Saint Innocent (Veniaminov), Metropolitan of Moscow (1797–1879)

Innocent (Veniaminov)
(1797 - 1879), Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, saint, apostle of America and Siberia [1] Commemorated on March 31 on the day of his death, September 23 on the day of glorification, February 3 along with Equal Apostles. Nicholas of Japan (ROCOR [2]), in the Cathedrals of Moscow Saints; Moscow, Radonezh, St. Petersburg and Siberian saints, as well as all the saints of North America (OCA) and Alaska (OCA)

In the world, Ivan Evsevievich Popov, then Veniaminov, was born on August 26, 1797 in the Siberian village of Anginskoye, Irkutsk diocese (now Anga, Kachugsky district, Irkutsk region), into the poor family of Evsevy Popov, a sexton of the local Ilinsk church. He was six years old when his father died. The mother was left alone with four children, and Vanya was taken in by his father’s brother, Deacon Dimitri, who served in the same Ilyinsky Church. At the age of seven, Vanya became a reader.

In 1806, Ivan entered the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. He studied well, and spent his free time in the seminary library or with his uncle, who, having become a widower, became a monk and moved to Irkutsk. Deacon Dimitri, monastically David, was a good watchmaker and self-taught mechanic, and he also captivated his nephew with his studies. At the seminary, in order to distinguish between numerous namesakes, the rector changed the surnames of many students, which is why Ivan Popov then became Veniaminov, in memory of the recently deceased Bishop of Irkutsk Veniamin. Since the Irkutsk diocese was in dire need of church and clergymen, young Ivan, a year before graduating from the seminary, married the daughter of a priest of the Annunciation Church, Ekaterina Ivanovna, and was immediately ordained a deacon to the same church. He graduated from the seminary as one of the best, and four years later he was ordained a priest.

The young priest gained the love and respect of parishioners for his kind disposition and the solemn order of worship. On Sundays, before the liturgy, Father John gathered the children to church and told them about the Christian faith, about worship, the rules of a pious and godly life. In his free time, he made clocks and musical organs with spiritual hymns, which made it possible to ensure the financial situation of the family. His mother and brother Stefan moved from Anginsky to him, the priest had a son, who was named Innokenty, and the family lived a measured life that did not foretell changes.

At the end of 1822, a new parishioner appeared in the Annunciation Church - a certain Ivan Kryukov, who had lived for forty years in the colonies of the Russian-American Company, who, with his enthusiastic stories about Russian America and the Aleuts, convinced Father John to go to this distant country. At the same time, Bishop Mikhail of Irkutsk received instructions from the Holy Synod that a priest should be sent to the island of Unalaska, to the Aleutian Islands, which were then part of the Irkutsk diocese. Father John Veniaminov also received an invitation to missionary service, but, like others, he refused. Meanwhile, Ivan Kryukov was getting ready to leave Irkutsk and made a farewell visit to Bishop Mikhail, where he met Father John. When their conversation turned to the topic of sending a priest to Unalaska, Kryukov again began to talk about the zeal of the Aleuts in the faith and his words stung the heart of priest John, who decided to go to America despite the resistance of his will, seeing God’s providence in this. The Bishop agreed, not without hesitation, and blessed the selfless determination of Father John, and on May 7, 1823, he left Irkutsk with his family.

Priest on Unalaska

The difficult journey took almost a year, and Father John and his family arrived in Unalaska on July 29, 1824. His new arrival consisted of two groups of the Aleutian Islands - the Fox and Pribylovy Islands, with a harsh climate and a population of hunting Aleuts, Creoles and a few Russians. Father John's flock was weakly strengthened in Christianity - the indigenous inhabitants of the islands sincerely accepted the Gospel gospel in 1795, when they were baptized by the hieromonk of the spiritual mission Macarius, but had only the most general ideas about God as an omnipotent and good Lover of Mankind. Thinking and asking God for guidance on what to do, Father John decided to first build a temple on the site of an already existing chapel and study the language of the islanders.

To build a church on treeless Unalaska, materials were needed, which the board of the Russian-American Company promised to help with, as well as workers, which Father John undertook to prepare himself. Using his thorough acquaintance with mechanics and the craft skills that he acquired in his youth, Father John began to teach the Aleuts carpentry, carpentry, partly plumbing and blacksmithing, brick making and masonry. In this joint work, he became closer and got to know his parishioners, their character, morals, ideas about the world, and became acquainted with their language. A year later, when the Aleut builders were sufficiently prepared, on July 1, 1825, work began on the construction of the church, which was led by Father John himself. He carved and gilded the throne and iconostasis with his own hands. On June 29, 1826, on the feast of the glorious and all-praised apostles Peter and Paul, the first church on Fox Islands was consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord.

After the church was built, Father John spent most of his time traveling around the parish, kayaking from island to island, which required considerable courage and patience. His companions were only Aleut oarsmen and an interpreter. More than once, caught in a storm, they landed in a deserted place and, without food for several days, were forced to wait for a change in weather or travel through the mountains to the nearest village, carrying kayaks and all the cargo. But God sent spiritual consolations to the selfless priest - the Aleuts received him with sincere love and surprised him with his zealous fulfillment of Christian duties. Particularly noteworthy was the incident on Akun Island in Lent 1828. The population, who had never seen him before, met the priest standing on the shore, dressed up as if for a solemn holiday. Surprised, he asked them how they could find out about his arrival and received the answer that the old man Ivan Smirennikov from Rechetnoye, whom they called “shaman,” predicted his arrival and described his appearance. Having met with Smirennikov, Father John learned that he had been taught the Christian life from two “white people” - angels who began to appear to him after baptism. They told Smirennikov about the arrival of Father John and ordered him to obey him. Amazed, Father John wanted to meet with the angels, but, on reflection, he humbly decided to first communicate with Archbishop Michael of Irkutsk on this issue. When the bishop’s answer came three years later, old man Smirennikov had already died.

Father John's travels helped him learn the Aleut language and he began translating. First of all, he translated the main prayers: “Our Father”, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” and the Creed, then he began to translate the Gospel of Matthew.

Father did not like and did not know how to be idle. At a time when travel around the parish was impossible, Father John wrote a scholarly work, “Notes on the Islands of the Unalaska Department,” which included materials from his many years of travel diaries. The main ruler of the Company, F.P. Wrangel, once instructed him to calculate the hunting report card. Father John was always surrounded by children, his own and others, always finding something to do for them. He told them the Sacred story, played ball, walked through the mountains, collecting stones and talking about them. When a fair amount of stones had accumulated, he invited the children to lay out a path from the house to the church. In the evenings, as he once did in his homeland, he often made watches and musical organs for sale, involving children in the work.

Father John spent ten years at Unalaska, gaining not only universal love among the Aleuts, but also deep respect from the Company’s leadership. It was precisely such a priest that the Board wanted to see in the main city of Russian America - Novoarkhangelsk, and in 1834 he was transferred to St. Michael's Cathedral of the Novoarkhangelsk port, located on the western coast of the island of Sitka.

Rector of the Novoarkhangelsk Cathedral

Arriving with his family in Sitka on November 22, Father John was busy for a long time with matters related to the place of his former ministry, and did not have time to really get to know the indigenous inhabitants of the island - the Koloshes or Tlingits. Then some uncharacteristic reluctance kept him from starting preaching until the Nativity of Christ in 1835, when smallpox suddenly broke out among the ears. If he had come to them with a sermon before her, the hostile Koloshes would have attributed the infection to the new Russian shaman, but instead the Koloshes themselves reached out to the Russians, seeing that the disease did not harm them and wanting to receive a vaccination from the local doctor. After this, Father John was well received among them, but was in no hurry to baptize more people, but waited for their own desire and always asked the consent of their Toen leaders and mothers. In 1837, Father John went to the Stakhin redoubt, located on the mainland, where he celebrated the first Divine Liturgy, which also instilled respect in the local wayward and brave Koloshes, who expressed a desire to see the priest again. On Sitka, Father John set up a school for converts and their children, where he taught them the Law of God, literacy and various crafts, compiling textbooks himself. It was his responsibility to take care of the splendor of the Church of the Archangel Michael. He also did not abandon his scientific work: having completed the “Experience in the Grammar of the Aleutian-Lisevsky Language”, the priest with the same thoroughness took up the Koloshensky and Kodiak languages, keeping records of the customs and legends of the Koloshes. He did not forget his first flock, having completed the translation of the Gospel of Matthew into Aleut in 1838, translating other prayers and compiling small books about the Orthodox faith and Christian life.

Father John lived in Russian America for fifteen years, falling in love with the local population and earning the respect of the Company’s management. But for the successful establishment of Christianity in the vast American lands, much more people and funds were required than were available at that time. In addition, in Russia they could not publish his translations without Father John, since in the Holy Synod there would not have been anyone who knew the Aleut language. Then Father John asked for a long leave in order to explain to the highest Church authorities the condition and needs of the distant region and ask for help. Upon his arrival in Kronstadt on June 22, 1839, the missionary was warmly received in St. Petersburg and Moscow, his works were being prepared for publication, and fundraising was successful. But in the meantime, on November 25, 1839, his wife suddenly died, returning with the children to Irkutsk. Shocked by grief, the priest wanted to immediately go home to the orphaned children, but Saint Philaret of Moscow, who met with him, saw in this an instruction from God and began to convince Father John to take monasticism. For a whole year, Father John could not decide on this feat; he went to pray at the Trinity-Sergeevsky and Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In the meantime, the fate of his children was settled: the daughters were admitted to the Patriotic Institute, and the sons to the theological seminary in St. Petersburg, and on November 29, 1840, Archpriest John Veniamiaminov was tonsured by Metropolitan Philaret as a monk with the name Innocent, in honor of St. Innocent of Irkutsk, to whom all these Father prayed for years, asking for help in his missionary work. The next day, the newly tonsured monk Innocent was elevated to the rank of archimandrite, and then Emperor Nicholas I wished to see him. Meanwhile, the Holy Synod decided to form a new Kamchatka, Kuril and Aleutian diocese and turned to the Sovereign with a request to approve one of the three candidates for the department. One of them was Archimandrite Innocent, whom the emperor approved. On December 15, 1840, his episcopal consecration took place.

Bishop of Kamchatka - Apostle of America and Siberia

On January 10, 1841, Bishop Innocent left St. Petersburg, leaving his little daughter Thekla in the capital. On March 11, he arrived in Irkutsk, from where he left in early May. His relatives were waiting for him in the village of Anginskoye - from here he sent his two sons and daughters Olga and Paraskeva to St. Petersburg, and his daughter Ekaterina, who had just married the priest Ilya Ivanovich Petelin, went with him to America. On September 27, Bishop Innocent came ashore to his diocese. Autumn and half of winter passed in Novoarkhangelsk in the first concerns about the new diocese. In 1842, Bishop Innocent began the construction of the Sitka Mission House—now the oldest building in Alaska—with a chapel dedicated in honor of the Annunciation.

As soon as navigation opened, on February 19, 1842, the bishop began a tour of his diocese. Many of the flock that became his family greeted the shepherd with tears of joy. When he arrived at Unalaska, his beloved Aleuts, after the Liturgy and sermon, presented him with extremely skillfully woven orlets from tree roots and various herbs. In the autumn of 1842 the saint went to Kamchatka. Having stayed in Petropavlovsk with his brother priest Stefan Popov all autumn, and waiting for a snowy road, Bishop Innokenty set off on dogs deep into Kamchatka. On January 10, 1843, he arrived at the Tigil fortress, where he talked with the Koryak elders, and on January 26 he reached the Drankinsky fort - the last Kamchadal village in the north-east of the peninsula, where stood the last church belonging to the Kamchatka region - the Church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk. From here the saint went to Gizhiga, and from there to Okhotsk. With his gentle manners and fatherly friendliness, he earned love among the Koryaks, Chukchi and Tungus. In September 1843, Bishop Innocent returned from a difficult and long journey through Kamchatka and the Okhotsk coast, having traveled five thousand miles on dogs and partly on reindeer.

When the bishop arrived in Novoarkhangelsk, the board of the Company built a house for him, and soon he opened a school there, where he taught children the Law of God. Saint Innocent opened a theological seminary in Novoarkhangelsk and established Orthodox missions in remote corners of the diocese. In 1844, construction began on a new cathedral in Sitka in honor of Archangel Michael. Despite many responsibilities, Bishop Innocent found time to make a clock that decorated the cathedral bell tower. On November 20, 1848, he consecrated the new cathedral church in the presence of 50 representatives of the diocesan clergy, many of whom graduated from the seminary created three years ago.

The saint was constantly in work and on long journeys throughout the diocese - in 1846, the bishop traveled across Asia, since the Kamchatka diocese expanded and its borders southwest of Okhotsk now touched the Chinese border. Then he visited Ayan and the Uda region, which had just been transferred from the Irkutsk diocese to Kamchatka. He celebrated his fiftieth birthday on the road, then returned to Sitka by the end of August 1847, and learned about his elevation to the rank of archbishop on a trip to Kamchatka in 1850. The Kuril Islands, where no more than sixty people lived, also belonged to the diocese of St. Innocent, but the bishop sent an evangelist to them in 1850.

The labors of the active archpastor and the priests of the diocese bore visible fruit in the conversion of many local residents to Christ - good and wonderful news came from different parts of the vast diocese. The special concern of the saint remained the koloshi, for whom a temple was specially built, consecrated by Bishop Innocent on April 24, 1849, where newly converted parishioners sang “Lord have mercy,” the Creed and “Our Father” in their native language. Since the Koloshes maintained the cruel custom of killing Kalga slaves after the death of their master, the ruler turned to the Synod for permission to buy slaves from the Koloshes to save them from death.

On July 26, 1852, the Yakutsk region was annexed to the Kamchatka diocese, and soon His Eminence Innokenty moved to live in the center of the annexed region - Yakutsk, where he settled on the territory of the Spassky Monastery. On April 10, 1853, the Bishop appointed his son, priest Gabriel Ivanovich Veniaminov, to serve at the mouth of the Amur - in Nikolaevsk, to preach the Word of God to the Golds, Mangunians and Neudals. In 1854, Archbishop Innocent himself went on a journey through this area. Then, returning from the Amur to Yakutsk, he began to build and improve the monastery buildings. Together with other missionaries, he began to translate liturgical texts and Holy Scripture into Yakut and Tungusic languages. The Crimean War did not interrupt the activities of the ruler - in the spring of 1855 he set off, first for a secondary survey of Yakutia, then to Ayan and from there to Amur. He was providentially late for the brig Okhotsk, which was then sunk by the enemy. Having been captured by the British in Ayan, with his humble and spiritual demeanor he managed to convince them to release not only himself, but also the Russian priest they had captured, and also to leave the Ayan port unharmed [3].

When negotiations on defining the Russian-Chinese border revived, the saint, who was an ardent supporter of the development of the Amur region, received in January 1856 a decree from the Holy Synod to travel to the mouth of the Amur. Having gathered priests who were ready to go preaching to an unknown land, the saint rafted down the river, visited Aigun where he met with the Chinese amban, and spent the entire August in Nikolaevsk with his son Gabriel and his flock, which consisted mainly of Gilyaks. Here the saint was delighted at the birth of his grandson. On the way back, the bishop encountered strong winds, fell into a wormwood on the Mae River, but returned safely to Yakutsk on December 1, 1856. Archbishop Innocent again spent the entire next year of 1857 traveling - first to the Vilyui and Olekma rivers, and then to America. In June, he left for St. Petersburg to participate in the work of the Holy Synod and stayed here for four months, settling matters with the printing of translations of the Holy Scriptures into the Yakut language and meeting with his daughter, the nun Polyxenia. On January 21, 1858, Saint Innocent left for Irkutsk, and from there to the Amur, a vast region that had just been annexed to Russia. Having toured all the Amur villages, Archbishop Innokenty again stayed with his son in Nikolaevsk and arrived in Yakutsk in early autumn. Here it turned out that his cells in the Spassky Monastery burned down, and with them the manuscripts of translations and scientific works. But the saint did not have time to grieve, since with the annexation of the Amur region he had a significant increase in worries, although his burden was lightened by the vicar of New Archangel Peter in America and the widowed priest Peter Popov, who decided to accept monasticism and become a vicar bishop of Yakutia. After his consecration, Archbishop Innokenty in 1860 again went to the Amur and to the south of his huge diocese - in Blagoveshchensk he gave orders for the construction of a bishop's house, in Nikolaevsk he was delighted with the birth of his second grandson, and then he was going to sail to Kamchatka, but contrary winds prevented him and brought to Port De-Kastri, and then back to Nikolaevsk for the winter. Here he gave valuable instructions to the young hieromonk Nikolai (Kasatkin), the future enlightener of Japan, and presented him with his award pectoral cross.

Thus, sometimes exposed to dangers at sea and on rivers, Saint Innocent continued his missionary service in the Amur region. His flock grew quickly; among the residents there were many good Christians who, having barely settled in a new place, began building churches. Every year, during his travels, the bishop consecrated two or three new churches. He arrived early for the consecration of the temple and always had a box with carpentry tools with him. He built the throne himself, and the next day he consecrated it. In those villages where there were churches, Archbishop Innocent certainly celebrated the liturgy, and where there was neither a church nor a chapel, there he held hours, mass or prayer services in the open air for the assembled people. After the service, he always talked with the residents: he taught them not only to pray, but also to work, offered advice on agriculture, raising livestock and other worldly wisdom, even beekeeping, and always presented parishioners with small icons and crosses. Golds continued to be baptized; through the efforts of Archbishop Innocent, a church and a school were established for them.

Vladyka Innokenty felt the approach of old age - his eyesight was weakening, his strength and good health began to leave him. He wrote a letter to Metropolitan Philaret, in which he expressed his desire to retire to the monastery. But the Moscow saint asked him not to leave his flock, to take care of his eyesight and health for the sake of serving the Church - “May the Lord tell you what is pleasing to Him, and what is good for you and His Church,” he ended his message. This was the last letter from the elder metropolitan - in November 1867 he reposed. Vladyka Innocent grieved his death, since they had been connected by friendship for more than a quarter of a century.

Metropolitan of Moscow

On January 18, 1868, an urgent message from St. Petersburg arrived in Blagoveshchensk, deeply striking St. Innocent, about his appointment as Metropolitan of Moscow, successor to St. Philaret, on January 5 of that year. After receiving the dispatch, Bishop Innocent spent the whole day in solitude and prayer, and on February 15, after the liturgy and prayer service, together with his son and faithful assistant Father Gabriel, he set off for Moscow. The bishop spent the days of Great Lent in his native Irkutsk, and during Holy Week he retired to the Ascension Monastery, where he often and for a long time prayed at the relics of his heavenly patron Saint Innocent of Irkutsk. After the Easter celebrations, Vladyka visited his native Anginsky, where he bowed to his family graves for the last time and blessed his fellow countrymen and loved ones. Everywhere along the way, the bishop's train was greeted with festive ringing and cordial meetings with a large crowd of people. In Perm, for the feast of the Holy Trinity, the saint stayed for several days, and in Kazan he found a letter from the sovereign and a white metropolitan hood with a diamond cross, which he placed on himself at the shrine of St. Gury of Kazan. On May 25, 1868, the saint was greeted by the Mother See of Moscow.

Soon, the life of Metropolitan Innocent flowed as usual: he got up at four o’clock in the morning and prayed for an entire hour in his chapel. Every morning he attended the liturgy and without his blessing they did not begin the service; he never missed a single all-night vigil. From nine in the morning and almost the whole day, the reception of visitors of all ranks and classes continued. Among them there were many needy and poor people, whom the saint often helped with money from his savings. In the evenings, his grandchildren or son Gabriel sometimes read something for him, since he could no longer read or write on his own. In the evening before going to bed, he also prayed in solitude for about an hour, and went to bed neatly at ten o’clock in the evening.

The simplicity of Metropolitan Innocent was extraordinary. Priests and laymen, noble and ordinary people, came to him freely, often at odd hours, with various concerns and needs. The Lord treated everyone without feigned importance or severity. He did not like official proceedings with a stream of government papers: he settled many misunderstandings and quarrels peacefully in his office. In his attitude towards his subordinates he was paternally condescending, but he knew how to delicately put a proud man in his place. In the summer, Vladyka often lived in the village of Cherkizovo near Moscow, behind the Preobrazhenskaya Gate, where there was a temple in the name of Elijah the Prophet and a bishop's dacha with a house church.

Without changing his custom, the Metropolitan repeatedly toured the churches and monasteries of his diocese, the size of which, unlike in the past, was much smaller. Through his efforts, a school for girls from the clergy, an icon painting school, and an almshouse for poor widows and orphans were created. But the Saint did not like praise and always said: “The merit does not belong to me, many worked with me. This happened with me, but it was arranged by the will of God.” He was always sincerely perplexed when people admired his apostolic travels: after all, he only had to get ready, and then they took him everywhere!

However, Saint Innocent was fading: his vision was getting worse, his strength was leaving him. He wanted to retire and settle in the Gethsemane monastery of his beloved Trinity-Sergius Lavra, but Emperor Alexander II rejected his requests. The inaction forced by blindness put him in a sad mood, but he remained clear-minded and loved company and conversation. January 5, 1878 marked ten years since his appointment as Metropolitan of Moscow, and on this occasion the Moscow clergy gathered at the Trinity Courtyard, presenting him with a gift of the richly decorated Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

The year 1879 came, and the saint almost never got up from his chair due to severe dizziness. Anticipating the approach of death, he re-read the will he had drawn up long ago and ordered to donate money from his own capital to the church of his native village of Anginsky. During Great Lent, without changing his custom, Vladyka daily asked to be taken to church for the duration of the service; on Sundays he would certainly partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. During Holy Week, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, especially revered by Metropolitan Innocent, was brought to the Metropolitan’s chambers from the chapel at the Resurrection Gate. He asked to be lowered to his knees and, having prayed reverently, with tears in his eyes, venerated the miraculous image. As those around him noticed, he became somehow especially calm. The next day, the sacrament of unction was performed on the sick person. On the eve of Maundy Thursday, Saint Innocent ordered that the Liturgy be served in the morning earlier than usual. Already at three o'clock in the morning they came to the bishop with the Holy Gifts, he ordered himself to be put on his feet and firmly and clearly read the prayer: “I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Having received communion, his face lit up and repeated several times: “Thank you, Lord! I thank You that You have granted me, unworthy, to partake of Your Holy Mysteries in full consciousness!” In the evening of the next day, the bishop asked to read the funeral service over him, then said goodbye to his loved ones, saying a few words of edification to each one. They read the departure document again, the bishop fell into oblivion, but then, waking up, he asked:

- What, have you finished reading already?

They told him that they had finished.

- Why don’t they say: “Amen”? - he asked. The reader repeated:

- Amen!

The Bishop crossed himself and said:

- God's will be done!

These were his last words. On Holy Saturday, March 31, 1879, the great worker and new apostle, Saint Innocent of Moscow, died a quiet Christian death in the eighty-second year of his life.

In the morning of the following day, the bell of Ivan the Great announced this sad event to Muscovites. Many rushed to the Trinity courtyard to say goodbye to the deeply revered archpastor and pray for the repose of his soul. In his spiritual testament the saint humbly wrote:

“I ask and beg you not to make any speeches, either before, during, or after my burial... But if anyone would like to say a word for general edification, then I ask him to say a word from the text

from the Lord his ways are corrected to a person,
indicating to me who and where I was - who and where I died - to the glory of God, but without any praise for me
.
Saint Innocent was solemnly buried in the Spiritual Church of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, next to the grave of his friend and mentor, Metropolitan Philaret.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 1

Thy message went out into all the midnight countries, / for they that received thy word, / which thou didst most gloriously teach, / thou didst enlighten the ignorant of Christ with the light of the Gospel, / decorating human customs or thou art,/ Russian praise, to our holy holy father Innocent,/ pray to Christ God // to be saved to our souls.

Troparion, tone 3

The first teacher to the dark pagan tribes, / the first proclaimer of the path of salvation to them, / who labored apostolically in the enlightenment of Siberia and America, / Our Hierarch Innocent, / Vlada We pray to all/ to grant universal peace// and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 4

You were a true and unfalse teacher: / commanded by the Lord Himself, / whom you taught and punished the children who came to piety, / you admonished the infidels to know in the true faith,/ enlightening them with Holy Baptism./ For this reason the apostles rejoice, // accepting honor of the evangelist of Christ.

Proceedings

Saint Innocent left behind many translations of liturgical texts and Holy Scripture into a number of languages, especially Aleutian. He compiled the alphabet and grammar of the Aleut-Lisev language and translated the Catechism, the Gospel and many prayers into it. His works on geography, ethnography and linguistics gained worldwide fame in their time. In 1833, he wrote in the Aleut language one of the best works of Orthodox missionary work, “Indicating the Path to the Kingdom of Heaven,” which has now been translated into different languages ​​and has gone through dozens of reprints.

Teachings

Saint Innocent was a wonderful preacher - performing liturgies, prayer services and all-night vigils, he invariably instructed his flock. As he said: “Only he who abounds in faith and love can have lips and wisdom, but the hearts of those who listen cannot resist it.”

Accompanying his son, priest Gabriel Veniaminov, with his young wife on the Amur expedition to preach to the goldies, the saint blessed him with these words:

“Go to the great work God has shown you! But be careful not to grow cold in your heart in working for Christ’s field! Die on it, and do not look back until you have fulfilled your duty.”

.

Devoted to the will of God throughout his life, he left a covenant of faith to his successors, pointing to the words of the prophet: “The Lord makes man’s feet straight” (Ps. 36:23).

Descent into the gorge on harnesses

Archpriest and traveler Prokopiy Gromov, who accompanied Bishop Innocent on his trips, recalled an extraordinary story that happened in 1843 on the way from the port of Ayan to Okhotsk.

When Vladyka left the village of Lesnoy, where he had rested for several days with his brother, also a priest, he had to climb 70 miles onto a mountain ridge that ended in a cliff. Having approached a cliff along which it was necessary to descend into a dark gorge, he said: “Well, now I see the face of Kamchatka.” How can we be here? — If you please, take off your fur coat and put on your kukhlyanka (that’s what a fur jacket is called).

The Kamchadals tied something like iron horseshoes with spikes under his shoes, then wrapped a belt around him and prepared to lower him. - How will you get down? - Vladyka Gromov asked. - Like a child, on the deer skin that I’m wearing, I’ll jump down, like the guys ride on Maslenitsa. And to prevent it from drifting away, I’ll take the oshtol (pole for steering a dog sled) in my hands so that if I accelerate too quickly, I’ll rest on it, and in two minutes I’ll be at the bottom of the gorge.

This is what Gromov did, and from below, from the gorge, he watched as several Kamchadals supported the belt with which the bishop was tied, and one of them cut steps in the snow in front of him. So they lowered Vladyka Innocent to the bottom of the gorge.

Usually, at this pass, the dogs, divided into groups, were tied with belts into large “balls” and lowered one by one into the gorge. Then each sled (the cart pulled by the dogs) was lowered separately. This whole operation lasted two hours.

Click on the picture to enlarge
Meanwhile, in the gorge, surrounded on all sides by ridges, fires were lit, where the expedition members warmed themselves and prepared tea or food.

Literature

• The works of Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, collected by I. Barsukov
  , book. 1-3, Moscow, 1886-1888.
• Letters of Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna
  , book. 1-3, St. Petersburg, 1897.
• Barsukov, I.P., Innocent Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna according to his writings, letters and stories of contemporaries
  , Moscow, 1883.
• Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate
  :
• Alekseev, V., “The Most Reverend Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow,” 1949, No. 7, 36-44.
• 1955, № 1.
• Evlogiy (Smirnov), archim., “The life and apostolic works of Metropolitan Innocent (Veniaminov) (1797-1879)”, ZhMP
  , 1975, No. 3, 58-65.
• “Canonization of the Apostle of North America and Siberia, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna Innocent (Veniaminov)”, 1977, No. 12, 3.
• 1977, № 12, 58-65.
• Fialkin, V., “St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, and his missionary activity,” 1979, No. 3, 70-71.
• 1979, № 4, 73-77; № 5, 73-77; № 6, 68-77.
• Skurat, K. E., “Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, in the last years of his life,” 1981, No. 9, 68-70.

Life of Saint Innocent

In 1797, in the remote Siberian settlement of Anginskoye, a boy was born into the family of the church sexton Evsevy Popov, who was named Ivan. He was the eldest of four children of the Popovs. At the age of five, Vanya began to master reading and writing under the guidance of his father.

Saint Innocent Veniaminov

But a year later the head of the family died, and his widow could not support all the children alone. She gave her eldest son to the house of Dimitry Popov, the elder brother of her late husband, who was also a clergyman. At a relative's house, the bright boy continued his studies.

In 1806, Ivan and his uncle, who accepted monasticism under the name David, moved to Irkutsk. Here the boy enters the theological seminary. He not only successfully mastered all academic subjects, but also, with the help of Hieromonk David, mastered the skills of mechanics, carpentry and blacksmithing.

Interesting: by 1814, many namesakes were studying at the Irkutsk Theological Seminary. In addition to Ivan, 13 other seminarians bore the surname Popov. The rector of the educational institution decided to rename them. The future saint began to be called Ivan Veniaminov, in honor of Bishop Veniamin of Bagryansky, who had died shortly before.

Service in Irkutsk

In 1817, seminarian Veniaminov got married. At the same time, he received the rank of deacon in the Irkutsk Annunciation Church. 3 years after completing his studies at the seminary, he becomes a priest of the same parish. Father John honored church service with social activities. On his own initiative, before every Sunday service, he gathered children in church and taught them the basics of literacy and Christianity.

In 1819, the diocese received an order to send two worthy candidates to study at the Moscow Theological Academy. Members of the diocesan administration, familiar with the activities of Deacon Veniaminov, proposed sending a young minister to the ancient Russian capital. But this petition was refused, since Ivan had a family and a low rank.

Priest on Unalaska

Father John served for two years in the Annunciation parish in the city of Irkutsk. He treated his ministry responsibly and did not think about great apostolic acts. But by the will of the Lord, his life changed dramatically at the beginning of 1823.

On the distant Aleutian Islands, which were part of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 19th century, there were not enough clergy to educate the indigenous people with Christianity. The Holy Synod, understanding the need for regular educational and missionary activities in this remote diocese, instructed the Irkutsk bishop to send a diligent priest to serve on the islands.

Icon of Saint Innocent

But fulfilling this order turned out to be a difficult task, since the priests did not voluntarily agree to go to the harsh sea region. Father John Veniaminov also could not imagine his future life in the Aleutian Islands.

But one day he met with an Aleutian native, Ivan Kryukov. The islander told a lot about local life and the indigenous people who showed diligence in becoming acquainted with Christian customs. At the same time, he noted that the Aleuts pray fervently and joyfully receive the word of God.

These words made a strong impression on the young priest. On the same day, he asked the bishop to release him to serve in a distant land. Father John gathered his family, consisting of his wife, child, elderly mother and brother, and set off on a difficult journey that lasted about a year.

The island of Unalaska at the beginning of the 19th century was inhabited by Aleuts, who first became acquainted with the ideas of Christianity at the end of the previous century. The islanders who converted to Christianity, despite the absence of a temple and constant preaching, did not return to pagan customs. By the time of the arrival of John Veniaminov, three priests were serving in the Aleutian Islands.

Important! Father John's first act as head of the parish was the construction of a church. The priest taught the local population carpentry, blacksmithing and carpentry. With their help, a small temple was built in which sermons were held in the local language, which the missionary diligently studied.

Familiarization with the Aleut language helped him build trusting relationships with his flock not only on Unalaska, but also on other islands of the archipelago. The missionary lived on the island for 10 years. His ministry had the following results:

• Christianization of the entire local population and aborigines of the nearest islands;
• invention of the Aleutian alphabet;
• translation of the main holy books into the local language;
• teaching Aleuts various crafts.

In addition to physical and everyday tests, the Lord also sent spiritual tests to his servant. One day, while visiting a neighboring island, Father John saw that all the inhabitants of the island were meeting him on the shore. An old man, whom the aborigines called a shaman, told them to wait for the priest. At the meeting, the man said that his white acquaintances living nearby in the mountains told him about the arrival of Father John.

Hagiographic icon of St. Innocent of Moscow

Hearing what they looked like, the preacher realized that the old Aleut was talking to angels. He asked to tell these people that he wanted to communicate with them, and the old man promised to ask them about the possibility of a meeting. But when the priest received permission to come to the mountain, he experienced great fear and refused the meeting, fearing that he might succumb to the sin of pride after meeting with the heavenly creatures.

Rector of the Novoarkhangelsk Cathedral

In 1833, Father John was transferred to the administrative center of Russian America, the city of Novoarkhangelsk, located on Sithu Island. The local aboriginal population - the Koloshe people - differed from the kind and flexible Aleuts. The beautiful, proud and distrustful local population was wary of Russian preachers.

Interesting! As 10 years ago, the priest began his activities by studying the local language, but sermons in the main church were still attended only by Christians from among the immigrants and a few representatives of the Aleuts.

The situation changed after stopping the smallpox epidemic that broke out on the island shortly after the preacher's arrival. Many Koloshes died, while the Russian people and Aleuts, vaccinated against this disease, remained unharmed.

The Aborigines themselves came to the missionaries and asked for help. Having gained their trust, the preacher began to bring the Word of God to the proud people. The Koloshes did not accept Christianity en masse, but at the same time they did not interfere with the baptism of their fellow tribesmen who wished to receive the sacrament of Baptism.

Saint Innocent with the Governor of Eastern Siberia

After 15 years of service in the Aleutian archipelago, Father Ioann Veniaminov became convinced that in order to establish Christianity in this region, it was necessary to increase the number of clergy, churches, as well as the publication of sacred books in local languages. To do this, it was necessary to enlist the support of the highest bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Having sent his family to Irkutsk, the priest in November 1838 went to the Russian capital.

Vladyka Kamchatka

Arriving in St. Petersburg on June 25, 1839, the Aleut preacher on the same day went to the Holy Synod, a member of which he outlined his ideas. They interested members of the highest church administrative body, but the final decision was delayed for several months.

In anticipation of the highest decision, Father John goes to Moscow, where he is raising funds to continue missionary work in Russian America. At this time, he was provided with spiritual support by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, who was the first to notice that there was something of the apostles in the hardworking shepherd.

Upon returning to the capital, he was informed of permission to print prepared translations of the Bible and other religious books, as well as an increase in the number of clergy in American Russian parishes. But the missionary’s joy was darkened by the news of his wife’s death. Metropolitan Philaret convinced his friend to take monastic vows in order to find consolation in the Ionian service.

John doubted for a long time and refused this offer, since he was responsible for the six children who remained in Irkutsk. But when, under the patronage of the Moscow bishop, they were taken into government support, John decided to take monastic vows. On November 19, 1840, he accepted monasticism under the name Innocent. The next day, the monk Innocent was ordained to the rank of archimandrite.

Map of the Apostolic Ministry of St. Innocent

A month later, he was consecrated as bishop of the new diocese, which included the territories of Kamchatka, the Kuril and Aleutian Islands. This appointment was approved after a personal meeting between the archimandrite and Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich. The bishop's department was located in Novoarkhangelsk.

Having left for the place of service in January 1841, Bishop Innocent along the way visited Irkutsk and his native village of Aginskoye, where he was met by joyful people who had known the priest before his high appointment. Good parting words instilled in the soul of Father Innocent the confidence and strength required to carry out difficult work in difficult conditions.

He arrived at the place of ministry in September, and immediately began active work to increase the number of parishes. The bishop convinced the priests leading them to act with conviction and love, and not to force and seduce the natives with promises. He also advised to promote the desire of children and adult children to learn their native literacy and Russian language.

Interesting! As a result of vigorous activity, the Christianization of the population proceeded at a rapid pace. People who converted to Christianity often witnessed miraculous events that strengthened their faith and contributed to the conversion of other foreigners to the true God.

Innocent's service was not limited to general leadership. He undertook difficult and dangerous trips throughout the territory of his diocese, during which he preached, instructed and encouraged his flock to study literacy.

In 1850, the hardworking shepherd received the rank of archbishop. The territory of his diocese was significantly increased by annexing the Yakut region to it. Soon the episcopal see was moved to the mainland to the city of Yakutsk. Missionary activity in the new territory was carried out according to an already proven scheme.

The bishop personally traveled throughout the diocese, building churches and bringing the Word of God to the population. He studied the Yakut language and translated sacred texts into it. Nine years later, a service was held in the local language at the Trinity Cathedral. The Yakuts and Tungus have long considered this day a holiday.

Saint Innocent preached the Gospel to the inhabitants of Alaska

Gradually, the missionary activity of Archbishop Innocent covered ever wider territories. He became a faithful ally of the Siberian Governor-General Count Muravyov in the development of the territory of Siberia and the Far East.

In honor of the bishop's service, the village of Ust-Zeyskaya was renamed the city of Blagoveshchensk. In the early 60s. The episcopal department of the huge Kamchatka diocese was moved here. Despite his advanced years, Archbishop Innocent continued to tour the parishes entrusted to him. But deteriorating physical health forced him to think about retiring.

Moscow Metropolitan

Plans to retire from righteous labors were disrupted in 1867. At the beginning of this year, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow died. By decision of the Holy Synod, Archbishop Innocent was appointed as his successor. Having learned about the appointment, he spent the whole day in solitary prayer, reflecting on his amazing fate.

After this, the venerable elder humbly went to the place of his new ministry. Metropolitan Innocent, on his way to the ancient Russian capital, visited many Russian cities, including his native Irkutsk. He arrived in Moscow at the end of May 1868. To commemorate the joyful event, bells rang across the city.

Icon of Saint Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow

The next day, the Metropolitan held a service in the Assumption Cathedral, after which he addressed the assembled parishioners with a sermon. In it, he pointed out that he was a humble servant of the Lord, who dared to take the ancient Russian throne.

Despite his constantly deteriorating health, the Metropolitan diligently carried out his ministry, which he combined with missionary activity. He initiated the creation of a missionary society operating on the eastern outskirts of the empire.

Since 1878, the saint was continuously ill. Illness did not allow him to attend the meeting of the Holy Synod. At the end of March he received unction. The enlightener of the Aleuts departed to the Lord at 2 o'clock in the morning on March 31, 1878. After 5 days, his body was interred in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra next to the grave of Philaret of Moscow.

Used materials

• Alexander (Mileant), bishop, “Saint Innocent, Enlightener of Alaska,” Missionary Leaflet
  , 2002:
• Complete Troparion. — Publishing house "Trinity". - 2006. - T. 1. - P. 66.

[1] In the ROCOR it is called equal, See Trinity Orthodox Russian Calendar for 2021 - Holy Trinity Monastery. Tѵpografїѧ Ave. Iva Pochaevskag in Jordanville, 2021, p. 23, .

[2] Trinity Orthodox Russian Calendar for 2021 - Holy Trinity Monastery. Tѵpografїѧ Ave. Iva Pochaevskag in Jordanville, 2021, p. 23, .

[3] Zacchaeus (Wood), archim., “St. Innocent of Moscow, educator of the Far East, America and Alaska,” speech at a meeting in memory of St. Innocentia (Veniaminova) October 6, 2007,