“I love heaven very much” - the rules of life of Bishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alan

Leonid (Gorbachev)
(born 1968), Archbishop of Vladikavkaz and Alan, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Hiero-Archimandrite of the Alan Dormition Monastery, Administrator of the parishes of the Patriarchal Deanery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Armenia In the world Leonid Eduardovich Gorbachev, born October 26, 1968 in Stavropol. In 1970, the family moved to Krasnodar.

In 1985 he graduated from high school, in 1985-1986 he worked as a laboratory assistant at the department of aerodynamics and flight dynamics in the ULO military unit 26265. At the same time, he served as a sexton in the St. George Church in Krasnodar. In 1986-1988 he served in the Armed Forces. After completing his military service, until 1989 he worked as a reader and singer in the Krasnodar St. George Church, and was a subdeacon of Archbishop Isidore of Krasnodar.

In 1989-1992 he studied at the Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Theological Seminary. On April 8, 1990, he was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Isidore, and therefore was transferred to external studies. On June 18 of the same year, also by Bishop Isidore, he was tonsured a monk, and on October 8 he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1990-1997 - full-time cleric of the Krasnodar Catherine Cathedral; in 1995-1997 - his keymaster. He also cared for penitentiary colony 17 of the strict regime of the city of Krasnodar, the Romashka children's tuberculosis clinic and the city veterans' home.

In 1997, he was transferred to Moscow as an employee of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies.

From March to September 1998, he was on a business trip as part of the Separate Airborne Brigade of the Limited Contingent of Peacekeeping Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

From October 1998 to September 2002, he studied at the Theological School of the Athens State University and was a supernumerary cleric of the Russian lower church of the Great Martyr Panteleimon on Acharnon in Athens, Greece.

Since October 2002, he has been an employee of the Secretariat of Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
He went on short business trips to Mount Athos, Finland, and India. From May 2003 to December 2004 - employee of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.

On December 24, 2004, while in the rank of abbot, he was appointed to the position of representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa [1]. During his representative service, he went on business trips to Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, and Greece.

On May 29, 2013, he was elected Bishop of Argentina and South America.

He was named on June 11 in the Church of All Saints, in the Russian Land of the Shining Ones, the patriarchal residence in the Danilov Monastery. He was consecrated bishop on June 17 of the same year in the church of the blessed Prince Igor of Chernigov in Peredelkino. The ordination was led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', who was co-served by Metropolitans Barsanuphius of Saransk and Hilarion of Volokolamsk; Archbishops of Istra Arseny and Yegoryevsky Mark; Bishops of Solnechnogorsk Sergius and Podolsk Tikhon [2].

On July 16, 2013, he was relieved of his post as representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa [3].

On June 3, 2021, he was transferred to the Vladikavkaz department [4].

On December 27, 2021, he was appointed manager of the parishes of the newly formed Patriarchal Deanery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Armenia

On July 29, 2021, he was appointed holy archimandrite of the Assumption Monastery in the village of Khidikus, Alagirsky district of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania [5].

On December 4, 2021, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in the Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow in accordance with the new Regulations on awards of the Russian Orthodox Church [6].

On October 17, 2021, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations while retaining the position of ruling bishop of the Vladikavkaz diocese [7].

On March 11, 2021, he was also appointed co-chairman of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church [8].

In addition to his native Russian, he speaks Greek, English and colloquial Arabic (Egyptian dialect).

Russian Orthodox Church

Born on October 26, 1968 in Stavropol. In 1970, the family moved to Krasnodar.

In 1985 he graduated from high school, in 1985-1986. worked as a laboratory assistant at the department of aerodynamics and flight dynamics in the military unit 26265. At the same time, he served as a sexton in the St. George Church in Krasnodar. In 1986-1988 served in the Armed Forces.

In 1988-1989 worked as a reader-singer of the St. George Church in Krasnodar and was a subdeacon of the Archbishop of Ekaterinodar and Kuban Isidore.

In 1989-1992 studied at the Leningrad Theological Seminary. On April 8, 1990, in connection with Archbishop Isidore’s ordination to the deaconate, he was transferred to external studies.

On June 18, 1990, Archbishop Isidore tonsured him as a monk, and on October 8, he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1990-1997 — full-time cleric of the Ekaterinodar Cathedral in Krasnodar. In 1995-1997 - cleric of the cathedral; also cared for penitentiary colony 17 maximum security in Krasnodar, the children's tuberculosis clinic "Romashka" and the city veterans' home.

In 1997, he was transferred to Moscow to the position of employee of the Synodal Department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies.

From March to September 1998, he was on a business trip as part of the Separate Airborne Brigade of the Limited Contingent of Peacekeeping Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

From October 1998 to September 2002, he studied at the Theological Faculty of the Athens State University and was a freelance cleric of the Russian Lower Church of the Great Martyr. Panteleimon on Acharnon (Athens, Greece).

Since October 2002 - employee of the Secretariat of Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. He went on short business trips to Mount Athos, Finland, and India.

By order of the Holy Synod, from May 2003 to December 2004 - employee of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.

By the decision of the Holy Synod in December 2004, he was appointed to the post of representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. During his representative service, he went on business trips to Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, and Greece.

On April 11, 2010, at the courtyard of the Moscow Patriarchate in Cairo, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 29, 2013 (magazine No. 40), he was elected Bishop of Argentina and South America.

He was ordained bishop on June 11 in the Church of All Saints, in the Land of Russia, the Patriarchal Residence in the Danilov Monastery in Moscow. Hirotonisan on June 17 at the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. blgv. book Igor Chernigovsky in Peredelkino near Moscow. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 16, 2013 (journal No. 93), he was relieved of his post as Representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Alexandria.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of June 3, 2021 (journal No. 36), he was appointed His Eminence of Vladikavkaz and Alan.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 27, 2021 (journal No. 116), he was appointed manager of the Patriarchal Deanery of the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Armenia while maintaining management of the Vladikavkaz diocese.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 29, 2021 (journal No. 68), he was confirmed as the holy archimandrite of the Alan Assumption Monastery in the village of Khidikus, Alagir district of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

On December 4, 2021, during the Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of archbishop.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 17, 2021 (journal No. 129), he was appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations while retaining the position of ruling bishop of the Vladikavkaz diocese.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 29, 2021 (journal No. 137), he was appointed co-chairman of the Working Group on the coordination of bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 11, 2021 (journal No. 19), he was appointed co-chairman of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Church.

Speaks Greek, English, spoken Arabic (Egyptian dialect).

Awards

Church:

• Certificate of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy (2006)
• Order of the Russian Orthodox Church St. Sergius of Radonezh 3rd degree (2010)
• Order of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church of St. Sava the Sanctified (2010)
• Order of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church St. Nestor the Chronicler (2007)

Secular:

• Medal for Service to Peace of the North Atlantic Alliance (1998)
• letter of gratitude from the commander of the Separate Airborne Brigade of the Limited Contingent of Peacekeeping Forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998)
• letters of gratitude from the Russian embassies in India (2002), Egypt (2008), Kenya (2008), Tanzania (2012)

“I love heaven very much” - the rules of life of Bishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alan

Anna Kabisova

I really love the sky and airplanes

For me there has never been a contradiction between faith and science. The only thing that distinguishes believers from non-believers is that they do not require scrupulous total proof, but take some things directly on faith. As we know, not all scientists manage to prove certain hypotheses at a certain stage with millimeter accuracy, and the 21st century is evidence of this. Many scientists are faced with the fact that they are at a dead end and cannot move forward. Whether the Lord will allow them to move on depends only on Him.

Why do we need to put everything on a scientific basis? Miracles that people cannot explain by logic are explained by the belief that God has nothing impossible. As Ivan Savvich Nikitin wrote: “There is a higher mind, which wonderfully created everything and rules wisely over everything.” There are people who believe and nothing will shake their faith, and there are people who doubt, but for the latter, perhaps the time has not yet come. And there are also those who deny everything, but in order to deny, you must also understand What you are denying.

Personal archive

Wondeeboom Flight School in South Africa

I constantly follow the news of science, I really love everything new, dynamic, everything that is put into practice by people of a scientific mindset. First of all, I try to be interested in the latest achievements of our dear and deeply beloved Fatherland, which, as you understand, I am deeply concerned about. I hope to see the results of the development of innovations and the contribution of investments made at the state level in science in the near future.

Before the army, I worked as a laboratory assistant in the flight training department at the department of aerodynamics and flight dynamics in a military unit, and even then I dreamed of connecting my life with the military sphere. I really love the sky, airplanes, and space flight is a close topic for me, but how practically I would be ready to fly into space, I don’t know. I know that His Holiness the Patriarch answered a similar question in the affirmative and I have no doubt at all, if not for his rank, that he would have done this.

You will serve, but in a different guise

We had many clergy acquaintances in our family, and while I was still a high school student, during the holidays I helped in several churches in the Krasnodar region. But at that time I didn’t think about going to seminary or studying at the department of theology, I was more inclined to become a military man, and our country’s air force, which I love very dearly, played an important role in this. I respect you. But the Lord has his own plans for each person, and no matter how much we would like this or that development of events, it does not always work out the way you want. The Lord, like an affectionate father, little by little, so that you are not frightened or disappointed, leads you to your destiny and then you yourself, with your clear thoughts and a clear understanding of what you need in life, follow the path that God needs. As we understand, a loving Father will not show his child a false or shameful path. He will strive to show him what is necessary, just as the Lord showed me the way.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

Bishop Leonid

I once said to one of the priests with whom our family communicated, and whose church I once served at the altar (to this day, thank God, he is alive and well and carries out his priestly ministry): “Father, bless, I want to go to a military school.” He then smiled very softly and said: “What military school? You will serve, but in a different guise.” I say: “But how can that be, I wanted to go to a military school.” And he replied: “Most likely, this is not yours, prepare your documents for the seminary.” I was confused then, but when everything worked out, all questions were removed and I realized that there was no point in contradicting and resisting the will of God.

My mother supported me, it was important for her that I personally made the choice myself, because with this decision I then had to spend not just a temporary period of life, but the entire subsequent life, because there was no going back.

Everything depends on each individual, and for some this is a difficult choice; a person cannot decide for years. In my lifetime, there have been several examples of how a person could not make up his mind even for decades, because we have an institution of white and black clergy - monastic and married priests; it is difficult for someone to make a choice between these positions. For me, the choice was, I won’t say it was easy, but in any case, it was quick and confident. I immediately made up my mind, the Lord gave me a solution to this issue and I, while still a student at the Leningrad Theological Seminary, had already been ordained.

My grandmother and mother copied all the prayers by hand

I was raised in an ordinary family - my father is a scientist, my mother is a teacher at a music school. We went to church whenever possible, I won’t say that every Sunday. But already in the 7th and 8th grades I began to sing in the choir in our St. George Church. At that time, I was still shy, hiding behind icons, because at that time at school, and in the country as a whole, there were still problems with these issues. I really liked the worship and the course of the church service, the singing, the peaceful prayer addressed to God. Of course, in childhood and adolescence, all this leaves its mark on a person.

Personal archive

Bishop Leonid

In those days, the only spiritual literature we had was the Bible; the rest was copied by hand or distributed through samizdat. There weren’t even enough prayer books - my grandmother and mother copied all the prayers by hand. My grandmother was a deeply religious person, I spent all my holidays with her in Stavropol, and I was baptized there in St. Andrew’s Cathedral.

I remember that in my student days, then still in Leningrad, we unloaded cars with books, it was a gift from the Swedish Scientific Bible Society and, among other things, there were three volumes of the Bible with commentaries by Professor Alexander Pavlovich Lopukhin. In my opinion, these are some of the best explanations of the Holy Scriptures. This heavy three-volume work was printed on papyrus paper, the first time we have seen such a thing. I still have this amazing publication at home.

Mom feels great here

My pets, a parrot and a cat, travel with me everywhere. First I got an African gray parrot, which was born in a Czech nursery. Then, at the age of three months, I brought him to Greece, and from there to Egypt, by the way, at the height of bird flu, but, Thank God, there were kind people who helped to avoid problems. Later, we went to Argentina together, and then here. Traveling with animals is very difficult, because now in many countries birds are prohibited from being imported and no one is interested in the fact that this bird is not from the wild, but from an incubator. The parrot has never seen wildlife; all its life it lives in a large enclosure, which we also take with us, and it weighs about 100 kg. I may refuse to transport some of my things, but I carry everything my animals need. Now my mother takes care of the pets, because I am not at home all day.

Personal archive

The first real winter in 19 years. After returning to Russia with my mother

I have to travel a lot, in addition to the main workload at the Alan See, since December 2021, by the decision of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, I am the Manager of the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Armenia.

Mom feels great here, she has always had only one problem - she does not speak any foreign language. But an interesting fact is that in Egypt the Arabs also understood her, so my mother convincingly knows how to convey her point of view and what she needs in this life. Her vital energy always helps her with this.

When my mother heard about my transfer, and this happened very suddenly for me - at an extraordinary and unscheduled Synod a decision was made on my appointment to the Vladikavkaz department, she took this news very positively. She had only one question, which we still laugh about - when I said that I had been appointed Bishop of Vladikavkaz and Alan, my mother asked: “Is this Russia?” After I smiled and answered in the affirmative, my mother said that she was going to pack her things.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese

First day in Ossetia. Meeting at the Cathedral of St. George the Victorious

Man is lonely by nature

Over the years, you don’t make friends, good acquaintances, yes, but I’ve always had a lot of them. Unfortunately, I have only a few real friends and there are enough fingers on one hand to count them. I have had these friends since childhood. The most interesting thing is that at various stages of life, we had diametrically opposed opinions on many issues, but this did not prevent us from maintaining close relationships, being friends and, thanks to this, maintaining friendship.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese

Acquaintance with the work of S. Edziev. Sat down. Pocket-Sinjikau

A person of my rank is by nature lonely, loneliness is our accompanying life doctrine, from which we cannot escape. Parents are short-lived, but you have to trust in God and the people who surround you. And in order to be surrounded by people, you must try to deal with them according to conscience and honor, try to respect them if you cannot love, even though we say that love is the main credo, a commandment from God. God himself is love; the Lord created the world out of love. There should be love between people, respect, tactful perception of each other - this is very important and the older we get, the faster time passes and the more obvious the common philosophical truths become. But in the meantime, you should not waste your time on those who repeatedly betray you, who try to resolve their issues at the expense of others, who behave inappropriately, in the hope that everything will be hidden. Do everything you can to correct this person, but if the result is zero, it is better to devote this time to those people who really need it more.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

With the abbots of the Alan monasteries, Hieromonk Stefan (Dzugkoev) and Abbess Nonna (Bagaeva)

I cannot say that I am a lonely person - from morning to evening I am surrounded by people. But I also can’t say that I’m not alone, that would be dishonest. Loneliness should not be scary, for me it is a natural companion in life, I can devote more time to my work and service.

I agree that criticism of the Church is necessary

I agree with Bishop Tikhon (Shevkunov) that criticism of the Church is necessary, but it is important that it be reasonable criticism. The Church institution is a very complex, living, multifaceted Unit, and I don’t even want to say the word “organization,” because in relation to the Church, it is unworthy. Let's call it a living organism, because many of the processes that take place in the Church are living. The Church can be sick, the Church can rejoice, the Church can grieve, the Church can be transformed and transformed. And She is transformed! For us, believers, this is a saving bridge between heaven and earth, and we walk along it. We walk in different ways - in some places it’s shaky and shaky, because bridges are also different - in some places it’s completely “in ruins” and there you can stumble and fall, but we must do everything so that our church bridge is strong and strong and does not serve only for us during our lifetime, and for many more times in the future, until the Lord himself decides what to do next.

I am not a supporter of sweeping criticism by people who have never been to the Church and do not know its internal structure.

Photo from the website Patriarchia.ru

With Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa.

The Church may and does have its own processes and topics that are best not touched upon, based on ethics and understanding of the complexity and subtlety of the organization’s structure. It is quite fair that there are some shortcomings and we talk about them. This is why the fullness of the Church exists, which is not built only on the relationship between priests and bishops, or priests and parishioners. The laity, who represent all the processes within the church and see some shortcomings, have the right to express criticism, and, naturally, they will listen to it.

The most important thing for us is caring for the flock, the spiritual salvation of a person.

It’s still difficult for me to talk about this, because I served abroad for 19 years and returned to Russia only a year ago.

It would be better if we avoid some performances

Yes, I saw the movie "Leviathan" and I know what happens with the movie "Matilda".

I understand that every person can create, and no one forbids a person to express his aspirations, but in recent years such a phenomenon as “performance”, in its worst manifestation, has been tirelessly haunting us. And believe me, it would be better for us to avoid some performances when someone goes against their conscience and engages in disgrace on Red Square, staging incomprehensible performances. After all, you can do this in a civilized manner, but when you go and do some obscenities in front of old people, children and women, and call it “performance,” then the only question I have is: “Where is this person’s moral window? Where is the line beyond which he cannot step? And if he has already stepped over, does that mean there is no bottom? No restrictions?"

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

Bishop Leonid

Most often, the people who do such performances are mature, accomplished people with higher education. This is not the part of society that didn’t read anything, didn’t think anything and didn’t ask any questions. But something prompted these people to commit illegal acts, to have a tactless attitude towards other people. It turns out that a certain handful of people, eager to attract attention, either to their activities or to themselves, come out and try to convey something, as they say, to the State and to the Church. But by their illegal actions that offend other people, they achieve nothing but censure and condemnation.

Naturally, the Church eventually forgives them. We have an open country where believers, atheists, and people of different faiths can exist, find yourself, but you shouldn’t do PR for your loved ones in the name of the Church, it’s dishonest.

If we talk about the action in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, then, first of all, we must understand that this is not a public place where you can do and say whatever you want. This is a place of solitude for people to communicate with God. After all, when you go into a stranger’s house, you wipe your feet and even take off your shoes, and you won’t sit down until you’re offered it.

The temple is not like that, it is always open, it is open, just like God’s heart is open to us, but why do we need to come and defend some of our interests? They say that they drove the traders out of the temple? But did Christ himself dance or bless someone for this kind of behavior in places of worship? You will not find this in the Holy Scriptures, in the testimonies of the evangelists and from the lips of Christ’s closest disciples, too.

We have a constitution and legislation, according to which we are not constrained in our expression of will, but we have certain framework rules, and if we take the moral component of our legislation, then it is not written there that murder is a sin, but it is clearly stated that you will suffer responsibility for this.

Under the Soviet Union, which I do not have ardent love for, the Church was infringed on in its rights, and I still saw the institution of commissioners for religious affairs, but then at least they tried to objectively and clearly qualify this or that act.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

V St. George Readings

Accusing the Church and State today of conservatism and intolerance, and this is very often now heard on various political platforms, people simply do not understand how seriously and quickly Russia has advanced from the communist system to today’s permissiveness. In the modern world, it is very difficult to limit a person, but it is very easy to throw mud at him.

I believe that the rule should be legislated that one cannot insult other people, and if one has insulted one, one must be held accountable.

The 90s broke us very much, but did not break us, and now I see how the State is trying to do everything to make people’s lives better, but not everything works out, and not everything works out for the Church. But we have to work, we can’t just come and say: “you’re lazy, you’re not a good person, you can’t do anything.” We need to raise our level of professionalism, our social outlook on the world, we need to be more tolerant of each other and raise our nation, fatherland, and the people who inhabit our country.

As for the film “Matilda,” it is no coincidence that various law enforcement agencies are classified as “secret” for several years or for life. This is no coincidence and not because someone doesn’t want to talk about something, but simply either it’s not time yet, or it’s not necessary and not useful for people to know this information.

Photo from the website Patriarchia.ru

With Dmitry Medvedev and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodore II in Cairo

I don’t know what it means to become a fanatic, but a person must understand for himself that any fanaticism in any manifestation does not bring positivity and a positive outlook.

We must work tirelessly on ourselves, read a lot, and educate ourselves. You should never use one source of information; they should be different. There is no need to look for interesting people, you yourself need to become interesting and useful to society.

We can’t slide into hedonism, what will happen to us then? It is necessary not to expand the range of desires, but to narrow the threshold of needs.

The Church must be conservative

There may be processes in the Church that may need to be eliminated or corrected, but this must be done in a civilized manner, achieved through other levers.

The task of the Church is to raise intellectually developed, spiritually rich people, so that these people form the backbone of our future society. And let it be conservative, and we never said that the Church is not conservative on some issues, it must be conservative, only in this way can we survive in our 21st century.

For 19 years I served in various countries and in various positions. I saw both the Arab “spring” and the tolerant countries of South America, where same-sex marriage has already been partially approved. At the next conference there, I was asked to “smooth out the corners.” I said: “Sorry, you can call me whatever you want, but since you invited me, I will say what I have to say. We do not agree and will never agree, because this is alien to the Church.”

Personal archive

Argentine Navy submarine Saint John

Here in the Caucasus, we understand what a family is - the head of the family is the father, the keeper of the hearth is the mother, children from a full union of a man and a woman, everything is as in the Holy Scriptures. Why replace all this? Can we really say here, let’s be tolerant? Let anyone agree, but not us. We see with great regret that some churches follow such a disastrous path, thereby calling into question the very essence of the Old Testament and New Testament teachings about salvation. This is a terrible process, a dead end. It would be better if they consider us conservative, but we know better what we and the people need, we speak boldly about it and do not stray from this rut.

I saw actions to protect churches in Argentina from LGBT people. People were doused with slop, but they held hands tightly, stood around the temple and did not allow this human chain to be broken, so that the Catholic church would not be violated by these LGBT representatives breathing malice. Don't think that these are poor boys and girls to be whipped.

It is very important for us to protect young people from this. We don’t get into someone’s bedroom, it’s not interesting for us, the person himself will be responsible for his views on this life and for what’s going on in his “closet.”

There is no need to say that the child should be given freedom of choice. One of my friends has been living abroad since the 90s, he has three children, and recently a social commission came to them and said that if he again does not allow children to attend sex education classes, they will raise the issue of removing the children. And he was very scared. And when he told me, from the words of his children, who are 9 and 10 years old, about what they are taught and taught there, my hair stood on end as an adult man. Who can be raised with such an attitude? I'm not talking about the fact that children will grow up and not learn that there are certain views. We need to talk about this, but this is the prerogative of the family. There must be education in the family. And if you start teaching this to 9-10 year old children, then at the age of 16 we will get a person, if not with a broken psyche, then at least with very unambiguous views on this life. The minimum is a cynic, and the maximum is that I’m afraid to even imagine.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

In the archives of SOIGSI named after. V. Abaeva

Someone will see one thing in Woland, and someone will see another

How many generations will read Bulgakov, there will be so many opinions and theories, but the most interesting thing, and this is my conviction, is that we will never know what the author himself wanted to say. We understand what he introduced us to, but everyone has their own truth. Some will see Woland as one thing, and others as another. The same thing with the figure of the Master. The general background against which the master lives, his views, his most complex relationships, and if everyone is collected and arranged against this background, you will get the most complex, as doctors would say, diagnosis. The novel is, of course, serious. Honestly, as much as I read, I find something new for myself. Because we grow up, we become older, and through the prism of life positions and lived experience, we perceive what we read earlier, in a different way.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

Maundy Thursday in Holy Week. The rite of washing the feet of the clergy of the diocese

I never discussed with my comrades whether reading this novel was anyone's first time entering the temple. I believe that for this we need other literature, more understandable, which clearly explains the truth and essence about Christ, the Church and the processes that are taking place.

Unfortunately, we are not given a second chance

I would not speculate on who Bulgakov had in mind when depicting the figure of Pontius Pilate.

No one has canceled the role of man in history. We are all different people, with different education, intelligence, upbringing, attitude to life, and it is impossible to put different people in the same position and demand the same attitude from them. Somewhere there will be excesses and shortcomings, and somewhere else everything will be perfect. You cannot make people equal, but you can unite them with one goal, as the Church does, in caring for your salvation. And to draw parallels is to bring confusion and vacillation into society. Not a single subject of the federation can boast of as many busts of Stalin as we have in public and private spaces.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

In the Alan Epiphany Convent

He wasn't stupid, that's for sure. It's another matter to talk about methods of government. In any case, a person will be responsible before God for all his actions. The Church teaches us that the more a person is given, the more will be asked of him. I say this to many people in power.

This or that position is not beautiful offices or benefits, it is a heavy cross, it is sleepless nights when you wake up and cannot get the thought out of your head. Behind each of these people are families and society as a whole.

Such a person is responsible for what he has been entrusted with and when the time comes, he will answer. They won’t ask him how he lived, but they will ask him: what did you do for people in this position?

The ideal earthly dispensation is a utopia

Faith is a deeply intimate concept and it is difficult to say now for another person whether he has faith and how much of a believer he was or not. You can imagine what decisions he had to make. God forbid anyone. And I do not rule out that if everything had turned out differently, perhaps if he had been alive and history had repeated itself, he would not have made some decisions or made them from a diametrically opposite perspective. Unfortunately, we are not given a second chance and history does not tolerate the subjunctive mood. There is only one chance and you must use it 100 percent.

It is tactless to talk about other people and I try not to do this, especially when making judgments. I'm not a historian.

Personal archive.

Argentina. Visit to Mar del Plata

I know only one thing - the ideal earthly dispensation is a utopia. The people may love one leader or distrust another, but 100 percent, there has never been such a leader in history who never made mistakes.

And Russia is not a dwarf state that you can travel around in one day, it is a huge territory, with spaces and scales that frighten many people abroad. And they do the right thing (laughs).

The Russian Orthodox Church has never abandoned its children

The question of the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the spiritual processes taking place in South Ossetia is truly complex and we all understand the historical background of how it all began. I always say that these wounds take centuries to heal, or never heal. Therefore, I will not give a forecast, but I will say one thing - both to His Holiness the Patriarch, and the Holy Synod, and to me, as the ruling bishop, the position of the people is clear, we are constantly taking care of it, looking for options, consulting and working intensively in this direction. Recently, the President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov met with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. I was present at this meeting. There is a certain level of understanding of how and where we will move next. I want to convey one thing to readers - the Russian Orthodox Church has never abandoned its children, it tried not to do this before, and with God’s help it will not do so in the future.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

Reading the Twelve Gospels on Holy Thursday. Cathedral of St. George the Victorious

In my work I am close to perfectionism

Time passes inexorably fast and I try as best I can not only to stop it, but to implement as many tasks as possible and get closer to the goals that we have set for ourselves.

In my work I am close to perfectionism, so for me the slightest roughness is unacceptable. To be honest, I sometimes suffer from this and, probably, my subordinates partially suffer, because the bar that is set is quite high. I myself strive to work on myself all the time and therefore I ask, and sometimes even force, my subordinates to do the same. But I try to be fair.

I read everything, I really love novels and documentary historical works, and I enjoy reading scientific and technical literature. Every day I have to dig through a lot of press, sometimes in a day I can read several dozen publications, and not only in Russian. The lion's share of reading time is spent working with sources of information - this is very important for any leader in order to be not only aware of what is happening, but also to form a balanced approach and an objective point of view on certain issues.

What I don’t use is social networks - often you can’t find useful information there, plus it’s a waste of time.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese

Lithium at the grave of K. Khetagurov in the pantheon of the Ossetian Church

I do not forbid the priests of our diocese to use social networks, moreover, I think it is correct and positive, maybe I would do it too, but I physically do not have enough time. But the priest must understand that his primary task is to convey to his flock the essence of Christ and the Church. If the priest begins to delve into worldly vanity issues, then we gently correct this position.

In Rome, act like a Roman, and eat Ossetian pies in Ossetia

I’m an omnivore and I can’t say that I don’t like something. Maybe just parsley. I don’t like it as a substance (laughs). In Ossetia we have very tasty cuisine and, first of all, pies, of course. Guests often come to me and everyone eats “tsaharajinta” with great pleasure, and when they leave, I also give them pies with me. I tried to eat Ossetian pies in Moscow - this is not quite the same thing, of course, “in Rome, act like a Roman, but eat Ossetian pies in Ossetia.”

Ossetia is very little open to the world

Therefore, we need to invite everyone here for a visit. Ossetia is very little open to the world and we are working hard to correct this. We have already received registration for pilgrimage trips, we are trying to find any opportunities, we are productively meeting with William Gagiev, who heads the tourism committee. People are still afraid to come here, they consider the region dangerous, but I always, even on a private level, explain that ours is hospitable, beautiful, with many shrines and ancient temples.

This could be a world-class discovery

We are now actively engaged in the restoration of several objects - the Zrug temple and the Nuzal chapel. When you don’t pay attention to something for decades, then everything collapses and falls, and now the main task is to preserve those grains that remain. As for Nuzal, this is generally a sore subject, we attract the best specialists that are in Russia - from Moscow, St. Petersburg, but there are still enough difficulties.

Everyone knows the wonderful scientist and historian Evgenia Georgievna Pchelina, whose archive we are trying to obtain, but so far without success. We are ringing all the bells, no matter which offices we have contacted, State Duma deputy Zurab Makiev and our representatives in the Federation Council have already gotten involved, but the “owners” of the archive are not making any compromises. The archive is in a semi-deplorable state, it was almost half flooded with water - unique things are lost! But they tell us that there are not enough specialists and it is not possible to disassemble the archive in the next 10-20 years, and if you want it on commercial terms, then you will pay 14 million rubles.

Press service of the Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese.

Memorial Elkhotov Gate. With the Head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Asia V. Bitarov and the Minister of Internal Affairs M. Skokov

And there may be unique things there, a direct link to who was found in the chapel itself in Nuzala - after all, we understand who we are talking about, this could be a world-class discovery! But they don’t give it to us. We say that we have our own specialists - historians, archivists, let them in or give the archive to us, but they don’t want to.

God willing, the president will sign a decree on celebrating the 1100th anniversary of the Baptism of Alanya and maybe, as part of the implementation of this program, we will be able to pave the way to the archive.

Alania made its choice before Kievan Rus

I don’t see any problem in being greeted with three pies and our Ossetian beer. I consider this a good tradition, moreover, if we look into the depths of centuries, we will see that any correct Ossetian feast began with prayer, and monotheism, an understanding of turning to the Lord God, is clearly visible there. There is no need to look for a cat in a dark room when talking about the traditional beliefs of Ossetians and the Orthodox faith. You need to calmly and lovingly treat what you have.

There are people interested in the national component of faith, who take it as software and try to put it on a national track. This is a very bad trend that can lead to great trouble, because it will bring discord into society, divide the people along religious lines, and then a terrible catastrophe will happen for Alania and the Ossetian people. Therefore, under no circumstances should manipulations on this topic be allowed.

Alania, before Kievan Rus, made its choice at the state level, and this choice was clear, logical, necessary then, and the people accepted it. Thanks to this choice, Alania declared itself at a very high level. Why abandon the choice of our ancestors and speculate on this? I think this is counterproductive, first of all, for future generations.

The Vladikavkaz bishop admitted who helped him brighten up his loneliness

Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese

Bishop of Vladikavkaz and Alan Leonid (Gorbachev) Vladikavkaz and Alan diocese

Bishop Leonid (Gorbachev) of Vladikavkaz and Alan, recently appointed to serve in the North Caucasus, admitted that a parrot helps him brighten up his loneliness. The Orthodox hierarch spoke about this in an interview with the North Ossetia newspaper.

The bishop arrived at his new place of service from Argentina, where he headed the Argentine and South American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Although his roots are in the Stavropol region, relatives of his mother and father lived there.

“If we go deeper into our great-great-grandfathers, they are from St. Petersburg, from the university professorial class. Our ancestors moved to the Stavropol region for family reasons. At the moment we have few relatives, communication, due to my employment, is rare and more often by phone. Since 2007, after the death of my maternal grandmother, my mother has been “serving” with me everywhere, being my reliable assistant, my rear and closest person,” the newspaper quotes the bishop as saying.

But there are two more smaller friends in the family. “This is a cat and a parrot - I brought them with me to Vladikavkaz. The gray African parrot speaks about 150 words and expressions, “reads” Pushkin in the original...” said Bishop Leonid.

The cat, in his words, “doesn’t read Pushkin, but behaves with dignity.” She was brought from Egypt, and the parrot was born in the Czech Republic, then transported to Greece, and from there to Egypt.

How the “lesser brothers” had to be transported is a mystery, the veil of which the bishop did not want to lift. “I will say that the transportation of the parrot, due to temporary restrictive rules, was decided at a very high level... But quite seriously, my position here is simple: we are responsible for those we have tamed. And we do not abandon our own,” the bishop emphasized.

From Argentina, where the bishop served since 2013, it took him three days to get to his new place of work. Moreover, there were some road troubles: for example, Bishop Leonid said that all his luggage was lost in Madrid. However, according to the clergyman, the difficult flight could not spoil the wonderful impression of getting to know Ossetia, reports Sputnik-Ossetia.ru.

“The Holy Ossetian land accepted me as family, as a close person. I was sent to a department of republican significance, to a department with a wonderful history, to a department that one can be proud of, based on the deep root system of the people of Alania itself,” Bishop Leonid noted during a meeting with the acting head of North Ossetia, Vyacheslav Bitarov.

He added that he “feels a high degree of trust and responsibility for this appointment.”

“The Vladikavkaz and Alan department is a department of republican significance. The service ahead is serious. We all have something to do here, this is service to our fatherland, and service to our people, and God, respectively. There will also be the implementation of many social, humanitarian and other programs that the republic currently needs,” the bishop emphasized.

Leonid (Gorbachev)

Born on October 26, 1968 in Stavropol. Since 1970, the family lived in Krasnodar.

In 1985 he graduated from high school.

In 1985-1986, he was a laboratory assistant at the department of aerodynamics and flight dynamics at the military unit 26265. During these same years, he was a sexton at the St. George Church in Krasnodar.

In 1986-1988 - on active military service in the Armed Forces of the USSR.

In 1988-1989 - reader-singer of the St. George Church in Krasnodar and subdeacon of Bishop Isidore of Ekaterinodar and Kuban.

In 1989-1992 he studied at the Leningrad Theological Seminary.

On April 8, 1990, he was ordained a deacon.

On June 18, 1990, he was tonsured a monk, and on October 8, 1990, he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1990-1997, he was a full-time cleric of the Catherine Cathedral in Krasnodar. In 1995-1997 he was the sacristan of this cathedral.

Since 1997 - employee of the Synodal Department for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies (Moscow).

From March to September 1998, he was on a business trip as part of the Russian separate airborne brigade of the UN peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), where, as he later recalled, he had to face “unprecedented blatant injustice against the entire Orthodox community.” people."

From October 1998 to September 2002 he studied at the Faculty of Theology of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, and was a freelance clergyman of the Russian lower Church of the Great Martyr Panteleimon in Agios Panteleimonas (Athens, Greece).

Since October 2002, he has been an employee of the Secretariat of Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

From May 2003 to December 2004 - employee of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.

In December 2004, he was appointed representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' to the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa and rector of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica in Cairo (Egypt).

On September 25-29, 2007, as part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, he attended the celebrations dedicated to the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ according to the Ethiopian calendar.

In June 2009, he attended a meeting between Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev.

On April 11, 2010, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', during his visit to the Patriarchate of Alexandria, elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.
Bishop
On May 29, 2013, at a meeting of the Holy Synod, he was elected Bishop of Argentina and South America.

On June 11, 2013, he was ordained bishop at the Patriarchal residence of the St. Daniel Monastery. The naming ceremony was led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

On June 17, 2013, in the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Igor of Chernigov, he was consecrated Bishop of Argentina and South America. The ordination was performed by: Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, Metropolitan of Saransk and Mordovia Barsanuphius (Sudakov), Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Hilarion (Alfeev), Archbishop of Istra Arseny (Epifanov), Archbishop of Yegoryevsk Mark (Golovkov), Bishop of Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Chashin), Bishop of Podolsk Tikhon (Zaitsev).

On July 16, 2013, he was released from the post of representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' under the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. In August, he handed over the affairs of the Alexandria metochion to priest Viktor Kulaga and left for South America.

In addition to Russian, he speaks Greek, English, and colloquial Arabic (Egyptian dialect).