In memory of Archimandrite Benedict, governor of Optina Hermitage
On January 22, at the 79th year of his life, after a serious illness, the abbot of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), reposed in the Lord. He was the creator and preserver of monastic life, as well as a sensitive spiritual father. This is what the archpastors and shepherds who knew him say about the newly deceased Archimandrite Benedict.
Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov)
“Father Benedict, like the Apostle Paul, carried all his children in his heart”
Gury, Bishop of Arsenyes and Dalnegorsk:
- When I came to faith, I first went to the Moscow priests, confessed to them, then went to the Holy Trinity Lavra. I remember going into the Church of St. John the Baptist, and there Father Benedict was conducting a general confession. I listened to him and immediately stood in line to see him, the line was huge, and I didn’t get to see him the first time. But I purposefully tried to get to this confessor for confession. The next time I come, I listened to the general confession, and then the Lord vouchsafed me, apparently for my persistence, to confess personally to the priest.
I reached out to him as to my spiritual father
And then, having attended a spiritual conversation with him, I already realized that his image lay on my heart, I reached out to him as to my spiritual father. I began to visit him often and asked him questions.
Father held amazing conversations, and not only with the spiritual children themselves - we also came to him with our parents. And with unbelieving parents! My mother became a believer thanks to her communication with him. Of course, the Lord brings us to Himself, but before my eyes and from my close circle He called many through Father Benedict.
Father constantly told me:
- Go to Father Kirill, go to Father Naum.
When I found myself at Father Naum’s, he asked who I was confessing to. I said.
“Father Benedict, like the Apostle Paul, carries all his children in his heart,” the elder said then.
All three - Fathers Kirill (Pavlov), Naum (Bayborodin) and the newly deceased Father Venedikt - left one after another. The Kingdom of heaven!
A glimpse of paradise
Archimandrite Melchizedek (Artyukhin) , rector of the Moscow metochion of Optina Hermitage:
Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov)
‒ The Vicar of the Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage, Archimandrite Venedikt, went to Heaven at one in the morning on January 22, 2021. He headed Optina Pustyn 27 years ago, on January 20, and left the field assigned to him then almost to the day. It’s interesting that his father, God’s servant Andrei, died 33 years ago on January 17th. Perhaps, while in Heaven, he called his son to him. These are observations of the Providence of God operating from generation to generation from the family of the deceased, with whom we have been in very close contact in recent days.
The main task of the viceroy is to create a brotherhood that lives the Gospel life, or at least sincerely and selflessly tries to live like that. Without proving anything to anyone, but simply loving God, the brethren gathered by Father Benedict can no longer live differently. People feel a sense of accomplishment. Even then, they don’t have to tell or suggest anything special. They see the example of Gospel living and are inspired to also follow the Gospel in their lives. It is not necessary to call yourself Christians or monks every now and then: it is better not to be called intrusively, but to be, than to be called and not to be. A book is valued not for the number of words or the thickness of the spine, but for its content. This is how people simply see how many humble, meek, spirit-bearing fathers have already been gathered in the Optina Hermitage, for whom love for God and neighbor is at the head of everything - and they strive to this holy monastery. Someone himself, you see, is already looking for monasticism.
In Optina Hermitage, the fathers demonstrate this golden mean of the royal Christian path: to please God and not to forget people. And sometimes it happens that people are loved, but they don’t care about God, they don’t go to church. Or vice versa: only service is on the agenda, but they forget about their neighbor. No, Father Benedict made it clear how interconnected all this is, he simply lived by the principle: when God comes first, everything else takes its place. He also taught the entire Optina brethren how to live.
In today's relaxed world there must be some kind of core, and people need solid examples of confession of faith. Elder Paisius the Svyatogorets said: “Monks are not lampposts that shine at people’s feet so that they do not stumble in the bustle, continuing to rush about their affairs, but they are lonely lighthouses that stand in a stormy sea and show the way to those who might be drowned.” ships."
Also F.M. Dostoevsky said: “Russian people seek nothing more than shrines and saints. He says: “I have untruth, lies, sin, but there must be someone holy and there must be truth somewhere, and there must be a shrine somewhere.” He thirsts for this shrine, he will find it and worship it, and glorify God.” Therefore, it is important to show this image of holy life, so that people in the world understand: “Yes, we have discord and untruth, but in the monasteries they live according to the Gospel, they have come to know the Truth.” This truth of life according to the commandments of the Gospel, as in previous centuries, and in our time, Optina Pustyn reveals. There are, of course, the greatest shrines there: miraculous icons, relics of elders, but the main thing is the continuation of spiritual life by modern monks.
This governor left 200 people of monks, soldiers of Christ
All Orthodox Moscow just now flocked to the Moscow courtyard of Optina Hermitage to the tomb of the father of the governor. This governor left 200 monks, soldiers of Christ. Archimandrite Benedict left many spiritual fathers and prayer monks for Orthodox Russia. There is nothing more valuable than prayer. The problem is not with the strong subsidiary farming of the monastery. One of the great people said about the Optina Hermitage: “How many she has made, and how many more she will make into inhabitants of heaven.”
Elder Barsanuphius of Optina wrote the following lines about the monastery:
Here the skies are clearer and their azure purer... Carrying a worldly yoke and making a sorrowful journey Amidst the darkness and rapids of life's thorny path, I was privileged to see a glimpse of paradise...
Today, Optina Pustyn represents this reflection of paradise - thanks to the feat, labors, and personal example of Father Venedikt.
What did he most often call for? Read the Holy Scripture, memorize the Holy Scripture, fulfill the Holy Scripture - and you will be saved! Let's pray for him. Eternal memory to him.
Restored shrine
Fraternal memorial service for Archimandrite Benedict January 23 2021
Archpriest Alexander Tikhonov , rector of the Church of the Prophet Elijah on Vorontsov Field:
‒ I studied at the seminary together with the nephew of Archimandrite Venedict, Father Alexei Penkov, now he serves in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Konkovo. For him, of course, his uncle was a model of a Christian and shepherd. He often consulted it himself, and in conversations he could give us an example. Although he himself was very modest. When he told us: “My uncle was appointed governor of Optina Pustyn,” we, his classmates, did not believe it. But then it really turned out that his uncle headed this most important monastery for Russia.
The first governor of the reviving Optina Hermitage was the current Metropolitan of Vladimir and Suzdal, Evlogy. Most likely, when Bishop Evlogy, appointed to the Vladimir See, left Optina Hermitage, he said his weighty word in favor of appointing Father Benedict in his place, who, while still a resident of the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra, had proven himself.
I remember I was in Optina Pustyn 30 years ago - when we graduated from school, we came there to work for the glory of God. What kind of hardships did everyone live in then! Bishop Eulogius did a lot, but restoration was still far away when he was transferred...
There was nothing there: no walls in dilapidated churches, no bell tower. The Temple of St. Mary of Egypt was generally a sham - four walls were built from plywood. From the outside you look: it looks like a temple, but when you come up: it’s made of plywood, just painted on the outside! Where the tower with the Angel was, they quickly built the only church in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, and they served there. But people were always packed into it like herrings in a barrel. The Kazan Cathedral was turned into a garage under Soviet rule. There were no vaults. The hipped slate roof, and the gate in the altar was broken through, through which trucks drove into the temple - a terrible sight... There was no eastern monastery wall, and there was no southern side wall. Everywhere you look, there used to be only ruins.
And what kind of tenants lived there! Some of them were simply drunkards, foul-mouthed people, brawlers and hooligans. There lived one such physical education teacher. We boys were already trying to rake something there. I remember they sent me from the icon painting workshop to bring water. I rinsed the bucket and poured the water on the grass - so he rushed at me with his fists. They were very disgusted by the restoration of the shrine there. This is the contingent that Father Venedikt had to deal with.
Worldly people also lived in St. John the Baptist Skete. At first, under Father Eulogy, only the hut of the Monk Ambrose was vacated, and everything else was already taken care of by Father Benedict, achieved. It's terrible what happened. And now - glory to God! The shrine has been restored. A monastic brotherhood has been assembled.
Eternal memory to the faithful servant of Christ!
REFERENCE:
Archimandrite Venedikt (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1973 from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree. In the 1970s he was a resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
In 1990, he was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with the name Benedict in honor of the Venerable Benedict of Nursia.
In 1990, he was appointed governor of Optina Hermitage and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Father Benedict led the life of the monastery for 27 years, starting in 1990.
On January 9, 2021, he underwent major surgery. A week after the operation, Father Venedikt was still in intensive care - postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and on January 22 he left this world...
X. Abbots of Optina Pustyn
Hieromonk Theodoret, builder
, mentioned in an extract from the Kozelsk scribe books of 1629, 1630 and 1631.
Hieromonk Isidore, builder
, mentioned in the extract and charter given to Pustyn from Tsar Feodor Alekseevich in 1675 and 1680.
Hieromonk Dorotheos, builder
, mentioned in the loose book under the contribution of Princess Sophia, in 1688.
Hieromonk Serapion, builder
, mentioned in the inscription on the festive Menaion, donated by Archimandrite Job of the Belevsky Transfiguration Monastery, in 1698; also, his family is recorded in the Synodikon.
Moses, abbot
, mentioned in the loose book and in the case of the monastery mill, under 1703 and 1704. But by all accounts, he was the first abbot of the monastery.
Dorofey, abbot
, is mentioned in the extract given to the monastery for the ownership of hay fields, by decree of Tsar Peter Alekseevich in 1709. Both from this extract and from other monastic acts, the commendable zeal of Fr. Dorofey for the benefit of the monastery, and the petition to Tsar Peter discovers in him a person knowledgeable in matters.
Four more abbots of the first half of the 18th century are mentioned in various places in the loose book.
Joasaph, abbot
, under 1716.
Leonid, abbot,
under 1717.
Between 1724 and 1726 the monastery was abolished. Before the abolition of the monastery, as can be seen from one act, the authority in it was construction and the last builder, apparently, was Hieromonk Leonty
; he also worked during the restoration of the Hermitage in 1726.
Sergius, builder,
under 1728.
Abraham, builder,
under 1731.
Paphnutius, abbot,
mentioned in monastic affairs under 1760.
From now on, all abbots are consistently mentioned in consistory decrees stored in the archives of the monastery.
Moses, abbot,
1762, entered by decree of Ambrose, Archbishop of Sarsk and Podonsk.
Philagry, abbot,
1763. Under him, a provision on ecclesiastical staffs followed, and Optina Pustyn was left as the last of the seven supernumerary monasteries of the Krutitsa diocese with a construction authority and 7 monastics.
Nikanor, builder
, determined in 1765, November 18, from the hieromonks of the Pafnutyev Borovsky Monastery, by decree of His Grace Ambrose, Archbishop of Krutitsky and Mozhaisk; reposed in the monastery on March 27, 1768.
Before the appointment of a new abbot, this position was filled by the treasurer of the monastery, Hieromonk Serapion.
Aristarchus, abbot,
determined on December 3, 1770, by decree of Sylvester, Bishop of Krutitsky and Mozhaisk; at the same time, he was ordered to be the main manager of affairs in the Kozelsky spiritual board. From the clergy, he was born in the Arzamas district, the village of Shupov. Ordained as a deacon in the city of Arzamas in the parish church of the Life-Giving Trinity, with the blessing of His Eminence Pitirim, Archbishop of Nizhny Novgorod, in Moscow, by His Eminence Arseny, Metropolitan of Thebaid, July 1733, 31 days. He was tonsured a monk in 1749 at the Vladimir Spassky Zlatovrat Monastery, by order of Plato, Bishop of Vladimir, by Abbot Irinarch. Being a hierodeacon, he was first in the Vladimir bishop's house until 1751; then he held the treasury position in the Tsarekonstantinov and Bogolyubov monasteries from 1751 to 1759; and from 1759 to 1761 he was in the Vladimir Seminary Mother of God Monastery and present in the former seminary office. After being ordained as a hieromonk in the Cross Annunciation Church by His Grace Anthony, Bishop of Vladimir, from 1761 he was appointed treasurer in the Vladimir Bishop's House; in 1762 he was promoted to abbot of the Bogolyubov Monastery, with the correction of the previous treasury position until 1764; from 1765 to 1766 he was present in the Vladimir Spiritual Consistory; in 1767, due to infirmity, he was dismissed from the management of the Bogolyubov Monastery and assigned to the Tsarekonstantinov Monastery for a hieromonastic portion, where he remained until his appointment as abbot at Optina Pustyn, i.e. until 1770; died here in 1775. He is worthy of special memory for his vigilant care for the support and organization of the monastery, which, so to speak, extended its existence until the era when the attention of the Right Reverend Plato and the labors of the unforgettable Abraham prepared for it a present, flourishing state.
Hieromonk Theodosius, builder
, determined on January 23, 1775, from the economists of the Krutitsky bishop's house, with the correction of the economic position, pending the decree that followed on October 19 of the same 1775. We don’t know whether he died in the monastery or was transferred to another place; Only from the papers it is clear that in 1779 he held the position of a builder in Optina Pustyn.
Hieromonk Cornelius,
former successor of Theodosius and in economic position; but in November 1780, Cornelius, in accordance with his wishes, was returned to his former economic position.
Alexander, builder
, appointed December 22, 1780 from the hieromonks of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra; died in 1782.
Hieromonk Cornelius
, from the economists of the Krutitsky bishop's house, for the second time appointed to the builders of the Hermitage, by decree of July 25, 1782, with the correction of the economic position.
Hieromonk Nikolai, builder
, one of the governors of the Pafnutev Borovsky Monastery was appointed on October 26, 1782, but, at his request, on February 1, 1783, due to poor health and old age, he was dismissed from this position and left alone in his monastery. The hermitage was left under the supervision of the Borovsky archimandrite Sylvester and the Optina treasurer, hieromonk Arseny.
Andrey, builder
, was appointed on May 31, 1783, from the hieromonks of the Moscow Chudov Monastery, and in 1789, January 29, due to old age, he was retired to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, on sick leave.
Joasaph, builder
, identified on January 29, 1789 from David’s Hermitage, where he was also in a construction position. Left for Moscow.
Anthony, builder,
since 1792, from the hieromonks of the Pesnoshsky monastery. Left for Moscow.
Joseph, builder,
appointed on February 1, 1795 from the hieromonks of the Pesnoshsky monastery in order to be, as stated in the resolution of Metropolitan Platon, “under the supervision and order of the Pesnoshsky abbot Macarius.” He introduced the charter and order of the Pesnoshsky Monastery into the monastery. Dismissed at his own request due to poor health.
Abraham, abbot,
the ever-memorable restorer of the monastery. Originally from the burghers of the city of Ruza; dismissed by society as a monk in 1789, and assigned by decree to the Pesnoshsky Monastery as a member of the brotherhood in 1790; tonsured a monk on April 6, 1791; ordained hieromonk in 1792: appointed builder at Optina Pustyn in 1796; 1801 promoted to abbot of the Likhvinsky Intercession of the Good Monastery, with management and Optina, but in the same year, due to weakness, he refused to manage the Dobrinsky monastery and was still in charge of Optina Pustina in the rank of abbot; died in the same Desert in 1817 on January 14th. As a monk, he was a saving example of an active Christian life, for which he received unfeigned love from the brotherhood he gathered and the surrounding residents, who still honor the memory of the pious elder by serving memorial services at his tomb.
Markell, builder,
elected to this position from the brotherhood of the monastery; was a temporary housekeeper at the Kaluga Bishop's House, from 1808 to 1810; and in 1812, at the request of the hard-pressed Abraham, he was appointed as his assistant, “in everything related to saving and organizing the monastery.” In 1819, according to his wishes, he was dismissed from the abbotship and transferred to the brotherhood of the Tikhonova Kaluga Hermitage.
Daniel, abbot
, entered in 1819 from the economists of the Kaluga Bishop's House; in 1825 he was promoted to archimandrite at the Pokrovsky Dobrinsky monastery, and from there - to Trubchevsky Cholsky, where he died. During his abbotship, a monastery was built at the monastery and the charter of the Konevskaya monastery was introduced, with the blessing of His Grace Philaret, Bishop of Kaluga and Borovsk.
Moses, archimandrite
, a man full of spiritual wisdom, unforgettable for Optina Pustyn with his tireless labors and care for it, with the assistance of the elders, hieroschemamonks Leo and Macarius, who brought the monastery into a flourishing state, both in its internal and external appearance. Originally from the Moscow merchants Putilov. Born on January 15, 1782. Leaving worldly life, 1805–1808 he lived in the Sarov Desert. From 1809 to 1811 - in the Svensky Monastery of the Oryol diocese; then for more than 10 years he spent a desert life in the Roslavl forests; on June 7, 1821, at the invitation of His Grace Philaret, the former bishop of Kaluga and Borovsk, he arrived with a small brotherhood in Optina Pustyn and was appointed head of the monastery, established through his efforts, monastery June 1822, 3 days tonsured into the mantle; of the same year, on December 24, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on the 25th, a hieromonk, and made the common confessor of the monastery and monastery brethren. 1825 appointed to the position of builder of Optina Pustyn by His Eminence Philaret; in 1826 he was approved as a builder by the Reverend Gregory; On September 5, 1837, he was promoted to abbot by His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Kaluga and Borovsk, and in 1841 he was awarded the pectoral cross. In 1853, on July 12, as a result of the presentation of His Grace Gregory II, Bishop of Kaluga and Borovsk, by decree of the Holy Synod, with the Highest permission, he was elevated to the position of archimandrite; and in 1859, for 2 days in May, he was assigned to the Order of St. Anne, 2nd degree. In 1862, in his dying illness, on June 6 he was tonsured into the Great Schema, and on the 16th he rested peacefully in the Lord. He was the head of the monastery he founded for 4 years, then the abbot of this monastery for 37 years: he spent 57 years in the monastic rank; and his entire life was 80 years and 5 months.
Isaac, abbot,
from Kursk honorary citizens, in the world - Ivan Ivanovich Antimonov, abbot of Optina Pustyn since 1862.
