“Saratov is crying.” The Simbirsk diocese was headed by Metropolitan Longin, Bishop Joseph goes to Buryatia

Longin (Korchagin)
(born 1961), Metropolitan of Simbirsk and Novospassky, head of the Simbirsk Metropolis In the world Vladimir Sergeevich Korchagin, born on July 31, 1961 in the city of Sukhumi, Abkhazian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, into a family of employees.

In 1977 he graduated from high school, in the same year he entered the evening department of the philological faculty of the Abkhaz State University.

From 1979 to 1981 he worked as a tour guide, and from 1981 to 1983 as a teacher of Russian language and literature in high school.

In 1982 he graduated from Abkhaz State University.

From October 1983 to May 1985 he served in the Armed Forces. After demobilization, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary.

In May 1986 he was accepted into the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

On July 21, 1986, he was tonsured a monk with the name Longinus, in honor of the martyr Longinus the Centurion.

On August 29, 1986, he was ordained a hierodeacon.

On June 7, 1988 he was ordained hieromonk.

In 1988 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and was accepted into the 1st year of the Moscow Theological Academy. In October of the same year, he was sent to study in Bulgaria, at the Sofia Theological Academy of St. Clement of Ohrid. During his studies in Bulgaria, he served as a freelance priest in the Russian Church of St. Nicholas in Sofia.

In 1992 he graduated from the Theological Faculty of Sofia State University. In July 1992, he returned to the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and served as assistant housekeeper.

On December 15, 1992, he was appointed rector of the Metochion of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in Moscow.

In May 1994 he was elevated to the rank of abbot.

On April 15, 2000, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

On May 7, 2003, he was determined to be Bishop of Saratov and Volsky.

On August 13 of the same year he was named, and on August 19 he was consecrated Bishop of Saratov and Volsky.
The ordination in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow was led by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. Concelebrating with him were: Metropolitans of Krutitsky and Kolomna Yuvenaly (Poyarkov), Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev), Voronezh and Borisoglebsky Sergius (Fomin), Elassonsky Vasily (Kolokas) (Hellenic Orthodox Church), Nevrokopsky Nathanael (Kalaidzhiev) (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Chernivtsi and Bukovinsky Onufriy (Berezovsky); Archbishops of Tula and Belevsky Alexy (Kutepov), Tver and Kashinsky Victor (Oleynik), Kostroma and Galichsky Alexander (Mogilev), Istra Arseny (Epifanov), Tikhvinsky Konstantin (Goryanov), Vereisky Evgeny (Reshetnikov), Yaroslavl and Rostov Kirill (Nakonechny) ; Bishops of Penza and Kuznetsk Filaret (Karagodin), Tomsk and Asinovsky Rostislav (Devyatov), ​​Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexy (Frolov), Tiraspol and Dubossary Justinian (Ovchinnikov), Krasnogorsk Savva (Volkov), Baku and Caspian Alexander (Ishchein), Stavropol and Vladikavkaz Feofan (Ashurkov), Dmitrovsky Alexander (Agrikov), Sergiev Posad Feognost (Guzikov), Bryansk and Sevsky Theophylact (Moiseev), Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas Georgy (Danilov), Lyubertsy Veniamin (Zaritsky). On December 26, 2003, he was appointed rector of the Saratov Theological Seminary.

On November 24, 2007, he was elected to the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation from all-Russian public organizations for the second time.

On October 6, 2011, he was appointed head of the Saratov Metropolis [1].

On October 8, 2011, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan by Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) of Moscow and All Rus' in the Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra [2].

On December 13, 2011, he assumed the duties of rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the city of Saratov [3].

On June 7, 2012, he was confirmed as rector (hieroarchimandrite) of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in the city of Saratov [4].

On August 25, 2021, he was appointed Metropolitan of Simbirsk and Novospassky, head of the Simbirsk Metropolis, with release from the administration of the Saratov diocese.

“Saratov is crying.” The Simbirsk diocese was headed by Metropolitan Longin, Bishop Joseph goes to Buryatia

On August 25, the Holy Synod decided to appoint Metropolitan Longin of Saratov and Volsk as head of the Simbirsk diocese. Metropolitan Joseph of Simbirsk and Novospassky is transferred to the see in Buryatia.

The new metropolitan is 59 years old, born in Sukhumi into a family of employees. He graduated from the evening department of the Faculty of Philology of the Abkhaz State University. He worked as a tour guide and taught Russian language and literature at a high school. He served in the army, and after demobilization he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. After graduation, he was sent to study at the Sofia Theological Academy. During his studies in Bulgaria, he served as a priest in the Russian Church of St. Nicholas in Sofia. In 1992, after completing his studies, he returned to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and served as an assistant housekeeper. In 1992, he was appointed rector of the Moscow metochion of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In 2003 he was ordained Bishop of Saratov and Volsky, and in 2011 he was appointed head of the newly formed Saratov Metropolis. On October 8, 2011, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. He is the rector of the Saratov Orthodox Theological Seminary, a higher religious educational institution; Chairman of the editorial board of the magazine “Orthodoxy and Modernity”, member of the editorial board of the magazine “Alpha and Omega”.

“I have been transferred to another department. It is difficult for me to express in words the feelings that I am experiencing right now. Over these years, I have become close to the city, the diocese and, most importantly, the people with whom the Lord united me,” writes Metropolitan Longin on his Facebook page. “I am immensely grateful to God for everyone who helped me carry out my obedience these years and created church life with me on Saratov land. It pains me very much to part with you, my dears, but you will forever remain in my heart. May the Lord bless the Saratov land and everyone living on it with peace, prosperity and prosperity. From the bottom of my heart I apologize to everyone who I have offended in any way. Let joint prayer continue to unite us, despite the distances.”

Separately, we highlight several comments under Longin’s post about the transfer to the Ulyanovsk region:

Anna Danilova, pravmir.ru publication: “The era of Bishop Metropolitan Longin in Saratov has ended. Saratov is crying. How much has been done, how many churches have been restored... We recently talked about this with the Bishop. Very sad. Very.”

Anton Glozman: “I lived in Saratov until the 11th grade, my mother worked all her life in the Saratov Museum of Local History. I confirm, Saratov is crying. Vladyka Longin was really able to win over many people to the Church - the local museum community, the intelligentsia (despite the fact that relations before him were, to put it mildly, very strained). It’s a terrible pity for Saratov.”

Denis Svechnikov: “It’s a pity. I studied at the Saratov Seminary in absentia, everyone had very good reviews of Bishop Longin, and he himself gave the impression of a very worthy archpastor. I hope that in his new place he will be able to bring as much benefit as in Saratov.”

Metropolitan Joseph headed the Simbirsk diocese for only a year: in August 2019, he replaced Bishop Anastasy. During this time, several scandals arose around the local Russian Orthodox Church: the case of the exchange of the pavilion, for which the former vice-mayor of Ulyanovsk Mikhail Sychev is now in pre-trial detention; Joseph also suspended the Ulyanovsk archpriest from service for three years for membership in United Russia. Joseph’s right hand, the rector of the Annunciation Church, Hieromonk Tikhon, was accused of raising prices and dismissing employees. Also discussed was the ban on holding funeral services at home, only in the church at the Isheevskoye cemetery. Under Joseph, the site for the construction of a new cathedral of the Spassky Monastery in the center of Ulyanovsk was consecrated.

Awards

• Mace (1996)
• pectoral cross with decorations (1998)
• Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II degree (2011) [5]
• memorial patriarchal panagia (February 1, 2015, for diligent archpastoral labors and in memory of the visit to the Saratov diocese) [6]
• Order of St. equal to Cyril and Methodius, 1st degree (February 15, 2015, Bulgarian Orthodox Church) [7]
• Order of St. Innocent of Moscow II Art. (2016)
• Order of St. Dmitry Basarabovsky II Art. (2017; Bulgarian Orthodox Church)

Secular

• honorary badge “For active work in patriotic education of citizens of the Russian Federation” (2008) [8]

Classics lessons: education of feelings

- Vladyka, have there been situations in your life, in the lives of people close to you, when a book radically changed your life? After all, this happens. And why exactly do books have such an ability to change a person’s life, his worldview?

– I really know many cases when a book read, if it did not change a person’s life, then at least had a very strong influence on it. Moreover, these could be a variety of books - not only the Gospel or spiritual literature. Let’s say, in the years of my youth, I knew several people who, having read the novel “The Master and Margarita” - a book outstanding in literary terms, but very controversial in all other respects, became so interested in the gospel theme, which was practically not heard at that time (this was at the turn of 1970). –1980s) that this became a reason for them to find and read the Gospel. Many of them became believers, and even in my memory, more than one or two people. Here everything turned out according to the proverb: “An expensive egg for Christ’s day.” When there is a demand for a topic, a book, albeit controversial, can serve as that slight push that will cause an avalanche to roll down the mountain.

I myself have read and am reading a lot. It so happened in my life that my mother taught me, even forced me at first, to read. My mother’s friends had a very good library - such a typical library of Soviet intellectuals in the humanities with collected works of classics: Dickens, Balzac, Dumas, Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy... Later I wondered how I even managed to stand it: my mother forced me to read not just individual works - namely, collected works, volume after volume. Fortunately, I was freed from the need to read the letters - then I did not understand at all why they were being published. Now I already know that letters are the most interesting thing in collected works.

I read quite a lot of books and at some point I became so engrossed that later my mother had to limit me: I read in class, under a blanket with a flashlight. The funniest incident was probably in the seventh grade, when I was caught in class reading another book from the collected works of Balzac. The book was under the desk. The teacher took it out, looked at the book, at me, and respectfully gave it back to me.

I learned to read quickly and became almost an omnivore. Then the philology department, where I had to read a lot of books simply out of necessity, according to the program: Russian, foreign, and modern literature. I was registered in five or six libraries in the city and always took a lot of books there.

I’m telling this just to make it clear: I have quite a lot of reading experience, I hope I have knowledge of literature and a taste for reading. And that’s why I remember very well my impressions of the first patristic books I read - these were Abba Dorotheos, “The Ladder” by St. John and “The Fatherland” by Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov). When I read these three books - this was in the first months of my studies at the seminary - I said to myself: that’s it, I won’t read anything else but this

. And indeed, for a long time I did not read any other literature except spiritual literature. Then gradually, after a few years, I began to read again, primarily rereading the classics.

So I can testify from personal experience: a book can have a very significant impact on a person. Why? A book is the most optimal educational tool developed by human culture. Thanks to good books, a person can learn a lot. First of all, he receives the necessary education of feelings - something that people who do not read have absolutely nowhere else to get. Isn’t it possible to learn this on the Internet, with its constant swearing, meager and often literally inappropriate vocabulary?

A person who reads classical literature gets the opportunity to perceive high concepts - such as friendship, love, honor, loyalty, valor, heroism. Although today, probably, this may seem funny to someone... In addition, he seems to enter the world of human history, puts himself in a certain place in the historical process, because classical fiction is always historical.

And among other things, books are an important tool for understanding the world. It’s one thing when a child learns something at school, say, geography or history: he is required to memorize names, highest points, minerals or dates of certain battles, names of kings, generals with the dates of their lives, and so on. Of course, it is very difficult, especially in childhood and adolescence, to be interested in this. And books - fiction, historical, educational literature - broaden your horizons and create such a context that everything is remembered naturally. Let’s say, it’s one thing to study biology from a textbook, another thing to study biology from the books of Gerald Durrell.

Therefore, literature, in my opinion, is not just a part of human culture - it is its foundation. Maybe, of course, someone will argue with this, but I, as a person with a humanitarian bent, believe that this is so.

Unfortunately, today, when you communicate with young people, you see that the vast majority of them did not have the opportunity to learn to read books. And if a person doesn’t like, isn’t accustomed to reading, it’s not just sad, it’s tragic. I know a lot of wonderful young people with remarkable inclinations, whose development nevertheless ends at the level of the seventh grade of secondary school. They cannot rise above this level because they are not accustomed to read. Unfortunately, today there are more and more such people.

- Is it possible to teach a person to read if he does not have the skill, the habit of reading acquired in childhood or youth? Your experience - as a rector of a seminary, a former abbot of a monastery...

“This worked out in the monastery, because the person who comes to the monastery is determined to be obedient. I blessed: “Here is a book for you, read,” and he read. Unfortunately, this works much worse in seminary. So I will say: it is possible, but difficult. Still, it is very important for parents to “catch the moment” when a child can be interested in reading.

Vladyka Longin: “Ulyanovsk is not an exile!”

The arrival of the new ruler has already become a reason for “hot” publications in the Ulyanovsk media. Their authors wrote that Metropolitan Longin is replacing Ulyanovsk abbots with Saratov ones.

- Yes, I brought a team with me - this is a normal situation. But I’m not going to exchange locals for visitors - I don’t have such a task. I issued several decrees on appointments to vacant places, or places that did not exist before. For example, I appointed my personal secretary as rector of the church in honor of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia at the bishop's residence. This temple is new, it has never served before - Vladyka Joseph completed it on the day of his departure. We ourselves gave it the name when we learned the history of this house (the former mansion of the merchant Sachkov on Karl Marx Street, where more than 300 Ulyanovsk residents were shot in 1937 - editor's note ), the Metropolitan explained. - But, of course, this does not mean that I promise that there will be no personnel changes at all. Everything happens; a bishop is an overseer; my task is to ensure that the subordinate clergy works actively and successfully. And if I understand that my conversations, requests, and persuasion are not being accepted, I will make personnel decisions, like any manager in any field.

The Bishop noted that in his work he formulated two main tasks - the construction of new churches in cities - where people live, caring for architectural monuments, and also the education of selfless and pious clergy.

The Bishop noted that in his work he formulated two main tasks - the construction of new churches in cities - where people live, caring for architectural monuments, and also the education of selfless and pious clergy. During the 17 years that he headed the Saratov diocese, many churches were built: since 2003, their number in Saratov itself has increased from 14 to 64, and in the area of ​​parishes there have been more than 400 (there were 40).

Ulyanovsk, according to Metropolitan Longin, has its own characteristics: few churches; Most of the new ones are tiny, wooden, and services are held in them rarely, on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Bishop also commented on the information that appeared on the Internet that for the metropolitans Simbirsk has become “Siberia” - frequent changes in leadership have given rise to rumors that serving here is like “exile.”

Ulyanovsk, according to Metropolitan Longin, has its own characteristics: few churches; Most of the new ones are tiny, wooden, and services are held in them rarely, on Saturdays and Sundays.

- I don’t take this as a link - it was apparently said out of some kind of resentment. I see no formal reason to perceive this with such strain. Yes, in order for a territory to develop sustainably, it is necessary that there is no frequent change of leadership. But Vladyka Proclus served here for many years and died, Vladyka Anastassy lived to retirement age and left. I made no effort to get here, and I will not make any effort to leave here. “I am ready to serve until the end of my days,” said Bishop Longin.

The Metropolitan shared his plans for the development of a convent on Dvortsovaya (near the Versailles shopping center). With the help of a benefactor, they plan to restore the cathedral. Plus, the architects were given a rather difficult task to create a project for the general appearance of the monastery - there are only a few “pockets” left of it, and therefore the task is to connect them into a single territory.

The Bishop noted that in Ulyanovsk epidemiological measures are treated less strictly than in Saratov - on his instructions, non-contact thermometers have already been purchased for church parishioners. As for the possible increase in the cost of demand, then, according to the Metropolitan, everything depends on the economic situation in the country:

— If a loaf of bread costs 100 rubles, and a candle costs 5 rubles, after some time the people who work in the church will not be able to buy bread.

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