It is a secular feature to honor anniversaries of human life, of which the 50th anniversary is one of the most important. Orthodox believers, especially monastics, seem to have their own “table of ranks”: Angel Day, the time of entry into the ranks. But since the abbot of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in the Zhabinkovsky district, Father Seraphim (Petruchik), enjoys enormous authority, love and fame among the laity, his fellow countrymen who knew him asked the newspaper to publicly congratulate him on his 50th anniversary. It fell on November 1 this year.
A little history
Vasily Petruchik, a native of the Zhabinka land, brought up in deep faith and fear of God, joined the monastic brethren at the age of 21. As described in one of the numerous publications, after reading in his youth the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov, who became the ideal of a young man. It seems that it was no coincidence that when he was tonsured as a monk, he was given a new name - Seraphim.
Having worked his way up to becoming a priest in monasticism, Father Seraphim (Petruchik), as the vicar of the Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya men's hermitage, began its construction around the ancient church of the same name in the village of Khmelevo, Zhabinkovsky district.
Then he became the abbot of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, into which the hermitage was transformed. Pilgrims come to this monastery from all over Belarus, as well as from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, France, Canada, and America.
Father Seraphim and a small brethren built the monastery buildings themselves, and most importantly, a temple in honor of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Czestochowa, whose ancient copy is kept in the monastery, as well as the image of St. Nicholas and others.
In Khmelevo, a village remote from capitals and cities, the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in a short time became a real Orthodox spiritual center.
Once upon a time, at the beginning of the construction of the monastery, the newspaper "BK" was the initiator of nominating Father Seraphim for the title of "Man of the Year" in the Brest region - and he became one, did not refuse the laity in their simple-hearted desire to respect his works and service for common grace.
And now, on the 50th anniversary of the abbot, society sees the ripe fruits of even greater labors of a zealot of the faith, a warm man of prayer, a fiery warrior of Christ.
Many good years to you, Father Seraphim, joy, God's help on the path of service!
Editorial office "BC"
How the Belarusian abbot Seraphim heals ulcers, drunkenness and drug addiction with prayer
The service was coming to an end. The monastery courtyard was not crowded. The young man on the bench sadly looked into the distance. I sat down next to him.
— Did something happen to you too? — the man was the first to enter the conversation.
— No, I’m a journalist, twelve years ago I came to Father Seraphim and did an interview with him. This monastery did not exist then. There was Khmelevskaya Hermitage. And now I’ve come to look at the monastery and talk, if possible.
“They don’t come here without faith,” my interlocutor noted.
I thought: I was happy and calm. But is joy and peace of mind a sign of unbelief? Another thing is that people actually go to Father Seraphim more often not to share joy, but to share misfortune. People flock from everywhere to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in Khmelevo, a village 5 kilometers from Zhabinka, 20 kilometers from Brest; it’s easy to tell by the license plates of the cars in the parking lot - these are pilgrims from Russia, these are from Ukraine, and here are a few cars with European numbers. They come from Moscow, Simferopol, Vologda, Mordovia, Transbaikalia, Poland, Ukraine, France, Canada and America. The glory of Abbot Seraphim (Petruchik) is as great as the power of his prayer, which heals terrible illnesses - demonic possession, cancer, drunkenness, drug addiction. It is not surprising that on the day when the abbot holds a prayer service for the sick - the rite of exorcism (people simply call it a reprimand), there is nowhere for an apple to fall in the monastery courtyard, four to five hundred people flock here. Previously, reports took place every Saturday, now - once a month.
“It’s very difficult, I don’t have the health I had before,” explains Father Seraphim.
An ancient wooden temple where many people go for healing
“Going to church does not mean believing”
It was not possible to talk with the rector in detail during this meeting.
- What are you, young lady, without a cross? - The old man looked at me with a smile. - You have to wear a cross. I won't give interviews. Look, listen, write what you see...
In fact, he is strict and short with everyone. There are many who want to receive a “recipe” for healing from Father Seraphim, and most strive to take a moment to personally approach the elder.
“Father, I have such grief,” the woman wipes away a tear. — My daughter doesn’t want to work as a doctor.
- And don’t force it. She will be a bad doctor. Let her study for whoever she wants.
- So she’s already weaned herself off. Such grief... I left for London. She works there, but she doesn't like it.
“Everything is fine with your daughter, you don’t have any grief,” the elder determines. - She will find her way.
“It doesn’t work out for her there.” She goes to church and prays, but it still doesn’t work out.
— Going to church does not mean believing. Without faith, prayer will not help,” Father Seraphim concludes and makes it clear: the conversation is over.
A young couple whispers something in the old man's ear. He peers intently into the faces of the guy and the girl and reassures:
- Everything will be fine.
Young girls jump up from the bench:
- Father, bless me for studying at the institute.
Father Seraphim seems to be getting younger before our eyes. He blesses with a smile.
- Father, I come to you for advice. “Mom’s really bad, she’s in the hospital,” the woman says quickly. - Maybe I should bring her to you?
Father Seraphim does not ask in detail what kind of illness it is, but he peers closely at the woman. “I heard that he can, even without seeing a person, determine whether he will help him or not,” someone whispers in my ear.
- There is no need to bring it, let everyone accept what the doctors prescribe. And you order a prayer service for health, I will pray for her.
“I just pray, but the Lord heals”
Stories about how and whom the elder helped are passed on from mouth to mouth in Khmelevo.
“In our hospital in Zhabinka, one nurse could not get rid of ulcers on her legs. I didn’t treat with anything! They advised her to go here, to Khmelevo. She didn’t really believe it, but she went. I only went once for a lecture - the next day all the ulcers were healed. By God, I saw it myself! - the woman crosses herself for greater persuasiveness.
“And I saw how my mother carried a girl in a fit in her arms, and Father Seraphim put his hand on her head, and the girl calmed down,” the parishioners willingly keep up the conversation.
“People even leave their crutches here.” Alcoholics quit drinking. Even from cancer, there were cases where people were healed.
- And the infertile after the father’s prayer become pregnant...
“And how demons come out of people is so scary to watch.” People writhe and howl like wolves. After the lecture, Father Seraphim himself became very ill. While healing others, he “burns” himself.
There is no doubt that healings occur when visiting the monastery. But the abbot of the monastery never tires of reminding that these are not miracles created by his hands, but God’s grace. “I only pray, but the Lord heals,” he never tires of reminding. And patiently after each prayer service for the sick he explains: the cause of our troubles is sins, and sorrows and bodily illnesses are already a consequence. So there is a universal “recipe” for everyone: do not hope for a miracle or an ordered prayer service for health, but work on your soul. Confess and receive communion once a month, read at least one chapter of the Gospel every day, and do good deeds.
Father Seraphim seems to see right through people.
“It happens that a couple comes up and asks for a blessing, but he already sees that they are not destined to live together. And he doesn’t bless,” parishioners say.
Sitting on a bench near the church and listening to all these stories seems endless, but ordinary worldly affairs await the women, and we say goodbye. And I notice that my very first interlocutor, a sad young man, waited his turn to see Father Seraphim. Clearly embarrassed, he whispers something in the priest’s ear.
- Stop drinking, find a job, prove to her that you can be a good husband. And then she will return to you,” the elder loudly admonishes.
Such a simple recipe for happiness... I’m sure the man heard these same words a hundred times from his friends and family, but he only HEARD Father Seraphim. Miracles, and that’s all...
BY THE WAY
The miraculous icon heals diseases
Khmelevskaya Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Church, built in 1725, for three hundred years has never been desecrated, closed or burned, even though it is wooden. You try to drive a nail into the wall - it heats up, but it doesn’t go, as if it were not wood, but stone. Inside the prayed wooden walls there are many shrines: a very rare icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, on which he is depicted in a white robe, the Intercession Icon of the Mother of God, renewed on the Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a piece of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Jerusalem. But the main shrine is the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God, more precisely, a very ancient copy of that icon, the original of which was written by the Evangelist Luke and is kept in the Polish city of Czestochowa.
There is a legend associated with this icon. Once upon a time, the holy face was kept in the chapel of a local landowner. One day the chapel burned down, but the icon remained intact and unharmed, only it became very dark. And the landowner had a revelation: to build a new temple for the icon. He built the Transfiguration Church, which still stands today.
In the twentieth century, attempts were made to steal the icon several times, but each time it was returned to its place. And in the late 90s, another miracle happened to the icon. A 10-year-old girl who could neither stand nor sit was brought to Father Seraphim. A week after the prayer service, she herself entered the church. On that very day, the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God was renewed, faces and crowns appeared on it. After this, people firmly believed in her miraculous power and began to receive healing from illnesses from the holy face.
Dear readers!
In case of trouble, we all look for help not only from doctors. We are ready to believe in miracles, and they really happen. If this happened to you or your family and friends, write to us. Perhaps some of our readers need help right now, and your story about miraculous healing will be the saving grace.
Write to the address: 2200005 Minsk, PO Box 192, or by email to the box marked “Miraculous Healings”.
Khmelevo | Church of the Transfiguration - Messages
2021-01-22 Reutsky Semyon
Hello, please tell me when does Father Seraphim hold services? And how can I get to him for a conversation? answer
2020-06-20 Tatiana Manuilova
Dear father, please pray for Konstantin in big debts, we won’t get out ourselves, please help me answer
2020-01-25 Khmelevsky Gennady
Hello! Is it possible to order the prayer The Unending Psalter? answer
2020-01-25 Khmelevsky Gennady
Hello! Is it possible to order the prayer The Unending Psalter? answer
2018-12-18 Alina Oniszczuk
Glory to Jesus Christ!! Father Seraphim...I don’t have a passport, I can’t come to you. I have a daughter, Irina, who has been suffering from epilepsy for 4 years, and I am tormented by demons. I pray... but it’s hard... what should I do? They want to take her away. Help...how to pray, how to gain strength..? Father, my name is Alla. I live in Poland. In the village of Grushki, near Narevka. But you know many mental problems; prayer is good for all sorts of ailments. Help...I open my whole soul...help Father Seraphim. With God blessing! answer
2018-06-14 Garelik Irina
Hello, please tell me when does Father Seraphim hold services? And how can I get to him for a conversation? answer
2018-06-07 Nadezhda Yurkevich
Please let me know when the reporting service will be held? answer
2018-05-08 Tatyana
When does Father Seraphim hold services? Is it possible to get to him for a conversation and how? answer
2017-07-05 Gennady Cheravko
Hello. Does Father accept Catholics? answer
2016-08-08 Andrey Shilovets
How can I call Father Seraphim? answer
2015-12-10 Afonin Oleg
How can I get to Father Seraphim for an appointment, can he personally confess my girlfriend, the problem of the soul... (the problem is very big)... thank you. answer
2015-09-19 Katya Zinovich
I would like to ask Father Seraphim for advice.
2015-08-28 Nastya Valentukevich
Hello! How to get to a conversation with Father Seraphim? answer
2015-07-29 Zakharova Anna
How to get to Father Seraphim for a consultation? Thank you in advance. answer
2015-04-19 Tsybulya Tatyana
Hello. Will Father Seraphim be in Brest? If yes, then when? Thank you in advance. answer
2015-01-14 Lokshina Natalya
Hello !!! Is it possible for Father Seraphim to email? answer
2014-10-11 Tatyana Ivanovskaya
A lot of questions have arisen and we cannot do without church intervention. Please tell us when Father Seraphim holds the service? answer
2014-07-13 Nadezhda
Good afternoon. Please tell me, does Father Seraphim have an email or forum to ask him a question? Thank you. answer
2014-06-29 Ruslan Khitrikov
Excuse me, is it possible to create pilgrimage trips to Father Seraphim to bring people, because here in Mogilev they don’t take you to you, and if they do, it’s rare, and many have illnesses and have their own questions? answer
2014-05-14 Tatyana
How can I get to a conversation with Father Seraphim? When does Father Seraphim conduct services? Thank you. answer
2013-12-29 Rudnikova Tatyana
Good afternoon. Please tell me, does Father Seraphim have an email or forum to ask him a question? Thank you. answer
2013-07-13 Oksana
Hello! Please tell me how to get to a conversation with Father Seraphim? answer
2013-05-16 Radzima.org
Shanou's guides!
Radzima.org not may magchymastsі adkazat yak i kali direct egg Seraphim. Kali laska, telefanuytse ў tsarkva na tel. 8 (01641) 32-2-23, address - 225127 Khmelevo village, Zhabinkovsky district, Brest region. answer
2013-05-14 Sidorova Elena
I’m wondering how and when can I bring a sick child to Father Seraphim? The child has been sick for six years! answer
2012-08-13 Svetlana
When does Father Seraphim hold services? Is it possible to get to him for a conversation and how? answer
2012-02-07
Hello, I would also like to know how you can get to a conversation with Father Seraphim or write to him? Olga
2011-06-19
Lyudmila has heard a lot about Father Siraphim, how can you get to a conversation with him and what is needed for this?
2009-10-05
I want to have a conversation with Father Seraphim. What should I do for this? Since I have never had such an experience in my life, I want to ask for help in this matter.?
2009-09-12
I join Natalka and Tatyana’s questions.
How can I get to a conversation with Father Seraphim? Thank you in advance.
2009-05-18
How can I get to a conversation with Father Seraphim?
2009-02-04
When does Father Seraphim hold services? Is it possible to get to him for a conversation and how?
2008-11-11
When does Father Seraphim hold services in church?
Add a message
Holy Intercession Cathedral in Grodno
On September 23, 2021, the pilgrimage service of the Holy Protection Cathedral of the city of Grodno organized a trip to Khmelevo and Orthodox Brest. The pilgrim group was small, but mobile and friendly, since everyone was spiritually united by the purpose of the trip. After all, for those who travel to holy places, it is important “not only to ask, but to seek and act, trying, as the Apostle said, to be ready for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21).
Pilgrims expressed kind words about this wonderful trip.
Lyudmila Kivlyuk:
It was a wonderful early Sunday morning. From the rising sun in the Khmelevo monastery, not only the domes of the temple, but also the autumn leaves and tree branches turned golden...
Inside the prayed wooden walls of the ancient Church of the Transfiguration, before the service, we reverently venerated the revered shrines, including a copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Czestochowa, a very rare icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, in which he is depicted in a white robe, and the Intercession Icon of the Mother of God, renewed on the holiday Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord from Jerusalem, recently donated to the temple, is taken out of the altar on special holidays.
I learned from local residents that the abbot of the Khmelevsky monastery, Abbot Seraphim, is a native of Zhabinka. All the parishioners love him very much, they warmly tell us, visitors, about how he became a priest and monk, how both children and adults are drawn to him, they emphasize that the life of the villagers cannot be considered separately from the life of the monastery.
Then there was Brest, which gave us a beautiful autumn day without rain. The Orthodox guide who accompanied us around Brest spoke with great love about the spiritual life of the ancient city.
I was surprised by the unusual architecture of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, located in the city microdistrict “Kovalevo”. In just a few years, a team of architects and designers turned a simple hangar either into the likeness of a noble bird taking off, or into a fairy-tale ship in which you can hide from life’s storms...
Part of our pilgrimage trip was dedicated to the locally revered Saint Athanasius of Brest.
Afanasy (Filippovich), abbot of the St. Simeon Monastery , glorified by the Church in the ranks of the venerable martyrs. We visited the St. Athanasius Brest Monastery, opened on the site of the martyrdom of Athanasius of Brest in the village of Arkadia, Brest region . Interesting are the paintings made in the small and very cozy Church of St. Athanasius, built at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, telling about the life of the saint. It was only in this church that we first saw another shrine - the icon of the Kupyatichi Mother of God, depicted in the form of a cross.
In the beautiful Brest Cathedral in the name of St. Reverend Simeon the Stylite - the only church in the city where divine services were held under all authorities - the evening service was already underway when we venerated a particle of the relics of the Venerable Martyr Athanasius, Abbot of Brest, placed in a special reliquary. Near the St. Simeon Cathedral A bronze monument to Athanasius of Brest was erected. I am glad that I fulfilled the request of Fr. Vyacheslav Gaplichnik, venerate the relics of the saint. The rector of the church in honor of the Venerable Martyr Athanasius of Brest, Grodno, gave me such a blessing after the evening service on the occasion of the patronal feast of the parish in the Zaritsa microdistrict.
Valentina Lagonda:
In the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. Khmelevo of the Brest Diocese, which is located in the Zhabinkovsky district, a gift to all of us was a sedate, spiritually filled service, which was led by Abbot Seraphim (Petruchik), the abbot of the Khmelevo monastery himself. The sermon that the shepherd addressed to the believers was such that almost everyone standing in the church was sure that this word was spoken personally for him. Father Seraphim, of course, sees that people rarely come here in joy, he sympathizes with us in our illnesses and sorrows, but focuses more on love. Love God, love your loved ones, he constantly reminds, love even your enemies, without this there cannot be true love of Christ.
On any trip, I always rejoice at the opportunity to perform obedience for other pilgrims. This time I helped in the refectory. After the meal we were offered a tour. As the young novice Roman told us, on the site of the monastery there used to be only an ancient church, which was never closed or desecrated (in our time it is decorated with a sign that it is an architectural monument of the 18th century - 1725 - and it is protected by the state).
The monastery here appeared in the late nineties, and it is surprising how in such a short period of time it became one of the leading spiritual centers of Belarus. Although there were only 10 people in the brethren, they were able to build a second temple - Czestochowa, residential buildings and a refectory, garages, and outbuildings. Every year a huge amount of firewood is prepared, because... All buildings have stove heating, they cultivate 22 hectares of land, engage in field cultivation, gardening, beekeeping, and care for a cow. Yes, it is true that they say that the way of life of a monk is work and prayer.
Anna Rykova:
I was impressed, first of all, by the kindness of those who met us on Brest land and their reverent attitude towards shrines.
I remember Brest being renovated for its 1000th anniversary, the architectural solutions and design of new microdistricts, and the majestic Brest churches. What enormous creative work parishioners and nuns put into the landscape design of monastery and temple areas! We were delighted by the topiaries and the monastery garden of the convent in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which settled in one of the former military barracks on Hospital Island.
I took a new look at the garrison St. Nicholas Church located on the territory of the Brest Fortress. This domed building, a church basilica in the Byzantine style, was erected in 1851 - 1876. The main temple of the Western Russian region of the early twentieth century was one of the most beautiful built in the center of Europe . Even today it impresses with its external decoration after reconstruction, its seven-tier chandelier (a special chandelier with 12 icons and 104 candles), and the vaults of the lower church in honor of the holy martyr John the Warrior.
I was struck by the Holy Resurrection Cathedral, the height of which to the base of the cross is 41 meters. This is the most majestic church of the Brest diocese. The temple and the nearby bell tower are like eternal, unquenchable candles, lit by grateful descendants in memory of the soldiers who died in 1941-1945 for the Victory. As an outpost of Orthodoxy, it stands on the heroic Brest land.
I will definitely tell my friends about the trip.
Lyudmila Petrovna:
I really enjoy trips with the cathedral pilgrimage service. Last Sunday we had a great trip to Krakotka. And today we visited Brest with great interest. Always only good impressions, joyful events. I often pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and in the lottery offered by Irina on the road, I won a large calendar for 2021 with an icon of the saint. I would also like to travel from the cathedral to other holy places in Belarus next year.
Reviews were written by a member of the pilgrimage group Lyudmila KIVLYUK
On October 14, we invite you to Minsk: the Great Ceremony of the consecration of the Church-Monument of All Saints. The service will be led by Patriarch Kirill
Pilgrimage service of the Intercession Cathedral, contact numbers: +375 29 584 80 81; +375 29 184 80 31 (Irina)
Pilgrimage to the Zhirovichi Monastery and the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (Khmelevo)
We invite you to a meeting with the beautiful Belarusian shrines and with the elder, who in Belarus is called “Seraphim - the miracle worker”. During the trip you will visit monasteries, you will be able to pray in front of miraculous icons and holy relics of the saints of God, you will listen to the amazing sermons of Father Seraphim, who serves in a small Belarusian village!
Travel schedule:
| 10.07.2021 | 07.08.2021 | 12.09.2021 | |
Trip program:
Departure from Minsk (06.00).
Arrival in Zhirovichi.
Late Liturgy (09.00). Participation in the Divine Liturgy (confession, communion).
Zhirovichi Holy Dormition Monastery.
The Holy Dormition Zhirovichi Monastery is a stronghold of Orthodoxy in the Belarusian lands. It all started with the appearance of a small miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which today is one of the hundred most revered shrines of the Orthodox world and is one of the most revered Belarusian shrines of the monastery.
During the tour of the Zhirovichi Monastery, you will have the opportunity to walk around the territory and receive information about the righteous life of the monks. In the churches of the monastery complex you can light a candle for the health of your loved ones and venerate the Holy Places, including the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.
Meal on your own.
Visit and dip in the holy spring with a font in honor of the Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God.
Shrines of the monastery:
- Icon of the head of John the Baptist with a particle of his relics and a dried drop of blood protruding from the icon
- Myrrh-streaming Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
- Icon with a particle of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
- Icon with a particle of the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk
Transfer to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery (Khmelevo).
Excursion.
Evening liturgy (16.00).
At the end of the evening liturgy, you can approach Abbot Seraphim. Due to his experience and connection with heaven, he can understand the spiritual state of a person and write out an accurate spiritual “prescription”, as well as pray for you.
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery houses many unique icons, among which a special place is occupied by the Khmelev copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Czestochowa and the ancient icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
The Czestochowa Icon helps people in difficult situations, provides healing from illnesses and helps with everyday needs. Often women and men were relieved of infertility, as well as other serious diseases. And Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the third most important and significant saint, after Jesus Christ himself and the Most Holy Theotokos. Absolutely everyone turns to him with their problems.
Hegumen Seraphim explains: there is a universal “recipe” for everyone - not to hope for a miracle or an ordered prayer service for health, but to work on your soul. Confess and receive communion once a month, read at least one chapter of the Gospel a day, and do good deeds. Then the Almighty will hear our prayers.
Hegumen Seraphim is the abbot of the Khmelevsky Monastery, who on Sundays reads an akathist to the Czestochowa Icon, and every second Saturday holds a prayer service for the sick. His sermons leave no one indifferent.
Shrines:
- the miraculous “Chmielewska-Czestochowa” icon of the Mother of God;
- ancient icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Departure to Minsk.
Trip cost: 70 bel. rub.
Included in the price:
- travel;
- accompanying services;
- excursion.
The price does not include:
- personal expenses;
- meal.
Have with you:
- Dipping shirt;
- containers for holy water;
- packed lunch for the trip;
- prayer book;
- 4-5 rub. for a meal;
- donations for monasteries;
- notes (can be written in advance).
The program is subject to change.
Other pilgrimage trips can be viewed in the “Pilgrimage” section.
Login to the site
How the Belarusian abbot Seraphim heals ulcers, drunkenness and drug addiction with prayer Comments: 26 A Komsomolskaya Pravda correspondent visited the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery near Brest, where pilgrims from different countries go for salvation from terrible ailments
The service was coming to an end. The monastery courtyard was not crowded. The young man on the bench sadly looked into the distance. I sat down next to him.
— Did something happen to you too? — the man was the first to enter the conversation.
— No, I’m a journalist, twelve years ago I came to Father Seraphim and did an interview with him. This monastery did not exist then. There was Khmelevskaya Hermitage. And now I’ve come to look at the monastery and talk, if possible.
“They don’t come here without faith,” my interlocutor noted.
I thought: I was happy and calm. But is joy and peace of mind a sign of unbelief? Another thing is that people actually go to Father Seraphim more often not to share joy, but to share misfortune. People flock from everywhere to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in Khmelevo, a village 5 kilometers from Zhabinka, 20 kilometers from Brest; it’s easy to tell by the license plates of the cars in the parking lot - these are pilgrims from Russia, these are from Ukraine, and here are a few cars with European numbers. They come from Moscow, Simferopol, Vologda, Mordovia, Transbaikalia, Poland, Ukraine, France, Canada and America. The glory of Abbot Seraphim (Petruchik) is as great as the power of his prayer, which heals terrible illnesses - demonic possession, cancer, drunkenness, drug addiction. It is not surprising that on the day when the abbot holds a prayer service for the sick - the rite of exorcism (people simply call it a reprimand), there is nowhere for an apple to fall in the monastery courtyard, four to five hundred people flock here. Previously, reports took place every Saturday, now - once a month.
“It’s very difficult, I don’t have the health I had before,” explains Father Seraphim.
“Going to church does not mean believing”
It was not possible to talk with the rector in detail during this meeting.
- What are you, young lady, without a cross? - The old man looked at me with a smile. - You have to wear a cross. I won't give interviews. Look, listen, write what you see...
In fact, he is strict and short with everyone. There are many who want to receive a “recipe” for healing from Father Seraphim, and most strive to take a moment to personally approach the elder.
“Father, I have such grief,” the woman wipes away a tear. — My daughter doesn’t want to work as a doctor.
- And don’t force it. She will be a bad doctor. Let her study for whoever she wants.
- So she’s already weaned herself off. Such grief... I left for London. She works there, but she doesn't like it.
“Everything is fine with your daughter, you don’t have any grief,” the elder determines. - She will find her way.
“It doesn’t work out for her there.” She goes to church and prays, but it still doesn’t work out.
— Going to church does not mean believing. Without faith, prayer will not help,” Father Seraphim concludes and makes it clear: the conversation is over.
A young couple whispers something in the old man's ear. He peers intently into the faces of the guy and the girl and reassures:
- Everything will be fine.
Young girls jump up from the bench:
- Father, bless me for studying at the institute.
Father Seraphim seems to be getting younger before our eyes. He blesses with a smile.
- Father, I come to you for advice. “Mom’s really bad, she’s in the hospital,” the woman says quickly. - Maybe I should bring her to you?
Father Seraphim does not ask in detail what kind of illness it is, but he peers closely at the woman. “I heard that he can, even without seeing a person, determine whether he will help him or not,” someone whispers in my ear.
- There is no need to bring it, let everyone accept what the doctors prescribe. And you order a prayer service for health, I will pray for her.
“I just pray, but the Lord heals”
Stories about how and whom the elder helped are passed on from mouth to mouth in Khmelevo.
“In our hospital in Zhabinka, one nurse could not get rid of ulcers on her legs. I didn’t treat with anything! They advised her to go here, to Khmelevo. She didn’t really believe it, but she went. I only went once for a lecture - the next day all the ulcers were healed. By God, I saw it myself! - the woman crosses herself for greater persuasiveness.
“And I saw how my mother carried a girl in a fit in her arms, and Father Seraphim put his hand on her head, and the girl calmed down,” the parishioners willingly keep up the conversation.
“People even leave their crutches here.” Alcoholics quit drinking. Even from cancer, there were cases where people were healed.
- And the infertile after the father’s prayer become pregnant...
“And how demons come out of people is so scary to watch.” People writhe and howl like wolves. After the lecture, Father Seraphim himself became very ill. While healing others, he “burns” himself.
There is no doubt that healings occur when visiting the monastery. But the abbot of the monastery never tires of reminding that these are not miracles created by his hands, but God’s grace. “I only pray, but the Lord heals,” he never tires of reminding. And patiently after each prayer service for the sick he explains: the cause of our troubles is sins, and sorrows and bodily illnesses are already a consequence. So there is a universal “recipe” for everyone: do not hope for a miracle or an ordered prayer service for health, but work on your soul. Confess and receive communion once a month, read at least one chapter of the Gospel every day, and do good deeds.
Father Seraphim seems to see right through people.
“It happens that a couple comes up and asks for a blessing, but he already sees that they are not destined to live together. And he doesn’t bless,” parishioners say.
Sitting on a bench near the church and listening to all these stories seems endless, but ordinary worldly affairs await the women, and we say goodbye. And I notice that my very first interlocutor, a sad young man, waited his turn to see Father Seraphim. Clearly embarrassed, he whispers something in the priest’s ear.
- Stop drinking, find a job, prove to her that you can be a good husband. And then she will return to you,” the elder loudly admonishes.
Such a simple recipe for happiness... I’m sure the man heard these same words a hundred times from his friends and family, but he only HEARD Father Seraphim. Miracles, and that’s all...
BY THE WAY
The miraculous icon heals diseases
Khmelevskaya Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Church, built in 1725, for three hundred years has never been desecrated, closed or burned, even though it is wooden. You try to drive a nail into the wall - it heats up, but it doesn’t go, as if it were not wood, but stone. Inside the prayed wooden walls there are many shrines: a very rare icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, on which he is depicted in a white robe, the Intercession Icon of the Mother of God, renewed on the Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a piece of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord from Jerusalem. But the main shrine is the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God, more precisely, a very ancient copy of that icon, the original of which was written by the Evangelist Luke and is kept in the Polish city of Czestochowa.
There is a legend associated with this icon. Once upon a time, the holy face was kept in the chapel of a local landowner. One day the chapel burned down, but the icon remained intact and unharmed, only it became very dark. And the landowner had a revelation: to build a new temple for the icon. He built the Transfiguration Church, which still stands today.
In the twentieth century, attempts were made to steal the icon several times, but each time it was returned to its place. And in the late 90s, another miracle happened to the icon. A 10-year-old girl who could neither stand nor sit was brought to Father Seraphim. A week after the prayer service, she herself entered the church. On that very day, the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God was renewed, faces and crowns appeared on it. After this, people firmly believed in her miraculous power and began to receive healing from illnesses from the holy face.
Dear readers!
In case of trouble, we all look for help not only from doctors. We are ready to believe in miracles, and they really happen. If this happened to you or your family and friends, write to us. Perhaps some of our readers need help right now, and your story about miraculous healing will be the saving grace.
Write to the address: 2200005 Minsk, PO Box 192, or by email to the box: [email protected] marked “Miraculous healings.”
Sow what is reasonable, good, eternal...
Archimandrite Seraphim (Baryakin) turns 65 years old.
Unexpected decision
Gennady Matveevich Baryakin was predicted to have a brilliant future. After graduating from the Kuibyshev Aviation Institute (now it is the Samara National Research University named after S.P. Korolev), he was left to work as a senior engineer at the department of aircraft construction and design.
When this department was opened, a computer center was created, and Gennady Baryakin and his colleagues installed computer equipment in it. They launched these machines, which were not at all similar to modern computers - huge cabinets, or even entire rooms - and they maintained and trained students to work on these computers. And now machines began to help in the design of aircraft, and productivity increased many times over.
Everything was going just fine. Only once did Baryakin stun everyone by submitting his resignation. “I’m entering the Moscow Theological Seminary...” he modestly explained.
But it was necessary to decide on such a step, which radically changed everything in the life of a young successful engineer...
“Yes, this step radically changed my life,” agrees Archimandrite Seraphim (Baryakin). “And for the department staff this was an unexpected decision. It was still Soviet times, and the Church was viewed, to put it mildly, not entirely correctly. But Valery Andreevich Komarov, who headed the department, professor, doctor of technical sciences, said: “If you return, we will accept you back.” But I answered: no, I won’t return. The decision was firm. And I graduated from the seminary and entered the Moscow Theological Academy. And then I served obedience in the Department for External Church Relations, and this Department sent me to the Holy Land.
In the Danilov Monastery I took monastic vows with the name Seraphim. He was tonsured by Metropolitan Clement, now Kaluga and Borovsky. There I was ordained a hierodeacon by Vladyka Clement, and in this rank, as part of a delegation of more than seventy people led by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, I came to the Holy Land. In the same delegation was Abbess Georgiy (Shchukina), who was appointed abbess to the Gornensky convent. Then the delegation returned to Russia, and the two of us remained in Jerusalem. I am a member of the Russian Spiritual Mission, and mother is the abbess of the Gornensky convent.
In the Holy Land
The Russian Spiritual Mission was established back in 1847 by Archimandrite Porfiry (Uspensky). A lot of land in the Holy Land was acquired thanks to the active work of Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin), his talents, and his ability to negotiate. He was a very learned man and a very skillful politician who, at that difficult time, could solve complex issues and acquire land. Now preparations are underway to celebrate his anniversary - the 200th anniversary of the birth of this outstanding figure of our Russian Orthodox Church.
After the revolution, the Mission's activities, of course, died down somewhat. After all, it was created to receive pilgrims from Russia. Hotels, hospitals, and temples were built. Everything was done to ensure that as many people as possible wanted it - and there were many of them in Russia before the revolution! — could visit the Holy Land, pray in those places that are especially dear to the Christian soul.
- After all, many walked to Jerusalem...
- Yes - they walked and traveled by ship by sea. There was no air traffic as there is now. And in the Holy Land, Mission employees received pilgrims, accommodated them, accompanied them, and provided all kinds of assistance. Well, after the revolution, all this began to subside, and the presence of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Holy Land was reduced to almost zero.
When I arrived in Jerusalem, some of the churches and monasteries were controlled by the Russian Orthodox Church, and some by the Foreign Church. The foreigners had two convents - in Gethsemane and on Olivet, as well as a site near the Mamre oak. We constantly communicated and met with them. The head of the Foreign Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Alexy, came to see us, and we communicated warmly. The good news is that rapprochement with foreigners has now become closer. Now there is prayerful communication between us, and our pilgrims can freely visit all the holy places belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church and the Church Abroad.
I arrived in the Holy Land as a hierodeacon. But a few months later he was ordained to the rank of priest - hieromonk - at the Holy Sepulcher. I was ordained by agreement with our Patriarch, Metropolitan Timothy of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem. He was secretary to Patriarch Diodorus ( †
2000), who was then the primate of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church. The Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is celebrated at night, and I was ordained late at night. It was Tuesday of Easter Week, the feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. In 1991 there was Kyriopascha.
- Kyrios means: Lord! But for the Orthodox, every Easter is the Lord’s? The Canon sings: “Resurrection day, let us be enlightened, people: Easter, the Lord’s Easter!..”
— Kyriopascha is special when Easter coincides with the Annunciation. This happens very rarely. On April 7, 1991, the day of the Bright Resurrection of Christ coincided with the Annunciation. And on April 9, I was ordained at the Liturgy and became a hieromonk.
There were not enough priests. There was no one to serve in Russian churches in the Holy Land. And then new members of the Mission began to arrive. We have already served in all our churches, including in the Gornensky Monastery, where a confessor and several priests appeared. And at the time when I arrived, there were only two or three of us, who tried as best we could to keep up with everything. In Jaffa, for example, services in our temple were performed only on major holidays. Although the parishioners were there, they wanted to pray at the Liturgy and asked for it. Now there is a service there every day. And of course, the number of pilgrims and parishioners is increasing. The same thing happened in Haifa, where the Temple of the Prophet Elijah stands on Mount Carmel. In the spring of 1991, Father Miroslav Vitiv, who came from Russia, was ordained at the Holy Sepulcher and began to serve in Haifa. Archpriest Miroslav still serves in this church. There are many parishioners there, not only Russians, but also Orthodox Arabs. The Arabs greatly honor the Prophet Elijah, and especially on his holiday there is a huge influx of believers in this temple.
Until the early 1990s, two or three groups of pilgrims led by Bishops came from the Soviet Union per year. And we began to work to make the pilgrimage widespread. We agreed with companies that provide transport, buses, hotels, with Aeroflot and Transaero. We were also involved in obtaining visas and permission to visit certain places. Where to accommodate the pilgrims, how to organize their meals - all this mass of questions stood before us. And now, thank God, this work has brought good results, and we see how many Russians come to the Holy Land to worship the greatest shrines.
— How long did you serve in the Holy Land?
— Until 1994. In August 1994, I arrived in Moscow and continued my obedience in the Department for External Church Relations.
An example for posterity
In 1996, I returned to Samara, my hometown, and was sent by the Bishop to serve in the Church of John the Baptist. Also, Vladyka Sergius appointed me as an inspector at the Samara Theological Seminary, vice-rector for educational work. I carried out this obedience for several years. He served in the Peter and Paul Church and at the same time taught New Testament at the seminary. He also served in the Cyril and Methodius Cathedral.
“At that time, Father, I and other parishioners of the cathedral had the opportunity to pray with you at Divine Services, to confess to you...
- I remember this. And when the building of the former house church and almshouse of Shikhobalov was returned to our Church, I came to restore it all, and then to serve. We found everything in the most unsightly, very sad state.
“For some reason, their buildings were often returned to the Church in this form, as if they were deliberately trying to cause more mischief...
- Or maybe this was sometimes done on purpose. Because the government in Soviet times was atheistic...
First of all, of course, we restored our temple, which was opened in 1903, the year of the glorification of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The building was built by the Shikhobalov merchant brothers, who did a lot for Samara. They built many churches, hospitals, and almshouses. The Shikhobalovs were deeply religious people, true Christians, and they spared no expense in improving the city, building churches and helping people. This is an example for posterity, for our contemporaries - how a person can and should “grow rich in God” and help his neighbors.
And so in January 2010 we began worship here. And soon some of our parishioners had a desire to open an Orthodox classical gymnasium here. They contacted me...
— So it was not only your desire, it came from within the parish?
- This was our common desire. I turned to Metropolitan Sergius, and Vladyka gave us a blessing, we began to prepare the premises for the gymnasium. We currently have students from first to sixth grade. And it’s good that there is such a school where children from Orthodox families can study.
Taking the best
Of course, we carry out the entire program required for secondary schools, children take the same subjects, we have excellent teachers. But in addition, we try to introduce children to the faith, introduce them to the history of the Old and New Testaments, talk about saints and holidays. We make sure that they learn to observe fasts, know prayers and take part in Divine services as singers and readers - which is what is happening with us now.
Thank God, we can already say that our gymnasium is acquiring its face, taking root and expanding. And I think that this work that we started is useful for the Church, society and the state, for the children themselves. And such schools must exist. Although in our time this seems to be a new undertaking, we did not take it up out of nowhere. We strive to follow the example of pre-revolutionary schools. We study both archives and articles - and try to transfer all the best that was in those schools to ours. I would like, of course, for us to get closer to the very high level that we had in the old days. I am very well aware that we are still very far from that level. Perhaps our students have a large amount of quantitative knowledge, but as far as language, literature, and culture are concerned, we are still far from reaching that high bar. Especially, of course, knowledge of languages. In the old gymnasium, children studied Latin, Greek, and French, and already in the fourth grade they wrote essays in Latin and Greek. In our time it is difficult to imagine this.
“But now it’s probably impossible to find such teachers.” So that they know languages and are deeply religious.
- They exist, but they are few. There are only a few throughout the country. In the classical gymnasium at the Greco-Latin Cabinet of Shichalin in Moscow... But we hope that teachers of this level will appear here in the provinces. Well, where will they come from now? They must get out of our schools.
— Alas, education in our country is going through hard times.
- Yes, in those years when you and I studied, the level of education was much higher - both in schools and in higher educational institutions. After all, there was a time when our aviation institute was very prestigious, there was a very big competition. And they produced highly qualified specialists who designed and produced equipment of the highest standard. There were wonderful engineers and designers in the field of space and aircraft construction, and in other fields. We knew by heart and quoted Pushkin and Nekrasov, other writers and poets, read the works of classics, which, unfortunately, was forgotten during the reforms that befell the school.
Now, I must say, the situation is improving. And we are already hearing from high stands that the language must be studied, it must be protected and preserved, we must pass on all its richness and splendor to future generations. It’s a pity that now my knowledge of the language is, to put it mildly, not at the proper level. Even on central television channels, the speech of many presenters is far from ideal. But it should be a standard for viewers and listeners. These constant “mmmm... ahh...” are unnecessary interjections, moreover, unclear diction, a clogged vocabulary. The purity and beauty of our Russian language is being violated. When we watch old films with the participation of artists of the old school - Mikhail Yanshin, Alexey Gribov, Olga Androvskaya - it’s nice to listen to them! They were taught to speak - and not only in theater schools. Long before this, they learned to speak in gymnasiums, in families where the parents were people of high culture. They were immersed in the atmosphere of the great Russian language. And thanks to their excellent command of other languages, they could appreciate and understand the beauty of their native language. And this was transmitted to all of us - take, scoop, absorb this beauty. It's sad that this is now lost.
- But maybe it will go away with time?
- Of course it will pass. Every disease goes away at some point. But this does not mean that we should sit back and wait for better times to come.
Arrive like a friendly family
The best times will come when we start doing everything to ensure that something in this life changes for the better.
“And you and your teaching staff are among those who are trying to do everything possible for this.”
- Well, I just couldn’t do anything alone. This became possible thanks to my assistants. Here is the Koryttsev family - at first they were just parishioners. Then Vladimir Konstantinovich became a reader in our church, then an altar server, and two years ago Vladyka ordained him a priest. Doctor of Medical Sciences, teaches at a medical university, heads the department of hospital medicine and finds strength to serve in our church. He has a family, five children, two of them study with us. And his mother also helps in the temple. This family is one of the founders of our gymnasium. The Baranovsky family was also at the origins of our gymnasium. They, with their own strength and material resources, helped us organize the gymnasium. And not only these two families, of course, came to the rescue. Some of our benefactors, unfortunately, have already passed on to another world. But new people appear who become our parishioners and also help us in maintaining and beautifying our church, and they also help the gymnasium.
My view of the parish is as such a community, to say the least - as a family that lives the life of Christians of the first centuries, when they had everything in common, everyone knew each other, everyone helped and supported each other, and sympathized with difficult trials. Unlike large churches, where not everyone even knows other parishioners by sight, we have a small parish. Of course, new people also come, but mostly these are regular parishioners, whom I know all of them very well, their names, their marital status, their problems and illnesses. And they know me well, and they know each other. And when one or another parishioner has trouble or illness, they try to help. One is a lawyer, another is a doctor, the third is a builder, the fourth is engaged in agriculture. We also have priest parents whose children also study at the gymnasium.
We still have few students, and there is less workload on teachers, more opportunity to pay attention to each student. I think over time there will be more students, but we will be ready for it. It is impossible to cover a large volume at once, and there is no need. The main thing for us is that children are not only highly educated, but, first of all, believers. And I tell all parents and teachers when they come to our gymnasium that we must understand: faith and upbringing must come first. A well-mannered person understands the value of goodness and brings this goodness to other people, trying to increase it. And he himself lives in this goodness. This needs to be put into the souls of children from childhood. We cannot know, of course, how much this will remain and take root in our souls, whether the seeds that we sow there will bear fruit and shoots. But we must sow. Reasonable, kind, eternal...
The path to the Kingdom of Heaven runs through the time in which we live, passes through our lives. And if we choose the right direction, if we do not deviate, then we will be able to reach the desired goal.
Metropolitan Sergius of Samara and Togliatti understands very well the need to work with children, and in the Samara diocese there are many diocesan children's centers that seriously work with children.
At the same time, schools like ours are also needed. I hope there will be more of them. I'm not afraid of any competition. One of my tasks is to show that even now, in our days, this is possible and necessary. Of course, we still have a lot to learn, a lot still needs to be done. But most importantly, we are taking the first steps. If we can be praised for anything, it is only for our undertaking.
— Father, do you feel the help of your Heavenly patron and the patron of your temple?
“What we managed and are able to do is thanks to the prayers of St. Seraphim of Sarov. We believe that he helps us and prays for us. Our prayer, unfortunately, is weak. But the prayer of Father Seraphim is heard by God, and the Most Holy Theotokos hears Her faithful servant. Thanks to his prayerful intercession, we have the opportunity to overcome the difficulties that inevitably arise in such a difficult undertaking. And this gives us confidence in the ability to do what we have undertaken. How can one not believe in this, having such an assistant and prayer book as St. Seraphim of Sarov. Everything will work out!
— You probably visit Diveevo with your students?
— Yes, we go on pilgrimage trips. We were also in Diveevo. This winter we were in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. And children are always inspired by the impressions they receive on these trips and are spiritually enriched. Faith without works is dead, and pilgrimage is one of these things. How can one study the history of the Russian state without knowledge of the holy places, of which there are a great many in our country.
We must see God's Providence in history. And when a young man sees one of the best events in our history, it elevates his spirit. We are increasingly fond of talking about some tragedies, but this is not the whole story; there were also favorable times when our society was built and developed. And one of these manifestations is the construction of wonderful cathedrals and monasteries. These are all the best pages of history. But we must understand that all this was accomplished not without the help of God. And when we thank God for all this, then we have faith and hope that the Lord will not leave us and we will continue to live under His good protection. And decadent moods come either from our ignorance, or from laziness, from unwillingness to do something. When a person says that this is impossible and I won’t do it, it causes rejection. And you try, do at least a little for the good of our society. For many, the primary desire is to scold, criticize, and blame everyone. Yes, there are a lot of bad things that need to be corrected. But every person in his place must work, have a sense of duty and a desire to do something for the good of his neighbor. This is God’s commandment - love for God and love for neighbor. If you love God, then you must love your neighbor. And this love must materialize in serving one’s neighbor. All this begins and is implemented at the parish.
Our people are now somewhat divided. This only plays into the hands of the destroyers. And we must serve to unite the people. The Church has always called for unity in faith and good deeds. But these trends, which teach: each for himself, are disastrous both for each person and for society. We must fight this. This must be resisted.
Good - in unity with God
“We were still taught on morality stolen from God’s Law, the so-called “moral code of the builder of communism.”
- Yes, but this understanding of goodness was flawed. Because goodness cannot exist without God, without a high goal. And the greatest good is unity with God. This is it, this is good, real. There is no need to lower the bar. And we are talking about a goal that is very high, but at the same time saving: love for God. To God, who loves us - and for the sake of this love He suffered on the Cross for each of us. And we respond to this Love. This is the beginning of our communication with God. A person who has truly loved Christ has nothing to fear. True love cannot be drowned out, deceived, or soiled by anything. How can we resist false teachers leading people away from Christ? Precisely by his love for Christ. If it is deep and true for us, then nothing can deceive or spoil us. But we need to get to this point. This is how a person will strive and go towards this all his life. And the Lord will never leave him.
— Were you raised in your family to believe in God?
- No Unfortunately. My late parents were people of a different generation when it was dangerous to openly profess faith in Christ. My father was born in 1917. As my parents said, they grew up in believing families and they themselves believed in God, and my father sang in the church choir. But then a time came when many stopped going to church. It was scary and unsafe. But they still had faith.
Grandfather Fyodor Spiridonovich did not stop going to church until his old age and until his death. I remember when I was still little, we lived in Murom. There were a lot of churches there, but they were all closed, and only one church operated in a former monastery. And Fyodor Spiridonovich every Sunday, as soon as the bell rang, he got ready, put on his boots and went to church. He remained a church man. And when I remember him now, I think that, probably, something was passed on to me a little from him.
Already in our time I came to Murom and went into this very ancient temple. Now everything has been restored, and the men’s monastery is already functioning, and the women’s monastery next to it, and many churches in ancient Murom. Yes, they say, that was the time. But if a person has a desire to know something, if he wants to figure everything out for himself, he can find the truth.
This is simply stupidity, this is absurd - to squeeze the image of God out of a person! Well, how is this possible? Even if a person is very sinful and lives an indecent life, still inside him, perhaps in the very depths of his soul, there remains, invisible to other people, what was laid down by God. This is the value of a person. The fact that he is the bearer of the image and likeness of God. And then everything else: both reason and understanding of beauty - these are all consequences. And the reason is that it’s all built into him. And when a young person comes to study, we must try to create all the conditions so that what was originally placed in him by God will grow and lead him to salvation, and we should try to weed out and eradicate all the weeds.
Beauty of the Mind
Sometimes they look at upbringing and education as if we were inventing something new. We don't invent anything! We do not invent when we plant wheat, but it grows according to the laws determined by God. And we will never be able to understand how this miracle of birth from a seed of new shoots occurs... We can only help a person grow, from a very young age to a very old age. How this happens is no longer our business. This is already God's.
There were no spiritual books, remember. I had an atheist dictionary and I read it to learn something about religion. And I found something useful for myself. Of course, all this was mixed with mud, but even in this mud something could be found. The main thing would be the desire to find it. When there is no desire, it is difficult to teach a person anything. Well, he doesn’t want to learn to play the piano - and whatever you want to do with him, he will never become a great pianist. Instilling in a person a love for studying complex sciences is also a high art of a teacher. He must love this business himself and be able to convey it. And everything else in a person is accomplished in ways unknown to us. But here we instill love, like a gardener grafts a cultivated seedling onto a wild tree, and then a beautiful plant grows.
Love covers everything, accompanies everything, promotes everything good. Without love a person cannot be happy. A person living without love tries to somehow fill the void - and looks everywhere he can. Unfortunately, it is often not where it should be. He himself may not understand, but he feels how bad, how cold it is to live without love. And a person who has found love is in his place, he sees his goal and knows how to achieve it, he distinguishes right from wrong. In general, love will teach you everything.
And if we talk about education, of course, love must be connected with reason. As in the Canon of Andrei Kritsky it is said: “the mind has destroyed the beauty,” unfortunately, many - and we ourselves notice: a mind without love, without beauty - it is unhappy. You can know a lot, study a lot. But to understand the beauty of the mind... - and some don’t even imagine what kind of “beauty of the mind” he destroyed, what it even is. Where does it come from and where to get it. And was she even there? And the beauty of the mind is love.
The Holy Fathers knew well what the beauty of the mind is, and they tried to convey it to us. And we must listen - and try to understand this and restore the lost, ruined beauty of the mind. And then a person finds true love. And he begins to appreciate it and treasure it and try to pass it on to others. This is an activity that has no end. This is what eternity is all about. Therefore, in our schools we must try to return to the good that previously existed in our society. Take this good and try to transfer it here, rejecting what was bad. And don’t take something that came from somewhere outside without testing and declare it to be a value—universal or some other value. This is all verbal tinsel, there is nothing behind it except pride and deception. And we must believe those who truly wish us well. For those who know what good is and have themselves walked some path in life. Our people have a lot of experience. The Russian people are very patient, because they suffered a lot and endured a lot. Many rulers have abused this great patience - and this also exists now. We must take care of our people, preserve them. And this is impossible without love for the people. And to each person individually.
These are all difficult questions. But I am a proponent of not being afraid of difficult questions. Start doing it with God's help. And this doing is the only way to achieve the goal.
Now, if we return to what we were talking about, to knowledge of languages. The word "philosophy" is most often translated as the love of wisdom. But there is another understanding. What is this doing? There are different words for love in the Greek language: not only philos, but also agape. And the word “friend” in Greek also has this root - philos. So philosophy can also be understood as love for friendship, love for a friend.
- And friendship is always active.
- Yes, this is communication, this is the desire to understand each other. This is a strong connection between people. This is how interesting it is: knowing languages, you can take a completely different look at those subjects that seem understandable and clear to us for a long time.
And our gymnasium is an experience, this is the beginning, this is the work that we consider necessary and useful for the Church and our society. And for the children who study there.
On May 28, the rector of the Samara church in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov and the head of the Orthodox classical gymnasium, Archimandrite Seraphim (Baryakin), turns 65 years old. Have a long and prosperous summer, dear father!
Recorded by Olga Larkina.
Photo by Evgeny Sitnikov.
Archimandrite Seraphim (Klimkov)
The youngest confessor in the Danilov Monastery in the 1920s. was Hieromonk Seraphim (Klimkov). He was born in 1893 in Galicia, which at that time belonged to Austria (now Lvov region, Ukraine). Although there was a strong influence of Catholicism in the region, the Klimkov family professed Orthodoxy. From 1915 to 1919 studied at the Moscow Theological Academy, was a student of Bishop Theodore, who had a decisive influence on his entire life. In 1921, he became a monk and entered the Danilov Monastery, where he was assigned obedience: to receive confession from parishioners. Father was a very strict confessor, but the number of those cared for by him increased every day. During Great Lent, he could confess until three o’clock in the morning, often reaching the point of complete exhaustion, and when leaving, he took with him a stack of notebooks and sheets of paper - these were detailed confessions, revelation of thoughts and questions from his spiritual children. And he then answered everyone’s questions and perplexities in writing. Father Seraphim demanded complete revelation and obedience from his flock, and took responsibility for them before God. Father Seraphim retained this way of communicating with his children throughout his life. When he was hiding from persecution and his children could not come to him, he corresponded with them. One of his trusted children brought him letters, and the priest always answered everyone. A lot of young people went to Father Seraphim. It happened that, having come to him for confession by accident, people became his spiritual children for life, such as Praskovya Emelyanovna Machkina (in the schema of Daniil, †1999), a Danilov parishioner of that time, one of the few who lived to see the resumption of the monastery. Mother told how she became the spiritual daughter of Father Seraphim. Her family lived not far from Danilov, and one day young Panya and her mother came to confession and ended up with Father Seraphim. The priest immediately ordered her to fast for a week and next time write a full confession. The girl decided at first that all this was too hard for her, but very soon she became one of the most diligent and devoted children. This changed her whole life - she became an active parishioner, helping the Danilov brethren during the difficult years of persecution. Archbishop Theodore lived in the Machkin house near Kashira for several months, hiding from new arrests, although this was dangerous both for Panya herself and for her family. In 1927, Archimandrite Seraphim was first arrested and exiled for five years to the North, to the city of Obdorsk (now Salekhard). After liberation, he lived near Moscow, and in 1936 he settled with other Danilovites in the city of Kirzhach near Vladimir. In 1937, he miraculously escaped arrest and execution along with the rest of the Danilov brethren. Hiding from the “authorities,” he lived illegally with his spiritual children near Moscow, moving from one to another. In the first months of the war, he found himself in occupied territory, walked on foot to his homeland in the Lviv region and served in the church there throughout the war. In 1945, Father Seraphim had the opportunity to go to relatives abroad, but, despite the danger that threatened him, he could not leave his spiritual children. Soon he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in the camps. After his release in 1956, he lived in Moscow, still caring for his many spiritual children. Like all Danilov’s inhabitants, Father Seraphim suffered for his faith, but neither arrests and interrogations, nor years of exile and camps, nor decades of persecution and wanderings broke him. Having begun his pastoral work in the Danilov Monastery in the 1920s, he selflessly continued it for half a century. Father Seraphim died on February 14, 1970, and was buried at the Kotlyakovskoye cemetery in Moscow.
