocked to the Vyshinsky hermitage, where His Grace Theophan spent the last 28 years of his life, 22 of which he was in strict seclusion.

Prior to this, he had already passed a significant life and spiritual path, given to the service of the Church of God in various fields and in different places. All this greatest and truly invaluable experience, accumulated in various fields of life, and especially during the years of seclusion, was mobilized by the saint in his huge correspondence with numerous correspondents, among whom were representatives of all classes, from a dignitary to peasants.

Daily mail brought from 20 to 40 letters, and Bishop Feofan necessarily answered each of them, sensitively guessing the state and needs of the writer and finding the necessary word for everyone that goes straight to the heart. He possessed a rare gift to speak simply, clearly, concisely about the most complex subjects, about the most profound and wise things.

Fundamentals of Orthodox education

Saint Theophan (in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov), the Recluse Vyshinsky (1815-1894) - Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, theologian, preacher.

Until now, his works on the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, spiritual letters and sermons enlighten and instruct readers in piety. This book, compiled on the basis of the work of the saint "The Path to Salvation", will tell parents about the features of the Christian upbringing of children.

Letters to various persons on various subjects of faith and life

The book includes letters that unite common topic- questions of faith. The saint, answering the bewilderment of his correspondents, speaks of the dogmas of the Orthodox Church and heresies, of the enemy's cunning and an unfalse passage of spiritual life, of the Second Coming of Christ and the general resurrection, of a private judgment after death, and of eternity of torment.

The letters of St. Theophan constitute an inexhaustible source of edification and spiritual benefit, devoid of dry scholasticism, they simply and wisely elevate the reader to the knowledge of the truth and affirm in faith.

Letters on the Christian Life

The collection "Letters on Christian Life" was originally compiled from the letters of St. Theophan to various people in response to questions, requests for guidance and help, which were addressed to Vyshinsky the Recluse from all over Russia.

These letters contain advice, resolution of perplexities, consolation in sorrow, relief in troubles - those fruits of spiritual experience that the loving archpastor generously offered to those sincerely zealous for salvation.

Theophan the Recluse - saint, bishop of the Russian Church, theologian and publicist. He not only had an impact on society, not only became a famous and significant historical figure, but also shone in Heaven.

Saints - as, indeed, any scientists, poets, writers - are ordinary people, just like you and me. But they work a lot on their spiritual and spiritual life, on their education - indeed, there are holy simpletons, but many Orthodox saints - smartest people of his time. So the works of St. Theophan are studied to this day by many philosophers and theologians, being, moreover, the greatest spiritual help for every Orthodox Christian.

An interesting nickname - the Vyshensky hermit - St. Theophan received thanks to his life. After he retired, he intensified his ascetic deeds, in a special way remaining completely alone with himself.

Icon of St. Theophan the Recluse

The icon of St. Theophan the Recluse is revered by the Orthodox from ordinary people to theologians. As a bishop, the saint was more than once sketched by painters from life. His appearance is well known, even remembered.

The saint has a lean face, bright eyes, a long gray beard, his hair is also gray and slightly curly, it descends in waves on his shoulders from under the bishop's miter or monastic klobuk.

The saint is depicted in the festive red vestments of a bishop, with a miter and a staff in his hand, or in a bishop's purple mantle. Right hand he blesses believers or holds a cross. The baton is a symbol of archpastoral power, and to this day it is always taken to divine services after the bishops, because in the Gospel the Lord often compares the clergy with shepherds who shepherd and protect the people, like sheep, protecting them from demons - spiritual wolves. Also often the saint is depicted with a book in his hands - many consider it a symbol of his spiritual labors, but in reality Orthodox iconography so, with the Gospel, many saints are depicted, starting from Nicholas the Wonderworker.

On the full-length icons of the saint, he is depicted either in the same purple mantle, or in the vestments of a bishop from the time of Byzantium - with black crosses.

A rare type of iconography of St. Theophan is a hagiographic icon, that is, stamps are placed around the image of the saint himself, on which various episodes from the life of the saint are depicted. You need to “read” such a picturesque life from left to right and from top to bottom. Unlike other icons, there are more than a dozen subjects here: this iconography has continued to develop over the centuries. The very image of the saint, around whom the brands are built, usually represents him in full growth in traditional bishop's robes with a blessing gesture of his right hand.

Life of St. Theophan, the Hermit Vyshensky

The future saint was born into the family of a village priest of the Oryol province, Vasily Govorov, and at birth was named George. The saint took his first steps in the church as a child: wise parents gave him both an elementary education and preparation for priestly service. At that time, many children of priests continued the dynasty, the priesthood was a special estate. Little George served at the altar from childhood and loved prayer.

In 1829, George graduated from the religious school in Livna and entered the Oryol Theological Seminary: the teachers appreciated him for his zeal for knowledge. As the best pupil of the seminary at the expense of the state, he was sent to the Kyiv Theological Academy, located to this day on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Here the saint received both knowledge and spiritual growth: he spent much time in prayer at the relics of the Kiev-Pechora saints, in caves.

Here, by the end of the course of study of the year, he became a monk - after going through a series of labors assigned to a novice, he was tonsured a cassock monk with the name Theophanes. It is known that many people gathered for the tonsure of the saint: he was already known and loved by many people, teachers and students.

The cassock tonsure is only the giving of a new name, the symbolic cutting of hair, and the opportunity to wear some monastic clothes. At this time, the saint, like all cassock novices, had the opportunity to refuse to be tonsured a monk, this would not have been a sin. However, the saint was already firm in his decision to renounce worldly life and then took the vows of the mantle. The mantle is a “small angelic image”, a small schema. The saint gave vows of obedience to the rector of the monastery, renunciation of the world and lack of possessions - that is, the absence of his own property. A few months later, the saint was consecrated a hierodeacon (a clergyman who attends the services of a priest, but cannot perform the Sacraments of the Church), and then a hieromonk, a priest who bears the monastic dignity.

The future saint remained to teach: for several decades, Father Feofan was the rector and inspector of a number of theological educational institutions: the Kiev Sophia School, the Novgorod and Olonets Seminaries, and finally, the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

As a teacher at SPbDAiS, in 1847 the saint became a member of the Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem, created by the Church, a kind of church embassy. Here the saint established contacts between the Orthodox Churches, and also engaged in scientific activities: he studied languages, communicated with representatives of various confessions, and manuscripts of the Holy Fathers. In 1855 the saint was awarded the rank of archimandrite and the post of rector of a church at the Russian diplomatic embassy in Constantinople.

Upon his return to Russia, St. Theophan was for some time the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, and then was ordained a bishop. From 1859 to 1866 he occupied the department of Tambov and Shatsk, then Vladimir.

In both dioceses, he was the initiator of a number of educational missions:

• Organized publications regional newspapers"Orthodox News"
• He made the opening of diocesan schools for boys and even girls, which was a rarity in those days,
• He made visits even to the most remote parishes.

Here he took care of the moral state of priests, monks and laity, fought the remnants of pagan customs, drunkenness, and hooliganism. Contemporaries testified that wherever the saint appeared, with his calm disposition, concern for people, he could raise morality, take care of prayer and piety in the city, in the temple, or in an educational institution. It is known that the saint also contributed to the enlightenment of people, and he himself lived more than modestly, and gave many donations to the poor, went to poor families and secretly to give alms.

Few bishops constantly travel around their dioceses, preferring to call priests to the cathedral city. However, Saint Theophan personally, taking care of the parishes, traveled even to the most remote churches and villages. He visited both rich and poor people, learned about their lives and gave archpastoral instructions: thanks to his righteous life in labors and prayers, Vladyka Feofan received from God the gift of clairvoyance and miracles.

All his life he strove for solitary prayer and hermitage - perhaps this feeling appeared in him after prayer practice in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Therefore, in 1866, the saint filed a petition for release from the administration of the diocese and retirement. Of course, this surprised many. The saint was appointed rector of the Vyshensky monastery in Ryazan, and then he asked to be dismissed from this position in order to indulge in prayer and work.

Reclusion of St. Theophan Vyshensky

Following the example of many ancient holy fathers of the Church, Saint Theophan shut himself up in a cell. It should be noted that for Russia in the 19th century this was a completely unprecedented case. At that time, Orthodoxy was regarded by wide circles of society as a religion for poor people with a limited outlook. At this time, only the elders of Optina Hermitage, St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov), shone bright - and even the official Church itself was surprised at their exploits.

Saint Theophanes, on the other hand, continued the tradition of the feat of silence and seclusion, coming from ancient monasteries and continuing just in the Kiev-Pechersk laser, of which he was a pupil.

The saint closed himself in a cell building, in a separate room of three small rooms: a study, a chapel, a bedroom - and went out only to the gallery to get some air. He set up a tiny house church, where he celebrated the Liturgy every day alone. Here the saint received almost no one, especially idle guests, prayed, wrote theological and spiritual works, letters of instruction to spiritual children, and also played musical instruments and sang spiritual hymns. The saint also worked physically, rightly saying that the body is the temple of God and it needs to be worked out in order to keep it in shape and make it serve God and people. Vladyka Theophan carved wood, painted icons, sewed his own clothes, dressing more than modestly.

So the saint lived for more than 28 years and reposed in the Lord on January 6 (19) - on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Epiphany (it is important that the name Theophanes itself was translated from Greek as Epiphany!). For all the brethren of the monastery, this became a sign of God's special mercy to the saint. It is known that his funeral service took place with a large gathering of people, in the coffin the archpastor lay with a bright smile on his face. The body of the saint was in the Kazan Cathedral of the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, under a marble tombstone, on which notes were carved and a stone miter was carved.

The relics of Theophan the Recluse and the miracles of the saint

The saint's relics were secretly acquired by several priests in the 1970s. Then there was a psychiatric hospital on the territory of the monastery, the temple was a warehouse, and the relics themselves were covered with garbage by atheists. However, God cannot be mocked: the relics were taken out in parts, they were completely dried up, only the skeleton remained (this is also evidence of holiness). First they were taken to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and when St. Theophan was glorified as a saint - this happened in 1988 - they were returned to the Ryazan diocese. Long years the relics were in the church of the village of Emmanuilovka in the chapel built and consecrated in honor of the saint.

Then, with the revival of the Vyshenskaya monastery, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, they were transferred there with a solemn procession of the cross, and now the saint is revering with his body in his native monastery, opposite the preserved cell building, where he was in seclusion - in the St. Sergius Church.

Even in Emmanuilovka, miracles began to happen from the relics.

• A child who has not walked since birth, after bathing in a spring and applying to the relics, suddenly began not only to walk, but also to run.
• The pilot was healed from severe, long radiculitis.
• A woman suffering from a hernia of the spine and preparing for an operation was completely healed after bathing in a spring and praying.

Works and creativity of St. Theophan

Saint Theophan the Recluse left truly great works. They deal with both theological and spiritual topics; he made available to all Orthodox the heritage of the Holy Fathers of the Church and showed the simplicity of the spiritual life.

The book "Thoughts for Every Day" by Theophan the Recluse is very famous. For each day, they wrote a short note-reflection, mainly on the topic of the place read on that day according to the Church Typikon in the New or Old Testament. Today, the book is not only published, but also distributed in mobile applications along with calendars.

Other works of the saint are the books “What is the spiritual life, and how to tune in to it?”, “How does the Christian life begin in us?”, spiritual letters, interpretations of the Apostolic Epistles, teachings. An important work of the saint was "Philokalia Chosen for the Laity" - the teachings of the ancient saints, translated into Russian (surprisingly, the words of the saints were translated by a modern saint). This work is used to this day by students of theological educational institutions and all Orthodox Christians.

Veneration of Theophan the Recluse

The memory of St. Theophan is celebrated by the entire Orthodox Church twice a year:

January 23, on the day of the repose of the saint to the Lord,
June 29, on the day of the transfer of the relics of St. Theophan from Emmanuilovka to Vyshenskaya Hermitage.

Many people come these days to the Vyshensky Monastery. These days have been timed more than once scientific conferences, on which scientists and philosophers analyze the works of the great saint, his life.

On these days, the All-Night Vigil is performed on the eve, and on the day of remembrance Divine Liturgy, followed by special short prayers to the saint: troparia and kontakia. They were compiled by admirers and witnesses of the saint's miracles shortly after his death. The shepherd of the people does not leave all the people even after his death. Brief prayers to the saint can be read online or by heart, except for the days of memory, also at any difficult moment in life, in illness, under difficult life circumstances:

Orthodox mentor, piety and purity teacher, Vyshensky ascetic, Saint Theophan, wise of God, through your labors the Word of God explained to all people and all Orthodox Christians the path to salvation, pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.
Your name means Theophany, O Saint Theophanes, and by your labors you revealed God to many people and enlightened them, now with Angelic Forces you stand at the Throne of the Holy Trinity, pray unceasingly for all of us.

What does Saint Theophan help with?

In prayers to the saint, people ask for deliverance from any troubles and misfortunes, as well as for difficulties in study, work, and scientific activity.

In difficult moments of life, we understand that our fate largely depends on the will of God, the Lord reveals it in circumstances and accidents. Often we ourselves can no longer influence our lives - for example, we cannot get rid of vicious habits ourselves, we ourselves cannot find Good work- and this is the time to ask for help from the Lord and His saints.

Saint Theophan Vyshensky took care of entire cities and educational institutions during his lifetime, managed to find out the needs of everyone, correct and change to better people. That is why, even after death, he is revered as a good intercessor, healer and helper - and there are many testimonies of the help of the saint through prayers to him.

Saint Theophan, according to the testimonies of those praying to him and according to the records of miracles from his holy relics, has a special grace of help

• in the healing of ailments of adults and children,
• learning,
• with difficulties at work,
• scientists - in scientific activities, the creation of dissertations, monographs,
• in changing human nature,
• in the awareness of their sins, repentance,
• deliverance from sinful passions and bad habits,
• addiction to alcohol, smoking, drugs,
• in poverty, material difficulties,
• in the recovery of the mentally ill, possessed,
• in the speedy healing of children,
• under the influence of sorcerers.

In order to be healed both spiritually and physically, it is worth attending services in the temple if possible or praying daily at home. The Church has established a morning and evening prayer rule, which every Orthodox Christian tries to read every day. These prayers can be found in any prayer book. They usually take 10-15 minutes. Every day, you can add a prayer to St. Theophan the Recluse to your prayer rule.

You can visit any Orthodox church- perhaps there will be an icon of the saint - or purchase an icon for home prayer.

Praying at home or in the temple, light a thin church candle in front of her.

After the prayer, you can apply to the icon: cross yourself twice, kiss the hand or edge of the clothes of the saint depicted on the icon, cross yourself again.

Read the prayer with attention, not as a conspiracy, but as an appeal to a saint. Tell in your own words about trouble and sorrow, ask for help.

The prayer to St. Theophan the Recluse can be read online in Russian according to the text below:

O holy hierarch and our father Theophanes, glorious bishop and wondrous recluse, God's chosen one and servant of the Mysteries of Christ, God-wise teacher and righteous researcher of apostolic words, translator of the words of the Father of the Church in the Philokalia, Christian piety, a wonderful preacher, a skilled spiritual mentor, a zealous performer of monastic exploits and a gracious intercessor for all people!
Now to you, the God who is coming in Heaven and praying for us, we pray and ask: ask the Generous Lord to give the Russian Church and our whole country peace and prosperity, to the saints and bishops of Christ - keeping in the truth of God, the flock good help, false teachers and heretics admonition and shame; those who perform spiritual and prayer feats - humility, fear of God and purity of soul and body; to all teachers and teachers - wisdom and knowledge of God, to students - diligence and the Lord's help; to all Orthodox people - help on the path to salvation, so that together with you we all glorify the Power, Wisdom and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, together with His Infinite and Beginningless Father, with His Holy and Life-Giving Spirit forever. Amen.

Through the prayers of St. Theophan, may the Lord keep you!