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Memorial Day of Archimandrite Sophrony - date of death - July 11. He was born in Russia and died in Essex, England. The elder lived a long life, which included 97 years, and witnessed dark events, scientific inventions and technological successes.
Life of Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov
The boy, who was named Sergei, was born into a petty-bourgeois Orthodox family in Moscow in 1996. For almost 15 years, his nanny took him with her to the temple, where she prayed. This fact affected his future fate. Having a talent for drawing, he entered the Moscow Academy of Arts.
The future Schema-Archimandrite Sophrony, after studying in 1921, left Russia and went to France. He got the opportunity to work in his workshop and was predicted to have a great future as an artist. But he quit pursuing art and entered the Theological Institute. Four years later, he and his friend Vsevolod Krivoshein went to Athos, where he remained a novice at the monastery of St. Panteleimon. Two years later he took monastic vows with the name Sophrony, and a year later he put on monastic vestments.
Serbian Bishop Nicholas ordained him to the rank of hierodeacon in 1930. For obedience, he was sent to a watch repair shop, library and treasury. While staying at the monastery, he became friends with the Monk Silouan, who became a mentor. Hierodeacon Sophrony revealed to him the secret of the desire for desert living and the vow of silence. Righteous Silouan predicted a hermit's lifestyle for him, then Hierodeacon Sophronius turned to the Elders with a request for a blessing to live in the desert. He was offered not to move far away, but to settle in Lukyanovskaya Kaliva. But Father Sophrony insisted on his own, the elders let him go to a distant monastery.
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He settled in the harsh place of asceticism of Athonite hermits near Karuli with the consent of the Great Lavra in 1939. The fame of his spiritual feat spread throughout Mount Athos. Monks of different nationalities began to contact him. Father Sophrony knew several languages, which allowed him to conduct conversations with many monks. He was unable to achieve a complete reclusive life, since he received many people and as a result agreed to move to the nearest monastery as a spiritual mentor. Subsequently he moved to St. Andrew's Hermitage.
He was very upset by the Greek government's condemnation of his friend Krevoshein (Father Vasily). He also came under suspicion and was forced to leave for Athos. But after the war, several monks of Russian origin, along with Elder Sophrony, were expelled from the monastery for political reasons. He spent 22 years of his life on Mount Athos, then left for France
Hieromonk:
- served in the Holy Assumption Church at the cemetery in Sainte-Genevieve des Bois;
- in 1958, with the blessing of the church hierarchy, he organized a monastic hostel on the Kolar farm;
- from France with a group of spiritual companions in 1959 he moved to England;
- in Essex he founded the monastery of John the Baptist, where he died in 1993.
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On the icons, Saint Sophronius is depicted as a gray-haired old man with a scroll in his hands at full height or to the waist.
Archimandrite Sophrony and Elder Silouan
The calling to be an Athonite monk is probably the dream of any monk. Having a holy elder as a mentor is a great gift from God.
The future Archimandrite Sophrony lived for the first years in the Russian Panteleimon Monastery - at that time the most numerous (more than 1,500 brethren!) and prosperous on Mount Athos.
Athos Panteleimon Monastery, photo from the beginning of the 20th century.
(Very soon the situation will change: having lost financial support and the flow of monks from communist Russia, the monastery will gradually begin to “die out” until by the second half of the 20th century there will be barely a dozen monks left in it).
At the monastery, Sophrony met Elder Silouan. At that time the Monk Silouan had not yet been canonized. The spiritual gifts of the elder were revealed only to those who communicated closely with him.
Venerable Silouan of Athos.
A strong spiritual connection developed between the two monks. Elder Silouan greatly influenced Sophrony (Sakharov) - and perhaps shaped him in some way.
Later, Archimandrite Sophrony will write a book about the Monk Silouan, which he will call “Elder Silouan” - it will be translated into many languages, will find tens of thousands of readers and will lead many to Orthodoxy. (We recently compiled a rating of Orthodox books, and it talks about it in detail. Read it!).
After the death of Elder Silouan, Hieromonk Sophronius moved to Karuli - the place of the strictest hermitage on Mount Athos.
Revelations of the Athonite Elder
Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov wrote a famous book about Elder Silouan of Athos, thereby rendering a service to the Panteleimon Monastery and the Orthodox world. He is also the author of many highly religious works, which have become textbook textbooks for many ascetics. Elder Sophrony recorded his revelations on tape, which came to Russia during his lifetime. Many people had the opportunity to hear his special intonation and joyful laughter.
Reading the “Prayer Offering” of Elder Sophrony is the only and sure way to solve all problems.
Prayer for every day by Elder Sophrony:
LORD MY GOD, look upon my poverty and my fall. From my youth I have been defiled by all sorts of sins, and I do not dare to lift my eyes to You, nor open my vile mouth to call on Your holy and terrible Name. But I cannot help but call upon You, for I am not the imam of another life, another light, another joy, another wisdom, another strength except You, my God. Moreover, daring in Thy mercy, I pray to Thee: grant me worthy to call upon Thee, for Thou Thy Oneself commanded Thy disciples to ask everything in Thy Name. By the power of Your holy and terrible Name, cleanse me from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and grant me to pray to You as I am worthy. But You see, Lord, that we do not know how to pray. You are my God from my mother’s womb, but I have not found the path leading to You; and until now, during my old age, I remain in the darkness of ignorance. But now, when my death is approaching, when my soul is preparing to descend into the eternal darkness of hell, have mercy on me, have mercy on me, and You Yourself, my Savior, teach me by Your Holy Spirit to pray to You. Like the weakened one who said to Thee: I am not the imam of man, and I call upon Thee - come to me, abandoned, lost, helpless, and You Yourself be all of me. LORD JESUS CHRIST, have mercy on me, have mercy on me, teach me, establish me in the path of Your commandments. Amen.
God bless you!
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You will also be interested in watching a video about the Athonite elder:
Sophrony (Sakharov) - artist
They say that creativity is a reflection of a person’s spiritual giftedness. If so, then the fate of Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov) is clear proof of this idea.
The paintings of the future elder Sophrony were exhibited in Parisian galleries, and some of them were highly valued. He himself was interested in modern trends in painting, lived according to the social circle - although he stood out in that he tried to spend as much time as possible in his own studio: working and thinking.
One of the “pre-Athos” works of Sergei Sakharov, the future Archimandrite Sophronius.
The main result of these reflections is that, for many, the young artist suddenly left France without living there for even five years. And his new place of life became the holy Mount Athos.
Archimandrite Sophrony himself said that at some point he felt, and then finally understood for himself, that inspiration and any creative experience is finite in its own way and has a limit. At the same time, the religious searches that he conducted in parallel gave his soul more complete answers. Some spiritual experiences turned out to be so strong and deep that after them any art and social life lost their meaning altogether.
In such cases, it is customary to say: Christ revealed himself to the young man and called him to monastic service.
Formation of the monastery
The monastery, founded by Father Sophronius, became one of the most revered in Great Britain. Orthodox people from all over the world, from Japan to Canada, began to come there to receive spiritual enrichment from the Monk Silouan.
All the last years of Father Sophrony, who was first its abbot and then its revered elder, will pass in this monastery.
Ordination
His ordination took place on April 30, 1932. In 1935, Hierodeacon Sophrony began to suffer from a serious illness, and he found himself on the verge of death. Many of his brothers were sure that he did not have long to live in this world. But God had completely different plans for him. By His great mercy and thanks to the prayers of St. Silouan, Father Sophrony lived a long life.
On September 24, 1938, a sad event occurred for the entire monastery brethren and spiritual children - Elder Silouan departed to the Lord. But before his death, he handed over his notes to his student Father Sophrony, which became the main material for the printed publication “Elder Silouan”.
Dedication to God
Now he felt the need to go to a monastery, where people pray to God day and night.
First he goes to Yugoslavia, and from there he goes to Athos and takes monastic vows in a Russian monastery in the name of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon.
In 1930, God honored him with an acquaintance with the famous elder Silouan of Athos, later canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. It is he who becomes his spiritual father, who gives him many wise answers and instructions that have worried him all the past years. Communication with the elder became for the monk Sophrony the real foundation of his entire future spiritual life.
Heritage
Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov died in the Essex monastery and passed away to the Lord on July 11, 1993. He lived a long, fruitful life, which included the most difficult years of the 20th century with its tragedies, scientific and technical achievements. He lived 97 years with dignity. The process of canonization of Elder Sophrony is already in full swing.
Now thousands of people, reading his books, gain faith. In his sayings, Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov said that as a person lives, so the external circumstances of his life develop. This happens due to internal errors, by correcting which you can change your life for the better. He also wrote that before doing anything, one must wait until the Lord gives strength. If God expects something from us, then he gives the energy and grace necessary for accomplishment.
It is very wisely noted by his words that life without Christ is tasteless, sad and hopeless.
Youth
Sergei was interested in prayer until adolescence, but then he began to be drawn to painting, because he really showed a remarkable talent for this art.
During this period, he also began to become interested in mystical literature, which did not distance him from Orthodox Christianity. In 1915, the young man entered the Moscow Academy of Arts, where he studied for two years.
In 1918, he was arrested twice by the Cheka. After the revolution and lawlessness that began in Russia, he emigrated to Italy, then to Berlin and Paris.
Abroad, his artistic works were appreciated and immediately began to be invited to major exhibitions. But his soul rushed to God.
In 1924, on Easter, he experienced a blessed vision of the Uncreated Light. From that moment on, he could not live an ordinary worldly life and decided to devote himself entirely to God.
