Abbess Nicholas Lyudmila Ilyina biography. The most influential women of the Russian church

Saint Nicholas helps everyone who asks him about it, and even those who not only do not ask, but do not know what to ask…

I haven’t even asked him yet, but the saint has already helped me

, dean of the Moskvoretsky district, rector of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior on Bolvanka:

I remember once, even before the war, when my father was not a priest, he somehow sat and loaded cartridges (dad was an amateur hunter), and my older brother Peter and I played side by side. Father gave us caramel each so that we would not interfere with him. And I choked on this candy, it got stuck in my throat. The elder brother saw, shouted:

Papa, papa!

And somehow I wave my hands. Father looked down the throat - there is candy. I wanted to pull her out - I pushed her even further ... Mom was not at home at that time. My father grabbed me and ran to a neighbor (we rented half a house in Zaraysk). It was autumn, in November. The hostess, apparently, went to the well and, while carrying water, splashed it on the floor, and she froze. Our halves were separated by a plywood door. The father kicked her out, and while he was running, he prayed to the saint:

Help - the child bears your name!

And now he runs with me in his arms, but how he slips! He fell, hit his elbow on the bench - then the candy flew out. I clearly remember the moment when I began to breathe: my father held me in his arms under a light bulb. This was the first, and perhaps not the first participation of St. Nicholas in my life.

It is known, for example, that during the Great Patriotic War, when the Germans approached Zaraysk, their scouts saw cannons in all the loopholes of the Kremlin. The Kremlin seemed to bristle with cannons. The Germans did not dare to take him. One pious woman had a vision that Saint Nicholas stood guard over the city with a sword. We have there, in Zaraysk, famous icon Saint Nicholas of Zaraisk

An old man who helps everyone and waits until a person canT believe

Hieroschemamonk Valentin (Gurevich), confessor of the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow:

It is surprising that St. Nicholas turns out to be a quick help even in those cases when people not only do not call him with faith, but do not even suspect of his existence.

During the Russo-Japanese War, at the beginning of the twentieth century, there was such a case. The Russians hung a large icon of St. Nicholas on the station building in China. When asked by the Japanese general about this icon, the local Chinese replied that it was an old man who helped everyone. Another Japanese soldier witnessed this conversation.

Shortly thereafter, a battle took place between the Russians and the Japanese. In this battle, the Japanese were defeated.

The soldier who heard this conversation fled the battlefield with his colleagues. The path lay through the swamp, and he got stuck in it, he began to be sucked in. When he was already chest-deep, and there was no one around who could help him, he prayed from the bottom of his heart: “The old man who helps everyone, help me!!!” Immediately this old man appeared and pulled him out of the swamp.

At the same time, the Japanese general in question, seriously wounded, lay on the ground among the corpses of his subordinates. The bleeding was so profuse that it threatened him with imminent death. There was no one around to help him. And then he called out in the same words as the Japanese soldier drowning in the swamp: “The old man who helps everyone, help me!!!” Instantly an old man appeared and took him in his arms. He lost consciousness and woke up at a distance of many kilometers from the battlefield, in a Japanese hospital, where he was treated.

Returning to his homeland, he became a parishioner of the Orthodox community, headed by the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint, who, like his savior, was called Nicholas. Having married a parishioner of this community, he became a father of many children and gave all his children of both sexes the same name - Nikolai.

Another case of help from this "old man" was told by the singer Vertinsky. One old Chinese man was walking along weak ice across the river and fell into a hole. The unfortunate man was already being pulled under the ice when he remembered that the Russians always ask for help from some old man, whose image hangs at the station.

The old man from the station, help me! - were last words Chinese. Then he lost consciousness. He woke up on the other side and the first thing he did was rush to the station to thank the holy elder for his miraculous salvation.

After this incident, the fisherman himself was baptized, and many other Chinese followed his example.

And once, at the beginning of my churching, I met an elderly woman. She lived in Gnezdnikovsky Lane and was a parishioner of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Bryusov Lane.

Prior to that, in her youth, she worked with Ordzhonikidze and other leaders of the revolution. She herself was a Latvian, her name was Elsa Yanovna. Her husband was an Armenian, also from Bolshevik circles, all his adult life he was an atheist, and in childhood, like his wife, he was baptized in heterodoxy.

By the time we met, her husband had died after a severe and incurable disease, who chained him to bed for a long time, and she looked after him for several years.

And then one day, - Elsa Ivanovna tells me such a case, - a neighbor in a communal apartment comes to them and congratulates them on the holiday:

Today Nikolay Ugodnik! - and shows them the icon of the saint.

And the husband suddenly says:

Today this old man appeared to me in a dream and reminded me of my whole life. I saw all the cases when I was in mortal danger. Somewhere on a mountain river in Armenia ... - and so on and so forth; including mortal danger arose in those years when the iron laws of the revolution came into force, destroying its creators. “And I got deliverance all the time. And this elder said to me: “Whenever you were on the verge of death, I saved you. Why don't you want to know me?"

And suddenly a neighbor comes with an icon!

This husband and wife both came to believe and were joined to Orthodoxy.

Stop begging - enough to help

, confessor Sretensky Monastery Moscow:

When the temple of the Kazan icon has not yet been restored in our Serafimov skete in the Ryazan region Mother of God, and the skete itself had not yet been rebuilt, we served there only twice a year, on Kazanskaya - in summer and autumn. At that time, the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God from this temple, which the believers had previously kept at home, had already been handed over to us for safekeeping. The icon is interesting in iconography: Archangel Gabriel holds the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in his arms.

On the eve of the next service, at the summer Kazan, we loaded our old monastery Volkswagen with everything that needed to be brought to the skete for worship: first of all, this icon, candlesticks, vestments, etc. We drove together with the driver. We have already left the Moscow Ring Road. We open a metal part that holds a mudguard behind the wheel, and rips the tire so that it turns into tatters.

And so we continue the path at the speed of a pedestrian. This damaged wheel hits the rim on the road: boom-boom, boom-boom. The driver does not have a balloon wrench to unscrew and change the wheel. But we need to have time to arrive, and even prepare everything for the service so that it starts on time ...

We barely made it to the Auto Parts store, the driver ran away, bought a balloon wrench, ran into a brick, put the wrench on the nut and began to jump on it, but the key didn’t move - the nut was screwed tightly. He jumps and jumps - and he himself was small, light in weight. Nothing works. Why I didn't think of jumping myself, I don't know. He began to pray to Saint Nicholas:

Saint Nicholas, help! We need to get to work.

Look: the process has begun! The nut began to loosen. And I thought to myself: “Well, that’s it. Stop asking, it's already unscrewing ... ". As soon as I thought so, he again: jump-jump-jump, - but the nut didn’t work. Then I again began to ask Saint Nicholas:

Saint Nicholas, I'm sorry! Help!

Everything - again the nut began to unscrew. So we changed the wheel and got to work on time.

Here is a lesson: enough to ask - enough to help.

St. Nicholas surprisingly always supports a living faith in a person - not mediated by any tradition or anything else attitude to God, to prayer, to the saints ... Namely, living faith, - direct conversion. As it should be.

How a sponsor throws us money from Heaven

, abbess of the St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky convent in the city of Maloyaroslavets:

We had to build a shelter building. The company worked at the construction site. This is a monthly bill. The benefactor said:

Mother, we don't have any money right now. Let them build, and then we will pay...

And so they build, build, in May I already have a debt of 3 million. Then it was other millions - this amount was at that time more significant than in terms of modern money. I lost sleep. Of course, they tried to cheer me up:

Now the whole country lives like this!

But that gave me little comfort. And now a trip to Bari is issued - the kids and I are flying to the relics of St. Nicholas. Liturgy is served. We all took a candle. They stood on their knees and prayed.

Father Nicholas, - I say contritely. - I'm sorry that I'm asking you not what you need to ask ... I'm asking for money to get rid of the debt. I am forced to.

The liturgy is over. Our assistant, who organized this trip itself, comes up to me and introduces me to two respectable-looking men.

Here they are, - he says, - they heard about your duty, they want to help you.

I have tears. “Father,” I thought, “why didn’t I ask your prayers? If with money you can solve everything in a second?

Moreover, they not only paid our debt, but also helped us complete it all.

When they ask me:

Who is your sponsor?

Saint Nicholas, - I answer, - throws from Heaven.

It is necessary to build something - there is exactly as much as necessary.

Case on the platform

, parishioner of the Moscow church of the Monk Maron the Hermit (Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in Old Pani):

I remember, in memory of St. Nicholas, on a weekday, I went to the service in our church of the Monk Maron the Hermit. Confessed, took communion. I drank some tea in the refectory - this is how we celebrated the feast of the ecumenical saint as a community. And now I had to rush to the station, go on a Sapsan on a business trip to Tver. I'm going to the platform. It is necessary to pass the control defined for this class of trains. I see that the conductors are already standing at the cars, checking passports, checking data with electronic registration. I automatically take out my passport. It accidentally opens slightly for me ... And this is my husband's passport !!! We also have different last names. Apparently, in the morning, in a hurry, she took the wrong one. Well, that's all ... And since I was walking at a fairly fast pace, I myself did not notice how I was already in front of the doors of the car I needed ... The conductor holds out her hand for my passport ...

Saint Nicholas, please help! - all I can do is pray.

The conductor watches carefully.

Please come through! - returns me the identity document of my other half.

Entering the carriage, I already thanked St. Nicholas. Everything happened so quickly, although I managed to flash before my mind the pictures of how they turn me around, tactfully explaining that it’s not me in the photo ... And when I heard: “Come in!” - I almost asked again: "Really?" But a miracle is a miracle.

And on the way back, "Sapsan" stands on the platform in Tver for only a minute - there is no time for a thorough check of passports. So I safely returned from there on the day of memory of St. Nicholas.

This is how St. Nicholas maintains a living faith in us.

Prepared by Olga Orlova

The Orthodox Church is a hierarchical and conservative structure. Management functions in it have always belonged to men - primarily to the episcopate and the clergy. And yet, in the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, women have played and are playing a very definite role.

. Text: "Tatiana's Day"

On the eve of March 8, we tried to compile something like a list of those women who, if they do not take part in the decision-making process in the Russian Church, then at least perform some managerial functions.

This material was compiled according to open sources and does not take into account a number of factors that affect the degree of influence of a particular candidate. We deliberately do not use the word "rating" as a term that contradicts the church's understanding of the ideas of hierarchy and ministry, which is based on the words of the Apostle Paul: "Everyone stay in the rank in which you are called"(1 Cor. 7:20).

In addition, we deliberately move away from analyzing the influence of women in church circles - the spouse of prominent government officials who take an active part in the work of various charitable organizations, support church social projects, etc. A vivid example of such influence can be, for example, the wife of the head Russian government Svetlana Medvedeva.

Outside of our attention will also remain women who undoubtedly influence the agenda in the church community, but do not belong to the official church structures. Such persons include, for example, well-known journalists Elena Dorofeeva (ITAR-TASS) and Olga Lipich (RIA Novosti), specializing in religious topics, Anna Danilova, editor-in-chief of the Pravoslavie i Mir website, and former editor-in-chief of Tatyana’s Day , journalist Ksenia Luchenko, as well as Olesya Nikolaeva - poetess, writer, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize.

This could also include the leaders of the "Union Orthodox women"- a public organization established in 2010: Nina Zhukova and Galina Ananiev, who are also members of the Bureau of the World Russian People's Council, as well as Marina Belogubova, Head of the Department of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District.

We deliberately limit ourselves to the official church governing bodies and consider the candidacies of those women who are members of these bodies.

In general, the degree of influence of a particular woman in the structures church government can be assessed from two points of view. First, from strictly hierarchical positions. For a female nun, the highest career achievement is abbess in a stavropegial (directly subordinate to the Patriarch) monastery. Therefore, automatically all the abbesses of stauropegial monasteries were included in our list. Secondly (and this approach seems to be more correct), this assessment can be made from a purely functional standpoint, that is, from the point of view of a woman's involvement in the actual activities of the administrative or advisory structures of the Russian Orthodox Church. And it is precisely for this reason that the list is not limited to the abbesses of large monasteries.

The opportunity to personally consult with the Patriarch on this or that issue is a privilege enjoyed only by the most authoritative women in the Church. Photo Patriarchy.ru.

In the latter case, the main indicator will be the participation of women in the work of the Inter-Council Presence - "an advisory body assisting the supreme ecclesiastical authority of the Russian Orthodox Church in the preparation of decisions concerning the most important issues inner life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church"(see Regulation).

In accordance with the Regulation, “The Inter-Council Presence is called upon to discuss topical issues church life, in particular those related to the field of theology, church administration, church law, worship, pastoral, mission, spiritual education, religious education, diaconia, relations between the Church and society, the Church and the state, the Church and other confessions and religions. That is, the range of issues discussed includes almost all aspects of the life of the ROC.

In the light of the steps to reorganize the system of church administration, initiated in recent years by Patriarch Kirill, it is participation in the real process of discussing topical issues church life(which, according to the plan of the Patriarch, should take place within the framework of the activities of the Inter-Council Presence) can be an indicator of the real influence of this or that person.

Note once again that the results of the sample for these two parameters do not always coincide, i.e. the abbesses of the largest stauropegial monasteries are by no means necessarily members of the Inter-Council Presence. Among the 11 women that make up this body today, five are abbesses of monasteries (and only three of them run stauropegial cloisters), one nun and five laywomen.

It is worth noting that in addition to the Inter-Council Presence, a structure created not so long ago, the system of synodal departments is currently preserved in the Russian Church. According to an analogy understandable to a secular reader, synodal departments, committees and commissions are usually equated with "civilian" ministries. In the structures of these departments there are also women - mostly abbesses of monasteries. The practice that has developed in recent years - when the commissions of the Inter-Council Presence and the synodal departments deal with the same issues of church life, and sometimes they are called almost identically - introduces a little confusion into this study. For example, several women abbesses of monasteries are members of the "profile" commission of the Inter-Council Presence, which is called the "Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism"; and in parallel, almost all of them, plus a few other abbesses, are members of the Collegium at the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

But even a superficial look at the composition of these and other structures indicates that the participation of women in the work of the Inter-Council Presence is undoubtedly much more representative and active than their work in church "ministries". Therefore, we will start from this indicator first of all.

In terms of formal status within the framework of the activities of the Inter-Council Presence, the greatest weight is Abbess Juliana (Kaleda), abbess of the Moscow Conception Monastery: she is the only nun - a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence. In addition, she acts as secretary of the Commission for the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism, and is also a member of the Board at the Synodal Department for monasteries and monasticism.

Abbess Juliana (Kaleda)

In the world - Kaleda Maria Glebovna. Born in 1961 in the family of the geologist Gleb Kaleda, later a priest, and Lydia Kaleda (nee Ambartsumova), daughter of the Hieromartyr Vladimir (Ambartsumov). Belongs to a well-known priestly family, two of her brothers are priests.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 5, 1995, she was appointed abbess of the Zachatievsky Convent in Moscow.

A special place, taking into account the official functions assigned to it, is occupied by Margarita Nelyubova- Secretary of the Commission of the Inter-Council Presence on the organization of church social activities and charity and a member of four Commissions at once: on issues of spiritual education and religious enlightenment, on the organization of a church mission, on issues of interaction between the Church, state and society, on issues of attitude towards heterodoxy and other religions .

Margarita Nelyubova has been an employee of the Department for External Church Relations for many years and the head of the Round Table on religious education and diaconia (social service) of the Russian Orthodox Church”. In fact, she is a leading church specialist in the field of social design, and she is also very familiar with foreign experience in organizing church social ministry.

Margarita Nelyubova

Born in 1962 in Moscow. In 1984 she graduated from the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute. Since 1992 he has directed the program "Round table on religious education and diakonia (social service) in the Russian Orthodox Church". Since 2001, he has been coordinating the program of participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the prevention and control of the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Member of the four commissions of the Inter-Council Presence is also Abbess Seraphim (Shevchik), the abbess of the Odessa Holy Archangel-Michael Monastery. It is worth noting: Abbess Seraphim is undoubtedly a bright and versatile personality. She is the only woman in the Moscow Patriarchate who heads the synodal department. True, this is the synodal department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - "Church and Culture", but in any case, so far this is a single precedent of this kind. In addition, Abbess Serafima is a deputy of the Odessa City Council.

It should be noted that the generally accepted for the Russian Church prohibition for clergy to participate in the work of state bodies and political parties in this case it does not matter, since the abbess is not a holy order, but a position held by a nun.

Abbess Seraphim is a member of the Commissions of the Inter-Council Presence on issues of worship and church art, on issues of organizing the life of monasteries and monasticism, on issues of interaction between the Church, state and society, on issues of information activities of the Church and relations with the media. At the same time, the Odessa monastery is not a stavropegial one, and in the formal table and ranks, the rectorship in this monastery would not have singled out the abbess there too much from a number of others, if not for the fair workload in church administrative bodies.

Abbess Seraphim (Shevchik)

She was born on March 25, 1963 in the Cherkasy region. Seraphim came to the monastery at the age of 17. Since 1995 she has been the abbess of the Holy Archangel-Michael Convent.

Member of the Odessa City Council, holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Spirituality and Culture.

In 2007, the abbess was awarded the "Woman of the Third Millennium" award. A year earlier - "Best Christian Journalist 2006". Author of 15 books (mainly on the history of Orthodoxy and the spiritual culture of Ukraine). His main work is the study of the history of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. At the same time, as she herself admits, she does not have a higher education.

Abbess Serafima is one of the founders of the all-Ukrainian public organization "The Way Orthodox name Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. She founded the only museum in Ukraine - "Christian Odessa".

Standing out on our list nun Xenia (Chernega). She is not a member of the Inter-Council Presence and does not participate in the work of synodal institutions, but by virtue of her position she is the head of the Legal Service of the Moscow Patriarchate and at the same time the head of the Legal Service Synodal department on the relationship between the Church and society - has a significant weight in the administrative structures of the Church. In addition, she is a member of the Audit Commission under the Diocesan Council of Moscow.

Nun Xenia (Chernega)

Even before taking monastic vows, K. Chernega, who acted as legal adviser to the Moscow Patriarchate, took part in the development of many documents with which the Church spoke in dialogue with state authorities. There were also property issues, and problems related to the legal regulation of the status religious organizations in Russia concerning the system of church education, issues of interaction between the Church and museums, as well as many others.

The two commissions include the only nun among the eleven women members of the Inter-Council Presence who is not the abbess of the monastery: nun Photinia (Bratchenko). Mother Photinia is a member of the Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism, as well as the Commission on church administration and mechanisms for the implementation of catholicity in the Church. In the first years of the Patriarchate of Patriarch Kirill, nun Fotinia held the position of head of the clerical service, being the personal assistant of the Patriarch (decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia of April 1, 2009).

Four more abbesses are members of the “profile” Commission on the organization of the life of monasteries and monasticism: Abbess Sergius (Konkova), abbess of the Serafimo-Diveevo Convent, Abbess Elisaveta (Zhegalova), abbess of the Stefano-Makhrishchsky Monastery (Vladimir Region), Abbess Moses ( Bubnova), the abbess of the Olivet Savior-Ascension Monastery in Jerusalem, and Abbess Theophila (Lepeshinskaya), the abbess of the Mother of God-Christmas Hermitage in the village of Baryatino, Kaluga Region.

At the same time, only Abbess Elizabeth manages the stavropegic monastery.

Abbess Sergius (Konkova), the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveevsky convent, is undoubtedly an influential and authoritative figure. The Diveevo Convent is currently one of the unofficial “manpower forges” for convents in Russia. Abbess Sergius manages the largest to date convent Russian Church: there are about 500 nuns in the monastery.

Abbess Sergius is also a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

Abbess Sergius (Konkova)

In the world - Alexandra Georgievna Konkova. She was born on May 26, 1946. She graduated from the Dental Institute, worked as the head of the dental department of the hospital. In 1981, she entered the Riga Trinity-Sergius Monastery, a year later she was tonsured into a cassock, and in 1984 into a mantle with the name of Sergius in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Soon she was transferred to the obedience of the dean in the skete of the Riga monastery - the Transfiguration Hermitage. On November 17, 1991, she was appointed Abbess of the revived Diveevo Monastery.

- abbess Holy Trinity Stefano-Makhrishchsky Convent. In the monastery - the first days of the revival in 1993. She was elevated to the rank of abbess in 1997. In 2004, the monastery was given the status of a stavropegic. Abbess Elisabeth is also a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

Abbess Elizabeth (Zhegalova)

Born in Dmitrov, Moscow Region. A pupil of the Pyukhtitsky Assumption Convent. November 25, 1997 Patriarch Alexy II elevated to the rank of abbess Holy Trinity Stefano-Makhrishchsky Convent.

Abbess Moses (Bubnova)- Prioress of the Ascension Monastery of Olives in Jerusalem. The monastery houses the Spiritual Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Abbess Moses (Bubnova)

Born in Germany during World War II, raised in Belgium. She was brought up under the influence of Archbishop John (Maximovich), from the age of nine she sang and read on the kliros. Since 1975, in obedience at the Gethsemane Monastery in Jerusalem. In 1977 she was tonsured a monastic, in 1992 - a mantle. Since 1997 she has been abbess of the Ascension Monastery of Olives in Jerusalem.

Known for her literary talents, she is the author of the well-known books Dare, Daughter!, Lament of the Third Bird, and Rhymes with Joy.

Abbess Theophila (Lepeshinskaya)

The Inter-Council Presence also included a well-known publicist and public and political figure, president of the Foundation for the Study historical perspective Natalia Narochnitskaya and President of the All-Russian Association of Public Associations "National Anti-Drug Union" Yulia Pavlyuchenkova.

Natalia Narochnitskaya, as stated on her official website - "Orthodox ideologue." Nevertheless, for church management structures, she is an “external” person, an independent expert who does not belong to synodal or patriarchal circles. Although, of course, her voice in the Inter-Council Presence cannot but be heeded: few members of the Presence can compare with Natalia Narochnitskaya, Doctor of Historical Sciences, author of many serious scientific works, in terms of intellectual baggage and scientific basis.

Natalia Narochnitskaya

ON THE. Narochnitskaya made a significant contribution to the creation and activities of significant scientific and socio-political movements organized with the direct participation of the Russian Orthodox Church and having a significant impact on public life - the World Russian Cathedral, the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, Unity Foundation Orthodox peoples, Russkiy Mir Foundation.

Julia Pavlyuchenkova Graduated from the Moscow University for the Humanities (former Higher School of Economics). PhD in Political Science. President of the All-Russian Association of Public Associations "National Anti-Drug Union", Chairman of the Board of the Charitable Support Fund Orthodox initiatives, youth programs and projects. Mother of six children.

Julia Pavlyuchenkova

Ekaterina Orlova- the second, along with Abbess Juliania (Kaleda), a woman - a member of the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence. She is a member of three commissions: on the organization of the church mission, on the information activities of the Church and relations with the media, and on the issues of counteracting church schisms and overcoming them. Despite the fact that Ekaterina Orlova joined the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence, apparently, her participation in the work of this body is rather formal: the editor of the Danilovsky Blagovestnik publishing house of the Moscow Danilov Monastery is a figure not so well known throughout the Church.

Ekaterina Orlova

Most of the women nuns on the list can be seen on major holidays at patriarchal services in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. If the space on the right of the sole is reserved for secular V.I.P. persons, then the left side in such services is traditionally occupied by the owners of the abbot's crosses.

At a service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Photo Patriarchy.ru.

Abbess George (Shchukina), abbess Gornensky Monastery in Ein Karem (near Jerusalem). He enjoys great spiritual authority, for more than 20 years he has been managing the Gornensky monastery.

Abbess George (Shchukina)

She was born on November 14, 1931 in Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War, she survived the blockade, the loss of her parents. In 1949 she entered the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Monastery, where she performed the obediences of the treasurer, choir director.

In 1955-1968. - a resident of the Vilna Monastery in Lithuania. She took monastic vows on April 7, 1968 in Pyukhtitsy, where she labored until 1989. In 1989 she was assigned to restore the monastery of St. righteous John Kronstadt on Karpovka in St. Petersburg.

On March 24, 1991, she was elevated to the rank of abbess. In 1992, she was sent for hegumen obedience to the Jerusalem Gornensky Monastery.

Abbess Rafaila (Khilchuk), abbess of the Holy Trinity Koretsky Monastery (Rivne diocese of the UOC) - member of the Collegium at the Synodal Department for monasteries and monasticism. This is the second representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in our list. The Korets monastery dates back to the 16th century. The monastery received the status of a stavropegic monastery in 1984, back in the days of state atheism.

Abbess Rafaila (Khilchuk)

In the world - Khilchuk Lyubov Ivanovna. Born in May 1953 in the village. Kogilno Vladimir-Volynsky district of the Volyn region. At the age of 22, in 1975, she entered the Korets Monastery as a novice. In 1978 she was tonsured a cassock, in 1983 she graduated regency office at the Leningrad Theological Seminary. In 1991, she was tonsured into a robe. She was elevated to the rank of abbess on July 26, 2006.

Abbess Philaret (Kalacheva), abbess of the stavropegic Holy Assumption Pyukhtitsky Monastery (Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate). She is a member of the Collegium of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism.

Abbess Philaret (Kalacheva)

The late Patriarch Alexy II held a special place in Pyukhtitsy - memories of his youth were associated with the monastery of the Patriarch. In Soviet times, Pyukhtitsy, one of the few women's monasteries that did not close, supplied abbesses for women's cloisters for the entire Russian Orthodox Church.

A graduate of Samara University, Abbess Filareta is also a woman of various talents: for example, in September last year, an exhibition of her photographs “The Monastery” was held in Tallinn.

Abbess Seraphim (Voloshina), abbess of the stavropegic Ioannovsky Monastery (St. Petersburg). The monastery on Karpovka is the only stauropegial convent in St. Petersburg. Moreover, the monastery received stavropegia, perhaps the first among the other convents that opened or resumed in the post-Soviet era - in December 1991.

Abbess Seraphim (Voloshina)

Born in 1956. The beginning of her monastic life put in Pyukhtitsy. Since April 29, 1992 - Abbess Ioannovsky Stauropegial Convent.

Abbess Theophania (Miskina), abbess of the stavropegic Intercession Convent (Moscow). The Intercession Monastery can be called without any exaggeration the most visited monastery in the capital: the relics of the holy blessed Matrona of Moscow, who is greatly revered by the people, are kept here.

Abbess Theophania (Miskina)

In the world Miskina Olga Dmitrievna. Pupil of the Holy Trinity Diveevo Convent. She was appointed abbess of the Intercession Monastery, which was renewed in 1994, on February 22, 1995. She was elevated to the rank of abbess on April 4, 1998.

Abbess Afanasia (Grosheva), abbess of the stavropegic John the Baptist convent (Moscow).

Abbess Afanasia (Grosheva)

She was born on July 28, 1939 in the city of Shcherbinka, Moscow Region, in 1973 she entered the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Convent, since 1998 the dean of the Holy Dormition Pyukhtitsky Convent, since 2001 the abbess of the St. John the Baptist Monastery.

On September 11, 2007, Patriarch Alexy II elevated nun Afanasia (Grosheva) to the rank of abbess.

The abbess of the stavropegial Mother of God-Nativity Monastery, one of the oldest convents in Moscow (founded in the 14th century).

Abbess Quiz (Perminova)

In the world Perminova Elena Pavlovna. Born in 1954

Mother Superior of the stavropegial Holy Cross Exaltation Monastery in Jerusalem (Moscow).

Abbess Ekaterina (Chaynikova)

In the world - Chainikova Ekaterina Alekseevna. Born in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, p. Tashtyp. In 1976, the family moved to the Pskov region, to the city of Pechory. In 1986, she entered the Pyukhtitsky Holy Dormition Convent as a novice.

In 1990, among other sisters, she was sent to Moscow to carry out obedience in the patriarchal residence in Chisty Lane. Appointed to the post of commandant of the Moscow Patriarchate. Supervised the restoration and construction work in the patriarchal residence.

In 1991, she took monastic vows. In 2001, she took monastic vows with the name Catherine.

Since 2001, she has been appointed abbess of the Exaltation of the Cross Stavropegic Convent in Jerusalem.

Since 2006, in addition to her obedience, she has been appointed abbess of the Metochion at the church Jerusalem icon Mother of God outside the Pokrovskaya outpost of Moscow with the assignment of care for the speedy reconstruction of the destroyed church.

Abbess of the stavropegial Pokrovsky Khotkov Monastery (Moscow Region).

Abbess Olimpiada (Baranova)

In the world - Baranova Natalia Vladimirovna.

Abbess Faina (Kuleshova), abbess of the stauropegial monastery of the Trinity-Hodegetrieva Zosima Hermitage (Moscow).

Abbess Faina (Kuleshova)

In the world - Kuleshova Svetlana Vladimirovna. She was born on April 1, 1968 in the village of Mebelny, Sterlitamaksky District, Bashkir Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1995, she entered the Holy Trinity Belopesotsky convent in the city of Stupino, Moscow Region, as a novice.

April 8, 2008 she was tonsured a monk. On June 8, 2011, she was appointed Acting Superior of the Trinity-Odigitrievskaya Zosima Hermitage of Kuznetsovo, Naro-Fominsk District, Moscow Region.

By the Decree of the Holy Synod of October 5-6, 2011, she was appointed abbess of the Trinity-Odigitrievsky Zosima Hermitage. On October 16, 2011, she was elevated to the rank of abbess.

Abbess of the stavropegic Boriso-Glebsky Anosin Monastery (Moscow Region).

Abbess Maria (Solodovnikova)

Abbess Anthony (Korneeva), abbess of the stavropegial Nikolo-Vyazhishchsky monastery (Novgorod).

Pupil of the Pyukhtitsky monastery. Since June 30, 1990, the abbess of the Nikolo-Vyazhishchi monastery. The monastery received the status of stavropegic in October 1995. The monastery is small, today it has a dozen and a half nuns.

In March 2012, by the decision of the Synod at the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, a collegium was established, which includes several more abbesses of women's monasteries.

Abbess Varvara (Tretyak), abbess of the Vvedensky Tolga Convent.

Abbess Varvara (Tretyak)

Abbess Evdokia (Levshuk), abbess of the Polotsk Savior-Ephrosyne Convent (Belarusian Exarchate).

Abbess Evdokia (Levshuk)

Mother Superior of the Theotokos-Smolensk Novodevichy Convent in Moscow. The monastery is not stauropegial, it houses the residence of the Patriarchal vicar of the Moscow diocese, Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly.

Abbess Margarita (Feoktistova)

Abbess Paraskeva (Cossack), abbess of the Paraskevinsky Khynkovo convent, representative of Moldova.

Abbess Sofia (Silina), abbess of the Resurrection Novodevichy Convent in St. Petersburg.

Abbess Sofia (Silina)

The list does not include the abbess of the stauropegial monastery of the Kazan Amvrosievskaya Convent for Women, because after the death in 2012 of Abbess Nikona (Peretyagina), there is only a nun acting as abbess in the monastery.

There are a few more people on our list.

Abbess Nicholas (Ilyina), abbess of the Nikolsky Chernoostrovsky convent. The monastery in Maloyaroslavets is known for its work with children: since 1993, the Otrada shelter-boarding house has been operating at the monastery for girls from families with drug and alcohol addiction. It has 58 pupils. The Otrada Shelter has become a kind of exemplary social project implemented by the monastery with state support and the active participation of major benefactors.

A rare case for a diocesan monastery: it was visited not only by the two last Primates of the Russian Church - Patriarch Alexy II (twice: in July 1999 and in August 2005) and Patriarch Kirill (in October 2012), but even Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria — in 1998

Abbess Nicholas (Ilyina)

In the world - Ilyina Lyudmila Dmitrievna. In May 2012, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, for her great contribution to charitable and social activities, she was the first in the country to be awarded the newly established Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.

According to the statute of the order, they are “awarded to citizens known for their high spiritual and moral position and mercy Russian Federation and citizens of foreign countries for outstanding contributions to peacekeeping, humanitarian and charitable activities, and the preservation of cultural heritage.”

Inokinya Olga (Gobzeva) . In the past famous actress of Soviet cinema, she is currently the chairman of the coordinating council of women's charitable organizations under the department for church charity and social service of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Inokinya Olga (Gobzeva)

Elena Zhosul is Advisor to the Chairman of the Synodal Information Department, Head of the Department of Journalism and PR of the Russian Orthodox University of St. John the Theologian. A professional journalist, E. Zhosul has long been a correspondent for Interfax news agency, specializing in religious topics. Having gone to work in church structures, he actively participates in the formation of the information policy of the Russian Orthodox Church, manages the program of regional training seminars for employees of diocesan press services.

Elena Zhosul

In recent years, the activities of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service have significantly intensified. Therefore, our list includes several of his employees who are in key positions and in one way or another coordinate social activities on the scale of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Marina Vasilyeva- Deputy Chairman of the Department, coordinator and one of the organizers Orthodox service Mercy Volunteers.

Marina Vasilyeva

Yulia Danilova is the head of the Publishing and Information Sector in the office of Bishop Panteleimon (Shatov) and the editor-in-chief of the Mercy website.

Julia Danilova

Polina Yufereva is the head of the organization of assistance in emergency situations of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service, the coordinator of the Mercy service. After the events in Krymsk, where the Church took an active part in helping the victims, Polina Yufereva was awarded the medal of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia "For the Commonwealth for the Sake of Salvation" - "for the contribution of the sisters of mercy in providing humanitarian assistance to the population in emergency situations, as well as popularizing the profession rescuers and firefighters.

Polina Yufereva

Evgenia Zhukovskaya- specialist control and analytical service Department of Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. Graduated from the Department of Church Journalism of the Russian Orthodox University, ap. John the Theologian, is currently a postgraduate student at MGIMO. He has been working in the Administrative Department since 2009, coordinating a whole range of issues related to interaction with the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, including, in cooperation with the Synodal Information Department, issues of information activities of the dioceses. Member of the Union of Journalists of Russia.

Evgenia Zhukovskaya

Summing up a certain result of our study, we repeat: it is not all-encompassing and rather formal. For example, such a factor as the media personality of a person was not taken into account. In our case, this parameter tends to zero in the overwhelming majority of cases, since the nuns and abbesses of the monasteries dominating the list do not seek PR, do not try to get into the frame once again, coming to the fore only when necessary. However, the same can be fully attributed to the lay women named in the list.

Yes, women in the Church are on the sidelines. But they perform these roles with dignity. It remains to wish them to preserve and increase the baggage of experience, knowledge and talents, which allowed them to take the place where each of them performs his ministry.

We decided to write this letter because We are sure that the slander that unfolded on the Internet around the Maloyaroslavetsky St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky convent was inspired by anti-church, atheist circles.

In her “Confession of a Former Novice,” Maria deliberately attacks all monastic traditions, the importance of observing which the Patriarch spoke so clearly at the congress of abbots and abbesses. No wonder this "confession" came out immediately after the congress. Maria, and those who support her, direct their blow against the foundations of monasticism, which Matushka Abbess Nicholas strengthens and develops in her ministry as abbot. Speaking against spiritual guidance (which the Patriarch recently spoke about at a meeting of abbots and abbesses), the “former novice” perverts its meaning, calling it “denunciations” (although Matushka teaches us to repent always only of her sinful thoughts and scolds the sisters not for thoughts, but for deeds). Against prayer, the main monastic virtue, blasphemy is also directed at the practice of the Jesus Prayer and keeping the mouth in the monastery. Obedience, as the basis of monastic activity, is attacked by the devil through his "novices" with particular fury - the author of the "confession" calls it a "cult of personality", and knowledge is not for God, but for oneself. The target for denunciation is not only Abbess Nicholas, but also spiritual elders - Schema-Archimandrite Eli, Schema-Archimandrite Vlasiy, Archimandrite Naum, as well as St. abbots".

Further in her writing follow unfounded accusations of poor nutrition, exhausting labor, lack of rest and treatment, not only of the sisters, but even of the children of the Otrada shelter. (For information: an Italian cheese factory is installed in the monastery, and the monastery feeds all parishioners on Sundays and holidays - 150-200 people, 2-3 times a month distributes food to more than 70 poor families, so why not take care of sisters and children. In the monastery has a therapeutic sauna, physiotherapy and dental rooms, and a large pharmacy.) The atmosphere of the shelter is called barracks, and the children are sitting in the "four walls". This year alone, the children of the orphanage had 7 trips abroad - these are the performances of the children's choir and dance group, which have become commonplace, as well as pilgrimages. Every year, the pupils of the Otrada shelter have a rest by the sea, in Greece or in the Crimea.

The slanderers form the image of Mother Abbess as a rude, domineering and cruel tyrant. But everyone who has been to the monastery knows how all the sisters, not only of the Maloyaroslavets Monastery, but of all our monasteries, love Mother. We all live like one big, friendly, loving family, no one wants to leave, because when we came to the monastery, we chose this abbess for ourselves.

We are like former sisters monastery, we are surprised at what evil and perverted vision the writers of these slanders must have in order to see our native monastery and Mother, always full of love and the patience of our infirmities, in such a perverted form. We think it makes no sense to respond specifically to all these diabolical lies, but we cannot endure and want to stand up for those lofty spiritual ideals that Mother Nicholas and our confessor Schema-Archimandrite Blasius (formerly Schema-Archimandrite Michael of Lavra) affirm and which bear visible fruits, witnessed by all spiritual contemporary authorities of monasticism. Many bishops ask for abbesses in their dioceses from St. Nicholas Monastery. From the monastery came 15 abbesses to all parts of our country, abbess Orthodox monastery St. Paisius in America considers Mother Nicholas to be his spiritual mother. Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol, Schema-Archimandrite Eli, Schema-Archimandrite Blasius, Schema-Archimandrite Ephraim of Vatopedi, the late Elder Joseph of Vatopedi and many other spiritual people love and appreciate the monastery for its spiritual attitude and adherence to the traditions of monastic tradition.

120 sisters live in the monastery, cases of sisters leaving are very rare, and this mainly applies to workers or novices. Per Last year not a single assigned sister left, but 13 sisters came.

Our Mother for her labors for the benefit of the Church and the state has 2 government awards (the Order of Friendship and the Order of the Holy Navy. Catherine), and six church orders.

It is obvious that this company is planned and directed against monasticism as a church institution, against the charitable activities of monasteries, i.e. against the Church of Christ itself. There is a deliberate falsification of information (how did Rimma-Regina Shams, who left in 2011, and even more so the novices who left in 1993, know what is happening in our monastery now?).

And who is the author? When Maria, after leaving the monastery, again took up photography, the photo gallery on her website displayed photographs of naked women taken by her. Now she, being in Brazil, collects information about everyone who left and "offended", sometimes fabricates false comments.

All this makes us pray purely for our persecutors, but “God is given up in silence”, and if we do not respond to this slander, then the enemies of the Church will triumph. All of us, the abbesses and nuns who lived and were brought up in this monastery, together with the sisters of our monasteries, testify that everything in the notorious “Confession of a former novice” is a lie spread by the enemies of the Church and monasticism. And if you want to know the truth, come to Maloyaroslavets (only 110 km from Moscow) and see everything with your own eyes.

We abide with Love in the Crucified and Risen Lord:

Abbess Theodosius (St. Alekseevsky Monastery, Saratov)
Abbess Anthony (St. Peter and Paul Monastery, Khabarovsk)
Abbess Anastasia (Savior-Vorotynsky Monastery, Vorotynsk)
Abbess Nectaria (Serafimo-Pokrovsky Monastery, Kemerovo)
Abbess Michael (Holy Assumption Convent, Kemerovo)
Abbess Varvara (St. George Convent, Essentuki)
Abbess Theodosius (Christ-Nativity Monastery, Vyatka)
Abbess Elikonida (St. John's Convent, Alekseevka village, Saratov region)
Abbess Macarius (Vladimir Convent, Volsk, Saratov Region)
Nun Paraskeva, Mother Superior of the Metochion (Monastery of the Kaluga Mother of God, settlement of Zhdamirovo)
Nun Mikhail, elder sister (Holy Dormition Gremyachov Monastery)
Mother Elizabeth, elder sister (Holy Dormition Sharovkin Monastery)
Matushka Joanna, elder sister (monastery of the Tikhvin Mother of God)

Their fates are similar - abandoned children. Parents passed away, serving time in prison, abandoned their little daughter, deciding to start a new family. But this is the fate of the monastery.

"Take your daughter"

“Are you selecting children for an orphanage through a competition?” - the couple who arrived from Moscow could not believe how such a piece of a fairy tale got - a cozy two-story house immersed in roses, a gymnasium, classes for dancing, painting, music, a gym - to children of drug addicts, alcoholics and prisoners. Sometimes with serious diagnoses - from heart disease to mental retardation. “What do you say to them,” sighs abbess Nicholas, abbess of the St. Nicholas Chernoost-rovsky convent in Maloyaroslavets, where a shelter for girls has been operating for 26 years. “Yes, there is one very important criterion - these are orphans, some with living parents.”

Abbess Nikolai, Mother Superior of the St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky Convent. Photo: RIA Novosti / Sergey Pyatakov

A husband and wife came to the abbess with a request to take a girl, who had been adopted several years ago, into an orphanage. “They begged me - we will work in the monastery, just take it away. We, they say, do not refuse it, it is simply very difficult for us. The girl, according to them, does not want to study, does not obey, - says Abbess Nicholas. - I refused. They have a child from infancy, a full-fledged family. Why give? You can go to a psychologist, transfer to a special school. We are now also taking one girl to such a school, she is a good student there, and everything is fine ... In general, they consoled them - changed their minds, left. Cases when guardians try to give us children have become more frequent. I explain to them: since you have taken on the cross, carry it to the end. Yes, it’s not easy, but you have to look for resources within yourself.”

Looking at smiling girls from 7 to 17 years old merrily scurrying around the monastery courtyard, you won’t believe it right away: many of them had to go through something that not every adult can handle. At Oli(the names of the children have been changed. - Ed.) The father killed his mother in front of his eyes when she was 3 years old. It is said that in the orphanage she first undressed the dolls and ripped open their bellies. Dad sometimes calls her from prison, and she loves him. Light At the age of 11, my father brought me when he became seriously ill. Mom left them a few years ago. Anticipating that he would soon leave, the man decided to give his daughter into loving hands. He visited her several times. 10 year old Marina the mother, released from prison, began to take her around the brothels, offering her daughter to “suitors”. And so that the child did not resist, she gave him champagne. 1.5 year old Albina taken to an orphanage from prison. Her father was a drug dealer. When he was arrested, he persuaded Albina's mother to take all the blame on herself - they say that the pregnant woman would not be imprisoned. She was given 10 years. The baby was born in prison. For a year and a half, the child was locked up monstrously emaciated - complete muscle atrophy. In the shelter, the girl was released. Mother got out of prison and… she was sent from Russia to Uzbekistan. One day I called the monastery. The nuns began to prepare documents to return the child to the mother, but the woman disappeared. Now Albina is 10 years old, and her eyes are sad, sad. “We have a lot of them,” says Matushka Nikolay. - One girl's mother was also in prison, but when the term ended, she immediately took her daughter away, now everything is fine with them. Another from prison wrote almost every day: I'll go out - I'll pick it up. She walked outside for six months - sat down again. Recently released, sometimes she comes to her daughter, promises to pick up: "Mother, I'm already an adult, I'm 33, I already understand ..."

Homeless Talents

The history of the Otrada shelter began along with the history of the convent. In 1991, the buildings of the monastery, which had existed as a male monastery since the 16th century, were returned Kaluga diocese. For 70 years Soviet power ruins were left of it. The small monastic brethren dispersed to other monasteries. And in 1993 the monastery was transferred to the status of a convent. Abbess Nicholas was appointed abbess ( Lyudmila Dmitrievna Ilyina), who arrived from the convent in Shamordino (not far from Optina Hermitage) with one old novice. Literally a month later, the community grew to 50 nuns. And immediately there began to appear children from dysfunctional families. After all, it was the beginning of the 90s - the peak of economic devastation in the country and, as a result, child homelessness and drug addiction. Sister nuns collected juvenile vagrants in basements and garbage dumps. “The most difficult drug addicts have always been taken to Optina Pustyn for “re-education” by labor and prayer,” recalls Abbess Nikolay. - So, one such former drug addict said that in St. Petersburg, in her company, who lived in non-residential buildings (then they were called "homeless"), there were two more girls who dreamed of a normal house. We went to St. Petersburg to rescue them. On the way, they ran away from us. We took two girls from Optina Hermitage, they were 16 at the time. That's what they were called - Mashka Fox and Mashka Piterskaya. One chose monasticism, mother Olga is now. Another married, mother of six children, five of her own and one adopted. Comes to visit."

Now the nuns are raising 50 girls. It would seem that the monastery is a strict and ascetic place. And here there is ringing laughter, bright children's dresses, roller skates, swings, cozy rooms, none of which are similar to the other. Not a shelter, but a large large family. “They say that children interfere with prayer, but it’s not like that with us,” the abbess shares. “And friendship with the Holy Mount Athos began thanks to the children, the monks of Athos were the first to offer help to the shelter under construction.”

Children of the monastery shelter "Otrada" during a service in St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky convent. Photo: RIA Novosti / Sergey Pyatakov

In addition to lessons in the Orthodox gymnasium, the girls have classes in choreography, painting, sewing, and singing. During the summer holidays - a trip to the sea, to the Crimea or Anapa. From the 1st grade - compulsory musical education. By the way, choral singing is put on a professional basis. The Otrada team regularly travels to children's festivals abroad to represent Russian art On the instructions of the Ministry of Culture, last year the children visited six countries, the year before - nine. Many graduates of the gymnasium enter the faculty of Orthodox journalism of the RSSU. "Here Natalya Lantratova- very talented, she was a soloist in the choir, she studied journalism, - mother Varvara shows me pictures of graduates of different years. - Sasha had a dream - to go to medical school. We dissuaded her - she did not pull either biology or chemistry. Stubborn, didn't listen to anyone. Didn't get in. Mother abbess persuaded her to go to the icon painting department of the art school so as not to lose a year. The teachers then tortured us, where did we find such a treasure. Several girls entered a military university - for military translators. Agata Gracheva- stewardess on international flights. Only 4 girls have become nuns over the years.

"What is the secret of pedagogical skill?" I ask the rector. “There is a spark of God in the soul of every person, you just need to open it,” Mother Nikolai is sure. - More Elder Paisios said: whatever you want to say to your child, tell God. It is useless to lecture, shout and get annoyed. I don’t scold girls for not passing the exam. I was shocked by the story: the boy had a stroke right on the exam. Then I gathered all my graduates and said: “Hand over as you want. Get twos - then retake. It's not worth it to suffer like this. These children have suffered too much already.”

On Lazarus Saturday and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, we decided to break out of Moscow and make a pilgrimage. The question of where exactly to go did not arise: for a long time I wanted to see Optina Hermitage with my own eyes and once again visit the St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky Monastery located along the road, in the city of Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region.

Almost eight years ago, in July 2009, I was already in this wonderful convent, accompanying Abbess Ines (Aiau). Mother Ines is a native of faraway Guatemala, a former Catholic nun who discovered and soon accepted Orthodoxy, the abbess of the only convent in Guatemala, and throughout Central America, the female Orthodox monastery of St. Life-Giving Trinity"Lavra Mambre". The monastery takes care of the orphanage, which saved lives, allowed hundreds of girls and boys to get an education and go to church. Once in Russia, the Guatemalan mother wanted to get acquainted with a monastery similar to her monastery, and the choice fell on the Chernoostrovsky monastery, whose pride is the girls' shelter "Otrada". Like madre Ines, I was strongly impressed by the tour of the orphanage, the visits to the monastic shrines and the long conversation with the abbess, Abbess Nikolay (Ilyina).

Since then, I have not left the desire to be in this bright and hospitable place again. We got together spontaneously. I warned Matushka Nikolay about our arrival literally an hour before, but she immediately agreed to receive us and offered to organize an excursion.

When we arrived at the monastery, it was drizzling, it was quite cool. But behind the monastery walls, we immediately found ourselves in an atmosphere of warmth and comfort. We were met by nun Varvara, whom the abbess blessed to be our guide.

First of all, we went to the orphanage. While walking, sister Varvara told Interesting Facts from recent history cloisters:

The monastery, founded at the end of the 16th century and desolated in the Soviet years, was revived as a male monastery in the early 1990s. But relations in the community did not work out, and with the blessing of the ruling bishop, the monastery turned into a convent for women ... At first, people were afraid of the monastery, spread various rumors. They said, for example, that the services here are Catholic, because they are long. But gradually everything got better.

I remembered curious detail, which Abbess Nikolai mentioned at a meeting eight years ago: a quarter of a century ago, schema-nun Elisaveta (Vasilchikova) labored in the Chernoostrovsky Monastery and completed her earthly journey - the last guardian of the head of St. Sergius of Radonezh, who was saved after the opening of the relics of the Abbot of All Russia in 1919. In 1946, with the return of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra to the Russian Church, the future nun handed over this shrine to Patriarch Alexy I.

Sister Varvara described the educational and educational process, in which nuns and novices are mainly involved, led them through the classrooms, the gym, where floor chess caught my eye - they appeared in Otrada even before the Ministry of Education and Science decided to install them in all Russian schools. Our cicerone showed us a stand with photographs taken during the tour of the orphanage choir, who performed solo concerts and at festivals in many countries - from Israel to Spain. Girls not only sing, but also dance. We also saw a warehouse of things for pupils. Clothes and shoes are purchased or accepted as a gift only new. Girls have a large selection of stage dresses, which is important for a creatively oriented orphanage.

On the second floor, we looked into the living rooms. Now about 60 girls are being brought up in the orphanage: refuseniks, children who have no parents or whose mom and dad are not able to take care of their child. We were told a story about how one girl put a photograph of her father in her room ... with a bottle of alcohol in her hand - simply because she did not have another one. The shelter has a room for the reception of relatives, where pupils can talk privately with them, treat them to tea with sweets.

Inhabitants of "Otrada" are generally distinguished by housekeeping, they are taught to cook and run a household. In one of the rooms, two six-year-old girls (I think the youngest in the orphanage) sat us down at the table and began to “treat” us: they arranged plastic cups, a teapot, a coffee pot, a fruit tray, saucers, on which they put toy cakes they made in the shape of an airplane and snowman. It was very touching. Their neighbors and mentors gathered to look at the "tea ceremony" arranged by the younger ones. Among the audience was nine-year-old Nastya, who, as one of the nuns whispered to us, is the star of the orphanage choir. Her mother works at Otrada. Nastya willingly sang the song “Button” to us, the girls sang along with her.

Having gone to the music class, we were able to verify the talents of other girls: under the unobtrusive guidance of a teacher of Greek Alexandra's novices, they sang for us several Greek hymns dedicated to Lazarus Saturday, and then handed them baked lazarakia - sweet dough cookies in the form of little men, which, according to long tradition, distributed in Greece on the day of resurrection righteous Lazarus Christ. For the girls, it was a kind of rehearsal, since they had to congratulate the abbess and nuns on the holiday.

St. Nicholas Monastery is firmly associated with Greek world. Since the beginning of the 2000s, Archimandrite Ephraim (Kutsu), hegumen of the Vatopedi Monastery on Athos, has periodically visited the monastery. Since 2011, the Otrada choir has been taking part in the Light in the Universe conference-concerts organized by Father Ephraim in Greece. The abbess with her sisters and pupils of the orphanage were honored to go around on the ship Athos. The abbot of the monastery of Mahera in Cyprus, Archimandrite Arseniy (Patsalos), also visited Maloyaroslavets.

Three or four people live in rooms, and necessarily of different ages. All girls have an older friend who can lend a shoulder in difficult times and give advice. Not so long ago, one of the pupils' father died. And although she rarely saw him, the sad news came as a shock to her. Then a friend took her to the chapel (she is in the building of the orphanage), began to console and told her that her dad had also died, but when she prayed, she could talk to him and felt that she was being heard. According to the nuns, having a “sister” will help their wards raise their own children in the future.

On the bright faces there is no trace of the physical and mental trauma experienced before the orphanage, they are well brought up, friendly. "Otrada" can hardly be called an orphanage, rather it is a big family with its joys and sorrows, achievements and problems. The idea of community, family is actively cultivated by Mother Nikolai and the inhabitants of the monastery, they treat their pets like daughters and teach them to perceive each other as relatives.

Girls who have reached the age of 17 have the opportunity to continue their education without leaving the native walls of the monastery. In 2011, the Chernoostrovsky Monastery and the Russian State Social University established the Center for Orthodox Communications: here you can get an education in the areas of "Orthodox Journalism" and "Communication Management" - specialists in this field are called upon to build relationships with the external environment, create a positive image of their organization, attract partners. Today, for our Church, every step of which is viewed by society under a magnifying glass, such service is more important than ever. St. Nicholas Monastery in Maloyaroslavets is a pioneer in the development of communicative management in the dioceses. By the way, Sister Varvara is a graduate of the Center for Orthodox Communications, which clearly helps her in her work with guests.

After a detailed examination of the "Otrada", our guide took us to the monastery churches. In the Church of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God, we prayed at the image of the "Tsaritsa" - a list of the icon stored in Vatopedi.

Many miracles happened to this image, - sister Varvara told us. - There was such a story: one of our nun fell ill with cancer, she fervently prayed at the image of the “All-Tsaritsa” - and the disease stopped. For some reason, she left the monastery, and soon the illness reminded itself. This sister repented, returned to the monastery, steadfastly endured the disease, and reposed peacefully in the Lord.

main temple monastery - Nikolsky Cathedral - has a height of almost fifty meters. We venerated a particle of relics heavenly patron monastery - St. Nicholas: it was brought in 2001 from Bari. And at the northern deacon’s gate there is an epitrachelion from Athos, which was used during confession to cover Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, the teacher of Archimandrite Ephraim. Sisters and parishioners kiss the stole, put it on their heads.

My attention was drawn to an unusual icon of the Mother of God with the image of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov and the inscription "1812-2012", made for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Maloyaroslavets. The monastery offers a view of the field where this turning point for the Patriotic War of 1812 18-hour battle unfolded. There were also battles on the monastery territory.

We also visited the lower church of All Saints. With the blessing of the abbess, it is illuminated only by candles and lamps, without the use of electricity.

Then we went to a beautiful spacious refectory, where a table was set for us. There we saw how the girls rehearsed dances. They were directed by an elderly teacher Yuri Nikolayevich, the father of one of the inhabitants of the monastery, who had previously served in the Moscow theater.

After a delicious and hearty dinner, Sister Varvara took us to the rector's building to see Abbess Nicholas. Mother is charismatic and the strong man while being motherly and caring. A quarter of a century ago, she took the monastery destroyed and abandoned, restored and improved it, created and raised a shelter for children to a high level. The monastery has sketes and courtyards, 17 abbesses emerged from its walls.

Over tea with Jerusalem delicacies, mother spoke of current life monastery, was interested in our impressions. I asked how the monastery in Maloyaroslavets had such extensive contacts with the Holy Mountain. And the abbess said that in 2000 the spiritual father of the monastery Schema-Archimandrite Mikhail (Balaev) blessed her to write a letter to Schemamonk Joseph from Vatopedi.

Then I was surprised: “Why?”, - recalled the abbess. - Father said to this: "Then you will find out everything." And so it happened. I wrote about our monastery, the elder sent a heartfelt reply. We corresponded until his death in 2009. Through the efforts of Elder Joseph, Athos pilgrims began to come to us.

Not without well-deserved pride, the abbess noted the external relations of the monastery. The Chernoostrovskaya monastery is a key attraction of Maloyaroslavets, attracting bishops and clergymen of the Russian and other Local Orthodox Churches, high-ranking federal officials, foreign diplomats, cultural and educational figures.

We were very fond of the Austrian Ambassador Margot Klestil-Löffler. She visited us, our choir performed at her residence in Moscow, with the assistance of the ambassador, our girls toured Austria. Twice we had a boys' choir from the Austrian Catholic monastery of St. Florian.

Bruno Weinberg, who came with the choir and came from a well-known family of piano makers, donated an Austrian grand piano to the Otrada shelter.

Mother shared with us the pain of her heart caused by the publication last year of the book "Confessions of a former novice." The author obeyed in the St. Nicholas Chernoostrovsky Monastery and after leaving she wrote a "tale" about her experience. Abbess Nikolai and the sisters are listed in the book under their own names, the monastery is actually equated with a totalitarian sect, the abbess is accused of malnourishment and beatings of the girls in Joy. But even after a superficial acquaintance with the holy monastery and shelter, it becomes clear: the book is written in an extremely biased way, the author pursues goals that are far from the desire to reveal the truth about the Maloyaroslavl monastery.

The publication of "Confessions of a former novice" provoked a real persecution, - Matushka complained. - There was talk of closing the orphanage and the monastery. Unfortunately, some of our neighbors believed the libel. Someone asked our pupil: “How are you fed?” The girl, who has a dense physique, was not at a loss: “Is it not clear from me?” One priest also participated in the campaign against the monastery, but after visiting us, he completely changed his mind and made a public apology.

Almost at the same time, the Holy Trinity Convent in Guatemala, so close in spirit to the Chernoostrovsky Monastery, received a serious challenge: the country's prosecutor general demanded that Abbess Ines vacate the building of the monastery orphanage by the end of April. The reason was that the 1996 government decree on the transfer of this building to a shelter for 50 years was not made public (which is required by law). But the publication of the decree is the duty of state bodies, but not of the abbess. This case is currently pending in Supreme Court Guatemala. God forbid, mother Ines will be able to save the orphanage, where about 400 orphans and children from dysfunctional families are brought up.

Frankly, we planned to spend no more than two hours in Maloyaroslavets, but, captivated by the hospitality of the abbess, sisters and pupils of Otrada, we did not notice how time flew by. The tea party ended a few minutes before all-night vigil on the eve of the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, and matushka invited us to stay for worship and for the night. We gratefully agreed.

In St. Nicholas Cathedral, the abbess gave us a place closer to the salt, at the relics of St. Nicholas. We witnessed the blessing on the cassock: the abbess placed two sets with a cassock, a klobuk and a rosary on the reliquary of the patron saint of the monastery and then handed them over to the novices. The children's choir sang beautifully, in particular, they sang "Kyrie eleison" in Greek. At some point, the girls gave each worshiper a bouquet of willows with a candle.

At the end of the service, Sister Kosma, who is in charge of the monastery hotel, approached us to take us to the rooms provided for us. The guest house has been recently refurbished and is clean and quiet. The rooms have new furniture, everything you need is there. Sister Kosma did her best to make us feel comfortable. After dinner and tea with the abbess, we fell asleep.

In the morning, pray for Divine Liturgy and having communed the Holy Mysteries of Christ, we said goodbye to Mother Nicholas and set off on our way. It was a little sad to leave the Chernoostrovsky monastery on a pleasant sunny day, where we unexpectedly, but happily spent a day. In Optina Hermitage, which, according to the original plan, was the main goal of the trip, it was not possible to stay for the proper period. True, even a short stay with the Optina Elders turned out to be filled with memorable episodes. But that's a completely different story...

In 2004, Father Arseniy (Patzalos) and Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria and All Africa died in a plane crash off the Greek coast.