— All the shepherding of Fr. Vsevolod was the shepherd of love. And, above all, this was manifested in his Eucharistic service. After all, when he came to the Nikolo-Kuznetsk Church, the so-called “synodal” custom of receiving communion infrequently was quite widespread. Parishioners received communion during Lent, sometimes on holidays. But there was no custom of receiving communion on Christmas, Epiphany, Holy Saturday, or Easter. I remember there was even a comic episode. I was once standing at the Chalice with the archdeacon. It was probably around Christmas. And so he stands and grumbles: “Well, people have gone completely crazy, they take communion on Christmas, on holidays!” .
And Father Vsevolod called all parishioners to the Chalice, to regular communion, and on great holidays it goes without saying. This is our Sacrament of Love - the Sacrament of Sacraments! I’m not even saying that every Liturgy the priest pronounces the words: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.” John Chrysostom says: “You stood, listened, sang prayers and left without receiving communion.” Father Vsevolod lit the fire of Eucharistic life throughout Moscow.
It was surprisingly warm, calm and clear with him. How he slowly, deeply and expressively uttered exclamations at the Divine Liturgy, how he moved - everything was subordinated to the Eucharistic rhythm. He made sure that I, then still a deacon, entered on time, crossed myself on time, bowed on time, for example, before “Peace to all” or “Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Unfortunately, this still happens today, especially among young clergy who often do not know the tradition; the exclamation “Peace to all” or some other exclamations are pronounced, if not quickly, then perhaps very hastily. He was never in a hurry; if he said “Peace to all,” then he turned to the Royal Doors, bowed while singing “And to your Spirit,” then returned to the Throne. Everything was subordinated to the deep Eucharistic rhythm, the rhythm of love for God, for people, for service.
Father Vsevolod also had absolute pitch, and I must say, perhaps this is little known, when he was in the Kiev cadet corps, he was the regimental singer. He had amazing diction, he spoke quietly, but he could be heard in all corners of the temple. Once, when I served with him, he stood me next to me and said: “Stop, listen, how to read!” - and pronounced the great litany. Then he says: “This is how you should read!” Since then I have read like this all my life.
Father Vsevolod read the Gospel amazingly, especially the Passionate Readings. At first, in my deep ignorance, I believed that he had some kind of oratorical techniques, and only then, when I served with him for ten years, I realized that he had a deep insight into the meaning of what he was reading, if you like, even participation in events that the Gospel tells about. He read with deep penetration into the text of Holy Scripture. After all, the Church Slavonic text was written in periods. In a period, thought grows, then thins out, grows, then thins out again, and he felt this deeply and conveyed it to everyone. I was lucky enough to even record several of his readings and I always listen to them. And this strength, this inner strength is transmitted through the tape recording, it is felt. This is the spiritual power that he possessed, which God gave him - the power of love.
Zaraysk.rf
“I owe my life to St. Nicholas. This story is old, I don’t remember it well, but I heard it from my father more than once in all the details. I was three years old. We rented half of a village house in Zaraysk. It was late autumn. “My older brother and I stayed at home with our father, the late Archpriest Mikhail Krechetov,” recalls Nikolai Krechetov. “Dad was busy with something, and my brother and I were busy nearby. To keep us out of the way, he gave us round caramels, so we feasted on them. And suddenly the brother says: “Dad, something is wrong with Kolya.” And the caramel is stuck in my throat - I’m sitting with my hands in my mouth and not breathing. My father rushed towards me and tried to take out the candy with his finger - it didn’t work, he only pushed it even deeper. He then grabbed me in his arms and rushed to the neighbor in the second half of the house for help. He runs and prays: “Father Nicholas, help!” He kicks down the door and runs to the neighbor. And she recently went to get some water and splashed it a little in the entryway. The water immediately set in with the November frost. My father ran in, slipped on the ice, and fell on the very hand that was holding me. And the candy flew out. I know all this from my father’s words. But I myself remember quite clearly the moment when I started breathing again: the entryway, the light bulb in the ceiling, my father holding me in his arms, and I’m breathing again, I’m living.”
Nikolai Krechetov says that he was born and lived for a long time in Zaraysk. “And I know many stories associated with these places. Do you know why the Nazis did not enter Zaraysk during the war? Thanks to the intercession of St. Nicholas. German units were standing very close, planning an attack. But the spies they sent on reconnaissance before the start of the operation returned with the message that the city was well armed, the entire Kremlin was lined with cannons, and there were troops in the city. And the Nazis did not dare to attack,” Nikolai Krechetov told the Blagovest Info portal.
According to him, history textbooks speak sparingly about this: “At the beginning of December 1941, near Zaraysk, units of the 2nd Tank Army of Army Group Center, advancing on Moscow from the south, were stopped.”
“But in fact, Zaraysk was completely defenseless at that time; there was not a single soldier in the city. Our troops arrived later. Why did the spies see guns? Here's why. In the Zaraisky Kremlin there is the ancient St. Nicholas Cathedral of the 17th century, and in it there is the famous image of St. Nicholas of Zaraisky. So Zaraysk is under the patronage of the saint. At that time, one pious woman had a vision: she saw St. Nicholas with a sword near the city. She herself later told my parents about this, and they told me about it. The saint stood up to defend his city and frightened the Germans by showing them something that didn’t really exist,” notes the rector of the Church of the Transfiguration on Bolvanovka.
Nikolai Krechetov notes that on the day when the image of Nikola Zaraisky was brought to the city - August 11, 1225 - a spring began to flow on the river bank. “In our time, a religious procession is held to this key every year on August 11th. And August 11th is my wife’s birthday. These are such significant coincidences,” summed up Archpriest Nikolai Krechetov.
Senior priest of the Marfo-Mariinsky monastery, priest Tikhon Krechetov
Priest Tikhon Krechetov, senior priest of the Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy, shared his opinion on why the Nativity Fast is needed and spoke about the path to God
.
— The Nativity Fast is one of the four fasts established by the Church, and takes place in the winter. Therefore, many do not comply with it, arguing their choice with vitamin deficiency, poor health and the body’s need to fight against viruses. What is the importance of the Nativity Fast?
— Why, exactly, is the post needed? Why does God care what we eat? But modern man most often suffers from such a disease: he cannot deny himself anything. Our whole life is aimed at achieving maximum comfort; whatever you wish, everything will be instantly fulfilled! And if we want God’s will to dominate our lives, then we must be able to deny ourselves something. And fasting is an opportunity to develop the habit of obedience. In other words, we are learning to follow the charter developed by the Church, which is more than one and a half thousand years old. It is as if we are standing on a centuries-old foundation, which becomes the solid foundation of our faith. — What would you advise a person who has decided to fast, but does not feel confident in himself, doubts, for example, whether he should fast in front of relatives or colleagues?
- In fact, the Nativity Fast is the easiest, and it’s better to start with it. At this time, the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of many saints, for example, Saints Nicholas the Wonderworker and Spyridon of Trimyfutsky, and on these days food with vegetable oil and fish are allowed. And even at corporate New Year’s parties there is such food. I think that if a person nevertheless decides to limit himself, then no one will notice it. And if he notices, it will be a good lesson for someone else. And for the believer - necessary support, a good reminder that food is by no means the main joy for a Christian.
In addition, now almost every holiday table has fruits and vegetables. In any case, in worldly life, when I was forced to attend “corporate events,” I always tried to fast, and there were no problems.
— Father Tikhon, how did you become a priest?
— I entered the seminary at the age of 40. At some point I realized that in worldly life I cannot grow spiritually and, despite my unworthiness, I can serve God. In the everyday bustle, at best, you only manage to avoid drowning spiritually.
I remember once I came to Zalit Island to visit Father Nikolai (Guryanov) so that my children could come up for a blessing. I myself stayed outside and had no intention of talking to the priest. And he called me, took my cap, put the visor on my head and said: “That’s good.” Then he turned it back, it looked like a skufiya, and said: “And so good.” Then I did not understand his prophecy, and after a while I became a priest.
Of course, not all friends and family understood my choice. The eldest daughter actually said: “Dad, you’re crazy.”
— 40 years is still quite a mature age. What obstacles did you have to face?
“I didn’t have any problems in my worldly life, everything was fine.” In fact, everything developed according to God’s will and was organized by itself. When I applied and entered Sretensky Seminary, I was still in a leadership position and at first combined work and study. Only when I was ordained as a deacon did I leave her. And I don’t regret a second that I have the opportunity to serve God. After all, the most important thing in our life is the ability to recognize the will of God.
- How to recognize it?
- But this is why we learn to fast! In order to hear Him, accept and understand His providence for ourselves, we must learn to cut off our will.
In monasticism everything is simpler - the entire monastic life is aimed at obedience and cutting off self-will. Having abandoned his will, the monk finds peace in his soul.
But a worldly person does not make vows, although we daily turn to our Savior “... Thy will be done.” This means that at least in small ways we must learn self-restraint.
It seems to us that willpower consists in doing what we have in mind. Willpower is actually about giving up what we want. It takes much more strength and determination to conquer yourself.
Interviewed by Tatiana Entina
Literature
- Akinshin A., “Hieromartyr Alexy of Voronezh,” Orthodox life
(Appendix to
Orthodox Russia
), 1995, No. 8 (548). - Polsky M. A., protoprescent, New Russian Martyrs
, M., 1994 (rep. edition: Jordanville, 1949-1957), part 2, 190. - “List of pastors and faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church, innocently killed for the faith of Christ during the years of Soviet power,” Voronezh Diocesan Bulletin
, 1992, No. 1-2, 38. - Act of the Jubilee Consecrated Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on the conciliar glorification of the new martyrs and confessors of the Russian 20th century
, Moscow, August 12-16, 2000. - Damascene (Orlovsky), abbot., Martyrs, confessors and ascetics of piety of the Russian Orthodox Church of the twentieth century: Lives and materials for them
, Tver, 2000, book. 4, 274-276, 287. - Shkarovsky M.V., Josephism: a movement in the Russian Orthodox Church
, St. Petersburg: National Research Center "Memorial," 1999, 332. - Osipova I. I., “Through the fire of torment and the water of tears...”: Persecution of the True Orthodox Church: Based on materials from investigative and camp cases of prisoners
, M.: Silver Threads, 1998, 351. - Voronezh Alexievo-Akatov Convent
[resp. abbot. Varvara (Sazhneva)], Ed. Department of the Voronezh-Lipetsk diocese, 2003, 111-112.
Formula of clergy
What is clergy in general and what level of responsibility does the one who takes on the responsibilities of a spiritual father have?
Archpriest Valerian Krechetov says: “Of course, spiritual guidance is important and necessary, but the requirements for a spiritual father are very high. One day I left the church, and some woman suddenly ran after me: “Father, what should I do? My confessor told me: “I don’t want to go to hell because of you!” I answered something, and soon I went to Mount Athos and ended up with an old man. A confessor came to him, who had been cared for by Elder Paisius for 20 years. And that elder told me the formula of a real spiritual father: “Only a priest who is ready to go to hell for his spiritual children can be a spiritual father.” The most amazing thing is that I didn’t tell him about the question that woman asked me, but he repeated her words word for word, only in the opposite direction.”
Archpriest Valerian Krechetov was born in 1937 in the family of repressed accountant and later priest Mikhail Krechetov. He graduated from school in 1959 and at the same time was enrolled in the Moscow Forestry Engineering Institute, three years after graduation he entered the Moscow Seminary.
He was ordained on January 12, 1969, and in 1973 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy. Over the many years of his ministry, he communicated with many outstanding pastors, including Father Nikolai Golubtsov, Father Ioann Krestyankin, Father Nikolai Guryanov. Today, Archpriest Valerian is the rector of the church in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Akulovo, Odintsovo district.
