Life of Saint Innocent of Kherson and Tauride, his icon and prayers

Innocent (Borisov)
(1800 - 1857), Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride, famous theologian and church speaker, “Russian Chrysostom”, Saint Memory of May 25, July 5 (Odessa [1]), in the Cathedrals of Voronezh, Kiev, Odessa, Lipetsk , Starobel and Kherson (Ukr.) saints

In the world, Borisov Ioann Alekseevich, was born on December 15, 1800 in the city of Yelets, Oryol province, in the family of a priest of the Assumption Church.

The parents of the Right Reverend Innocent were simple people of good life. Father Alexey Borisov was educated at home. From the lower ranks of the clergy he rose to the rank of priest. The mother of the Right Reverend Innocent Aquilina was an illiterate woman, but intelligent and pious. In his parents' house, Ivan studied the Slavic alphabet, the Book of Hours and the Psalter and learned to write.

In 1810 he entered the Voronezh Theological School, where he studied for about two years, and then studied at the Sevsky Theological School [2]. He continued his education at the Oryol Theological Seminary. Among his peers, he was distinguished by his extraordinary abilities, which delighted his teachers. In 1819, he graduated from the seminary and, as one of its best graduates, was sent to continue his education at the Kyiv Theological Academy. Here his outstanding abilities manifested themselves with renewed vigor. In addition to listening to lectures, he engaged in a lot of self-education and sometimes expounded to his comrades the teachings of this or that philosopher with such clarity and simplicity that it surpassed professorial lectures. All sciences were easy for him. He was unanimously recognized as the first student of the academy. In the highest department of the academy, Ioann Borisov spent a lot of time composing sermons, and already at that time a high original talent was revealed in him as an excellent church preacher, which later glorified him throughout Russia and even beyond its borders.

In St. Petersburg theological schools

In 1823 he graduated from the academy with a master's degree. Immediately upon graduation, on August 28, 1823, he was appointed inspector and professor of church history and Greek language at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary, and three months later - also rector of the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky School.

On December 10 of the same year he was tonsured a monk with the name Innocent and on the same day ordained a hierodeacon, and then, on December 29, a hieromonk.

On December 10, 1824 he was transferred as a bachelor of theology to the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, and on September 2, 1825 he was appointed inspector of this academy.
For his exemplary teaching of theological sciences, on January 6, 1826, he was elevated to the rank of extraordinary professor of theology. His promotion progressed very quickly. On March 16, 1826, Hieromonk Innocent was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Father Innocent soon eclipsed all the professors of the academy with his lectures, which he usually taught by heart. He then read the distinctive basic theology, where the remarkable aspects of the young professor’s talent and education were fully revealed. He was comprehensively developed, interested not only in spiritual, but also in secular sciences, and often amazed even specialists with his judgments on various subjects. During the 6-year period of service at the St. Petersburg Academy, Archimandrite Innocent left an indelible impression of himself. At this time he became famous as an excellent spiritual preacher. With his inspired speeches, he awakened, captivated, and delighted the minds of his listeners.

In addition to his teaching activities, Archimandrite Innocent successfully carried out a number of assignments from the Commission of Theological Schools, for which he was awarded several awards and various encouragements. The young professor was also actively involved in scientific activities. For various works of a historical and theological nature, on September 3, 1829, Professor-Archimandrite Innocent was awarded the highest academic degree - Doctor of Theology.

At one time, Father Innocent introduced in Russia a new method of presenting theology - historical and historical-comparative, widely using the manuals of Western theological literature, mainly Protestant, and working in an original way from primary sources. He introduced new teaching subjects in accordance with the level of scientific development in the West. He educated a whole generation of Russian theologians and scientists, and took an active part in the reorganization of religious educational institutions, in the preparation of new programs for academic and seminary courses. His “innovation” in theology was met with hostility by many; at one time he was known as a “neologist”; a “secret inquiry” was even initiated into his way of thinking, which ended in his complete acquittal.

From the properties of his loving soul, Archimandrite Innocent drew the art of strengthening good sociability among professors and brought peace and tranquility everywhere. During the nine years of Father Innocent's rectorship, the academic family thought the same thoughts with him, lived the same life with him. Father Rector always treated the students of the Academy kindly and nobly. He was especially kind and attentive to them when they suffered some kind of grief, for example, a serious illness. Helping the unfortunate man in this misfortune was then his main concern for the rector. In this case, he sacrificed not only his means, but sometimes even his life’s comforts.

Father Innocent's special fame was his extraordinary preaching talent. He was not only an excellent expert, but also a brilliant artist of the Russian word. Subsequently he will be called the “Russian Chrysostom”. Bishop Innocent's preaching talent developed through the study of St. John Chrysostom, as well as Bossuet, Massillon and other Western celebrities of those years. At the same time, as a preacher, he was distinguished by the fact that he acted primarily on the hearts of his listeners and captivated them with the clarity and simplicity of his words, subtle and witty comparisons of subjects, the art of discovering new and entertaining sides in them and the ability to take, as closely as possible, his teachings to various cases and circumstances.

External nature for Father Innocent was the second Bible, testifying to the Divine greatness of the Creator. He clearly pursued this view of nature in his sermons. With such a view of Father Innocent on nature, his special love for it and for the natural sciences is also understandable. The Imperial Academy of Sciences and various learned societies honored the literary merits of the preacher by accepting him as their member.

Rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy

On August 27, 1830, he was transferred to the Kyiv Theological Academy to the position of rector and professor of theology.

The period of rectorship of Archimandrite Innocent was a period of rise of the Kyiv Academy. He improved the educational process, carefully selected teaching staff, and improved the financial and living conditions of the academy's students. In Kyiv, he achieved the abolition of the teaching of theology in Latin. He knew how to recognize talent and always tried to develop and encourage them. He always treated all students kindly, politely and nobly, and was lenient towards their shortcomings and misdeeds. He wisely combined severity and kindness. He usually admonished and corrected the guilty more by intimidating than by punishing. Sometimes he was quick-tempered and irritable, but he had no memory of anger, and if he was angry with anyone, he was the first to repent of it. Distinguished by his extraordinary ability to work, he read a lot of books and taught his students to value time and love work.

His distinctive features included generosity and even extravagance in monetary matters; he was merciful to everyone seeking help, but especially to people of the clergy.

In 1836, he audited Voronezh religious educational institutions. So, in the higher department of the Pavlovsk Theological School, Ivan Lebedinsky, later Leonty, Metropolitan, was summoned for an answer. Moskovsky and forced him to translate “The Heavenly King” from Church Slavonic into Latin, and gave the Mother of God dogmatist “Worldwide Glory” to another student to translate into Greek. Archimandrite especially liked the first one. Innocent [3].

On October 3 [4] 1836 in St. Petersburg in the Kazan Cathedral, Archimandrite Innocent was consecrated Bishop of Chigirinsky, vicar of the Kyiv diocese with control of the Kiev St. Michael's Monastery, while remaining at the same time rector of the Kyiv Academy. Due to being busy with the affairs of the diocesan administration, His Grace Innocent was forced to resign from his position as professor of theology.

At this time, Bishop Innocent, at the head of a group of professors at the academy, was compiling a “Dogmatic Collection”, which was a real monument to the Orthodox faith, characterizing it throughout the centuries from the emergence of the Orthodox Church, as well as a rich spiritual teaching aid for students.

Also, in Kyiv he founded a weekly magazine, “Sunday Reading,” in which he published mainly his works.

Bishop of Vologda

On March 1, 1841, he was appointed Bishop of Vologda, where he served for less than a year. But even during this short time, he managed to pay careful attention to the affairs of the local consistory, to improving the condition of theological schools, to the renovation of the bishop's house and the cathedral church, he managed to review and partly collect Vologda antiquities, compose his words to the Vologda flock, for which he received gratitude Holy Synod.

Bishop of Kharkov

On December 31, 1841 he was transferred to the Kharkov diocese, which he ruled for 7 years. He ruled the diocese with exceptional prudence. Everyone was afraid of him, everyone said: “Don’t joke with this Master!” But at the same time, everyone loved him, deeply respected him and were proud that His Eminence Innokenty was the Bishop of Kharkov.

Vladyka came up with the idea of ​​organizing a solemn religious procession in Kharkov on the occasion of the transfer of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God to the city from the Kuryazhsky Monastery. Here he restored the monasteries: Totemsky, Akhtyrsky, Svyatogorsky.

In the Kharkov diocese, along with diocesan affairs of educating the flock in the spirit of piety, guardianship of monasteries and theological schools, he did not abandon his literary and scientific works. I did a lot of self-education and read a lot of books. This is how his contemporary and close Archpriest G. remembers him:

«
He not only walked and sat with a book, but also fell asleep not only with a book, but also on books. I remember one day he called me to his very top floor, called the mezzanine, where his main library rooms were, three or four large. I saw him lying on a wide sofa, and he received, God rest upon him, everyone, but especially people close to him, very simply, one might say, in a friendly or fatherly manner. “Oh, hello, father! - was his greeting, - sit down next to me. With all modesty, I answered him: “nowhere, you yourself, Vladyka, on books.” He smiled and said: “True! But should I tell you - here, there is peace in them. I will never fall asleep so sweetly and never sleep so peacefully as I do with a book in my hands and in my head; I am especially enlightened by reading the Holy Gospel, the epistles of St. Apostle elevate me. Paul, delight in the epistles of St. John the Theologian, imbued with and breathing love, and when any cloud is found, the lightness of the soul is darkened, I usually read, , and the chapters of the Gospel of John the Theologian, which describe the farewell conversation of our Lord Jesus Christ with his beloved disciples. I advise you to do the same,” and he added, “read, read, father, serious books; nothing nourishes and elevates our spirit and brings us into harmony better than serious reading! I confess that I have a habit, if my thoughts are not in order, I immediately take a book and organize them by reading. That’s why, as you can see, I have so many books laid out everywhere
«.

During the Kharkov period, the Right Reverend published a number of his conversations as separate books. At the same time, he was busy compiling and publishing akathists: the Passion of the Lord, the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Life-Giving Sepulcher and others.

On April 15, 1845, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

Archbishop of Kherson

On April 1, 1847, he was summoned to St. Petersburg to attend the Holy Synod and directly from there, on February 24, 1848, he was appointed to the diocese of Kherson-Tavria.

Here his diverse Orthodox flock was constantly exposed to the corrupting influence of Tatars, Jews and German colonists. As before, striving to cultivate the spirit of religious piety in his flock, His Eminence Innocent established two new solemn processions of the cross in Odessa, collected copies of all the miraculous icons of Russia in Odessa and placed them in a special chapel, and restored the St. George-Balaklava Monastery. Wanting to preserve the ruins of ancient Kherson, His Grace Innocent asked the governor of the Caucasus for these ruins and tried to build there, in the middle of the desert, near the remains of the former cathedral church, a small church in the name of the holy princess Olga with a small room for monks. Then he renovated the ancient temple carved by the hands of Saint Clement in the Inkerman rock, consecrated it in memory of the two holy martyrs Clement and Martin, who suffered in Kherson, where they were sent to quarry work, and built a small monastery in the same rock. During his journey through Crimea, the bishop usually left his companions at the foot of the mountains, and he himself climbed to their top to pray at the sites of the exploits of ancient ascetics. In his new diocese, Archbishop Innocent also founded and renovated many churches and was involved in the improvement of the seminary. As in other places of his holiness, the inhabitants of Odessa listened with reverence and greedy attention to the sermons of their famous archpastor.

In the Kherson diocese, Saint Innocent also had to come into contact with the movement of the Bulgarians for the liberation of their country and for the restoration of the autocephaly of their Church, abolished at that time by the Church of Constantinople. Although many in Russia at that time were sympathetic to the Bulgarians, neither the emperor nor the Holy Synod accepted the idea of ​​​​restoring the full independence of the Bulgarian Church. Saint Innocent became the only vocal defender of the right of the Bulgarians to restore the Patriarchate among the Russian hierarchy of those years. In Odessa, he founded the “Bulgarian abbot,” which, before the liberation of Bulgaria, provided shelter and education to hundreds of Bulgarian youths. In this regard, it should be noted that due to his close relationship with the chief prosecutors of the Synod and with other bishops, more than twenty of whom were in correspondence with him, Bishop Innocent had great influence on the general course of church affairs for at least a quarter of a century .

The Crimean period of the archpastoral activity of His Eminence Innocent proceeded in an atmosphere of difficult trials for our country: in 1853 the Crimean War began. At this time, another remarkable trait of his character emerged - a true patriot. During the defense of Sevastopol and Odessa, despite the danger, he came directly to the battlefields, inspiring the soldiers with his wonderful sermons, and he himself performed divine services in camp churches. The greatness of the spirit of Saint Innocent was also revealed in his visits to the suffering soldiers in the infirmaries, where infectious typhus was raging and where one could see all the grave sorrow, all the suffering generated by the war. In battles, he walked around the ranks of troops, encouraging the heroes.

For his valiant service to the Church and the Fatherland in difficult times for Russia, Archbishop Innokenty was awarded a number of state awards and encouragements.

Despite such a tense and anxious time, he did not give up literary activity. In addition to publishing two volumes of words and speeches, at this time he compiled several more akathists: the Most Holy Trinity, the Resurrection of Christ, the Archangel Michael and others.

Soon after the end of the war, Archbishop Innocent went on a tour of his diocese, stopping at the sites of battles, performed divine services in destroyed cities, greeting residents with the end of the disaster, examined churches damaged by the war and sought funds for their restoration.

On the way, he became very ill and was forced to turn back to Odessa. His illness intensified every day. Until the very moment of his death he was fully conscious. The day of his death, May 26, 1857, found him in Kherson. It was the feast of the Holy Trinity, that is, the very day on which he served his first liturgy in the Crimean diocese. Archbishop Innocent, as usual on this day, asked to make him a bed of fresh hay. At dawn at 5 o'clock in the morning, he got up, supported by his cell attendants, walked quietly around the room several times, anxiously and carefully examining the surrounding objects, then said touchingly: “ Lord, what a day!”

“After that, he asked to put himself on the prepared fresh hay, but after a while he hurriedly said: “
Hurry up, pick me up
.” And in the arms of his cell attendants, the kneeling man died unnoticed.

The main material for the biography of St. Innocent - a collection of letters to him and his other papers, was in the manuscripts of the Imperial Public Library before the revolution.

In the 1930s, the remains of St. Innocent were transferred to the Slobodskoye cemetery near Odessa, and in 1987 - to the fraternal cemetery of the Odessa Holy Dormition Monastery.

Reverence

On June 11, 1997, the saint was canonized as a locally revered saint of the Odessa diocese. On July 18 of the same year, the discovery of his relics took place, which were transferred to the Assumption Cathedral in Odessa, and on December 13, the rite of glorification was performed, led by Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Kiev and All Ukraine. On December 8, 2005, with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', his memory was included in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the same year, the lower church of the revived Odessa Transfiguration Cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Innocent [5], and on June 7, 2007, the relics of the saint were transferred to the cathedral [6].

On November 30, 2021, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church blessed the church-wide veneration of St. Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson [7].

Creative heritage

The contribution of St. Innocent to theology and theology is difficult to overestimate. With his help, knowledge of religion in Russian culture reached a new level. Possessing an excellent education, my father sought to put it into practice. Understanding the natural and exact sciences has allowed us to expand our worldview and bring faith to more people. This fact puts the saint on a par with other outstanding religious figures and philosophers of the 19th century.

Mainly, Innocent of Kherson used the entire wide range of his knowledge to preach the Word of God. The saint's speeches were reprinted, translated into other languages, and exported abroad. The excellent art of the orator made it possible to speak clearly and easily about complex Orthodox teachings, to convey the truth to ordinary people and to high-ranking scientists.

In his literary works, Father Innocent of Kherson captured the canons of Christianity. The “Dogmatic Collection,” compiled under his leadership, is an exemplary textbook and a source of unique knowledge for many generations of seminary students. Literature was important to the bishop, therefore, wherever he worked, he strove to create libraries, restore books, and preserve rare copies and antiquities.

Prayers

From the service in the book. “Services to the Odessa Saints” [8]:

Troparion, tone 4

From your youth, diligent in the teaching of piety and the fear of God,/ thriving in the grace of Christ,/ you acquired verbal gifts/ and you appeared as a tireless preacher of salvation,/ the souls of the faithful illuminating with saving meanings / and leading everyone to correction. / Sainted Father Innocent, / pray to Christ God // grant us forgiveness of sins and great mercy.

Kontakion, tone 3

The south of our land is in bloom, / the Russian Church is a decoration, / the most glorious teacher of Orthodoxy, / the zealous defender and prayer book of the Fatherland, / the new Russian Chrysostom, / the godly saint Inno Kentie,/ pray to Christ God // to save our souls.

From the Internet page “About the Cathedral of Voronezh Saints” [9]:

Troparion, tone 4

Today the city of Kherson rejoices, / the land of Taurida rejoices, / in the possession of the prayer book of St. Innocent of Christ, / the shepherd of goodness and the fair righteous, / like the Mother of God, the image of Kasperovsky has passed on You declared,/ You established the right faith in the land of New Russia./ Also, to the holy hierarch Father Innocent,/ pray Christ God // our souls will be saved.

“VLADIVOSTOK MEETS THE TSESAREVICH”

In Vladivostok, the Center for Church-State Relations “Bereg Rus” published commemorative postcards dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the Eastern journey of the Tsarevich, the future Russian Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov. From May 25 to June 2 (NS), 1891, the Tsar visited Vladivostok and blessed the city by the Ocean, calling it “the great port of the future” in his diary entries. In Vladivostok, by order of his father Tsar Alexander III, Nikolai Alexandrovich laid the foundation of the Great Siberian Railroad and accomplished many glorious deeds to establish Russia and the Church on the Pacific coast. In memory of those glorious Royal days in Vladivostok, postcards “Vladivostok meets the Tsarevich” and “Vladivostok. The beginning of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

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CONVERSATION WITH METROPOLITAN BENIAMIN (PUSHKAR)

ABOUT THE MAIN CATHEDRAL OF RUSSIA IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN

METROPOLITAN BENIAMIN (PUSHKAR): Transfiguration is the future of our world. On Mount Tabor, in snow-white splendor and majesty, the Lord showed the Divine glory in which the entire primordial material world resided before the Fall and how it will appear in the next century.

All of us and all of our Russia should strive for transformation! Having been baptized in Christ in the great font of the Dnieper, Rus', illuminated by the Tabor light for a thousand years, followed Christ, ascending Tabor. But in 1917 of the last century, Russia threw off the white baptismal robe and rolled down to the base of the mountain, where, like the demon-possessed youth of the Gospels, it fell into spiritual bitterness, submitting to the spirits of evil. May God grant that Rus' will rise up spiritually, realize its sinfulness, put on its baptismal white clothes and again go along the road shown to it by Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles, along the road of Transfiguration to the top of Mount Tabor, there is our salvation, this is our purpose and the meaning of life!

Our Council reminds us of this. Our prayers will be for the transfiguration and salvation of Russia and all Orthodox Christians in the Transfiguration Cathedral under construction in Vladivostok, at the very borders of our Motherland, on the far eastern outskirts of the Russian land.

The cathedral continues to be built; the care of construction and its completion is entrusted to the currently ruling bishop.

Low bow to Sergei Mikhailovich Darkin, may God grant him health, many happy years!

We encourage others to join in God’s work of building a cathedral in the city of Vladivostok! Here, too, is Russia, here the sun rises over the Russian land, here prayers ascend to the Throne of God for our Fatherland, for the whole of God’s world.

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A book has been published

"Russia by the Pacific Ocean"!

With Easter joy from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, we want to share with you, dear friends, the news that the book “Russia by the Pacific Ocean” has finally been published!

It took a long time to prepare this publication, and it took a long time to collect funds. With God's help, your prayers and donations, this event took place.

Today, it sometimes seems that our people are already losing the deep meaning of their centuries-old movement to the east and seem to be gradually leaving Siberia and the Far East, shrinking within the Moscow region, Leningrad region or Krasnodar region... We need to overcome our cowardice and oblivion, we need to remember our native earth, about our native expanses beyond the Urals, we must throw away all the information garbage that clogs our minds and hearts with false cosmopolitan ideas of “sustainable development” of the Far East without the Russian faith, Russian culture and Russian people.

The work “Russia by the Pacific Ocean” should contribute to the awakening of the Russian spirit, our historical memory and the rediscovery of our original meanings and ideas for strengthening Russia on the eastern borders, “on the edges of Asia.”

The book was published by the Center for Church-State Relations “Bereg Rus” with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Veniamin (Pushkar). The authors of the work are Igor Anatolyevich Romanov and Vladislava Nikolaevna Romanova. The book has been prepared for publication and printed in Vladivostok, circulation - 1 thousand copies, volume - 232 pages (13.5 printed sheets).

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Essays

Saint Innocent became famous mainly as a preacher. His sermons became an excellent example of orthodox eloquence. His printed sermons were distributed throughout Russia; Some of them were translated into languages ​​- French, German, Polish, Serbian, Greek, Armenian.

He initiated the scientific description of libraries and the collection of manuscripts from monasteries to scientific centers - academies, as well as the initiative of restoration and description of the antiquities of the Crimea and the Caucasus and all other areas where he served as bishop.

Publications

• Works (complete collection)
  , 6 vols., St. Petersburg, 1908:
• vol. I - 1) “Words and conversations for the Nativity of Christ”; 2) “Words and Conversations on the Feasts of the Lord”; 3) “Words and conversations for Sundays”
• vol. II - 1) “Words and conversations on the feasts of the Mother of God”; 2) “Words and Conversations for Saints’ Days”; 3) “Words when visiting the flock”; 4) “Teachings for religious processions”; 5) “Words and speeches to individuals”
• vol. III - 1) “Words for highly solemn days”; 2) “Words and speeches when elected to public office and when opening public institutions”; 3) “Funeral words”; 4) “Words on the occasion of public disasters”; 5) “The Fall of Adam”; 6) “About sin and its consequences”; 7) “Conversations about death”; "Thoughts on Immortality"; Notes
• Vol. IV - 1) “Great Lent”; 2) “Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian”; 3) “First Week of Great Lent”; 4) “Holy Week”; 5) “Bright Week”
• vol. V [10] - 1) “The last days of the earthly life of our Lord Jesus Christ”; 2) “The Life of the Apostle Paul”; 3) “The Life of St. Cyprian”; 4) “Conversations about nature”; 5) Akathists
• vol. VI - 1) “On religion in general”; 2) “About man”; 3) “On the final fate of man and the world”

• translation of the Helmsman's Book

Biography of St. Innocent of Kherson

The main source of information about the life of Innocent of Kherson is his personal archive, which includes letters, drafts, diaries and notes. For a long time, these valuable documents were kept in the Imperial Library, but after the revolution they became inaccessible. Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union did researchers have the opportunity to work with the foundation.

The future Saint Innocent was born in December 1800, in the Oryol province, in the city of Yelets. Received the name John. Parents - Alexey and Akilina Borisov - were simple believers. The father served in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, so he took care of his son’s literacy and taught him to read and write.

The child’s intelligence and skills allowed him to enter the theological school, and then the provincial seminary. From this very time on, John’s amazing abilities manifested themselves. Knowledge was easy for him, he could easily interpret any teaching and mastered literature on his own. Thanks to his desire for science, he became the best student of the seminary and, after graduation, entered the Kyiv Theological Academy in 1819, where he continued his studies.

The talented young man was appointed professor at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg immediately after completing his education in Kyiv. In the capital, John soon took monastic vows with the name Innocent. He was ordained a hieromonk. The young monk's career developed quickly, and already in 1826 he accepted the rank of archimandrite. The ability to preach, excellent knowledge of subjects, both theological and secular, high intelligence - all this amazed his contemporaries. The works of Father Innocent became the basis of a new approach to theology. For his outstanding talent as a preacher and writer, he was called the “Russian Chrysostom.”

In 1830, the saint was transferred to the Kyiv Academy as rector. The successes in managing the educational institution were obvious. Therefore, the new position was not long in coming, and six years later Innocent underwent the rite of ordination to the rank of bishop. Managing the diocese took a lot of effort, so teaching had to end.

For a short time he served as Bishop of Vologda, and then was transferred to Kharkov. Here the bishop spent 7 years. He managed to restore three monasteries, compile a number of akathists and publish books with spiritual sermons. In 1847, Archbishop Innocent was sent to the Kherson-Tavria diocese. In those years, the Crimean lands were desolate. The Russian population lived side by side with people of other faiths, and local antiquities were in a deplorable state.

The Kherson period of the saint’s ministry was not easy. The Bishop sought to restore monasteries and churches, preserve the ruins of ancient cities, and instruct ordinary people in the true faith. In 1853, the Crimean War began, which turned into a defeat for the Russian Empire. The Bishop showed patriotism and selflessness during the period of hostilities. He went to battlefields, served for soldiers, helped infirmaries and hospitals.

After the end of the war, the saint went on a trip around the diocese to restore destroyed churches and instruct his flock. I got sick on the way. I had to return to Odessa. He never recovered and died on May 26, 1857. St. Innocent of Kherson and Tauride is buried in the cemetery of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Odessa.

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  , 1872, June, 183-229; 1884, January-February, 188-220; March, April, 489; July-August, 99-161; 1885, May-June, 732-740, 798.
• Historical Bulletin
  , 1884, February, 336, 342; November, 454; 1885, May, 3, 75; December, 35; 1888, January, 1; March, 726; November, 10; 1890, August, 408; 1895, February, 650; 1900, June, 795.
• Russian Antiquity
  , 1874, January, 137, 138; 1876, October, 309; 1878, February, 203 pp. 203; April, 547-549 pp. 552, 562; November, 373-376 pp., 396, 367-398; 1879, April, 651-708, 795; May, 189-204; June, 367-370; September, 137-150, 161, 350; 1880, January, 112, 123, 126; February, 434; June, 225; November, 789; September, 215; 1881, June, 204, 205, 318; April, 781, 791, 794; October, 346; November, 575-581; 1882, April, 187; 1883, June, 671, 673; July, 191-194; 1886, January, 183, 184; 1887, April, 139 pp. 1; 1910, July, 86.
• Orthodox Review
  , 1871, vol. 3, I-XII, 614; 1872, vol. 1, I-VI, 262.
• Church Herald
  , 1891, № 25, 392; 1908, № 31, 970.
• Soulful Reading
  , 1900, parts 3, 4, 6, 607-623.
• Sunday afternoon
  , 1900, № 52, 618.
• ZhMP
  , 1945, № 4, 70; 1957, № 4, 61-67; 1958, № 2, 38; № 4, 29-31; № 9, 52, 54; 1959, № 4, 61, № 11, 39.
• ZhPB
  , t. add. II, 364-403, 1908, May, 241-257.
• Arr.
  to Ts.V. , 1889, No. 17, 464 notes; 1897, no. 8, 299; 1900, No. 31, 1223-1236; No. 52, 2167-2173; No. 50, 2072-2076; 1903, No. 37, 1421.
• Orthodox Interlocutor
  , 1874, January, 119; 1885, February, 201-214; 1897, July, 6-13; 1898, May, 192; 1899, February, 334; April, 425-442; May, 701; 1902, September, 125, 312; 1913, April, 184.
• Russian Pilgrim
  , 1900, № 50, 842-844; 862-866.
• Russian Monk
  , 1911, February, issue. 4, 65; September issue 41-42, 24; 1912, issue. 49, 46-51.
• Russian Archive
  , 1871, No. 7 and N, 1136, 1307; 1887, book. 3rd, 245, 246, 249, 282 pp. 2, 287, 362, 369, 374, 381 (“Filaret Archbishop of Chernigov”); 1888, book. 2nd, 365 (“From the notes of Senator K.N. Lebedev” 1854); book 3rd, 592-597 (“Stories of Metropolitan Philaret, recorded by A.V. Gorsky”); 1889, book. 1st, 149, 521 (“From the notes of Senator K. Lebedva”); book 3rd, 425 (“From the paper of N. P. Gilyarov-Platonov”); 1893, book. 1st, 144 p/page. 1, 216 ps. 2, (“Letters from Metropolitan Philaret to S. D. Nechaev”); book 2nd, 177-182 (“A few words about the Most Reverend Innocent of Kherson”); 1895, book. 2nd, No. 6, 178; No. 7, 277-278; 1897, book. 2nd, 176, 596 (“Notes of Count M.D. Buturlin”); 1898, book. 1st, 303-304 (“Two letters from Archimandrite Vitaly to Archimandrite Philadelph Puzyna”); book 2nd pp. 116, 117, 121 (“Count Osten-Sacken - his letters”); 1899, book. 1st, 662 (“Memoirs of N. D. Bogatinov”); 1900, book. 1st, No. 1, 25; 1903, book. 1st, No. 2, 220, 246; No. 3, 372; book 3rd, 91 (“Diary of I.M. Snegirev”); 1904, book. 2nd, No. 5, 50; 1912, No. 7, 444.
• BEL
  , vol. III, 713; vol. V, 954; vol. X, 619.
• BES
  , vol. I, 241, 944, 945; vol. II, 2271, 2275.
• BEYU
  , vol. X, 723; vol. XI, 162.
• N.D., 17, 48, 71, 74.
• RBS
  , vol. VIII, 110-115.