Ambrose of Optina - prayer, life, temple, icon. Saint Ambrose of Optina: biography, prayer and interesting facts

Ambrose Optinsky
Name in the world	Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov
Birth
monastic name	Ambrose
revered	Russian Orthodox Church
Canonized
	reverend
main shrine	relics in the Vvedensky Cathedral of Optina Hermitage
Day of Remembrance
	eldership

Biography

The beginning of life

Service in Optina Hermitage

Expressions of Ambrose of Optina

Ambrose Optinsky(in the world Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov; November 23 (December 5), 1812 - October 10 (22), 1891) - clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, hieromonk. Glorified as a saint on June 6, 1988 at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; revered during his lifetime as an old man. The prototype of the elder Zosima in the novel by F. M. Dostoevsky "The Brothers Karamazov".

Days of Remembrance:

• October 10 (23) - death;
• October 11 (24) - in the Cathedral of the Optina Elders;
• June 27 (July 10) - Uncovering the relics of the reverend.

Biography

The beginning of life

It is now generally accepted that Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov was born on November 23 (December 5), 1812. Although the sources, directly and indirectly, indicated another date: November 21, 1812 and 1814 (in the certificate of the student of the Tambov Theological Seminary Alexander Grenkin dated July 15, 1836, it is indicated: "... having 22 years of age ...").

He was born in the house of his grandfather, a priest, in the village of Bolshaya Lipovitsa, Tambov province, in the family of sexton Mikhail Fedorovich and Marfa Nikolaevna Grenkov; was the sixth of eight children. His father died early and Alexander lived in a large family with his grandfather's mother.

At the age of twelve, he was sent to the Tambov Theological School for semi-public maintenance. In July 1830, as one of the best graduates, he was sent to the Tambov Theological Seminary. While studying at the seminary, he fell seriously ill and vowed to be tonsured as a monk. However, after graduating from the seminary in 1836 (in the first category), he became a home teacher for children to a wealthy landowner. Then, from March 7, 1838, he was a teacher of Greek at the Lipetsk Theological School.

After a secondary illness, having visited, together with his comrade and colleague Pavel Stepanovich Pokrovsky, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and Elder Hilarion from the village of Troekurova, in the autumn of 1839 he secretly went away from everyone to the monastery of Optina Pustyn indicated by the elder.

Service in Optina Hermitage

On October 8, 1839, Alexander Grenkov arrived in Optina Pustyn. Elder Fr. Leo blessed him to live in a hotel and rewrite the translation of the work of the Greek monk Agapia Landa "Sinful Salvation". In January 1840, Alexander went to live in the monastery, and on April 2, 1840, after resolving the situation with his disappearance from the Lipetsk School, he was accepted as a novice among the brethren of the monastery; he was a cell-attendant and reader at the elder Leo, he worked in a bakery. In November 1840 he was transferred to the skete, where he worked in the kitchen for a year.

Even before the death of Elder Leo, in 1841 he began to undergo obedience with the elder Fr. Macarius. In obedience to his will, in the summer of 1841 he was tonsured into a cassock, and on November 29, 1842 - into a mantle, with a name in honor of St. Ambrose of Milan; On February 4, 1843, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and on December 9, 1845, he was ordained a hieromonk in Kaluga, and during the trip he caught a cold and became seriously ill, having received a complication on internal organs, so that due to illness he almost could not serve.

During his visit, on August 23, 1846, to Optina Hermitage, Bishop Nikolai, at the request of the abbot and confessor of the monastery, Hieromonk Ambrose was appointed assistant to Fr. Macarius "in the clergy". By the spring of 1848, the state of health of a young monk who had embarked on the path of eldership became so threatening that, probably at that time, he was tonsured into the great schema without changing his name, removed from the state and listed as dependent on the monastery. After that, his health improved somewhat.

After the death of the elder, Fr. Macarius On September 7, 1860, Ambrose took over the work of eldership.

Elder Ambrose constantly had some kind of ailment: “his gastritis intensified, then vomiting opened, then nervous pain was felt, then a cold with febrile chills and just a severe fever.” In 1862, Elder Ambrose suffered a dislocation of his arm, the unsuccessful treatment of which further weakened his health, so that he could no longer go to church services, and in winter he could not leave the premises at all. In August 1868, he fell dangerously ill with hemorrhoidal bleeding. Abbot Isaac sent a monk to the village with a request to bring the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God to Optina Hermitage. The miraculous icon was delivered to the monastery. After a prayer service with an akathist to the Theotokos in the elder's cell and prayers, Ambrose received relief from an illness that visited him periodically until his death.

In 1870, he received a rare award at that time - a golden pectoral cross.

The name of the elder Ambrose is associated with the establishment in 1884 of the Shamorda convent. He blessed his spiritual child, schema-nun Sophia, to create a women's community near Optina, in the village of Shamordino, which was later transformed into a monastery. October 1 (14), 1884, when the first church was consecrated, arranged by the labors and prayers of Ambrose, is considered the day of the creation of the monastery.

The abbess Sophia, appointed by him, arranged the monastic life of the monastery during the four years of her rectorship. After her death, Elder Ambrose blessed another spiritual daughter, the nun Euphrosyne, to be abbess, whom at the end of her life he did not bless to retire, despite her illnesses.

In the Shamorda monastery founded with his blessing, he died on October 10, 1891. On his marble headstone are engraved the words of the Apostle Paul:

Meetings, conversations, lectures

Evgeny Pogozhev (Poselyanin) said:

V. V. Rozanov wrote:

Expressions of Ambrose of Optina

Spiritual legacy of Elder Ambrose

• Reply to those favorable to the Latin Church
• Fear of God
• Pater. Christian marriage
• Advice for spouses and parents

Saints

In the world Grenkov Alexander Mikhailovich, was born on November 23, in the village of Bolshaya Lipovitsa, Tambov province, in the family of a sexton.

After his recovery, he did not forget his vow, but for several years he put off his fulfillment, “shrinking,” as he put it. However, his conscience did not give him rest. And the more time passed, the more painful the pangs of conscience became. Periods of carefree fun and carelessness gave way to periods of acute melancholy and sadness, intense prayer and tears. Once, when he was already in Lipetsk, walking in a nearby forest, he, standing on the bank of a stream, clearly heard the words in its murmur: "Praise God, love God ..."

Exhausted from his indecision, he went for advice to the well-known ascetic Hilarion, who lived in that area. "Go to Optina," the elder told him, "and you will be experienced."

He became Elder Leo's cell-attendant. Then he performed various monastic obediences in the monastery itself and in the skete, in the summer of the year he was tonsured into a cassock and was named Ambrose, in memory of St. Mediolan, in the city - into a mantle. In the city he was ordained a hierodeacon.

He possessed an unusually lively, sharp, observant and penetrating mind, enlightened and deepened by constant concentrated prayer, attention to himself and knowledge of ascetic literature. By the grace of God, his insight turned into clairvoyance. He penetrated deeply into the soul of his interlocutor and read in it, as in an open book, without needing his confessions. With all the qualities of his richly gifted soul, Fr. Ambrose, despite his constant illness and frailty, combined inexhaustible cheerfulness, and knew how to give his instructions in such a simple and playful form that they were easily and forever remembered by every listener. When it was necessary, he knew how to be exacting, strict and demanding, using "instruction" with a stick or imposing penance on the punished. The elder did not make any distinction between people. Everyone had access to him and could talk to him: a St. Petersburg senator and an old peasant woman, a university professor and a metropolitan fashionista.

With what kind of requests, complaints, with what kind of sorrows and needs people did not come to the elder! A young priest comes to him, appointed a year ago, own will, for the most recent parish in the diocese. He could not stand the poverty of his parish existence and came to the elder to ask for blessings for a change of place. Seeing him from a distance, the elder shouted: “Go back, father! He is one and you are two!” The priest, perplexed, asked the elder what his words meant. The elder answered: “Why, the devil who tempts you is alone, and your helper is God! Go back and don't be afraid of anything; it's a sin to leave the parish! Serve the liturgy every day and everything will be fine!” The overjoyed priest perked up and, returning to his parish, patiently carried on his pastoral work there, and after many years became famous as the second Elder Ambrose.

In the elder, to a very strong degree, there was one Russian trait: he loved to arrange something, to create something. He often taught others to undertake some business, and when private people themselves came to him for a blessing on such a thing, he began to discuss with fervor and gave not only a blessing, but also good advice. It remains completely incomprehensible from where Father Ambrose took the most profound information on all branches of human labor that was in it.

The outer life of the elder in the Optina Skete proceeded as follows. His day began at four or five in the morning. At this time, he called his cell-attendants to him, and it was read morning rule. It lasted more than two hours, after which the cell-attendants left, and the elder, left alone, indulged in prayer and prepared for his great daily service. At nine o'clock the reception began: first the monastics, then the laity. The reception lasted until lunch. At two o'clock they brought him meager food, after which he was left alone for an hour and a half. Then Vespers was read, and reception resumed until nightfall. At 11 o'clock a long evening rule, and not earlier than midnight, the elder was finally alone. Father Ambrose did not like to pray in plain sight. The cell-attendant who read the rule had to stand in another room. One day, one monk broke the ban and entered the cell of the elder: he saw him sitting on the bed with his eyes fixed on the sky, and his face radiant with joy.

So for more than thirty years, day after day, Elder Ambrose accomplished his feat.

In the last ten years of his life, he took on yet another concern: 12 versts from Optina, in Shamordino, through the efforts of the Reverend, the women's Kazan Mountain Monastery was arranged, which flourished so quickly that by the 90s. 19th century the number of monastics in it reached 500 people. There was also an orphanage and a school for girls, an almshouse for old women and a hospital.

The telegram about the death of the elder found Bishop. Vitaly halfway to Shamordin, overnight in the Przemysl Monastery. The bishop's face changed and he said in embarrassment: "What does this mean?" The bishop was advised to return to Kaluga the next day, but he replied: “No, probably this is the will of God! Ordinary hieromonks are not buried by bishops, but this is a special hieromonk - I want to perform the funeral of an elder myself.”

It was decided to move about. Ambrose to Optina Pustyn, where he spent his life and where his spiritual leaders, the elders Leo and Macarius, rested. The words of the Apostle Paul are engraved on the marble tombstone: All would be to all, that I might save every one” (1 Corinthians 9:22). These words accurately express the meaning of the elder's feat in life.

Immediately after the death of the Reverend, his numerous posthumous miracles began.

A chapel was erected over his grave, which was destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth under Soviet rule. But all the pilgrims who came to Optina prayed and served memorial services for the deceased Optina elders in the place where, according to assumptions, the chapel used to be; they laid out on this holy place a cross made of whitewashed brick. Subsequently, it turned out that the believers were almost not mistaken when they venerated the grave of Elder Ambrose. Honest relics rested one and a half meters closer to the altar of the Nikolsky chapel of the Vvedensky Cathedral

His holiness has long sanctified not only the Russian land, but the whole world.

Rev. Ambrose Optinsky

The life of Ambrose of Optina is rich in miracles. It was on this holy man that the prophecy came true: "The power of the Lord is perfected in human weakness."

Childhood of the future saint

The boy Sasha Grenkov was born in 1812 in one of the villages of the Tambov province. Adopted in infancy Holy Baptism with the name Alexander, in honor of the right-believing Prince Alexander Nevsky (it is on the baby’s birthday - November 23 - that his memory is celebrated).

Sasha's father served as a deacon in the local church, and his mother was engaged in raising eight children.

Frisky and cheerful Alexander loved noisy games, he constantly invented children's amusements for himself and his friends, he could not sit at home. It happened that, having received a job or an assignment, he, as soon as he started, gave up his business and ran away for a walk with numerous friends in the yard.

Alexander's parents, including his grandparents, were deeply religious people, and their piety brought a special atmosphere to the way of the family.

The boy's pranks, even minor ones, were treated by the household as significant misconduct. As a result of the irrepressible energy of the boy, the attitude of the family towards him was rather cold - his brothers and sisters, who had a calm disposition, were loved more and treated them with special warmth.

One day, annoyed, Sasha decided to take revenge on his brother and teased him on purpose so that he would fall under the heavy hand of his father and grandfather. But as a result, both of them got the top of their head.

Read about the saint:

Adolescence. The beginning of the way

The boy's parents tried to instill a love for reading the Word of God, brought him up in a religious direction. Every church holiday, the family went to the Temple of God, the boy really liked to sing there on the kliros.

At the age of 12, the boy entered the theological school of the city of Tambov, and after graduation he became a student of the theological seminary. Gifted by nature, the seminarian successfully studied the sciences, he was easy to study. At a time when his peers were poring over textbooks, Grenkov, once and hastily reading the material being studied, answered in class without hesitation, as if written.

Most of all he fell in love with the Holy Scriptures, history, theological and verbal sciences.

Among seminarian friends, he was famous for his cheerful and kind disposition, he was a sympathetic and cheerful comrade, the soul of society. He was fond of music and singing, loved poetry and even tried to write poetry himself, secluded in the bosom of nature. A poet did not come out of a young man, but being an old man, he was very fond of twisting his teachings into rhyme.

Being a witty merry fellow, Alexander retained deep religious feelings that he had been fond of since childhood.

Icon depicting Ambrose of Optina

parents screwed. Possessing a lively character, the young man thought about entering the military service and did not even guess that the fate of a monk, a heavenly angel, was prepared for him from Above.

Life in the Optina Desert

After graduating from the seminary, Alexander realized that worldly life with its gaiety and entertainment was alien to him and made a decision in secret from relatives and friends, who, perhaps, would persuade him to stay in the world, to leave for Optina Pustyn, which happened in 1839. He was kindly received by Elder Leo.

Soon the young man took monastic vows and was named Ambrose. Later he was ordained a hierodeacon, and after 5 years he was awarded the rank of hieromonk.

Within the monastery walls, the future Saint baked bread in a bakery, helped cooks, was engaged in construction, and brewed yeast. Despite his brilliant abilities in the sciences, Ambrose did not disdain any work, which brought up in him humility, tolerance and the ability to cut off his own will.

Spiritual deeds of St. Ambrose of Optina

In spiritual matters, Ambrose of Optina gradually gained fame as an experienced mentor. It happened that with the blessing of Father Macarius, some monks came to the saint for the revelation of thoughts. The elder foreshadowed a great future for the young monk.

Once, exhausted by fasting and hard physical work, Ambrose caught a bad cold. The disease proceeded very hard and severely undermined the health of the monk, for a long time chaining him to bed. As a result, Ambrose now did not have the physical strength to participate in lengthy monastic services and celebrate the Liturgy. He moved very hard, suffered from shortness of breath and hemorrhoidal effusions, was very sensitive to changes in the weather, and could take only a tiny part of it from food.

In the cell of the monk there were a lot of icons and portraits of prominent figures of his era.

Elder Ambrose did not refuse medical assistance. In his cell, a shelf was nailed to the wall, which was filled with various medicines. Taking them regularly, the elder nevertheless hoped more for the help of God and His Blessed Mother.

In his cell there were a lot of icons and portraits of prominent figures of his era. In addition to the bed, there was a small lectern, at which the elder read the rules, and a table, at which the novice wrote letters under the dictation of the saint. In addition to them, against the wall there was a cupboard, the shelves of which were filled with patristic literature, a couple of armchairs for guests and several chairs.

For days on end the door of Ambrose's cell was open to numerous visitors. Women were forbidden to enter the cell, and a room was allocated specifically for their reception. The parishioners of the monastery received from the good old man consolation in sorrows, advice in resolving everyday issues, admonition, forgiveness of sins, and prayerful help.

Completion of the earthly journey

In the last years of the elder's life, with his blessing, a nunnery, the Kazan Hermitage, was built in Shamordino. Poor and sick women lived within its walls. It was here that Father Ambrose met his death hour, being a completely sick and motionless person. On October 10, 1891, at 11:30 a.m., the elder sighed three times, made the Sign of the Cross on himself, and died. As the Saint had bequeathed, his body was transferred to Optina Pustyn.

Icon of Ambrose of Optina

The body of the deceased did not exude a deadly smell at all, and on the day of the funeral, a pleasant honey aroma began to emanate from him. It is noteworthy that during the funeral, none of the large candles surrounding his coffin went out, although it was constantly drizzling that day.

The coffin, which the men carefully carried on their shoulders, towered over a huge crowd of people who had come to see off their beloved elder into eternity.

The body of Ambrose of Optina was buried not far from the monastery church, next to the grave of his mentor, Elder Macarius.

Miracles and Healings

Many miracles were performed from the relics of the elder, with which Ambrose makes it clear that he does not leave us with his intercession before the Heavenly Father.

K. Romanov, F. Dostoevsky, A. Tolstoy, M. Pogodin came to talk to the Saint.

Read about Christian miracles:

Here are just a few miraculous healings from the elder:

• It happened that, as if by chance, an old man would knock on the top of the head of a guest who came to him in his cell - and that toothache would immediately pass. It happened that some women would come up to him and ask: knock, father, on my head, otherwise I would get a lot of pain.
• A man turned to the elder, suffering from severe pain in his legs. Medicines did not help him, and Ambrose told him to go to Zadonsk and serve a memorial service there for the ascetic Pachomius, and then take a handful of earth from his grave and wipe his feet with it. The patient followed the instructions and the disease immediately receded.
• The desperate mother of a teenager suffering from an incurable disease of the ears and throat came to the elder. She listened to his instructions and learned to pray. At the end of the conversation, the saint gave her crosses and belts with prayers to Tikhon of Zadonsk and Nicholas of Myra. Returning home, a perfectly healthy child opened the door to her.

Rev. Ambrose of Optina

• The young lady suffered for a long time from severe pain in her side. Arriving at the reverend, he ordered her to take a decoction medicinal herb. The patient soon recovered. And her husband suffered from a stomach disease. After praying, the woman asked for help for her husband. And the elder advised him to drink simple dill. Soon the man got rid of the pain.
• The woman had been ill with a stomach ulcer for a long time and the doctors considered it necessary to perform an operation on her. Saint Ambrose gave her an herbal mixture and with its help the disease completely disappeared.
• Many women who had lost hope of becoming mothers, through the prayers of the Saint, became pregnant and gave birth to healthy children.
• The peasant suffered from alcoholism for a long time. It was very difficult for him and he was already ready for suicide. The monk spoke about the reason for his unrestrained drunkenness and gave herbal collection, which completely and forever delivered the man from the disease.
• Turned to the saint and smokers, unable to quit bad habit. They confessed, took communion, and then they could not stand the smell and smoke of tobacco even in their spirit.

Important! The holy relics of St. Ambrose of Optina were uncovered on July 10, 1998. They rest in the Vvedensky Cathedral of Optina Hermitage in the chapel in honor of St. Ambrose.

Watch a video about the life of St. Ambrose of Optina.

Hieroschemamonk Ambrose of Optina was born on November 23, 1812, in the village of Bolshaya Lipovitsa, Tambov Province, in the family of sexton Mikhail Fedorovich and his wife Marfa Nikolaevna. Before the birth of the baby, many guests came to his grandfather, the priest of this village. The parent, Maria Nikolaevna, was transferred to the bathhouse. November 23 at Fr. Theodora was in great turmoil - and there were people in the house, and people crowded in front of the house. On this day, November 23, Alexander was born - the future elder of the Optina Hermitage - the Monk Ambrose of Optina. The elder jokingly used to say: "Just as I was born in the public, so I live in the public."

Mikhail Fedorovich had eight children: four sons and four daughters; Alexander Mikhailovich was the sixth of them.

As a child, Alexander was a very lively, cheerful and intelligent boy. According to the custom of that time, he learned to read according to the Slavic primer, the book of hours and the psalter. Every holiday, together with his father, he sang and read on the kliros. He never saw or heard anything bad, because. was brought up in a strictly ecclesiastical and religious environment.

When the boy was 12 years old, he was sent to the first class of the Tambov Theological School. He studied well and after graduating from college, in 1830, he entered the Tambov Theological Seminary. And here study was given to him easily. As his friend at the seminary later recalled: “Here, it used to be, with the last money you bought a candle, you kept repeating, repeating the given lessons; he (Sasha Grenkov) did not do much, but he would come to class, begin to answer the mentor, - exactly as written, better everyone." In July 1836, Alexander Grenkov successfully graduated from the seminary, but did not go to either the Theological Academy or the priesthood. He seemed to feel in his soul a special vocation and was in no hurry to fit himself into a certain position, as if waiting for the call of God. For some time he was a home teacher in a landowner's family, and then a teacher at the Lipetsk Theological School. Possessing a lively and cheerful character, kindness and wit, Alexander Mikhailovich was very loved by his comrades and colleagues. In the last class of the seminary, he had to endure a dangerous illness, and he vowed to be tonsured as a monk if he recovered. After his recovery, he did not forget his vow, but for several years he postponed its fulfillment, "shrinking," as he put it. However, his conscience did not give him rest. And the more time passed, the more painful the pangs of conscience became. Periods of carefree youthful fun and carelessness gave way to periods of acute anguish and sadness, intense prayer and tears.

Once, while already in Lipetsk and walking in a nearby forest, he, standing on the bank of a stream, clearly heard in its murmur the words: "Praise God, love God ..." At home, secluded from prying eyes, he fervently prayed to the Mother of God to enlighten him mind and direct its will. In general, he did not have a persistent will and already in his old age he told his spiritual children: "You must obey me from the first word. I am a yielding person. If you argue with me, I can yield, but it will not be to your advantage." In the same Tambov diocese, in the village of Troyekurovo, lived the well-known ascetic Hilarion at that time. Alexander Mikhailovich came to him for advice, and the elder told him: "Go to Optina Pustyn - and you will be experienced. You could go to Sarov, but now there are no more experienced elders there, as before." (Elder Venerable Seraphim died shortly before this). When the summer holidays of 1839 came, Alexander Mikhailovich, together with his fellow seminary and colleague at the Lipetsk school, Pokrovsky, having equipped a wagon, went on a pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra to bow to the hegumen of the Russian land, Ven. Sergius.

Returning to Lipetsk, Alexander Mikhailovich still continued to doubt and could not immediately decide to break with the world. This happened, however, after one evening at a party, when he made everyone present laugh. Everyone was happy and happy and in a good mood went home. As for Alexander Mikhailovich, if earlier in such cases he felt repentance, now his vow given to God was vividly presented to his imagination, he remembered the burning of the spirit in the Trinity Lavra and the former long prayers, sighs and tears, the determination of God, transmitted through Fr. . Hilarion.

In the morning, this time, determination was firmly ripe. He was afraid that the persuasion of his relatives and friends would shake his resolve, Alexander Mikhailovich secretly left for Optina from everyone, without even asking the permission of the diocesan authorities.

Here, during his lifetime, Alexander Mikhailovich found the very flower of her monasticism: her pillars such as hegumen Moses, the elders Leo (Leonid) and Macarius. Hieroschemamonk Anthony, brother of Fr. Moses, ascetic and seer.

In general, all monasticism under the guidance of the elders bore the imprint of spiritual virtues. Simplicity (cunning), meekness and humility - were hallmarks Optina monasticism. The younger brethren tried to humble themselves not only before their elders, but also before their equals, being afraid even with a glance to offend the other, and at the slightest misunderstanding they hurried to ask each other for forgiveness.

So, Alexander Grenkov arrived at the monastery on October 8, 1839. Leaving the cab at the Gostiny Dvor, he immediately hurried to the church, and after the liturgy, to Elder Leo to ask for blessings to stay in the monastery. The elder blessed him to live for the first time in a hotel and rewrite the book "Sinful Salvation" (translated from modern Greek) - about the fight against passions.

In January 1840, he went to live in a monastery, not yet dressed in a cassock. At that time, clerical correspondence was going on with the diocesan authorities regarding his disappearance, and a decree had not yet been issued from the Kaluga bishop to the rector of Optinsky on the admission of teacher Grenkov to the monastery.

In April 1840, A. M. Grenkov finally received a blessing to wear a monastic robe. For some time he was Elder Leo's cell-attendant and his reader (rule and services). At first he worked in the monastery bakery, cooked hops (yeast), baked rolls. Then in November 1840 he was transferred to the skete. From there, the young novice did not stop going to the elder Leo for edification. In the skete, he was the cook's assistant for a whole year. He often had to come to Elder Macarius for service, either to receive a blessing regarding the meal, or to strike the bell for the meal, or on other occasions. At the same time, he had the opportunity to tell the elder about his state of mind and get answers. The goal was such that temptation would not overcome man, but that man would overcome temptation.

Elder Leo was especially fond of the young novice, affectionately calling him Sasha. But out of educational motives, he experienced his humility in front of people. He pretended to thunder against him with anger. To this end gave him the nickname "Chimera." By this word he meant an empty flower, which is found on cucumbers. But he said to others about him: "The man will be great." waiting imminent death, Elder Leo called on Father Fr. Macarius and said to him about the novice Alexander: “Here is a man painfully huddling with us, the elders. I am already very weak now.

After the death of Elder Leo, Brother Alexander became Elder Macarius's cell-attendant (1841-46). In 1842 he was tonsured into the mantle and named Ambrose (in honor of St. Ambrose of Milan, Comm. 7 December). This was followed by hierodeaconhood (1843), and after 2 years - ordination to hieromonk.

Health about. Ambrose during these years was greatly shaken. During a trip to the priestly consecration in Kaluga on December 7, 1846, he caught a cold and was ill for a long time, having received a complication in the internal organs. Since then, he has never been able to truly recover. However, he did not lose heart and admitted that bodily weakness had a beneficial effect on his soul. “It’s good for a monk to be sick,” Elder Ambrose liked to repeat, “and in an illness you don’t need to be treated, but only to heal.” And he said to others as a consolation: "God does not require bodily exploits from the patient, but only patience with humility and thanksgiving."

From September 1846 to the summer of 1848, Father Ambrose's state of health was so threatening that he was tonsured a schema in his cell, retaining his former name. However, quite unexpectedly for many, the patient began to recover and even go outside for walks. This turning point in the course of the disease was a clear action of the power of God, and Elder Ambrose himself later said: “The Lord is merciful! In the monastery, those who are sick do not die soon, but stretch and stretch until the illness brings them real benefit. In the monastery it is useful to be a little sick so that the flesh would be less rebellious, especially in the young, and trifles would come to mind less.

Not only through bodily infirmities did the Lord bring up the spirit of the future great elder during these years, but also the communion with the elder brethren, among whom there were many true ascetics, had a beneficial effect on Father Ambrose. Let us cite as an example one case, which the elder himself later spoke about.

Shortly after Fr. Ambrose was ordained a deacon and was supposed to serve the liturgy in the Presentation Church; before the service, he approaches Abbot Anthony, who was standing in the altar, to receive a blessing from him, and Fr. Antony asks him: "Well, are you getting used to it?" Father Ambrose cheekily answers him: "With your prayers, father!" Then about. Anthony continues: "To the fear of God?..." Father Ambrose realized the inappropriateness of his tone at the altar and became embarrassed. “So,” Fr. Ambrose concluded his story, “the old elders were able to accustom us to reverence.”

Especially important for his spiritual growth during these years was communication with Elder Macarius. Despite the illness, Fr. Ambrose, as before, remained in complete obedience to the elder, even in the smallest thing he gave an account to him. With the blessing of Macarius, he was engaged in the translation of patristic books, in particular, he prepared for printing the "Ladder" of St. John, Abbot of Sinai.

Thanks to the leadership of Elder Macarius, Fr. Ambrose was able to learn the art of the arts - mental prayer without much stumbling. This monastic work is fraught with many dangers, since the devil tries to bring a person into a state of delusion and with significant sorrows, since an inexperienced ascetic, under plausible pretexts, tries to fulfill his will. A monk who does not have a spiritual guide can severely damage his soul along this path, as happened in his time with Elder Macarius himself, who independently studied this art. Father Ambrose was able to avoid troubles and sorrows during mental prayer precisely because he had the most experienced mentor in the person of Elder Macarius. The latter loved his student very much, which, however, did not prevent him from exposing Fr. Ambrose some humiliations to break his vanity. Elder Macarius brought up in him a strict ascetic, adorned with poverty, humility, patience, and other monastic virtues. When for about. Ambrose will intercede: "Father, he is a sick man!" “But I really don’t know you better,” the old man will say. "But after all, reprimands and remarks to a monk are brushes that erase sinful dust from his soul; and without this, a monk rusts."

Even during the life of Elder Macarius, with his blessing, some of the brethren came to Fr. Ambrose to open thoughts.

Here is how Abbot Mark (who ended his life in retirement in Optina) tells about this. “As far as I could notice,” he says, “Fr. Ambrose lived at that time in complete silence. I went to him daily for the revelation of thoughts and almost always found him reading patristic books. If I didn’t find him in his cell, then this meant that he was with Elder Macarius, whom he helped in correspondence with spiritual children, or worked on translating patristic books. Sometimes I found him on the bed and with restrained and barely noticeable tears. It seemed to me that the elder always walked before God or as I would always feel the presence of God, according to the words of the psalmist: "... I foresaw the Lord before me" (Ps. 15: 8), and therefore everything that he did, he tried to do for the sake of the Lord and to please Him. Therefore, he always complained, fearing that I might offend the Lord in some way, which was also reflected on his face. Seeing such concentration of my elder, I was always in trembling reverence in his presence. Yes, it was impossible for me to be otherwise. When, as usual, I knelt down before him, to semi To receive a blessing, he very quietly asked me: “What do you say, brother, is it pretty?” Puzzled by his concentration and tenderness, I answered: “Forgive me, for the Lord’s sake, father. Maybe I didn’t come at the right time?” “No,” the elder will say, “say what you need, but briefly.” And, having listened to me with attention, he will reverently give useful instructions and let me go with love.

He taught instructions not from his own philosophizing and reasoning, although he was rich in spiritual intelligence. If he taught spiritual children related to him, then, as if in the midst of a student, he offered not his own advice, but certainly the active teaching of the Holy Fathers. "If Fr. Mark complained to Fr. Ambrose about someone who offended him, the elder would , will say in a deplorable tone: "Brother, brother! I am a dying man." Or: "Today or tomorrow I will die. What will I do with this brother? After all, I'm not a pastor. You need to reproach yourself, humble yourself before your brother, and you will calm down." Such an answer evoked self-reproach in Father Mark's soul, and he, humbly bowing to the elder and asking for forgiveness, left reassured and comforted, "as if flying on wings."

In addition to the monks, Fr. Macarius brought together Fr. Ambrose and with his worldly spiritual children. Seeing him talking to them, Elder Macarius jokingly says: “Look, look! Ambrose is taking my bread!” So Elder Macarius gradually prepared himself a worthy successor. When Elder Macarius reposed (September 7, 1860), circumstances gradually developed in such a way that Fr. Ambrose was put in his place. 40 days after the death of Elder Macarius, Fr. Ambrose moved to live in another building, near the skete fence, on the right side of the bell tower. On the western side of this building, an extension was made, called a "hut" for receiving women (they were not allowed into the skete). Father Ambrose lived here for thirty years (before leaving for Shamordino), serving his neighbors on his own.

With him were two cell-attendants: Fr. Michael and Fr. Joseph (future elder). The chief clerk was Fr. Clement (Zederholm), the son of a Protestant pastor, converted to Orthodoxy, a most learned man, a master of Greek literature.

To listen to the rule, at first he got up at 4 in the morning, rang the bell, to which his cell-attendants came to him and read morning prayers, 12 selected psalms and the first hour, after which he remained alone in mental prayer. Then, after a short rest, the elder listened to the clock: the third, the sixth with the pictorial and, depending on the day, the canon with the akathist to the Savior or the Mother of God. He listened to these akathists while standing. After prayer and a light breakfast, the working day began with a short break at lunchtime. The food was eaten by the old man in the amount that is given to a three-year-old child. During the meal, the cell-attendants continue to ask him questions on behalf of the visitors. After some rest, hard work resumed - and so on until late in the evening. Despite the extreme exhaustion and sickness of the elder, the day always ended with the evening prayer rule, consisting of small compline, the canon to the Guardian Angel and evening prayers. From the incessant reports, the cell-attendants, now and then leading to the elder and taking out visitors, could hardly keep on their feet. The elder himself at times lay almost unconscious. After the rule, the elder asked for forgiveness, "if I have sinned in deed, in word, in thought." The attendants accepted the blessing and headed for the exit. The clock will ring. “How much is it?” the elder will ask in a weak voice, “they will answer: “Twelve.” “Belated,” he will say.

Two years later, the old man suffered a new illness. His health, already weak, was completely weakened. Since then, he could no longer go to the temple of God and had to take communion in his cell. In 1869, his state of health was so bad that they began to lose hope for an amendment. The Kaluga miraculous icon of the Mother of God was brought. After a prayer service and cell vigil, and then unction, the elder's health succumbed to treatment, but extreme weakness did not leave him throughout his life.

Such severe deteriorations were repeated more than once. It is hard to imagine how he could, being nailed to such a suffering illness, in complete exhaustion, receive crowds of people every day and answer dozens of letters. The words came true on it: "The power of God is made perfect in weakness." If he were not the chosen vessel of God, through which God Himself spoke and acted, such a feat, such a gigantic work could not be accomplished by any human forces. Life-giving Divine grace was clearly present and assisting here.

The grace of God, resting in abundance on the elder, was the source of those spiritual gifts with which he served his neighbor, comforting those who mourn, confirming the doubters in the faith, and instructing everyone on the path of salvation.

Among the spiritual grace-filled gifts of Elder Ambrose, which attracted thousands of people to him, one should first of all mention clairvoyance. He penetrated deeply into the soul of his interlocutor and read in it, as in an open book, without needing his explanations. With a light, imperceptible hint, he pointed out to people their weaknesses and made them seriously think about them. One lady, who often visited Elder Ambrose, became very addicted to playing cards and was embarrassed to admit it to him. Once, at a general reception, she began to ask the elder for a card. The elder attentively, with his special, intent gaze, looking at her, said: “What are you, mother? Do we play cards in the monastery?” She understood the hint and repented to the elder of her weakness. With his perspicacity, the elder greatly surprised many and disposed them to immediately completely surrender to his guidance, in the confidence that the priest knew better than they what they needed and what was useful to them and what was harmful.

One young girl who graduated from higher courses in Moscow, whose mother had long been the spiritual daughter of Fr. Ambrose, never seeing the elder, did not love him and called him "a hypocrite." Her mother persuaded her to visit Fr. Ambrose. Having come to the elder for a general reception, the girl stood behind everyone, at the very door. The old man entered and, opening the door, closed the young girl with it. After praying and looking around at everyone, he suddenly looked out the door and said: "And what kind of giant is this? Is this Vera come to watch the hypocrite?" After that, he talked with her alone, and the attitude of the young girl towards him completely changed: she fell in love with him passionately, and her fate was decided - she entered the Shamorda monastery. Those who with complete confidence surrendered themselves to the guidance of the elder never repented of this, although they sometimes heard such advice from him that at first seemed strange and completely unrealistic.

Usually a lot of people gathered at the Elder. And here is one young woman who was persuaded to visit Batiushka, is in an irritated state that she is being made to wait. Suddenly the door opens wide. An old man with a clear face appears on the threshold and says loudly: "Whoever is impatient here, come to me." Approaches a young woman and leads her to him. After a conversation with him, she becomes a frequent guest of Optina and a visitor to Father Fr. Ambrose.

A group of women gathered near the fence, and one elderly woman with a sickly face, sitting on a stump, told that she was walking from Voronezh with sore legs, hoping that the elder would heal her. Seven versts from the monastery, she got lost, exhausted, having fallen on snow-covered paths, and in tears she fell on a fallen log. At this time, some old man in a cassock and a skullcap approached her and asked about the reason for her tears, he indicated the direction of the path with a stick. She went in the direction indicated and, turning behind the bushes, immediately saw the monastery. Everyone decided that it was the monastery forester or one of the cell-attendants; when suddenly a servant she knew came out on the porch and loudly asked: "Where is Avdotya from Voronezh?" Everyone was silent, looking at each other. The servant repeated his question louder, adding that Father was calling her. - "My dears! Why, Avdotya from Voronezh, I myself am!" - exclaimed a storyteller who had just arrived with sore legs. Everyone parted, and the wanderer, hobbled to the porch, disappeared through the door. After about fifteen minutes, she left the house all in tears, and sobbing answered questions that the old man who showed her the way in the forest was none other than Father Ambrose himself or someone very much like him. But in the monastery there was no one like Fr. Ambrose, and he himself winter time due to pain he could not leave the cell, and then he suddenly appeared in the forest as a signpost for the way for the wanderer, and then after half an hour, almost at the minute of her arrival, he already knew about her in detail!

Here is one of the cases of the foresight of the elder Ambrose, told by one of the elder’s visitors, a certain artisan: “Shortly before the elder’s death, about two years, I had to go to Optina for money. We made the iconostasis there, and I had to pay for this work from the rector I received my money and before leaving I went to Elder Ambrose to take a blessing on my way back. The old man, as usual, had a death for the people that day. He found out about me that I was waiting, and he ordered me to tell through my cell-attendant that I go to him in the evening to drink tea. Although I had to hurry to the court, and the honor and joy of being with the elder and drinking tea with him were so great that I decided to postpone my trip until the evening in full confidence that I would drive at least all night and manage to get there in time.

Evening comes, I went to the old man. The old man received me so merry, so joyful, that I don’t even feel the ground under me. Father, our angel, kept me for quite a long time, it was almost dusk, and he said to me: "Well, go with God. Spend the night here, and tomorrow I bless you to go to mass, and after mass come to me to drink tea." How is that so? - I think. Don't dare to argue. I spent the night, I was at mass, I went to the old man to drink tea, and I myself mourn for my customers and think everything: Perhaps, they say, I will have time to get to K at least by the evening. No matter how! I drank tea. I want to say to the elder: “Bless me to go home,” but he didn’t even let me say a word: “Come,” he says, “to spend the night with me.” My legs even buckled, but I don’t dare to object. The day has passed, the night has passed! In the morning I was already bolder and I think: I haven’t been, and today I’ll leave; maybe a day my customers waited for me. Where are you! And the elder did not let me open my mouth. "Go, - he says, - to the vigil today, and tomorrow to mass. Spend the night again with me!" What a parable is this! Here I was already completely grieved and, to confess, I sinned against the old man: here is the seer! He knows for sure that, by his grace, a profitable business has now gone out of my hands. And I am so restless with the old man, which I cannot convey. I didn’t have time for prayer that time at the all-night vigil - it just pushes into my head: “Here is your elder! Here is your seer ...! Now your earnings are whistling.” Oh, how annoying I was at that time! And my elder, as if it were a sin, well, for sure, forgive me, Lord, as a mockery of me, he meets me so joyfully after the vigil! ... It was bitter, insulting to me: and what, I think, he rejoices ... But I still do not dare to express my grief aloud. I spent the night in this order and the third night. During the night, my sorrow gradually subsided: you can’t bring back what floated and slipped through your fingers ... The next morning I come to the elder, and he tells me: “Well, now it’s time for you and the court! Go with God! God bless! Yes, don’t forget in time Thank God!"

And then all sorrow fell away from me. I left Optina Hermitage for myself, but my heart was so light and joyful that it is impossible to convey ... Why did the priest only say to me: “Then do not forget to thank God!?” ... I must, I think, for that the Lord honored me to visit the temple for three days. I’m going home slowly and don’t think about my customers at all, it was very gratifying to me that the priest treated me like that. I came home, and what do you think? I am at the gate, and my customers are behind me; late, which means against the agreement to come for three days. Well, I think, oh, you are my blessed old man! Truly marvelous are Your works, O Lord! ... However, all this did not end yet. You listen to what happened next!

Not much has passed since that time. Our father Ambrose died. About two years after his righteous death, my senior master falls ill. He was my trusted man, and he was not an employee, but straight gold. He lived with me hopelessly for more than twenty years. Sick to death. We sent for a priest to confess and take communion, while in memory. Only, I see, the priest comes to me from the dying man and says: "The patient is calling you to his place, he wants to see you. Hurry up, no matter how you die." I come to the patient, and as soon as he sees me, he rises somehow on his elbows, looks at me and starts crying: "Forgive my sin, master! I wanted to kill you..." you..." "No, master, I really wanted to kill you. Remember, you arrived three days late from Optina. After all, there were three of us, according to my agreement, for three nights in a row they guarded you on the road under the bridge; for money, what are you you were envious of the iconostasis from Optina. If you hadn’t been alive that night, the Lord, for someone’s prayers, took you away from death without repentance ... Forgive me, the accursed one, let me go, for God’s sake, my darling in peace! "God forgive you, as I forgive." Here my patient wheezed and began to end. Kingdom of heaven to his soul. Great was the sin, but great was the repentance!

The foresight of Elder Ambrose was combined with another most valuable gift, especially for a shepherd - prudence. His teachings and advice were visual and practical theology for people thoughtful about religion. The elder often gave instructions in a half-joking manner, which encouraged the discouraged, but the deep meaning of his speeches did not diminish in the slightest. People involuntarily thought about the figurative expressions of Fr. Ambrose and remembered the lesson given to them for a long time. Sometimes at general receptions the invariable question was heard: "How to live?" In such cases, the elder answered complacently: "We must live on earth as the wheel turns, touches the ground with just one point, and tends upward with the rest; but we, as soon as we lie down, we cannot get up."

Let us cite for example some other statements of the elder.

"Where it's simple, there are a hundred angels, and where it's tricky - there's not a single one." "Do not boast, peas, that you are better than beans, if you get wet, you will burst yourself."

"Why is a person bad? - Because he forgets that God is above him."

"Who thinks about himself that he has something, he will lose."

The elder's prudence also extended to practical questions, far removed from the problems of spiritual life. Here is an example.

A wealthy Oryol landowner comes to the priest and, by the way, announces that he wants to arrange a water pipe in his vast apple orchards. Batiushka is already covered by this water supply system. “People say,” he begins with his usual words in such cases, “people say that this is the best way,” and he describes in detail the construction of the water supply system. The landowner, returning, begins to read literature on this topic and finds out that the priest described the latest inventions in this technique. The landowner is back in Optina. "Well, what's the plumbing?" - asks the father. Everywhere apples spoil, and the landowner - a rich harvest of apples.

Judgment and perspicacity were combined in Elder Ambrose with an amazing, purely maternal tenderness of heart, thanks to which he was able to alleviate the most difficult grief and console the most sorrowful soul.

One resident of Kozelsk, 3 years after the death of the elder, in 1894, told the following about herself: “I had a son, he served on the telegraph office, carried telegrams. Batiushka knew him and me. for a blessing. But now my son fell ill with consumption and died. I came to him - we all went to him with our grief. He stroked my head and said: "Your telegram broke off!" and began to cry. And my soul felt so light from his caress, as if a stone had fallen off. We lived with him, as with our own father. Now there are no such elders anymore. And maybe God will send more!"

Love and wisdom - it was these qualities that attracted people to the elder. From morning until evening, people came to him with the most pressing questions, into which he deeply delved into, with which he lived in the minute of conversation. He always grasped the essence of the matter at once, explained it incomprehensibly wisely, and gave an answer. But in the course of 10-15 minutes of such a conversation, more than one issue was decided, but at that time Fr. Ambrose contained in his heart the whole person - with all his attachments, desires - his whole world, internal and external. From his words and his instructions, it was clear that he loved not only the one with whom he spoke, but also all those loved by this person, his life, everything that was dear to him. Offering his solution, Fr. Ambrose had in mind not just one thing in itself, regardless of the consequences that may arise from it both for this person and for others, but having in mind all aspects of life with which this matter was in any way in contact. What mental tension must be in order to solve such problems? And such questions were offered to him by dozens of lay people, not counting the monks and fifty letters that came and were sent out daily. The word of the elder was with authority based on closeness to God, which gave him omniscience. It was a prophetic ministry.

There were no trifles for the old man. He knew that everything in life has a price and consequences; and therefore there was no question to which he would not answer with participation and a desire for good. Once the old man was stopped by a woman who was hired by the landowner to go after turkeys, but for some reason her turkeys were dead, and the hostess wanted to count her. “Father!” she turned to him with tears, “I don’t have any strength; I don’t eat up on them myself, I keep my eyes peeled, but they hurt me. The lady wants to drive me away. Have pity on me, dear.” Those present laughed at her. And the elder, with sympathy, asked how she fed them, and gave her advice on how to support them differently, blessed her and let her go. To those who laughed at her, he noticed that in these turkeys her whole life. After it became known that the woman's turkeys were no longer stabbed.

As for the healings, they were innumerable and it is impossible to list them in this short essay. The elder covered up these healings in every possible way. He sent the sick to Pustyn to St. Tikhon of Kaluga, where there was a source. Before Elder Ambrose, no one had heard of healings in this Desert. You might think that Rev. Tikhon began to heal through the elder's prayer. Sometimes about. Ambrose sent the sick to St. Mitrofan of Voronezh. It happened that they were healed on the way there and returned back to thank the elder. Sometimes he, as if in jest, hits his head with his hand, and the disease passes. Once a reader who read prayers suffered from a severe toothache. Suddenly the old man hit him. Those present chuckled, thinking that the reader must have made a mistake in reading. In fact, his toothache stopped. Knowing the elder, some women turned to him: "Father Abrosim! Beat me, my head hurts."

The spiritual strength of the elder manifested itself sometimes in quite exceptional cases.

Once Elder Ambrose, bent over, leaning on a stick, was walking from somewhere along the road to the skete. Suddenly a picture appeared to him: a loaded cart was standing, a dead horse was lying nearby, and a peasant was crying over it. The loss of a breadwinning horse in peasant life is a real disaster! Approaching the fallen horse, the elder began to slowly walk around it. Then, taking a twig, he whipped the horse, shouting at it: “Get up, lazybones,” and the horse obediently rose to its feet.

Elder Ambrose appeared to many people at a distance, like St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, either for the purpose of healing or for deliverance from disasters. To some, very few, it was revealed in visible images how strong the prayerful intercession of the elder before God. Let us cite the memoirs of one nun, the spiritual daughter of Fr. Ambrose.

“In his cell, lamps were burning and a small wax candle on the table. It was dark for me to read from the note and there was no time. I said that I remembered, and then in a hurry, and then added: “Father, what else can I tell you? What to repent? “I forgot.” The elder reproached me for this. But suddenly he got up from the bed on which he was lying. Having taken two steps, he found himself in the middle of his cell. I involuntarily turned after him on my knees. lifted his hands up, as if in a prayer position. It seemed to me at that time that his feet were separated from the floor. I looked at his illuminated head and face. I remember that there seemed to be no ceiling in the cell, he parted, and the head of the elder seemed I clearly imagined this. A minute later, the priest leaned over me, amazed at what he had seen, and, crossing me, said the following words: “Remember, this is what repentance can lead to. Go." I left him, staggering, and wept all night about my foolishness and negligence. In the morning they gave us horses, and we left. During the life of the elder, I could not tell this to anyone. He once and for all forbade me to talk about such cases, saying with a threat: "Otherwise you will lose my help and grace."

From all over Russia, the poor and the rich, the intelligentsia and the common people flocked to the old man's hut. It was visited by famous public figures and writers: F. M. Dostoevsky, V. S. Solovyov, K. N. Leontiev, L. N. Tolstoy, M. N. Pogodin, N. M. Strakhov and others. And he received everyone with the same love and benevolence. Charity was always his need, he distributed alms through his cell-attendant, and he himself took care of widows, orphans, the sick and suffering. In the last years of the elder's life, 12 versts from Optina, in the village of Shamordino, with his blessing, the female Kazan hermitage was arranged, in which, unlike other convents of that time, more poor and sick women were admitted. By the 90s of the 19th century, the number of nuns in it reached 500 people.

It was in Shamordino that Elder Ambrose was destined to meet the hour of his death. On June 2, 1890, as usual, he went there for the summer. At the end of the summer, the elder tried three times to return to Optina, but could not because of ill health. A year later, on September 21, 1891, the disease intensified so that he lost both his hearing and his voice. His deathbed suffering began - so severe that he, as he admitted, had never experienced the likes of them in his entire life. On September 8, Hieromonk Joseph consecrated him (together with Father Theodore and Anatoly), and communed him the next day. On the same day, the rector of Optina Hermitage, Archimandrite Isaac, came to the elder in Shamordino. The next day, October 10, 1891, at half past twelve, the elder, after sighing three times and crossing himself with difficulty, died.

The funeral liturgy with the rite of burial was performed at the Vvedensky Cathedral of Optina Hermitage. About 8,000 people attended the funeral. On October 15, the body of the elder was interred on the southeastern side of the Vvedensky Cathedral, next to his teacher Hieroschemamonk Macarius. It is noteworthy that on this very day, October 15, and just a year before his death, in 1890, Elder Ambrose established a feast in honor of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "The Conqueror of Bread," before which he himself offered up his fervent prayers many times.

Immediately after his death, miracles began in which the elder, as in life, healed, instructed, and called to repentance.

Years passed. But the path to the elder's grave did not overgrow. Times of grave upheavals have come. Optina Pustyn was closed and ruined. The chapel on the grave of the elder was wiped off the face of the earth. But the memory of the great saint of God was impossible to destroy. People randomly marked the place of the chapel and continued to flow to their mentor.

In November 1987 Optina Pustyn was returned to the Church. And in June 1988, Elder Ambrose of Optina was canonized by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. On October 23 (new st.), on the day of his death (the established day of his memory), a solemn episcopal service was performed in Optina Hermitage with a large gathering of pilgrims. By this time, the relics of St. Ambrose had already been found. All those who participated in the celebration experienced that day that pure and inexpressible joy that the holy elder so loved to bestow on those who came to him during his lifetime. A month later, on the anniversary of the revival of the monastery, by the grace of God, a miracle happened: at night, after the service in the Vvedensky Cathedral, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and relics streamed myrrh, as well as the icon of St. Ambrose. Other miracles were performed from the relics of the elder, with which he certifies that he does not leave us sinners by his intercession before our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be glory forever! Amen

Selected Instructions of Elder Ambrose

"How to live?" - the elder heard this very important question from all sides. He, as usual, answered in a joking tone: "To live - do not grieve, do not condemn anyone, do not annoy anyone, and all my respect." Such a tone of the elder's speech often brought a smile to the lips of frivolous listeners. But if you seriously delve into this instruction, then everyone will see a deep meaning in it. - "Do not grieve," i.e. so that the heart is not carried away by sorrows and failures inevitable for a person, but is directed to the Single Source of eternal sweetness - God; through which a person puts up with sorrows or "humbles himself," and this calms down. - "Do not condemn," "do not annoy." The most common condemnation and vexation among people are the offspring of pernicious pride. They alone are enough to bring down the soul of a person to the bottom of hell; and outwardly, for the most part, they are not considered a sin. - "My respects to all" - points to the commandment of the Apostle: "in honor one another warn"(Rom. 12:10). Reducing all these thoughts to one common one, we see that in the above saying, the Elder preached mainly humility - this is the basis of spiritual life, the source of all virtues, without which it is impossible to be saved.

About how much we care about the body, and how much about the soul

The Gospel says: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul"(Mark 8:36). How precious is the human soul! It is dearer than the whole world, with all its treasures and blessings. But it is terrible to think how little we understand the dignity of our soul. On the body, this dwelling of worms, this fallen coffin, all our thoughts turn from morning to evening, but on the immortal soul, on the most precious and beloved creation of God, on the image of His glory and majesty, hardly one thought turns all week. The most flourishing years of our lives are dedicated to the service of the body, and only the last minutes of decrepit old age are devoted to the eternal salvation of the soul. The body daily revels, as at a rich man's feast, with full bowls and sumptuous dishes, while the soul barely collects the crumbs of the divine word on the threshold of God's house. An insignificant body is washed, dressed, cleansed, adorned with all the treasures of nature and art, and the dear soul, the bride of Jesus Christ, the heir of heaven, wanders with an exhausted step, dressed in the clothes of a wretched wanderer, having no alms.

The body does not tolerate a single spot on the face, no impurity on the hands, no patch on the clothes, and the soul from head to toe, covered with filth, is the only deed that passes from one sinful mud to another, and its annual, but often hypocritical confession only multiplies the patches of his garments, and does not renew them. Various kinds of amusements and pleasures are required for the well-being of the body; it often exhausts entire families, for it people are sometimes ready for all kinds of labors, and the poor soul barely has one hour on Sundays to serve the Divine Liturgy, barely a few minutes for morning and evening prayers, forcibly collects one handful of copper coins for almsgiving, and she is pleased when she expresses the remembrance of death with a cold sigh. For health and preservation of the body, they change the air and dwelling, call on the most skillful and most distant doctors, abstain from food and drink, take the most bitter medicines, allow themselves to be burned and cut, but for the health of the soul, to avoid temptations, to remove themselves from the sinful infection, they do not not a single step, but remain in the same air, in the same unkind society, in the same vicious house, and do not look for any doctor of souls, or choose a doctor unknown and inexperienced, and hide before him what is already known and heaven and hell, and what they themselves boast about in societies. When the body dies, then grief and despair are heard, and when the soul dies from mortal sin, then often they don’t even think about it.

So we do not know the dignity of our soul, and like Adam and Eve, we give our soul for a red-looking fruit.

Why don't we at least cry like Adam and Eve? We, for the most part, care about the acquisition of blessings, only, unfortunately, often earthly and temporal, and not heavenly. We forget that earthly blessings are transient and irresistible, while heavenly blessings are eternal, infinite and inalienable.

Omnipotent Lord! Help us to despise everything that is fleeting, and take care of the only need for the salvation of our souls.

About salvation

While a Christian lives on earth, his salvation, according to the words of St. Peter of Damascus, is between fear and hope, and people are all looking for complete satisfaction on earth, and moreover from a place and from people, while the Lord himself speaks in the Gospel : "In the world you will be mournful." These words clearly show that no matter where a Christian lives, there cannot be without some kind of sorrow. There is only one comfort - in the fulfillment of the commandments of the Gospel, as it is said in the psalms : "Many peace to those who love your law, and there is no temptation for them." If something or someone tempts or confuses us, then it is clearly shown that we are not quite right about the law of God's commandments, of which the main commandment is not to judge or condemn anyone. Each one will either be glorified or ashamed by his deeds. doomsday God's. And still in old testament it was prescribed to attend to oneself and one's own salvation and correction of one's own soul. This is what we should be most concerned about.

Nowhere does the Lord want to involuntarily compel a person, but everywhere he submits to our good will, and by their own will people are either good or evil. Therefore, let us blame in vain that those who live with us and those around us hinder and impede our salvation or spiritual perfection. Samuel lived and was brought up by Elijah the priest, with his depraved sons, and kept himself, and was a great prophet. Eve also transgressed the commandment of God in Paradise. And Judas, and the three-year life in the face of the Savior Himself, did not make him better, when he saw so many miracles, constantly heard the Gospel preaching, but became even worse, he sold his Teacher and the Redeemer of the world for thirty pieces of silver.

Our mental and spiritual unsatisfactoriness comes from ourselves, from our inability and from an incorrectly formed opinion, which we do not want to part with. And it then leads us to embarrassment and doubt and various bewilderment; and all this torments and weighs us down and leads us to a desolate state. It would be good if we could understand the simple patristic word: "If we humble ourselves, then we will find peace in every place, without going around in our minds many other places where the same thing can happen to us, if not worse."

About humility

You need to humble yourself in front of everyone, and consider yourself worse than everyone. If we have not committed the crimes that others have committed, then this may be because we did not have the opportunity to do so, the situation and circumstances were different. In every person there is something good and kind, but we usually see only vices in people, but we see nothing good.

To the question, is it possible to desire perfection in the spiritual life? The elder answers: “It is not only possible to desire, but one must also strive to improve in humility, that is, in considering oneself in the feeling of the heart worse and lower than all people and every creature. It is natural and necessary for a sinner to humble himself. If he does not humbles himself, then humble his circumstances, providentially arranged for his spiritual benefit.In happiness, he usually forgets himself, and attributes everything to himself, to his impotent strength and imaginary power, but only some misfortune visits him, asks for mercy from an imaginary enemy.

The Elder also told how sometimes unintentionally circumstances humble a person: “Once someone arranged a dinner at his place and sent his servants to invite guests. to me?" To this the messenger replied: "They sent good ones after good ones, but they sent me to your mercy."

Elder Ambrose also spoke as an edification to his disciples about humility: “A visitor came to the rector, Fr. Archimandrite Moses, but did not find him at home, he went to his brother, Fr. Abbot Anthony. In the middle of the conversation, the guest asked the abbot: “Tell me, father, what rules do you follow?” Father Anthony answered: “I had many rules: I lived in the desert and in monasteries, and all the rules were different, and now there is only one tax collector: "God be merciful to me a sinner."

At the same time, Batiushka also told how “One kept wanting to wander back and forth, and to Kiev and Zadonsk, and the elder alone said to her: “All this is not good for you, you better sit and do the Mytarev prayer.”

About unbelief

“I once told Batiushka,” his spiritual daughter writes, about one family, that I am very sorry for all of them, they do not believe in anything, neither in God, nor in the future life. It is a pity precisely because they, perhaps, and they are not to blame for this themselves, they were brought up in such disbelief, or there were some other reasons.” Batiushka shook his head and said so angrily: “There is no excuse for the atheists. After all, the gospel is preached to everyone, decisively to everyone, even to the Gentiles; Finally, by nature we are all born with the feeling of knowing God, so we ourselves are to blame. You ask if you can pray for such people. Of course, you can pray for everyone."

Some, the Elder said, renounced their faith in God out of imitation of others and out of false shame. And here is a case: one did not believe in God. And when, during the war in the Caucasus, he had to fight, in the midst of the battle, when bullets were flying past him, he bent down, hugged his horse, and read all the time: "Blessed Mother of God, save us." And then, when, remembering this, his comrades laughed at him, he retracted his words. Then Father added: "Yes, hypocrisy is worse than unbelief."

About repentance

To give a proper idea of ​​the power and importance of repentance, Elder Ambrose said: “What a time has come now! all his sins in detail, but then again he is taken for his own.

The Elder also transmitted an instructive story: “A demon was sitting in the form of a man, and dangling his legs. Seeing this with spiritual eyes, he asked him: “Why are you not doing anything?” everyone is doing better than me."

"Three degrees for salvation. It is said in St. John Chrysostom: a) do not sin; b) repent when you have sinned;

“It happens, as Father said, that although our sins are forgiven us through repentance, our conscience does not cease to reproach us. The late Elder Father Macarius, for comparison, sometimes showed his finger, which had been cut long ago; the scar remains. So, even after the forgiveness of sins, scars remain, that is, reproaches of conscience.

“Although the Lord forgives the sins of the penitent, every sin requires a cleansing punishment. For example, the Lord himself said to the prudent robber: “Today you will be with me in paradise,” and meanwhile after these words they broke his legs, and what was it like on the same hands , with broken legs, hang on the cross for three hours? So he needed a cleansing suffering. For sinners who die immediately after repentance, the prayers of the Church and those praying for them serve as cleansing, and those who are still alive must themselves be cleansed by the correction of life and alms that covers sins."

About suffering

“God does not create a cross for a person, i.e., purifying sufferings of the soul and body. And no matter how hard it is for another person, the cross that he carries in life, but still the tree from which it is made always grows on its soil hearts."

“When a person, the Elder used to say, goes the straight path, there is no cross for him. But when he steps back from him, and starts rushing first in one direction, then in the other, then various circumstances appear that push him again onto the straight path These shocks constitute a cross for a person. They are, of course, different, who needs what. "

“There is a mental cross, sometimes sinful thoughts confuse a person, but a person is not guilty of them if he does not deign to them. When the Lord appeared to her drove them away from her, she called out to Him: "Where have you been hitherto, O sweet Jesus?" The Lord replied: "Was in your heart." She said: "How could this be? After all, my heart was full of impure thoughts." And the Lord said to her: “Therefore, understand that I was in your heart, that you had no disposition for impure thoughts, but rather tried to get rid of them, but being unable to, you were sick about this, and by this you prepared a place for me in your heart. ."

"Sometimes innocent sufferings are sent to a person so that, following the example of Christ, he would suffer for others. The Savior Himself first suffered for people. His Apostles also suffered for the Church and for people. To have perfect love means to suffer for others."

About love

Love covers everything. And if someone does good to his neighbor according to the inclination of the heart, and not driven only by duty or self-interest, then the devil cannot interfere with such.

Love is above all. If you find that you do not have love, but you want to have it, then do deeds of love, although at first without love. The Lord will see your desire and effort and put your love into your heart. “Whoever has a bad heart should not despair, because with the help of God a person can correct his heart. You just need to carefully monitor yourself and not miss the opportunity to be useful to your neighbor, often open yourself to the elder and do all possible alms. Of course, this cannot be done suddenly, but the Lord is long-suffering, He only ends a person's life when he sees him ready to pass into eternity, or when he sees no hope for his correction.

About alms

About alms, Elder Ambrose said: "St. Demetrius of Rostov writes: if a man comes to you on a horse and asks, give it to him. How he uses your alms, you are not responsible for it."

Also: "St. John Chrysostom says: start giving to the poor, what you don't need, what you have lying around, then you will be able to give more and even depriving yourself, and finally you will be ready to give everything that you have."

About laziness and despondency

“Boredom is a grandson’s despondency, and laziness is a daughter. To drive her away, work hard in business, don’t be lazy in prayer; then boredom will pass, and zeal will come. And if you add patience and humility to this, then you will save yourself from many evils.”

“What do people sin from?”, the Elder sometimes asked a question, and he himself solved it: “Or from the fact that they do not know what to do and what to avoid; or if they know, they forget; if they do not forget, then they are lazy, discouraged. On the contrary: since people are very lazy in deeds of piety, they very often forget about their main duty, to serve God. From laziness and forgetfulness they reach extreme unreason or ignorance. These are the three giants: despondency or laziness, oblivion and ignorance, from which the whole human race is bound by irresolvable ties. And then negligence follows with all the host of evil passions. Therefore, we pray to the Queen of Heaven: “My Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos, with your holy and all-powerful prayers, drive away from me your humble and cursed servant of your laziness, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all bad, crafty and blasphemous thoughts.”

About patience

“When you are annoyed, never ask why and why. In Scripture, this is nowhere to be found. On the contrary, it says: “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, the right cheek, turn the other to him also. In fact, it is not convenient to hit the gum on the cheek, and this should be understood as follows: if someone slanders you, or annoys you innocently with something, this will mean hitting the gum on the cheek. Do not grumble, but endure this blow patiently, turn your left cheek, that is, remembering your wrong deeds. And if maybe you are now innocent, then you have sinned a lot before; and by that you will be convinced that you are worthy of punishment. Self-justification, a great sin."

"Father, teach me patience," said one sister. "Learn," answered the Elder, and begin with the patience of finding and encountering troubles. - "I can not understand how you can not be indignant at insults and injustices." The answer of the Elder: "Be fair yourself, and do not offend anyone."

About irritability

“No one should justify their irritability with some kind of illness, it comes from pride. And the anger of her husband, according to St. Apostle James, does not do the righteousness of God. In order not to indulge in irritability and anger, one should not hurry.

About envy and vindictiveness

The elder said: "You need to force yourself, even against your will, to do some good to your enemies, and most importantly, not to take revenge on them, and be careful not to somehow offend them with a look of contempt and humiliation."

One person asked: “I don’t understand, Father, how you not only don’t get angry at those who speak badly of you, but also continue to love them.” The elder laughed a lot at this, and said: "You had a little son, were you angry with him if he did something wrong and said something." On the contrary, did you try to somehow cover his shortcomings?

About pride

A lot of people have nothing to be proud of. On this occasion, the Elder related the following story: "One confessor told the confessor that she was proud. "What are you proud of?" - he asked her, "Are you really noble?" - "No, she answered." - "Well, talented? "- No. "So it became to be rich?" No. "Hm ... in that case, you can be proud," the confessor said in the end.

To the question: how is it that the righteous, knowing that they live well according to the commandments of God, are not exalted by their righteousness, the Elder answered: “They do not know what the end awaits them. Therefore, he added, “Our salvation must be accomplished between fear and hope. No one should ever give in to despair, but one should not hope too much either.

On the meaning of temptation

The freedom of rational beings has always been tested and is still being tested until it is established in goodness. Because without testing, good does not come true. Every Christian is tested by something: one by poverty, another by illness, a third by various bad thoughts, a fourth by some kind of disaster or humiliation, and another by various perplexities. And this tests the firmness of faith, and hope, and the love of God, that is, to which a person is more inclined, to which he clings more, whether grief strives, or is still nailed to earthly things. So that a Christian person, through such trials, can see for himself what position and disposition he is in and involuntarily humble himself. Because without humility all our deeds are vain, as the God-wise and God-bearing fathers unanimously affirm.

The freedom of even angels was tested. And if the celestials did not escape the test, then how much more should the freedom and will of those living on earth be tested.

On the meaning and necessity of fasting

We can see the need for fasting in the Gospels and, firstly, from the example of the Lord Himself, who fasted for forty days in the wilderness, although he was God and had no need for this. Secondly, to the question of His disciples why they could not cast out a demon from a man, the Lord answered: "Because of your unbelief; and then added : "This kind cannot come out except by prayer and fasting"(Mark 9:29). In addition, there is an indication in the Gospel that we must fast on Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday the Lord was handed over to be crucified, and on Friday he was crucified.

Meal food is not filthy. It does not defile, but fattens the human body. And St. apostle paul says : "If our outer man smolders, then the inner one is renewed from day to day"(2 Corinthians 4:16). He called the outer man the body, and the inner soul.

Every deprivation and every compulsion is valued before God, according to what is said in the Gospel: artsiya Heavenly power is taken, and those who use force admire it"(Mat. 11:12). And boldly and arbitrarily violating the rule of fasting are called enemies of the cross, and God is their womb and glory in their shame (shame). And the psalms say: " Lost from the womb“Of course, it’s a different matter if someone breaks fasting due to sickness and physical infirmity. But those who are healthy from fasting are healthier and kinder, and moreover, they are more durable, although they look skinny. When fasting and abstinence, the flesh does not rebel so much, and sleep does not overcome so much, and empty thoughts crawl into the head less, and spiritual books are more readily read and more understood.

And so, if, by the grace of God, you have manifested a good desire to be cleansed of internal vices, then let it be known to you that this kind cannot be removed by anything, except by fervent prayer and fasting, however prudent fasting. And then we had one example of an imprudent post here. One landowner, who spent his life in bliss, suddenly wanted to observe a severe fast: he ordered himself to great post crush hemp seed and eat it with kvass, and from such a steep transition from bliss to fasting, he so spoiled his stomach that the doctors could not correct him for a whole year. However, there is also the patristic word that we should not be killers of the body, but killers of the passions.

About prayer

So that people would not remain in carelessness, and would not place all their hope on extraneous prayer help, the Elder repeated the usual folk saying: "God help me, and the peasant himself does not lie down."

One nun said: "Batiushka! Through whom should we ask for prayer help if not through you?" The elder replied: "And ask yourself!" You remember, the twelve Apostles asked the Savior for the Canaanite wife, but He did not hear them, and when she herself began to ask, she begged.

But since prayer is the strongest weapon against the invisible enemy, he tries in every possible way to distract a person from it. The Elder related the following story: “On Athos, a monk had a starling, a talker, whom the monk loved very much, being carried away by his conversations. on the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ, the monk went up to the cage and said: “Starling, Christ is risen!” And the starling answers: “That is our misfortune that he has risen,” and immediately died. And an intolerable stench spread in the monk’s cell. Then the monk realized his mistake and repented."

That God most of all looks at the inner prayerful mood of a person’s soul, the Elder said: “I once came to Fr. Abbot Anthony alone with a sick foot and said: “Father, my legs hurt, I can’t bow, and this confuses me. Father Anthony answered him: “Yes, the Scripture says:“ With eun, give me yours heart," and not said - "legs."

One nun told the Elder that she had seen an icon of the Mother of God in a dream and heard from her: "Make a sacrifice." The priest asked: "What did you sacrifice?" She replied: "What will I bring, I have nothing." Then the Father said: “It is written in the psalms: the sacrifice of praise will glorify me."

On External and Moral Progress

One of Batiushka's spiritual daughters conveyed to him the following questions of her son: means are not able in the final result before the end of the world to achieve the possible moral perfection of mankind.2. The duty of a Christian is to do good and try to make this good triumph over evil.At the end of the world, the Gospel says, evil will triumph over good.How is it possible strive for the victory of good over evil, knowing that these efforts will not be crowned with success, and that evil will triumph in the end?"

Answer of Elder Ambrose: Tell your son: evil has already been defeated, defeated not by the efforts and forces of man, but by the Lord Himself and our Savior, the Son of God Jesus Christ, who, for this, descended from heaven to earth, was incarnate, suffered by humanity, and by His godmothers through suffering and resurrection, he crushed the power of evil and the malefactor of the devil, who ruled over the human race, freed us from devilish and sinful slavery, as he himself said: "I give you power to tread on snakes and scorpions, and on all the strength the enemy and nothing will hurt you"(Luke 10:19). Now, in the sacrament of baptism, all believing Christians are given the power to trample down evil and do good, through the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments, and no one is forcibly possessed by evil, except for those who are negligent about keeping God's commandments, and mainly those who voluntarily indulges in sins, but to want to overcome evil by one’s own strength, which has already been defeated by the coming of the Savior, shows a lack of understanding of the Christian sacraments Orthodox Church, and reveals a sign of the proud arrogance of man, who wants to do everything on his own, without turning to God's help, while the Lord himself clearly says : "You can't do anything without me"(John 15:5).

You write: the Gospel says that at the end of the world, evil will triumph over good. The Gospel does not say this anywhere, but only says that in the last time faith will decrease: "But the Son of Man, when he comes, will he find faith on earth?"(Luke 18:8) and "Because of the increase of iniquity, the love of many shall grow cold" (Matt. 24:12). And St. Apostle Paul says that before the second coming of the Saviors " A man will appear iniquity, son of perdition, adversary and exalted above all that is called God or Holy"(2 Thess. 2:3-7), that is, the Antichrist. But it is immediately said that the Lord Jesus will kill him with the spirit of His mouth; and will annul him by the appearance of His coming .. Where is the triumph of evil over good? And in general, everything the triumph of evil over good is only imaginary, temporary.

On the other hand, it is also unfair that humanity on earth is constantly improving. There is progress or improvement only in external human affairs, in the convenience of life. For example, we use railways and telegraphs, which did not exist before: coal is dug up, which was hidden in the bowels of the earth, etc. In the Christian-moral respect, there is no general progress. At all times there have been people who have achieved high moral and Christian perfection, guided by the true faith of Christ, and following the true Christian teaching, in accordance with divine Revelation, which God in His Church revealed through the men of God, the prophets and apostles. Such people will also be in the time of Antichrist, which will be reduced for their sake, according to what has been said: " And if If those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened"(Matthew 24:22).

Moral perfection on earth, imperfect is achieved not by all mankind in the aggregate, but by each believer in particular, in proportion to the fulfillment of God's commandments and in proportion to humility. Final and perfect perfection is achieved in heaven, in the future endless life, for which the short-term human life on earth serves only as a preparation, just as the years spent by a youth in educational institution serve as a preparation for future practical activities. If the purpose of mankind was limited to its earthly existence, if for man everything ended on earth: then why? The earth and everything on it will burn"(2 Peter 3:10). Without a future blessed, endless life, our earthly sojourn would be useless and incomprehensible.

The desire to work for the good of mankind is very plausible, but it has been put in the wrong place. Everyone wants to verbally work for the good of their neighbors, and cares little or nothing about the fact that you must first turn away from evil yourself, and only then take care of the benefit of your neighbors.

The broad undertakings of the younger generation about great activities for the benefit of all mankind are like as if someone, without finishing the course of the gymnasium, dreamed a lot about himself, that he could be a professor and a great mentor at the university. But on the other hand think. that if we cannot move the whole of humanity forward, then it is not worth working at all - this is just another extreme. Every Christian is obliged, according to his strength and according to his position, to work for the benefit of others, but so that all this is in time and in order, and so that the success of our labors is presented to God and His holy will.

In conclusion, I will say: advise your son that he should not confuse external human affairs with spiritual and moral ones. In external inventions, partly in the sciences, let it find progress. And in the Christian-moral sense, I repeat, there is no general progress in humanity and cannot be. Everyone will be judged according to their deeds.

Troparion, tone 5

Like a healing spring, we flow to you, Ambrose, our father! You truly instruct us on the path of salvation, protect us from troubles and misfortunes with prayers, console us in bodily and spiritual sorrows, and even teach us humility, patience and love. Pray earnestly the Lover of Christ and the Intercessor that our souls be saved.

Kontakion, tone 2

Having fulfilled the covenant of the Chief Shepherd, thou hast inherited the grace of the elders, aching at heart for all those who come to you. In the same way, we, your children, cry with love to you: Holy Father Ambrose, pray to Christ God that our souls be saved.

Prayer

O GREAT OLDER and servant of God, reverend Father Ambrose, Praise to the Optina monastery and all Russia to the teacher of piety! Wishing to work for the Lord, you were lazy in labor, in vigil, in prayers and fasts, you labored, and you were a mentor to monastics and to all people, a beloved teacher.

We glorify your humble life in Christ, for the sake of which God exalted you still on earth, and most of all crowned you with heavenly glory in the chamber of eternal glory.

Accept now the prayer of us who honor you, and be our immutable patron. Deliver us from mournful circumstances, mental and bodily ailments, from crafty and disorderly people, and from sinful falls. Ask our Fatherland for peace, silence, spiritual renewal and unshakable prosperity. Pray to the merciful Lord, may everything be sent down to us, even for the benefit and salvation of our souls, and may our life end in repentance and observance of His commandments. On the Day of Judgment, may it honor us with the right to stand and eternal life in the Kingdom of His glory. Amen.

In the history of our country, as well as in world history, there are saints who are, as it were, "mileposts" on the way to the Almighty. One of these righteous people was the Monk Ambrose of Optina, whose memory is celebrated on October 23.

The future great Optina elder Hieroschemamonk Ambrose was born on December 4, 1812 in the village of Bolshaya Lipovitsa, Tambov province, into a large family of sexton Mikhail Fedorovich Grenkov and his wife Marfa Nikolaevna. At the age of 12, Sasha (that was his name) was sent to the first class of the Tambov Theological School, after which in 1830 he entered the Tambov Theological Seminary. Six years later, the studies were successfully completed, but Alexander did not enter the theological academy. He did not become a priest either. For some time he was a home teacher in a landowner's family, and then a teacher at the Lipetsk Theological School.

At the age of 27, tormented by reproaches of conscience about his unfulfilled vow, given to God in the last class of the seminary - to be tonsured as a monk if he recovers from a serious illness - Alexander Mikhailovich secretly, without even asking permission from the diocesan authorities, runs to Optina Pustyn, which was then "a pillar of fire in the darkness of the surrounding night, which attracted to itself all the slightest seekers of light."

According to legend, this monastery, located three miles from the city of Kozelsk, and surrounded on three sides by impenetrable virgin forests, and on the fourth by the Zhizdra River, was founded by a repentant robber named Opta, an associate of Ataman Kudeyar. The life of the monastery was based on the strict observance of three rules: strict monastic life, the preservation of poverty and the desire to always and in everything to carry out the truth, in the complete absence of any partiality. The inhabitants were great ascetics and prayer books for Orthodox Russia. During his lifetime, Alexander Mikhailovich found, one might say, the very flower of her monasticism, such pillars as hegumen Moses, elders Leo and Macarius.

In April 1840, almost a year after his arrival, Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov became a monk. He was actively involved in the everyday life of the monastery: he boiled yeast, baked rolls, and was an assistant cook for a whole year. Two years later he was tonsured into a mantle and named Ambrose. After five years of living in Optina Pustyn, in 1845, 33-year-old Ambrose became a hieromonk.

His health during these years deteriorated greatly, and in 1846 he was forced to leave the state, being unable to fulfill his obediences, and began to be listed as dependent on the monastery. Soon the state of his health became threatening, they were waiting for the end, and according to the old Russian custom, Father Ambrose was tonsured into the schema. But the ways of the Lord are inscrutable: two years later, unexpectedly for many, the patient began to recover. As he himself later said: “In the monastery, those who are sick do not die soon until the disease brings them real benefit.”

During these years, the Lord brought up the spirit of the future great elder not only with bodily infirmities. Especially important for him was communication with the elders Leo and Macarius, who, seeing in Ambrose the chosen vessel of God, spoke about him only: “Ambrose will great person". Listening to the wise instructions of Elder Leo, at the same time he became very attached to Elder Macarius, often talked with him, opening his soul to him and receiving important advice for himself, helped him in publishing spiritual books. The young ascetic finally found what his soul longed for. He wrote to friends about the spiritual happiness that opened up for him in Optina Pustyn.

“Just as all paths leading there converge at the top of a mountain, so in Optina – this spiritual peak – both the highest spiritual feat of inner work and service to the world in its entirety, both its spiritual and worldly needs, converged.” People went to the elders in Optina for consolation, healing, for advice ... Those who got confused in their everyday circumstances or in philosophical searches went to them, those who thirsted for the highest truth aspired there, in this “source of living water” everyone quenched their thirst. Outstanding thinkers of the era, philosophers, writers were there more than once or twice: Gogol, Alexei and Leo Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Vladimir Solovyov, Leontiev ... - you can’t count them all. Indeed, for a Russian person, an elder is a person sent by God Himself. According to F. M. Dostoevsky, “for the soul of a Russian person, tormented by labor and grief, and most importantly, by the everlasting injustice and everlasting sin, both one’s own and the world’s, there is no greater need and consolation than to find a shrine or a saint, fall before him and bow to him. If we have sin, untruth and temptation, then it doesn’t matter if there is a saint and a higher one on earth somewhere, but he has the truth. This means that she does not die on earth, and therefore, someday she will come to us and reign over all the earth, as promised.

It was Ambrose by Divine Providence who was supposed to become one of the links in the line of 14 Optina elders: after the death of Elder Macarius, he took his place and for 30 years nourished the suffering souls.

Elder Ambrose appeared in Optina Hermitage and attracted the attention of exclusively intelligent circles at a time when this intelligentsia was embraced by Western philosophical thought. Previously, he himself was the soul of society, who loved everything secular (he sang and danced well), for whom "the monastery was synonymous with the grave", he understood better than anyone else the spiritual quest of the intelligentsia and with his very life testified that the path he had chosen was the ideal of that happiness to which everyone should aspire.

No wonder it is said: "The power of God is made perfect in weakness." Despite his bodily suffering, which almost always chained him to bed, Elder Ambrose, who by that time already possessed a number of spiritual gifts - insight, healing, the gift of spiritual edification, and so on - daily received crowds of people and answered dozens of letters. Such a gigantic work could not be carried out by any human forces, the life-giving Divine grace was clearly present here.

Among the spiritual grace-filled gifts of Elder Ambrose, which attracted many thousands of people to him, one should first of all mention perspicacity: he penetrated deeply into the soul of his interlocutor and read in it like in an open book, without needing his confessions. And charity was simply his need: Elder Ambrose generously distributed alms and personally took care of widows, orphans, the sick and suffering.

In the last years of the elder's life, 12 versts from Optina Hermitage, in the village of Shamordino, with his blessing, the women's Kazan Hermitage was arranged. The structure of the monastery, its rules - everything was established by the elder Ambrose himself, he personally tonsured many sisters of the monastery into monasticism. By the 90s of the XIX century, the number of nuns in it reached a thousand. There was also an orphanage, a school, an almshouse and a hospital.

It was in Shamordino that Elder Ambrose was destined to meet the hour of his death - in October 1891, at the age of 79.

Teachings and aphorisms of Elder Ambrose:

• We must live as the wheel turns - with just one point touching the ground, and the rest to strive upwards.
• Why is a person bad? Because he forgets that God is above him!
• If you do good, then you should do it only for God, why should no attention be paid to the ingratitude of people.
• The truth is rude, but God loves it.
• From affection, people have completely different eyes.
• To live is not to grieve, not to condemn anyone, not to annoy anyone, and to everyone - my respect.
• Who reproaches us, he gives us. And whoever praises, he steals from us.
• We must live without hypocrisy, and behave exemplarily, then our cause will be right, otherwise it will turn out badly.
• Hypocrisy is worse than unbelief.
• You don’t humble yourself, that’s why you don’t have peace.
• Our pride is the root of all evil.