Vincent’s difficult legacy: why Metropolitan Kirill cannot leave the Ekaterinburg diocese

Kirill (Nakonechny)
(born 1961), Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan, head of the Tatarstan Metropolis, temporary administrator of the Chistopol diocese, holy archimandrite of the Kazan Mother of God Monastery. In the world Nakonechny Mikhail Vasilyevich, was born on May 15, 1961 in the village of Verkhnechusovskie Gorodki, Chusovsky district, Perm region, into a working-class family.

In 1978 he graduated from high school.

On October 25, 1980, he was tonsured a monk and given the name Kirill. The tonsure was performed by Archimandrite Alexy (Kutepov), rector of the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir.

On October 26, 1980, he was ordained hierodeacon by Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal Serapion (Fadeev).

From October 26, 1980 to May 6, 1981, he served in the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir.

On May 6, 1981, he was ordained as a hieromonk and appointed clergyman of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the city of Alexandrov, Vladimir Region.

Since June 1, 1982 - rector of St. Nicholas Church in the city of Kirzhach, dean of churches in the Kirzhach district.

From March 19, 1984 to June 10, 1987 - rector of the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir, secretary of the Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, dean of churches in the Vladimir district.

On April 7, 1984, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Archbishop Serapion of Vladimir and Suzdal in the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir.

In 1986 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary in the correspondence education sector.

From June 10, 1987 to July 7, 1989 - rector of the Theodoro-Tiron Cathedral of the city of Chisinau, secretary of the Metropolitan of Chisinau and Moldova, dean of the churches of the Chisinau district.

From July 7, 1989 to October 9, 1995 - cleric of the Tula diocese, secretary of the Metropolitan of Tula and Belevsky, dean of the churches of the Tula city district.

From October 9, 1995 to January 1, 2000 - rector of St. Nicholas (on Rzhavets) Church in the city of Tula.

From March 15, 1999 to March 15, 2000 - rector of the Tula All Saints Cathedral.

Since October 1, 1998 - rector of spiritual and pastoral courses, which is under the Tula diocesan administration; on March 7, 2000, spiritual and pastoral courses were transformed into the Tula Theological School, and on October 6, 2001, the theological school was transformed into the Tula Theological Seminary.

On February 26, 1998, by resolution of the Holy Synod, he was determined to be Bishop of the Theotokos, vicar of the Tula diocese.

On March 14, 1998, he was named, and on March 15, he was consecrated Bishop of Bogoroditsky, vicar of the Tula diocese. The ordination at the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow was led by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. Concelebrating with him were: Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna Yuvenaly (Poyarkov); Archbishops of Solnechnogorsk Sergius (Fomin), Alma-Ata and Semipalatinsk Alexy (Kutepov), Tver and Kashinsky Victor (Oleynik), Istrinsky Arseny (Epifanov), Vladimir and Suzdal Evlogiy (Smirnov); Bishops of Bronnitsky Tikhon (Emelyanov), Vologda and Veliky Ustyug Maximilian (Lazarenko), Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexy (Frolov), Krasnogorsk Savva (Volkov).

On July 19, 2000, he was appointed Bishop of Tula and Belevsky.

On October 7, 2002, he was appointed Bishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov.

On December 26 of the same year, he was relieved of his post as rector of the Tula Theological Seminary.

On February 25, 2003, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.
On July 19, 2006, he was appointed rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary.

On August 21, 2007, he was relieved of his post as rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary.

He was a member of Local Councils in 1988, 1990 and 2009.

On July 27, 2009, he was again appointed rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary.

On July 27, 2011, he was appointed to the Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye departments [1].

On October 5, 2011, he was appointed to the position of rector of the Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary with release from duties of the rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary [2].

On October 6, 2011, he was appointed head of the Yekaterinburg Metropolis [3]. On October 8 of the same year, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

From December 28, 2011 to March 16, 2012, and again from May 29, 2013 to January 25, 2014, he temporarily managed the Kamensk and Alapaevsk diocese.

On October 22, 2015, he was relieved of his duties as rector of the Ekaterinburg Theological Seminary.

From August 25 to December 8, 2021, he temporarily ruled the Serov diocese [4].

On December 8, 2021, he was appointed Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan, head of the Tatarstan Metropolis [5].

On April 13, 2021, he was appointed temporary administrator of the Chistopol diocese and confirmed as the Holy Archimandrite of the Kazan Mother of God Monastery in Kazan.

Vincent’s difficult legacy: why Metropolitan Kirill cannot leave the Ekaterinburg diocese

Almost nine years ago, on July 27, 2011, the leadership of the Yekaterinburg diocese changed. The ruling bishop , Vincent (Morar) , was sent into honorable exile in Central Asia. The diocese, transformed into a metropolitanate, was headed by Metropolitan Kirill (Nakonechny) , who for a long time led the dioceses in Central Russia. It is believed that during the time he ruled the Yekaterinburg diocese, the Metropolitan was never able to find a common language with the Urals and cope with the difficult legacy of his predecessor.

According to the EAN, the bishop several times submitted requests for transfer to his “home” dioceses. But until now I have received refusals from the Moscow Patriarchate. In light of recent events, the metropolitan’s prospects for changing his cathedra are in question. Read more in the EAN material.

How Metropolitan Kirill ended up in the Urals

To begin with, we should remember in what atmosphere the appointment of Metropolitan Kirill (Nakonechny) took place and for what reason he became the head of the Yekaterinburg Metropolis. An EAN source in the diocese, who was ordained during the time of Archbishop Vincent, recalls that the reason for the change in leadership was not the 2010 protests against the construction of the Church of St. Catherine, as is commonly believed.

The Yekaterinburg archbishop fell out of favor a year earlier, when in January 2009, at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, a new patriarch was elected after the death of Alexy II (died on December 5, 2008). At that time, Archbishop Vincent joined the party of Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement (Kapalin) . The Yekaterinburg bishop actively participated in intra-church intrigues, trying to win other bishops over to the side of the “Klymentsy”.

“Ever since 2005, Vladyka [Vinkenty] dreamed of a “white hat” (the rank of metropolitan - EAN’s note) and a good cathedra. But Bishop Clement predictably lost. He did not have the same recognition and support outside the church as Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev). Vincent was practically doomed,” says the insider. 

In those elections, the Kaluga Metropolitan received 32 votes against 97 votes for Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev) . Already during the administrative reform in 2010-2011, when the fragmentation of dioceses began, Archbishop Vincent was reminded of the election of the patriarch. A formal reason was also found - the failure of the project to build the Church of St. Catherine and “tongue-tiedness” in the negotiations. In the last years of his reign, the bishop did not get along well with regional and city authorities.

However, Vincent’s dream came true - he received the “white hat”, and with it a place in the Holy Synod. But he was sent away from the levers of influence - to lead the Central Asian Metropolitan District.

Metropolitan Vikenty (Morar), former Archbishop of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye

It is logical that when choosing a new bishop for the Yekaterinburg diocese, the Moscow Patriarchate was guided by those qualities that Vincent (Morar) did not have. From this position, then Archbishop Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov became an ideal candidate with a powerful background. Firstly, the bishop managed to implement a project to restore the Assumption Cathedral in the center of Yaroslavl. The temple was consecrated on the 1000th anniversary of Yaroslavl, and this became a kind of triumph for Archbishop Kirill. Secondly, the ruler has always been distinguished by his diplomacy and flexibility in negotiations. If necessary, he knew how to make compromises, and in Yekaterinburg after 2010, relations between the diocese, on the one hand, and the authorities and the public, on the other, were extremely tense.

Thirdly, the personal devotion of the Yaroslavl archbishop to the new patriarch did not raise any doubts. Kirill (Nakonechny) is a student of Metropolitan of Tula and Belevsky Serapion (Fadeev) . It was Serapion who ordained him to the priesthood in Vladimir. After the death of his mentor in 1999, Kirill (Nakonechny) headed the Tula department and from there moved to Yaroslavl. Metropolitan of Tula and Belevsky Serapion (Fadeev) Metropolitan of Tula and Belevsky Serapion (Fadeev) - since the 1950s, was under the personal tutelage of the future Patriarch Pimen (predecessor of Patriarch Alexy II). He was tonsured a monk by the future patriarch. Subsequently, Patriarch Pimen, together with Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov), ​​elevated him to the rank of bishop. In 1980, as Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, he ordained Kirill (Nakonechny) as hierodeacon. Since 1984, archp. Serapion had already appointed Hieromonk Kirill (Nakonechny) as secretary of the diocese. Since 1987, Metropolitan Serapion has headed the diocese of Moldova. He made Archimandrite Kirill (Nakonechny) his secretary. Since 1989, Metropolitan Serapion headed the Tula and Belyov diocese, which he led until his death in 1999. His successor was the former secretary of the same diocese, Bishop Kirill (Nakonechny).

The late Metropolitan Serapion, according to EAN sources in the patriarchate, was under the patronage of the most influential Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod Nicodemus (Rotov) (in one of his sermons, Schema-Abbot Sergius cursed Metropolitan Nicodemus). And he, in turn, was considered the mentor of the current Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) .

"Difficult People"

In this atmosphere, the transfer from Yaroslavl to the Middle Urals was not a promotion, but was a sign of the patriarch’s high confidence in the new metropolitan. Bishop Kirill was transferred to the Yekaterinburg diocese for the specific purpose of restoring contacts with authorities and society and, as a result of this, building the Catherine Cathedral.

Metropolitan Kirill successfully completed the task of establishing relations with authorities. And until mid-2021, it seemed that the bishop would be able to restore the cathedral (at that time the first project of the temple-on-water had been previously agreed upon).



“We have no cheeks left that we did not put under attack”: the full text of the statement of the Yekaterinburg diocese on ending the “temple” conflict According to the EAN source in the diocese, already in March 2021, every member of the metropolitan’s inner circle knew about the imminent transfer of the bishop to Vladimir metropolis. This could have happened immediately after laying the first stone in the water area of ​​the City Pond. At that time, the Vladimir see was about to become vacant due to the imminent retirement of Metropolitan Evlogiy (Smirnov). For Metropolitan Kirill, this meant a return to one of the “home” dioceses in which his career began.

According to an insider, the metropolis named a specific successor to Kirill - the vicar of the patriarch, Bishop Savva (Mikheev) . In the Yaroslavl diocese he was the secretary of Kirill (Nakonechny). Moreover, both bishops are fellow countrymen - natives of the Perm region. By the way, Bishop Savva nevertheless became a metropolitan, but headed the Tver diocese.

Metropolitan of Tver and Kashin Savva (Mikheev)

The Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, after a series of conflicts over the projects of the temple-on-the-water and the temple-on-drama, was actually stuck in the Middle Urals.

“Since 2021, Vladyka has been submitting petitions for transfer to the metropolitanate of Central Russia. It is difficult for him to communicate with the Urals. There (in the central regions) people are more open and gentle. Probably even kinder. He’s used to communicating with just such people and still hasn’t gotten used to it here. It's hard for him to work. The people of the Urals are closed, even closed. Difficult people compared to the same Tula people. They are simply incompetent,” a source close to Metropolitan Kirill told EAN. Metropolitan of Tver and Kashin Savva Mikheev In the church environment, he is considered to be part of the so-called liberal wing of the Russian Orthodox Church. Differs in media activity. He began his church career in 2001 in the Ryazan and Kasimov diocese. At his own request, he moved in 2005 to the Yaroslavl diocese, which was headed at that time by Archbishop Kirill (Nakonechny). Here he became the personal secretary of the ruling bishop and treasurer. Under the patronage of Archbishop Kirill, Savva Mikheev entered church-wide graduate school. Subsequently he completed his doctorate. After this, his church career took off sharply. Since 2011, he became bishop and vicar of the Moscow diocese. In 2014, he was appointed first deputy manager of the Moscow Patriarchate. Since July 2021, he has headed the Tver Metropolis with the rank of Metropolitan. The next year, Metropolitan Savva became the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, but a few months later he resigned from this position due to the increased workload.

According to the insider, until the first stone is laid in the foundation of the future cathedral, the patriarch does not intend to change the leadership of the diocese.

Vincent's difficult legacy

The series of scandals that have rocked the Yekaterinburg diocese over the past four years have not greatly affected the position of the metropolitan. Still, in recent years, conflicts have also repeatedly arisen in Moscow over the church construction program. Therefore, the patriarchy can attribute the events in Yekaterinburg to the general trend of anti-clerical sentiments in society.

“Our Bishop is sane both in the opinion of his flock and the clergy. For example, he managed to restore order in the monastery of the Royal Passion-Bearers - drug addicts and alcoholics were kicked out of there, and the fires stopped. But he inherited his current environment in many ways from Vladyka Vincent. The same archpriest Nikolai Ladyuk, who is in charge of financial issues in the diocese ( since 1999, assistant to the bishop for the provision of church goods - approx. EAN) . The Bishop is trying to help the priests. Especially for families - to solve problems with money and transport. But all this needs to be obtained through Ladyuk, and you will never interrogate anything from him,” says another source.

Another insider explains that Metropolitan Kirill, from the beginning of his bishopric, internally perceived his position as a temporary business trip. Therefore, the bishop refused to change the personnel system in the diocese. The head of the Yekaterinburg diocese did not delve into certain subtleties at all. According to sources, the ruler focused on “big politics.” Other intra-diocesan issues were resolved in passing.

He brought several people with him, but they did not last long in their assigned places. The abbot of the St. Nicholas Verkhoturye Monastery, Abbot Lavr (Korotkov) , taken from Yaroslavl, died in 2021. The abbot of the monastery on Ganina Yama, Archimandrite Pimen (Adarchenko), also appointed bishop in 2012, left the monastery in 2021 due to illness.

Another “Yaroslavian” - Bishop of Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansk Evgeniy (Kulberg) has recently moved away from the metropolitan. According to our sources, the closest person from Metropolitan Kirill’s entourage decided to build his career independently. Patriarch Kirill himself noticed then Archpriest Evgeniy Kulberg, when he was rector of the Ascension Church in Yekaterinburg, and took him under his wing.

Bishop of Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansk Evgeny (Kulberg), far right

According to insiders, because of the chosen management tactics, Metropolitan Kirill was not particularly interested in another legacy of Archbishop Vincent - Schema-Abbot Sergius Romanov (remember that it was Archbishop Vincent who ordained the rebellious priest).



Vincent persuaded me: schema-hegumen Sergius confirmed that he was ordained in violation of the canons (VIDEO) Although all the old-timers of the diocese knew about the quirks of the “elder” from the mid-2000s. But since the time of Archbishop Vincent, few people wanted to get involved with Sergius because of the scandalous nature of the schema-abbot. For this reason, the Sredneuralsky convent was perceived by the leadership of the diocese as “another planet.”

“In the diocese, analysts do not sit and calculate where it will explode, who will react how, and so on. Nobody is measuring public opinion. For us, the reference point is the flock. What are her moods? And the requests of the flock are conveyed by the clergy. Of course, no one could have predicted Sergius's demarche. This is, in principle, not predictable, but also not critical - only a thousand people came to the procession of the schismatics. There are a lot of such Sergius in the church, and you can’t put a spy on everyone. There are more important questions,” responded one of the priests familiar with the situation. Bishop of Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansk Evgeniy (Kulberg) Until 2021, he was considered the “gray eminence” of intra-diocesan politics in the Yekaterinburg Metropolis. The spiritual education of the future bishop Alexei Kulberg took place throughout the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s under the leadership of one of the leaders of monarchical ultra-Orthodoxy, Archpriest Alexander Shargunov. In 2003, Alexey Kulberg participated in the pogrom of the Moscow exhibition in Moscow. In 2004, he was sent from Moscow to Yaroslavl, where Archbishop Kirill (Nakonechny) ordained him to the priesthood. In 2012, following the bishop, he went to Yekaterinburg, where he was immediately appointed rector of the Great Chrysostom Church. Since 2014 - rector of the Ascension Church. In the same year he headed the press service of the diocese. In 2021 he was elected Bishop of Sredneuralsk. Within a few days, he went through all the stages of initiation in Moscow - from tonsure as a monk to his elevation to the rank of bishop. Upon returning to Yekaterinburg, he became vicar of the diocese. This position was created especially for him. It is believed that from 2012 to 2021 he influenced the policies of Metropolitan Kirill. In particular, it is assumed that Evgeny (Kulberg) could be one of the initiators of the case of blogger Ruslan Sokolovsky after “catching Pokemon” in the temple. Since 2021 - Bishop of Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansk.

Judging by public statements from the Moscow Patriarchate, the problem of the schism will also have to be resolved only by Metropolitan Kirill. In particular, the head of the synodal department for relations with society and the media of the Moscow Patriarchate, Vladimir Legoida, recently said that the task of resolving the conflict with the disgraced schema-abbot was entrusted to the diocese. At the moment, Metropolitan Kirill and his entourage are trying not to notice the schismatics, letting the situation take its course.

 “You are throwing a shameful hysteria”: Metropolitan Kirill wrote a letter to Schema-Hegumen Sergius (VIDEO) Another question is whether, after this story, the head of the Yekaterinburg diocese will reconsider his personnel policy and attitude towards the legacy of his predecessor. Or he will continue to feel like a temporary manager to solve current problems.

Awards

Church

• legguard
• pectoral cross
• club
• pectoral cross with decorations
• Order of the Prince Vladimir of all three degrees,
• Order of the Prince Daniel II degree,
• Order of St. Sergius II degree (twice),
• Order of Ap. and Evangelist Mark of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church
• Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 1st degree (2010) [6]

Secular

• Order of Friendship
• Order of Honor (2011) [7]

Links

• 	RSFSR	Grigory (Yatskovsky) • Arkady (Ershov) • Alexy (Bui) • Kornily (Sobolev) • Stefan (Znamirovsky) • Victor (Ostrovidov) • Arkady (Ershov) • Valerian (Rudich) • Eusebius (Rozhdestvensky) • Arkady (Ershov) • Valerian (Rudich) • Alexy (Kuznetsov) • Sophrony (Arefyev) • Makariy (Zvezdov) • Kornily (Sobolev) • Makary (Zvezdov) • Gleb (Pokrovsky) • Simeon (Mikhailov) • Alexy (Kuznetsov) • Peter (Savelyev) • Varlaam (Pikalov) • Tovia (Ostroumov) • Donat (Shchegolev) • Mstislav (Volonsevich) • Pavel (Golyshev) • Flavian (Dmitriyuk) • Leonid (Polyakov) • Kliment (Prestyuk) • Ilian (Vostryakov) • Platon (Udovenko) • Melchizedek (Lebedev)
  	Russian Federation	Melchizedek (Lebedev) • Nikon (Mironov) • Vikenty (Morar) • Kirill (Nakonechny)

Excerpt characterizing Kirill (Nakonechny)

When the samovar was all drunk, Rostov took the cards and offered to play kings with Marya Genrikhovna. They cast lots to decide who would be Marya Genrikhovna's party. The rules of the game, according to Rostov’s proposal, were that the one who would be king would have the right to kiss Marya Genrikhovna’s hand, and that the one who would remain a scoundrel would go and put a new samovar for the doctor when he woke up. - Well, what if Marya Genrikhovna becomes king? – Ilyin asked. - She’s already a queen! And her orders are law. The game had just begun when the doctor’s confused head suddenly rose from behind Marya Genrikhovna. He had not slept for a long time and listened to what was said, and, apparently, did not find anything cheerful, funny or amusing in everything that was said and done. His face was sad and despondent. He did not greet the officers, scratched himself and asked permission to leave, as his way was blocked. As soon as he came out, all the officers burst into loud laughter, and Marya Genrikhovna blushed to tears and thereby became even more attractive in the eyes of all the officers. Returning from the yard, the doctor told his wife (who had stopped smiling so happily and was looking at him, fearfully awaiting the verdict) that the rain had passed and that she had to go spend the night in the tent, otherwise everything would be stolen. - Yes, I’ll send a messenger... two! - said Rostov. - Come on, doctor. – I’ll watch the clock myself! - said Ilyin. “No, gentlemen, you slept well, but I didn’t sleep for two nights,” said the doctor and gloomily sat down next to his wife, waiting for the end of the game. Looking at the gloomy face of the doctor, looking askance at his wife, the officers became even more cheerful, and many could not help laughing, for which they hastily tried to find plausible excuses. When the doctor left, taking his wife away, and settled into the tent with her, the officers lay down in the tavern, covered with wet overcoats; but they didn’t sleep for a long time, either talking, remembering the doctor’s fright and the doctor’s amusement, or running out onto the porch and reporting what was happening in the tent. Several times Rostov, turning over his head, wanted to fall asleep; but again someone’s remark entertained him, a conversation began again, and again causeless, cheerful, childish laughter was heard. At three o'clock no one had yet fallen asleep when the sergeant appeared with the order to march to the town of Ostrovne. With the same chatter and laughter, the officers hastily began to get ready; again they put the samovar on dirty water. But Rostov, without waiting for tea, went to the squadron. It was already dawn; the rain stopped, the clouds dispersed. It was damp and cold, especially in a wet dress. Coming out of the tavern, Rostov and Ilyin, both in the twilight of dawn, looked into the doctor’s leather tent, shiny from the rain, from under the apron of which the doctor’s legs stuck out and in the middle of which the doctor’s cap was visible on the pillow and sleepy breathing could be heard. - Really, she’s very nice! - Rostov said to Ilyin, who was leaving with him. - What a beauty this woman is! – Ilyin answered with sixteen-year-old seriousness. Half an hour later the lined up squadron stood on the road. The command was heard: “Sit down! – the soldiers crossed themselves and began to sit down. Rostov, riding forward, commanded: “March! - and, stretching out into four people, the hussars, sounding the slap of hooves on the wet road, the clanking of sabers and quiet talking, set off along the large road lined with birches, following the infantry and battery walking ahead. Torn blue-purple clouds, turning red at sunrise, were quickly driven by the wind. It became lighter and lighter. The curly grass that always grows along country roads was clearly visible, still wet from yesterday’s rain; The hanging branches of the birches, also wet, swayed in the wind and dropped light drops to their sides. The faces of the soldiers became clearer and clearer. Rostov rode with Ilyin, who did not lag behind him, on the side of the road, between a double row of birch trees. During the campaign, Rostov took the liberty of riding not on a front-line horse, but on a Cossack horse. Both an expert and a hunter, he recently got himself a dashing Don, a large and kind game horse, on which no one had jumped him. Riding this horse was a pleasure for Rostov. He thought about the horse, about the morning, about the doctor, and never once thought about the impending danger. Before, Rostov, going into business, was afraid; Now he did not feel the slightest sense of fear. It was not because he was not afraid that he was accustomed to fire (you cannot get used to danger), but because he had learned to control his soul in the face of danger. He was accustomed, when going into business, to think about everything, except for what seemed to be more interesting than anything else - about the upcoming danger. No matter how hard he tried or reproached himself for cowardice during the first period of his service, he could not achieve this; but over the years it has now become natural. He now rode next to Ilyin between the birches, occasionally tearing leaves from branches that came to hand, sometimes touching the horse’s groin with his foot, sometimes, without turning around, giving his finished pipe to the hussar riding behind, with such a calm and carefree look, as if he was riding ride. He felt sorry to look at Ilyin’s agitated face, who spoke a lot and restlessly; he knew from experience the painful state of waiting for fear and death in which the cornet was, and knew that nothing except time would help him. The sun had just appeared on a clear streak from under the clouds when the wind died down, as if it did not dare spoil this lovely summer morning after the thunderstorm; the drops were still falling, but vertically, and everything became quiet. The sun came out completely, appeared on the horizon and disappeared into a narrow and long cloud standing above it. A few minutes later the sun appeared even brighter on the upper edge of the cloud, breaking its edges. Everything lit up and sparkled. And along with this light, as if answering it, gun shots were heard ahead. Before Rostov had time to think about and determine how far these shots were, the adjutant of Count Osterman Tolstoy galloped up from Vitebsk with orders to trot along the road. The squadron drove around the infantry and battery, who were also in a hurry to go faster, went down the mountain and, passing through some empty village without inhabitants, climbed the mountain again. The horses began to lather, the people became flushed. - Stop, be equal! – the division commander’s command was heard ahead. - Left shoulder forward, step march! - they commanded from the front. And the hussars along the line of troops went to the left flank of the position and stood behind our lancers who were in the first line. On the right stood our infantry in a thick column - these were reserves; above it on the mountain, our guns were visible in the clean, clear air, in the morning, oblique and bright light, right on the horizon. Ahead, behind the ravine, enemy columns and cannons were visible. In the ravine we could hear our chain, already engaged and cheerfully clicking with the enemy. Rostov, as if hearing the sounds of the most cheerful music, felt joy in his soul from these sounds, which had not been heard for a long time. Tap ta ta tap! – suddenly, then several shots clapped quickly, one after another. Again everything fell silent, and again it was as if firecrackers were cracking as someone walked on them. The hussars stood in one place for about an hour. The cannonade began. Count Osterman and his retinue rode behind the squadron, stopped, talked with the regiment commander and rode off to the guns on the mountain. Following Osterman’s departure, the lancers heard a command: “Form into a column, form up to attack!” “The infantry ahead of them doubled their platoons to let the cavalry through. The lancers set off, their pike weather vanes swaying, and at a trot they went downhill towards the French cavalry, which appeared under the mountain to the left. As soon as the lancers went down the mountain, the hussars were ordered to move up the mountain, to cover the battery. While the hussars were taking the place of the lancers, distant, missing bullets flew from the chain, squealing and whistling. This sound, not heard for a long time, had an even more joyful and exciting effect on Rostov than the previous sounds of shooting. He, straightening up, looked at the battlefield opening from the mountain, and with all his soul participated in the movement of the lancers. The lancers came close to the French dragoons, something was tangled there in the smoke, and five minutes later the lancers rushed back not to the place where they stood, but to the left. Between the orange lancers on red horses and behind them, in a large heap, were visible blue French dragoons on gray horses. Rostov, with his keen hunting eye, was one of the first to see these blue French dragoons pursuing our lancers. Closer and closer the lancers and the French dragoons pursuing them moved in frustrated crowds. One could already see how these people, who seemed small under the mountain, collided, overtook each other and waved their arms or sabers. Rostov looked at what was happening in front of him as if he were being persecuted. He instinctively felt that if he now attacked the French dragoons with the hussars, they would not resist; but if you hit, you had to do it now, this minute, otherwise it will be too late. He looked around him. The captain, standing next to him, did not take his eyes off the cavalry below in the same way. “Andrey Sevastyanich,” said Rostov, “after all, we will doubt them...” “It would be a dashing thing,” said the captain, “but in fact... Rostov, without listening to him, pushed his horse, galloped ahead of the squadron, and before he had time to command the movement, how the entire squadron, experiencing the same thing as him, set off after him. Rostov himself did not know how and why he did it. He did all this, as he did on the hunt, without thinking, without thinking. He saw that the dragoons were close, that they were galloping, upset; he knew that they could not stand it, he knew that there was only one minute that would not return if he missed it. The bullets screeched and whistled around him so excitedly, the horse begged forward so eagerly that he could not stand it. He touched his horse, gave the command, and at the same moment, hearing behind him the sound of the stomping of his deployed squadron, at full trot, he began to descend towards the dragoons down the mountain. As soon as they went downhill, their trot gait involuntarily turned into a gallop, which became faster and faster as they approached their lancers and the French dragoons galloping behind them. The dragoons were close. The front ones, seeing the hussars, began to turn back, the rear ones stopped. With the feeling with which he rushed across the wolf, Rostov, releasing his bottom at full speed, galloped across the frustrated ranks of the French dragoons. One lancer stopped, one foot fell to the ground so as not to be crushed, one riderless horse got mixed up with the hussars. Almost all the French dragoons galloped back. Rostov, having chosen one of them on a gray horse, set off after him. On the way he ran into a bush; a good horse carried him over, and, barely able to cope in the saddle, Nikolai saw that in a few moments he would catch up with the enemy whom he had chosen as his target. This Frenchman was probably an officer - judging by his uniform, he was bent over and galloping on his gray horse, urging it on with a saber. A moment later, Rostov’s horse hit the rear of the officer’s horse with its chest, almost knocking it down, and at the same moment Rostov, without knowing why, raised his saber and hit the Frenchman with it.