Abbess Juliania (Kaleda): I always knew that grandfather Vladimir was a priest and suffered for Christ. Abbess Juliana (Kaleda). Topical issues of modern monasticism

Report at the scientific-practical conference
"Tolga monastery: 700 years since its foundation"

In the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary, within the framework of the celebration of the anniversary of the Holy Vvedensky Tolga Convent, a scientific and practical conference “Tolga Monastery: 700 years since its foundation” was held. Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), abbess of the Moscow Zachatievsky stauropegial monastery, deputy chairman of the Synodal department for monasteries and monasticism of the Russian Orthodox Church, delivered a report, which we bring to your attention.

The monastic life, according to the Holy Fathers, is a life equal to the angels, taking place not according to the laws of this world, but according to other, heavenly laws, and therefore associated with the constant overcoming of external and internal temptations. In this world-denying life, monastics put all their hope in heavenly help, first of all, in the Most Pure Mother of God, the first perfect Nun, the Virgin, who showed herself a unique example of total consecration to God and heart, and thought, and will, and all bodily forces.

Bless to begin the report on topical issues of modern monasticism with the words of St. Theodore the Studite, the great mentor of monastics: “Fathers and brothers, mothers and sisters! Let us bless the day and hour when God was pleased that we escape from the world and take monastic vows. Thanks be to God, who has called us to the blessed and wondrous way of monastic life! God also granted us monks a special great grace, consisting in the fact that, having chosen us from the midst of all, He placed us before His face in the service of His power. Look now, everyone carefully: does he walk in accordance with the calling to which he is called, and whether he really does not care about anything else, but about pleasing God ”(Theodore the Studite, St. Philokalia. Vol. IV). Thus, in the words of the Reverend Father, let us express the primary need of modern monasticism - the awareness of the main monastic principles.
At present, the concept of values ​​is becoming more and more vague in the minds of most people. The perception of the word is becoming weaker, learning from books is becoming a thing of the past; in the flow of information coming through numerous channels of modern communication, a person loses himself, and only the great grace of God is able to turn the soul to the path of repentance.

According to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, said at one of the appointments in the abbess, “People come to the monastery of their own free will. Behind the walls of the monastery is a world with many temptations. And the very fact that someone comes to these monasteries, someone crosses the line that separates the monastery from the world, indicates that this is a special spiritual experience, a miracle of God that brought him to the monastery.
But Christ is always the same (cf. Heb. 13:8), and monasticism, as God's dispensation, is unchanging in its principles.

By the grace of God, church life has been reviving in Russia for more than 25 years. After the solemn celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia in 1988, the Church received freedom and it became possible to restore desecrated shrines, open temples and monasteries. This year we are celebrating the anniversary of the ancient Tolga monastery, which heralded the spring of the revival of monastic life. The number of monasteries within the Russian Orthodox Church has increased by more than 200 times! In the Soviet years, there were only five monasteries in Russia, and now there are more than 800 monastic cloisters in all the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Over the past quarter of a century, in many monasteries, abbots and abbesses, who from the very beginning revived the monasteries, have accumulated a certain spiritual and practical experience.
First of all, this is the experience of realizing the impossibility of building a monastery by human forces, on the one hand, and the all-powerful help of God, manifested in the most diverse circumstances, on the other hand. Almost all abbots and abbesses can testify to the numerous miracles of God's mercy, manifested during the restoration of the walls of ancient monasteries from the ruins or the construction of new monasteries in empty places.
Another important aspect of the lived experience is the realization of the need for a proper organization of the internal way of monastic life.

The deplorable state of the monastic complexes transferred to the Church, the unsettledness of new places for monasteries entailed the primary need to restore or arrange the external components of the monasteries - temples, fences, buildings, create conditions suitable for the life of the brethren, and organize the provision of essential needs. But after twenty or more years, it becomes obvious that it is necessary to turn to the inner, content side of monastic life, to comprehend the lived experience.
However, understanding this experience, understanding the basic principles of monasticism is possible only in the light of the Orthodox monastic tradition.

Monasticism is inconceivable without spiritual succession, without adopting and assimilating the patristic experience of the spiritual struggle for the purification of the heart from passions and the experience of grace-filled transfiguration, renewal of the inner man, his vestment in Christ. And therefore, every effort must be made to ensure that monasticism develops in line with the patristic tradition. According to the testimony of the saint of our time, the Monk Justin of Cheli (Popovich), the revival of monasticism is possible only by following the statutes of the Church and patristic tradition. Thus, during the decline of monasticism in Serbia, especially male monasticism, he wrote to one of the monastic brotherhoods: “Renewal is possible only in the literal, patristic fulfillment of monastic vows. This is the only path consecrated and witnessed by the experience of Orthodox ascetic monks. This path has given rise to countless holy and righteous monks. There is no salvation for a monk on other paths. Start fasting in your holy monastery according to the Church Charter. To Lent, unreservedly add Divine Services according to the Typicon: everything is in order, the crown of which is the daily Liturgy. And let mental prayer never cease in your hearts day or night. If you do so, then the blessing of God will undoubtedly begin to pour out on your holy abode. And the Lord will miraculously begin to multiply your brotherhood, bringing you awakened monks and Christ-hungry novices. Souls will begin to flock to such an exemplary monastery from all sides, hungry for the truth and the truth of God.

Thus, a comprehensive, deep, active study and assimilation of the patristic monastic tradition is the paramount task of modern monasticism. It is for this purpose, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, that church-wide events dedicated to monastic life are organized and held: Christmas readings, international conferences, to which people are invited for reports experienced confessors, bishops, abbots and abbesses, who are themselves living successors of the monastic tradition. Of considerable importance is the publication of articles, collections and other relevant materials in the press or on informational church websites.

Awareness of spiritual experience and the study of the monastic tradition serve to formulate the basic concepts and ways of developing modern monasticism. With the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, work has been underway for three years on the creation of a draft regulation on monasteries and monasticism, and now this document has been prepared for sending to the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. It contains the fundamental principles and main characteristics of the monastic life.

Organization of the prayer (liturgical) life of the monastery

On the basis of the principles already formulated, in accordance with the patristic understanding of monasticism, the most important aspect of the inner way of monastic life is its prayerful (liturgical) life. Prayer is the main activity of a monk. By prayer, the monks attract Divine grace and mercy, which sanctifies not only their souls and all life in the monastery, but also pours out richly on everyone who comes to the walls of the holy monastery, and those living near, and further to the whole world, for God gives the Spirit without measure (Jn. 3, 34).

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, in his report at the Bishops’ Council of 2013, directly stated this: “I tirelessly remind both abbots and abbesses, and all monastics, that the main work to which the inhabitants of the monasteries are called is prayer, performed during the statutory services and during fulfillment of the monastic prayer rule, as well as the work done “for every time and every hour.” We should strive to ensure that the majority of the monks are present at the daily service, so that the brethren and sisters always have enough time at their disposal to perform the monastic rule. This should be facilitated by the personal example of the spiritual and ascetic work of the abbots and abbesses themselves.”

First of all, prayer - heartfelt, unceasing - is vitally necessary for the monastics themselves, striving for life in the spirit. As St. Justin (Popovich) writes: “In this earthly world, many things chain our hearts to the earth - to the temporal and mortal. But so that the earth and its temporary sweetness do not kill us with seductive temptations, it is necessary to constantly awaken oneself from spiritual sleep. How? First of all, prayer. For sincere prayer, coming from a pure heart, has an all-conquering resurrection power, by which our dead souls are resurrected from all spiritual deaths ... And when we strengthen our prayer with fasting, love, goodness, obedience, oh! - then it becomes truly omnipotent and all-conquering in all our battles with all the temptations of this world ... Only let us, with the help of God, remain firmly and tirelessly in standing and praying! Then our salvation will be prepared by the grace of God according to the unchanging mercy of God, and not according to some of our merits, for as human beings we are always weak, infirm, and treacherous.”

There are various practical aspects in the organization of the prayer life of the monastery.
First of all, these are questions concerning the liturgical life of the monastery, which forms the entire structure of monastic studies and labors. -Fulfillment of a full daily circle of services, the regularity of services, special liturgical traditions and followings - all this constitutes a special wealth and heritage of each monastery, forms its, one might say, external liturgical image. At the same time, there are peculiarities of liturgical life in urban and remote monasteries, and there are differences in the organization of services in male and female monasteries.

On the other hand, it is necessary to understand that the prayer rule of monastics in their cells is a necessary condition for their spiritual growth and prosperity, it cultivates in souls the habit of prayerful standing, constancy and courage in prayerful work. The whole way of monastic life - divine services, common obediences, needlework - should nourish, inspire the personal prayer life of a monastic. Without the experience of personal cell prayer, it is very difficult for a monastic to succeed in comprehending the essence of spiritual life as life in communion with God. Here the abbot / abbess should take care of the reasonable distribution of time in the studies of the brethren.

And, finally, internal prayer, performed at any time and in any place, first of all, the Jesus Prayer, which is a kind of core, an internal pillar that supports the monk, a sword that strikes the mental enemy, a flame that scorches passions, a light that enlightens the mind, fertile dew, quenching the heart's thirst for knowledge of God. This prayer requires special attention for monastics to assimilate it.

The tradition of hesychasm - inner silence, contemplation, exhaustion of oneself in prayer for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ exhausted Himself for our salvation - is the core of monasticism. The Monk Sergius, the organizer of monastic life in Russia, was himself a profound silencer, a hesychast, who reached such a height of contemplation that his closest disciples saw the Divine light descending upon him and from him invisibly pouring outward. They also saw the Divine fire emanating from the blessing hand of St. Sergius and surrounding both the blessing and the blessed. The disciples saw in the heavenly radiance of an angel serving the humble abbot and following him relentlessly, covering him with heavenly glory.

One of the ascetics of our time, Archimandrite Emilian (Vafidis), who was Abbot of the Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos, testifies from the depths of his personal prayer experience: “Our worship, our Liturgy exist as the highest manifestation of our prayer and the starting point for the continuation of prayer. Only the one who prays and keeps the name of Jesus on his lips before going to church can say that he fully participates in the Liturgy, that he understands everything. And for this, I need to get up early and bow to God, pray to Him, kneel down, explore and open my heart, aspire with all my being to heaven, pronounce the words of the Jesus Prayer. Then I will go to the temple and reach the highest point of my prayer. Then I will return to my cell and continue prayerful communion with Christ, constantly repeating His Name.”

spiritual guidance

The habit of prayer requires constant exercise, practical experience, reinforced by the study of the lives and works of the holy fathers and ascetics - doers of prayer.
But reading alone is not enough to assimilate and succeed in prayer, because, according to the well-known modern archpastor, confessor and theologian, Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol, said during a report at the International Theological Scientific and Practical Conference in September 2013 in the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra: “Successions monastic tradition does not exist outside of personal spiritual succession, the transfer of spiritual experience from a mentor to a disciple-son, who absorbs and perceives the spirit of an elder with his whole being. The succession of both external and, especially, internal monastic traditions is based on personal communication - in prayer, in confession, in following the example of a mentor.

Therefore, the issue of spiritual guidance in monasteries, spiritual education is extremely important and requires the closest attention from the abbots / abbesses. The abbot / abbess is entrusted with the care of the salvation of the souls of all those who labor in the monastery, and spiritual guidance is their most important duty. According to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the Bishops' Council in 2013, "the abbot is called to be a father for the brethren first of all, and not an administrator, and by his personal example to strengthen the brethren in the monastic path."

At one appointment as abbess, His Holiness the Patriarch also said about this: “Those who are entrusted with the care of monasteries should do everything to build up the monastic community, so that with their wisdom, slowness in making decisions, calmness, help monastics ascend from strength to strength ... For In order to determine what really happens to this or that monk or nun, one must not only apply to them certain criteria related to the need for proper behavior in the monastery, but also try to penetrate into the soul. The abbot / abbess of the monastery personally and, if necessary, with the help of spiritually experienced monastics from the elder brethren, must first of all take care of the spiritual success of the brotherhood:

Conduct spiritual conversations with instructions from the works of the holy fathers or with examples from the lives of the saints;
- accept brethren for personal interviews;
- to enter into their spiritual and physical needs.

Of no small importance are invitations to the monasteries for conversations with brothers/sisters of spiritually experienced ascetics, abbots and abbesses, both from well-maintained Russian monasteries and from the monasteries of the fraternal Local Churches, which, of course, should be done with the blessing of the ruling bishop.
Preparatory work with beginners, explanation of the basic concepts of monasticism
The issue of spiritual guidance is closely related to the issue of obedience. For, according to the well-known example from the Fatherland, when one young monk asked: “Why are there no elders now?” - the confessor answered: “There are elders, but God closes their mouths, so that their word does not aggravate the sin of those who listen to them, but do not fulfill them, for now there are no real novices ...” Obedience as a virtue is the greatest mystery and the ineffable gift of God. It is the fruit of faith, and from it humility is born in the soul, from humility - spiritual intelligence and knowledge of the mysteries of God, and most of all - love, which is truly, according to the word of the apostle, the union of perfection (cf.: Col. 3, 14).

The path of obedience and humility, according to the many thousands of years of experience of the Old Testament and New Testament Churches, is the shortest path to union with Christ and the acquisition of spiritual gifts and to salvation and blessed eternal life. At the present time, when all the concepts in the world, and especially those relating to moral values, are distorted beyond recognition, to the point of opposite, in monasteries there is an acute problem of awareness by the inhabitants of the basic spiritual concepts, primarily about obedience.
This applies not only to those who come to monasteries again, but also to those who came to the monastery 20 years ago and have already taken monastic or monastic vows. Entering the monastery by the grace of God, but having no experience of church life, the current inhabitants have their own ideas about the ideals of monasticism and want to base their life in the monastery on them.

The concept of obedience as a virtue (ipakoi) is confused with the concept of obedience as a deed of service (diaconia) and is often perceived in a distorted form.
Modern novices evade obedience under the pretext of the absence of spirit-bearing mentors or hiding behind the need for reasoning in obedience, while keeping in mind their own “reasoning” and “common sense”. The opposite also happens, when obedience is performed outwardly literally, but mechanically, without penetration by the spirit of the mentor, not for the sake of Christ, but for various passionate reasons.
True obedience - as an expression of repentance, resolute self-denial and conversion to the path of God's commandments, the patience of sorrows for the sake of Christ, the binding of one's passionate movements of the mind, will and heart for the sake of gaining true freedom in Christ - is unfamiliar to today's novices.

However, without obedience, according to the words of the Monk Abba Dorotheus, “none of the passionate will see God,” and prayer is fruitless, and the soul does not grow in the knowledge of God. Therefore, for the sake of the spiritual success of monastics, and consequently, of monasteries, painstaking, patient, all-round preparatory work is necessary with newcomers who enter the monastery and wish to become monks.
Here one should take into account the special influence of the modern environment with information aggression and, at the same time, a certain vacuum in human relations. It happens that young novices, in worldly relations, are very easy to communicate with, as far as their thoughts and feelings are concerned, they are extremely closed and stubborn. Each newcomer, as a rule, needs a special, individual approach.

Abbots and abbesses of the cloisters spend a lot of work and prayerful feat in order to dispose the souls of novices to open communication about the ulcers of their souls and about turning to Christ for the means to heal these sinful ulcers. At the same time, the hegumen / abbess himself must constantly remain in the feat, in the acquisition of the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that the hearts of their novices will open the love of God, so that they desire Christ and follow Him and rush to Him in repentance through self-denial and determination to all suffering.

As His Holiness the Patriarch said during the erection of one abbess of a stavropegial monastery: “We live in a difficult time. It is especially difficult for those who give themselves completely to the service of the Lord, who leave the world for a monastery and crucify themselves with Christ through holy obedience. We know that those who come to the monasteries today are modern people who have been educated and formed in this very world. And much that is unkind in this world, to one degree or another, touched their consciousness and their heart. This poses a very big and important task, first of all, before the abbess, who must, with her wisdom and spiritual experience, overcome the gravity of the world in the hearts, especially of young novices and young nuns.

The communal way of the monastery

According to the living experience of the Church and patristic tradition, the best conditions for spiritual progress are common monastic life.
At present, all monasteries in the Russian Orthodox Church are cenobitic. As is known, the main external criteria of a cenobitic monastery are common leadership, common divine service, common meal, common labors. The inner highest order of community life is the unity of the brethren in likening to the image of the union of the Lord Jesus Christ with the apostles, as well as to the image of the early Christian community, where everything was in common: thoughts, soul, and heart.

Relationships and the order of life in a cenobitic monastery are based on monastic vows of obedience, abstinence and chastity, non-possession, performed out of love for Christ and for the sake of union with Him. At the same time, the greatest responsibility for arranging life in monasteries lies with the abbot / abbess of the monastery. And here, according to the words of His Holiness the Patriarch, “on the one hand, you must be strict and demanding in the fulfillment of obediences and the monastic rule, but, on the other hand, never formally treat those who are entrusted to your care. And if reasonable severity is combined with sincere love, with the desire to be crucified together with those who have entrusted themselves to Christ, this will be of great benefit. Only in this way can a monastic community be built today, only in this way can a group of people united by common thoughts and common ideals be turned into a spiritual family. Namely, good family relations should characterize monastic life, should characterize the life of a holy monastery.

God grant that our cloisters be quiet havens in the stormy sea of ​​\u200b\u200blife, and many people find rest and solace for their souls in them.
At present, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, direct work is underway to draw up a model charter for a cenobitic monastery on the basis of the general principles set forth in the prepared draft Regulations on Monasteries and Monasticism.
Of course, the arrangement of monastic life does not happen all at once, and this may take the life of more than one generation. In many ways, the solution of primary tasks depends on the abbots / abbesses of the monasteries, their spiritual experience, growth in prayer, striving to put into practice the basic monastic principles.

Enrichment with spiritual experience, communication with spiritually experienced mentors, abbots and abbesses of comfortable monasteries, joint meetings at general church meetings and conferences are of great importance. Therefore, again and again I would like to express my deep gratitude for the opportunity to participate in today's scientific and practical conference.
And in conclusion, I would like to once again give thanks to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for the great gift - monastic life, which is true bliss, and for the fact that, despite many temptations and temptations, souls still continue to flow into the abodes, wounded by the love of Christ. And we prayerfully hope that, by the grace of God, our monasteries will raise many more children of the heavenly Fatherland.

Author info: Abbess Juliania (Kaleda) was born on April 8, 1961 in the family of the geologist Gleb Aleksandrovich Kaleda, later a priest, and Lydia Vladimirovna Kaleda (nee Ambartsumova), daughter of the Hieromartyr Vladimir (Ambartsumov). By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 5, 1995, she was appointed abbess of the Zachatievsky Convent in Moscow. On November 25, 1999, she was elevated to the rank of abbess by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.
Since July 27, 2009 - Member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church. By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 12, 2013 (magazine No. 31), she was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

But I repeat that I am not judging anyone, but I am raising the problem of the current situation in the Leushinsky Compound and suggesting that it be condemned. The problem is broader than just our grieving Leushinsky Compound. It concerns the state of contemporary female monasticism in general.
Here it is important to hear the voice of authoritative abbesses. I have already cited the opinion of St. Petersburg abbess Sophia Silina.

Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, abbess of the Zachatievsky Stauropegial Convent in Moscow. Since childhood, she attended the church of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Obydenny Lane, spiritually nourished by the clergyman of the church, Archpriest Alexander Yegorov, the confessor of the last nuns of the Zachatievsky monastery. This is a very experienced nun and comes from a wonderful family of priest Gleb Kaleda.
Here is a brief reference about it http://drevo-info.ru/articles/14388.htm

Last October, with sisters nun Arkadia and nun Angelina, as well as Father Gennady, we went to the Zachatievsky Monastery and met Mother Juliania. She warmly received us and talked with us for a long time (this is despite her great employment), gave many valuable instructions and advice. We saw a very gracious monastery, where one could feel the love and skillful guidance of the abbess. This trip and these conversations sunk deep into the soul and inspired us to desire to create such an abode of love and mutual understanding.

I could cite from memory some of Mother Juliana’s instructions, but I’m afraid not to accurately reproduce them, therefore, in view of the relevance of the topic, it’s better to reproduce a fragment of her article in which she expresses thoughts that are important for our situation about the responsibility of the abbess for the destinies and souls of the sisters (from the article " We all need the advice of experienced people"):

"The abbess is responsible for the souls of the sisters.
During ordination, a special prayer is read, where the Lord entrusts her with the souls of the sisters, whom she must bring to Christ and for which she will give an answer on the day of the Last Judgment. This is the whole weight of the abbess's cross - answer not only for yourself, but also for the entrusted souls. After all, in fact none of us can say anything in our defense. If such righteous people as the Monk Sisoy the Great, before their death, said that they did not know whether they had laid the foundation for repentance and whether their deeds were pleasing to the Lord, then what can we, sinners, say about ourselves? This responsibility only plunges us to the feet of the Savior and the Mother of God with a plea for help to fulfill obedience, because this is impossible with human forces"

After these words, I would like to ask nun Euphrosyne if she understands what it means to lead a monastery? Is she going to "bear responsibility for the souls of the sisters" or only to accept honors, bows and magnifications "mother-mother". Has she forgotten that the word "mother" means "mother"? Hasn't she forgotten that very prayer, which, where "the souls of the sisters are entrusted to her, whom she must lead to Christ"? Has she forgotten what kind of sisters "will give an answer on the Day of Judgment"? And "he will answer not only for himself, but also for the entrusted souls"? And what will she say in her defense? How will he look into the eyes of his exiled sisters? Does she remember that this is precisely her abbot's obedience to God?...
Many questions have accumulated for the nun Euphrosyne. I understand that she will keep silent again, pretending that nothing is happening, ignoring our tears, sorrows, letters, appeals (and even poems) to her.
Maybe she will be able to keep quiet HERE. But THERE won't work!

By the way, members of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism visited more than 100 diocesan monasteries in 21 dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church last and this year. Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), abbess of the Zachatievsky stauropegial convent in Moscow, told about how communication took place in the monasteries

On the site theologian.ru, there is a document for discussion entitled “Regulations on monasteries and monastics.” A cursory reading of this document turns out to be quite impressive and convincing. However, this is just a first impression. This document is built on the principle of universality of opinions, but on the main issues and points it poses a serious threat to the future of monasticism.

In our Church today, with the naked eye, one can see the intensification of the process of the so-called centralization of power and the derogation of the conciliar principle. From the point of view of the church canon, this is called the growth of the power of the episcopate. Nevertheless, despite its seemingly attractiveness and necessity, this trend, in fact, leads to the destruction of church catholicity-catholicity, which presupposes the sacred nature of the life of the Church, and not the administrative-legal one.

The second type of church structure is a consequence of the activation of the process of secularization, when the spiritual and ascetic ideal of the early Christian Church and the Byzantine Middle Ages begins to be recognized as outdated. As a result, the most dangerous substitution of the spirit by a certain form takes place, but the form also turns out to be modulated in accordance with the requirements of the time.

And if in the ancient Church the hierarchical degrees of service corresponded to the degree of spiritual progress, growth (κάθαρσις, φωτισμός, θέωσις)1, now the hierarchical degree is considered only as a step of administrative power, as something self-sufficient.

This distorted attitude in spiritual power also took place in the time of the great Ecumenical teachers, about which St. Gregory the Theologian. And it was precisely this distortion that was one of the serious reasons for schisms and heresies. However, if these trends in early Christian times were not universal and were condemned by many prominent hierarchs, now the situation is completely different. A new look at hierarchical authority has entered, as they say, "into fashion."

Financial reporting and reporting on external social service are gaining a dominant direction in modern church life. And this direction is beginning to be reflected in the monasteries. From places of sacred silence, or at least reverent preservation of Orthodox culture, monasteries, and above all Lavra, are turning into trading business centers, actively destroying the sacred spirit of the monastery, introducing into it the corrupt spirit of this world. Against the backdrop of this abundant trade, the monastic community finds itself unnaturally squeezed into this monster of hoarding and acquisitiveness. Poor monks, deprived of any rights in the monastery, must hear constant reproaches addressed to them for the existing situation and turn a blind eye to the outrage that is taking place.

Naskol As far as we understand, the Statute on Monasteries has as its primary task the systematization of the experience of monasticism in previous centuries and exposition of it in relation to our reality. Of course, as emphasized in the Regulations, monasticism in its essence is a “non-human institution, but a divine one.” However, the church document, which is supposed to be given canonical force, has a special approvaldedication at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, should not only state the fact of the “inhuman origin of monasticism”, but strive by all means to preserve this most important and fundamental principle of monastic polity. Measures should be described by which monasticism would be protected from the destructive influences of the modern world, morality and views, and the spirit of this world, aimed today at the destruction of the human person in the Christian sense of the word.

Therefore, in the formulation of the concept of a monastery, it is necessary to introduce the phrase - a monastery is a sacred place, as dedicated to God and intended for sacred monastic residence. This is stated in the Regulations on the monasteries of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. However, the scope of commercial activity, which today simply shocks pilgrims, must be suppressed by the special instructions of this Regulation. In them, once again, it is necessary to recall the rule that clearly and clearly prohibits any commercial activity, not only in the church fence, but also in the monastic one.

The central provisions of this document are, of course, the following:

1. full and absolute power of the bishop over the monastery,

2. unlimited and absolute power of the administrative and spiritual abbot of the monastery in the sacred monastery,

3. fictitious nature of the Spiritual Cathedral

4. the complete lack of rights of the monks of the monastery, who are only on the rights of users of the buildings and property of the monastery.

All other negative aspects of the Regulations are secondary and not so essential.

We now turn to a feasible analysis of these provisions.

Full and absolute power over the monastery of the ruling bishop.

There is no doubt that from the point of view of both ecclesiology and canon law, the bishop, as the head of the local church, extends his hierarchical authority to the sacred places. And this position was enshrined in a number of canons of the IV and VII Ecumenical Councils. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand what kind of power is involved and to what extent it should extend to the monastery, a monastic brotherhood that lives a completely different life than the parish communities.

Let us note once again that the monastic community is a brotherhood bound by indestructible bonds not only of celibacy, but also of withdrawal from the world. A completely fair pattern follows from this - the monastic community lives its own inner life, which in no way depends on the life of the diocese. Consequently, the methods of archpastoral management of a sacred monastery must differ significantly from those of parishes.

From the point of view of the sacred canons, monasteries and abbots are in canonical communion with the bishop and in obedience to him. However, the bishop extends his canonical authority to sacred monasteries as a spiritual father who gives birth to his children in Christ. However, the power of the bishop is external, with the help of it the bishop does not manage the monastery, its property, funds, but monitors the preservation of the canonical order. (For more details, see your instructions and manifestations of the canonical power of the bishop καταστατικος κανονισμος υπ΄αριθ. 39. περί των ελάδι ορθοδiment ιερών και των llυχαστηίων.

Κανονικαί Δικαιοδοσίαι Επισκόπου . a) the bishop is commemorated at every divine service, b) performs the highest supervisory ministry in a paternal manner and as a trustee and protector of sacred monasteries and oversees their quiet divine activity and in accordance with the sacred canons, c) ordains the elected abbot, e) approves the tonsure of monks, f) investigates the canonical crimes of monastics in their way of life and takes care of the impeccability of their residence, g) checks the legality of economic activity) The bishop does not interfere in the inner life of the sacred monastery, especially with regard to spiritual life.

These are fundamentally important provisions. (См. такжеΕΙΣΗΓΗΣΙΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΜΙΩΤΑΤΟY ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΟΥ ΚΕΦΑΛΛΗΝΙΑΣ κ. κ. ΣΠYΡΙΔΩΝΟΣ ΕΝΩΠΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΣYΝΟΔΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ ΘΕΜΑ :« ΗΓΟΥΜΕΝΟΙ ΚΑΙ ΜΟΝΑΙ ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΣΧΕΣΙΝ ΤΩΝ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΧΩΡΙΟΝ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΝ »)

The only case that allows the bishop to interfere in the inner life of the monastery is when conflict situations arise between the brethren of the monastery and the abbot. (this provision is precisely provided for in ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΤΙΚΟΣ ΚΑΝΟΝΙΣΜΟΣ υπ΄αριθ. 39, ε)). And the bishop should not in such a case, like a true shepherd, immediately take the side of the abbot, but with reasoning and attention to analyze the situation that has arisen. And this is required especially in our time, when the abbots, especially if they are bishops, show excessive despotism, distance themselves from the brotherhood, treat it purely user-friendly and arrogantly.

Each monastery, and in particular for such as: the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the Pochaev Lavra, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Optina Hermitage, should be assigned the right to apply to His Holiness the Patriarch, the Holy Synod and the ruling bishop with Special Declarations on pastoral, dogmatic questions, which can and should serve as a support for the development by the Local Church of a conciliar Orthodox, patristic position on important issues of faith and life. Although the Ecumenical Councils do not prescribe such special rights to monasteries, these rights are nevertheless the historical experience of the Ecumenical Church, and hence the tradition of monastic residence. And it is completely out of place in the Regulations on Monasteries to cite Canon 4 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, allegedly forbidding "monastics" to interfere in church affairs at all.

Questions of a doctrinal nature are not questions only of the episcopate, but questions that should concern the entire flock, and monasticism in the first place2, since monasticism, in the course of a correct spiritual life, cultivates in itself a “spiritual instinct for truth and falsehood” (St. John of the Ladder), called to be "the support of the bishop" (St. Theodore the Studite), to be "the nerves of the Church" (St. Theodore the Studite), to be "confessor of the faith and name of Christ" (St. Theodore the Studite. Big catechumen.). And if today the hierarchical leadership refuses monasticism to carry out such service in the Church, then by doing so it undermines the institution of monasticism.

Moreover, we consider it very expedient to create special Commissions in monasteries on dogmatic and canonical issues, where it is necessary to include the educated brethren. And these Commissions should develop texts for addressing the Most Holy Patriarch and the Holy Synod, or the Council of Bishops of the Local Church on dogmatic, pastoral and canonical issues. This will bring a life-giving, creative stream into the life of the monasteries themselves, and even more so of the Local Church.

Monasteries should be living organs in the life of the Church, not dead ones, completely indifferent to the issues that concern the Church of Christ.


Unlimited and absolute power is the administrative and spiritual hegumen of the monastery in the sacred monastery.

Although the Regulations indicate three ways of electing the abbot of a monastery, nevertheless, his election by the brethren, which is the only patristic tradition, is put in a secondary place.

Since the patristic tradition of a conciliar in the election of the abbot of a monastery is rejected as a norm and as a rule, it becomes quite obvious that an important link in the patristic teaching about monasticism, about the rules of cinovial residence tested and tested for centuries, is being lost. All these rules, speaking of obedience to the abbot, have always assumed the holiness of the abbot's life, the achievement of the perfection of Christian and monastic life, the achievement of grace-free dispassion.

And we should not close our eyes to the fact that the persons appointed in our time as abbots are very, very far from those ideals that are presented in the mouths of the holy fathers of the Church of Christ. In our time, the principles of election to the abbot not only changed the principle of catholicity (and this and only this is the election of the abbot by the whole brethren), but rejected the most important patristic guidelines for election to the abbot. And in our time it happens that a monk, as a rule, according to St. John of the Ladder, "comes across not a helmsman, but a simple rower."

It is necessary to pay serious attention to the fact that the Regulations do not contain a separate paragraph regarding the requirements for the abbot. The text of the Regulations itself mentions some requirements, but they are scattered in different places and chapters. It would be necessary, if only for the sake of a reminder, to write out the main requirements from the Ladder of St. John of the Ladder from the "Word to the Shepherd", or to bring it in as an Appendix, in which to place important reminders of St. Theodore the Studite, St. Paisiy Velichkovsky and others.

However, the current position of the abbot is such that he is completely unlimited in his power. And this despite the fact that the current abbots, including those in the episcopal rank, far from meet the requirements of the Church for an abbot. Which, in principle, leads to sad, more frequent cases of leaving monasteries, cooling in the monastic feat, indifference to faith, frequent mental illness, and spiritual anguish.

The spirit of the administrative principle, which is also combined with the spirit of acquisitiveness and the desire to acquire maximum economic benefits, brings strong destructive principles into the brotherhood. With such a dominant spirit (for example, in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where it is too striking), the brothers of the monastery will inevitably be regarded as a kind of "slaves". And the presence of education and culture will hit the eyes and pride of the authorities. In such conditions, there can be no salvific improvement. In such conditions, the brethren live and are saved contrary to the conditions.

There are statements in the Regulations that are completely unacceptable for the current situation in the monasteries.

“The general spiritual guidance of the inhabitants of the monastery is carried out by the abbot, the spiritual father of all the brethren, who is responsible for its spiritual success….” (VIII.8.3 Spiritual nourishment of monks.) All the following three paragraphs are good, but they are neither feasible nor acceptable for our monasteries. These ideas are thoughtlessly reanimated from the life and practice of the Vatopedi Monastery. Which would not be entirely correct to consider as a monastic ideal. The external splendor of the monastery, not wealth, and even hospitality are not yet signs of the proper well-being of the monastery from the point of view of spiritual inner work, etc.

It is too natural for us to be carried away by purely external features and dwell on them. Between about. Sophrony and Fr. Joseph VAtopedsky once held a meeting and Fr. Joseph told about. Sophronius about the revived life in the Vatopedi monastery, about strict adherence to external prescriptions, asceticism. And about. Sophronius replied: “Yes, it's all good. But this is not the most important thing. The main thing is to keep love " . And indeed it is. And the Apostle Paul writes about love as the main criterion of Christian life in his epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). It is absolutely unacceptable for the abbot, and not the confessor, to control the frequency of communion. (8.2. Liturgical life in the monastery).

We emphasize that the practice of the Optina Hermitage of the time of its great fathers - to take communion once a month, and to confess and open thoughts daily, in our opinion, is more correct and more acceptable for Russian monasteries than the modern practice of Athos monasteries, based on the recommendations of the Kollivades fathers. The practice of Athos is acceptable only for monasteries that are as remote as possible from the world and are maximally focused on inner work.

The exclusion from the Provision of a special clause regarding the fraternal confessor is also a gross canonical violation, since even in the pre-revolutionary, so-called Synodal period, there were always fraternal confessors in monasteries in church history. fraternal confessor? There can be two answers: either a deep misunderstanding that the abbot cannot be the confessor of the brotherhood for a number of serious reasons, or the desire to eliminate possible friction and inconvenience in the person of the confessor for the abbot to manage the monastery in the spirit of “selfish arbitrariness”.

The latter is known in history under the name of tyranny. If one often hears criticism of manifestations of democracy in the spiritual environment, then often the reason for such criticism is pure ignorance. And that's why. Democracy as a form of governance of the ancient Athens city-state in the classical period of history (5th-4th centuries BC) brought the best examples and fruits in culture and history. Suffice it to recall the period of the reign of ancient Athens by Pericles. The principle of democratic structure and government introduced in Athens was also accepted in the Church.

Catholicism or catholicity are manifestations of the ancient democracy of the city-state, but this democracy is built on the God-Man Christ. And all members of the Church, regardless of their hierarchical position, are first of all brothers. And all are called to freedom in Christ. Therefore, even a monastery is not a barracks, not a prison, but a brotherhood in Christ. The primacy of honor turns into primacy in love and service (according to St. Martyr Ignatius the God-bearer). "Whoever wants to be first, let him be a servant to everyone." Whence follows the falsity of opinions about the superiority of the Apostle Peter and the doctrine of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome.

And in this principle of monastic polity, the principle of brotherhood (ἡ ἀδελφότητα), completely new relationships appear - love in Christ, self-sacrifice, and not the dominion of the abbot over the brethren, even if the abbot is in the episcopal rank. The culture of the Christian and monastic polity is built on love and quite natural respect and reverence for the elders and the experienced, like a given commandment. (See St. Gregory Palamas. Philokalia, vol. 5. Commentary on the Decalogue).

That is, the hegumen of the monastery must himself possess this deep culture of Christian self-sacrifice. And if he does not possess it, and this happens more often, then the brotherhood of the monastery turns into an arena of incessant disorder of various kinds. And obedience, and, moreover, unquestioning to such an abbot loses its great salutary meaning.

That is why the Regulations should take into account the very important recommendations of St. Paisius Velichkovsky regarding the abbot and the manner of obedience in the monastery:

"2. The second order, which we, by the grace of Christ, established for this common life, and which, as we think, elevates all monastic life, is as follows. All brethren who have gathered in this community of one mind and unanimity for the sake of the name of Christ must, first of all and most of all, acquire, according to the word of the fathers, obedience, as the path steadily leading to the Kingdom of Heaven. Having spitted and discarded all his will, reasoning and self-action, he should with all diligence try to create and fulfill the will, judgment and commandments of his father, if they agree with the meaning of Holy Scripture, and according to their strength, soul and body and all their good will until to serve death with the fear of God and the humility of mind of the brethren, as to the Lord Himself, and not to people.

The rector, knowing for sure that he will be tortured for the souls of the brothers on the day of the terrible second coming of Christ, must diligently study the Holy Scripture and the teachings of the spiritual fathers, and without their testimony he should not offer the teaching of the brethren, nor the commandments to teach, or anything establish, but he must, in accordance with the meaning of Holy Scripture and the teaching of the holy fathers, often instruct and instruct the brethren, reveal the will of God and, according to the mind of the commandments of Christ, appoint monastic obediences to the brothers, fearing and trembling to offer them anything from himself, and not according to the mind of Scripture, exactly knowing that the Holy Scripture and the teaching of the holy fathers, both for himself and for the brethren, are a mentor and a faithful guide to salvation.

The rector, presenting to the whole cathedral an image of humility of mind and in everything a concordant and unanimous union of spiritual love, should begin and do every work not on his own, without advice, but by gathering brothers who are most skillful in spiritual reasoning and on the advice of them, examining the Scriptures, yes nothing will be contrary to God, Divine commandments and Scripture, – this is how many important things should be started and done. If, however, some necessary matter appears, which must be announced before the whole council, then it is appropriate, having gathered the whole council, with the knowledge of the whole council and general consideration, to begin and do such a thing. Thus, between brothers there can be permanent peace, unanimity and indestructible union of spiritual love. This is about the way the abbot manages the monastery. (Constituent clause 3)

As for obedience, St. Paisius says the following: “Spitting and discarding all your will, reasoning and self-creation, you should try with all diligence to create and fulfill the will, judgment and commandments of your father, if they agree with the meaning of Holy Scripture.” (Statute. 2) This important "if" has an even more special place in our time. And this is because, we will emphasize this once again, that in our time the abbot's ministry is predominantly administrative and economic, and not spiritual. Which leads to frequent expulsion from the monastery just because the monk does not have the right to overstep the voice of his conscience and faith and compromise them. And there are more than enough such cases.

It is extremely dangerous to declare that the will of God is always manifested through the abbot, especially in our time. We remind those who insist on the following words of St. John of the Ladder: “... reasoning in the general sense consists and is known in order to accurately comprehend the divine will at any time, in any place and in every thing. It is found only in those who are pure in heart, body and mouth.”4

The fictitious nature of the Spiritual Cathedral

The Regulations on the "Spiritual Council" say that this is "an advisory body under the hegumen" (5.2.). Yes, indeed, in the Regulations on the monasteries of the Greek Church, the Spiritual Cathedral is called so. (Την διοίκησιν της ι.μονής και την εκτελεστικήν εăσίαν ασκεί ο ηούμετά του ηγοσυμβου καταταταταταicket

Περί των εν Ε)λλάδι Ορθοδόξων Ιερών Μονών και των Ησυχαστηρίων. Άρθρον 7
Διοίκησις Ι.Μονής 39.

Περί των εν Ελλάδι Ορθοδόξων Ιερών Μονών και των Ησυχαστηρίων). But the Spiritual Council in the monasteries within the Greek Church resolves the issues of "the inner spiritual life of the sacred monastery in accordance with the sacred canons, monastic tradition and the laws of the state ...". (τά τῆς ὀργανώσεως καί προαγωγῆς τοῦ πνευματικοῦ βίου καί τά τῆς διοικήσεως τῆς Μονῆς καθορίζονται ὑπό τοῦ ῾Ηγουμενοσυμβουλίου συμφώνως πρός τούς ῾Ιερούς Κανόνας, τάς μοναχικάς παραδόσεις καί τούς νόμους τοῦ κράτους, δι᾿ ἐσωτερικοῦ κανονισμοῦ, δημοσιευομένου διά τοῦ Δελτίου `` ᾿Εκκλησία ` ` ” (παράγραφος 4) 16))

However, in the conditions of the Russian Orthodox Church, when, we emphasize this once again, the abbot and even the bishop, most often is not the bearer of the monastic ethos, the paternal spirit, being an administrative figure, the Spiritual Council should be not so much an advisory body as a governing body of the monastery. Actually, this is what Rev. Paisiy Velichkovsky, if you carefully read the text of the Charter. “The rector, presenting to the whole cathedral an image of humility of mind and in everything a concordant and unanimous union of spiritual love, should start and do every work not on his own, without advice, but by gathering brothers who are most skillful in spiritual reasoning and in consultation with them, examining the Scriptures, let nothing be contrary to God, the Divine commandments and the Scriptures - this is how many important things should be started and done.

If, however, some necessary matter appears, which must be announced before the whole council, then it is fitting, having gathered the whole council, with the knowledge of the whole council and general consideration, to begin and do such a thing. Although “under the whole cathedral”, based on the whole context, one should understand the cathedral of all the brethren of the sacred monastery, and under “the most skillful” - the elders of the Spiritual Cathedral. And you should pay attention to what are the reasons for this particular way of managing the monastery - the achievement of a unanimous union of love.

What, in principle, cannot be achieved under the conditions of the Russian Orthodox Church with the sole and unlimited management of the monastery by the bishop-priest, hegumen. To our deep regret, the bishops-priests, even in the Lavra, without reasoning and advice from spiritually experienced and elderly inhabitants, not to mention the brotherhood, consider they have the right to change the order of the monastery, make serious changes in worship, etc. What does not bring peace to the monastic brotherhood rather upset, murmur.

We believe that it is most expedient to make the Spiritual Council at the monasteries the main governing body of the sacred monastery, to which the hegumen should be accountable, in the rank of presbyter and also in the rank of bishop. But the Spiritual Council should not include “key officials”, but mainly spiritually experienced confessors, aged monks who have life experience and many years of experience in monastic life. We consider it absolutely unacceptable to include in the composition of the Spiritual Council persons who have not reached the age of 40, and who have recently come to the monastery.

The spiritual council is called upon to restrain all the passionate impulses of the abbot, his human infirmities, which can adversely affect individual "objectionable" individuals and the entire brotherhood of the sacred monastery. In addition, the competence of the Spiritual Council should also include the decision to appoint, upon the departure or death of the abbot, a temporary person who performs the abbot's service.
Complete lawlessness of the monks of the monastery, who are only on the rights of users of the buildings and property of the monastery.

The regulation on monasteries never speaks anywhere about the rights of a monk, a monk as a member of a brotherhood. And the concept of the rights of a monk quite naturally follows from the same concept of a monastery not as a barracks, but as a brotherhood. In some places of the text of the Regulations, it is said that "the inhabitants should be able to address their difficulties, perplexities, embarrassments to the abbot, who should find the opportunity to receive everyone for personal communication." We believe that this provision, although true, should be included with appropriate reformulation in a special clause "on the rights of monks of a sacred monastery."
Any monk, as a full-fledged member of the brotherhood of the monastery, has every right to express all his perplexities and suggestions both to the abbot and to the Spiritual Council. He should also have the right to protect any of the "suspected brothers". Proceeding from the common law of the bishop in the management of the sacred monastery, each monk has every right, bypassing the Synodal department for monasteries, to directly address a complaint in the event of a conflict with the abbot or members of the Spiritual Council, directly address the report, or Forgiveness to the ruling bishop or His Holiness Patriarch. This is especially true in cases where the head of the Synodal Department for monasteries is the rector of the monastery in which the conflict situation occurred.

In addition, if for one reason or another the abbot of a monastery, especially a stavropegic one, does not wish to apply to His Holiness the Patriarch at the urgent request of the abbots of the monastery on important issues of life, faith, the monks of the monastery should have the right to personally address the primate of the ROC in writing or in the form conversations during a personal audience. Monks of stavropegic monasteries should have the right to express to His Holiness the Patriarch all their needs, anxieties and grievances that were left without the attention of the abbot of the monastery.

The purpose of the proposed amendments to the text of the Regulations on Monasteries is: “defines the basic principles and rules for the life of the monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church in modern conditions and serves as the basis for the internal charters of monasteries…”

a) the developed document still met its purpose -
b) preserve the monastery as an important living cell of grace in the life of the local church,
c) preserve the principles of ecclesiastical catholicity in the monastery
d) to revive the significance of monasteries as the most important spiritual centers of the Russian Orthodox Church, capable of positively and profoundly influencing the life of our people and the entire Russian Orthodox Church.

abbot Sergiy S., candidate of theology, St. Petersburg. year 2014.

________________________________________

1See at smh. Dionysius the Areopagite, St. Maximus the Confessor, as well as with Metropolitan Hierofei (Vlahos) Orthodox psychotherapy. STSL. 2010.

See Οἱ ἀγῶνες τῶν μοναхῶν ὑπέρ τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας. Ἐκδ. Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς Ὁσίου Γρηγορίου. Ἅγιον Ὄρος 2003, σελ. 14

See Nicodemus, Bishop of Dalmatino-Istiya. Orthodox church law. SPb. 1897, p. 42. p.176 Monastic organization
Ladder. Word 26. About the reasoning of thoughts, and passions, and virtues. item 2

http://apologet.spb.ru/ru/1883.html

From the SNMP Movement,
It should be noted that this project, which is proposed for discussion by abbots of monasteries and other clergy, has no authorship. Who to ask questions? Who made up? It is known that the promotion of this "Regulation" is related abbess Juliana, (Kaleda Maria Glebovna), who made a report "Actual issues of modern monasticism" at the scientific and practical conference "Tolga monastery: 700 years from the date of foundation", published in the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" No. 7, July 2014.

Who is this abbess Juliana? From the meager information about the biography of the woman, posted on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate, it is impossible to find out what she did before May 5, 1995, where she took the tonsure, and what is the experience of her monastic life?

Juliania, Abbess (Kaleda Maria Glebovna)

Date of Birth:
April 8, 1961
Country:
Russia
Biography:
She was born on April 8, 1961 in the family of the geologist Gleb Alexandrovich Kaleda, later a priest, and Lydia Vladimirovna Kaleda (nee Ambartsumova), daughter of the Hieromartyr Vladimir (Ambartsumov).
By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 5, 1995, she was appointed abbess of the Zachatievsky Convent in Moscow.
On November 25, 1999, she was elevated to the rank of abbess by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.
Since July 27, 2009 - Member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 12, 2013 (magazine No. 31), she was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.
Place of work: Zachatievsky stauropegial convent
(priest)
Place of employment: Synodal department for monasteries and monasticism
(Vice-chairman)

Awards:
Church:
2011 - Order of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow III Art. http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/262240.html

She was born and suddenly at the age of 34 she became the abbess of the monastery. For what such merits? Well, we hope that some details will become known sooner or later. It is possible that this wife is indeed a true ascetic, who sanctified her life with monastic deeds and zealous Christian service.
Although, the biographies of some contemporary public figures who have taken certain significant positions in the church nomenclature sometimes cause bewilderment and sorrow. Such, for example, as "missionary" Kuraev or "sectologist" Dvorkin. It is enough to look at least at the site antimodern.ru. We also read about the fact that epaulettes sometimes show through under other cassocks. Well, time will put everything in its place. And remember that the Lord cannot be mocked.

And one more thing. We recommend that all fathers, brothers and sisters who have looked at the pages of the website of our MOVEMENT, by all means get acquainted with the work of our like-minded people, Orthodox ascetics, “REFORMATION OF THE ROCOR THROUGH ADMINISTRATION” consisting of 4 parts. (you can enter the word Reformation in the search box). In particular, it refers to the destruction of the principles of catholicity and communality in parishes after the adoption of the new Charter, the derogation of the activities of the ordinary priesthood and its complete dependence on the power of the ruling bishop, the gradual abolition of the role of the Local Council, the Jesuit methods of penetration of the teachings of Catholicism into the educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church and many other, sometimes imperceptible dangerous “novelties” to us.

We will attach to this publication two comments posted on the portal 3rm.info

MONKS WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARRY… The new edition of the “Regulations on Monasteries and Monastics” of the ROC MP contains contradictory wording

On the website of the Moscow Patriarchate on June 23, 2014, the second edition of the draft “Regulations on monasteries and monastics” was published.

The first one was presented for discussion on May 30, 2012 and at the same time caused a number of comments by the author of this article, mainly due to the silence in it about the personal property of monastics and those entering monasteries (see "NGR" dated 06/20/12). The main part of these comments (except for the regulation of the issue of the personal property of the abbot of the monastery) was taken into account by the developers in the second edition of the project. At the same time, it also contains a number of contradictions and vague formulations in other aspects of the life of monks.

In chapter 7 of the draft “Regulations…”, which is called “Abandonment of a monastery or monasticism”, in paragraph 7.1.1, on the one hand, the irreversibility of monastic vows is discussed in great detail. On the other hand, it is stated in the same place: “The abandonment of monastic life for the sake of worldly affairs has long been perceived by the Church as a violation of moral and canonical norms and entailed a number of consequences reflected in the rules and regulations of the Church.” At the same time, there is no mention of leaving the monastic life "for the sake of spiritual affairs." Such silence actually creates a gap, which, by its existence, refutes the thesis substantiated in the same document about the “irreversibility” of monastic vows.

It is surprising that the draft does not contain a clearly formulated prohibition, corresponding to the letter of the monastic vow of chastity (virginity), on the entry of monastics into “family relations”. Thus, on the one hand, the preamble to chapter 7 says: “Abandonment of monasticism, according to church canons, is a canonical crime and is subject to a certain punishment (penance), the term and measure of which is determined by the diocesan bishop, taking into account the specifics of each case.”

On the other hand, paragraph 7.1.2 contains the phrase: “In modern church practice, the issue of actions in relation to monastics who have entered into family relations is decided by the diocesan bishop after considering all the circumstances.” At the same time, it is said a little higher that “individual holy fathers looked at the marriage of such (that is, monks who “receive wives in the communion of marriage and cohabitation.” - “NGR”) from the point of view of economy.” The principle of economy consists in the non-application of church canons or disciplinary rules in the event that the application of those can cause temptation; resolving church issues from the standpoint of indulgence towards the relevant persons.

In the same paragraph 7.1.2, with reference to church canons, it says: “If a monk or a monk who is in holy orders dares to leave the monastery and marry after consecration, he is deposed.” However, there is no mention of monks who are in holy orders, but “dared to marry after consecration” when carrying out obedience from the hierarchy outside the walls of the monastery: serving in parishes, in foreign spiritual missions, teaching in theological educational institutions, and also elevated to the episcopal rank . For these categories, judging by the letter of the project, options with the possibility of "family relations" are possible.

Clause 7.3, which refers to the possibility of “leaving the monastery without renouncing monasticism”, is also very ambiguously formulated. It reads as follows: “In church practice, there are exceptional cases when a person leaving a monastery has no intention of renouncing monasticism. After considering all the circumstances, the diocesan bishop may give a blessing for leaving the monastery, while retaining the right to wear monastic robes and the monastic name, participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and, in the future, perform a monastic funeral for such a monk.

According to these formulations, the following option is possible:

1. A person who has accepted monasticism, leaving the monastery, does not have the intention to renounce monasticism;
2. He “entered into a family relationship” (see the wording of paragraph 7.1.2 above);
3. To such a person, the diocesan bishop, after considering all the circumstances, “may give a blessing” to retain the right to “wear monastic robes and the monastic name, participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and, in the future, perform a monastic funeral for such a monk.”

Thus, the question of monastics "who receive wives in the communion of marriage and cohabitation" is left to the discretion of the bishops. And the options for decisions about such persons, according to the letter of the document in question - from defrocking and appointing a penance to leaving to serve in a monastic image. That is, monastics, under certain conditions (the main of which, in essence, is the hierarchal “forgiveness, blessing and love”), according to the draft “Regulations ...” under consideration, can enter into “family relations”. And the document under discussion provides ample opportunities for the continuation of monastic service to monastics, “who receive wives into the communion of marriage and cohabitation.”

The same document draws attention to the following words of the preamble to Chapter 7: "The adoption of monasticism is canonically irreversible." Why is the word "canonical" introduced? In view of the foregoing, it is clear that variations are possible in practice. Especially if we recall the well-known "game with canons", which boils down to the fact that literally anything can be substantiated by church canons.

There is another significant innovation in the draft “Regulations…”: those clothed in the cassock are counted among the monastics. Thus, in the same preamble to chapter 7 it is said: “He who has taken monastic vows of any degree (into a cassock, mantle, great schema) changes his canonical status and is considered to have entered the monastic rank.” And in paragraph 6.3.2 about cassock tonsure it says: "The question of what status - a layman or a monastic - those who received monastic vows have has been raised for many centuries, including in Russia." And further it is said: “The reckoning of the cassocks to the monastics is based on the following testimonies ...” (liturgical, canonical and patristic testimonies are listed).

However, there is no mention that the cassocks, that is, those who have been tonsured in incomplete monastic tonsure, are laymen! Despite the fact that they were defined precisely as such until 1917 both in Russian legislation and in the definitions of the highest body of church administration - the Holy Synod. So, according to the decree of the Synod of July 21, 1804, it was forbidden to call monks those who were tonsured in the cassock (Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. T. XXVIII. St. Petersburg, 1830. St. 21408. S. 463-464).

In the ruling of the Holy Synod of December 21–31, 1853, it was stated that tonsure into the cassock "cannot be considered as a monk in any case," and in the ruling of August 8, 1873, the same was actually said: that those tonsured into the cassock in they are not monastic and enjoy all the rights, like the laity (Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA). F. 796. Op. 209. D. 1576. L. 474-479v.).

By a decree of the Synod of September 9 of the same 1873, the novices of the monasteries were forbidden until they were tonsured to monasticism “to wear monastic attire and take other names, under fear of strict liability for this according to the law, as for the adoption of a name and title that does not belong” (quoted from: Samuilov V. Ryasofor (Historical reference) // Additions to the Church Gazette, St. Petersburg, 1905, No. 42, pp. 1788–1789).

In general, if the “Regulations on Monasteries and Monastics” under discussion is adopted in its current form, church life will be filled with significant innovations.

Professor Mikhail Babkin

"And we won't be able to live if we forget..."

The memoirs are a textual version of a wonderful broadcast on March 5, 2006 on radio "Radonezh" with the participation of the priest (now Archpriest) Nikolai Skurat, Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), Archpriest Maxim Kozlov.
Download audio recording in mp3 format (6.8 Mb).

"MENTOR"
Memories of a Spiritual Father:

I remember that when I went to confession to the priest as a child, often during big holidays it was not possible to confess each child individually. Then the priest usually gathered us, all the children, near the lectern. He stood near the lectern himself and put all of us, the little ones, closer to him, the big ones a little further. He began to speak to us in some simple words that we should obey our parents, not offend our younger brothers and sisters, live together, and pray.

He spoke very simply and with such love! After all, everyone knows that parents should be obeyed, but he always had such living examples. Once he says: “Just imagine, now you are still very small, young. If a small tree begins to grow crookedly, a stick will be tied to it, it grows more evenly. And if the tree is already large, then no matter what stick you tie, it will never straighten up. So you too, if you start now with God’s help to try to live according to the commandments, then straighten up and grow slender trees, and if you don’t try now, then it will be difficult later. I remember, I was moving away from the lectern, and I so wanted to be an even tree.

Then, when I grew up, I began to help a lot in the temple. There are always different temptations in the temple. Once, I remember, the priest called me on a spring day to the lectern. The sun was so bright, and the windows had not yet been washed after the winter. And the priest points to the window like this and says: “Look, is the window clean?” - "No, - I say, - father, dirty." - “Do you see well in the sun that it is dirty?” - "Of course, father." - “And if it were in the dark, would you now see that it is dirty?” - "No, father, I would not have seen it." I think: something interesting is how the father talks to me. And he says to me: “So you know - the closer to the light, the brighter the shadows. The closer to God, the more temptations there are. You should never be embarrassed if you see or hear in the temple that people may be doing something wrong. The more a person tries to get closer to God, the more he gets closer to Him, the brighter these shadows really are, the more the enemy of the human race trips him up. Whatever you see, whatever you hear, never be embarrassed by anything in the temple. Remember that nothing can be without God's providence, that as you approach the sun of truth, everything becomes more visible. At first I did not attach any importance to these words, and then often remembered them with gratitude.

Our father treated the hierarchy and our His Holiness Patriarch Alexy with great reverence and respect. And when Father Alexander was already ill, lying in the hospital, the fathers gathered to consecrate him. Just either the day before, or that day, I was with His Holiness the Patriarch and told him that the priest was seriously ill. His Holiness conveyed to the priest a blessing, a bow and conveyed that he was praying for him and calling for God's blessing. I remember that after the unction, the priest humbly thanked everyone, asked the priests, many of whom were his spiritual children, all young and fit to be his sons, for forgiveness for the troubles they had caused. Then I went up to him and said: “Father, His Holiness the Patriarch asked me to give you a blessing and that he is praying for you.” He was so touched! He was so happy! “God save him! You convey to him my filial devotion, filial gratitude. I am so grateful to him for everything!” It is simply amazing how such an already venerable archpriest was in awe of the Patriarch, was always very submissive to the hierarchy.

His humility has always been amazing. I remember when I already became an abbess, I hear that in a conversation the priest calls me “you”. At first I thought that it seemed to me. And then I hear - once, the second, I didn’t even feel comfortable. I say: “Father, are you addressing me as “you” ?!” He replies: “Well, it’s supposed to respect the abbot’s dignity!”

Easter matins were special, their father served with great enthusiasm. Batiushka especially loved the services of Holy and Bright Weeks. He said that they are pivotal in the yearly cycle of worship. And we, experiencing in these two weeks the Lord's Suffering, and then His Resurrection, receive strength for the whole year to bear our obediences, our difficulties. He said that without these weeks it is impossible to live.

I remember him telling how his confessor, Father Alexy Dobrosedov from the Bogorodsk Church, first led him into the altar with the words: “Remember the feeling with which you entered the altar, the feeling of God's fear and reverence. Always enter the altar with that feeling.” And then, when the priest served the first Liturgy, Father Alexy advised him to remember for the rest of his life that inner state of reverence and fear of God and to serve with it all his life! And indeed, the priest served just like that all his life, with reverence and enthusiasm, he always entered the altar with a sense of standing before God. This feeling of standing before God was always there - both when he served, and when he simply talked, and when he confessed.

As one priest said, each priest represents three "a": "altar", "pulpit" and "lectern". The Lord has given someone a greater gift of the word, preaching, i.e. "pulpit". Someone has the gift of service, the "altar", calling people to God through prayers, while someone's ministry is especially expressed through the "lectern", through spirituality. Batiushka, of course, was fully endowed with all these gifts, but the main one was the “lectern”. When the priest confessed, he gave his all to this man, it was felt that he was very reverent towards the one who stands in front of the lectern. The priest was always afraid to overshadow the image of Christ, the image of God, it was felt that the Lord was standing next to him, and the priest was only an intermediary. And it even happened that you came to confession and did not dare to say something, it was scary to open up, you trembled. I told him I was afraid, I didn't know how to say it. And he then: "Well, give me your hand." He puts his hand on the lectern, puts his hand on top, you directly feel such support that he is standing here next to you, praying for you, worries, and with his prayer, his participation helps you. You stand like this, he will hold his hand on your hand, and then you seem to start talking, you start to repent. Sometimes, I even remember, she came up to confession, said: “Father, give me your hand, please, I can’t say that.” It happened sometimes, he would put his head to his head, you stand, you feel that he is praying, praying - and it seems easier to repent. And sometimes there are some difficult questions, he will say: “Wait, stay here”, he will go to the altar, pray, then he comes out and starts to say something further.

The father was very kind. I don't remember him ever scolding me at all. Once in my life he imposed a small penance on me, and even then I even asked him about it myself. And so the priest did not like to impose penances, he covered everything with his love. And it was this love that worked wonders. How many times I went to confession, I was afraid to say something, I thought - now the priest will scold me, I will get it from the priest, but I met such love that covered and dissolved everything. True, it happened that when I thought that I hadn’t done anything special, the priest became strict, and immediately understood that something was wrong, that I relaxed too much.

My father also loved to sing. Recordings have been preserved, unfortunately few, when the priest sings at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts "May my prayer be corrected ...". On the Annunciation, the priest usually sang "The Archangel's voice." Always touching and penetrating, it was felt that the priest was standing before God and singing before God, offering up his prayer on behalf of everyone standing in the church.

Quite often it happened that the priest had a premonition of something and began to worry. I remember that I worked in a children's intensive care unit at that time, and sometimes there were very difficult shifts. There were not enough sisters, I had to work for almost four. And so, I remember one such duty, I had four hardware patients, I was spinning and spinning like a squirrel in a wheel, I was afraid not to miss someone. And suddenly they call me to the phone, the priest calls: “How are you?” I say: “Father, pray, such a heavy duty, the children are so heavy, I can hardly keep up.” He answered: “Well, I’ll pray, you go, go to them, don’t worry. And then I felt so uneasy for you, let me, I think, I’ll call. He somehow felt very much, foresaw, helped with his care.

Batiushka took great care of the sisters of our monastery. When he began serving in 1951 and was assigned to the Obydensky church, there were still many of our nuns there. As the father said, in the 1950s, the entire right chapel, where the Merciful Icon of the Mother of God stood, was filled by our nuns on the feast of the Merciful. And it is somehow surprising that our old women immediately began to go to confession to the priest, although he was very young, 24 years old. Batiushka was then called Father Alexander the Young (in contrast to the rector Father Alexander Tolgsky). Someone even called him the “Red Maiden” - at first he was embarrassed to give a blessing, blushed, especially since respected people, the intelligentsia, spiritual children of Father Alexy Mechev gathered in the Ordinary Church ... But the nuns nevertheless immediately chose him.

Somehow, remembering those years, the priest showed who lived where. He then often walked along the alleys, visiting our nuns. Moreover, at that time there was no room near the temple where one could rest between services. After the morning service, the priest would go to the errands, visit one of the nuns, and rest until the evening service. He said that on the feast of the Merciful, all the nuns gathered at someone's house, set the table, invited all the ordinary priests and treated them very generously. The nuns were hospitable, hospitable, and always gave something to those who came to them for the feast. One by one, the priest accompanied them on the journey of all the earth, until in 1984 our last resident schema-nun Nina died.

It is providential that she died on November 23, and she was buried on the day of the Merciful Icon of the Mother of God. And when she died, the priest first blessed me to prepare a commemoration, and then, when I began to sort out her cell, he gave me monastery photographs, documents and blessed me with the monastery icon of John the Theologian "for the rest of my life."

At that time, in 1984, of course, neither me nor the priest could have imagined that the monastery would be revived, and even more so that I would be appointed its abbess. But somehow the father foresaw this. When the question of restoring the monastery arose, the priest took a very active part in it. Father's prayers, blessing, of course, helped us a lot. Gradually, the revival of the monastery began.

Batiushka always took everything very close to his heart, worried, advised, helped. I remember one day he said to me: "You need to plant a garden here." I told him: “Father, where can we plant a garden when there is a complete garbage dump?” He replies: “Well, wait, there must be an orchard in the monastery. Let me come, let's see where to choose a place. - "Come, father." He came, examined the entire territory, chose a place between the northern and northeastern buildings of the cells and said: “Come on here.” And there was a terrible dump! “You clean everything, as soon as you clean it, call me, we will plant a garden.” Well, they cleaned it, thank God, they took out a certain number of trucks of garbage from there, the priest came again, marked the places where to dig holes for apple trees. They brought seedlings, he himself began to plant these apple trees. He told us everything, showed us how to plant, how to straighten the roots. As I remember now, it was October 15th.

The father ordered to write down this number and then keep a diary, write down when which apple tree gives how many apples. And it is surprising that when Father Alexander was already seriously ill, in 1999, the apple trees were about two years old, the first apple tree brought us two apples. I went to the priest in the hospital and brought him one apple. He was so happy about this apple!.

And the next year, when the father had already died, all our apple trees were sprinkled with apples. And just that year we were preparing documents for the canonization of our mothers. When we were preparing them, compiling the life, I read the life of St. Theodosius of Kiev-Pechersk. There is an amazing place at the end. When he was already seriously ill, he gathered the brethren to say goodbye to them and said: “Brothers, if I find grace from God, then you will know about it - there will be a very rich harvest, you will not need anything. And if I don't get grace from God, then it won't happen." And indeed, in the year of the death of Theodosius, all the bins were filled with a bountiful harvest. I remember it.

And it so happened that in the year of the death of the father, all our apple trees were showered with apples. It was involuntarily felt that the priest was praying for us, that these were also the fruits of his hands. Surprisingly, since 2000, every year we have sprinkled apple trees. And we never have a gap, we all run to these apple trees, eat these apples, they are the father's blessing.

Until his last breath, even when he could no longer serve, he came to the Obydensky church and there, lying in his cell, confessed his spiritual children. Children were always in the first place for him, and he spared neither time nor effort on them. At any time he was ready to help - in the morning, in the afternoon, at night, he always prayed for everyone, took care of everyone. Now I have no doubt that from the Kingdom of Heaven, of course, he cares about us and prays for us.

Mother, for the third year you have been fulfilling the obedience of the Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism. Today, many judge the activities of the Department by the monastic forums, the work of members of the Collegium, who increasingly travel to monasteries to resolve important issues in monastic life, and printed publications addressed to monastics. Tell us what else the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism is doing. For what purpose was it established?

The department (originally the Commission for Monasteries and Monastic Affairs) was established by the decision of the Holy Synod to assist resurgent monasteries in organizing monastic life in accordance with the canonical provisions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 1990, the Synodal Commission for the Affairs of Monasteries was formed, which in different years was headed by Bishop Evlogy of Vladimir and Suzdal (now Metropolitan of Vladimir and Suzdal), the late Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexy (later Archbishop of Kostroma and Galich) and Archbishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad. By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 15, 2012, the Synodal Commission was transformed into the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism. In its practical activities, the Department most closely interacts with stavropegic monasteries.

With the blessing of the Patriarch, the Chairman of the Department, Vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, Archbishop Theognost of Sergiev Posad, together with members of the Collegium, conducts interviews with candidates before admission to the monastery, ordination of the clergy, before monastic, monastic and schemnical tonsure. Vladyka regularly serves in stavropegic monasteries, tries to keep abreast of monastic problems, and to one degree or another helps to solve these problems.

The ruling bishop and Holy Archimandrite of the stavropegic monasteries, as is known, is His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism regularly acquaints His Holiness with the latest events in the life of the monasteries and provides information about them.

The Synodal Department also interacts with diocesan monasteries, diocesan bishops and, if necessary, with the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate.

For example, in order to open a new monastery in a diocese, the ruling bishop asks in writing for the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch. The petition is submitted to the Synodal Department, after which the members of the Board of the Department go to the site to get acquainted with the situation, to see the life of the community, to see if there are conditions for monastic life. The presence of a community is the main condition for the creation of a monastery. Sometimes, thank God, rarely, but it happens that there are temples, buildings, but there is no community as such. More often, of course, it happens the other way around: there is a dilapidated monastery, although not very good, but still living conditions, and there is a community. Even a small community in which people have gathered in the name of Christ in order to work out their salvation together, fight passions and find the way to God, is a necessary condition for the beginning of monastic life.

The external living conditions of the future monastery must also meet certain requirements of the state system (the presence of a formalized right to property, to a land plot). To help newly emerging monasteries, in 2011 the Commission for Monasteries and Monasticism developed proposals on the main criteria for opening new monasteries, which were included in the Recommendations of the Holy Synod to diocesan bishops regarding the opening of monasteries.

- Does it happen that the Board comes to close the monastery?

We do not have such a concept - to close the monastery: there is a concept to abolish the monastery. There were cases when petitions were received from the bishops for the abolition of the monastery. Let's say a monastery ends up in the very center of a city, and the community is deprived of proper living conditions. Then the bishop decides to create a bishop's residence or a parish church on this site, and transfer the community to where there are more suitable conditions for the life of monastics. Sometimes the bishop decides to abolish the monastery because of the small number of inhabitants, but the communal life continues.

Matushka, you said that the Synodal Department helps monasteries solve problems. How exactly does the Division receive a call for assistance?

As a rule, the Department receives a signal from the diocesan monasteries from the Administration of the Moscow Patriarchy. It is there that letters come from diocesan bishops and from monasteries. The manager of affairs sends them to us with the appropriate resolution from the hierarchy, so that we understand the situation.

- Is the manager of affairs the first instance where monasteries can turn for help?

Monastic life is multifaceted: some issues are under the jurisdiction of the ruling bishop of the diocese, for others it may be necessary to contact the Manager of Affairs. In practice, abbots and abbesses often call us to ask for advice on what to do in a given situation in everyday monastic life, and we always try to help in solving practical issues related to the office, economic activities, restoration, relations with government agencies or related to internal life. cloisters. I would like to note that with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the diocesan monasteries every year cooperate more and more closely with the Synodal Department for monasteries and monasticism. Thus, in December of this year, as part of the regional stage of the XXIV International Christmas Educational Readings, the first meeting of the leaders of diocesan structures responsible for monasteries took place, the participants of which had the opportunity to discuss issues of monastic life in the regions, problems of a legal and economic nature, and also get acquainted with the main areas of activity COMM. 130 people took part in this meeting, including representatives of such remote dioceses as Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kuril, Chita, Korsun.

- Is the Commission of the Department well received in the monasteries when it comes to the dioceses on a signal for help?

Usually very good. Of course, we, like any authorities from Moscow, are expected "with fear and trembling." We, in turn, always try to come to help in a brotherly or sisterly way. All members of the College are themselves abbots and abbesses of monasteries and know monastic life from the inside. They are familiar with all the problems and temptations of monasticism, and therefore we come not at all to find and punish the guilty, but to help them cope with this or that situation. Therefore, as a rule, in the process of communication, good, and sometimes even friendly relations develop with the monasteries we visit.

Another direction of the Department's activity is monastic forums and conferences, which have become traditional. The materials of the conferences are published by the Department on the official website, later they are published in printed form. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to attend conferences and other forums. Tell us what the purpose of these meetings is.

We need such meetings, first of all, for communication. The Lord says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Although we are abbots or abbesses of monasteries, we all need the advice of experienced people, because, as you know, there is no limit to perfection.

When we received the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch to hold conferences, we began to think about exactly how this should be done. We all have one goal: the search for Christ, the creation of the Kingdom of Heaven within our hearts, the fight against passions, and this is the patristic way of fulfilling the gospel commandments. “Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever,” and the monastic tradition remains unchanged. And although we, the weak and infirm, the people of the 21st century, cannot bear the feats that the Christians of the first centuries carried, we are obliged to fulfill the Commandments, fight passions, purify our hearts so that the grace of the Holy Spirit can dwell in it. That is why the direction was chosen to cover the monastic traditions and the experience of the Fathers, how to follow these traditions.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, we are studying the experience of the Local Churches, we are inviting monastics from Mount Athos, from the monasteries of other Local Churches, to the forums. But, what is very important, we do not seek to adopt the characteristics of this or that Church, we are not going to change the traditions that have developed among us, but only try to join the rich patristic experience that has been accumulated over two millennia of the history of Christianity.

Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol was invited to the first conference, which took place in 2013 at the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. Vladyka expressed a very important idea that when we get together, we talk about the experience of the Holy Fathers and about the tradition that they passed on to each other - from teacher to student. At the same time, we are talking about the spiritual foundations of monastic work, and external forms, such as the variety of cuts of monastic vestments, have no significance for our salvation. When we meet, we talk about the essence of monasticism, about how to unite with Christ.

During our meetings, abbots and abbesses of monasteries share their reflections based on patristic teaching and their own experience, both positive and negative, in order to help each other avoid mistakes and benefit in the organization of monastic life.

At the last conference, which took place on September 23-24, 2015 at the Intercession Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow, the abbots and abbesses discussed a number of issues in the format of round tables. Moreover, the issues of the monastic life of women's and men's cloisters were discussed separately - abbots and abbesses gathered at round tables in different buildings. Please share your impressions of the past event. It seems that the discussion at the round table for abbesses was quite lively?

They also said that it is very important for the abbess, while fulfilling administrative obediences, to remain a mother for the sisters, to attend services together, at a common meal, to communicate with the sisters. After all, the example of the abbess inspires and organizes. If mother prays with her sisters during the service, then the Lord Himself begins to act between them.

In a monastery, as in a family, it is impossible to do things all the time, only to fulfill obediences. Everyone needs moments of relaxation, when people just meet, talk to each other. On the example of my monastery, I see how the sisters need it. We try to find an opportunity to get together: to discuss monastic issues, to read the Holy Fathers or the sermons of the Patriarch, to comprehend what we have read, to go on pilgrimages together. All this helps to overcome alienation and unites the monastic community.

It is very important when we are not afraid to say something to each other, when the sisters express their opinion, their vision of this or that issue. Of course, the abbess always has the last word, but it is very important for the monastic community when all its members have the opportunity to speak out. Indeed, according to the words of the apostle, in the first Christian community there was one heart and one soul - so it should be with us. To do this, sometimes you need to hear each other and come to a common opinion. After all, after we find a common solution, we begin to act and it is very important that our actions reflect our unanimity. All these issues were discussed at the round table.

You said that it is very important for the abbess, while performing administrative obediences, to remain a mother. But the mother, no matter how affectionate, is forced from time to time to be strict. Does the abbess often have to be strict with her sisters? What is the severity of the hegumen's cross?

It is always easier to kindly negotiate with a person, but when it doesn’t work out, you have to, as they say, use power. This is very difficult for me, I am a person of a gentle nature and then I myself experience almost more than those to whom I was strict. Sisters have different characters, and it is very important in each case to find such a method of influence that will bring the sister the greatest spiritual benefit. In the monastery, as in the family: if the mother does not protect her child from danger, the child may be crippled. Although sometimes the mother allows some negative experience to be, if the child does not understand in a good way, for his own good.

The abbess is responsible for the souls of the sisters. During her ordination, a special prayer is read, where the Lord entrusts her with the souls of the sisters, whom she must bring to Christ and for which she will give an answer on the day of the Last Judgment. This is the whole burden of the abbess's cross - to answer not only for herself, but also for the entrusted souls. In fact, none of us will be able to say anything in his defense. If such righteous people as the Monk Sisoy the Great, before their death, said that they did not know whether they had laid the foundation for repentance and whether their deeds were pleasing to the Lord, then what can we, sinners, say about ourselves? This responsibility only plunges us to the feet of the Savior and the Mother of God with a plea for help to fulfill obedience, because this is impossible with human forces.

Matushka, you are a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church. This year, the Presence Commission on the organization of monasteries and monasticism was headed by Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas. The draft “Regulations on monasteries and monastics” collected a very large number of comments during the discussion on the network. What is the current state of the document, and why do you think that not only the monastics, but also the laity, showed such interest in it?

The draft “Regulations on Monasteries and Monastics” was prepared by the Commission on the Organization of Monasteries and Monasticism and submitted to the Secretariat of the Presence for consideration at the Council of Bishops.

At present, the Commission, chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, is developing a model of the Charter of the inner life of the monastery. These are important documents that help us organize both external and internal monastic life.

As for the interest of the laity in these documents, there are the amazing words of St. John of the Ladder: "The light for the monks is the angels, and the light for the laity is the monks." Monasteries have always been for the laity a kind of beacons in the stormy sea of ​​life and attracted people not only from among those who decided to devote themselves to God, but in general from all believers. Looking at these beacons, Christians find their way to salvation. Let's remember how settlements were built before, how, for example, Sergiev Posad arose. Saint Sergius withdrew from the world to save his soul. But brethren began to settle around his cell in the dense forest, then ordinary people, and so a whole settlement arose. It is known that settlements, and then cities, were formed around many monasteries. It has always been that way, and let's hope it stays that way. And nowadays we often learn that when a monastery or a farmstead is revived somewhere in the outback, life around changes: people come to faith, nearby villages rise from ruins, the earth begins to bear fruit, the birth rate rises ... Therefore, I think, interest in monastic life has always been and remains among the laity to this day.

Abbess Juliana (Kaleda)
Interviewed by Ekaterina Orlova