Moscow Theological Academy
Ryazan State University named after S.A. Yesenin
Perm, Russian SFSR, USSR
Bishop Savva(in the world Alexander Evgenievich Mikheev; May 10, Perm) - Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop of the Resurrection, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, First Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, Abbot of the Novospassky Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow.
On December 31, 2011, he was appointed manager of the South-Eastern Vicariate (within the boundaries of Moscow) and the Vicariate within the new territories of the mountains. Moscow.
Biography
On May 19, 1986, he was baptized by priest Sergiy Serebryakov in the church of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Mirlikiy, in Kasimov, Ryazan diocese.
In 1987-1997 he studied at a secondary school. Immediately after graduation, he entered the 1st year of the Moscow Theological Seminary.
While studying at the seminary, on the 4th year, on December 28, 2000, the rector of the MDA, Archbishop Evgeny of Vereya (Reshetnikov), was ordained as a reader.
In 2001, after graduating from the MDS, he was sent to the disposal of the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Kasimov Simon (Novikov). Appointed as a teacher of liturgy and homiletics at the Ryazan Theological School and at the same time as an assistant secretary to the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Kasimov.
On November 27, 2001, Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan was tonsured into the robe with the name Savva, in honor of the Monk Savva the Sanctified, in the church of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian at the Ryazan Theological School.
Bishopric
By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 30, 2011 (magazine No. 45) he was elected Bishop of Voskresensky, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese.
On December 31, 2011, by order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Grace Savva was entrusted with the management of the South-Eastern Vicariate (within the boundaries of the South-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow) and the Vicariate within the new territories included in the administrative boundaries of the mountains. Moscow.
On April 6, 2016, he was elected a member of the Presidium of the VRNS.
Compositions
- Candidate essay: Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery, Yaroslavl diocese (history, architecture, shrines)
- Rev. Abraham of Rostov - to the question of the time of life.
- , 2008
- Savva (Mikheev), abbot. All life is a service to the Church [a conversation with Archpriest Boris Sabinin] // Yaroslavl Diocesan Gazette, December. December 2008 pp. 33-35.
- Savva (Mikheev), abbot. An example of the holy noble prince Vasilko // Rostov Bulletin. March 13, 2009 ["Revival", No. 11]
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Notes
Links
- // Patriarchy.Ru
- // Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "Tree"
- on the website of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dmitriev Monastery
- magazine "Successor"
- // "patriarchia.ru"
An excerpt characterizing Savva (Mikheev)
Before the opening of the campaign, Rostov received a letter from his parents, in which, briefly informing him of Natasha's illness and the break with Prince Andrei (this break was explained to him by Natasha's refusal), they again asked him to retire and come home. Nikolai, having received this letter, did not try to ask for a vacation or resignation, but wrote to his parents that he was very sorry about Natasha's illness and break with her fiancé and that he would do everything possible to fulfill their desire. He wrote to Sonya separately.
“Adored friend of my soul,” he wrote. “Nothing but honor could keep me from returning to the village. But now, before the opening of the campaign, I would consider myself dishonorable not only before all my comrades, but also before myself, if I preferred my happiness to my duty and love for the fatherland. But this is the last parting. Believe that immediately after the war, if I am alive and loved by you, I will drop everything and fly to you to press you forever to my fiery chest.
Indeed, only the opening of the campaign delayed Rostov and prevented him from coming - as he promised - and marrying Sonya. Otradnensky autumn with hunting and winter with Christmas time and with Sonya's love opened up to him the prospect of quiet aristocratic joys and tranquility, which he had not known before and which now beckoned him to them. “A glorious wife, children, a good flock of hounds, dashing ten - twelve packs of greyhounds, household, neighbors, election service! he thought. But now there was a campaign, and it was necessary to remain in the regiment. And since this was necessary, Nikolai Rostov, by his nature, was also pleased with the life he led in the regiment, and managed to make this life pleasant for himself.
Arriving from vacation, joyfully greeted by his comrades, Nikolai sent for repairs and brought excellent horses from Little Russia, which pleased him and earned him praise from his superiors. In his absence, he was promoted to captain, and when the regiment was put on martial law with an increased kit, he again received his former squadron.
A campaign began, the regiment was moved to Poland, a double salary was issued, new officers arrived, new people, horses; and, most importantly, that excitedly cheerful mood that accompanies the outbreak of war has spread; and Rostov, conscious of his advantageous position in the regiment, devoted himself entirely to the pleasures and interests of military service, although he knew that sooner or later he would have to leave them.
The troops retreated from Vilna for various complex state, political and tactical reasons. Each step of the retreat was accompanied by a complex play of interests, conclusions and passions in the main headquarters. For the hussars of the Pavlograd regiment, this whole retreat, at the best time of summer, with sufficient food, was the simplest and most fun thing to do. They could lose heart, worry and intrigue in the main apartment, but in the deep army they did not ask themselves where, why they were going. If they regretted that they were retreating, it was only because they had to leave the habitable apartment, from the pretty lady. If it occurred to anyone that things were bad, then, as a good military man should, the one to whom this occurred to him tried to be cheerful and not think about the general course of affairs, but think about his immediate business. At first they cheerfully stood near Vilna, making acquaintances with the Polish landowners and waiting and serving reviews of the sovereign and other high commanders. Then the order came to retreat to the Sventsians and destroy the provisions that could not be taken away. The Sventsians were remembered by the hussars only because it was a drunken camp, as the whole army called the camp near Sventsians, and because in Sventsians there were many complaints against the troops because they, taking advantage of the order to take away provisions, took away horses among the provisions, and carriages, and carpets from the Polish pans. Rostov remembered Sventsyany because on the first day of entering this place he changed the sergeant-major and could not cope with all the people of the squadron who got drunk, who, without his knowledge, took away five barrels of old beer. From Sventsyan they retreated further and further to Drissa, and again retreated from Drissa, already approaching the Russian borders.
On July 13, the people of Pavlograd had to be in serious business for the first time.
On July 12, on the night before the case, there was a strong storm with rain and a thunderstorm. The summer of 1812 was generally remarkable for its storms.
Pavlograd's two squadrons bivouacked, among the rye field, already beaten to the ground by cattle and horses. The rain was pouring down, and Rostov, with the young officer Ilyin, who was patronized by him, sat under a hastily fenced hut. An officer of their regiment, with a long mustache extending from his cheeks, who went to headquarters and was caught in the rain, went to Rostov.
- I, count, from the headquarters. Have you heard the feat of Raevsky? - And the officer told the details of the Saltanovsky battle, heard by him at headquarters.
Rostov, shrugging his neck, over which the water flowed, smoked a pipe and listened inattentively, occasionally glancing at the young officer Ilyin, who huddled around him. This officer, a sixteen-year-old boy who had recently entered the regiment, was now in relation to Nikolai what Nikolai had been in relation to Denisov seven years ago. Ilyin tried to imitate Rostov in everything and, like a woman, was in love with him.
An officer with a double mustache, Zdrzhinsky, spoke pompously about how the Saltanovskaya dam was the Thermopylae of the Russians, how General Raevsky committed an act worthy of antiquity on this dam. Zdrzhinsky told the act of Raevsky, who brought his two sons to the dam under terrible fire and went on the attack next to them. Rostov listened to the story and not only did not say anything to confirm Zdrzhinsky's delight, but, on the contrary, had the appearance of a man who was ashamed of what he was being told, although he did not intend to object. Rostov, after the Austerlitz and 1807 campaigns, knew from his own experience that, telling military incidents, they always lie, just as he himself lied when telling; secondly, he had such experience that he knew how everything happens in the war is not at all the way we can imagine and tell. And so he did not like Zdrzhinsky's story, and he did not like Zdrzhinsky himself, who, with his mustache from his cheeks, as usual bent low over the face of the person to whom he was telling, and crowded him into a cramped hut. Rostov silently looked at him. “Firstly, on the dam that was attacked, it must have been such confusion and crowding that if Raevsky brought his sons out, it could not affect anyone, except for about ten people who were near him, - thought Rostov, - the rest could not see how and with whom Raevsky walked along the dam. But even those who saw this could not be very inspired, because what did they care about Raevsky's tender parental feelings when it was about their own skin? Then the fate of the fatherland did not depend on the fact that they would take or not take the Saltanovskaya dam, as they describe it to us about Thermopylae. And so, why was it necessary to make such a sacrifice? And then, why here, in the war, interfere with their children? Not only would I not lead my brother Petya, even Ilyin, even this stranger to me, but a good boy, I would try to put somewhere under protection, ”Rostov continued to think, listening to Zdrzhinsky. But he did not say his thoughts: he already had experience in this. He knew that this story contributed to the glorification of our weapons, and therefore it was necessary to pretend that you did not doubt it. And so he did.
“However, there is no urine,” said Ilyin, who noticed that Rostov did not like Zdrzhinsky’s conversation. - And stockings, and a shirt, and it leaked under me. I'm going to look for shelter. The rain seems to be better. - Ilyin left, and Zdrzhinsky left.
Five minutes later, Ilyin, splashing through the mud, ran to the hut.
- Hooray! Rostov, let's go faster. Found! Here is two hundred paces of a tavern, ours have already climbed there. At least we dry off, and Marya Genrikhovna is there.
Marya Genrikhovna was the wife of the regimental doctor, a young, pretty German woman whom the doctor had married in Poland. The doctor, either because he did not have the means, or because he did not want to be separated from his young wife at first, took her everywhere with him to the hussar regiment, and the doctor's jealousy became a common subject of jokes between the hussar officers.
Rostov threw on his cloak, called Lavrushka after him with his belongings, and went with Ilyin, sometimes rolling in the mud, sometimes splashing straight in the subsiding rain, in the darkness of the evening, occasionally broken by distant lightning.
- Rostov, where are you?
- Here. What lightning! they were talking.
In the abandoned tavern, in front of which stood the doctor's wagon, there were already about five officers. Marya Genrikhovna, a plump blond German woman in a blouse and nightcap, was sitting in the front corner on a wide bench. Her husband, the doctor, slept behind her. Rostov and Ilyin, greeted with cheerful exclamations and laughter, entered the room.
- AND! what fun you have, ”said Rostov, laughing.
- And what are you yawning?
- Good! So it flows from them! Don't wet our living room.
“Don’t get Marya Genrikhovna’s dress dirty,” the voices answered.
Rostov and Ilyin hurried to find a corner where, without violating the modesty of Marya Genrikhovna, they could change their wet clothes. They went behind the partition to change their clothes; but in a small closet, filling it all up, with one candle on an empty box, three officers were sitting, playing cards, and would not give up their place for anything. Marya Genrikhovna gave up her skirt for a while in order to use it instead of a curtain, and behind this curtain, Rostov and Ilyin, with the help of Lavrushka, who brought packs, took off their wet and put on a dry dress.
A fire was kindled in the broken stove. They took out a board and, having fixed it on two saddles, covered it with a blanket, took out a samovar, a cellar and half a bottle of rum, and, asking Marya Genrikhovna to be the hostess, everyone crowded around her. Who offered her a clean handkerchief to wipe her lovely hands, who put a Hungarian coat under her legs so that it would not be damp, who curtained the window with a raincoat so that it would not blow, who fanned the flies from her husband’s face so that he would not wake up.
“Leave him alone,” said Marya Genrikhovna, smiling timidly and happily, “he sleeps well after a sleepless night.
“It’s impossible, Marya Genrikhovna,” answered the officer, “you must serve the doctor.” Everything, maybe, and he will take pity on me when he cuts his leg or arm.
There were only three glasses; the water was so dirty that it was impossible to decide when the tea was strong or weak, and there was only six glasses of water in the samovar, but it was all the more pleasant, in turn and seniority, to receive your glass from Marya Genrikhovna’s plump hands with short, not quite clean nails . All the officers really seemed to be in love with Marya Genrikhovna that evening. Even those officers who were playing cards behind the partition soon gave up the game and went over to the samovar, obeying the general mood of wooing Marya Genrikhovna. Marya Genrikhovna, seeing herself surrounded by such brilliant and courteous youth, beamed with happiness, no matter how hard she tried to hide it and no matter how obviously timid at every sleepy movement of her husband sleeping behind her.
There was only one spoon, there was most of the sugar, but they did not have time to stir it, and therefore it was decided that she would stir the sugar in turn for everyone. Rostov, having received his glass and poured rum into it, asked Marya Genrikhovna to stir it.
Vladyka also manages two vicariates at once - the Southeastern and the New Territories. How the construction of new churches is going on in the territories annexed to the capital, how the Novospassky Monastery lives today and many other things, Bishop Savva told the correspondent of the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate (the interview was published in the September issue).
— Your Eminence, long before the decision was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church and to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate, the Novospassky Monastery began work on a large publishing project — the publication of the deeds of the All-Russian Council of 1917-1918. Therefore, the first question is about the new issue of materials of the Council. What can be said about the results of your work so far? What are the project completion dates?
— The historical significance of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917-1918 is very great. Even today we cannot fully comprehend the importance for the people and the entire Church of those documents that were considered and adopted at the Council. In our time, it became possible to study in detail the documents that were adopted at that difficult time for our Fatherland.
The 20th century was a serious test for the Russian Church. Not only was the conciliar principle violated, but the very existence of the Church as an institution in Russian society turned out to be a big question. That is why today, after a whole century, the conciliar work is relevant and important for us, which has become not only a guarantee of preservation, but also a solid foundation for the further development of free church life in Russia.
In order to understand the context in which the Council's decisions were developed and adopted, a great deal of work is currently being done on the scientific publication of the Council's documents. We have yet to comprehend and actualize this heritage in modern church life. We can say that conciliar acts are the testament of the new martyrs and confessors about the preservation and continuity of catholicity in our Church. For the Novospassky Monastery, this project is an honor, an honorable duty, and a great responsibility. I think that this edition will be a kind of monument to the Cathedral.
Of course, it is too early to talk about the timing of the completion of the project. We are targeting 2020 as the time to complete the main volumes and documents. It is clear that in any case, one should strive for a specific goal. For us, such a goal is to publish as many documents as possible, naturally accompanying them with the necessary scientific comments. As is known, each of our volumes opens with an article by the editor-in-chief, where he especially draws the attention of readers to certain published documents. Now it is planned to release 36 volumes, although earlier we stopped at 25. The increase in the number of volumes is due to a thorough study of the composition of the cathedral archive and each of the seven hundred files that make it up. Of course, this is very hard work, but nevertheless very necessary. We have already begun to constantly popularize the cathedral heritage, have developed a new book format for the mass presentation of cathedral discussions on various topics (the first book, The Holy Council of 1917-1918 on Marriage and Divorce, will soon be released and presented to a wide range of readers). Then the creative heritage of the members of the Council will be published.
— Vladyka, you govern not only the South-Eastern Moscow Vicariate, but also the New Territories Vicariate. Since 2013, the planning of new buildings began to take into account the needs of believers, that is, in the urban planning plan of Moscow, allocate land in advance for Orthodox churches. Are there any problems with the implementation of this program?
— The area of the new territories is larger than the area of, let's say, "old Moscow" itself. It is clear that these territories are under the jurisdiction of His Holiness the Patriarch as the ruling bishop of the capital city. I was given the obedience to supervise church life in the new territory of the capital.
As you know, before all this was the Moscow region. And today, when you drive through this territory, you get the impression that you are in the countryside, and not in the capital of a huge country. The city seems more compact to us, and we are used to the fact that there is a lot of stone, asphalt, high-rise buildings ... In new territories it is different. Here the temples are at a considerable distance from each other. The division goes through the villages, there are fields, dense forests, and maybe somewhere else you can meet wild animals ...
If we compare the clergy of the new territories and the Southeastern Vicariate, then the difference is also noticeable. Certain traditions and principles of communication have developed in Moscow... And the clergy themselves behave like those in the capital. The new territories may not be distinguished by such a metropolitan polish, but nevertheless, there is a spirit close to me personally, since I myself am from the countryside. When you leave the Moscow Ring Road, you see natural landscapes, people who have not yet completely changed under the influence of the metropolis. Some time will pass, and new territories will become completely different...
Yes, and the organization of management is a little different - you have to travel more and spend time on the road. If we go to the edge of new territories (this is closer to the Kaluga region), then we have to spend a good half of the day on the way, or even more. So the main problem is the distance. And another problem, with a plus sign, is that a temple building program is now underway in the new territories.
Here, the general development plan is just being formed, so we did not encounter the difficulties that we had when searching for sites in the South-Eastern district of the capital, where there is no free land and in any case you enter into someone's area of interest. In this regard, the new territory is much better and easier. We are acting according to the following plan: the deans, together with the abbots of the temples and heads of administrations, hold meetings to find suitable sites for the construction of a new temple, taking into account their even location. These proposals come to me, we consider them and approve them, then we submit an application.
Such applications have already been submitted for 110 polling stations, about 30 have been approved, and verification work is underway for the rest. According to official statistics, we have 200,000 people who are registered in the new territories. However, this figure has changed a lot, there are those who are not registered, summer residents ... Now, I think, we can safely talk about a million inhabitants. So far, we have enough of those 60 temples that we have. 110 submitted applications is only the first stage. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill set before us the task of building 150 churches, so now we are searching for the remaining 40 sites. The work is in progress and we are moving forward.
— You have already spoken about the difference between rural priests and those in the capital, you have experience as a governor of a large monastery, and you are also involved in the spiritual education of clergy. Who is, in your opinion, a modern priest?
— It seems to me that the young clergy have been brought up somehow differently, I don't always see an element of... sacrifice in young priests. Some of them strive to somehow quickly settle down, serve right away in a well-equipped church, they initially do not want to endure any difficulties ... While many of the clergy, if I can call it that, of the old formation overcame significant hardships on their pastoral path. The ability of the modern clergy to appreciate what we have is a little blunted. And this worries me in modern clergy. This is the result of the fact that they grew up and formed during the goodwill of the authorities and society towards the Church and did not experience serious difficulties. Although, of course, I have not seen all the trials that the clergy of previous generations have experienced - only a few. Then the Church was at some distance from society, the state. But the current clergy is being formed in more prosperous conditions, and it will be hard for them if these conditions somehow change for the worse. Maybe after a while they will treat us differently, not as loyally as they are now. So I'm mostly worried about whether we will have the same spiritual fruits as they were 100 years ago in the age of persecution?
For me, the Moscow Lavra school is the ideal spiritual education. There the priest receives both education and, most importantly, upbringing. We were brought up in such a way that the Church became the meaning of life for us.
— Your Eminence, what does it mean to be a Moscow vicar? It would be interesting to know what are the main areas of your work and what is the responsibility of the first deputy manager of the Moscow Patriarchy... What is it like to combine monasticism and administrative leadership?
—Being a Moscow vicar means, first of all, fulfilling the instructions of the Holy Father, helping the Patriarch in managing a very large and complex diocese. Each large city parish is not only taking care of the community and the building of the temple, it is also a variety of social activities, it is involvement in the life and culture of the microdistrict. And if we are talking about dozens of parishes that make up the vicariate, then it is obvious that there are enough problems that the bishop should help solve. In principle, we are doing similar work through the Office of the Patriarchate: we help our dioceses to feel like a single Church, a single organism. We assist in the implementation of church-wide decisions and decrees of Bishops' Councils, we observe the conflict-free course of church life. It is essential for all of us to help Metropolitan Varsonofy, the administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate, together with the deputy administrator of affairs, Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov), on a daily basis to help solve these problems. And in this capacity I feel like a novice of His Holiness the Patriarch and Metropolitan. In this sense, those monastic vows to which I am faithful only help.
—Vladyka, in our conversation we cannot but talk about your service as the vicar of the Novospassky Monastery. This monastery is being transformed literally before our eyes, a large-scale restoration continues. What issues of monastic life in the modern world, in your opinion, are the most relevant?
– Talking about the modern life of the Novospassky Monastery, the first thing I must do is remember and thank my predecessor as governor, Vladyka Alexy (Frolov), who is buried here. It was he who laid the main directions for the revival of the monastery, he ruled this holy monastery for more than two decades. I took over from him a well-established monastery with its own traditions, principles and formed brethren. We, like many of his faithful spiritual children, keep the memory of Bishop Alexy. I try to preserve and increase my spiritual heritage, continuing the traditions laid down by the archbishop.
Changes in the monasteries are taking place with the direct participation of the bishop of the city of Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, who is especially attentive to the life of stavropegic monasteries. He does not deprive our Novospaska Convent of his attention, he monitors the progress of restoration work. His Holiness the Patriarch, together with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, came and observed the progress of the instructions. We must pay tribute to the mayor and his team, they do not forget about the cultural heritage, they are trying in every possible way to contribute to its restoration. For this, the parishioners and brethren are sincerely grateful to Sergei Semenovich.
As far as the restoration of the monastery is concerned, today our aspirations are directed to the restoration of the bell tower. When all the work is completed, we will raise a thousand-pound bell on it and consecrate the temple! I am sure that the monastery will be transformed not only from the inside, but also from the outside, because our bell tower is the architectural dominant of the district. Moreover, it is noteworthy that it is the first in height after the bell tower of Ivan the Great.
Among the daily work of the brethren, I once again want to note the work of our publishing house, the issue of the Acts of the Holy Council of 1917-1918, with which we began our conversation. We are also engaged in raising the qualifications of the clergy. Here is the sector of distance learning of the Moscow Theological Academy, there are preparatory courses, a youth movement is organized. It is impossible not to mention that we still have farmsteads where social work is carried out.
— And yet a monastery is a prayerful deed, a feat... But if we talk about a solitary monastic life away from the world, then your monastery does not quite correspond to this definition. Is it easy to carry out monastic deeds in the midst of the bustle of the city? How to find the right balance between seclusion and the need to be open to the world? In your experience, what is a monastery in a city like?
— I agree, carrying out monastic obedience in a city monastery is a special feat. In this case, it is very important not to stumble, and this is precisely the difficulty of staying in such a monastery. Here we cannot close our holy gates to the parishioners. Of course, it is much easier to go somewhere on the periphery, lock yourself up in the desert there. But it is also necessary here, in the bustle of the city, to engage in the spiritual nourishment of people.
The Lord gives the opportunity to perform our feat, and we accomplish it to the best of our strength, capabilities and our weaknesses, which we also have. I think that the Lord will be merciful to us, because we also try to be merciful to everyone who comes to our monastery. I hope that all the people who come to the Novospassky Monastery will be able to escape from the hustle and bustle here for at least a few minutes, pray, think about God and their neighbors. Therefore, I can not take this opportunity not to invite residents of Moscow and guests of our capital to the Novospassky Monastery!
Interviewed by Evgeny Strelchik
Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate / Patriarchy.ru
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The guest of the Bright Evening program was the first deputy manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, the vicar of the Moscow diocese, the abbot of the Novospassky Monastery, Bishop Savva of the Resurrection.
Vladyka Savva spoke about what a “vicariate” is and what the duties of a “vicar” are, how the day of an Orthodox bishop is organized; He talked about how he came to faith and to service in the Church. In addition, Vladyka spoke about bringing the right hand of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica to the Novospassky Monastery.
Moderators: Alexey Pichugin, Alla Mitrofanova
A. Pichugin
Friends, hello! Alla Mitrofanova, I am Alexey Pichugin, welcome…
A. Mitrofanova
Good bright evening.
A. Pichugin
Our guest today is Bishop Voskresensky, abbot of the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow, Bishop Savva. Hello, lord!
Ep. Savva
Good evening!
Our dossier:
Bishop Savva of the Resurrection. Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. In the world, Alexander Evgenievich Mikheev. Born on May 10, 1980 in Perm in a family of workers. At an early age, he moved with his parents to the city of Kasimov, Ryazan Region, in 1997, after graduating from school, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. After the seminary, he became a monk and became a priest. Graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy and Ryazan State University named after Sergei Yesenin. In 2011 he was appointed abbot of the Novospassky stauropegial monastery in Moscow. In the same year he became Bishop of the Resurrection. He takes care of parish churches on the territory of the southeastern administrative district and New Moscow. In 2014, he was appointed First Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate.
A. Pichugin
Let's get to know you. Listeners who more or less know the geography of Moscow and the region may be surprised that you have the title of Voskresensky, you are the abbot of the Moscow Novospassky monastery, and also, when I introduced you, I didn’t name you, you manage the parishes on the territory of New Moscow, the so-called vicariate new territories. These are temples that were located in the Moscow region and with the expansion of Moscow to the Kaluga region entered this territory. People may wonder how this happened.
A. Mitrofanova
And how do you get enough?
Ep. Savva
Thank you for such an interesting question, let's start in order. All vicars of His Holiness the Patriarch bear the titles of cities near Moscow.
A. Mitrofanova
And let's explain, I beg your pardon, what a vicar is.
Ep. Savva
Vicar - as a term it denotes an assistant to the reigning bishop. In this case, the city of Moscow is the chair of the ruling bishop, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. And therefore all vicars bear the titles of vicars of His Holiness the Patriarch. Literally translated assistant to His Holiness the Patriarch. The entire city of Moscow is divided into administrative boundaries along secular boundaries. And within the same boundaries is our church division into the so-called vicariates. A kind of can be called their prefectures, for greater clarity. In particular, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, I have under my control not only the new territories of the city of Moscow, but also the southeastern administrative district. And some parishes and farmsteads of the Patriarch of Moscow in the region. There are 139 such parishes in my subordination. And a large number of parishes. But I can manage them with the help of my assistants. The first, closest assistants are the deans who are directly involved in administration, overseeing the deanery, performing divine services already in smaller territories that are within the boundaries of several districts. And if we talk about new territories, there are three deaneries - Odigitrievsky, Ilyinsky and Nikolsky. That is, three deans, which so far were initially divided into former districts - Leninsky district, Podolsky district and Naro-Fominsk. How these borders passed through the districts, we distributed according to this principle at first. Since the secular division, when the new territories were annexed, had not yet formed as such, but the church ones were the first, so we had to make some decisions. Therefore, such a division. Accordingly, there are three deaneries in the new territories, and three deans help me in management. To help me, according to the order of the Patriarch, there is a special vicarial department, where the heads of the secretariat, the head of the office and some responsible employees are located who are responsible for youth work, catechesis and education, social activities, such an administrative structure. In this way, they help me in solving, of course, the difficult tasks of managing so many of our parishes.
A. Mitrofanova
Where do you spend more time? In a monastery or in managerial affairs? How does it work out in practice?
Ep. Savva
If we take the daily circle, then I spend more time in the monastery. I live there and my vicarage is located there. Geographically, initially it was convenient, because the southeastern district literally started across the road. Well, since a new territory appeared, it appeared much later, until a separate vicarial administration was formed there, it is not needed, since I am the only vicar and as long as we manage from the monastery. And it is more convenient there that we can gather on this territory, on the territory of the monastery, with all the clergy of our districts. But we are now practicing meeting in different places. As we sometimes practice, both bishops and secular people, when, for example, one meeting is in one city, the other is in another ...
A. Pichugin
In places.
Ep. Savva
In places. Therefore, we began to take turns, one meeting in the southeastern district in some one deanery, we hold another meeting in the New Territory. So that everyone is not offended. And if it is not possible to gather in other places, then we are going to the monastery.
A. Mitrofanova
May I ask what your day looks like? You wake up... I know that the bishops are all very busy people, you have a huge amount of things to do, judging by the territories you govern. How does it all line up?
Ep. Savva
Until recently, I had a very different schedule. And now, since you have not yet said that I have another position, I am the first deputy affairs manager of the Moscow Patriarchate, then usually in the first half of the day after our usual monastic rules, ordinary prayers, I go to the Danilovsky Monastery, one more place my obedience. Where I mostly go through paperwork and some cases in case management before lunch. My afternoons are mainly devoted to the administration of our vicariates and monastery. The rest of the time we are engaged in the monastery, since this is my main obedience. Of course, it is difficult to fulfill some of the abbot's duties, since they require the presence at some of our common and lunch meals, some divine services and prayers. Sometimes the brethren forgive my allowances and absences because of the obedience that the Church has determined for me.
A. Pichugin
You probably have helpers in the monastery who take on some of the functions.
Ep. Savva
Discipline, of course, is handled by the dean, to whom we give some instructions, who constantly reports to me on certain situations by telephone, but, basically, the fraternal team that has developed there, it is already old, there the brethren have been in the monastery for some 20 years, more me, adults, mature people, perhaps the youngest of them I find myself. Both by time of residence and by age. Therefore, probably, the most unsteady I remain. And the rest have somehow already settled down and they are all peacefully fulfilling their monastic duty.
A. Pichugin
And what is the inconsistency expressed in?
Ep. Savva
In constant moving, you need to go somewhere, take part somewhere, this is a kind of vanity, it is probably inherent in all bishops, because they must constantly be on the move, visit parishes, and this is probably my lack of degree.
A. Mitrofanova
Vladyka, you said that everyone who lives in the Novospassky Monastery, which you lead, where you are abbot, are people who are older than you. How is your interaction going? In fact, you are senior to them by position. They are in your subordination, they are in your obedience, how is it?
Ep. Savva
There is the concept of church hierarchy, church discipline, any monk takes a vow of obedience to the abbot in everything. Therefore, everyone who lives with me, all our monks or monastics, who initially, whether hegumen is young or old, they give the hegumen a vow of obedience, the fulfillment of all his blessings. Speaking in my case, about my shortcoming, which is easily corrected by time, the brethren, at least, do not grumble and fulfill their obediences. Moreover, as such reforms after my appointment there, I did not carry out. I believe that that regime, that daily routine, the charter that has developed, it was created before me, so my task is to support the traditions that have developed in the monastery. Those obediences and habits of the brethren, which are already correlated with the monastic rank and with some spiritual criteria, so that they are supported by me, and not collapsed. Therefore, we do not have such dissonance and some kind of reproach in my address, it never felt that I was young among them, and they are all so elderly, respectable. In any case, we have, both according to the charter and according to the established tradition, a spiritual council, a monastic meeting, where we discuss collectively some issues of our inner monastic life, and I consult with our brotherhood before making a decision. This concerns, first of all, the acceptance of new monks into the brethren of the monastery, this is the question of ordination to the holy rank or deacon. We have such an internal, monastic law that if someone from the brethren is against some kind of ordination or acceptance into the fraternity, we postpone for a certain time a decision on this or that person, issue, and after some time again to this we return to the question, and if the brethren all agree ...
A. Mitrofanova
That is democracy...
Ep. Savva
I would not say that democracy is the usual principles of monastic fraternal life, this is our family, brethren. How can we not work together to solve issues on which we ourselves live. Recently, the brethren and I discussed the issues of designing a fraternal hostel.
A. Pichugin
On the territory of the monastery.
Ep. Savva
We already have it, but we want to change the conditions so that they are a little better and comply with all the rules for staying in a hostel. To comply with all the rules, speaking in a secular way, communications, how we should have them, fire safety rules and many other problems. Since this is an architectural monument, this is an agreement with our supervisory authorities. And we all discussed together how it would be more convenient for us to plan, arrange the furniture in our cells. We then all live together, let everyone's opinion be taken into account, so that everyone is well and comfortable.
A. Mitrofanova
Do you organically feel yourself as a leader, speaking in secular language?
Ep. Savva
I like my family, I don't feel like some kind of outcast. Although everyone tells me that you are endowed with episcopal authority, which separates you from the brethren, that you are treated as an authoritarian person who, having made a decision, does not consult with anyone, and this causes a certain mediastinum and wall in fraternal communication. In fact, the mediastinum arises only because of the lack of time, when you do not have time to communicate with the brethren, to come to a common meal, to a common divine service. Because you are assigned to another place to serve, to fulfill some obedience. This sometimes causes mediastinum, but in terms of fraternal fellowship, we do not have any wall. Anyone can come to me and call me at any time. Brothers, I always tell them all that the doors of my study and cell are open for you at any time, you can come and consult.
A. Pichugin
Bishop Savva of the Resurrection, the abbot of the Novospassky Monastery, is spending this "Bright Evening" with us. Vladyka, you say that by age you are probably the youngest of the brethren of the Novospassky Monastery, but, nevertheless, before that you served for more than one year in both the Yaroslavl and Ryazan diocese. And it turns out that you have been in the temple since your youth. How did you come to faith?
Ep. Savva
Pretty consciously. I even remember being baptized. I was baptized at the age of six, when I came from Perm, where I was born, with my parents to Ryazan, because our relatives were there. And my grandmother baptized me. And from the moment of Baptism, the temple sunk into my soul, the priest, who, as I understood later, then I did not understand, performed incense in the temple, worship. I was impressed, it was unusual and interesting to me what was on the other side of the altar. But for some time, I probably went through the process of raising a parent, grandmother. And when my grandmother went to the temple, she managed to go rather infrequently, in my memory she visited 3 or 4 times a year ...
A. Pichugin
Some big holidays...
Ep. Savva
Firstly, she had a large household, she worked on a collective farm, and there was a grandfather who took a lot of time, because he also needed some kind of care. And when grandfather allowed me, my grandmother could go to the temple of God, and I always asked to go with her. And I always tried to stand the whole service. This is not for my praise, I am not boasting, it was just that I was so interested that I did not want to sit anywhere, go anywhere, and I always stood with my grandmother until the end of the service.
A. Mitrofanova
And how did your parents feel about it?
Ep. Savva
With a sense of respect. I would not say that my parents were church people. But they didn't stop me. Their only objection was, when I wanted to fast with my grandmother, they always said that “you are a growing organism, that you need to eat as expected” and scolded me somehow. But in any case, I obeyed my parents, because my grandmother said that the commandment is to obey your parents, to honor them. And the priest told me that one must have obedience to my parents, so I obeyed them, which must have been imputed to me as a forgiveness of the sin of breaking the fast.
A. Pichugin
Can we say that your desire to enter the seminary, it somehow logically grew out of your whole life?
Ep. Savva
Yes. My only desire was, for which I prayed to God for the last five years, when I was at school, that I would like to become a priest, to enter a seminary.
A. Mitrofanova
That is, from the fifth grade you asked?
Ep. Savva
Since fifth grade, yes. Because from about that time I began to go to the temple regularly. It started with my independent, without my grandmother, trip to the temple. And not to our only church in the city of Kasimov, this is St. Nicholas Church, I still remember it, for me this is the church where I was baptized, it sunk into my soul. But more churches were opened here in the 90s, and a church was opened in the village of Telebukino, this is from the place where my grandmother lives about 8 kilometers on foot, if along the banks of the Oka River, maybe closer. There was the Church of the Transfiguration, where regular services began to take place and were given to the parish community. And I came to this temple. Of course, he was not as handsome as Nikolsky, which never closed. But something impressed me, and I think, let's go, I'll go every Sunday. And I got up at half past seven, led the cattle together with my grandmother, and went to the temple along the river bank. And so on three Sundays I came there, and on the third Sunday the priest said to me: “Could you help me at the altar?” And I began to study the censer first. At first I was afraid to walk on carpets, because my grandmother always said that you can’t walk on a carpet, only a priest walks on a carpet. And I jumped over these carpets, and the priest laughed at me: “What are you ... Do you need to fly?”
A. Pichugin
I understand that you were the only young man in the parish?
Ep. Savva
Then yes. The only boy who walked.
A. Mitrofanova
Grandmothers didn’t swear at you, didn’t they hiss?
Ep. Savva
No. I was then a light in the eyes of these three hundred grandmothers. I fell in love with our grandmothers. There were mostly grandmothers, only one grandfather was - Nikolai, the husband of our headman Elena Petrovna. And the priest himself. Then men, the elderly, old people began to appear, then I delved into the topic of sexton so much, I figured out the censer, began to clean it, I realized that it was necessary to take care of it, that this was the main, in general, object of sexton obedience, from the work of which worship also depends. Father needs to be served on time. And it worked so that the smoke could go there.
A. Pichugin
So you say the city of Kasimov, which I still can’t get to, I love to travel around the Golden Ring, around the cities that are not far from it. But this is a city that has been preserved since pre-revolutionary times. I know that you defended your doctoral thesis in church architecture, in some kind of church forms. It also affected your consciousness, didn't it?
Ep. Savva
If you visit the city of Kasimov, then you will look from the bridge to the banks of the Oka River, you will see that there, on the banks, there are probably 7 temples. And they are all visible. We had such a place, you will come there, it is from the opposite side of the city, the banks of the Oka, you can see the whole city - Trinity Church, Nikolsky, Ilyinsky, Assumption, Voznesensky, they all stand in one row and decorate the city. And I always wondered why our city of Kasimov was not taken to the Golden Ring? It is such a beautiful, provincial town, I know, The Inspector General was filmed there once...
A. Pichugin
Filmed a lot. But there would be an oval then.
Ep. Savva
Maybe, but the oval looks like an egg, and the egg is a symbol of eternal life, Easter. Moreover, it so happened that throughout my life I have always been surrounded by Transfiguration churches. In Telebukino there was a Church of the Transfiguration, then in another village Babino-Bulygino became a sexton, there is also a Church of the Transfiguration. I can even tell, if time permits, a story about these three villages, which were located on the banks of the river.
A. Pichugin
Let's!
A. Mitrofanova
Tell!
Ep. Savva
There were villages on the banks of the river. Babino-Bulygino, where the Transfiguration Church was, Selezovo, where I lived, and Telebukino. And we had such a belief. Once upon a time there was Mr. Bukin, who walked through these villages. Here he was walking along Babino-Bulygino, the women threw stones at him. And he reached the village of Selezovo, and shed tears from pain. And when he reached Telebukino, he died there, died, they buried him and wrote the body of Bukin. And there was Telebukino.
A. Pichugin
Lovely local stories.
Ep. Savva
A. Mitrofanova
When we began to study your biography, we thought how interesting. The man first graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy, and then from Ryazan University. Lord, why? You already have a spiritual education, and education at the highest level - a spiritual academy. And suddenly you enter Ryazan University.
Ep. Savva
First I graduated from the Theological Seminary, then entered the Academy, and the University appeared in my life by accident. I did not set the task of obtaining a secular education, but by the will of fate and the blessing of the Church, I had to do this. And why? Here in Ryazan there was, and still is, a department of theology. At that time this great progress was in education.
A. Mitrofanova
At a secular university?
Ep. Savva
- It was at the Ryazan Pedagogical University named after Yesenin. And now it is Ryazan State University. There was a department of theology, which successfully existed and was, probably, one of the leading departments of theology. Now, perhaps, already the department of theology. It was 2004-2003. There was a vacant position of teacher of theology. In this case, it should be called dogmatic theology, and then there was theology. The teacher died, the second teacher moved, it seems, to another place of service. And they didn't know who to appoint there. And the condition for teaching is to have a secular education. Pedagogical, profile.
I didn't have one. But I was offered. And they said that according to the rules, we can overcome this misunderstanding by enrolling you in the department of theology to teach and learn to teach at the same time.
Then I passed all the examinations specialized in theology as an external student, and then I completed my studies in specific ones - pedagogy, foreign languages, philosophy.
A. Mitrofanova
Did you study directly? Did you come to class with students?
Ep. Savva
I had to not attend all classes, some I came, basically, I took tests, because I had obedience, and wrote my theses, which I chose. It was a diploma work on the Spaso-Yakovlevsko-Dimitriyev Monastery in Rostov Veliky.
A. Mitrofanova
By architecture?
Ep. Savva
Also in architecture and history.
A. Pichugin
And then you served in Yaroslavl.
Ep. Savva
Then, when Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan and Kasimov retired, I had to go with him to Yaroslavl, since he was assigned a place of residence in Yaroslavl, so I did not leave Ryazan University, the teachers asked me to stay. And I finished it, fortunately they let me study in absentia, I traveled, passed only exams.
A. Mitrofanova
How old were you when you started teaching there?
Ep. Savva
I was 22, 23.
A. Mitrofanova
So it turns out that you are practically the same age as the students?
Ep. Savva
Almost yes.
A. Pichugin
I think we'll talk about this, but first let's pause for a minute.
A. Pichugin
Good evening again, friends! Alla Mitrofanova, I'm Alexey Pichugin, we welcome you here at the Light Radio studio and remind you that our guest today is the abbot of the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow, Bishop Savva of the Resurrection.
A. Mitrofanova
I'd like to talk to you about your teaching experience at a secular university. You simultaneously studied at Ryazan University and taught there from the age of 22, already being a priest, as I understand it.
Ep. Savva
Yes, I was a hieromonk.
A. Mitrofanova
Not only did they let a priest into a secular educational institution, he also taught there, he also studied there, even though you were 22 years old. Could you talk about this experience? Have you been pestered with questions by students, peers in fact?
Ep. Savva
Due, probably, to those subjects that I taught, mainly dogmatic theology, or as it was called, theology, such reproaches, it seems to everyone that I was so young, hot, blood was playing. The beard ages, the hair is long too ... And the weight makes itself felt, gives solidity. There was never a question about my age at the first meeting. Then they found out that I was so young. But in any case, it was necessary to follow the rules of teaching, I followed them all, which were set by a secular university. This is also an educational and methodological complex, which was supposed to compose the necessary literature and thematic plan. And the breakdown of lectures by hours, the calendar plan, the topics of essays, the topics of term papers, I tried to do all this. And the lectures that I attended, I attended regularly. If I could not, due to a church blessing, then I called in advance. There should not have been any resentment among the students, especially since they all passed the exams positively, and I would not say that they did not understand theology, theology. Even I was pleased with our students, students.
A. Mitrofanova
Did they like it, how did you feel?
Ep. Savva
If they didn't like it themselves, I think they wouldn't come. Since we have a free visit in a secular university, as far as I understand. In any case, in a secular university, the test is a deterrent.
A. Pichugin
This is Alla Sergeevna's professional interest, as a teacher of higher education.
Vladyka, we also wanted to ask you, now you serve in the center of Moscow, but for a long time you served practically in rural parishes. Before the broadcast, you said that you had to travel, replace clergy somewhere in the Yaroslavl region. In provincial Yaroslavl monasteries… How different is the priestly service in Moscow in the center and the ministry of a priest in a small town?
Ep. Savva
It differs in that in a rural parish, you can pay more attention to your parishioners. There are not so many of them, you know them all by heart, you know what problems they have, how they live, what worries them. Therefore, accordingly, your sermon, and your attitude, and confession are built from this. You communicate even after the service much calmer and easier, when we could all sit at the same table and drink tea. Of course, it's hard in the city. A large influx of believers and you can not be divided ... Distributed among them all. There is much more responsibility here, because if... A rural parish, it is usually one of some level. And educational, and intellectual, and spiritual, practically the same problems, questions, sins, perhaps, such are inherent. And in the city here it is necessary to be everything for everyone in order to save at least some. That is, you need...
A. Mitrofanova
According to the Apostle Paul.
Ep. Savva
A. Pichugin
It seemed to me that this is more a problem for small parishes, when the priest is constantly in sight, and so are they. And you can't hide in the house.
Ep. Savva
There it is simpler, more family. Well, they know that the priest has some problems, but everyone loves him at the same time, what he is. Someone agrees with something, someone does not agree, someone condemns his mother, someone does not, someone likes it, but in any case they treat him like their own. And here, of course, there are many intelligent people who write a lot, so something constantly arises here. Higher standards for priests as well.
A. Pichugin
Don't you miss such a measured life?
Ep. Savva
I miss. Sometimes I want to go out into the field.
A. Pichugin
Does it work?
Ep. Savva
Lately it hasn't been possible.
A. Pichugin
Although, on the other hand, the vicariate of new territories, solid villages are under your control ... And some are completely villages on the border with the Kaluga region.
Ep. Savva
Yes. It comforts me, you know. You come there and think: “Lord, what is it here ... There is no Moscow here, neither in appearance, nor in spirit, only names.”
A. Pichugin
God forbid that it was not.
Ep. Savva
Ordinary village. I would like the villages in the new territories to retain their rural identity, this somehow gives a special flavor to the city of Moscow. On the one hand, the city, drive off and the village.
A. Mitrofanova
Vladyka, when we say “village,” a rather dull picture arises in our heads that people have nowhere to work, the infrastructure is not well developed. Etc. Compared to a metropolis, people there have much fewer opportunities to realize themselves, to find themselves. Therefore, there are not many young people there. Everyone who wants to realize themselves, they go to big cities. You lived there a lot, and I see that this life is spiritually close and understandable to you. What needs to be done to change this situation? Or do you not need to change?
Ep. Savva
I think it needs to be changed. How to attract? I don't know what administrative measures the state should take, let the people who are responsible for it decide. But I will give you a simple example of how the presence of a priest in the village turns the whole way of life in the village into a much more positive perspective.
I had a familiar priest who came from Moscow, left Moscow, thought, well, what is it, he says, I spend most of my life in traffic jams, I would rather devote part of this life to something more important, do something good for people . He came to us in the Yaroslavl diocese, he was assigned a village where he settled, began to restore the parish. Part of the land was donated to him, a farm was donated to the parish. He began to engage, as they say now, in the rehabilitation of the inhabitants, who drank sadly there, mainly the male part. And he gave them the opportunity to work on these farms, to engage in agriculture.
A. Mitrofanova
And paid money for it?
Ep. Savva
A. Pichugin
I have a feeling that I saw a report about him on TV.
Ep. Savva
Yes. If you want, this is the village of Davydovo, Yaroslavl region. There is such a priest as Father Vladimir Klimzo, my friend, who is now engaged in some kind of good deed. He now organizes summer camps for disabled children. He opened a gymnasium, where his mother, who is a candidate of biological sciences, is the director and teaches, his whole family is there. The children gave birth to grandchildren to him, the children are engaged in the gymnasium, and in the parish, and in this agriculture. Young people came there, his children live there, and here is the gymnasium. And there is a hospital, probably not far away. The parishioners also stood up for it not to be closed. And somehow people forgot about the special conditions, that something is necessary for everyday life, so they followed this priest and do not regret it, I see that the village is developing. It came to life, it became different. Of course, there are also temptations, without them it is also impossible. But it turns out that he was engaged in the restoration of the temple, and restored his entire parish and residents. And now the hands do not reach the final restoration of the temple, because so many problems have arisen: either in the gymnasium, or on the farm.
A. Pichugin
Well, the temple, probably, is also almost restored?
Ep. Savva
Almost yes.
A. Mitrofanova
Well done. But not all the same, probably, they can.
Ep. Savva
- This is one example of how we can revive. It is very important that the priest lives in the parish. It is very important. And the priesthood always talks about it. Not everyone, of course, can afford it, but here you need to be devoted to your work, devoted service to God and neighbor.
A. Mitrofanova
And if you imagine that it was not a priest who came to this village, but just a very good person with a specialized education. He starts farming, and everything is the same, only he is not a priest.
Ep. Savva
It's also possible. There are such cases.
A. Pichugin
Just a few days ago, about one of these people who came to the village to die, after he was diagnosed with cancer, from which, by the way, he was cured, he has a developing collective farm, he began to print his own money, the plot was dedicated to this (laughs ).
A. Mitrofanova
Why I asked this question. For a priest, the most important thing in life is worship. And Christ is at the center of life. And the preaching of Christ is probably the most important thing.
Ep. Savva
I do not believe that worship is the very first task of a priest. It seems to me that there is no point in a divine service where there is no parish, no parishioners. Why is it needed? Why is this temple needed? If there are no parishioners. It turns out simply, a monument of architecture, church art, and that's all. Wrapper, no inner content. Therefore, for a priest, human souls are very important, it is important to serve God and neighbors. It is most important. And worship is, of course, important, central, where we unite, where we communicate, where the Earthly and Heavenly Church unites. But first you need to attract someone there, call someone, find some parishioners, those who want to be saved. That's what I think is the most important. These are our people. To whom we should preach Christ, for whom we should also serve, because God does not need a service, we need it. God is a self-sufficient being, the angels sing a song of praise to Him, and what are we here?! Sometimes we can’t even sing normally in church.
A. Mitrofanova
Vladyka, the relics of Demetrius of Thessalonica have now been brought to your monastery. Could you tell what kind of shrine it is, where did you bring it from?
Ep. Savva
They brought it from the Greek Church, from Greece, from the monastery of Panagia Devra, it seems that I don’t remember Greek. It was brought by the guardian of the right hand of the Great Martyr Demetrius, Metropolitan of Nalvs and Vereya Panteleimon. This right hand has been in his custody since 1979. Until 1978, the relics of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica were in Italy. And Vladyka Panteleimon, with the blessing of the Greek Church, was engaged in the transfer from Italy to the city of Thessalonica, Thessaloniki, the current relics of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, myrrh-streaming. And as a token of gratitude, the Synod of the Greek Church gave him the right hand both as a reward and for storage in his monastery, where he lives, not being an abbot, just having a cell, because he likes the monastic life. We communicate with him, he talks about his life. And this right hand now resides in our monastery until February 18th.
A. Mitrofanova
If we are now heard by Dmitry, or in general by people who revere this saint. To meet with this shrine, what needs to be done. Just come to the Novospassky Monastery and stand in a long line there?
Ep. Savva
Now there are no long lines. I left, there is very little. Of course, when such a shrine is brought, which is of general church significance, then it is necessary to observe our city rules. Naturally, we informed the authorities that such a shrine existed. Therefore, according to a certain procedure, the monastery was prepared for the reception of the relics, security measures were taken, which may seem redundant, but, probably, do not wake famously, while it is quiet, let it be better that these security measures be observed.
Of course, I will say that monastic life is dissonant, because we have a lot of barriers, a lot of police, ambulances, equipment, all the necessary sanitary conditions are met. But I think that this is the city's concern for our citizens, so that if these long queues appear, so that they can not push each other, they have conditions where they can wash their hands, drink tea and everything else. So we have kept it all. So far there are no queues. And I think that it is probably good that people can not stand in the cold and quickly go to the relics of the Great Martyr Demetrius. They are in our tomb of the Romanov boyars for convenience. It seemed that it was more convenient for parishioners, for pilgrims, so they are there.
A. Pichugin
Are they coming from different cities?
Ep. Savva
Yes, they already called from Yaroslavl, my native region, and from Nizhny Novgorod, I know, they called, pilgrimage groups to bring buses. We are now distributing them so that they are not at the same time. But they arrived at different times. to distribute the flow. I feel sorry for the people, it's cold now so that no one gets frostbite.
A. Pichugin
Is there a place to accommodate people in the Novospassky Monastery?
Ep. Savva
Well, we don't have a hotel yet. We don't have the opportunity. Our neighbor mother abbess Theophania is building a good hotel, maybe in time we will cooperate with her so that she can accommodate bus groups. But, moreover, they come from not distant regions. I think one day they can do it. Moreover, we set a time to quickly conduct this group. So that she fulfills her Christian, pilgrimage duty and can go home on her way.
A. Mitrofanova
Vladyka, judging by what you say, you have so much administrative work, but a bishop is also a monk. And for you, what is your essence is still more important? Administrative or monastic.
Ep. Savva
Of course, the monastic feat is closer to me. I cannot call my monastic life a feat, but monasticism is somehow closer. This is probably the first one I came up with. This is monasticism.
A. Mitrofanova
And how old were you?
Ep. Savva
For 21 years, I became a monk with the blessing of my confessor, the elder Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan and Kasimov, he then headed the department in the city of Ryazan.
A. Mitrofanova
Have you ever regretted? Many people at 21 think of completely different things.
Ep. Savva
The Lord probably kept me somehow so that I never regretted it. Maybe this is the Lord's prayer. He somehow, perhaps, saw some kind of monastic root in me. And it didn't happen according to my desire. To decide after the seminary - to marry or monasticism. Somehow it all happened suddenly, by accident. Nothing in life is accidental. Vladyka asked: “When will you take the tonsure?” I said, "Bless me." And he said, "Well, let's go tomorrow." I said that I didn't have monastic robes ready, I didn't know you would ask me that. He said, "Well, then let's call the viceroy and ask how many days it will take to sew the necessary clothes." He said "7 days". And 7 days later, on November 27, Bishop Simon tonsured me.
A. Pichugin
Was it not scary?
Ep. Savva
Of course it's scary. When you crawled, there was some kind of excitement, excitement from the uncertainty that nothing has happened to you yet, and maybe you should turn back.
A. Mitrofanova
Does that mean it still happens?
Ep. Savva
From the evil one, probably, it spreads. In this case, the mantle of the monastic brethren that covers you, who perceive you in tonsure, saves you. Not without reason, it is written in the order of rites that the brethren meet you, so that, perhaps, you do not dodge back.
A. Mitrofanova
Is there an opportunity for a monk and a bishop to rest?
Ep. Savva
I have an opportunity.
A. Mitrofanova
How do you do it, if not a secret.
Ep. Savva
Planning a vacation every time is impossible. It's very hard to do. As you plan for some time, there are still some blessings, obediences and difficulties. But sometimes I manage, maybe for 2 weeks, for 10 days, if His Holiness the Patriarch blesses me, then sometimes I manage to get out. I go on vacation to a place where no one can get me.
A. Mitrofanova
And turn off your phone?
Ep. Savva
A. Pichugin
And if you do not keep in mind such a global thing as a vacation.
Ep. Savva
Do you mean rest after a working day? In the summer I have the audacity to ride a bike. They gave me a bike, I like to ride a bike.
A. Mitrofanova
Where do you ride?
Ep. Savva
Basically, I ride along the embankment. Now they have made bike paths, and I was surprised that we have a lot of Muscovites riding. And on skates, and on boards. I like to ride not a sports bike, but a pleasure bike, to see the city. I like to drive, see some buildings, architecture, our temples. It may be surprising that a person in the episcopal rank rides a bicycle in sportswear, but it seems to me that there will be more temptation if you are in a constantly clinging cassock that constantly twists into a bicycle chain ... Not convenient. We consulted with the brethren, the brethren also do not see anything reprehensible, and some brethren also ride with me. I sometimes have a question: am I seducing anyone with such behavior. But I don’t advertise, I don’t write that I’m a bishop on my baseball cap, I just drive like ordinary people drive.
A. Pichugin
And the beard is in vogue now.
Ep. Savva
And the beard is in vogue now. She's definitely a redhead...
(Laugh.)
A. Mitrofanova
I don't think so. Thank you very much for this conversation. And for the story. Some inside information about what a bishop's day looks like, the life of a bishop in a big city.
A. Pichugin
Alla Mitrofanova, Alexey Pichugin, Vladyka Savva, Bishop of Voskresensky, Abbot of the Novospassky Monastery were our guests, all the best, be healthy.
Date of birth: May 10, 1980 Date of consecration: July 11, 2011 Date of tonsure: November 27, 2001 Country: Russia Biography: Born on May 10, 1980 in Perm, in a family of workers. At an early age, he moved with his parents to the city of Kasimov, Ryazan region. In 1997, after graduating from high school, he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. In 2001, after graduating from the MDS, he was placed at the disposal of Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan and Kasimov. Appointed as a teacher of Liturgy and Homiletics at the Ryazan Theological School and at the same time as a secretary-referent of the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Kasimov. On November 27, 2001, Metropolitan Simon of Ryazan was tonsured into the robe with the name Savva, in honor of the Monk Savva the Sanctified, in the Church of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian at the Ryazan Theological School. On December 2, 2001, he was ordained a hierodeacon by Metropolitan Simon, on December 4? became a hieromonk and was appointed senior assistant to the vice-rector for educational work. In 2002 he entered the correspondence department of the Moscow Theological Academy. On October 17, 2002, he was appointed Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Ryazan Theological School. December 9, 2003 enrolled in the 2nd year of the theological department of the Ryazan State Pedagogical University named after S.A. Yesenin and was appointed a teacher of dogmatic theology at the theological department. On March 15, 2005, Pavel, Archbishop of Ryazan and Kasimov, was appointed to the state with the right to transfer to another diocese, according to the petition filed. On April 15, 2005, Archbishop Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov was accepted into the clergy of the Yaroslavl diocese. Carried the obedience of a cell-attendant, Metropolitan Simon (Novikov) († 09/01/06), simultaneously performing various diocesan obediences: secretary of the archbishop of Yaroslavl and Rostov, treasurer and dean of the Nikolo-Babaevsky Monastery. On February 22, 2007, he was appointed Assistant Vice-Rector for Educational Work of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary. On June 14, 2007, he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a degree in theology for an essay on the topic: "The Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery of the Yaroslavl diocese (history, architecture, shrines)". On February 12, 2008 he graduated from Ryazan State University named after S.A. Yesenin with a degree in Theology. On March 18, 2008, he was appointed Vice-Rector for Academic and Educational Work of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary. On April 19, 2009, he was elevated to the rank of abbot. On April 29, 2009, he was appointed assistant dean of the Rostov region and rector of the Ascension-Annunciation Church in Moscow. Yaroslavl. On July 14, 2009, he was appointed Dean of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery. On October 10, 2009, he was appointed abbot of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery. On October 12, 2009, with the blessing of Archbishop Kirill of Yaroslavl, he entered the General Church doctoral program, where he is working on his doctoral dissertation “Avraamiev Epiphany Monastery in Rostov the Great? architecture in its church-historical development”. On July 1, 2010, he was appointed First Vice-Rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary. On November 10, 2010, he was appointed to the post of dean of the temples of the Gavrilov-Yamsky district. By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of March 22, 2011 (magazine No. 33), he was appointed vicar of the Novospassky Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow. By the decision of the Holy Synod of May 30, 2011 (magazine No. 45), he was elected Bishop of Voskresensky, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese. On June 28, 2011, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. On July 10, 2011, in the Vladimir skete of the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill led the naming of Archimandrite Savva (Mikheev) as Bishop of the Resurrection. On July 11, 2011, on the day of remembrance of St. Sergius and German of Valaam, at the Divine Liturgy in the upper church of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill led the consecration of Archimandrite Savva (Mikheev) to Bishop of Resurrection, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese. Since 2011 she has been taking care of the South-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow (Peter and Paul Deanery) Education: 2001 — Moscow Theological Seminary. 2007 - Moscow Theological Academy. Theology Ph.D. 2008 — Ryazan State University named after S.A. Yesenin. Scientific works, publications: Candidate's thesis "Savior-Yakovlevsky Dimitriev Monastery of the Yaroslavl diocese (history, architecture, shrines)".The country:
Russia
Biography:
In 1983-1988 Studied at the Novosibirsk Electrotechnical Institute (NETI, since 1990 - NGTU). After graduating from the institute, he remained to work in a research laboratory, studied at graduate school (in absentia). In 1994 he defended his dissertation for the degree of candidate of physical and mathematical sciences in the specialty "Radiophysics, including quantum radiophysics". Until March 1998, he worked as a lecturer at the departments of Applied and Theoretical Physics and Antenna Systems of NSTU, the last two years as an associate professor.
In 1996 he passed his obedience in the churches and monasteries of the Novosibirsk diocese, in 1997 he visited the Nikolo-Shartomsky monastery in the Ivanovo region as a worker. Since September 1997, he studied at the Novosibirsk Orthodox Theological Institute, finished the first semester. On February 6, 1998, he again arrived at the Nikolo-Shartomsky Monastery for permanent residence.
On April 17, 1998, in the Kazan Church of the Nikolo-Shartom Monastery, Archimandrite Nikon (Fomin) was tonsured a monk with the name John in honor of John the Baptist.
May 24, 1998 in the Church of the Archangel Michael in the village. Archangel of the Komsomolsk district of the Ivanovo region. he was ordained a deacon by Archbishop Amvrosy (Shchurov), on October 4 at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Ivanovo he was ordained a presbyter by Archbishop Amvrosy.
In 1998-2001 studied in absentia at the Moscow Theological Seminary, in 2001-2005. - at the Moscow Theological Academy. In 2006 at the Moscow Theological Academy he defended his dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Theology on the topic “The experience of building a dogmatic system based on the works of St. Basil the Great.”
In 1998-1999 - Lecturer at the Ivanovo Orthodox Theological Institute of the Apostle John the Theologian. Since 1999 - the first Vice-Rector of the Institute. In 2001-2005 and 2007-2009 - Director of the boarding school for boys at the Nikolo-Shartomsky Monastery. In 2000-2005 taught at Ivanovo State University and Shuya State Pedagogical University, in 2005-2014. - in the Alekseevskaya Ivanovo-Voznesensk Orthodox Theological Seminary.
In June 1999, he was appointed acting. rector of the temple under construction in honor of All Saints at Ivanovo State University. In 2005-2006 - Rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in Ivanovo. Since 2009 - Dean of the Resurrection Cathedral in Shuya.
Since 2011 - Dean of the Nikolo-Shartomsky Monastery.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of April 16, 2016 (magazine No. 6), he was elected Bishop of Vorkuta and Usinsky.
April 20, 2016 at the Liturgy in the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker p. Alferyevo, Teikovsky district, Ivanovo region Bishop Nikon of Shuisky and Teikovsky was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
By the Patriarchal Decree of July 20, 2018, he was relieved of his post as rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Sviblov, Moscow. On July 27, by order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, he was released from the management of the North-Eastern Vicariate and was appointed manager of the South-Eastern Vicariate, the Vicariate of the New Territories of Moscow, as well as the deanery of stauropegial parishes and Patriarchal farmsteads in the Moscow region.
Education:
1988 - Novosibirsk Electrotechnical Institute.
2001 - Moscow Theological Seminary (in absentia).
2005 - Moscow Theological Academy (in absentia).
What prayers should be read in the morning and evening
Hegumen Dionysius (Shlenov)
Temple of the Life-Giving Trinity on the Sparrow Hills of the Revelation of John the Theologian read adapted
The miracle of the prayer “Our Lady of the Virgin, rejoice The prayer of the mother of God is read 150 times
Can a husband and wife be godparents to a child Can a husband and wife become godparents