short biography
On April 13, 1955, in the village of Usva, a boy Kolya was born into an ordinary Soviet family. His father was an engineer. After graduating from the Tolyatti school, he was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet army.
At the age of 22, in 1977, he was ordained to the rank of deacon, the rite of ordination in the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in the city of Kuibyshev was performed by Archbishop of Kuibyshev and Syzran John (Snychev).
Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov
After his ordination, Nikolai Agafonov, as a deacon of the Kazan Church in Togliatti, organizes a youth group that meets underground.
The Penza diocese met the young priest in 1979, Archbishop Veraphim (Tikhonov) of Penza and Saransk ordained him to the rank of presbyter and blessed him as rector of the Church of St. Michael in the village of Vadinsk.
Two years, 1982-1984 Father Nikolai is the rector of the Kuznetsk Kazan Church, then he is sent to Volgograd as the rector of the Nikitsky Church, and a year later he is already a priest in the Kazan Cathedral.
After graduating from the Moscow Theological Seminary, while studying at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg, he was appointed rector of St. Michael’s Church in Lomonosov. In 1991, by decision of the Holy Synod, he headed the leadership of the Theological Seminary in Saratov as rector.
In 1995 he moved as rector of the Temple of the Kazan Holy Image of the Mother of God to the village. Called to the Saratov region, and a year later returned to Volgograd as rector of the Church of the Great Martyr Paraskeva, while simultaneously heading the missionary department.
Interesting! As the head of the missionary department of the Volgograd diocese, he participated in the construction of two floating missionary churches. For this amazing creation, the Holy Church awarded him an award - the Order of St. Innocent, 3rd degree.
2001 marked the beginning of the priest’s literary activity; a year later the magazine “Father’s Land” published the stories of Father Nikolai.
In 2005 he became a laureate of the All-Russian Prize in the field of literature “Crystal Rose of Viktor Rozov”, and in 2007 he received the Prize of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.
In addition to the awards listed above, he was awarded;
- in 1993, a Cross with decorations for the revival of the Theological Seminary in Saratov;
- Mitra in 2005.
2007-2009 - Father Agafonov - teacher of the course “Fundamentals of Theology” at the Theological Seminary of Sretensk.
As a member of the Russian Writers' Union, he was awarded the Patriarchal Prize in 2014.
Patriarchal Literary Prize 2014
The word “oncology” made its own adjustments to the life of the priest, who served the Creator until his last breath, not forgetting the Lord’s instructions to “Rejoice!” He died quietly, at the end of the unction, with his eyes fixed on the sky. This happened on June 17, 2021.
The Lord granted Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov a peaceful death in the arms of his wife and children. On June 19, 2021, thousands of parishioners in Samara saw off their beloved mentor and counselor on his last journey.
Everyone cried over his stories
Today is the 9th day after the repose of the wonderful Russian writer Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov. It’s even somehow strange to consider the Day of the Holy Spirit as the day of death - this is a celebration of eternal life, to which God called His tireless worker. And the priest himself continues to call his readers to the Church, to salvation.
Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov
The inviting grace of literature
Archimandrite Georgy (Shestun) , rector of the Trans-Volga Monastery in honor of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and the Trinity-Sergius Metochion of Samara:
– Father Nikolai is a very good, kind person. Glad! How he loved the Church. People of the Church. He himself was a man of the Church. I did a lot. He was the rector of the Saratov Seminary. I opened it and picked it up from scratch. The ruling bishop - then Bishop Pimen (Khmelevsky) - immediately told him: “Feed them as you want,” times were difficult then, the diocese had no money.
Mother Ioanna, the priest’s wife, then cooked borscht for all the seminarians herself. Or, it would happen that she would take butter out of the refrigerator, and Father Nikolai, joyful, would intercept: “This is for the guys for breakfast!” He perceived seminarians as part of his family.
Archimandrite Georgy (Shestun) was very responsive to anyone’s need or need. I remember when we just decided to open the Samara Theological School, we went to Father Nikolai in Saratov. He greeted us so warmly and loaded us with a whole trunk of curriculum, programs, and textbooks. One could feel the breadth of a real Russian person in him. Loved to share.
When he was transferred to Volgograd and put in charge of the missionary department, he, sick of the devastated Cossack villages of the south, where churches were the first to be destroyed during dispossession, came up with a floating temple-ship and sent it across the Don! He floats up to the village, the bells ring - immediately people come running, right there he baptizes hundreds of them right in the river, confesses them, gives them communion, crowns them... Then he said:
“The temple played its role then: in those villages where he went, they now built their own churches.”
So at some point this floating temple was already pulled ashore, and Father Nikolai, having been removed from everywhere, was appointed rector of it... There was no salary there, there was nothing to simply pay it with, but then, later, rejoicing, he said: he has a lot of time! And he began to write.
I remember that we somehow ended up together at our ruling bishop, Metropolitan Sergius of Samara and Togliatti, and the bishop suddenly pulled out a folder with manuscripts.
“Father Nikolai, I read your stories. Very wonderful! It needs to be published,” and hands it to me. “Take it and read it.”
They moved me to tears. So we, in our supplement “Crimson Ring” to the “Orthodox People's Newspaper”, published the first book of Father Nikolai, “The Restless Folly of Simple Stories.” Thanks to her, a wide readership learned about the priest. The circulation sold out instantly. We printed more. Then there was a re-release. It was then, in the early 2000s, that it turned out to be one of the most read books.
Father Nikolai was accepted into the Writers' Union. And it happened like this. All documents were submitted, but the meeting of the Union Board still could not take place. And then one day Valery Ganichev, the chairman - he was still alive then - walks past the secretary, and she sits, crying. "Why are you crying?" - asks. “Yes, some archpriest,” he says, “I read stories, so touching.” “Is he a member of our Union?” – Ganichev clarifies. - “Not yet, he just submitted the documents.” - “So what? We urgently need to assemble the Board and accept it!”
Father Nikolai Agafonov on a floating ship calls people to service
So they accepted it. Our Samara writer, Alexey Alekseevich Solonitsyn, also wrote a recommendation for him.
Father Nikolai loved to give away his books. His whole soul is in them - cheerful, open, friendly.
Father John (Krestyankin), by the way, also really loved the books of Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov. Archimandrite Joseph (Bratishchev), the governor of the Solovetsky Monastery at that time, said that Father John often sent him to the bookstore: “Bring me the books of Father Nicholas.” So he simply carried his books in piles to the elder’s cell. Father John gave them away to the clergy and bishops. “First of all, read the story “Friends,” he said.
Elder John (Krestyankin), giving books from Father Nicholas, said: “First of all, read the story “Friends””
Father Nikolai, I remember, also told how he took his future mother Joanna as his wife. “They will come,” he said, “to a friend from the seminary, who is already married, and let’s talk about what kind of wife a priest should have... The mother-hostess listened and listened to them, but could not stand it: “Are you even believers?!” “Well, yes, believers...” the seminarians were confused. - “Why are you all arguing and arguing about what kind of mother should be?! Pray! May God send you a good wife. Pray to St. Sergius - that’s all!”
And he obeyed! Every morning he began to go to the shrine of St. Sergius: “Give me a good wife...”
And he begged. They introduced him to Zhanna. This is the eldest daughter of the famous Samara archpriest Ioann Derzhavin. There are a total of 11 children in the family, all in the service of the Church: now priests and mothers. And then he saw her: “An angel... This is an angel,” he recalled. He spoke very anxiously about the first meeting.
“Listen, why are you still studying? – Father Evgeniy Zubovich, the rector in Tolyatti, who was familiar to him, once began asking him, a seminarian. - Let's switch to correspondence. Do you have a bride in mind? “Yes,” he answers, “Derzhavina...” “Oh! I know their family, I’m friends with Father John. You need to get wooed somehow.” He is perplexed: “How? I don’t know how or what...” “I’ll arrange it. Let’s go there under the guise of fishing,” he takes matters into his own hands.
And so they get into the Zhiguli. As soon as we arrived, Father Eugene hugged Father John, whispered something in his ear, and he turned: “Oh! Son-in-law! Come on in."
And then, he said, he arrived with his mother and asked the bride’s father: “Father John, do you mind me proposing to Zhanna?” “No, I don’t mind,” he answers. “Then I’ll ask her?” – Nikolai clarifies. “Why...” he was surprised, “to ask?..”
It used to be the same: the parents gave their blessing - that means everything is decided! But, seeing the groom’s confusion, he laughed: “Well, as you wish. If you want, ask."
And so they got married.
Of course, he got a wonderful father-in-law. “Father John,” recalled Father Nikolai, “had no interests other than the Church. His concerns: vestments - miters he embroidered; he made the incense himself... He was such a mystic, he knew some subtleties: “cherub incense”, for example, “Annunciation oil” ... "
I remember once asking Father John (we also knew each other): “How did you feed such a large family in Soviet times?” And he shows me a photo of a woodpile in the yard: “Look: this is not firewood, these are pike perch. I froze them in the yard all winter and fed them in the winter. I rode behind them on horseback.”
Father Nikolai himself sometimes went through difficult times financially. But when I had the means, I always loved to gather guests, treat them, and share what I had. An amazing person with the broadest soul. A true Russian priest is open, generous, warm-hearted, merciful, cheerful.
A real Russian priest is open, generous, warm-hearted, merciful, cheerful
His voice was always so joyful, loud, booming. He sang very beautifully. He liked to somehow inspire everyone.
Father Nikolai praised other people all the time. He meets someone and starts telling him what a wonderful person he is!
All my life I loved to travel. Having “suffered” as a child reading the novels of Jules Verne and Mine Reid in distant countries, the more I fell in love with Russia. He perceived the whole country as his own home. He traveled tirelessly around the country, meeting with readers. These were also always missionary conversations.
Father Nikolai and Mother Ioanna Agafonova shortly after the wedding. In our last interview with him before his death (will be published in the next issue of the magazine “Spiritual Interlocutor.” - Ed.), we talked, in particular, about the grace of culture and literature: as the thinker Ivan noted Ilyin, this is a “sermon on the porch”, there may be grace in them, but this is not a saving grace, but a calling one. “It calls on a person to think about the meaning of life, to think about whether he is living correctly,” Father Nikolai said then. But in the Church, he already emphasized, grace is saving.
Father Nikolai left very courageously. I remember that seven priests gathered together and performed unction on him in the hospital. Then they gathered at home and celebrated unction.
“Okay, that’s it, brothers. Forgive me,” he tells us. “I can’t take it anymore, I’m leaving...”
That’s how it was on the day of Communion – his son, the priest, gave communion. During the unction, when the closest clergy friends gathered. Mother Joanna held his hand. He sighed and... went. To God. He walked towards God all his life.
It’s impossible to say better than what he told about himself in his books. A wonderful Russian man.
Mortal memory from Leo Tolstoy and carte blanche to the seminary from Dostoevsky
Father Nikolai Agafonov and priest Andrei Stepanov
Priest Andrey Stepanov , cleric of the Nikolo-Perervinsky Monastery, leading specialist of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church:
– Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov became a laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize in 2014. As the curator of the educational project “Joy of the Word,” I then invited the priest to participate in our exhibition-forum. Father Nikolai immediately responded. He turned out to be very cordial and, as we later became convinced more than once, a reliable person. I was ready to communicate both with children and hold meetings with adult audiences. He found a common language with everyone. And for me, as an organizer, it was always easy and simple with him. The experience of his ministry and life is priceless to me. I lost my father very early, and in many ways Father Nikolai replaced my dad.
You could talk frankly with Father Nikolai on any topic, open your soul - he let everything through his heart and gave sincere, wise advice.
On all our trips, Father Nikolai somehow organically became the life of the party. He offered topics of interest to everyone for discussion, could make a witty joke, tell some funny story or sing a song.
He was unrecognizable at the altar. I repeatedly observed how he was completely concentrated at the Throne - at that moment for him there was only the miracle of the Eucharist and nothing distracted him. One could learn a lot from him, as a priest.
He was all concentrated at the Throne - at that moment only the miracle of the Eucharist existed for him
He was never arrogant, did not boast of any of his skills or achievements. He was even and easy to communicate with everyone. One could listen to his stories endlessly. He was especially wonderful at reading his stories, fragments of novels and stories. He once shared that when he writes, he can cry, worry, and rejoice. It was sometimes even difficult, he admitted, to understand for those who found him sobbing over the manuscript.
I myself became acquainted with his work as a child, when I came across his small brochure “Uninvented Stories”. Then, on our trips, I repeatedly saw how people came up to Father Nikolai everywhere and thanked him not just for his works, but for the fact that through them they turned to God.
You could always rely on your father. When it was necessary to serve the Church, he did not take into account any of his difficulties. I remember we had to fly to Kamchatka. I called Father Nikolai. Both of his arms were broken at the time. But he suddenly replies that he will definitely find an opportunity to go... And indeed, when the time for the trip came, he took off the cast from both hands and went. Father gave himself without reserve.
Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov and Father Andrei Stepanov When I learned about Father Nikolai’s last serious illness, I was just about to travel to Samara. We organized an exhibition there with an educational program. And Father Nikolai, despite his illness, still participated, communicated, and worked with us. He invited us to his home, where we met his amazing family, Mother Joanna, and sons who were priests.
Father Nikolai opened his heart to everyone. Lived the gospel truth: your neighbor is not the one you chose, guided by your preferences, but the one whom the Lord sent to you.
Father told how as a teenager, having read adventure novels, he rushed to America. There, they say, the Indians hunt bison, but we vegetate here. I went on foot. I hoped to then take a train to the Far East, and then get on a ship. Everything seemed quite feasible to him. His mother, when he disappeared, crossed the threshold of the temple for the first time.
“You are also a Mother, and Your Son was crucified, You also suffered. You will understand me, only You,” she prayed so fervently on her knees in front of the icon of the Mother of God that later, the priest said, all his life he felt the protection of this image – Kazan.
Mom left the temple only when it was already closed. I got home and immediately, although a week had passed since my son’s disappearance, I saw a telegram in the mailbox: “Take your son, he is in Kuibyshev at such and such an address.” I rushed to the bus station and caught the last bus.
For him, it was the experience of being an orphan - a religious experience, and then his mother showed her son the image of effective persistent prayer
For him then it was the experience of orphanhood - also a religious experience - he later compared himself with the prodigal son from the parable (see: Luke 15: 11-32), and then his mother showed her son - the future priest - the image of effective persistent prayer.
“We must ask the Lord, the Mother of God in prayer, and ask simply, boldly,” Father Nikolai later said.
By the way, his mother worked in a bookstore, and there were always a lot of books in the house. Father read a lot since childhood. Then, after his experience of escaping, he suddenly opened “War and Peace” and precisely on the page where Natasha Rostova’s mother prays before going to bed: “Lord, will I really have this tomb on my bed?..” He remembered that this was the prayer of St. John of Damascus , in a hagiographic play about whom he would later act in the seminary, and after which he would write his famous novel about the saint. And he was also struck by the inevitability of death - this was also one of the religious experiences... Moreover, at school the teachers could not essentially answer his questions about the meaning of life.
Nikolai Agafonov in the army Gradually, a spiritual thirst awakened in him. Already in the army, he said, he constantly prayed in his own words. Religious literature was then difficult to find, so he read dogmatic truths between the lines in an atheist’s dictionary. There, with the letter “c”, he came across information that interested him: “Seminary – translated from Greek as “nursery”, is an educational institution of the Russian Orthodox Church, where clergy and church ministers are trained; Currently, there are three seminaries in the Soviet Union: Moscow, Zagorsk, Leningrad, Odessa.”
So he got ready to go to seminary. Although there was still the temptation of a river navigation technical school - since childhood he dreamed of being a traveler. But, having entered and studied a little, I realized that this was not his thing: navigation, higher mathematics... He was clearly a humanitarian. Again he got ready to go to Zagorsk (that’s what Sergiev Posad was then called, where the Moscow Theological Academy is located in the Lavra). Yes, my grandmother said: “Where are you going to Moscow, to whom? I read in the newspaper: now they are recruiting workers for the construction of the Olympic complex... Once you sign up, they will give you a hostel, and then..."
I obeyed. I just arrived in Moscow and caught a cold. What to do? And he went with a fever to St. Sergius in Zagorsk. It seemed like he wanted to ask for healing, but he was so shocked by everything that, while kissing, he said: “Take me here as one of your students, you are the master here. To the seminary..."
Soon my mother was passing through Moscow, and he took her to the monk. She moves away from the shrine, leaves the Trinity Cathedral and asks her son: “Kol, why are you postponing admission until next year? When I approached St. Sergius, I thought that you should enroll this year.” - “Mom, you were against it! - he answers, stunned, remembering how she tried to dissuade him from the seminary. “Yes, and I’m not ready yet... I just learned the Our Father...” “Nothing,” she says, and suddenly says: “I, like a mother, bless you this year!”
With mother Joanna and son
It’s amazing that at the introductory interview the rector of the MDA – then Bishop Vladimir (Sabodan) – suddenly began asking him what he liked to read, and they talked about Dostoevsky for quite a long time! About his heroes, about the action of passions in a person. (None of the applicants waiting at the door could believe it later.) And Nikolai Agafonov was immediately accepted into the second year. The rector thought that since he was reading books, he would be able to catch up with the program.
Father Nikolai was always very interesting to listen to. Whether he told some incidents from his life or simply reasoned, these were always apt remarks and deep conclusions. And his speech was simply such that you could hear it.
It’s amazing that, despite our age difference, one could feel in Father Nikolai also just a brother in Christ, an older friend. You could always call him at any time for advice. Ask for prayer in difficult times. Father also contacted us when he needed prayers, especially recently, when he was already seriously ill and was undergoing treatment courses. Father wrote, called, we talked. This spiritual connection is felt with him even now, even when the priest has already crossed the threshold of eternity.
Father Nikolai was and remains a close and dear person in my life.
Great Russian writer
Vasily Davydovich Irzabekov
Vasily Davydovich Irzabekov , philologist-linguist, writer, director of the Orthodox Center in the name of St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky):
– We met Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov in Samara. I was there at the 20th anniversary of the Samara newspaper Blagovest at the invitation of its permanent editor-in-chief Anton Zhogolev. They have a very creative literary environment there. There was so much joy, such warm meetings. This is how I remember Samara. One of the most inspiring meetings was, of course, meeting Father Nikolai.
I have known him for a long time as a writer. And he loved it very much. When I was asked to name the best contemporary Russian authors, I invariably recommended Father Nikolai Agafonov among the names dear to me.
I was surprised: Father Nikolai, it turns out, also knew me as a writer. This was generally his need - to speak warmly of others.
Father Nikolai is a very wise, cordial, and personable interlocutor. I remember how he sat me down next to him during the feast and we talked for a long, long time.
For me, his passing is a huge loss. This is a great Russian writer.
Once we were at a conference together, Father Nikolai was present when I read my report, where I shared this concern: about three decades ago there was already a moment when it seemed that there were two or three names dear to us - still living then Valentin Grigorievich Rasputin, Vasily Ivanovich Belov... and that’s it - has great real Russian literature ended?
But by the grace of God - I later spoke about this more than once - a new Russian literature appeared. It is different from all the literature that has existed before for centuries. Today, outstanding Russian writers are often priests. I tried to understand this phenomenon. Father Nikolai and I discussed this. I explained it like this.
“You can’t see face to face. / Big things are seen from a distance,” wrote Sergei Yesenin. Life in Russia in recent decades may seem chaotic, even absurd to the uninitiated. But a contemporary needs to understand: what is happening? He wants to read those who are able to evaluate the present. And such a meaningful look at modernity in the current whirlpool is sometimes possible only for a spiritual person. Often this is the writing priest. And if he is also endowed with literary talent as generously as Father Nikolai, then simply masterpieces come from his pen.
A meaningful look at modernity in the current whirlpool is sometimes possible only for a spiritual person
I remember how he passionately shared with me his research on the phenomenon to which he dedicated a novel published later by the Sretensky Monastery Publishing House - the Standing of Zoe. He talked about his parishioner, she herself did not see this Zoya, but she had a close person - a policeman from the cordon of the house where all this happened. She told Father Nikolai that when she asked this friend of hers, who was then still a very young man: “Is this true? Did you really see all this? Is this all true?!”, he said nothing. He silently took off his police cap... He was as gray as a harrier. In his still very young years.
I remember when we from many different cities of Russia - from Ryazan, and from Belgorod, and from many, many others - once gathered for a conference in Samara, we, of course, began to be interested in this story with Zoya. “Is this house still standing?” – we asked. “No, this place is lost,” representatives of local authorities answered us.
But we found it! We were first taken to some kind of garbage dump, where there were piles of reinforced concrete: here, they say, everything, apparently, once happened... But we ourselves began to ask local residents, search - and finally found that very courtyard, a wooden house . We came there. We were greeted very warmly there.
Archpriest Nikolai with his mother
A young Russian family lived there: a husband, wife and son. We entered this house. We prayed at the site of this miracle revealed to the people. The owner's teenage son was watching us. I already understood his name. And as he was leaving, handing him the apple that I had with me, he only said: “And your name is...” “...Nicholas,” he confirmed.
I later wrote a story about this, “An Apple for Nicholas.”
At that conference I addressed everyone: “Why are we so forgetful?! We need to give an apartment to this young family. And there it is necessary to build a chapel!”
Vladyka Sergius (Poletkin) even promised to do this... But later I somehow found out that this house burned down. Someone clearly opposed this miracle being remembered.
But Father Nikolai revived the memory of this miracle with his wonderfully written novel.
A very kind, loving, sensible shepherd left us for God. I love Father Nikolai as a person, as a priest, and as a writer. As an author, he remained with us in his books.
Literary works
Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov was the author of many literary works, from his pen came:
- stories;
- stories;
- novels.
Perhaps anticipating a quick move to Heaven, Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov in his works often touches on issues of leaving earthly life.
His story with the amazing and unusual title “Is it possible to shake hands with a priest?” makes you think about concepts such as death, life and victory over death.
The most famous is N. Agafonov’s novel “Myrrh-Bearing Wives,” which in its simplicity of presentation tells about the women who lived and served during the earthly life of Jesus.
Book by Nikolai Agafonov “Myrrh-Bearing Wives”
A Christian writer, through literary works, tries to help people understand that death as such does not exist, there is only a transition from life to heaven or hell. A person chooses this path during his lifetime.
Jesus left His disciples the commandment “Rejoice!”; Father Nikolai also tries to reveal it in his stories. Talking about the war years, which he could hear about from participants in those events, the writer tries, using the example of a person, to show the path to God through suffering and persecution, as described in the story “Scout”.
The priest tried, through his sermons and literary messages, to turn to God as many wartime old people as possible who were leaving this life unbaptized.
Novels and stories
I won't bury my brother. Let it go to the vultures. Every day I go to the city gates, look at his rotting remains and spit on the corpse. The people of Thebes are perplexed: the burial of my brother is my duty, the honor of the family requires that I sacrifice myself, which means I will violate Creon’s prohibition, Polynices[1] will rest in peace, I will be executed, and my soul will wander around the body that no one will not be buried. Fear dominates all women; not one dares to break the law. Some are breastfeeding, others have small children, others have weak husbands, but I am a virgin, and no one will cry for me. Antigone is obliged to fulfill her duty to her ancestors, but she owes herself nothing. I was taught that I was just an intermediary between my father and my future sons, to whom I would pass on the blood of our family. My sister and I have different purposes: one’s concern is offspring, the other’s duty is the repose of my brother, death is predetermined for me, Ismene will give birth to children. If I were my sister, I would prefer infertility; obedience is not for me. I don’t care about my brothers, these arrogant fools always drove me away, not wanting to accept the girl into their games. Now their wailing souls are circling above me, begging me to throw a handful of earth onto the decaying flesh of Polyneices, and I just smile in response. I see doubt in Creon's eyes, but I don't care. “You have nothing to fear,” I told him, but he didn’t believe it. Creon is confident that I will remain faithful to the family, that the call of blood will be stronger than fear. The king longs for my death: I did not submit, and he saw this as an attempt on his power and wealth. How wrong he is! I do not need the throne, nor the fate of the ruler, nor the stinking death of Creon. I don't want to die a virgin, but I hate the thought of a huge belly, swollen legs, saggy breasts and labor pains. Young men desire me, and I could become the wife of one of them. They are well-born, rich and would happily impregnate me more than once. Oh, what beautiful offspring of noble blood I could produce! What a glorious future fate would have determined for them! Wars, rich booty, slutty women, a foot on the enemy’s throat and a sword in a hand raised upward in a victorious gesture! I will not submit to their will and will not die in the name of Polyneices, but I will not live by someone else’s rules. My father had already led me astray once when he took me by the shoulder and said, looking into the void with bloody eye sockets: “You will lead me through the darkness, my daughter.” I should have broken free and run away, but I was too young, the blood filled me with horror, and the terrible screams of Oedipus echoed in my soul. I hated my father for a long time and rejoiced when he blinded himself: his sticky glances would no longer frighten me, his hands would stop roaming furtively over my body. My father always looked at the world from under his brows, and no one knew what color his eyes were. When the king was near, everything around drowned in obscenity, like in dirty water. I stood in front of him, wrapped in thick cloaks, but it seemed to me that I was naked, and my loins were open. My brothers also did not feel safe - with them he behaved even more unbridled. Jocasta was not so afraid that her husband would seduce his sons, because this does not result in children. Ismene is very stupid; for a long time she did not understand the danger that threatened her, and was often left alone with her father. "Impossible! - she told me. “He is our father!” But one day, the maids who came running to the scream found her naked under Oedipus. The floor around was filled with filthy seed, which gave birth to a daughter, against whom the king was planning to commit violence. The girls tore the sobbing Ismene away from Oedipus and took her to her chambers. And here’s what’s strange: after that incident, she began to fear me more than her father. I was frightened by my insight. The sister took warnings of danger as prophecies. I noticed that she watches me when I talk with my brothers, and before approaching, she catches my eye, as if asking for advice. I laughed at Ismene, who did not know how to decipher the actions of men, and, in order to completely confuse her, I pressed myself against Eteocles or tenderly kissed Polyneices. They were not mistaken about me, but they became furious because I was using them to deceive an innocent girl, and then, in retaliation, the older brother pretended to embrace passionately, and the younger one pressed his lips into my mouth, and I ran away indignant screams, which completely confused Yemen. These were our games. I despised my brothers: they liked stupid people, it was easier to get the better of them. It’s a small honor to be smarter than girls who, if they teach anything, only sing and embroider! Does a girl really need to know anything else? - my brothers were surprised. I never loved Eteocles and Polynices, but I wasn’t afraid of them either, so it never came to serious quarrels. It happened that they protected me from our father when I was very little and was not surprised that he felt me between my legs. One pushed and distracted Oedipus, the other chased me into the gynaecium. Growing up, I forced the pedotrib[2]
"Zoino's standing"
The incident that happened in Kuibyshev with the girl Zoya formed the basis of Archpriest Agafonov’s book “Standing”. The Soviet authorities tried their best to hush up the hype around the Kuibyshev event, calling this story legend and fiction, but witnesses of Zoya’s stand are still alive.
At a party on New Year's Eve 1956, the girl Zoya Karnaukhova did not wait for her gentleman named Nikolai, grabbed the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant and went to dance with it, mocking the saint. In an instant the girl froze and seemed petrified.
Book by Nikolai Agafonov “Standing”
For 128 days, the strongest guys were unable to move the frozen girl, while the doctors could not ascertain the death or decomposition of the body; when listening, a heartbeat could be heard. A pilgrimage began to the frozen girl, the Soviet authorities tried to prove fraud in all media, but people kept coming and going to Zoya.
On May 6, 1956, Zoya came to life, became a deeply religious believer, and the FSB of Russia did not confirm the fact of this miracle even in 2021. The authenticity of what happened was confirmed by Father Roman Derzhavin, rector of the Church of the Kazan Holy Image of the Virgin Mary, whose father saw Zoya standing with the icon in person.
Important! In his book, the priest emphasized the main idea of its writing, which is that some people need a miracle to believe in God.
Nikolai Agafonov is demobilized and goes to get an education
Holy Father Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Nikolai was born in 1955 into a family typical of the Soviet Union. The priest's father was an industrial engineer, his mother was a housewife. The family was not particularly religious.
1955
this year the future Metropolitan Nikolai Agafonov was born
And it was difficult to imagine this in the mid-50s of the last century, when the party’s active policy began to atheize the population of the USSR.
A couple of years after Nikolai’s birth, the family moves to a small town on the Volga. Here Agafonov receives a secondary school education. From here young Nikolai is taken into the army for two years.
In 1975, he returned to his hometown of Togliatti, where he spent his entire childhood and youth. However, he does not stay there for long.
It is not known exactly when Nicholas decided to become a priest and completely devote himself to serving the Lord God. A year after returning from the army, in 1976, Agafonov left Tolyatti and went to the capital.
1976
this year Nikolai Agafonov entered the Moscow Theological Seminary
In Moscow, Agafonov entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. Training ends in 1977. On August 19 of the same year, Nicholas was ordained to the rank of deacon.
The sacrament takes place in the Intercession Cathedral in the city of Kuibyshev. The ceremony was performed by Archbishop of Kuibyshev and Syzran Father John, known as Snachev.
Archbishop John of Kuibyshev and Syzran elevated Metropolitan Nikolai Agafonov to the first church rank of deacon. Photo: upload.wikimedia.org
Books by Nikolai Agafonov
Already in 2001, Father Nikolai felt a craving for literary creativity. He begins to try his hand at first in short stories, but gradually reaches full-fledged works of art.
Interestingly, a movie was made based on the story “Puppy”. However, the author’s works in the bosom of historical fiction make a much greater impression.
Myrrh-Bearing Women (2009)
“Myrrh-Bearing Wives” Buy at Labyrinth. RU
The book, written in the style of pseudo-scientific historical fiction, was published by Agafonov in 2009. It narrates unknown pages of gospel events.
However, the main emphasis is on women, who, along with men, accompanied Christ on His journeys. The myrrh-bearing women contain many philosophical thoughts about the fate of the apostolic wives and their place in the lives of the saints.
Creative meetings. Nikolay Agafonov. Autobiography
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Nikolai Agafonov makes a church career
Immediately after his ordination as a deacon, Agafonov was sent to his hometown of Tolyatti. Here he is appointed deacon of the local church of the Kazan Horse of Our Lady. In free time from main responsibilities
Nikolai was involved in the creation and leadership of an underground Orthodox circle for young people who are interested in faith.
Since there were no high-profile court cases mentioning Agafonov in those years, it becomes obvious that the circle was a success and a good conspiracy. Or the Communist Party turned a blind eye to such organizations, which is most likely.
Two years later, Nikolai moved to the Penza region. Here he begins to serve in the local diocese. In particular, he will be ordained to the rank of presbyter. The ceremony is performed personally by Archbishop Seraphim of Penza and Saransk.
After his ordination, Agafonov was sent as rector of St. Michael’s Church in Vadinsk.
After another 3 years, he was sent to the city of Kuznetsk. On the spot, Nikolai becomes the rector of the Kazan Church.
Each subsequent transfer sends Nikolai to larger and larger cities. In 1984, Nikolai was transferred to Stalingrad, which is now called Volgograd. Here the presbyter works as the rector of the Nikitinskaya church.
It is interesting that the title of presbyter obliges the bearer to unquestioningly obey the bishop of the region in which he serves. After a year of exemplary service, Nikolai was transferred to the Kazan Cathedral of the city. Here he becomes a simple priest.
