(1845−1913)

On July 5, 1845, a son was born to the merchant Ivan Plikhanov in Samara, the baby was named Pavel. Ivan's wife died immediately after giving birth, so he was forced to marry again.

Elder Barsanuphius said: “My stepmother was a deeply religious and unusually kind woman, so she completely replaced my mother ... She got up very early, and every day she was with me at Matins ... She also loved to pray at home. It used to be an akathist, and I sang in a thin voice to the whole apartment: "Most Holy Theotokos, save us!"

Once, when I was 6 years old, there was such a case. We lived in a dacha on our estate near Orenburg. Our house stood in a huge garden-park and was guarded by watchmen and dogs, so it was impossible for an unnoticed stranger to enter the park.

Once we were walking with my father in the park, and suddenly, out of nowhere, an old man appeared in front of us. Approaching my father, he said:

Remember, father, that a child in due time will drag souls from hell.

Having said this, he turned and disappeared. In vain then they looked for him everywhere, none of the watchmen saw him ...

For ten years I was sent to a gymnasium ... Then I entered the service and settled in Kazan under the protection of the Queen of Heaven ...

When I was 35 years old, my mother turned to me:

Why, Pavlusha, keep keeping away from women, soon your years will come out, no one will marry you?

For obedience, I fulfilled my mother's wish ... On this day, some friends gave a dinner party. "Well, - I think, - with whom I have to sit next to, with t m and enter into a lengthy conversation." And suddenly next to me, at dinner, a priest, distinguished by a high spiritual life, sat down and started a conversation with me about the Jesus Prayer ...

When dinner was over, I made a firm decision not to marry.

The Lord led me to monasticism in mysterious ways. By the grace of God, I recognized Optina and Father Ambrose, who blessed me to enter a monastery. "

In 1881, Paul fell ill with pneumonia. When, at the request of the sick colonel, the orderly began to read the Gospel, a wonderful vision followed, during which Paul's spiritual insight came. According to Elder Nektarios, "from a brilliant military man in one night, by God's will, he became an old man."

On February 10, 1892, Pavel Ivanovich was enrolled in the brotherhood of the John the Baptist Skete and was dressed in a cassock. Every evening for three years he went to talk to the elders: first to Elder Anatoly, and then to Elder Joseph.

On March 26, 1893, novice Paul was tonsured into a cassock, and in December 1900 he was tonsured into a mantle with the name Barsanuphius.

On December 29, 1902, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on January 1, 1903, he was ordained a hieromonk ...

In 1903, Hieromonk Barsanuphius was appointed the elder's assistant and at the same time the confessor of the Shamorda women's desert, and remained so until the outbreak of the war with Japan.

In 1904, Father Barsanuphius was sent to serve the infirmary named Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky, to confess, to receive communion, to unleash the wounded and dying soldiers. Upon his return after the end of the war to Optina Pustyn, Father Barsanuphius was elevated to the rank of hegumen and was appointed Holy Synod abbot of the Optina Skete.

Elder Barsanuphius would later write: "All my actions and desires came down to one thing - to protect the holy covenants and institutions of the ancient fathers of ascetics and our great elders, in all their Divine beauty, from various pernicious influences of this world ..."

Continuing the traditions of the Optina eldership, he healed the souls of people, "dragged souls from hell." By the grace of God, the life of people who came to him was revealed to him. Helping believers to remember forgotten sins, carefully exposing, he taught repentance, through his prayer people were healed mentally and physically.

From the memoirs of the spiritual daughter of the elder Barsanuphius:

We got to the skete, the enemy distracted me in every possible way and inspired me to leave, but, crossing myself, I firmly entered the hut ... I crossed myself there on the icon of the Queen of Heaven and froze. Batiushka entered, I am standing in the middle of the cell ... Batiushka went up to Tikhvin and sat down ...

Come closer.

I approached timidly.

Get on your knees ... It is customary for us, we sit, and next to us, in humility, kneel down.

I collapsed so straight, not what I became ... Father took me by both shoulders, looked at me with boundless affection, like no one had ever looked, and said:

My child, dear, my sweet child, my dear child! Are you 26?

Yes, Father.

You are 26, how old were you 14 years ago?

After thinking for a second, I answered:

It is true, and from this year on you have sins that you began to hide in confession.

Do you want me to tell you them?

Tell Father, - I answered timidly.

And then Father began to say my sins over the years and even months, as if he had read them from an open book ...

Thus, confession lasted 25 minutes. I was completely destroyed by the consciousness of my sinfulness and the consciousness of what great person in front of me.

How carefully he revealed my sins, how he was afraid, obviously, to hurt and at the same time as powerfully and severely denounced them, and when he saw that I was suffering cruelly, he pulled his ear close to my mouth, so that I could only whispered:

And I thought in my conceit that I stood out from people in my Christian life. God, what blindness, what spiritual blindness!

Arise, my child!

I got up and walked over to the analogue.

Repeat after me: "Create a pure heart in me, O God, and renew the spirit of rights in my womb." Where did these words come from?

Which icon is in front of you?

Queen of Heaven.

And what is the Queen of Heaven? Tikhvinskaya. Repeat the prayer after me ...

When I bowed my head, and Father, covering me with an epitrachilia, began to read the prayer of permission, I felt that such incredible burdens had fallen from me, it becomes so easy and unusual for me ...

After everything that the Lord has revealed to me about you, you want to glorify me as a saint, this should not be - do you hear? I am a sinful man, you will not tell anyone ... You are my treasure .., help and save you the Lord!

Many - many times the priest blessed me again and let me go ...

During conversations with spiritual children, Elder Barsophius said:

There are different paths to salvation. The Lord saves some in a monastery, others in the world ...

You can be saved everywhere, just do not leave the Savior. Grasp onto the robe of Christ - and Christ will not leave you.

A sure sign of the mortification of the soul is evasion from church services.

A person who grows cold towards God, first of all, begins to avoid going to church, first tries to come to the service later, and then completely stops attending the temple of God.

Those who seek Christ find Him, according to the false gospel word: "Knock and it will be revealed to you, seek and you will find", "In the house of My Father there are many abodes."

And notice that here the Lord speaks not only about the heavenly, but also about the earthly abodes, and not only about the inner ones, but also about the outer ones.

The Lord puts each soul in such a position, surrounds it with such an environment that is most conducive to its success. This is the outer abode, but the soul is filled with peace and joy - the inner abode, which the Lord prepares for those who love and seek Him.

Don't read ungodly books, stay faithful to Christ. If asked about faith, answer boldly. One cannot learn to fulfill the commandments of God without labor, and this three-part labor is prayer, fasting and sobriety ...

Life is bliss ... Life will become bliss for us when we learn to fulfill the commandments of Christ and love Christ. Then he will live joyfully, joyfully endure those who find sorrows, and in front of us the inexpressible light of the Sun of Truth - the Lord will shine ... fulfilling the commandments brings people the highest happiness.

Our whole life is the great mystery of God. All the circumstances of life, no matter how insignificant they may seem, are of great importance ... There is no accident in life, everything is done according to the will of the Creator. To become like God, one must fulfill His holy commandments.

How to be saved? The only thing is through humility. "Lord, in everything I am a sinner, I have nothing good, I hope only for Your infinite mercy."

When the valve for the perception of worldly pleasures closes in the heart, then another valve for the perception of the spiritual will open. But how to acquire it?

First of all, peace and love for neighbors: “love is longsuffering, merciful, love does not envy, love is not exalted, is not proud, does not rage, does not seek its own people, does not take offense, does not think evil, does not rejoice about untruth, but rejoices at the truth ... . "

Then patience. Who will be saved?

I do not want to say that reading the works of our great writers was a sin, but there is reading that is more useful and edifying. First, the reading of the Psalter ... This book, although written by St. king and prophet David, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the prophet David himself says: "My tongue is the reed of the scribe of the cursive writer."

Then - "Lives of the Saints" represent irreplaceable reading, which has such a beneficial effect on the soul, especially read in the Slavic language ...

Visit monasteries, especially on holidays ... to relax your soul ...

Although monastic life is full of sorrows and temptations, it also brings with it great consolations, of which the world has not the slightest idea.

However, how not to be saved, if only to be saved and attain the Kingdom of Heaven, which may the Lord grant us all. Amen.

In 1912, Elder Barsanuphius was appointed abbot of Staro-Golutvin of the Epiphany Monastery. Despite the elder's great spiritual gifts, there were people dissatisfied with his activities: by complaints and denunciations, he was removed from Optina. He humbly asked to leave him in the skete to live alone, asked to allow him to stay at least as a simple novice.

Courageously enduring the grief from separation from his beloved Optina, the elder takes up the improvement of the monastery entrusted to him, extremely upset and neglected. And as before, the people flock to Elder Barsanuphius for help and consolation. And as before, he himself, already exhausted from numerous painful ailments, accepts everyone without refusal, heals bodily and mental ailments, instructs, directs on the narrow and sorrowful, but only salvation path. Here, in Staro-Golutvin, a miracle of healing a deaf-mute youth is performed through his prayers. “A terrible illness is a consequence of a grave sin committed by a young man in childhood,” the elder explains to his unfortunate mother and whispers something quietly in the ear of the deaf-mute. “Father, he doesn't hear you,” the mother exclaims in bewilderment, “he’s deaf ...” young man... His eyes widen with horror, and he submissively nods his head ... After the confession, the elder Barsanuphius communes him, and the disease leaves the sufferer.

Less than a year the elder ruled over the monastery. His suffering during his dying illness was truly martyrdom. Refusing the help of a doctor and of any kind of food, he only repeated: "Leave me, I am already on the cross" ... The elder took Communion daily.

Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina, pray to God for us!

“We think too abstractly about hellish torments, therefore we forget about them. The world does not recognize them at all. The devil inspires everyone that neither the devil nor hellish torments exist. And the holy fathers teach that the betrothal of Gehenna, as well as of the bliss, begins on earth. Sinners are still here beginning to experience hellish torments, and the righteous - bliss. Only with the difference that in future life both will be incomparably stronger ... Hellish torments undoubtedly exist, and these torments will be material ... "

“At present, not only among the laity, but also among the young clergy, it is beginning to spread such a conviction: as if eternal torment is incompatible with the boundless mercy of God, therefore, torment is not eternal. This delusion comes from a misunderstanding of the matter. Eternal torment and eternal bliss is not something only coming from outside. But all this is primarily within the person himself. ... The kingdom of God is within you(Luke 17, 21). What feelings a person implants in himself during his life, so he will go into Eternal Life. The sick body is tormented on the ground, and the stronger the sickness, the greater the torment. Likewise, a soul infected with various diseases begins to suffer cruelly during the transition to Eternal Life. An incurable bodily illness ends in death, but how can a mental illness end when there is no death for the soul? Anger, anger, irritability, fornication and other mental illnesses are such reptiles that crawl after a person and into Eternal Life.

... The Lord said: "I came to save not the righteous, but sinners." Who is meant here by the righteous? People who are unaware of their sinfulness and yet sinful. But this is also said about demons. We cannot even imagine the pride in which they stand before God. We cannot understand how they hate God. ... God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Why is it not said that God opposes fornicators, or the envious, or whatever, but it is said - precisely the proud? Because this is a demonic property. The proud becomes already, as it were, akin to the devil ...

Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina

The Monk Barsanuphius of Optina (1845-1913):“The spirit of malice, inflamed with envy of the human race, seeks to seduce everyone from the path of the right - and it does seduce the lazy and careless.

Once the devil appeared to a certain ascetic in a sensible way. The ascetic asked him:

- Why do you attack the human race with such anger?

- Why are you filling our vacancies? - answered the evil spirit.

For their pride, the spirits of malice of heavenly bliss have lost their place, and now people are taking their places for humility! It puts us above the snares of the devil.

"Angels - light to monks, monks - light to the world"

John Climacus

“There are three ways: marriage, virginity and monasticism... Each path can lead to the Kingdom of Heaven ... I do not invite you to a monastery, in real declineit is sometimes easier for the monastic life to be saved in the world. Everyone has their own path, if only a person sincerely searches for God, strives for Him. Of course, the monastic path is the royal path, and who, having entered the monastery, will be a true monk, will be awarded a great reward ”.

Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina

The Monk Barsanuphius of Optina (1845-1913):«… I do not call you either to a monastery or to a monastery - and you can be saved in the world, only do not forget God,but they go to monasteries to attain the highest perfection. True, there are more temptations here, but help is given from the Lord, and more than in the world.

One saint wanted to know how the Lord helps the monks, and he had a vision. He saw a monk surrounded by a host of angels with burning lamps. They say there are fewer temptations in the world, but let's imagine a person who is being chased by a villain. Suppose he managed to slip away from him, but he threatens him from a distance with his fist with the words: "Look, just get caught!" Or a man is walking, and he is attacked by a whole gang of bandits, there is nowhere to run. But suddenly, out of nowhere, a regiment of soldiers, they rush to his defense, and the offenders scatter with bloody faces. Perhaps the latter is safer than the former, isn't it? So in the monastery: although the enemy is stronger, there is the blessed power of God nearby.There are labors in the monastery, but also high consolations, of which the world has not the slightest idea.

“Without faith, not only man can not save, but also God.

... The Lord requires of us, first of all, faith: It is impossible to please God without faith ...(Heb. 11: 6). No matter how many good deeds someone does, if he does them not in the name of Christ, then they have no value ...

... Children, take care holy faith, it is an invaluable treasure, with it you will enter the Kingdom. After all, we are not working for a little, but for the conquest of the Kingdom, and even what - Heavenly! We want to become its citizens. Here I am, a sinful abbot, from morning till night I know no rest. Because of which? I really want to get into the Kingdom, and then suddenly, God forbid, you will go to hell, your whole life will go to smarts. "

Venerable Barsanuphius of Optina

The Monk Barsanuphius of Optina (1845-1913):“Without belief in something, nothing can be done. See why any person, your brother at least, wants to become a doctor. Because he believes in medicine. Each of the scientists believes in their own science. And so everywhere and in everything. In the same way, for the Christian life, it is necessary to believe in God, Christ, the gospel. “We cannot believe,” others say, “there is no evidence for that. Science is another matter, everything is proven there. " Good, but before rejecting anything, one must investigate the subject, experience it. St. John the Theologian directly says that you need to test the “spirit”. But you have to test it in practice.

"U St. John The climber was asked if there are sure signs by which one can know whether the soul is approaching God or moving away from Him. After all, with regard to everyday objects, there are certain signs - are they good or not. When, for example, cabbage, meat, fish begin to rot, it is easy to notice this, because spoiled foods give off a bad smell, change color and taste, and appearance their evidence of damage.

Well, what about the soul? After all, she is bodyless and cannot emit a bad smell or change her appearance. To this question, the holy father
replied that a sure sign of the mortification of the soul is a deviation from church services. A person who grows cold towards God, first of all, begins to avoid going to church. At first, he tries to come to the service later, and then completely stops visiting the temple of God.
Be sure to go to church, and always before the beginning, try to come first. Matins is one of the most difficult institutions of monastic life, but it also has great power. Matins, according to the ancient fathers, are more important than mass. During the Mass, Jesus Christ sacrifices Himself to us, and during Matins we sacrifice ourselves to Him. This compulsion, this struggle with the flesh, is so important.

, reverend

In the world, Pavel Ivanovich Plikhankov, was born on July 5. His path to the monastery was long and difficult, 46 years have passed in the world - most of his life. Cadet corps, military service, brilliant career. A direct opportunity to acquire all worldly goods. And ... giving up everything. Colleagues and acquaintances could not understand in any way: what was the “flaw” in the slender, handsome colonel, whose whole appearance so breathed with some amazing inner nobility? He does not marry, he avoids balls and dinner parties, as well as other secular entertainments. I used to go to the theater, and he even quit. Behind Pavel Ivanovich, they even talked at times: "I'm out of my mind, but what a man he was! .."

When he was just approaching the Optina Skete, one blessed one who was in the "shack" of Elder Ambrose unexpectedly with joy said: - Pavel Ivanovich has arrived.

Glory to God, '' replied the Monk Ambrose calmly ...

Here, in the "shack", Pavel Ivanovich heard the words of the saint amazed him: "Come back in two years, I will receive you." After two years, Colonel Plikhankov submitted his resignation letter. He arrived in Optina on the last day of the term allotted to him by the monk, but he did not find the elder alive.

The Monk Barsanuphius was one of the great Optina elders. By review Reverend Nektarios, "From a brilliant military man, in one night, by the will of God, he became a great old man."

Elder Barsanuphius possessed all the gifts inherent in the Optina elders: clairvoyance, miracles, the ability to drive out unclean spirits, and heal diseases. He was honored with true prophecies about paradise. He was seen at prayer illuminated by an unearthly light. After his death, he appeared several times to the Optina monks.

Hegumen Innokenty (Pavlov) gave him a vivid description, spirit son elder: “It was a giant of the spirit. Without his advice and blessing, the abbot of the monastery, Father Xenophon himself, did nothing, and his spiritual qualities and the great charm that he had for all his spiritual children can be judged by a short expression from the funeral word: "You cannot replace a giant with small trees."

Long way

Elder Barsanuphius's path to Optina turned out to be longer than all the other Optina elders: he came here with the blessing of the Monk Ambrose at the forty-seventh year of his life, when already strong gray hair broke through his hair. What was this path?

Not much is known about the elder's life before he entered the Brotherhood of Optina Hermitage, and this is forty-six years old. But Father Barsanuphius himself often talked about himself in conversations with spiritual children - their notes brought us information about his life to Optina.

Under special patronage

The Monk Barsanuphius, in the world Pavel Ivanovich Plikhankov, was born in 1845 in Samara on Memorial Day Saint Sergius Radonezhsky, whom he always considered his patron. His mother Natalia died in childbirth, and the child himself remained alive thanks to the sacrament of Baptism, which the priest immediately performed on him. His father came from the Cossacks, was engaged in trade.

The boy's grandfather and great-grandfather were very rich. Almost all the houses on Kazanskaya Street belonged to the Plikhankov family. All family members were pious and deeply religious people, they helped a lot to the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God located on the same street. The family believed that their family was under the special patronage of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

After the death of his mother, the father remarried, and in the person of his stepmother, the Lord sent the baby a deeply believing, kind-hearted mentor, who replaced his own mother. And now Pavlusha with early age- real orthodox person... He goes with his mother (as he called his stepmother) to church, regularly receives communion, reads the home rule. Later he recalled: “My mother loved to pray at home too. It used to be an akathist, and I sang in a thin voice to the whole apartment: "Most Holy Theotokos, save us!" For five years, Pavlusha began serving at the altar and often heard people predicting: "You will be a priest!"

This child in due time will drag souls from hell!

A significant incident happened to a child when he was about six years old. He himself later recalled: “For six years I was in the garden with my father and broke the sand in the alley. Suddenly a wanderer walks along the alley. And marvelous how he could get into the garden when the garden is surrounded big dogs, which do not let anyone through without barking. The wanderer quietly approached his father and, pointing at me with a pen, said: "Remember, father, this child in due time will drag souls from hell!" And after these words he left. Then we could not find him anywhere. And God knows what kind of a stranger it was. "

Begged God for monasticism

At nine years old, Pavlusha was enrolled in a gymnasium, he studied very well, read a lot, knew world literature very well. Later, as an elder, he often spoke about the benefits of book knowledge, primarily the lives of the saints. He recalled his studies at the gymnasium: “In the summer, we were moved on vacation to a picturesque state estate ... There was a beautiful birch alley ... The pupils usually got up at six, and I got up at five, went to that alley and, standing between those birches, praying. And then I prayed as I never prayed again: it was pure prayer an innocent lad. I think that there I begged for myself, begged for monasticism from God. "

"Oddities" of officer Pavel Ivanovich Plikhankov

Then there was a study at the Orenburg military school, staff officer courses in St. Petersburg. Gradually rising in rank, he soon became the chief of the mobilization department, and then a colonel. He had not yet thought about entering a monastery, he imagined monastic life as follows: "terrible boredom - there is only radish, vegetable oil and bows." monastery. Hence the numerous "oddities" of the officer Pavel Ivanovich Plikhankov, which were spoken about by those around him.

He was a young soldier, his fellow soldiers spent their lives in entertainment, but he came in his life to more and more asceticism. His room resembled a monk's cell with simplicity of decoration, order, as well as many icons and books. The years passed. One by one his comrades got married.

Later, the elder recalled this time: “When I was thirty-five years old, my mother turned to me:“ Why are you, Pavlusha, keep avoiding women, soon your years will come out, no one will marry you ”. For obedience, I fulfilled my mother's wish ... On this day, some acquaintances had a dinner party. "Well, - I think, - with whom I have to sit next to, with that I will enter into a lengthy conversation." And suddenly next to me, at lunch, a priest, distinguished by a high spiritual life, sat down and started a conversation with me about the Jesus Prayer ... When dinner ended, I had a firm decision not to marry. "

Military service, brilliant career. In service, he was on the most brilliant account, and not far off was the rank of general for him. A direct opportunity to acquire all worldly goods. And ... giving up everything. Colleagues and acquaintances could not understand in any way: what was the “flaw” in the slender, handsome colonel, whose whole appearance so breathed with some amazing inner nobility? He does not marry, he avoids balls and dinner parties, as well as other secular entertainments. I used to go to the theater, and he even quit. Behind Pavel Ivanovich, they even talked at times: "I'm out of my mind, but what a man he was! .."

Why, it was Saint Barsanuphius who brought me out of the theater!

Once Pavel Ivanovich went to the opera house at the invitation of his military command. In the midst of the entertaining performance, he suddenly felt an inexpressible melancholy. He later recalled: “In my heart it was as if someone was saying:“ You came to the theater and are sitting here, but if you die now, what then? The Lord said: In what I will find, in that I judge ... With what and how will your soul appear to God if you die now? "

And he left the theater and never went there again. Years passed, and Pavel Ivanovich wanted to know what date was then, whose memory was. He inquired and learned that there was a memory of Saints Guria and Barsanuphius, the Kazan miracle workers. And Pavel Ivanovich understood: “Lord, but it was Saint Barsanuphius who brought me out of the theater! What a deep meaning in the events of our life, how it is arranged - exactly according to some special mysterious plan. "

Where your treasure will be, your heart will also be here

There were also signs. Pavel Ivanovich once went to the Kazan monastery for confession and found out by chance that the abbot of the monastery was called hegumen Barsanuphius. When Pavel Ivanovich noticed that this name was difficult to listen to, he was answered: “Why is it so difficult? For us, the usual ... After all, the relics of St. Barsanuphius and Archbishop Gury rest in our monastery ... "From that day on, Pavel Ivanovich began to often pray at the relics of the Kazan miracle worker, asking him for his patronage:" Holy Father Barsanuphius, pray to God for me! " Visiting this monastery, he involuntarily drew attention to its poverty and began to help: he bought an icon lamp, an icon case for a large icon, something else ... “And so I fell in love with everything in this monastery! Truly: where your treasure will be, your heart will also be here. "

How many good seeds have been thrown!

Now colleagues did not invite Pavel Ivanovich either to a feast or to the theater. But he made little friends. Pavel Ivanovich's batman, Alexander, a kind-hearted man, helped him find poor children who lived in huts and basements. Subsequently, the Elder said: “I was very fond of arranging children's feasts. These feasts brought joy to both me and the children ... And I also told them about something useful for the soul, from the lives of the saints, or in general about something spiritual. Everyone listens with pleasure and attention. Sometimes, for greater edification, I invited one of the monks or hieromonks with me and let him speak, which made an even greater impression ... Before us is a glade, behind it a river, and beyond the river Kazan with its wonderful arrangement of houses, gardens and temples ... And it was good for me then - how much joy - and pure joy - I felt then and how much good seeds was then thrown into these receptive children's souls! "

Meeting with Father John of Kronstadt

In Moscow, Pavel Ivanovich met with the holy and righteous Father John of Kronstadt. He will remember this fateful meeting for the rest of his life, later he will write: “When I was still an officer, I, in my service, had to go to Moscow. And at the station, I learn that Fr. John is serving mass in the church of one of the buildings. I went there at once. When I entered the church, the mass was already over. I went to the altar. At this time, Father John transferred the Holy Gifts from the throne to the altar. Having put down the Chalice, he suddenly comes up to me, kisses my hand, and, without saying anything, goes back to the throne. All those present looked at each other and said afterwards that this meant some event in my life, and decided that I would be a priest ... And now you see how inscrutable the fate of God: I am not only a priest, but also a monk. "

So that's who will tell me which monastery to enter

Finally, Pavel Ivanovich was affirmed in the idea of ​​going to a monastery, but in what, where - there was complete uncertainty. During these reflections, one fell into the hands of Pavel Ivanovich spiritual journal, and in it - an article about Optina Pustyn and reverend elder Ambrose. “So this is who will show me which monastery to enter,” thought the young military man and took a leave of absence.

When he was just approaching the Optina Skete, one blessed one who was in the "shack" of Elder Ambrose unexpectedly joyfully said: - Pavel Ivanovich has arrived.

“Thank God,” said the Monk Ambrose calmly ... Both of them in spirit knew that the future elder had arrived. When Pavel Ivanovich came to the Elder's cell, he found there, in addition to Father Ambrose, also Father Anatoly (Zertsalov). Both of them greeted him, as he recalled, “very joyfully,” and the unwell Father Ambrose even got up, showing special honor to the newcomer.

Here, in the "shack", Pavel Ivanovich heard the words of the monk who amazed him: "The trial must continue for two more years, and then come to me, I will receive you." Obedience was also given - to donate to certain churches some sums from his rather high salary of a colonel.

From a brilliant military man in one night he became an old man

In 1881, Paul fell ill with pneumonia. When, at the request of the patient, the orderly began to read the Gospel, a wonderful vision followed, during which the patient's spiritual enlightenment came. He saw the heavens open, and he shuddered all over, with great fear and light. All life flashed instantly before him. Pavel Ivanovich was deeply imbued with the consciousness of repentance throughout his life, and he heard a voice from above commanding him to go to Optina Pustyn. His spiritual sight was opened. According to Elder Nektarios, "from a brilliant military man in one night, by God's will, he became an old man."

To the surprise of everyone, the patient began to recover quickly, and upon recovery he went to Optina. The Monk Ambrose ordered him to finish all business in three months, so that if he did not arrive on time, he would perish.

Overcome all obstacles

And here the obstacles began. He went to Petersburg to retire, but he was offered a more brilliant position and the resignation was delayed. His comrades laugh at him, the payment of money is delayed, he cannot complete his affairs, he seeks money on loan and does not find it. But the elder Barnabas from the Gethsemane skete rescues him, shows him where to get money, and also hastens to fulfill God's command. People oppose his departure from the world, they even find him a bride. Only his stepmother, who replaced his own mother, rejoiced and blessed him for monastic deed.

With God's help, Colonel Plikhankov overcame all obstacles and came to Optina Pustyn on the last day of his three-month term. Elder Ambrose lay in a coffin in the church, and Pavel Ivanovich clung to his coffin.

Acolyte's Sorrows

On February 10, 1892, Pavel Ivanovich was enrolled in the brotherhood of the John the Baptist Skete and was dressed in a cassock. Every evening for three years he went to talk to the elders: first to the Monk Anatoly, and then to the Monk Joseph, the successors of the Elder Ambrose. The new novice did not allow himself any preparatory phases and immediately began an ascetic lifestyle. Seeing the rapid spiritual growth of the monk, the enemy of the human race began to do everything possible to bring him to despair and drive him out of the skete. He rebuilt some of the brothers against him. The novice Paul did not give in, behaved humbly, however, it cost him a lot.

The spiritual child of Father Barsanuphius, Father Nikon, later wrote in his diary: “Now Father told me how he endured sorrows when he was a novice. Batiushka endured sorrows, reasoning like this: “I must be worthy of all these sorrows. It means that they are all needed to wash away pride and other passions from me. " Batiushka endured sorrows, not telling anyone about them, not complaining, trying not to get angry with the offenders. Moreover, in order to only endure the insults, one must also take care not to get angry at the one who inflicted the insult. “Sometimes,” said Father on another time, “I had to leave the Skete just right, but I decided it would be better to die than to leave. I had firm hope in God and His Most Pure Mother. I used to stand in front of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, pray - and it will become easier for me. "

All monastic degrees

The Monk Anatoly gave the novice obedience to be the cell attendant of Hieromonk Nektarios, the last catholicly elected elder of Optina at that time. Near Fr. Nektarios, his cell attendant completed all monastic degrees for ten years: a year later, on the twenty-sixth of March 1893, during Great Lent, novice Paul was tonsured into a cassock, in December 1900, due to illness, he was tonsured into a mantle with the name Barsanuphius, on December twenty-ninth, 1902. he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on January 1, 1903, he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1903, the Monk Barsanuphius was appointed assistant to the elder and at the same time confessor of the Shamorda women's desert, and remained so until the outbreak of the war with Japan.

Simultaneously with the prep. Joseph and St. Anatoly, and after their death, the head of the hermitage, St. Barsanuphius, later Schema-Archimandrite.

Elder Barsanuphius, in the world Pavel Ivanovich Plikhankov, from hereditary nobles, was born on July 5, 1845. Upon completion of education in Polotsk cadet corps, he joined on military service and has already risen to the rank of Colonel of Orenburg Cossack troops in the position of chief of the mobilization department and senior adjutant of the Kazan military district. But the spiritual direction, instilled in him by pious parents in childhood, gained an advantage over other interests, and he decided to devote himself to God.

Subsequently, St. Barsanuphius said: “I went to early Mass every day. This is how my stepmother taught me, and how grateful I am now! Sometimes in the village, when I was only five years old, she woke me up every day at 6 o'clock in the morning. I did not want to get up. , but she pulled off the blanket and forced me to get up; and it was necessary to go, whatever the weather, one and a half miles to mass. Thank her for such upbringing! She showed her good perseverance, brought up in me love for the Church, since she herself always prayed fervently ".

When the elder was still an officer, he was fortunate enough to get to the liturgy served by St. right. O. John of Kronstadt. Pavel Ivanovich went to the altar. At that time St. John was transferring the Holy Gifts from the throne to the altar. Having placed the Chalice of St. John quickly approached him, kissed his hand, and without saying anything, went back to the throne. All those present looked at each other and said after that, probably, he would be a priest. And Pavel Ivanovich did not even think about it then.

And then, one day, with a serious illness with pneumonia and feeling the approach of death, he ordered the orderly to read the Gospel aloud, and he forgot himself ... And at that time he had a wonderful vision: he saw the heavens open and shuddered all with great fear and light. All life flashed instantly before him. He was deeply imbued with the consciousness of repentance throughout his life, and he heard a voice from above commanding him to go to Optina Pustyn. A revolution took place in his soul, his spiritual sight was opened, he comprehended the full depth of the words of the Gospel. According to Elder Nektarios, "from a brilliant military man in one night, by God's will, he became a great old man." He bore the name Paul in the world, and this miracle happened to him, recalls the miraculous vocation of his heavenly patron - the Apostle Paul. Pavel Ivanovich himself, having been born on the day of the uncovering of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, considered him his patron.

To the surprise of everyone, the sick colonel began to recover quickly, recovered and left for Optina Pustyn. The elder at Optina was St. Ambrose, who ordered him to finish all business in three months so that if he did not arrive on time, he would die. And then various obstacles began. Colonel Plikhankov came to St. Petersburg for his resignation, but he was offered a more brilliant position and delayed his resignation. His comrades laughed at him, the payment of money was delayed, he could not pay off everything he needed, he looked for money on loan and could not find it. But he was rescued by the elder Barnabas from the Gethsemane skete: he showed him where to get money and hastened to fulfill God's command. People, resisting his departure, even found a bride for him ... Only his stepmother rejoiced and blessed him for monastic deed. With God's help, he overcame all obstacles and appeared in Optina on the last day of his three-month term. Elder Ambrose lay in a coffin, and he clung to his coffin.

In December 1891, Pavel Ivanovich was admitted to the brotherhood of the Forerunner Skete. And the successor of the elder Ambrose, St. Anatoly gave him obedience to be a cell attendant under St. Nectaria. About Elder Nektarios St. Barsanuphius completed all monastic degrees in ten years, up to the hieromonk, and studied theoretically and practically the Holy Fathers. For three years he went every evening for long conversations to Elder Anatoly, and then to Elder Joseph. In 1903, His Eminence Anthony, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, summoned him for a higher appointment, but St. Barsanuphius, out of humility and love for a solitary life, declined the Vladyka's offer and remained in Optina, where in 1907 he was appointed as a hermitage leader, elevated to the rank of hegumen, and was awarded a club. He was entrusted with the spiritual nourishment of the brotherhood and all visitors, with whom he then established continuous spiritual communication, the fruit of which was a daily correspondence, reaching no less than 4,000 letters annually.

The severity of life, theological erudition and rare discretion very soon attracted the attention of many. With the death of St. John of Kronstadt and Elder Barnabas of Gethsemane, the influx of pilgrims to Optina increased markedly. Among them were many people from the upper classes, as well as students of both sexes of the higher educational institutions... Excited by various feelings and confused by doubts, they resorted to the help and guidance of Elder Barsanuphius, and with the assistance of the grace of God, they found appropriate healing.

At the prep. Barsanuphia had a character somewhat similar to the character of the great Optina elders Leo and Anatoly. His incorruptible justice, simplicity and straightforwardness were unbearable for all the proud, self-righteous and unconfessed sinners. He could never be cunning and could not stand double-mindedness in anything.

Rev. Barsanuphius possessed the gift of clairvoyance no less than the other elders. In him this gift was especially openly expressed. He saw the human soul, and this made it possible to raise up the fallen, direct them from the wrong path to the true one, heal mental and physical diseases, and cast out demons.

This is how the confession of St. Barsanuphia is one of his spirit sons. “He was a wonderful old man who had the gift of perspicacity, which I myself experienced when he accepted me into the monastery and confessed for the first time. reminds me of facts and people I had forgotten. I was possessed by an unearthly fear. He encouraged me and said: “Do not be afraid, it is not me, sinful Barsanuphius, but God revealed to me about you. During my life, do not tell anyone about what you are experiencing now, but after my death you can speak. "

A similar incident happened with Sophia Mikhailovna Lopukhina, nee Osorgina, who told her relatives about her meeting with St. Barsanuphius, which influenced her entire future life. She came to Optina Pustyn as a 16-year-old girl. She was struck by a crowd of thousands around the senile "shack", as they called wooden houses where the elders received people. She stood on the stump to look at the elder when he came out. Soon the elder showed up and immediately beckoned to her. He led her into the cell and told her her whole life year after year, listing all her misdeeds, when and where she committed them, and named actors by their names. And then he said: "Tomorrow you will come to me and repeat to me everything that I told you. I wanted to teach you how to confess."

The elder, dressed in half-robe, in epitrachili and orders, conducted conversations before confession. In them, he, opening the souls of those present with the help of various occasions in life, pointed to forgotten or dubious sins, while he did not look at anyone, so as not to confuse and not explicitly indicate. So one girl later said: "Why, it was my father who described me! It was my secret, how could he find out ?!" After the general confession, the elder already confessed each one separately. He slowly asked questions, listened and gave instructions. At the same time, he had exactly the same attitude towards both the elders and the very last. Treating very attentively and with love, he healed souls, for he knew to subtlety the mental structure of everyone.

Blessing those who are fasting, he advised, after Compline, at which the canons are read, not to partake of anything before receiving the Holy Mysteries. In exceptional cases, he was allowed to drink one tea. "Sometimes on the day of communion there is a painful mood, but one should not pay attention to this and should not despair, since on this day the devil especially takes up arms against a person and acts on him with hypnosis. Hypnosis is an evil, not Christian force. Thanks to this hypnosis, the devil confuses us, clergymen, when we celebrate the Liturgy, "said the elder. I did not advise going to bed during the day on the day of communion.

Rev. Barsanuphius said: “You must not leave the church before the end of the Mass, otherwise you will not receive the grace of God. It is better to come to the end of the Mass and reach the end than to leave before the end. Here in our church they read the Six Psalms, and people often leave the church for this time. But they do not understand and do not feel that the Six Psalms is a spiritual symphony, the life of the soul, which captures the whole soul and gives it the highest pleasure. "

During his entire stay in Optina, the elder did not leave the monastery anywhere and left it only by obedience. His last departure was in 1910 to Astapovo station for the address and parting words of the dying Count L. Tolstoy, but, as everyone knows, those around the count did not allow him, to the general regret of all Orthodox Christians and St. Barsanuphius, who sadly said: "They were not allowed to see Tolstoy. I begged the doctors, relatives, nothing helped ... The deceased Tolstoy was bound with an iron ring; although there was Lev, he could not break it or get out of it ..."

Despite the great spiritual gifts of St. Barsanuphius and his administrative abilities, there were people dissatisfied with his activities. Basically, these were new monks who came to the monastery from the spiritually descended pre-revolutionary environment. They did not understand the essence of monastic deed in general and the idea of ​​eldership in particular. They wanted to make changes in the monastery, in particular, to close the skete, and for this, they wanted to take command positions. It came to an open revolt. Unfortunately, through complaints and slanderous denunciations, they misled the bishop - Bishop Seraphim Chichagov, at whose request Elder Barsanuphius was removed from Optina Hermitage and appointed hegumen of the Golutvinsky Monastery, one of the most backward monasteries in Russia. This happened in April 1912. Golutvinsky monastery of St. Barsanuphius found it in a state of disrepair both from the outside and from the inside. But, despite his old age, illness and difficult experiences of the last days, he did not lose heart. With his characteristic energy, he took up the rector's work, taking care of the external and internal improvement of the monastery. His labors were immeasurably great and fraught with great sorrows, mainly in contact with dissolute brethren.

In a very short time, the monastery began to renew and prosper. Meanwhile, as the Orthodox believing people from everywhere flocked to the elder to receive relief from mental and physical ailments, St. Varsonuphius was undermining the disease. He somehow overcame the whole of 1912, but already from the beginning of 1913 he began to rapidly weaken ... 365 days elapsed since leaving Optina Pustyn, with which the death of the priest, according to the veiled prophecy of blessed Paraskeva of Sarov, was supposed to coincide.

Father suffered greatly and sometimes even groaned. In addition to the holy saints of God and the Mother of God, to Whom he had love, he also called on the Optina elders, saying: "Father Leo, Father Macarius, Father Ambrose, Father Hilarion, Father Anatoly, Father Joseph, help me with your holy prayers!"

On April 1, 1913, at 7 hours 7 minutes in the morning, he betrayed his pure soul in the hand of the Lord, Whom he so loved and for whose sake he crucified himself all his life until the last minute. Immediately the body of the elder was hidden and clothed in the schema, which he had secretly since 1910 and in which he bequeathed to put himself in a coffin.

To the great consolation of spiritual children, Holy Synod allowed to bury him in Optina Pustyn, where they transported his body. Here, near the tombs of the great Optina elders, opposite the grave of Hieroschemamonk Pimen and next to the great elder Fr. Anatoly, with his beloved spiritual father and leader, and found the place of his final resting place for St. Barsanuphius. The great old man died away and rested in his beloved Optina Hermitage.

Bishop Tryphon, who knew the elder back in the distant time when he was a novice, and deeply respected him, said the following: “You only knew how to love, only do good, and what a sea of ​​malice and slander poured out on you! long-suffering Job. I am a witness that I have not heard a single word of condemnation from you for anyone ... I, as a shepherd, know what such elders mean in our time. the height of monastic life ... "