Father Andrei Mazur is one of the most modest and respected clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church. He served her for an entire era, beginning his diaconal service from the time when the Russian Church was persecuted, and ending his earthly service in the era of its heyday. The voice and manner of service of Archdeacon Andrei Mazur gave the patriarchal services a special solemnity and attracted the attention of believers, motivating them to pray and helping them forget about their worldly problems. All his life he tried to honor the traditions of diaconal service with dignity. But, despite his high status, Father Andrei was a very simple and kind person.
Andrei Mazur was born in Poland, but later his native lands became part of the USSR
Andrei Lazarevich Mazur was born on December 8, 1926 in Novy Kokorevo. This village then belonged to the Polish Republic, and today it is part of Western Ukraine.
December 8, 1926
Andrey Mazur's birthday
He grew up surrounded by believers. Father was a church warden. But little Andrei didn’t really have time to communicate with his mother - she died when he was about 4 years old.
A church warden is a layman who is in charge of church affairs.
A year later the boy was already studying at a Polish school. He did not know the Russian language, but he studied Orthodoxy. In 1939 Western Ukraine became part of the USSR.
“My father had land, a farm, horses.
I was herding cows before I even went to school.
And he worked in the field, and mowed, and went for firewood.
I studied Polish at school, and now I remember it well.
Polish was taught as the main language, and Ukrainian as a foreign language.
I began to study Russian only at the seminary.”
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
There were enough worries around the house: 8 hectares, where it was necessary to graze cattle, plow and mow.
Archdeacon Andrey Mazur at the service
In addition to study and work, young Andrei devoted time to church. I went to my father’s temple, where I sang in the choir.
The changes that Soviet power brought did not please Andrei Lazarevich:
“Before, all of us were believers; until 1939, I did not see a single non-believer.
Soviet power came and began: persecution, dispossession.
They deported me to Siberia - my mother’s relatives were deported for no reason: they declared with their fists for five hectares of land, a cow and a horse...
In general, they took everyone who was a little richer than the poor.
In general, we had neither beggars nor particularly rich, there were poor and average.”
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
War is coming soon
Shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, Father Constantine accompanied a group of several priests to Leipzig. The goal was to consecrate the temple-monument in honor of the Russian soldiers who died in 1813 in the “Battle of the Nations” near Leipzig - the largest battle in world history at that time, in which the allied armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden defeated Napoleon. One of the members of the mission, General Zhilinsky, was worried that during the service the protodeacon would stun the German Emperor Wilhelm II. “Tell Rozov,” he asked, “not to shout. Wilhelm’s ears are sick.” The archdeacon, having learned about this, was offended: “Why then did they take me? Well, serve me in a whisper, or what?” As a result, they decided not to make any concessions to the Germans, but to serve “in a truly Russian way.” At the service in Leipzig, Father Konstantin surpassed himself, recalled the head of the mission, Protopresbyter of the Russian Army and Navy Georgy Shavelsky: Rozov’s voice “filled the entire temple; its peals, swaying and shimmering, died away in the high dome.” The German emperor not only was not angry, but was delighted. When, on the way back, the Russian Synodal Choir performed in Berlin, Wilhelm came to the concert and, entering the hall, first of all asked whether Protodeacon Rozov would sing.
Very little time passed, and I had to forget about friendship with Germany for a long time. Russia entered the First World War, and Muscovites also learned about this with the help of Rozov.
This is what Panteleimon Romanov writes in his book “Rus”: “A stream of thousands of people was heading to Red Square, and at that time there was a movement in the crowd. Everyone around them started talking excitedly: “Rozov! Rozov..."
This was a protodeacon known throughout Moscow and famous for his rare bass voice. From a distance it was visible how he, surrounded by the clergy, ascended the stone raised platform of the Execution, surrounded by a lattice, unfolded some paper and, straightening his thick curly hair, raised the sheet in his right hand, as a deacon raises the orarion when he reads the litany in front of the royal doors .
Suddenly everything became quiet. - We, by the grace of God...
The protodeacon’s words were heard in the open air, and could not be heard by those far away, but they all fell silent and looked eagerly, their eyes fixed on him from everywhere.
He read the manifesto of Germany’s declaration of war on Russia.”
Andrei Lazarevich took part in the battles for Berlin, but was demobilized due to health reasons
In 1943, Andrei Lazarevich was drafted into the Red Army, but fortunately for him, the Soviet government was wary of the Poles.
“I had to fight very little.
For some reason, we “Westerners” were not allowed to go to the front,
kept in the Mari Republic - they believed
that we are unreliable, Banderaites, if anything,
Let's go over to the side of the enemy.
In the end they were already sent when there were battles for Berlin.
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
The position that the future priest received was commander of a mortar squad. He was also the company singer.
Due to poor nutrition, Andrei Lazarevich ended up in the hospital. And it’s not surprising: after all, among the soldiers it was considered lucky to end up on a kitchen duty to bake potato peelings.
Sometimes there were lucky days - when food parcels arrived from home, but this did not always happen. Due to health problems, Andrei Mazur was demobilized.
In the army, Andrei Lazarevich mastered the Russian language. More precisely, I learned to speak it.
As for writing, he had no success in it, and he could hardly have found the time to study it seriously.
"Let me offer you some bread"
An unprecedented title for the Russian Church, success as a performer and many flattering words heard around Father Constantine could easily turn his head and give him the impression of being specially “chosen”. It's amazing that nothing like this happened to him.
The Rozov family archive has preserved a letter from one fellow countryman, Konstantin Vasilyevich, who rejoices that at the peak of his fame there is “not a drop of pride or a shadow of conceit” in him, that a “kind, sympathetic, “golden heart” beats in his chest.” And in fact, the Patriarchal Archdeacon always remained a simple, sympathetic person, helped people in any way he could, and participated in many charity concerts, recalls his daughter Lyudmila Konstantinovna.
Konstantin Rozov with his wife Lyubov Ivanovna. 20s of the twentieth century
At first glance, the persecution of the Church did not affect Rozov personally: he was not arrested, continued to serve and even gave concerts. But his personal involvement in helping the victims of those years was unparalleled. At every convenient occasion, Father Konstantin called on his listeners to help the starving (in 1918, 1921 and 1922, entire villages in the Volga region and in some other provinces died of hunger). He organized fundraisers, participated in charity concerts, and helped people out of his own pocket.
This is what V. A. Mikhailovsky, former senior curator of the State Central Theater Museum named after. A. A. Bakhrushina: “A few days ago, in the rain, hungry, I was walking in the city and near Tverskaya I was looking for a vegetarian canteen. Ahead of me, in the pouring rain, a majestic figure of a clergyman slowly moved. Having caught up with her, I asked if he knew where the vegetarian canteen was located. The figure turned towards me and I saw a cute, open face. “Why do you need this dining room?” - he asked, looking intently at me with kind eyes. Surprised by this question, I replied that I was hungry. “So why do you need to go to the canteen? Let me offer you some bread”... I thanked him, but refused. He began to convince, saying that he had enough bread. Good people supply him with it in abundance, and he is happy if he can share with the hungry... Going under the gate, he took out of his bag a large loaf of prosphora dough, so tasty that one could only dream of it recently.”
Did Father Archdeacon really have “plenty of bread” these days? In any case, as his daughter recalled, he did not turn to concert activity out of a good life. The songbooks that the great archdeacon compiled for himself included many popular songs: “Luchina”, “Tatar Full” by Balakirev, “Cliff on the Volga” by Navrotsky, “Because of the Island to the Core” by Sokolov, “Farewell, Joy” by Karatygin , “Ah! Today is a rainy day” by Prigozhsky, as well as classical works by Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Glinka, Borodin. But Konstantin Vasilyevich never left church service. Much is said about the great archdeacon by his unwavering loyalty to the Patriarch in those years when the renovationist movement was raising its head, hoping to create in Russia an alternative “living church”, faithful to the Soviet regime and dissociating itself from St. Tikhon. “Rozov, despite the mass of financially advantageous offers from the “living church members,” firmly remained faithful to Patriarch Tikhon, came to the point of need, even had to sell a precious relic for his life, a watch - a gift from the Sovereign, but did not change his convictions,” wrote in exile, Prince Nikolai Zhevakhov.
There was already a smell of mass repression in the air, and Konstantin Vasilyevich did not feel safe. Once, when he was touring Arkhangelsk with the Moscow Bolshoi Theater, a military man appeared at the hotel and asked for Rozov. Having learned that he was walking around the city, he promised to come by later. Returning to the hotel and hearing about the visitor, Rozov immediately became sad: “It’s behind me.” But it turned out that he was only invited to give a concert on Solovki.
Despite persecution, Father Andrei served in many churches and sang in the choir
In 1950, Father Andrei became protodeacon of the Perm Cathedral - he served with the same Archbishop John who advised him to get married.
1957
this year Father Andrey moved to serve in Leningrad
In 1957 it was necessary to move to Leningrad. Only there it became clear how truly difficult it was for the priests:
“I saw real persecution. Metropolitans were allowed to serve only in St. Nicholas Cathedral; it was a cathedral.
If a metropolitan wanted to serve in another church, permission from the Commissioner for Religious Affairs was required.
We were also forbidden to serve in other churches.
On Epiphany, when people stood in line for holy water, we sometimes took the water outside to shorten the line, but if an authorized person came, we were forced to return to the temple.”
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
Until 1968, Father Andrei served as protodeacon of the Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Metropolitan Nikodim appointed him there. The protodeacon combined this activity with another - he was a regent in the everyday choir.
See also the article Why renovation movements arose in the church
You can listen to Andrei Mazur’s voice on the video service:
Then he was transferred to the Leningrad Cathedral, where Father Andrei participated in divine services and sang in the choir for twenty-two years.
Father Mazur served in the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (St. Petersburg) for 22 years
Alexy II elevated Father Andrei to the rank of archdeacon, and he gratefully continued his ministry
In 1990, Patriarch Alexy 2 appointed Andrei archdeacon. Since then, he served with him and accompanied him on various trips.
“I have more than 80 trips abroad. I’ve been to America, Italy, Japan, and many other countries.”
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
After the death of Alexy II, Andrei became an assistant to Patriarch Kirill. However, he could no longer serve the Church at full strength. Leg disease prevented me from going to church.
However, this was not required of the archdeacon. He was given a free work schedule so that he could continue to carry out his mission.
Looking back on the years he had lived, Archdeacon Andrei talked about happiness and called himself a happy man:
“Happiness in my life is serving God. To stand at the Throne for 68 years with many bishops and patriarchs.
For me, happiness is communion with God. And, of course, family.
Not everything was good and smooth in life. My two sons died.
One had a malignant tumor; the other was very upset while standing over his brother’s grave, and did not live long after his death - he died suddenly.
The rest is fine.
And although I am not serving now, there is still no reason to complain.
I don’t serve with the patriarch because my legs hurt a lot.
My son-in-law, a priest, built the temple.
I go there for every service. For my 88 years old, it’s a blessing to still go to church myself.”
Andrey Mazur
archdeacon
Mature age
The Patriarchal Archdeacon continued his service under Patriarch Kirill. In the last years of his life, due to poor health, he rarely served at patriarchal services.
Church awards:
- Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, first degree;
- Order of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, first degree;
- Order of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Demetrius Donskoy, second degree;
- Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, third degree;
- Order of the Holy Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, third degree.
The Archdeacon, serving with His Holiness Patriarchs Alexy and Kirill, traveled all over the world, remaining in the memory of thousands of Orthodox Christians with his magnificent voice and his spiritual warmth and kindness. His life was not easy, two of his three children (two boys and a girl) died, but at the same time he managed to fully preserve these rare human qualities these days.
Patriarchal Archdeacon Andrei Mazur died on May 3, 2018.
