The undercover struggle for the patriarchal throne intensified in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Sign of the Cross by Archimandrite Kirill.
“They told me that when Father Kirill was already lying in oblivion, about 20 of his spiritual children came to him with congratulations. They sang near him, prayed, but the priest did not open his eyes. When everyone was about to leave, the old man raised right hand and, without opening his eyes, he repeatedly overshadowed everyone with the sign of the cross. Someone counted the number of blessings, it turned out to be exactly equal to the number of those who came.”
Half-consciously raised his hand and blessed all who came
Hieromonk Averky (Belov), Rector of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Koktal in Kazakhstan
I once went to confession with Father Kirill in 1995. I was recently tonsured a monk and ordained a priest.
The question of preparing people for the Sacrament of Baptism was very tormenting. In the parish where I served, dozens of people were baptized every week. But then there was no tradition to prepare them for Baptism, to conduct conversations. I saw that many adults who were being baptized did not understand why they had come, but I could not refuse to perform the Sacrament or postpone it. He did not dare to break the established practice for decades.
Father Kirill advised nevertheless to try to prepare people for Baptism and not to be afraid to postpone it if the person is clearly not ready. He spoke about the need for a complete threefold immersion at Baptism, which in those years was ignored by many. Then he gave me the life of the blessed Matrona and church calendar next year. The father was very gracious, meek, affectionate.
I really liked to look at his photos later, they have something that makes him look like ancient ascetics.
His photographic portraits from the time of study and the first years of his life in the Lavra have been preserved. They are also very soulful.
They told me that when Father Kirill was already lying in semi-consciousness, about 20 of his spiritual children came to him with congratulations. They sang near him, prayed, but the priest did not open his eyes. When everyone was about to leave, the elder raised his right hand and, without opening his eyes, repeatedly began to overshadow everyone with the sign of the cross. Someone counted the number of blessings, it turned out to be exactly equal to the number of those who came.
To one hieromonk who was building a temple, Father Kirill silently presented several onions. This was, perhaps, an answer to his question about the number of domes of the temple, and perhaps a prediction about tears.
I am especially worried now about the spread of the rumor that Elder Kirill predicted the outbreak of war after his death. I have never heard of such a prophecy from his spiritual children. Maybe someone will confirm or deny this information.
Undoubtedly, we remembered the statements of Father Kirill about the problem of TIN and electronic passports. It is sad that in the church environment there are two extreme false opinions on this issue. First, there is no danger, everything can be accepted, there is no conspiracy against Russia, globalization is a useful phenomenon. Secondly, everything is gone, all the traitors in the Church and in the government, Masons are everywhere, you have to burn all the documents and go to live in the forests.
For some reason, we forgot that there is a document adopted Bishops' Cathedral- "The position of the Church in connection with the development of technologies for accounting and processing personal data." I think that Father Kirill would agree with many of the provisions of this epistle. And I believe that he is praying that we avoid both rebelliousness and naive composure in assessing the complex phenomena of our time.
On the death of Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)
Archimandrite Kirill has left us.
Looking around, joyfully embrace
all whom he raised, instructed, loved,
who will never leave now.Will help the children, the children of the children
in episcopacy, in monasticism, in foolishness,
in politics, in teaching grandchildren,
in the salvation of Russia, in childbearing.Years of battle ended with pain.
Enemies are reflected, as in Stalingrad,
his prayers by a mysterious wall.
The soul of the deceased is preparing for a reward.Truly he is Pavlov - so many souls,
like the apostle, took away from hell.
We will hear the croak of hysterics,
that it is necessary to wait for trouble after his death.Don't believe! So much joy will come
for everyone when the soul of a saint
will gain boldness before God.
Don't be afraid of wars. They have a lot of repentance.
"You will remember this meeting for the rest of your life"
Vitaly Kuchersky, urologist at the Mosmed clinic in Moscow
In 1994, my wife and I lost our daughter. She died suddenly, she was 21 years old. We were in terrible grief.
At that time, I, a Jew by nationality, was looking for a way to save my soul and was baptized. I had a friend, Hierodeacon Seraphim, he is my spiritual brother. He served in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit at the Lazarevsky cemetery. He paved the way for us to faith: my wife Nadezhda, who also suffered very hard, and I began to read the Gospel, go to church, take communion.
It was he who advised my wife and I to go to Peredelkino to see Elder Kirill. It was the beginning of winter, it was snowing, and we drove off. There were many different circumstances that prevented us from getting there: either the train was canceled, or it was late, or it was snowing. We barely got there, although there was nothing to go.
We arrived there, it was very heavy snow. There were a lot of people who came to Father Kirill for spiritual help, and there were big doubts that we would be able to get to him. But Father Seraphim helped us in everything. When Matushka went out to the people and asked who wanted to clear the snow, Deacon Seraphim and I went to clear the snow on the church grounds.
After some time, Archimandrite Kirill came out and fed the birds. I ran up to him for a blessing, although I didn’t even know how to fold my hands yet. He looked at me with kind eyes, it was clear that he was a man who had experienced a lot in his life and, in general, was unhealthy. As in most photographs, he is - so he was.
We went through the inner gate to the temple - he was supposed to serve there. Many people rushed to him, but he called my wife and they talked about how she was suffering. It was very cold, she shivered and cried a lot.
Later, when I asked her what Father Kirill had said to her, she replied that there was nothing special, she just stroked her and said: “You are suffering a lot, but all this will pass quietly.” Just showed kindness, participation.
And when we returned to Moscow, we thought: well, what’s wrong, well, we saw it, well, we approached him, and Seraphim told us: “You will remember this all your life.”
And now 33 years have passed since then, but I always remember him from that time.
The second meeting was a year later. In 1995, we went to Israel: it was a tourist trip with visits to holy places. We had time to walk around Jerusalem on our own. We reached the Gornensky Monastery, where John the Baptist began his life, where the righteous Elizabeth met the Mother of God. There we talked with the novices, and the rector of the temple, when he found out that we met with Father Kirill, gave him a box of incense.
Returning from there - it was already in next year- we went to give this incense to Father Kirill. And again I did not know how I would get to him: crowds of people were waiting to meet him.
He went out, everyone was invited to the church, and then he read the “Symbol of Faith” prayer with expression. Not the way we usually sing it in church, but with expression, like a reader, even a little like a poet. And it was a new reading for me, and then I realized that prayers can be read in different ways. He did nothing special, he set an example. At that time, I was still a completely uneducated person in this matter.
Then we were taken outside and had to wait for our turn. I understood that he might not accept everyone. And then I told the novice that I had brought incense from Jerusalem and that I would not keep Father Cyril long, and asked permission to come in and give it to him.
She told him and he invited me. I entered, he greeted me just as warmly, blessed me. I handed over a gift from the inhabitants of the Gornensky Monastery, he accepted it with pleasure. And then he asks:
- Well, what are you doing?
I replied:
- Well, as I read ... I read the Gospel, I began to read the Psalter, I try the apostles.
And he says to me:
- Well, you are a wise man!
He remembered me. He gave me an icon, this small paper icon is still kept with me.
Since then, my wife and I have become very seriously churched, led an Orthodox lifestyle, and supported each other very much. I love my wife very much. But the fact is that on April 1, 2013 she was gone. She died of blood cancer. And since then I've been all alone. But I want to say that for me and my wife, Archimandrite Kirill was a guide to Christ, to faith, to the understanding of grace. Our friend Father Seraphim also reposed. But his words remained in my memory that we will remember this meeting all our lives - the way it is.
After confession, I stopped losing consciousness
Priest Andrey Rakhnovsky, Rector of the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in Leoniv
I have in my memory only one small episode connected with Archimandrite Kirill.
When I was churched in high school, I was 16 years old, I started going to church, but at every service I fainted. I went to the temple, I was interested, but I went with fear, because at some point I always felt dizzy, and I lost consciousness, it was very bad.
Once I ended up in the Lavra with Father Cyril, I waited in line for a very long time. When I approached him, he was in a hurry. I managed to name some two sins, and he somehow strictly said a few words to me, especially about what concerned relations with parents. Very quickly, and even somehow angrily.
But after this confession, I stopped losing consciousness in the service! I do not know how it is connected, but it stuck in my memory for the rest of my life.
At the same time, strictness was not perceived as something evil, that someone rejects me, I am not needed, but behind these words there was something that cannot be explained rationally.
Sometimes a person speaks politely, but you feel that he does not need you. And then they spoke sternly and quickly, but you feel some kind of change, moreover, physical - it happened instantly.
"Stay with us, no need to leave Russia"
Hegumen Elijah (Churakov), Rector of the Church of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste in Spasskaya Sloboda
I have known Elder Kirill since my youth. I turned to him for spiritual guidance when I was in the seminary. A big role in this was played by the fact that my late grandfather, rector of the church of St. Pimen the Great, Archpriest Boris Pisarev, was well acquainted with Father Kirill - for some time they studied together.
My grandfather finished his studies at the seminary in 1948, when it was still in the Novodevichy Convent, and from 1958 to 1975 he was at the head of the parish of St. Pimen the Great. After my grandfather, Archpriest Dimitry Akinfiev became the rector of the church. Father Dmitry was a classmate of Archimandrite Kirill both in the seminary and in the theological academy. In addition, both of them come from the Ryazan province.
At one time, I asked Father Demetrius, who took spiritual guidance over me after he became the rector of the church of St. Pimen the Great, to intercede for me to be admitted to the monastery.
Already during my studies at the seminary, I sincerely desired to become a monk on Mount Athos. But Father Kirill advised me: "Stay with us, there is no need to leave Russia." And following his blessing, I stayed in Moscow.
I tried to visit Father Kirill whenever possible. When I was in the brethren of the Novospassky Monastery, the late Archbishop Alexy and I used to come to the elder for conversations and spiritual guidance. Of course, the conversations also touched on intimate things, many important tips were given in personal conversations that I cannot retell, but the main thing is that my life line has always followed the spiritual course that was directed by the late elder Kirill Pavlov.
I still have his stole and green handrails, which were presented to me by Father Kirill. I keep part of his vestment as a shrine, as a personal blessing of the elder for spiritual work. Father Kirill always abides in my heart, because for me he is always alive - both when he was healthy, and when he was sick, and now, when he has gone to the Lord.
It was much easier and calmer to live with him.
Archpriest Fyodor Borodin, Rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka (Moscow)
The Lord took Archimandrite Kirill to himself. He was an ideal confessor, a man who, first of all, was called by God to this ministry. All of us, thousands and thousands of people who were lucky enough to visit him many times or once, or several times, will forever remember these meetings as amazing discoveries.
Very often, Father Kirill did not say anything special, but in his presence everything was so saturated with the grace of God that the person who came himself began to understand everything, came to the deepest repentance, and often was reborn.
When you take a sheet of paper of not very good quality, it seems white to you, but if you put it on perfectly white paper, you will see that it is gray. Father Cyril was the standard of an ideal bright state of mind, white, next to which you immediately understood everything, saw all your dirt.
At the same time, he was so attentive, tremulous, tactful and close to the soul of the person who came, that there was no reason for alarm for the visitor, despondency, sadness could not be born from communication with Father Cyril, hands could not give up. On the contrary, after the confession with Father Kirill, for some time you flew as if on wings.
One man, having confessed to him, said that after confession it seemed simply impossible to sin. Such a renewal, which should take place at confession, does not always happen with us.
Father Cyril was very attentive to the opinion of the person who came to him. Often we include in the concept of "elder" a kind of authoritative order to a person: "You do this, and you do this." Father Cyril had such categoricalness extremely rarely.
Usually he talked with a person for a very long time, asked, found out: “What do you think, how do you like this?” It was evident that he was listening to you at the same time, while he was praying for you, and you see that something is happening in a mysterious way, and from what you tell him in prayer, he will know the will of God about you. This is an amazing feeling when you are present at the birth of an important decision that you make, and he helps you do it.
He was very rarely strict. I remember only once when he came to the assembly hall of the seminary to answer students' questions and gave very profound answers. One student, afraid to stand up and openly ask a question, asked the question in writing, on a piece of paper.
The question was: “Father, I know everything, I have been studying for a long time, I know the answers to all questions. There is emptiness inside, there is no prayer, there is no repentance. What to do?" Batiushka somehow shook his head very sadly, sadly, and said: “You see, brother,” and then strictly, “no one but you is to blame for this terrible petrified insensitivity. It was you who allowed it. Come on, get out of it."
It would seem that a person should have been greeted in front of everyone, but here there was ascetic severity, a message to the future priest to see his guilt, which led to internal cooling. But even with this severity, he felt love and pity.
I remember a case when, after returning from the army, I went to Father Kirill with the question: “Bless me to enter the seminary now? Or work first, grow up?” And he says: “Go to the seminary, there is nothing for you to work. Let's apply right now. You have to go this way." And that's it. The next time I met him was a year and a half or two. I didn’t have serious questions, so I didn’t run to the elder, knowing that people were coming to him with difficult questions and sorrows.
Just a year and a half or two years later, I was going to the Varvara Corps to see my confessor for confession, and on the stairs I met Father Kirill. I take his blessing, he slowly blesses me, looks at me attentively and slowly pronounces my name: “Fyodor, I bless.” It’s hard to convey, but I understand that he can’t remember me if I was with him two years ago, and there are hundreds of people like me every day.
Looking, he somehow read the name of a person, he somehow pronounced it very slowly, as if discovering it for himself, looking somewhere through my face. It was amazing.
I always remember his confessions. For which you prepare for a very long time, remembering which you live and console yourself.
In 1993, when I was a very young priest, I was called during Great Lent and told that Fr. Kirill would consecrate his children somewhere on the outskirts of Moscow in a small three-room apartment. Father Kirill was after pneumonia, all wrapped in scarves, the windows were closed, and we, priests and laity, were well over a hundred. It was so hot and stuffy that I remember that by the end of the unction, the wallpaper peeled off the walls and rolled down to the floor in rolls.
We were all wet through. Unction did not shorten, it went on slowly, sedately, with penetration into every word. First, the confession took a long time. Father Kirill, despite the fact that he was weak after his illness, was joyful, cheerful - all these four and a half or five hours. What words he spoke at the sermon before the unction: simple, but reaching the depths of the hearts of the listeners!
I also remember how, after the day of confession, he can no longer get up from his chair, he has no strength. His two assistants take him by the arms and carry him away. This is real hard spiritual work. He didn’t just have a conversation with you, everything that people came to him with fell on him, he took everything into his heart.
When Father Kirill was available, it was much easier and calmer to live. Because we knew - in the last resort, if some unsolvable questions or very difficult ones arise, that is, there is a person to whom you can go and ask them. And he will definitely answer and help.
We have been given luxury. Now, at least in my destiny, there is no such person. Maybe this is also necessary for our growing up. It’s easy, of course, when you can run to the elder on any issue, it’s easy and good, but it may not always be useful to live with it. But getting used to this is hard, to the fact that Father Kirill is not with us, there is no dear father, a real righteous man.
Letter with answers to all questions
Archpriest Maxim Brusov, Rector of the Vvedensky Church in the city of Dmitrov
Father Cyril played a very important role in my life. My parents died early, and I had no one to discuss the issues of becoming - who to be, where to go. My father was a priest, and in memory of him I wanted to continue this path, so immediately after graduating from school I came to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
And now, already being a seminary entrant, I saw Father Kirill for the first time.
The meeting was short, the priest did not say anything special, he just took pity on me and prayed. I left him overwhelmed with a feeling of some kind of quiet happiness and understanding of how I should live on.
Everything somehow fell into place at once. I realized that I wanted to stay in the church and really continue the path of my father, I realized that I needed to forgive my relatives and not live with old grievances, and most importantly, I realized that as long as Father Kirill was alive, I could turn to him and get help. And such a situation arose.
I've been a deacon for several years now, and I've had some friction with my superiors. I did not know how to behave correctly, speak or be silent and humble. Batiushka then lived in Peredelkino, and through acquaintances I gave him a letter in which I described everything in detail. I decided for myself that I would do exactly as he advised. Not really counting on an answer, he still looked into the mailbox.
And now, two weeks later, an envelope arrives without a return address, and in it is my own letter ... and at the end, answers to all questions. Those answers of the elder became basic for me, I remember them every time I doubt the correctness of my decisions. This, probably, is the essence of the phenomenon of eldership ... When just being nearby or a few sentences said by such a person reveals for you an understanding of the essence of life.
Elena Potlova, guide at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra
In 1992, having just finished school, I ended up in Moscow, where I learned that St. Tikhon's University was opening. I really wanted to join it. But for this, good results at the entrance exams were not enough: first, the recommendation of the ruling bishop or at least the rector of the church, of which the applicant is a parishioner, was needed.
To my homeland - two days by train. But even if I bought a ticket and went, what would be the point? How can I explain about a new, recently created and unknown university? Moreover, the bishop did not know me at all either.
My parents and I used to come to Father Kirill in childhood for a blessing - one of many, and, of course, he could not remember me. And so I decided to go to him for advice: maybe I don’t need to enter St. Tikhonovsky? She came and told me everything. Father Kirill immediately brightened up, was delighted: “Do it, don’t worry. I'll write a recommendation for you." Appointed a day when he will hand over the document to me. But I mixed everything up and came on the wrong day, as a result I didn’t meet with Father Kirill. I also thought: “Probably, he just forgot everything.”
But what to do? Exams are coming soon, and I don't have such an important document. I went to the checkpoint, I’m waiting, maybe I’ll see him again, I’ll ask, I’ll remind you of myself. After some time, she saw and shouted: “Father!” He looked sternly and even a little irritably at me, and it was clear that he was worried all these days - where did I go, why didn’t I come. And then he took out an envelope with my recommendation right out of his pocket, and not just a recommendation, but also partially - a testimonial.
“This is not only a blessing for you, but for the entire institute,” said Rector Father Vladimir Vorobyov after reading the letter of recommendation.
Then I began to come to Father Kirill for confession. Not often, about once every two months. To get to him, it was necessary to allocate a weekday, get up early, early ... I got to know many of his spiritual children, waiting for Father Kirill to leave. He came out to us, then confession began. Moreover, he could confess, holding a cat in his arms. He was very fond of cats. And his cat was certainly called Murka, no matter what color it was.
For him, as a confessor, the human will was very important. He did not insist on anything, giving the opportunity to figure everything out for himself. He was a true spiritual son of St. Sergius: no teachings, no spectacular phrases, words, deeds.
He influenced others by his own example. And what an example! I am very grateful to God that I was lucky to meet Father Kirill. How many people, looking at him, came to the Church, to faith. They saw a living saint and stayed.
Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church MP Kirill (Gundyaev) last year turned only 70 years old, and by tradition he was elected to his post for life, but against the background of the general politicization of Russian society and the ruling elites (the latter often takes the form of a fierce war of the so-called near-Kremlin clans against each other friend for resources and influence), the undercover struggle for the patriarchal throne inside the church is also escalating, and the positions of the current head of the Russian Orthodox Church are becoming less and less stable. Influential bishops weave intrigues against each other, trying to strengthen their own positions and discredit their competitors. It is impossible not to notice that in the official media like Interfax and so on. began, as it were, inadvertently, but more and more often, to ridicule the "official successor" of Kirill, the chairman of the Department of Foreign church connections MP, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev). Andrey Kuraev, in particular, drew attention to this in his article "Hilarion as Chaplin".
Vyacheslav OSELEDKO / AFP
“Who would have thought that the role of the patriarchal jester from Vsevolod Chaplin would be taken over by Metropolitan Hilarion?! And this is exactly what happened. Sundays. Then he voiced a desire to drive the priests to the school, where they would teach the GPC from morning to night in all classes in a row. By the way, such a project will cause a fierce hatred of teachers for the priests - because they will eat a fair amount of hours, and, therefore, salaries. And what a quiet kind word the priests themselves will respond about Hilarion and the PC for such a gift, I will keep silent. And here is another wonderful thing: the main intellectual of the Russian Orthodox Church (by position) suggests thinking about the benefits of the monarchy," Kuraev wrote in his LiveJournal.
But in the same 2015, the user triponaciy about Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov: "During the time of Patriarchate Kirill, the trail of an oppositionist to patriarchal politics begins to trail behind Tikhon, certainly not openly, but he is clearly a representative of Moscow, Lavra, Pechersk, as opposed to Nikodimovites. Of course, that his elevation to episcopal dignity is a direct indication that that Kirill has become weaker than ever and there is already very little consideration for his opinion." The only thing left to do is to raise Tikhon to the rank of metropolitan, and then the road to patriarchy is open to him.
Why might the Kremlin need this? Because today the ROC is essentially a part of the state machine responsible for questions of ideology. The current regime is not interested in its "ideological department" causing sharp rejection in society, as happened with the CPSU at the end of its existence Soviet Union. So if political risks for Putin will continue to grow, then the Kremlin may well go to reboot the Russian Orthodox Church and replace the patriarch with a new person who does not cause such irritation as Kirill. But in order for Tikhon to be elected as the new patriarch without any problems, it is first necessary to push aside his main competitors, among whom Metropolitan Hilarion is number one.
The brethren of the Serafimo-Sarov Monastery are presented with the acting abbot of the monastery - Archimandrite Kirill (Kostikov)
With the blessing of Metropolitan Sergius of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk, Divine Liturgy in Serafimo-Sarovskiy monastery Vicar of the Voronezh diocese, Bishop Andrey of Ostrogozhsk
With the blessing of Metropolitan Sergius of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk, on the 3rd Week after Pentecost, the feast day of the Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas, the vicar of the Voronezh diocese, Bishop Andrei of Ostrogozhsk, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Seraphim-Sarov Monastery. Vladyka Andrei arrived at the monastery to introduce to the brethren the acting abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Kirill (Kostikov), appointed by the Decree of the Ruling Bishop, who previously had the obedience of the Dean of the Rossosh Church District.
During the festive divine service in the church in honor of St. Reverend Elder Seraphim of Sarov together with the brethren of the monastery prayed dozens of pilgrims. On the kliros, liturgical hymns were performed by the male bishop's choir under the direction of the choir director Seraphim Dubanov.
After the parishioners took communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, His Eminence Bishop Andrey congratulated those gathered on Sunday: “I wish each of us an inexhaustible Paschal joy, which is kindled in our hearts through prayer and worship!” Vladyka Andrey addressed the pilgrims. so that we, dear brothers and sisters, partaking of the life-giving Body and Blood of the Savior, partake of this Paschal joy and His Divine grace!"
Introducing Archimandrite Kirill (Kostikov) to the monastic brethren and parishioners, according to the Decree of Metropolitan Sergius of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk, who will take over from this day as acting abbot of the monastery, Bishop Andrey said:
"The Lord, by His grace and will of His Eminence Metropolitan Sergius, chose Father Archimandrite Kirill to accept the obedience of the acting vicar of this holy monastery. You have chosen the path of monastic life, which means that you have chosen the path for yourself, the path of constant prayer and remembrance of Christ Jesus. I I wish you, dear brethren, that you - who have chosen this path - will first of all take care with all your might that the prayer remains in your heart and on your lips. This is a great work. monastic obedience, you will have Archimandrite Cyril - your father and spiritual mentor."
Bishop Andrey, on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Sergius, thanked Hieromonk Mark (Khomich) for the labors he had endured, who up to this day has carried the obedience of the acting rector of the monastery.
Addressing the parishioners, Bishop Andrei reminded that even a short, but daily prayer, cleanses a person from filth and vanity, from the power of the devil and brings the mercy of God closer to us. "Using this mindfulness and this practice, you yourself will walk along the path of salvation and those who are close to you will lead to an understanding of God's action in the life of every person. May God strengthen and bless us all with His grace and philanthropy. Happy Holidays!" - His Grace Vladyka Andrey finished his sermon.
The service ended with Chin about Panagia - procession the brethren of the monastery proceeded to the refectory.
