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Alipy (Voronov)
(1914 - 1975), archimandrite, abbot of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. In the world, Ivan Mikhailovich Voronov was born on July 28, 1914 in the village of Tarchikha (Torchikha), Lobanovskaya volost, Bronnitsy district, Moscow province, into a family of poor peasants Mikhail Yastrebov and Alexandra Voronova.

In 1926 he graduated from a rural school and moved to Moscow, where his father and older brother lived.

In 1930, he graduated from a nine-year school in Moscow and received a certificate of complete secondary education.

In 1930-1932 he lived in Tarchikha with his mother and worked on a collective farm.

In 1932-1936 he studied at the evening studio at the Moscow Union of Artists in the former workshop of Surikov.

In 1932-1935 he worked as a tunneler on the construction of the first stage of the metro.

In 1934 he moved to an apartment at the address: Moscow, st. Malaya Maryinskaya, 18, apt. 4.

In January 1935 he worked as a miner at mine No. 12 (Sverdlov Square).

On July 10 of the same year he became a member of the amateur art sector of the Moscow Union of Soviet Artists.

In 1935-1936 he worked in the operation of the metro: cashier, controller, assistant station attendant.

From February 15, 1936 to May 15, 1941 he studied at the Art Studio of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions in the department of painting and drawing.

From October 15, 1936 to November 13, 1938, he served in the Red Army.

From November 13, 1938 to February 21, 1942 he worked at the military plant No. 58 named after. Voroshilova: transport department dispatcher.

From February 21, 1942 to September 25, 1945, he was drafted into the army: 601 Red Banner Rifle (02/21/1942-04/1/1942); 5th Guards Red Banner SME (04/1/1942-07/1/1943); 16th Guards Red Banner MB (07/1/1943-07/17/1945); 7th separate guards, Lvov, orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Alexander Nevsky regiment (07/17/1945-09/25/1945).

In 1943, the works of I.M. Voronov were exhibited at the Mozhaisk Museum of Local Lore: the paintings “Transfer of the Mozhaisk Banner to the Sponsored Unit”, “Shalikovo after the Occupiers”, the photo-art album “Gift to the Chefs”. The composition “Presentation of the Guards Banner” was kept in the NKVD club (Moscow).

On September 25, 1945, he was demobilized from the Red Army.

In 1946-1950 he worked at the USSR Exhibition Fund as an artist working under one-time labor contracts with government agencies in Moscow.

On June 5, 1947 he joined the Moscow Association of Artists.

On March 12, 1950, he entered the Trinity-Sergius Lavra (Zagorsk) as a novice.

In 1950-1959, while in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he carried out obediences on the restoration of paintings of the Trinity, Assumption Cathedrals, the Refectory and the Academic Church, supervised the work of icon painters, and took part in the restoration of churches in Moscow and the Moscow region.

From March 1950 to October 1951, he served as a painter and candle maker.

On August 28, 1950, he was tonsured a monk by the Lavra’s governor, Archimandrite John (Razumov), and named in honor of the Monk Alypius, the icon painter of Pechersk.

On September 25 of the same year he was ordained a hierodeacon by Patriarch Alexy I of Moscow and All Rus', and on October 14 he was ordained a hieromonk. Appointed sacristan of the Lavra.

From October 1951 to October 1953 he served as an artist-restorer and sacristan.

On October 15, 1952, he was registered by the Commissioner of the Council for Religious Affairs for the Moscow Region as a clergyman among the brethren of the Lavra.

In April 1953 he was elevated to the rank of abbot.

From October 28 to December 1, 1953, he served as an artist for the restoration of the Patriarchal Metochion in Lukino, restored the mansion of St. Philippa.

On January 15, 1955, he was appointed a member of the Art Commission for the restoration of the temple of the Moscow Theological Academy, and worked as an artist.

From March 1955 to January 1956 he worked as an artist for the restoration of the Church of All Saints in the Lavra.

In April 1957, he led the group to transfer the relics of Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow from the Kotelnichesky cemetery to the Lavra.

On July 28, 1959, he was appointed abbot of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

On August 11 of the same year, he took over the farm and property of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery from Abbot Augustine.

On September 3, 1959, he was released from the post of governor of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery with his return to the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. On September 28, he handed over the farm and property of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery to the Spiritual Council of Elders.

On October 6 of the same year, he was confirmed as the abbot of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

In 1959-1975, as governor of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, he did a lot to restore the remarkable monuments of ancient Russian architecture to their original form, took care of the safety of ancient frescoes and icons, the beauty of the liturgical rite, achieved the return of the richest treasures of the sacristy to the monastery, and put a lot of effort into protecting monastery from closure.

On February 11, 1960, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

Between 1960 and 1961 he carried out an artistic examination of the restoration work carried out in the Kazan Church in the city of Velikie Luki (Pskov region).

On March 14, 1973, he donated two paintings by N. Roerich from his collection to the Pechora Museum of Local Lore.

On March 25 of the same year, he signed an Act on the return to the monastery of the sacristy items taken from Pechory on March 18, 1944 to Germany.

In 1974, he donated part of his collection to the Russian Museum - about 70 paintings by Russian artists.
The rest of the collection, according to his will, was transferred to the Pskov Museum-Reserve after his death. At the beginning of 1975, Father Alypiy had a third heart attack. He had mortal memory in advance. A coffin was made for him in advance with his blessing and stood in his corridor. And when they asked him: “Where is your cell?” - He pointed to the coffin and said: “Here is my cell.” In the last days of his life, Hieromonk Father Theodorit was with him; he gave Holy Communion to Father Alypius every day and, as a paramedic, provided him with medical care. On March 12, 1975, at 2 o’clock in the morning, Father Alypiy said: “The Mother of God has come, how beautiful She is, let’s paint, let’s paint.” The paints were applied, but his hands could no longer operate, how many heavy shells he dragged with these hands to the front line in the Great Patriotic War.

He died at 4 a.m. on March 12, 1975. On March 15, he was buried in the monastery cave cemetery behind the throne of the Cave Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

In May of the same year, the Russian Museum of Leningrad hosted the exhibition “Russian Painting and Graphics of the 18th-20th Centuries from the Collection of I.M. Voronov”, and a catalog of the exhibition was published with an introductory article by Savva Yamshchikov.

Truly a man of strength and reason, an integral, selfless person, was Archimandrite Alypius in all manifestations of his Christian service. A clear assessment of his character are his own words: “The one who goes on the offensive wins. It’s not enough to defend, we need to go on the offensive.”

Father Alypius often preached, especially about Christian love, saying: “Christ, who suffered on the Cross, commanded us: “Love one another!” And therefore, in order to get rid of evil, you need only one thing: to fulfill this last commandment of the Lord.”

Father Alypiy always helped those in need, gave out alms, and many who asked received help from him. For this, Father Alypius had to endure a lot. He defended himself with the words of Holy Scripture about the need to provide works of mercy and argued that works of mercy cannot be prohibited; they are an integral part of the life of the Holy Orthodox Church. Whoever prohibits works of mercy infringes on the Church of Christ, does not allow her to live the life inherent in her.

As an icon painter and restorer, he took care to restore the bronzed dark iconostasis of the Assumption Church, the interior painting of St. Michael's Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church (he restored the tyablo iconostasis, restored the icon of the Saint, expanded the temple with a tower, strengthened the walls, restored the stylish dome (stylish - from the word “style” - a set of features characteristic of art of a certain time and direction (in this case, the Pskov school of architecture of the 15th-16th centuries).

The fortress wall with battle towers and passages was restored, and their coverings were restored. The six icons of the Mother of God in the St. Nicholas Chapel were painted with his participation and guidance.

Father Alypiy was distinguished by his special determination and fortitude. When he burned the paper about the closure of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery in front of the envoys, he turned to them and said: “It would be better for me to accept martyrdom, but I will not close the monastery.” When they came to take away the keys to the caves, he commanded his cell attendant: “Father Cornelius, give me an ax here, we’ll chop off heads!” Those who came fled.

The famous restorer Savva Yamshchikov says:
“Father Alypiy and I are standing on the balcony, talking about icons.
A car pulls up: “We’re from the financial inspectorate, carrying out an inspection.” The abbot clarifies: “Who sent you?”

- Like who? Regional Executive Committee

— The fact is that I do not obey the regional executive committee. Only to the Metropolitan.

- Okay, we'll call.

- No, you can’t attach a call to business. Bring me the paper. It’s not far here, about fifty kilometers there, and the same amount back. It's still early, you'll have time.

The financial inspectors left. After a while the Metropolitan calls:

- Alipy, why won’t you let me in?

- I can’t do it without your permission.

- Well, let me go, I order you.

- Vladyka, a telephone conversation cannot be added to the case. Please give me a telegram, a telegram. Your secretary will answer, and in three minutes she will be here. My postman walks quickly.

Indeed, half an hour later the secretary brings a telegram. Then the financial inspectorate arrived and quickly turned around. Archimandrite Alipy comes to them with a telegram.

- Oh, we've arrived. So how is it?

- Well, of course! Here you have a telegram.

“I’m now sending my contact in our car to the first secretary of the regional committee, Ivan Stepanovich Gustov. What are you doing? You represent the regional executive committee, and you have a document from the one you are fighting with, from the ruler. You are atheists! How can I let you check the monastery using such a document? Go ahead, and I’ll call Ivan Stepanovich.

When the inspectors left with nothing, I asked if Ivan Stepanovich was really going to call. Shrugged. Why bother? They won't come again anyway...

And so every day. One day he told me: “Savva, if they later paint my hagiographic icon, then it should consist of 25 marks. By the number of lawsuits that I won against the Soviet authorities. Now they drag me for one thing, then for another. But I brilliantly won all the cases.”

[1].

Father Alypiy more than once wrote criticism of lies about the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery and wrote an article about the Monk Cornelius in the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate [2] so that history would not be distorted.

He defended believers before the powers that be and took care of getting them jobs. He wrote that the whole guilt of these people lies only in the fact that they believe in God. He was friendly and sociable, received visitors with love, shared his talents, and gave wise answers.

When civilian visitors asked him how the monks lived, he drew their attention to the divine service that took place in the Assumption Church. “Do you hear that?” - he asked. The visitors replied: “We hear.” - “What do you hear?” - “The monks are singing.” - “Well, if the monks lived poorly, they would not have started singing.”

When the believers were cutting up flower beds in the monastery, the authorities asked: “Who works for you and on what basis?” Father Alypius replied: “It is the master people who work on their own land.” And there were no more questions.

He instructed the pastors of the church arriving at the monastery to be diligent in serving in his church. “Here, you, father, have left your temple, and the demon will serve in your temple.” - “How so?” - they objected to him. Father Alypiy answered in the Gospel: “The demon will find an empty temple...”

During the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic, he explained that services in temples should not stop, since cows do not go to temples, and not a single institution stops its work on the occasion of foot-and-mouth disease.

When they were not allowed to visit the caves, Father Alypiy blessed every morning, at 7 o’clock, to serve a memorial service in the caves, so that believers would have the opportunity to visit the caves and remember their relatives and friends, especially those who died in the Great Patriotic War. A decree was sent that funeral services should not be held in the caves. The funeral services continued to serve with the blessing of Father Alypius. When Father Alypy asked whether he had received the decree, Father Alypy answered that he had received it. “Why don’t you do it?” - followed the question. Father Alypiy replied that this decree was written under pressure due to weakness of spirit, “I don’t listen to the weak in spirit, I listen only to the strong in spirit.” And the service of memorial services in the caves was not interrupted.

Father Alipy never went on vacation. And even, as he himself wrote, he did not leave the monastery gates of his own free will, but was diligently diligent in fulfilling his monastic vows. And he answered the accusers that if worldly evil spirits flow from the world into the monastery into the clean monastery courtyard, then it is not our fault.

Until his death, he taught a blessing for every monastic service and activity and did not abandon his obedience.

Awards

Church

• pectoral cross (25 October 1951)
• pectoral cross with decorations (October 8, 1953)
• Patriarchal charter (February 21, 1954, for work in Lukino)
• gratitude (February 11, 1955, for a valuable gift to the church-archaeological office - an icon of St. Nicholas from the late 16th century).
• Patriarchal charter (March 23, 1963)
• Order of Christ the Savior and Cross, II degree (July 11, 1963, awarded by Patriarch Theodosius of Antioch)
• Order of St. Prince Vladimir, III degree (November 26, 1963)
• the right to serve the Liturgy with the Royal Doors open until the communion verse (1966).
• Order of St. Prince Vladimir, II degree (August 27, 1973)
• pectoral cross with decorations (9 September 1973)

Secular

• awarded for good performance in the amount of 100 rubles (November 4, 1940, plant 58).
• Medal "For Military Merit" (October 15, 1944)
• badge "Guard" (April 15, 1945)
• Order of the Red Star (8 July 1945)
• medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War" (July 10, 1946)
• Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (January 8, 1947)
• Medal "For the Liberation of Prague" (February 10, 1947)
• medal "In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow" (September 17, 1948)
• anniversary medal “20 years of victory in the Great Patriotic War” (December 1, 1966)
• anniversary medal “50 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR” (November 28, 1969)
• anniversary medal “25 years of victory in the Great Patriotic War” (1970)
• memorial sign “People's Militia of Leningrad” (November 30, 1971)
• badge "Veteran of the 4th Guards Tank Army" (1972)

Alypiy (Voronov). True stories

Archimandrite Alipy (Voronov) was in fact a “bloodless martyr.” It fell to his lot to fight for the continuation of the monastery with the Soviet state machine.

More than once those in power tried to close the Pskov-Pechersk monastery; similar orders came from Khrushchev himself, who sought to “show the country the last priest.” But thanks to the endurance of Archimandrite Alypius, the monastery continued to live and carry out its ministry. Against any attacks from the authorities, the archimandrite found compelling arguments, the right word, while trying to get out of a difficult situation with his characteristic ingenuity.

Below are the “stamps of the life” of Alypius (Voronov), captured by V. Nartsisov, S. Yamshchikov, V. Kurbatov, Arch. Nathanael.

Guests from Finland

Once upon a time, guests from Finland came to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. They are given a tour, told about all the shrines of the monastery, fed lunch, and given monastic kvass to drink. Everyone is happy. And suddenly one Finnish comrade, grinning triumphantly, says: “The astronauts flew to heaven, but they didn’t find God.” Father Archimandrite answers him: “Such a misfortune can happen to you: you’ve been to Helsinki, but you haven’t seen the president.”

Monastery Road

A complaint comes to the monastery from the Pachkovo village council that, they say, there is a terrible road leading to the economic gates of the monastery: people fall, get hurt, animals break their legs.

Archimandrite Alypiy writes the answer: “No one walks along that road except monks and monastery cows, so thank you for your touching concern for us. We will be glad to fix the road. Only in winter such work is not carried out, but in the spring send an estimate - what to do: dirt, cobblestone, asphalt. But first, let them register these lands as monastic lands, otherwise they have been taken away. In general, we do not refuse to contribute our work to the cause of social construction and build a convenient road to the monastery. But how dare we contradict the editor-in-chief of the Pechora Pravda newspaper, Kostomarov, who constantly calls for no one to come close to the monastery?”

They didn’t remember that road anymore.

All communists - come visit us!

Archimandrite Alipy's phone rings. The serious voice of the big boss is heard from the receiver: “Ivan Mikhailovich (as he called Father Alypius), we can no longer provide the monastery with pastures that belong to the people. Graze your cows wherever you want."

A few days later the call came again. The same voice says to Father Alypiy: “A large delegation has arrived - communists from all over the world. The monastery is the face of Pechory. You need to give a tour, show the Caves, then feed them, treat them to kvass - you know. I hope for your understanding".

And after a hearty lunch, the guests stroll around the monastery. Archimandrite Alypiy gives the order to release all the cows and bulls inside the monastery to the flower beds. This comes as a complete surprise to distinguished figures of the proletarian movement, many of whom encounter such animals for the first time. One elderly French communist woman climbs out of fear onto the guard booth. An old Nicaraguan Marxist is attacked by a breeding bull.

Archimandrite Alypiy's phone is ringing off the hook. The same voice shouts indignantly: “What a disgrace this is. Ivan Mikhailovich? What kind of public slap in the face is this to the communist movement?” Father Alypiy calmly replies: “What slap in the face? You yourself know that animals can get sick. So we decided that since there was no other way out, we would herd them inside the monastery.”

On the same day, all pastures were returned to the monastery.

"Soviet" cave

Soviet scientists were very concerned about the lack of odor from burials in the monastery Caves. They said this: “The monks are deceiving the people as if there is no smell. Soviet science discovered that this smell is absorbed by sand! Meanwhile, world science knows that quartz - and quartz sandstone in the Caves - does not enter into chemical reactions.

Then Soviet scientists conducted a scientific experiment in the Moscow region: they found a similar sandstone, dug a cave, and placed a coffin with a body in it. A few days later, scientists, workers, and the world community were invited to that cave for a symposium. However, the symposium did not take place: there was such a stench in the cave that no one could even enter there.

“Why are you slandering Soviet women?”

A high commander calls Archimandrite Alypius. - What is this? They say that your monks each have three women in their cells. Why was it allowed? - How? Haven't you heard about the moral character of the builder of communism? - Why, I heard, I know. - Why then do you slander Soviet women? Not a single Soviet woman, unlike the decaying West, will allow herself to enter into an illicit relationship, especially with some obscurantist monk. And you don’t give visas to foreigners. So it's impossible. - Certainly. This means that they are correct in saying that your woman is humiliated. - How humiliated? Look, our women even take part in the service: they sing in the choir, they decorate churches, they take care of the vestments... It’s in your military registration and enlistment office that they are humiliated - you only hire men.

“For the sake of the Tsar we will raise everyone”

The Pechora District Executive Committee receives a secret report. It reports that the monks want to raise a king in the Caves.

However, after a thorough study, it turned out that the informant misunderstood the words of the Liturgy: “For the King we will raise everyone.”

“What, the pioneers are not people?”

One day the Caves in the monastery were closed for a while. And suddenly important guests arrive - high-ranking party leaders. Of course, they were immediately fed, treated to kvass, and taken to the Caves. As soon as they opened the door, the pioneers approached: can we have a look too?

“Of course it’s possible,” says Archimandrite Irenaeus. Party members began to protest. “What, the pioneers are not people?” - the proletarian conscience was struck by this question.

Let's raise our voices against untruths

The Pechersk hieromonk gave a tour of the monastery for Italian guests. One Italian constantly interrupts him, asks sarcastic questions, and behaves defiantly. Finally, the hieromonk can’t stand it and loudly reprimands him. The Italian takes on the appearance of wounded pride, looks around indignantly and exclaims: “How? Have you raised your voice? “Yes,” the hieromonk answers, “all our newspapers call on us to raise our voices against all untruths!”

Kvass in the “den of counter-revolution”

One day a general comes to the monastery. They gave him a tour, showed him the Caves, then they fed him, gave him monastery kvass to drink, and took him to the Holy Hill. There the general expressed a desire to relax with his father, the archimandrite. We sat down in the gazebo. “Everything is good in your monastery, only one thing is bad.” You collaborated with the Germans during the war. - Can't be! You slander the Soviet government!? - How? “Would it allow an enemy of the Fatherland to go unpunished?” Or do you think that the valiant Soviet intelligence missed such a blatant crime? - This is, of course, impossible... - But you are slandering yourself too! - How? — Could you communicate with enemies of the people? Would you drink kvass in the lair of counter-revolutionaries?

With the last argument, the general was completely broken. The kvass seemed too sweet to him.

Saint Nicholas

Feast of St. Nicholas in the monastery. Father Alypius preaches at the service: “Recently, Pechora Truth, referring to Eusebius of Samosata, wrote that St. Nicholas never existed. Question: who in the Pechora region has the books of the above-mentioned Eusebius to verify this statement? Further, if a historian does not write about someone, this does not mean that this person did not exist. It is known that Eusebius of Samosata was an Arian. Meanwhile, at the Ecumenical Council, Saint Nicholas slapped Arius in the face. Will Eusebius write about him? I doubt. I think the whole point is that Saint Nicholas did not come to the Pachkovsky village council to register and did not register with the Pechora City Executive Committee. However, we know confirmation that St. Nicholas was and is.

Once in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, after restoration work, I met and talked with one military commander. He told me this: “I don’t know whether there is a God, but that St. Nicholas exists, that’s for sure.” And he told the following story: “During the war, our ship was hit in the Black Sea, and it began to sink. We see that things are bad. However, atheistic fear did not allow him to pray. And suddenly one of our sailors offers to pray to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. Everyone agreed: they knelt down and asked him for help as best they could. And then our ship righted itself and sailed as if nothing had happened. So he brought us - with a hole - straight to the shore. And it’s wonderful to say that before I even had time to give the order, the whole team rushed to the church to light a candle for St. Nicholas.”

This is what the military commander told me - this is not Eusebius of Samosata.”

“I’d rather die a martyr, but I won’t close the monastery”

Winter. Freezing. Archimandrite Alypiy is warming himself in his cell by the fireplace. The cell attendant comes: “You have guests.” Two people in civilian clothes enter. They hand over the paper. Father Alypius is ordered to announce at a fraternal meal the closure of the monastery and the dissolution of the brethren. It bears Khrushchev's signature. Father Alypiy tears up the paper and throws it into the fireplace. The two in civilian clothes turn white as a sheet: “What did you do?” Father Alypius stands up: “I would rather go to martyrdom than close the monastery.”

The monastery was never closed.

How many believers are there in Russia?

Once there was a large reception at the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, arranged especially for representatives of the foreign press. About 150 correspondents from various newspapers, magazines, and television arrived. A festive table was laid in the refectory of the monastery, at the head of which sat Father Alypius and his assistants.

The most lively correspondent of one American newspaper immediately jumped up and asked in fairly decent Russian: “Hegumen, tell me, how many believers do you have in your country?”

Alypiy calmly turned to one of his assistants and asked: “Tell me, how much is the population in our country?” — About 230 million. “That’s how many believers we have in our country,” answered Alypiy. - How! You have an atheistic country?! — Faith is learned in difficult years. When the war began, Stalin, in his first address to the people, said: “Brothers and sisters” (not sisters -!). This is how I start my sermons every day. This means that in difficult times everyone believes, that means everyone is a believer.

"People's" control

Somehow, people's control decided to check the financial activities of the monastery. “Tell me, who sent you,” asked Alypius. - Here we are, financial... - No, I have only one boss. This is the Bishop of Pskov, Bishop John. Go to him for permission, and then I will allow you to see my financial papers.

The people's inspectors left, and a couple of hours later John called Alypiy and asked to allow the inspectors to come in for an inspection. “You can’t add a call to business, send me a telegram,” answered Alypiy.

The telegram arrived an hour later, and another hour later the delegation arrived, and then Alypiy, holding the telegram in his hands, asked: “Tell me, are you all communists?” - Yes, mostly communists... - And they received a blessing from their spiritual father??? At the Lord of Pskov??? Well, I’ll now send this telegram to the regional party committee...

This is where the story of the financial audit of the monastery ended.

Elections in Pechersk

As you know, in stagnant years everyone had to take part in elections. Not excluding the monks of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. Usually the box was brought directly to the monastery, where the voting ceremony took place. But the new secretary of the regional committee, outraged by the honor inappropriate for the Chernets, ordered to “stop the disgrace.” “Let them come and vote themselves.”

“Wonderful,” said Archimandrite Alypiy, the abbot of the monastery, upon learning about this. And then Sunday came, the long-awaited election day. After the liturgy and fraternal meal, the monks lined up in twos and, with spiritual chants, went through the entire city to the polling station. One can imagine the state of peaceful Soviet citizens who observed such a spectacle. When, to top it all off, the monks began to serve a prayer service right at the polling station, officials tried to protest. “It’s how it’s supposed to be with us,” answered Father Alypiy. Having voted, the monks just as decorously returned through the whole city to the monastery. Later, the ballot box began to be brought back to its place.

"Scientific scammers"

Father Alypiy was very fond of conducting excursions through the monastery caves himself. One day a delegation of fairly high-ranking officials arrived at the monastery, and Alypius led them into the caves.

Before the excursion, he always asked his cell attendant to soak his handkerchief in the scent of lilac. During a tour of the caves, grins almost always began to be heard. And then Alypius, turning to the mocker, said:

“You, a young man with a secondary education, are not a fool, as I heard.” Explain to me - here, a step away from us, lies, in fact, the decomposing body of a monk. And you stick your nose in and smell it - is there a smell of decay?

The young man begins to vaguely explain something about the special properties of the gorge and caves.

“Okay,” retorts Alypiy, “now take a handkerchief and smell it.” Do you recognize the perfume? Now smell the standing fresh flowers. Do you recognize? Like this. If only you scoundrels were objective. We are dispossessed, we have nothing... And you, you are not scientific atheists, but scientific swindlers.

State beggars

Archimandrite Alypius, being the governor, could answer anyone with a sharp word. The city authorities once called him: “Why can’t you put things in order?” After all, you have beggars in the monastery! “Forgive me,” Father Alypiy answers, “but the beggars are not with me, but with you.” - How is it with us? - It’s very simple. The land, if you remember, was taken from the monastery at the Holy Gate. The beggars stand on which side of the gate, on the outside or on the inside? - From the outside. - So I say that you have them. And in my monastery all the brethren are watered, fed, clothed and shod. And if you really don’t like beggars so much, then you pay them a pension of 500 rubles. And if after that someone asks for alms, I think they can be punished according to the law. But I have no beggars.

"Monastery Plague"

One of the most interesting oddities is still remembered in the monastery. Before the arrival of the next state commission to close the monastery, Archimandrite Alypius posted a notice on the Holy Gates that there was a plague in the monastery and because of this he could not allow the commission into the territory of the monastery. The commission was headed by the chairman of the Culture Committee A.I. Medvedeva. It was to her that Father Alypiy addressed:

- I don’t feel sorry for my monks, fools, excuse me, because they are still registered in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I can’t let you, Anna Ivanovna, and your bosses in. I can’t even find the words to answer for you and your bosses at the Last Judgment. So forgive me, I won’t open the gates for you.

And he himself once again boarded the plane and went to Moscow. And again to work hard, beat the thresholds, and once again win.

Monastic songs

When Father Alypius was asked by civilian visitors (excursionists) how the monks lived, he drew their attention to the Divine service that was performed in the Assumption Church. “Do you hear,” asked Alypiy. “We hear,” the visitors answered. - What do you hear? — The monks are singing. “Well, if the monks lived poorly, they wouldn’t have started singing,” Father Alypiy summed up.

Free labor

Once seeing how the believers in the monastery were cutting up flower beds and decorating flower beds, one of the representatives of the Pechora authorities asked: “Who works in your monastery and on what basis?” “It is the master people who work on their own land,” answered Alypius.

There were no more questions.

“The one who goes on the offensive wins”

“The one who goes on the offensive wins,” Father Alypius brought this principle from his worldly life, from the terrible times of the Great Patriotic War. However, he always followed it, especially when the question of unjust oppression of the monastery and believers arose.

During the foot-and-mouth disease epidemic, Father Alypiy explained to the authorities that the service in the temple would not stop, because “cows don’t go to the temple, and not a single institution stops its work on the occasion of foot-and-mouth disease.”

When Father Alypiy burned the paper about the closure of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery in front of the “sovereign envoys,” he turned to them and said: “I’d rather accept martyrdom, but I won’t close the monastery.”

When they came to take away the keys to the caves, he commanded his cell attendant: “Father Cornelius, give me an ax here, we’ll chop off heads!”

After these words, seeing the determination in the eyes of Father Alypius, those who came fled.

“The demon will find an empty temple”

Father Alypius instructed the pastors of the church arriving at the monastery to diligently serve in his church.
“Here you are, father, you have left your church, and the demon will serve in your church.” - How so? “The demon will find an empty temple,” Father Alypius answered in the Gospel. Alypiy (Voronov)

Collector and philanthropist

Archimandrite Alypius was a passionate collector of paintings and works of art throughout his life [3].

His collection included paintings by I. Shishkin, A. Dubovsky, I. Kramskoy, V. Vasnetsov, M. Nesterov, M. Dobuzhinsky, I. Goryushkin-Sorokopudov, P. Petrovichev.

Among Western European works are paintings by the Flemish artist Theodore Buijermans, the French artist Alfred Guyon, the Antwerp painter Theodore Rombouts, and the artist Andrea del Sarto.

On March 14, 1973, Archimandrite Alypiy donated two paintings from his collection to the Pechora Museum of Local Lore - N.K. Roerich

“Composition for decoration” (watercolor) and
N.K. Roerich
“Izborsk, Settlement”. Set design for the opera “Prince Igor” (gouache).

In 1974, he donated the bulk of his collection of Russian paintings to the Russian Museum in Leningrad.

45 works were transferred, including paintings by I. Lampi, I. Loktev, N. Klodt, I. Kramskoy, I. Aivazovsky (4 paintings), I. Shishkin, V. Polenov (6 paintings), V. Vasnetsov, B. Kustodiev , V. Byalynitsky-Biruli, I. Goryushkin-Skoropudov, L. Bakst, V. Makovsky.

In May 1975, the exhibition “Russian painting and graphics of the 18th-20th centuries from the collection of I. M. Voronov” opened in the halls of the Russian Museum.

In 1975 and 1978, after the death of the archimandrite, the bulk of his European collection was transferred, not without difficulties, to the Pskov Museum-Reserve. In 1975, 118 works were transferred, and in 1978, another 27.

In the 1960-1970s to about. Many representatives of the Leningrad intelligentsia came to Alipiya for spiritual support and received it, especially artists who turned to Christian themes and revived the traditions of icon painting (Mikhail Shemyakin, Yuri Lyukshin, Vladimir Ovchinnikov, Valentin Afanasyev, Anatoly Vasiliev, Vik (Zabelin), Alexander Isachev, Evgeny Orlov and others), as well as art historians (Savely Yamshchikov [4] and others). In 1974, the art association of Leningrad non-conformist artists “Alipy” was created, which included Vic, Sergei Sergeev, Viktor Trofimov, Alena, Vladimir Skrodenis and Alexander Alexandrov[5].

Notes

1. [www.pravenc.ru/text/114382.html Alypiy (Gamanovich Nikolai Mikhailovich).] // Orthodox Encyclopedia. T. 2, p. 22
2. [synod.com/english/pages/news/archvalipy.html Archbishop Alypy is Hospitalized Following an Accident—May 2002] // official website of the ROCOR
3. [mospat.ru/archive/2008/06/41530/ Report of the Chairman of the Credentials Commission, Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain on the Credentials Commission of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church: Rus...]
4. [www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/1839934.html Patriarchal congratulations to Archbishop Alypius of Chicago on his 85th birthday / Patriarch / Patriarchia.ru]

Links

• Andrey Ponomarev.
  [www.voronov.com.ru/ Chronicle of the life of Archimandrite Alypius, told by himself...] (Russian) (2001). Retrieved December 15, 2008. [www.webcitation.org/66MKcQle8 Archived from the original on March 22, 2012].
• [www.pskovo-pechersky-monastery.ru/russian/abbot/113/ Abbots of the monastery. Archimandrite Alipiy (Voronov)] (Russian). Official website of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery
  . Retrieved December 15, 2008. [www.webcitation.org/66MKdPjbN Archived from the original on March 22, 2012].
• Andrey Ponamarev.
  [www.pskovcity.ru/pers_voronov.htm Alypiy (Voronov), archimandrite] (Russian).
  Welcome to Pskov
  (1997-2002). Retrieved December 15, 2008. [www.webcitation.org/66MKepdSq Archived from the original on March 22, 2012].
• [ortho-rus.ru/cgi-bin/ps_file.cgi?3_5043 Alipiy (Voronov)] (Russian). Russian Orthodoxy
  . Retrieved December 17, 2008. [www.webcitation.org/66MKgPGEx Archived from the original on March 22, 2012].
• [tvkultura.ru/brand/show/brand_id/4826 Soviet Archimandrite.] (documentary film, VGTRK Culture
  )
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ltqTR9tiM My burden is light.] (documentary film, State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Pskov
  , 2005)

K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (type: not specified)