Before the storm. Holy Righteous John Kronstadt

All those who came here for the first time surprised the extraordinary simplicity of his service. It was not the usual singery reading: the voice of the father of John Kronstadt sounded clearly, intermittently, every word was heard, she gained meaning as if for the first time. It was seen that it was pouring from the depths of a clean soul.

John Kronstadtsky

He certainly believed. And the more violent his memory the ideologists of the Bolshevik state, trying to defams it, ridicule, humiliate the fruits of his life and the spiritual feat. - His word served them by the chief, his spiritual donations - a refutation of atheistic ideology. The deceased, his opponents hated him as a living. But, despite all the prohibitions, for 70 years, the people of the usual expensive walked to Karpovka - to the place of his rest, trusting him his troubles, asking for prayer assistance. Many have evidenced that such a powerful prayer like from about. John, - Gives, maybe one by several million. Today he is honored in his homeland as righteous ...

In Kronstadt

From Oranienbaum to Kronstadt, for eight versts, models with passengers almost continuously stretched, and everything is "to the father". At the entrance to the city of Guests were the helpful owners of apartments. Here, finally, and Andreevsky Cathedral, where he served. To the morning the temple, which accommodate several thousand people, was full. In the side door included the father, the divine liturgy began.

All those who came here for the first time surprised the extraordinary simplicity of his service. It was not the usual singery reading: the voice of Father John sounded clearly, intermittently, every word was heard, she took sense, as if for the first time. It was seen that it was pouring from the depths of a clean soul. He could get out of the altar and join the singing. Sang with enthusiasm, highlighting individual words intonation.

Andreevsky Cathedral in Kronstadt

Barely ended the service as about. John turned out to be crammed on all sides. One of the pilgrims with sympathy asked someone servant of the temple:

– Do you really have it so?

The watchman just sighed in response to:

- Eh, cute, if so always. And then under the awning as there is a stubble from the feet of the father.

- That is, as?

- And so, they marked at all and went by eating, as an ant.

- Well, what?

- It is known - the Lamb of God, - stood up, crossed and at least a word ...

But in this "Sea" Father John worked about himself a prayer. It was possible to observe such scenes. That's, good dressed lady gives him a package, and he immediately blesses his shape of a woman in an old dress. The first unwittingly cries: "Yes, because there are five thousand rubles!" -at the pre-revolutionary rate, the amount is huge, - and it hears quiet: "That's what they need them."

Behind the liturgy in the Adrayan Cathedral

Someone here was not: generals and workers, scientists and doctors, poor people and students, monks and laity. From early morning to late night about. John was in humans. He had no private, his Life. The turning elder, one, he pointed out the life vocation, others consulted, the third one with love. Returning home, he discovered that he was waiting for many people, and on the desktop, as usual - hundreds of letters and telegrams, and in all requests for help, about prayer for severely ill people, about people who came to trouble.

Among their "children"

And he prayed over every letter, over each telegram. The "outsiders" of the misfortunes did not exist for him - in Kronstadt, he himself went home, confessing, the coaling, coming patients. He often traveled in Russia in order to help ordinary people, support and instruct monks. The money donated to him incessantly sent shelters and poor monasteries.

The efforts and prayer of the Kronstadt shepherd was saved, for example, Virov - created by the labor and tears of several inhales of the abode on the shore of the Bug, whose story later gave one of the most vivid examples of women's monasses. In the early years, the sisters lived the injignment, the question arose about the closure of the monastery for the lack of funds, as suddenly the mother came to the mother from about. John Kronstadt with a very impressive at the time of the sum, and then donations flowed from everywhere. And how many similar examples were!

During the same summer travels about. John the accompanying persons did not stop wondering: in every city, at every place of the parking lot, he had "his dear" - those with whom his personal connected. It was a truly "All-Russian Shepherd".

And at the same time, the father also found the time for the internal work so that with such employment, do not ruin, do not lead to the launch of the own "Sadik". His spiritual diary, who made up the book "My Life in Christ", – a sample of an unusually demanding relationship is important for a priest and for any believer. It can be seen like about. John is trying to avoid all sinful, fussy and unworthy not only in external behavior and handling other people, but also in the thoughts, so that they do not insult the Lord and not to erect the difficult obstacles on the path of the prayer to him. This diary – one of the most bright in the Orthodox heritage of examples of spiritual joy, possible only with a non-absorbable life in God, full, trustful Christianity.

Without saporn

Behind all these were years hard, but joyful. O. John was born in the village of Sura Arkhangelsk province, in the poorest, but a pious family. From the younger, he decided to become a parish priest. At first, they were not easy for them with his wife: modest salary about. John almost entirely went to "special cases" - the children in the working family are sick, then it is necessary to support the widow, the disabled person. Often, before returning the father from service to his wife, neighbors came: "On, Lisa, shoes. Your today will come again without a boot. "- The boots turned out to be given to someone from the beggars. For fear of home, as if with responsiveness about. John did not stay in extreme need, he answered: "I am a priest, what is there? So, there is nothing to say - not yourself, and others belong. "

With spouse Elizabeth Konstantinovna

After years, the "well-wishers" reproached him for elegant rows. The story was like this: not wanting to offend those who wanted to thank him, oh. John, with an extreme personal abstibility, put on what was given to him - whether "sign of appreciation" from an important person or "fruits of virgin creativity with patterns and curls." It was not showinghumility. The devotee among the world, he lived for the sake of the Lord, and not for the sake of human praise.

"In order!"

At the first rays of dawn from dirty "slots", the Kronstadt gol began to go. Hurry up to the house about. John and everyone on the mind: "Would not be late, because if he left - ahead of the day of the hunger strike". Without it, half of them would have been gone from hunger. On the questions of visitors, where they run to such early, the beggars answered: "In order, for distribution."

Near the house of the father, voices were heard: "Stream, Stream!" In five minutes, a long ribbon was formed from human figures, approximately in the probe. Stood three in a row. About six in the morning went about. John, giving a bow to his "children." Every twentieth received a ruble for a section with nineteen comrades. According to the most moderate counting, the number of poor people who lived on account. John, reached thousands of people. "House of hardworking", consisting of several workshops, with chapels and the house church, an overnight shelter and twelve charitable institutions were arranged for them for them.

Hardworking house in Kronstadt

Wards about. John used to look at the concern about them as something due, "legal." If it sometimes happened that under the "Stroy" section received 2 kopecks per person, instead of the expected 3, there were loud protesters of voices:

- Do not take guys! Stack tomorrow I will give me a dash. Mithrich, go to the deputy to the father; Tell me that we do not take less than three.

Father John endured it. But this feeling for him was discovered some cases. Somehow one visitors extended a credit ticket an old man with a dried hand. - In disability, that 20 years lived support about. John.

– Leave yourself or give them. I am not a beggar, my right hand dried, and the left did not accept alms.

– Why are you twenty years old ...

- False! For twenty years, Ioann's father nourishes me ... You give me a downtime, as a thief, and father John gives me like a native; As a friend gives loving ... He would give us a thousand rubles if we were less, for him money does not have the price as you, Mr.

Prayer

About the action of prayer about. John Sergieva has a lot of evidence. There are cases when he literally raised people from Odra Disease. But even more significant examples of the provision of spiritual aid. That's just one of them.

Once, a letter from a long corner of Russia fell on the table. Concerned about the fact that the doctor who darkened by all the city, dreamed of the poor, remains indifferent to faith and is waiting for "positive evidence", residents asked about. John pray for the salvation of this person. From Kronstadt, a telegram came: "I pray. Wait. O. John. "

That night the doctor woke up from the feeling of the presence of "Aliens". By the morning it was semi-dimensional found on the threshold of the house. It turned out that until the dawn of the demon, whom he saw the sideline, did not give him a minute of peace, but he could not find exit. Ride to about. John changed his whole life - he became a priest, and continued to serve even in the years of open persecutions of the church, not afraid of nothing.

Sermon repentance

Perhaps the strongest impression on the contemporaries produced how Batyushka confessed. With a great coating of the people, the private confession was impossible, and prevent people to the communion about. John considered unjustified. And he confessed all those who gathered at the same time!

Several thousand people, obeying his word and prayer, worried, mourned their "secret", swear silently and discovered sins in all. It was not hypnosis. On the contrary, people came to feeling as after a long lethargy. It happened that we were crying and myself about. John - for their souls, confused with illiteracy, drunkenness, entering the art of decades. We cried about each as the image of God, crippled, desecrated sin. But what warmth was in the heart, when, finally, doing emphasis on each syllable, the father said: "Listen. Now I will read your prayer once-re-shi-telny! " - All of them, crying like children.

Probably already in the second, and not in the first year of my student (that is, in 1904) I managed to go to the father. Why not in the first? - Naturally, the reader will ask. Yes, it is worth asking about it. This is explained by the common spiritual, more precisely, the short-term state of Russia. Now, after the shocks of the revolution, it is accepted for many to praise the past.

John Kronstadtsky

With Vyatoy Righteous John Kronstadt (John Ilyich Sergiev) was born on October 19, 1829 in the poor family in the village of Sure Arkhangelsk province. Thinking that the boy would not live for a short time, he was baptized immediately after birth with the name John, in honor of the celebrated on this day of St. John the Rylsky. But the child began to fix and grow. His childhood proceeded in extreme poverty and deprivation, but the pious parents laid a solid foundation of faith. The boy was quiet, focused, loved nature and worship.

When John turned nine years old, her father, collecting the last crumbs, took him to the parish Arkhangelsk school. It was difficult to give him a diploma, because of what he griefly grieving and prayed to God for help. In one of such heavy moments, at night, when all the pupils slept, he got up on prayer and prayed especially hotly. The Lord heard his prayer: Divine grace painted him, and, according to his own expression, no matter how "the curtain slept with his eyes." John remembered what was mentioned in the classroom, and somehow everything turned out in his mind. Since then, he began to make great progress in teaching. In 1851, John Sergiev graduated with honors from the seminaria and entered the St. Petersburg Spiritual Academy.

The capital did not spoil the young man, he remained as religious and focused on what was at home. Soon the Father died, and to support the mother, John began to work in the Office of the Academy with a salary of nine rubles a month. This money was completely referred to the mother. In 1855, he graduated from the Academy with excellent marks. The young graduate in the same year was ordained in the rhey and appointed the priest of the St. Andrew Cathedral in the city of Kronstadt (near St. Petersburg).

From the very first of the day after his ordination, John's father completely gave himself to the ministry to the Lord and people and began to serve the Divine Liturgy daily. He prayed, taught people to live well and helped those in need. His diligence was amazing. At first, and then, people often condemned him, laughed at him, considering it not quite normal.

On the liturgy, Father John prayed hotly, demanding, daring. In the request of praying, he did not refuse to anyone. And the Lord accepted his prayers. Miracles accounted for: their countless many - recorded and unapplied. To him began to seek not only the inhabitants of Kronstadt, but also from St. Petersburg, and then from all over Russia and from abroad. Letters and telegrams of hundreds came to Kronstadt. John's father read them and usually prayed immediately

John's father was not a brilliant preacher, but, simply, it's clear, heartily, from the soul, he conquered and inspired listeners. These sermons were printed with separate issues and distributed in a huge amount of copies throughout Russia. A collection of writings about. John, consisting of several large volumes.

His pastoral diary "My Life in Christ" enjoyed extremely popular with believers. It was the diary of the spiritual life of the father of John, the record of the fellow thoughts and the feelings that he was honored, according to his own words, "from the educational spirit of God in moments of deep attention and testing herself, especially during prayer."

Father John was the lawpower. Moreover, his influence on students was irresistible. The children loved him. The father was not a dry teacher, but a fascinating interlocutor. He warmly and sincerely belonged to his students, often he burned for them, the lessons did not ask, did not fail at the exams, and they led ordinary conversations. These conversations for life were remembered to students. John's father somehow especially knew how to awaken a living faith in the child's soul. In the lessons, he often read the lives of saints, the Bible or talked about his shepherd activities.

Veliko was the mercy of the father of John from the first days of his shepherdness. He did not be bent people, went to the first call to the poorest and sutured people. They prayed with them, instructed and helped, and often gave the latter, causing reproaches from loved ones. It happened sometimes that, having come to the poor family and seeing poverty and illness, he himself went to a shop or for a medicine at the pharmacy.

Later, hundreds of thousand rubles passed through the hands of the father of John. But he did not consider them: one hand takes, and the other will immediately give. In addition to such a direct charity, Father John has also created a special help organization. In 1882, in Kronstadt, a "house of hardworking" was opened in Kronstadt, in which there was own church, the initial national school for boys and girls, asylum for orphans, the hospital for coming, shelter, a folk free reading room, a national house, which gave the homeless to 40 Thousands of people a year, different workshops, in which the people could earn, a folk cheap dining room, where up to 800 free lunches were released on holidays, and a stable house.

At the initiative of the father of John and in its material support, a rescue station was built on the bay shore. In his homeland, he built a wonderful temple. There is no possibility to list, all places and areas where his care and help extended.

Father John died on December 20, 1908 on the eightieth year of life. The inconspicuous crowd accompanied his body from Kronstadt to St. Petersburg, where he was buried in the John Monastery, it was also founded. To the place of his restoration from all over Russia, Panoches were kept constantly and constantly served.

Strong in faith, hot in prayer and in his love for the Lord and to all people, Father John Kronstadt received the mercy of God All-Russian reverence.

In this article, the editors of the Portal "Orthodoxy and the World" gathered all the information about the life, prayers and the icon of the Holy Righteous John Kronstadt for you. The memory of John Kronstadt is committed on December 20 / January 2 - on the day of the blissful death of the Holy Righteous.

Probably already in the second, and not in the first year of my student (that is, in 1904) I managed to go to the father. Why not in the first? - Naturally, the reader will ask. Yes, it is worth asking about it. This is explained by the common spiritual, more precisely, the short-term state of Russia. Now, after the shocks of the revolution, it is accepted for many to praise the past. Yes, there was a lot of beautiful. But the trouble: We ourselves did not want to notice it. So it was with the father of John. Around the world, his name was famous. And we, students, knew about it. And now we live next to Kronstadt: in an hour-two it was possible to be visiting the father of John ... But we, students, and thoughts did not have about it. What kind of riddle? It is necessary to confess that the appearance of religious we continued to be still brilliant, but the Spirit very weakened. And "spiritual" became worldly. What, for example, were we interested in first, new students? Weekly went on museums, climbed under the top of the domes of "Isaacia", visited theaters, started acquaintances with family houses, where you can danced. Lectures were interested in very little: they walked only two or three "duty" to record behind the professors and so that there were no complete emptiness in the audiences. Services also visited at will. And only a small group bought a tables and kerosene lamps with lamps with lamps, we put them not in the "employee," where there were no silence, but in the audiences, on the walls. By firmly established tradition, it was no longer allowed to speak. In this silence, everyone engaged in his favorite subject: who was the holy fathers who are Babylonian excavations, who are political literature (there were very little such). And a group of the Bogomolov was formed, these were and for everyday worship: in the morning - on the liturgy, and in the evening - on the evening with the morning. At the head of this group, the rector of the Academy stood, then - the bishop of Sergius (later the Patriarch), and the inspector Archimandrite Feofan (refugeed in France). But here were literally units. And the public-consuming life went past religious interests. It is absolutely no need to think that spiritual schools were nurseries of apostates, bootiers, renegades. These were also units. And they feared even before comrades to show their atheism, because we all knew each other well and did not give any serious prices to these atheists.

But the internal enemy was much more dangerous: religious indifference. Most of us did not study for the priesthood, but to get the places of teachers, sometimes officials, and only ten percent went into the shepherdness, that is, at fifty-sixty people of the course of some five or six people.

With such an indifference, in general, to the shepherd in particular, there should be clear and indifference to students to the All-Russian lamp, Father John. And here also came revolutionary times: students were interested in politics, strikes; And Father John got on the "board" of the right: he was not over time.

And even professors, more responsible people than we, young people, were not interested in the father of Kronstadt. Once I, as the regent of Choir, had to make a conversation with the scientist professor, the Archpriest Orlov, about theology. I referred to the father of John. And he heronically told me:

- Well, what is the theologians?!

I had to stop the conversation. There was some part of the metropolitan clergy, which, together with their misfortunes, read the father of John. Even more revealed his clergy in the province.

But the most important admirer - as always - was our so-called simple people. Without paying any attention to the highest, he thousands and thousands of miles and went, and drove, and sailed to Kronstadt. By that time, the separation between the people and the intelligentsia was already quite determined, and in part - and the clergy, which was rather possible to attribute to the intelligentsia than to the common. This division was both in our schools ... Moreover: even the bishops did not show much interest in Father John. However, I know several names that I read it and tried to be with him in communication ... But in the depths of the soul and bishops, and the yeresses felt the height of the father. Eyewitnesses told me how a huge hall of the Noble Assembly, led by three Metropolitans, was waiting for the promising to come to the spiritual concert of Father John. And when he entered there, thousands of people got up, in a stunning to the tears of reverence, as one person. The bishops were shared with him, offered to sit next to the place cooked to him ... and the concert began.

Among the deep admirers of Father John was the Archbishop of Finland Sergius, afterwards the Patriarch of All Russia. I at that time (1908-1910) was his personal secretary. And I remember that he started and in his Vyborg, and on the Yaroslavl Famon Custom - to read daily instead of any teachings of the word Pattyushki. And one of the monks, Father Fiy, read it simple, but Orthodox conversations. It was already the beginning of the glorification. And the other theologians, Archimandrite Feofan, put his creations along with the Holy Fathers and advised them to study the same seriously as the ancient fathers.

And we, students and professors, were not interested. God, like bitterly! How shame now! And now it is crying from our poverty and from petitioned insensity. No, not everything was safe and in the church. We became the same, about which it was said in the apocalypse: "Since you are not cold, neither hot, I will shoot you from my mouth ..." I came soon, and we, many, were devoted even from our homeland ... We didn't even appreciate her shrine. What sowed, they shook.

That is why I did not go to Kronstadt for the first year, and already on the second, along with two other comrades, younger at the rate.

That was cold November. But there was almost no snow. The cab drives were still on flights.

We arrived at the hotel "House of hard work", created by the father of John. There, as students of the Academy, accepted with attention. In the morning it was necessary to get up early so that four hours already be in the temple. We were held in the altar of the cathedral. Andreevsky Cathedral accompanied, probably five thousand people. And he was already full. In the altar, besides us, there were several more spiritual people and several secular faces.

Mine began one of the assistants of the father of John. And soon through the narrow right side door of the altar, the father went into the fur coat - the gift of admirers. Having gave it one of the warders (there were many in the cathedral, as we will see), he, who does not look at anyone, not healthy with anyone, quickly and resolutely approached the throne and also quickly fell on his knees in front of him ... I do not remember: Did he crossed this time? After I noticed that he fell more than once, not peeling: obviously, so he demanded his fiery soul. Sometimes, instead of the cross, splashed his hands, and sometimes baptized. It is clear that for him the form did not have a binding value - as it should be in the people who are burning in spirit: "Not a person for Saturday, but Saturday for a person," said the Lord. Of course, this right belongs not to us, ordinary and weak people, but faster in the grace of God; Therefore, no one can artificially imitate such giants ...

After that, the Batyushka already appealed to those present in the altar and with all of us very affectionately greeted, taught the blessing to the laity.

Then he quickly pulled away from us and energetically went to the altar. There was already a whole stack of telegrams obtained in the day and overnight from all over Rus. Batyushka could not immediately read them here. Therefore, he fell in front of the altar, he laid his holy hands on all these telegrams, fell her head to them and began to secretly pray to the all-seeing to the Lord about the grant of the grazers ... What was done with these telegrams, I personally do not know: probably secretary persons Selected answers to addresses, according to general instructions, this Batyushkoy. In special cases, they themselves made up texts for telegrams. Yes, because, in fact, it was not the main thing in that answers, and in that fiery prayer, which was raised to them before the altar or elsewhere, where his requests were captured ...

Meanwhile, the morning continued to go about her order. After a six-pin, during the Great Hundreds, the father in one epitrachi quickly went to the right-handed-male. This time it seemed to him that not enough light. And he, suspected one of the church servants, took out some kind of monetary paper from his pocket and said out loud:

- Light is not enough! Sveta!

Obviously, a half-party temple did not fit his fiery spirit: God is the God of Lights! God of glory and bliss! - And because Father John sent for candles ...

It approached the reading time of the canons. According to the charter, it is supposed to read two regular canons of the day of the week; And beyond this, the third canon - in honor of the saint, whose memory came about that day. There was a medium. And he was celebrated, as I remember, the memory of Reverend Alpiya, November 26th. And how did the father read! Not at all, as we read, ordinary priests: that is, exactly, without expressions, a singery speaking. And we do it absolutely correctly, for church teachings from ancient times: the reverence of our foremost and the consciousness of their own unnecessaryness do not allow us to be doried and reading; The inconsistency of even, calm, reverent committing worship is more decentable for our modesty. It is not by chance that subordinates at all speak with the supervisors not unleashed, not voluntarily, but "respectfully report" to a smooth tone. This is especially noticeable in the military environment, where the warriors respond to chiefs, like a church speech, on "alone notes."

"... the law is put," says the apostle Paul, "not for the righteous ..."

And the father of John, with its burning energy, a rattling faith; with thousands of people who are thirsting for his daring prayer; If they are conscious of the needs, grief, sorrow, the sins of these ordinary children of God; Even with the hips of the very temple, demanding a strong voice, - Father John could not pray as we pray. And he prayed extremely loudly, and most importantly: daring. He talked with the Lord, the Mother and Saints ... The father could not enter or go through the temple, as we do everything - both the priests, and the bishops. We can this; And he could not. The people would then rush to him and in the rustling could flood it. I had to hear about the long-lasting such case, as a crowd knocked him down from his feet, ripped into a nurse "for the blessing" of his row and barely left him alive.

And therefore it was necessary to choose a different path: it was brought from the house on the cab (and not in the carriage, as other) to the garden, although there was only some five minutes. And on the cab hurt. There was no soul in the garden: the high gate was locked. Batyushka quickly sat on the pool; The driver immediately raced in the garden to the gate. And there were already servants, they immediately opened the departure, and the horse rushed straight, although there was a people who waited for the father "at least to take a look." And only from fear to get under the hooves or under the wheels, people involuntarily moved away, and the father flew "to freedom."

But it was not without incident. In my eyes - we came out of the altar behind him in the garden - some kind of peasant rushed right in the middle of the flight, wanting, apparently, to get a personal blessing. But quick ride he was instantly shot down and fell to Earth. I was afraid for him and, closing my face with my hands, shouted instinctively:

- Ay, set, crushed!

And suddenly I hear a completely calm answer to my fright:

- Do not be afraid, do not be afraid! Butyushkina wheels are not pressured, but heal!

I opened my eyes: it said a slender old woman, really calm.

I climbed and the brave, unharmed, smoked off my dust and went into his way, and people in their own way: exactly nothing happened. Where did the father left, I do not know: they said that in St. Petersburg.

General confession

In antiquity, confession was open: the sinner swore before the whole church. But then this custom was replaced by the current secret confession. The reason for this was that not everyone had enough strength of humility to beat himself publicly before everyone; And besides, such confession introduced innocent souls into the temptation. But there are such circumstances that they forced sometimes use the general confessions. The main reason here is a huge number of participants, when it is impossible to cope not only one, but even several priests. One of two remains: or not to allow those who want before communion, and it is painful and unpaired; Or make a common confession for everyone. What to choose? In the ancient times, Christians were communioned at all without confession, holy lived, with the exception of special occasions. And this practice exists in Greek, Serbian, Syrian churches. I personally observed this in some arrival of Yugoslavia; I saw in the Crimea when Asian refugees from the Turks prayed in the attack of the Simferopol Cathedral, and at one time their priest dimly went to the slender ranks and migrated everyone in a row without confession. I heard from eyewitnesses, as a Greek humble priest after Liturgy was still with the holy bowl of the village and seen those who were not in the church on economic obstacles: and the most part of the woman - ran out of their huts to the street in what were, bowed to the ground And with children's faith, the holy divine secrets were sainted. The picture of such a primitive pure faith was comfortable. These and other examples show that the Church allows the possibility of communion and without confession and even considers it a normal order for good Christians; Therefore, on any liturgy, she invites everyone "faithful":

- "With the fear of God and the faith, let's start" to the communion ...

Before and started. Saint Vasily Great says that in his time people came to three and four times a week. And Zlatoust answers:

- Do not ask: how many times; And tell me: how are you getting started?

Of course, the current way of fields and communion once a year also has its meaning so that believers with great fear, reverence, preparation, cleansing, repentance, the responsibility of the Holy Communion, which is with the fear of God. But this custom is not at all the law, mandatory for all cases. During the difficult period of the last thirty years, our church allowed the wishing and weekly communion, provided that it blesses the local confessor to those who want. And normal - before each communion it is necessary to confess everyone. And if there would be many such wishes, there would be a lot, then the confessor was allowed to do and the general confession. But at the same time it was suggested that those having any special needs of the spiritual should go after to the confessor and reveal to him the soul to get a special permission.

So sometimes was done in different arrival. But I want to tell how with me there was a common confession from Father John. Junior we simultaneously appealed to him in the altar:

- Battyushka! We would like to see your overall confession.

He answered with simplicity and love:

- I just made it yesterday. But for the sake of you, I now show you how it is done by me.

Before the communion, Father John went through the royal gates to the Ambon and said approximately the next preaching. I bring it in extracting.

- In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen! - He began with force. - King and Psalmopevets David said: B oG with heaven printed on the sons of human, video, whether there is a reasonable or recovery of God? WSI applied, babys up to the uncertainty, brought away the good, bent to one (Ps. 52, 3-4). In Russian: "The Lord looked from the sky ..." - etc. Batyushka translated Psalm into Russian. Then he applied to everyone with an indication that in our time - everyone drew into sins ... and he began to list them. In the temple, sobbing, sobbing, then exclamations:

- Battyushka! Pray for us!

Then the father exclaimed the whole temple:

- Fit!

In the temple, a universal cry of repentance rose: every loud shouted about his sins; No one thought about her neighbor; Everyone was watched only on the father and in their soul ... And we cried, and shouted, and sobbed ... So it lasted not one minute ... Then Father John gave his hand sign so that the believers subsided. Quite soon the noise of duck. And the father continued his sermon:

"See: How we are all sinful. But the father of our heavenly does not want their death. And for the sake of our salvation, he did not regret his son's son, sent him to the world for our redemption, so that for the sake of him to forgive all our sins. And not only - forgive us, but even call us on your divine feast! To do this, he gave us a great miracle, granted us to food and beings the holy body and the holy blood of his son of his own, the Lord of our Jesus Christ. This wonderful feast is performed on every liturgy, according to the word of the Lord itself: "Check, database. This is my body! " And: "Finger from (bowls) WSI, this is my blood."

As in the parable, the father with love takes his impregnated, but the rich feast reappeared and suits him, rejoicing his salvation - and now the Heavenly father is every day and everyone who needs a divine meal - Holy Communion.

Come with full faith and hope on the mercy of our Father, for the purpose of the petition of his son! Come and proceed with fear and faith to the Holy Communion.

And now all tilt your chapters; And I, as a clergyman, the authorities of God, given to us, read the vacation of sins on you. "

All in a reverent silence bowed heads; And the father of John raised his Epitrohil on the air and read the usual permits of a prayer, making a sign of the cross with the words "for goodbye and allowing" ... "in the name of the father and son and the saint spirit" ... then the communion began.

To finish the "general confession", I will remember about several details and cases in connection with it. When I was already by Hieromonach, one familiar old mantist and admirer of Father John comes to me and tells me the following:

- I stood at the father in the cathedral; And he ordered us to repent. I loud told him my sins. And suddenly my neighbor struck me, in some kind, in the cheek. I remembered the Gospel of Christ to substitute the hit and other my cheek. And he hit me and on the other.

- Why do you tell me about it?

He knew the answer. I thought:

"He probably wanted to boast his imaginary humility." "And then I got somewhat clear why God forbid him to suffer twice the entertainment." It was still that he came to me with a question:

- Is I well done that I substitute him and the second cheek?

"I don't think," I replied. "It would be humble to think that you did not grow even before such a height." And even better if you didn't hit your neighbor with something and did not bring it to irritation and before the first slap.

- How so? - he did not expect this turn.

- We, imperfect, we can upset our neighbors even with our piety. Demons know how to distinguish true holiness from inexistible. The first they are afraid, and over the second mock. Remember, in the book Acts tells how the demon did with the seven Sons of the Jewish High Priest Skov, who broke the undersigned name of the Lord Jesus: an evil spirit said: Jesus know, and Paul knows me, and who are you? And they rushed at them, in which he was an evil spirit, and defeated them, took such power over them that they, nagia and beaten, ran out of the house. And the apostle Pavel spirits obey (Acts 19, 13-16). Therefore, I think, I tell him - we, sinners, it is better to hide your kind, if it is. Here is my opinion to you.

The victim fell silent, but I was not sure if he agreed with me. He, apparently, wanted to stay better with a good opinion about himself and "suffer" for the truth than to realize himself unworthy neither of neither the other.

Yes, and in "good deeds" everyone needs to be kept his measure. Without a measure and good is not good, - teaches Saint Isaac Sirin.

When we returned to the same evening from Kronstadt to Petrograd, then I turned to me on a ship with a question of some kind of faults from the Bogomoltsev, who was on the same liturgy at the father of John:

- Something I heard, the father called us all for lunch, and there was no dinner?! Ah?

I understood the naivety of the soul of this visitor and quietly explained to him that under the "beer" the father intended the Holy Communion. And repeated the in the midst of the thought of teaching. He understood and calmed down:

- That's it! And I thought he had called dining.

Many years later, already abroad, I was led to the party to this confession. But it should be frankly aware that she did not produce such actions, strength and peace, which almost always accompany individual, personal, secret, ordinary confession. And the father of John had a special power of God.

Wonders of the father of John Kronstadt

The task of these notes is partly to write about what I personally saw or at least heard himself from reliable witnesses. About this and write.

He was known about the wonders throughout Russia. One mother led her son suffering from his eyes. She asked me to spend them to Father John. Batyushka took them with me. Mother told him about the ten-year-old son. Father John took him, put him between his knees and began, praying internally, stroking his big fingers closed with his great fingers. After, the mother said, "the son never complained about her eyes.

Another case told me the Son about my native father. I have already printed about him in a brief leaf about the father of John. I remember again.

Father was from a rich merchant family of smoothies. The son of him was then a listener of theological courses organized by me in Yugoslavia (Bela Church). It was a pure and conscientious person incapable of deception. Now he is sacred. And that's what he told me.

Father fell ill with a throat car. No doctors could help. Death was at the door. Just time was to Christmas. At first, they were preparing for the "Christmas tree", now it was not to her: everyone was waiting for the end from day to day. The patient could no longer speak aloud.

Sent after the father of John, as in the last hope. And he was a perception of one of the children of the merchant. The father arrived and asked why they did not send him before? Near the bed of the patient was a table with useless drugs. He pushed his nail, bubbles fell to the floor.

- Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart?

"I believe," the patient whispered.

- Do you believe that he is free and strong to work wonders and now?

- Cutting your mouth.

The patient revealed. Batyushka with a prayer truncated him throat three times and said:

- Three days later come to me in Kronstadt: I will speak and come.

And left. How to carry such a sick winter in Kronstadt? On faithful death?

But the patient ordered to fulfill the command of the father. He was overlooked and brought ...

"And after," the son graduated, "the father lived for another twenty-five years."

The third case occurred in Paris in 1933, the second April. On one Sunday, it was appointed to make the baptism of an adult Jewish. She expressed her desire to be done after the liturgy in an empty temple ... All went away. It remains only the clergy and perceivers. In addition to them, I see two more middle-aged women. "Probably, I think," these are familiar with the knife. " Just in case, I come to them and ask if they are not familiar with this Jewish? "What?" - "But we will be baptized now." - "We didn't even know about it. "-" Why did you stay? " - "We have our own business to you." - "Well, in this case, wait until the end of the baptism." Crossed. Called Euphrosinia. Delined it. Eased I went to two women. And that's what they said. One of them was the wife of the Cossack General O. And the other is the wife of the Colonel: I forgot this last name. And she seen an extraordinary dream on this night.

Saint Righteous John (John Ilich Sergiev), nicknamed Kronstadt, Born on October 19, 1829 in the poor family in the village of Sura Arkhangelsk province. Thinking that he would not live long, he was baptized immediately after birth with the name John, in honor of the celebrated on this day of St. John the Rylsky, the Great Light of the Bulgarian Church. But the child began to fix and grow. His childhood proceeded in extreme poverty and deprivation, but pious parents laid a solid foundation of faith in him. The boy was quiet, focused, loved nature and worship. At a six-year-old, he encouraged to see the Angel's Gorny, who closed by heavenly light. The celever told him that he was his angel keeper, always standing around him in compliance, hiking and salvation from any danger and would always store him throughout his life.

When John turned nine years old, her father, collecting the last crumbs, took him to the parish Arkhangelsk school. It was difficult to give him a diploma, because of what he was very grievous. Then the boy prayed to God for help. One day, in one of such heavy moments, in a deep midnight, when everyone slept, he got up and began to pray especially hotly. The Lord heard his prayer and the divine grace painted him, and, according to his own expression, "instantly as if the curtain slept with his eye." He remembered everything that was mentioned in the classroom, and somehow everything turned out in his mind. Since then, he began to make great progress in teaching. From the parish school, he moved to the seminary, which he graduated from first and for brilliant successes was adopted on a government account in the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

The capital did not spoil the young man, he remained as religious and focused on what was at home. Soon the Father died, and to support Mother, John began to work in the Office of the Academy with a salary of ten rubles per month. This money was completely referred to the mother. In 1855, he graduated from the Academy with a degree of candidate of theology. The young graduate in the same year was ordained in the Jewel and appointed by the priest of the St. Andrew's Cathedral in the city of Kronstadt. He firmly decide to serve the whole creature to God and the Humanity, Father John persuaded his wife Elisaven to remain virgin.

From the very first day after my ordination, John's father completely gave himself to the ministry to the Lord and began to make Divine Liturgy daily. He prayed warmly, taught people to live well and helped those in need. His diligence was amazing. At first, some people laughed at him, considering it not quite normal.

John's father felt great pity for all disadvantaged and suffering. Without bent by anyone, he walked on the first call to the most and downstream people. They prayed with them, and then helped them, often giving the last of what he had. It sometimes happened that, having come to the poor family and seeing poverty and illness, he himself went to the shop or for the doctor at the pharmacy.

At one time, John's father was the lawpower. His influence on students was irresistible, and the children loved him very much. The father was not a dry teacher, but a fascinating interlocutor. He warmly and sincerely belonged to his disciples, often burned for them, did not fail at the exams, and they led ordinary conversations who were remembered to students for life. Father John had a gift to light faith in people.

In the request of praying, he did not refuse to be rich, nor poor nor notable, no simple people. And the Lord accepted his prayers. On the liturgy, Father John prayed hotly, demanding, daring. Archpriest Vasily Shustin describes this one of the Liturgy of the father of John, on which he visited his youth. "I came to the great post with my father to Kronstadt to talk from the father of John. But since it turned out to be personally confessing with him, we had to confess on the general confession. I came with my father to the Andreevsky Cathedral before the stall. It was dark - only 4 o'clock in the morning. Although the cathedral was locked, the people had no decent people. We managed to get a pass in the altar on the eve. The altar was big, and there was a hundred people in a hundred people. After half an hour I came about. John and began to serve the morning. To his The consecration of the cathedral was filled to refusal, and he had more than five thousand people. Before Anvon, there was a lattice to restrain the Bogomolers. Canon on the uterine read the Father John himself.

By the end of the morning, the general confession began. At first, the father read prayers before confession. Then he said a few words about repentance, and loudly appealed to the whole cathedral to people: "Find out!" - Something incredible thing happened here. There were cries, screams, oral confession of secret sins. Some sought to shout out their sins, as louder as possible, so that the father heard and prayed for them. And the father at this time, becoming knees and touching the head of the throne prayed diligently. Gradually, cries turned into crying and sobs. It continued so fifteen minutes. Then the father rose and went to the Ambon; Pot Grad rolled his face. Reasonable requests to pray, but others have thrown these voices, and the cathedral is finally verse. Then the father, highly lifting the Epitrohil, read the permit prayer over the people and circled the Epitrochil over the heads of the crowd. After that, he entered the altar, and liturgy began.

Twelve priests served behind the throne and there were twelve huge cups and disks. The father served hard, shouting some words, and, as it were, a special coup in front of God. After all, how many shots he took on himself! At the end, they read prayers for a long time, because it was necessary to prepare a lot of particles for communion. For the bowl, they put a special stand between two lattices before the ammon. Batyushka came out about nine in the morning, and began to fit people.

Batyushka died several times so as not to give each other. Immediately near the lattice stood a chain of the citys, which restrained the people and kept the passages for communion. Despite the fact that at the same time two more priests acquired on the sides of the temple, the Batyushka cumshot after two hours of the day, taking a new bowl several times. ... Surprisingly touching it was a picture of the evening of love. The father did not have a shadow of fatigue on her face, with a fun, joyful face he congratulated everyone. Service and Holy Communion gave us so much vigor and forces that I did not feel any fatigue. As soon as the blessing by the father, we, having lunch, went home. "

Some treated Father John unfairly - some kind of misunderstanding, other envy. So once a group of laymen and spiritual persons who are dissatisfied with the father of John, wrote a complaint to Metropolitan Ishidor Petersburg. Metropolitan revealed a letter with a complaint, looks and sees a white sheet of paper in front of him. Then he causes complainants and requires an explanation. They assure Metropolitan that their letter is in his hands. Then the Metropolitan in bewilderment causes John's father and asks what's the matter. When John's father prayed to God, Metropolitan began to see that he really didn't have a white leaf in his hands, but a letter with charges. In this miracle that God himself protects the father of John from slander, Metropolitan drove a letter and driven complainants with anger, and Father Ioanna Laskovo said: "Serve, the father, God, and do not be confused!"

The prayer of Father John was extremely strong. Knowing it, for help, not only the inhabitants of Kronstadt appealed for help, but people from all over Russia and even from abroad. Letters and telegrams about. John came in such a quantity that the Kronstadt Mail allocated a special compartment for him. These letters and telegrams are about. John usually read immediately after the liturgy, often with the help of secretaries, and immediately prayed for the seekers. Among the healed by the father of John, there were people of all ages and classes, except for the Orthodox, there were Catholics, and Jews, and Mohammedan. We give examples of healing committed by the father of John.

In Kharkov, he lived a lawyer Jew. His only eight-year-old daughter got scarlet. Invited the best doctors, but the girl's body could not cope with the disease. Doctors said to parents that the girl's position is completely hopeless. The despair of the parents was limitless, and here the father remembered that at this time the father of John Kronstadt came to Kharkov, about whose miracles he had long heard. He took the cab driver and ordered to bring himself to the street where people gathered to meet the father of John. Thrown with difficulty through the crowd, the lawyer rushed to the legs of the father of John with the words: "Holy Father, I'm a Jew, but I ask you - help me!" Father John asked what happened. "My only daughter dies." But you have called God and save her, "the crying father exclaimed. Father John, putting his hand on his head, elevated his eyes to the sky and began to pray. A minute later he said Father: "Get up and go with the world." When a lawyer drove up to the house, a wife had already stood on the balcony, which joyfully shouted that their daughter was alive and healthy. Entering the house, he found his daughter talking to the doctors, - with those who sentenced her a few hours ago to death, and now not understand what happened. This girl then accepted Orthodoxy and wore Valentina's name.

One launched at all endured the presence of the father of John and, when he passed somewhere near, she was fighting, so I had to restrain her several strong men. One day, Father John still walked over to the launched. He became knees in front of the icons and plunged into prayer. The launched was hammered in convulsions, began to curse him and blasphemy, and then suddenly a completely aged and as if he fell into oblivion. When Father John got up from prayer, all his face was covered later. Going to the patient, he blessed her. Former barely rented eye and, breaking, tricks to the feet of the father. This sudden healing produced on all the tremendous impression.

Sometimes, however, John's father refused to pray for some person, surviving, obviously, the will of God. So once my father John was invited to the Smolny Institute for Bed Heavy Discounted Princess Chernogorsk. But without reaching the Lazaret of ten steps, he turned cool and went back: "I can't pray," he said deafheat. A few days later the princess died. Sometimes he showed great perseverance in prayer, as he himself testifies to one case of healing: "I came to God to God with all the diligence of prayers, and the Lord finally heard me and erect my sorrows."

Father John was not a skilled preacher. He spoke simply and clearly, without any techniques, but from the soul, and I conquered and inspired the listeners. His sermons were printed with separate issues and spread throughout Russia in huge numbers. A collection of writings of John's father, consisting of several large volumes, was published. Special love enjoys his diary "My Life in Christ".

We must imagine how the day of St. John was held in order to understand the gravity of his works. He got up at about 3 o'clock in the morning and was preparing for the ministry of Liturgy. About 4 o'clock he went to the cathedral for the uterus. There were already a crowd of pilgrims, thirsting to see him and get a blessing. Immediately expected him and many beggars, which the father John distributed alms. Immediately after the uterus, he spent confession, which because of the huge number of confessors was common. Andreevsky Cathedral has always been crowded. Then, John's father served as Liturgy, at the end of which communion went very long. After serving, Father John brought letters and telegrams directly to the altar, and he immediately read them and prayed for asking for help. Then, accompanied by thousands of believers, John's father went to St. Petersburg on countless challenges to the patient. Rarely when he returned home earlier midnight. Some nights he spent completely without sleep - and so day after day, from year to year without stopping. So it was possible to live and work, of course, only with the supernatural of God's help. The fame of the father of John was his greatest burden. Everywhere, wherever he just seemed, instantly grew up a crowd of thirst for at least just look at him.

Through the hands of Father John passed hundreds of thousand rubles. He did not try to consider them: takes one hand, and the other will immediately give. In addition to such a direct charity, Father John has also created a special help organization. In 1882, the house of hardworking was opened in Kronstadt, in which there was own church, the initial national school for boys and girls, asylum for orphans, the hospital for coming, shelter, a folk free reading room, a folk house, which gave a refuge to 40 thousand people in Year, different workshops, in which the people could earn, a folk cheap dining room, where up to 800 free lunches were released on holidays, and a stimple house. At the initiative of the father of John and in its material support, a rescue station was built on the bay shore. In his homeland, he built a wonderful temple. There is no possibility to list all the places and areas where his care and help extended.

Father John died on December 20, 1908 on the eightieth year of life. The inconspicient crowd accompanied his body from Kronstadt to St. Petersburg, where he was buried in the John Monastery, it was also founded. To the place of his restoration from all the ends of Russia, the memorial and continuously served the memories. Strong in faith, hot in prayer and in his love for the Lord and to people, Holy Righteous John Kronstadt will always use the love of Russian. He, after his righteous death, quickly responds to the prayers of all who asking for his help.