- a permanent and beloved author of the portal - cares for several villages and hamlets in Belarus. We asked the priest, a journalist by secular education, to talk about the everyday life, sorrows and joys of his priestly service in the Belarusian outback.

Say a word about the rural parish...

A rural parish is strikingly different from a city parish in its composition, everyday life and tasks. For a priest, life in such a parish is a kind of hermitage associated with hard work.

“I read it myself, I sing it myself, I serve the censer myself.”

In the village everyone knows where and how the village priest lives

A rural parish is a test of a pastor, a test of a Christian and a test of just a person. The city priest is visible to most of his parishioners only in the church. Few people know where he lives (except perhaps neighbors), and even more so How he lives. And if the shepherd lives on the other side of the city, then no one will know either his mother or his children. Family life such a priest remains the case personal and inviolable. The village priest does not have the luxury of an anonymous life. In the village everyone knows where he lives and how he lives. Everyone knows mother and all the children by sight and name. Everything that happens in the yard of a rural priest and what is heard from his house will grow like a snowball with fables and myths and will go for a walk from house to house. And these myths are as fantastic as the ancient Greek ones.

If a priest neglects his personal plot (like me, for example), then he will immediately be called lazy. If, on the contrary, he leans too much on peasant labor, he faces accusations of greed. And so it is in everything: no matter what the village priest does, malicious people see all his actions as if through false mirror, a fragment of which hit Kai's eye.

As a rule, such gossip does not come from the mouths of parishioners, but from people of little faith and religious illiteracy. Where do all kinds of slander and blasphemy against the priesthood come from? I cannot say, of course, that the clergy, both urban and rural, are completely sinless - we are all human, everyone can stumble and fall. However, I want to testify that the real reasons for censure are a hundred times less than the false accusations leveled at the clergy. The reason for this is the only hatred of the enemy of the human race - the devil - towards Christ and the entire Christian race. This is what he tells us Holy Bible: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Slander and blasphemy - an integral part of persecution of any Christian, and even more so of a clergyman. Everyone who started going to church experienced the sidelong glances and ridicule of their neighbors, and sometimes even opposition from relatives. Sometimes, in this sense, human madness knows no bounds. For example, I know of a case where relatives deliberately drugged a man so that he would not go to church. So the demons will not stop until they destroy a person and turn him away from Christ. Why be surprised at the slander and curses sent after the disciples of Christ, and even more so at His servants and preachers! To shake the authority of a priest in a village, where the personality of the priest is one of the central semantic figures, is a paramount task for the demon. Well, vainness and blasphemy are small plagues that we receive in the fight against the prince of this world (cf. John 12:31).

While the temple is functioning in the village...

As soon as the temple is closed or destroyed, the village seems to disintegrate

The special concern of the village priest is temple building. Many churches destroyed during Soviet times have not yet been restored, and they will probably never be restored (like the temple in Zhukov Bork, which will be discussed below). If only because some of the villages in which they were built are empty. There is an interesting pattern here: while the temple is functioning in the village, it is as if the heart is beating and blood is flowing through the veins. As soon as the temple was closed or, even worse, destroyed, the village seemed to disintegrate. The temple is always the center of the most moral strata of society. In God is the spiritual nourishment of these people. As soon as they are separated from spiritual food, the village ceases to be a living organism and turns into a faceless “settlement”, where houses “seem beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). During my priesthood, I noticed that if a temple in a village was destroyed and the place is not respected in any way, abandoned and neglected, the village itself becomes neglected. You can see with your own eyes how God punishes the entire settlement for the sin of several generations (some destroyed, others desecrated the ruins). People in such villages are somehow especially unresponsive to preaching. The heart stopped and the blood flow stopped...

When it comes to the destruction of temples, crime and punishment sometimes are separated from each other in time, and sometimes they are so closely intertwined that it becomes uneasy. “It’s scary to fall into the hands of the living God!” (Heb. 10:31).

Not so far from my parish there is the village of Timkovichi. There is a temple there in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The temple did not survive the Second world war. But the bell tower survived it.

They say that after the war, someone really didn’t like the fact that the bell tower with the cross proudly towered over the village. They decided to remove the cross. There was a guy who agreed to climb up and throw off the cross. The volunteer swung the cross for a long time and could not pull it out. Finally, the iron gave way, and the delighted boy threw the cross further away. When he came down, it turned out that the cross had flown into the bushes, and the guy was sent to look for it. The young god-fighter went in search of the last temple shrine, and suddenly an explosion thundered in the bushes. It was an unexploded aerial bomb, which seemed to be waiting in the wings. They say that the guy's head rolled back to the bell tower that he had just desecrated. Now the temple in Timkovichi is being restored.

Main building

The village is empty without a church

Temple - main building among human buildings, and in the village you feel this especially acutely. Let there be a village council, a store, a post office, a school and other buildings, without which daily life is unthinkable. human life, but without a church the village is empty. Just like an apartment - even if you cover it all with vinyl wallpaper, cover it with Italian tiles and fill it with mahogany furniture, the walls will still be bare if there are no icons anywhere, and without the “red corner” it will not be a house, but a barn.

In the city, the temple turns out to be blocked by high-rise buildings and shopping centers- this “prince of this world” is trying to belittle church architecture. And in the city, his deception is partly successful: behind all kinds of restaurants, cinemas, amusement parks and hypermarkets, the value of the church becomes ephemeral in the eyes of the city dweller. For everything to fall into place, we need a “roasted rooster” that will peck and drive the frivolous man in the street to Christ.

In the village, the temple rises above other creations of human hands, not only mystically, but also in reality. It happens that you are driving through some remote village, and then a temple, which is already 150-200 years old, suddenly amazes with its beauty and majesty. However, earlier, before accepting the priesthood, I was only amazed at the splendor of rural church buildings. Now at such moments I still prayerfully wish God's help and support for the rector of such a temple.

The architecture of the 17th-18th centuries surprises, first of all, with its size. Often in a village there are not even a thousand inhabitants, but the church has a population of 500. You immediately think: why this gigantomania, if on Sunday even 50 people are not at the service and the church is empty? The simple fact is that 200 years ago in such a village, almost all the inhabitants were not nominal parishioners, but real ones, and a smaller temple simply would not have accommodated everyone who wanted to pray.

From prayer book to hammer

Now big temple- test of the priest's strength. Where in rural conditions can one find human and financial resources to maintain (heat and repair) a huge building? If you have only 20-30 grandmothers at Sunday service, this problem sounds much more acute than 200 years ago, when the entire village took part in the construction and renovation of the church.

For example, about 30 kilometers from me, there is a church in honor of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The temple is ancient and huge. You look at it when you approach the village - well, there’s no place for such a church in a big city. 11 meters under the dome! These are not toys for you. This is an almost four-story house - inside a church. And outside - more than 20 meters - this is already seven floors of the high-rise building we are used to. Just to paint such a temple requires a lot of money and effort. What can we say about major renovation building?! Father Gennady, the rector of the temple, proudly shows me a plastered and painted piece of the wall from the outside and says:

This is where the funds raised over the year were spent.

“Well, yes,” I think and immediately evaluate in my mind the amount of work remaining. - Made in best case scenario 20% of the total amount of work. This is for another five years, unless finances are miraculously found.”

However, he is not yet in the worst situation, because the Liturgy is celebrated in the church, which means that the community lives, that means a sermon sounds, the word about Christ is heard - and this already gives hope. It is much worse for those father-builders who create from scratch: there is nowhere to serve, but they need to build a temple. The parish is still dead, or, better to say, not born, but he is already entrusted with the work of an adult.

In this case, the priest does not think twice and takes up a shovel, a hammer, a drill himself - as long as things get moving. Of course, not all the work can be done yourself, but at least something!

But even here another temptation lurks: it happens that you work and work, and in the midst of work the following thought comes to mind: “Does God need this work?” In confusion, you freeze in one place, your hands with the tool drop weakly. I immediately remember schema-abbot Melchizedek, whom Father Tikhon (Shevkunov) (now Bishop Tikhon) talks about in the book “Unholy Saints.” Father Melchizedek was a skilled carpenter and from morning to night he made all kinds of icon cases, lecterns and other temple furniture. However, one day he fell dead. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to him and said sadly: “You are a monk. We expected the main thing from you - repentance and prayer. And you only brought this…” and she pointed to the broken and mangled icon cases, icon frames, chairs, and lecterns lying in the dirt.

According to human understanding, it is easier to take a hammer. And spiritually speaking, you need to take up the prayer book

It immediately comes to mind that the Lord expects from every priest the work of a shepherd: prayer, sacred rites and sermons. But you have to spend hours and days doing the work of a builder, accountant, foreman, prosphora maker... Maybe you should just do your priestly work - prayer, and the Lord will arrange everything else himself? You answer this question differently every time. But there is not always enough strength to answer it. According to human understanding, it is easier to take a hammer. As for spiritual things, you need to take up the prayer book.

Reluctant Hermit

However, this temptation is not the strongest in the ministry of the rural clergy. The village priest is a hermit against his will, and everyone knows that one must grow into a hermit. The priest in the village is deprived of cathedral services, deprived of communication with his fellow priests. Often he is forced to serve not when he wants, but when it is possible (because the singers of the rural choir do not receive salaries, like the city ones, and on weekdays they may not be available), he is forced to confess not when the soul requires it, but when the time appears go to the confessor. Of course, you can confess to your nearest neighbor-priest, but these are not always interchangeable things.

Sometimes what’s missing is a friendly clap on the shoulder and the words: “Don’t worry, father, the Lord will arrange everything.”

The village priest relies mainly on his prayer. If he is depressed, he is consoled by spiritual books and the Lord. If he gets lazy, he must pull himself together. A living word of consolation and edification is a spiritual deficiency for the soul of a rural shepherd. And, believe me, sometimes a friendly clap on the shoulder and the words: “Don’t worry, father, the Lord will arrange everything” is so missing.

The village priest is truly an apostle of Christ. As it is written on the priest’s pectoral cross: “Be an image by faithful speech, by life, by love, by spirit, by faith, by purity” (Tim. 4:12). These words apply to every priest, but exemplary everyday It is the rural shepherd who is obliged to show “life” to his sheep, for he lives, as it were, on the top of a mountain, visible from everywhere (cf. Matt. 5:14).

Often a village priest is accused of lack of education, ignorance of etiquette, and covetousness, but few city priests would agree to change places with a rural priest. I think that alone says a lot. Therefore, dear ones, let us pray that the Lord will help everyone to humbly carry their cross for the glory of God.

Four stops

Divine Providence has placed me, an ordinary rural priest, in such conditions that I take care of villages and villages located within a radius of 30 kilometers. I drive these kilometers through different villages and roads, and I encounter absolutely different people. Today I would like to remember some of them. Who knows, maybe a God-loving reader will find something instructive and spiritually beneficial among my rural stories. So, let's go.

Novokolosovo

The village of Novokolosovo is the place of my first ministry. Once upon a time it was a secret part of the allied missile forces. However, the Union collapsed, some were declassified, and the military town is now slowly transforming into a civilian settlement.

Since the people here are mostly visiting military personnel from all over the Union, spiritually there are certain problems that do not exist in other parishes. For example, in ordinary villages almost everyone is related to each other, so there is no strong hostility or hatred towards each other. Again, in villages people are more open and straightforward, accustomed to rural work and land, and genetically more believer in God. When you communicate with nature all day long, your mind inevitably rises to the contemplation of its Creator.

Residents of Novokolosovo are not related to each other and do not work on the land. Maybe that's why they are not so open to each other and to God. 1-3% of residents go to church. And if someone in the family begins to have problems, even of an openly mystical nature, people prefer to endure it rather than simply ask a priest for advice. And to what extent their patience reaches is simply amazing. Here is one illustrative story.

The new residents began to notice strange things: there were footsteps in the apartment, the lights turned on by themselves in the middle of the night, doors opened

Even before my appointment in Novokolosovo, a misfortune happened in the village: a girl in one family drowned. After that, the family moved to another place, and their apartment was bought by a young family - only three people. Soon the new residents began to notice strange things: steps were heard in the apartment, the lights turned on by themselves in the middle of the night, doors opened. The husband and wife, of course, were scared, but they endured. Further more. Soon these sounds began to be supplemented by even stranger phenomena: a drowned girl began to visit the new residents of the apartment. For example, everyone goes to bed, suddenly in the middle of the night the lights come on and a girl appears...

Few people here could stand it, but the new residents continued to endure. Patience ran out one night when a “girl” appeared and brought other “children” with her. They forced the owner, numb with horror, to kneel down and bow to them...

The next morning, the new green residents with trembling hands ran to the parish elder. The priest blessed their apartment, they served a memorial service for the deceased - and it was all over.

This is far from an isolated case when a person prefers to almost go crazy with fear, but for some reason still does not go to church. And when you offer him to consecrate the house, he shies away from you like a leper. Unfortunately, from this case this family I didn’t learn anything special: they still weren’t in the church, and they never got to confession and communion. Therefore, as a consequence of ignoring the visitation of God, new severe sorrows again torment people.

As for the “girl,” it is obvious that she was not a drowned woman at all, but a demonic phenomenon with the goal of scaring people into madness, which is confirmed by the spirit’s demand to worship itself.

Kuchkuns

The village of Kuchkuny is located a little off the highway, but almost every time I go to Liturgy, I turn off the road and drive there. There I pick up Grandma Yana and move on with her.

Yana Adamovna is 84 years old. But it seems to me that she would have lived much shorter if she had not had the opportunity to go to church every Sunday. She is from that breed of righteous people, without whom not a single village can stand.

Yana was born on July 12 - in. Of course, she honors them as her patrons and every year she tries to take communion on this glorious holiday. One day such an instructive story happened to her.

In the summer of 2000, Yana’s grandchildren visited her. On July 12, she, as usual, went to the temple. Then the nearest temple was in the regional center - in the city of Stolbtsy. That's where she went. Everything was wonderful, as always: service, confession, communion. After the Liturgy she got home. Having had a little snack, I lay down to rest and fell asleep.

The Apostle Peter pointed his finger at Jana: “Sorrow!” That's when Yana woke up

And now Yana Adamovna sees, as if in a subtle dream, as if she is standing in the Stolbtsovsky St. Anne Church. The church is full of people service is underway. Suddenly the deacon's door on the left side of the iconostasis opens, and the apostles Peter and Paul in priestly vestments come out onto the solea. The apostles came out to the pulpit, and Peter asked loudly: “Who is Joanna here?” “I,” said Yana, timid. Peter waved his hand and pointed his finger at her and, as if announcing a verdict, loudly uttered only one word: “Sorrow And! Then Yana woke up.

In bewilderment and anguish, she began to turn over her sick relatives in her mind, looking for where misfortune might come from. Confused, she tried to do normal household chores when the time of grief came.

Yana’s grandchildren played in the yard all this time. Around noon, granddaughter Lena lay down to sunbathe and dozed off on the grass. She slept for a couple of hours in the hot July sun, and when she got up, she felt weak. Soon headaches and severe vomiting began, and after some time the girl stopped recognizing her family.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and without further ado the girl was admitted to intensive care with a simple diagnosis: sunstroke. By evening, she could no longer even remember her name. For ten days Lena balanced between life and death, and Yana Adamovna tearfully prayed to the Lord and the holy apostles for the healing of her granddaughter. Her prayers were answered: Lena recovered. Now she's already adult girl. True, she still can’t stay in the sun for long.

I know of several such stories of supernatural visitations in dreams, but it is necessary to strictly distinguish from such phenomena all kinds of empty dreams that haunt superstitious people.

Tulenka

This is a very tiny village. I would not have paid attention to it if not for one funny incident. Once, after the Epiphany of the Lord, when houses are blessed, in this village they served me in a cup instead of holy water... solvent! They got it mixed up, of course. But still: where should you store holy water to make such a mistake?

In general, when I go through funny incidents in the parish, the incident with my friend, Father Pavel, immediately comes to mind. His temple is located in a field, a little away from residential buildings. There you can freely meet both animals and large birds. One Sunday morning, one of those dark winter days when you just want to wrap yourself tightly in the blanket and stay in bed, the priest went to work. He, like any village priest, comes to the temple first - to prepare for the proskomedia.

Father Paul enters the church... and then a shadow on wings rises with a noise from the altar!

And just imagine: Father Pavel calmly opens the door, enters the church, turns on the light... and then a shadow on wings rises noisily from the altar! Father Pavel, who had turned pale, froze and almost sat down.

Having come to his senses slightly, the priest discovered that the shadow had nothing to do with spiritual beings. Simply a huge bird, like a golden eagle or an eagle, apparently chasing prey the day before, did not calculate its flight path, broke through the glass in the window of the dome drum and flew into the temple. As soon as the light turned on, the alarmed bird began to frantically look for a way out of the trap. For some time, Father Pavel still chased her around the temple, trying to drive her out of the open door, but the uninvited guest ended up flying into the same hole that he himself had made. What doesn't happen!

Zhukov Borok

This village is located on the picturesque bank of the Neman River. The village is small - there are only 50 houses, but only a third are residential. Actually, it was never a big village, but it had considerable significance.

During the Russian-Polish War of 1654-1667, a battle took place here between the army of Samuil Kmitich and Moscow troops, which were defeated. After one of these wars, a mound grew here, under which, as they say, are the burial places of fallen soldiers on both sides.

Near this mound in the 18th century a church was built in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God. Perhaps one of the reasons for its construction was the purpose of commemorating the deceased soldiers buried nearby. They say that during restoration work in the 20th century, a miracle happened: one man fell from the dome of the church and, falling down, shouted: “Save me, Mother of God!” They say that he hovered in the air, managed to grab a beam and remained alive.

The church, like two others in nearby villages, was destroyed during the Khrushchev persecutions. Only the foundation remained, and through the efforts of the clergy a cross was built in place of the altar. This church will not be restored as the village is almost deserted. But by the Providence of God, in a neighboring village with the unusual name Atalez, a couple of kilometers from here, a temple is being built in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - and this is a kind of sign of spiritual continuity.

Request to God-lovers

Dear brothers and sisters! With this article I wanted not only to show the severity of the ministry of a rural priest, but also to draw your attention to helping churches in villages. In city churches (thank God!), constant donations from well-wishers greatly contribute to construction. In many rural churches, the construction situation is catastrophic, and often villagers are forced to remain without Liturgy for months, because it is extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get to the nearest church several tens of kilometers away. (Public transport in many villages runs a couple of times a day, in some places it doesn’t run every day, and in some places it doesn’t run at all.) Therefore, if you have a choice: to help a church in a village or a city church near your home, help it who needs it more. And this is almost always a rural temple.

If among the readers there are lovers of Christ who are ready for a good deed right now, then I ask you to help one of the parishes, the care of which has been entrusted to me. For the fifth year now, the construction of a temple in honor of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been underway in the agricultural town of Atalez - the spiritual successor of the temple in the village of Zhukov Borok. The temple was designed to be small, taking into account the difficulty of maintaining a church in a rural area. During this time, the building was completed in rough form; all that remained was to complete the interior and exterior decoration of the premises, install the dome, and install communications. All this requires about 15 thousand dollars. I ask you to assist our small village (about 400 people) in the construction of the temple of God.

Possible assistance can be transferred to the parish accounts:

“Parish of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary ag. Atalez, Stolbtsovsky district, Molodechno diocese, Belarusian Orthodox Church"(UNP 601066299)

in Belarusian rubles:

account number 3015062408943 in Central Budgetary Institution No. 624 of Branch No. 500 - Minsk Department of JSC "ASB Belarusbank", MFO 153001601, UNP 100603596.

in Russian rubles charity account:

3135062400498 in Central Budgetary Institution No. 624 of Branch No. 500 - Minsk Department of JSC "ASB Belarusbank", MFO 153001601, UNP 100603596.

in US dollars charity account:

3135062400502 in Central Budgetary Institution No. 624 of Branch No. 500 - Minsk Department of JSC "ASB Belarusbank", MFO 153001601, UNP 100603596.

If you have any questions, write to:

It is no secret that the priests and deacons of the Russian Orthodox Church are divided into two categories, while some are luxurious, purchasing expensive products in elite stores, exchanging foreign cars like gloves, others are trying to buy a cow with their last pennies in order to somehow feed their family. Although, according to ex-clergy, “everything is stolen”...

“God will send,” they say in the Church. And it’s true that God sends sorrows and illnesses to some, and to others money, foreign cars and a comfortable life, as they say: “serve and sleep well.” We will not talk about bishops, these are the so-called “top managers” of the Russian Orthodox Church and, managing the regions, they do not live poorly. As proof - the motorcades of the patriarch and the foreign cars of the metropolitans.

This article will focus on simple and not so Ural priests. Let’s say right away that they themselves value their cross and do not want to be banned from serving (translated into worldly language as dismissal), so they flatly refuse to talk to journalists’ questions about money and salaries. But there are clergy “under ban”, fired, they have nothing to hide and they openly tell the truth, but the Russian Orthodox Church does not comment on this truth and tries to avoid any mention of income at all.

“Give me a penny and I’ll pray”

“I apologize that I have to get to know you through a request. It’s very awkward and inconvenient, but I just don’t know where or who else to turn to. There are seven of us in our family, me, my wife, four children and my wife’s mother, who is my dependent. I would not write this letter if I had the opportunity to earn extra money, but in the village there is no work, and as a clergyman I simply have no other income. We have urgent repairs in the house related to heating, winter is ahead and the house requires insulation from the outside. We took out a loan to build an extension to our house due to the birth of children. This is a big expense for us, and we need to pay for repairs and materials. The extension was built, but there are a lot of unfinished parts in it,” -

Later, realizing that the media had created a stir around his problems, he retracted his words. He really faces no help from the Kurgan diocese, but most likely the local bishop will find a reason to ban him from serving. Using his example, one can only discuss how priests live in villages.

Village priests are simple and live simpler lives. Photo: V-kurse.ru

All clergy have large families, the Church prohibits them from using contraceptives, and you can’t earn much in the village with income (requirements: baptism, funeral services, prayer services). Moreover, the diocesan administration takes the lion's share of the income into its treasury.

“You won’t give money, you will run a black cash register, buy candles and goods only from the diocese, this is the law. Moreover, for example, for private owners the price of one candle is much lower than 70 kopecks, but they are sold in the church for 70 rubles. We are forbidden, if someone is found to be purchasing goods bypassing the diocese, then you can safely go out into the street, taking off your pectoral cross,” said one priest, asking not to even use his first and last name.

By church parish and expense

As for small towns, for example, Kamyshlov, Sverdlovsk region. The priests there live relatively well. At least they have real estate, equipment and no sponsors.

“Our priests live well, here is the rector of the church under construction on Konstantinovka, Father Oleg, who is finishing his house, and he seems to have six children, all well-fed and well dressed, he has a car. The rector of the Intercession Cathedral, Father Pavel Kulbitsky, also has his own apartment, and a lot of people go to the Intercession Cathedral. Things are, of course, worse for Father Igor in the village of Obukhovskoye. My family and I rent a house, but he seems to have an apartment in Yekaterinburg, which he rents out, and they live with this money in Obukhovsky. The temple is being restored, but due to lack of money it is not happening quickly,” say the Orthodox Kamyshlovites.

Intercession Cathedral in Kamyshlov

City "hieromagnates"

Of course, lucky are those who serve and work in big cities, for example, in Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil. There are more believers here, they are richer, and the prices for baptisms, weddings, funeral services and the blessing of cars (by the way, in some cases depends on the price of the car) are much higher.

Archimandrite Hermogenes, rector of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Yekaterinburg. Far from being a poor priest, even though he is a monk

“About how the priests I know live in Yekaterinburg and the region. They live, it must be said, differently. The average salary of a priest in Yekaterinburg ranges from 20 to 35 thousand rubles (depending on the parish). However, a priest’s income is not limited to his salary. In addition to the salary, the priest performs services (blessing of apartments, cars, crosses, funeral services, etc.), which can bring up to 50-75% of the salary per month. The priest also has the opportunity to take the “memorial service” home, those alms of food (cereals, butter, canned food) that are brought to the temple to commemorate the dead. That is, if a priest has a salary of 35, then with his requirements he gets 50-60 thousand on average. In principle, it’s very good for the city,” says a former seminarian and opposition member of the Russian Orthodox Church. Victor Norkin.

According to him, the difference between urban and rural clergy is colossal.

“The situation in the village is different. There, the average salary in parishes ranges from 8 to 15 thousand rubles. Requirements are limited compared to the city. In the summer, income from services increases due to regular baptisms, but mainly village parishes survive by holding funeral services for local residents. Unfortunately, everything is in order with mortality in Russia. Well, of course, the abbots of the temples stand apart. They have no salary cap; all finances of the temple (after paying taxes to the bishop) remain with the rector. Therefore, a number of abbots in Yekaterinburg have several apartments in new buildings, high-quality European or Japanese cars, and the opportunity to buy any products without taking into account the economic crisis. Quite a prosperous life. There is a huge gap between the average priest and the rector of a good parish. economically. Ordinary priests bear the entire burden of work in the church - from conducting services, conversations, to performing funeral services and other requirements. The task of the rector is to skillfully maneuver and look for approaches to the bishop, paying taxes to the diocese on time and not leaving his pocket empty,” Norkin emphasized.

The ex-clergyman, who at one time was banned because he married a second time, also agrees with him.

“I have my own experience, in 1996 I became the head of the audit group, an auditor of the diocese, I traveled almost the entire diocese, caught swindlers in robes and saw who plows and who steals. Of course, everyone drags, but there is no need to fight. And it’s a pity for this father, most likely he will be banned and will be left without everything, at best for him to come. Blacks never understood the problems of whites; I labored at one monastery. There was one plus all the meat from the funeral service was mine. Poverty is not a vice. I would not compare priests living in the village and the city, namely living. This is as incompatible as a milkmaid and a manager. The peculiarity of life in the village is, of course, working on your own land, which feeds you. A city dweller earns money to go to the store, and a village dweller earns by his own labor. There is, of course, a lot of drama in the story with the priest from the Kurgan diocese. But this publicity most likely harmed him. A ban on service and, as a consequence, termination of payment for his work. In simple terms, dismissal. The priest serves in the monastery, which means he cannot perform services without permission, all his income goes to the treasury of the monastery from which he receives his salary. If he served in the parish, it would be easier for him; the parish will always provide food,” says the ex-clergyman.

He is also sure that everything depends on the priest; some live well in the village:

“I myself served both in the city and in the countryside. Family income consisted of money for caring for the spouse's children and donations for performing services (Communion, Confession, consecration of houses, apartments, cars). The difference in the income of a priest in a village or small town with a regional center is simply in the number of these demands performed, well, in the capital they don’t always sacrifice potatoes, they can throw in a fiver. And the most important thing still depends on the priest. If he can communicate with people, lead his flock, love his work, then he will never be left without food, money and attention. If I were him, I would ask to come.”

Dear Metropolitan Kirill and his “bastards”

A separate expense item is the visit of the ruling bishop. Usually he comes to serve the Liturgy on a patronal feast day, for example, on Intercession at the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God; there are several of them in the Yekaterinburg diocese, one of them in Kamyshlov. And if the arrival of the metropolitan is a holiday for believers, then for the rector of the temple it is a headache.

“The average amount for a metropolitan’s visit today is approximately 70 thousand rubles. This includes payment for the choir (about 10), payment for the so-called “bastards” (as subdeacons and protodeacons are called in church jargon - about 20), about 30 for the metropolitan himself, and 10-15 for meals. This is data for one of the temples that was recently consecrated. As for the central churches, I’m afraid the amount will be higher,” says ex-seminarian Viktor Norkin.

Let us note that in the Yekaterinburg diocese, as mentioned above, they do not comment on income and expenses of any level..

Metropolitan Kirill’s meetings are far from being held in an ascetic atmosphere

"God will help"

Let us note that Patriarch Kirill, unlike the same Ekaterinburg diocese, today slightly lifted the veil of financial secrecy. Patriarch Kirill explained where funding for the implementation of church projects can and should be obtained from. According to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Lord God can solve the financial problems of the church. This statement by the patriarch was made at the Church-wide Congress on Social Ministry. The search for premises for Orthodox kindergartens was discussed at the event.

“Sometimes the question arises: with what money? When we opened the first kindergartens in the Smolensk diocese in the difficult 90s, I never asked the question of how much money they would use. I was criticized all the time for this: why are you forcing us, but what about the money? I answered: The Lord will help. And this is not just a phrase to end the discussion, it really is - the Lord is coming to meet you halfway,” Rupolit news agency quoted Patriarch Kirill as saying.

By the way, journalists writing on the topic of the Russian Orthodox Church support the idea of ​​helping village priests.

“In Orthodoxy it is considered bad form when lay people try to advise something to a bishop or metropolitan. And I understand perfectly well with what a grin the bishops will read these lines. Nevertheless, I will say: it is better to cancel one or two festive dinners or send less money to the patriarchate, but find an opportunity to help priests in need. And this help should be regular. The division into rich and hopelessly poor clergy is the tragedy of the Church. I have no illusions: for many bishops, mercy is an unfamiliar and sometimes alien word, but it’s time to change. Priests must be protected! This is not only the task of the parishioners; the bishop can do a lot about this. Including helping with money, if necessary,” insists Sergey Chapnin, in 2009-1015. worked as executive editor of the “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”

So some priests have to go on a diet so that their cassock can be fastened, while others have to milk a cow between prayers to feed their family. But everyone needs to pray, in case “God sends it.”

“The measure of a priest’s responsibility is the utmost”

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” These words of the Savior are an accurate description of the modern life of the Church, when everything comes to faith more people, and there is still a catastrophic shortage of priests in parishes. Who is a shepherd and how to grow to the extent of your calling? What is characteristic of modern church life? What exactly is the “harvest” that the worker in the church field is starting to do today? Priest Andrei Lorgus, dean of the faculty of psychology at the Russian Orthodox Institute of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, shares his experience and thoughts on this matter.

- Shepherding... Is this always a calling? Or can it be approached like any other profession?

This is only a calling, it cannot be otherwise. This is God's calling. It is possible to understand this only if you know how to listen to God's voice. However, a person has the freedom not to answer God, and God forgives the person for this, but takes away the gift.

However, already within the framework of vocation there is what could be called professional growth: the priesthood is a very difficult thing. And those who feel called to this or are blessed by someone should consider their preparation as preparation, including professional preparation.

- How exactly should you prepare?

First, of course, the preparation must be theological.

Secondly - practical. A candidate for priesthood must know the Rule not only from books, as they study in seminary, but also in practice. It is clear from the first minute the seminarian appears at the altar: who came from the church, and who from school, or from the army, or from somewhere else.

Thirdly, it is very important to have life experience, this is the “gold reserve” of a candidate for priesthood. That is why 30 years is the optimal age for consecration; here we are talking about a mature personality.

Fourthly, psychological readiness is very important for the future pastoral activity of a priest. If a person suffers from various personal problems - neuroses, fears or phobias, certain complexes, then, having become a priest, he will transfer all these problems to his flock. This will be very difficult both for the parishioners and for himself.

Fifthly, it is very important that the candidate for priesthood has at least minimal musical training and voice training. And, of course, it is necessary that he knows the Church Slavonic language.

- What subject is most needed for a future priest?

Item " Practical guide" very important. Perhaps this is the most interesting subject for a seminarian, because there is not abstract reasoning here, but a conversation about the Church, concrete, living, today. But, unfortunately, when the “Practical Guide” was read to us, this course was reduced to an analysis of performing rites; The issues of electing a candidate for priesthood, his preparation, personal and psychological problems were not discussed. Questions of married life, extramarital life, questions of the behavior of the priest already within the parish.

Our modern theological school is structured in such a way that pastoral experience can hardly be passed on to young people. After all, those who teach at the seminary - let's say, in our time they taught - are most often priests who are not familiar with parish life. And the monks, even those living in the Lavra, for the most part do not know what a parish is. And when the priest is left alone - in the village, in the village - with his parishioners, he very often does not understand what to do. I talked to many of my fellow graduates, and they all experienced it the same way: difficult and painful. And some didn’t even survive and left the ministry.

- Can this lack of acquired knowledge be somehow compensated for?

If a young man finds himself in a multi-clergy church and communicates with the rector, with senior priests, he receives from them the most precious knowledge and experience. And when a priest grows up like this in his church, where he is taught and prepared, he experiences all future crisis situations much less painfully and passes obedience more successfully.

The trouble is that a seminarian often receives an appointment to a parish after serving, at best, a month, and at worst, a week in the cathedral. It's not even an experience. This is the most superficial ability to simply perform divine services and services.

I was sent to practice as a priest at the Yelokhovsky Cathedral. On the third day I was assigned to preach a sermon, and on the same day I was sent to confession, which came as a shock to me. No one bothered to warn me what I would hear, how to feel about it, or how to endure it. And no one asked me then: “Well, how are you?” They looked from the outside: alive, standing, reading a prayer...

Later, after going through hundreds and thousands of these confessions, you become more calm about everything you hear. But the first confession is always a shock for a young priest. However, no one ever told me about this. Even when they were ordained.

Although in general I was lucky: I came to the seminary with great experience reader and altar boy. And I was lucky that I accepted holy orders after almost six years of diaconal service.

-Who was your confessor?

Archpriest Vladimir Rozhkov, now deceased. He was the rector of the Nikolo-Kuznetsk Church. He baptized me. He taught me, guided me somehow, took me to church, and I worked in his church, then served with him as a deacon. That is, I spent my entire church life with him until his death. As for my continuity in relation to him, of course there is. But it concerns more liturgical issues than pastoral issues. I have never met anyone else who celebrated the liturgy like he did.

It's hard to describe in words. This is the gift of the Spirit, the way he served - fiery... It was very scary. He stood before the Lord personally, he prayed with tears, he captivated us with his prayer and voice directly to God.

One woman expressed this so well: “I usually come to the early liturgy, and the priest always serves the late one. But one day I was late, and I had to leave at the moment when the late liturgy began. I had already turned to leave, and suddenly I heard behind me, as if God Himself was calling to me: “Where are you going?” In fact, it was the priest’s exclamation “Blessed is the Kingdom...”. But I realized that I had to either stay with this voice or run away.” This could not be treated as something that happens every day in the church. Her story reveals the most superficial, but very true attitude towards his ministry. With him it was necessary to pray throughout the Liturgy to the end or not to pray at all. It was impossible to remain indifferent. Unfortunately, not many of the employees understood this.

Someone said that he serves theatrically, artistically, unconventionally. However, he served quite traditionally, never broke the rules, although given his experience of serving both in Slavic countries and in the East... With all this, he never added anything to the rite of the liturgy - just like, for example, Elder Kuksha in the Carpathians , or Saint Athanasius (Sakharov), or Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh... But the way he himself served and how he burned at the liturgy was the most important thing that he passed on to us, his students. Or rather, he didn’t convey it, but showed how you can serve without telling any of us anything. And he became for me the person from whom I learned to believe in God, to be with the Church, no matter what, and to serve the Divine Liturgy. These are the gifts I received from my spiritual father. Enough for me. This is already a lot.

It is often said that continuity in monastic life has been broken. What can be said in this regard about the life of the church?

Judging by what can be read about the spiritual tradition in the Russian Church before the revolution, even before the war, now the tradition has been stopped, both in monasticism and in shepherding. Moreover, somehow unexpectedly, the spiritual tradition that existed before perestroika seemed to “vanish away” with the arrival of completely new generations.

In the mid-80s and early 90s, a lot of people poured into the Church. And the “pre-perestroika” Church found itself in the minority numerically. New generations brought their own spirit, and this spirit... it was complex. It was a neophyte, sort of “Soviet” spirit. Without sufficient education, without experience of gradual churching, these people brought into the life of the Church a lot of things that were alien to it. A whole series of problems and phenomena have appeared that did not exist before. Nobody suspected that they would arise.

- For example?

Many elders appeared. And where from, if they weren’t there before? Before perestroika there was Father John (Krestyankin). Everyone knew him. There was Father Vasily from Vaska-Narva. Many people went to see him. Few people had heard of Nikolai Guryanov’s father back then. There were only four monasteries.

And then... new monasteries appeared, in which they immediately “started up” like the elder. And, of course, this phenomenon of the 90s - such an abundance of elders - causes amazement among people with “pre-perestroika” church experience: where did they come from? Who led them along the path of life? In what monasteries were they raised?

There weren't any before. And there was no young age before perestroika...

- What is the difference between young age and attempts to simply sincerely give advice and help a person?

When a young priest gives advice on some spiritual issue, that’s one thing. But when he says: “I bless you to leave work...”, or “to get a divorce,” or “to marry this girl,” this is young age. That is, firstly, this is the boldness to advise on something in which the priest is not called to such advice at all, and secondly, if he is called, then only an experienced priest, and very carefully, only in those cases when the question really requires such intervention.

And now, not even young elders, but simply young priests in parishes, undertake to recommend that an elderly person leave his job, or change it, or get a divorce, or something else. For example, a newly ordained priest tells a couple who have been married for 30 years, “You are living in fornication.” This is not only insolence, it is a crime, and it is an insult. Or when a young or middle-aged priest tells a woman: “You should get a divorce because he doesn’t want to marry you.” Who gave you the right to dissolve marriages?! On this occasion, there is a statement by the Holy Synod and speeches by His Holiness the Patriarch at every annual meeting of the clergy of Moscow... And still such cases take place.

And if we talk about the “new” spirit, then, for example, there is an abundance of new akathists, also starting from the 90s, new unexpected prayers. One day, probably in 1996, a parishioner came to us and said: “What is this – “Prayer of Detention”?” As far as my book literacy allows me to judge, none of this happened before either.

- Do you think it’s bad, such new prayers?

It's not just bad, it's unacceptable. Because new prayers must be accepted for use by the Church, and not by someone in private. Besides, this is some kind of gag. The end of the 20th century in Russia is the time for the emergence of home-grown theology, these home-grown akathists, completely marginal inventions like the same “end of the world”, Taxpayer Identification Number, bar codes and everything else. And this resulted in some kind of very dark, wild, obscurantist movement, which is based on monstrous considerations, illiteracy from a theological point of view, ignorance from a scientific point of view.

- Is this a problem only of our present?

- It seems to me that when several generations of people grow up who have been in the Church since childhood, who have gone through Sunday school, the marginal element in church life will occupy a very small place.

If you read Russian literature, you will come across this “element” in history more than once, but before the Church was quite healthy and powerful in scope, so it could not be afraid of this lower layer, although it struggled with such phenomena. This marginal layer is now very large in volume, and it is making itself known, it is shouting, it is trying to dominate. What’s especially sad is that politicians take advantage of this. However, I think that this problem will gradually disappear.

In general, it seems to me that at present, among the people religious life Two extreme “camps” have formed: the realistic-pragmatic one and this very marginal-ideological one. In addition to them, there is a healthy majority who seek prayer experience and spiritual teaching from pastors. I personally feel closer to this majority.

Sometimes they say: “strong parish”, or, conversely, “weak parish”, or generally: “no parish”. What is this, a parish? And how to properly organize parish life?

Parish life is, first of all, life itself, that is, births, living, ups and downs, rebirths and deaths. Every parish has this. There is love, there are problems, there are tragedies, there are weddings and children, there is death and remembrance. But all this takes place precisely in the parish, within liturgical and community life. But in a church where services are simply served, and where one does not know the other and does not empathize with the other, there is no parish.

It is impossible to “organize” parish life in the full sense of the word. It is built around the Chalice, that is, the Church Sacraments, and, in part, around the personality of the priest. This life is a natural flow formed from the lives of the people who make up the parish.

In addition, parishioners need to communicate beyond the liturgy. After they have taken communion, read their prayers, they want to communicate. And it's legal. They should have the opportunity for this - drink tea together, go somewhere, sit, talk, go on a pilgrimage, and this does not cost special efforts as abbots. This just needs to be given some form, direction, and in different churches this is successfully resolved in different ways.

There must, of course, be a certain parish activist who wants to do special things: a library, an almshouse, helping the poor, the poor, orphans, and so on, and for this the parishioners have enough love. And here, again, the abbot should not organize everything himself. He must set the direction and assign the most active people to do this.

- How to make the parish “sustainable”?

The rector and the community are the heart of the parish. And they should be as constant as possible. Then this parish is a single entity, it has a face, this parish is known as a parish and it is stable. There are many such communities in Moscow now, thank God. There are parishes in which the rector has been the same for 15–20 years, and there are those where there are 30. There are few of them in percentage terms, of course, but they exist. Life in them is already established, flows in its own way, and there is no need to start it from scratch.

- What is a shepherd? What is the meaning of pastoral ministry for you personally?

The shepherd is, first of all, the performer of the Mysteries of God. Therefore, his first calling is to serve the liturgy. Secondly, he is a man with spiritual insight. Experience is a personal category. Experience cannot be taken from books, from stories, from tradition. You can only be a person. And at all times it was not easy, and it is not easy now. A shepherd is a person walking along the spiritual path, and therefore he falls, gets up, makes mistakes, learns himself and therefore can teach others.

The path of every shepherd, like every person in general, is individual. No one knows what he will become: neither he himself, nor his spiritual father, no one. Pastors can be very different. One will completely “dissolve” in his parishioners, and for him the flock will be more important than the liturgy. This is also possible, although for me this image rather evokes regret. And the other, on the contrary, will be in to a greater extent serve and, to a lesser extent, engage in pastoral activities. The third will become a “social worker,” paying more attention to hospitals, children, and the poor. The fourth may be a theologian.

That is, there are extremely many areas of pastoral activity, so one shepherd cannot embody everything. It’s easy to make a mistake here, and many of us (including myself) have gone through this temptation: to be everyone in the parish. The rector “must be everything”: he must liturgize, he must confess, he must be a business manager, an elder, a Sunday school teacher and a social leader, and so on and so forth. A typical image of such a workaholic, whose path is destruction. And, unfortunately, we have such examples premature deaths we know a lot. Here, on the one hand, there is pride, on the other hand, inexperience, and on the third hand, there is a misconception about the position of a priest.

If you look at pre-revolutionary priests, they were much more modest. As a rule, the village priest taught at school, perhaps he ran the church farm himself, but a lot was entrusted to the community. All sorts of boards of trustees, the organization of schools, almshouses - sometimes the priest took part in this, but most often this was undertaken by members of the parish council.

- How realistic do you think spiritual leadership is in the parish today?

Spiritual guidance is not something supernatural. This could be one meeting between a person and a priest, or it could be the whole life lived together.

The main thing in spiritual leadership is precisely the meeting of two individuals, each of whom, during this meeting, receives something and gives something. And if a priest, during a meeting with his spiritual child, does not receive, but only gives (or thinks that he only gives), then in the end this spiritual guidance becomes unacceptable for him, and he runs away from it. For both the shepherd and the flock, spiritual guidance is contact with another experience, with another world. Of course, it is assumed that the confessor, the spiritual leader, has more experience than the spiritual child. But this is not always the case. A woman who has lived in the Church for 60 years comes to me for confession. Yes, she has been there since childhood! And I ask her: how she lived, how it was, and I learn. This is very important for a confessor - to learn from people.

And, of course, a spiritual father is someone who himself lives a spiritual life. If he himself, so to speak, vegetates, if he himself cannot solve his problems, then his clergy will be either of little use, useless, or disastrous for someone. This also happens.

- What is the extent of responsibility of a confessor for his spiritual child?

- It is so big that nothing can measure it. The priest is already on trial just for becoming a priest. So what is his responsibility? Limit.

In the prayer for my spiritual father there are these words: “Lord, do not judge, do not punish him for the sake of my sinful life.” Does this mean that the priest “takes upon himself” the sins of the penitent?

Firstly, the rite of repentance itself does not imply any transfer of sins from the penitent to the priest. The priest says during prayer: “I am only a witness.” That is, a witness - and that’s all.

Secondly, the Savior took all the sins upon Himself, and no one else can take on anyone else’s sins. This is ontologically impossible. Sin is not a thing, not an infection, not a virus. I often hear among the common people: “Father is sick because he takes upon himself our sins.” This is not only untrue, it is ignorant nonsense.

- How do we understand “do not judge and do not punish”?

This is another matter. Here again we talk about responsibility: the priest is responsible for how his spiritual children live. No wonder the Russian proverb says: “Like the priest, so is the parish.” But this responsibility is not for the actions of each person (after all, we all have free will), but for the example and experience that spiritual children can see in their confessor.

Sometimes you hear: “After all, they told me this in confession, during the Sacrament.” That is, a person perceives what is said as something especially important, almost a revelation. What is your opinion: there is no accident in confession? Or does it all depend on a person’s faith?

Of course, it happens when you intuitively feel: something was revealed to you at that moment in this particular case about this particular person - what to say to him. And you can’t help but wonder: where from?

But in what form should this be presented? After all, you can say: “Think about whether this will happen... won’t you regret it... will you take responsibility?” The modality of the conversation itself is important. Not directives, but a conversation about “the possible.” And it is always up to the person himself to choose what to do.

As for obedience... For example, one woman wants to go to a certain gathering, where there will be some crazy, completely non-church acts regarding national repentance, as, for example, in Taininsky. And I say: “No, don’t go there.” But I don’t blame her for not fulfilling this obedience.

I generally do not take upon myself the courage to issue any commands to my spiritual - so to speak - children. I leave it to them to decide in all cases. I can only suggest what the motives for their decision may be, suggest how their action will look from one side or another - from the canonical, from the spiritual, from the moral. I can try to see with them the consequences of this action, I can advise something from my experience, if I have any. I can say: with St. Ignatius - so, with Theophan the Recluse - so. Some fathers say this and that, others say this. That's what I can do. But I can’t say: “Stay there - come here.” I don't dare.

Interviewed by Anna Zimneva
Information and analytical portal of the Saratov diocese

As you know, priests do not fly to us from Mars, nor do they come through a portal from a parallel universe. At the same time, it is not clear to most how one becomes a priest. Since I myself have only recently “hatched”, I still have quite fresh impressions and memories.

At first I wanted to write lyrics, but then I realized that my literary efforts were clearly not working out. I decided to make one for myself brief instructions by application. In a couple of years it will be interesting to get acquainted and compare how “thoughts about” differ from reality. And maybe it will be useful in the future. For introductory concepts, see the link " consecration". Let me briefly say that those whom they have already decided to ordain are called proteges. I will use the word constantly.

Why train henchmen??

Honestly, I didn’t really think about the question before: why do we need a priest in a parish? Because it is already clear - to lead people to God, to care for the flock, to serve services. Remained quite out of sight important question. How long can a priest serve? 10, 20, 40 years? And then? What to do when you can’t cope? Oddly enough, the issue of training future personnel remains outside the scope. Meanwhile, in any normally functioning organization, personnel issues are one of the most important.
At the parish, the priest is faced with a choice. So, he needed an assistant. Where to get it from? You can, of course, ask the bishop to look into the seminary, inviting him with gingerbread. There is exactly one problem - it is not clear who will be sent to you. It's like a lottery. It’s good if someone who is stupid but good arrives, this can somehow be corrected by training. What if you don’t get along? Where to put it then?
There is an opinion that we need to do more than just care for the flock. You need to keep an eye on your arrival so that you can see who you can trust with your business. We must work in such a way that we cannot cope with the quantity - and therefore look for help. It’s better to “grow” assistants. And there are two options.

Who should be his proteges??

From the contingent, I would single out two main types - beardless youth and grown-up men. First about the first ones.
If a boy is strongly drawn to church topics, he can be sent to seminary/theology for full-time study. Sending him away for 5 years, forgetting him before receiving his diploma, will not work - he will forget about you. We need to take care, feed and nurture. One guy once entered the MDS. I reported to my ruling bishop over the phone about exams and all that. From there I received a scholarship. It seems that he did not have a question about which diocese to go to after completing his studies. There are several problems with this scheme. It is difficult, long, expensive and there are no guarantees. That is, the boy can still change his mind during his studies and not return to his native parish. Or he could be taken away for his abilities by a bishop or some more influential priest. But here you need to decide what is stronger and more important - your own self-interest or zeal for the future of the Church and this particular boy.
In general, if you create conditions under which a student knows where his home is, that they are waiting for him, he is welcome and he has some clear prospects, there are some chances. But, alas, there are no guarantees, yes. In addition, after completing his education, he will still need to get married, and this is also a matter of time. All this time he must do something intelligible in the parish, and he must be fed. It would be useful to give the boy some additional specialty, just in case. However, all this time, a certified specialist can optionally perform the duties of a parish missionary/catechist/whatever. These people are also needed in the parish.
The second category is established citizens, with a wife, children, and a permanent job. It may happen that they, too, will be increasingly drawn to the temple. Someone is already receiving additional money in absentia. education in theology or seminary. These are a little more difficult, but still possible. To put it bluntly, the problem comes down to how to feed a citizen and his family while he is not yet able to perform all the necessary functions. And without a strong arrival I don’t know how to decide this question. But in any case, sooner or later a situation will arise when the protégé and his entire family will have to be fed “in advance” for several months.

How to cook?

In addition to theoretical knowledge that can be gleaned from correspondence/glasses/books, there is practice, which we are very, very bad at. Especially if services are not performed every day. And this process should be very closely controlled by one of the parish clergy.
Firstly, the protege must undergo sufficient practice in the choir. He must understand during the service (what follows what and when, what is happening in the altar), must be able to read, understand all liturgical books. It is not correct to simply keep a protege in the altar as a sexton. Studying all this optionally in the evenings will not take long. You can do it in six months, but a year is better - and the features will be more fully recognized, and the protege will undergo such a normal temporary test. If you couldn’t bear it and jumped off, perhaps it wasn’t really necessary. The priest must not only control all this - he must personally teach it himself. Because you are preparing an assistant and a replacement for yourself, it is better not to commit a crime here. Well, you understand ^_^
Secondly, a citizen must learn to work with people. Pre-baptismal preparation, parish catechesis, simply the internal kitchen of the parish. This may at the same time be a preliminary test of the candidate for adequacy and usefulness. It is with your arrival that he will have to work - let him start quietly.
Thirdly, before the ordination itself (a couple of months, more precisely), it is necessary to train the protege for deacon/priest service. As I see it, it is necessary to specifically teach a person how to hold a censer in his hands, cram the order of censing, teach dialogues with him (by role), force him to learn the minimum that is required in the service. I was quite surprised by the fact that our supervising priests, during the period of protege practice, scolded us for insufficient preparation and appealed to piety. My personal opinion is that this is a problem of the piety of the abbot, who did not find time to prepare his protege, but with a clear conscience sent him to be ordained and perform the Sacraments.
In general, what proteges are now learning during the magpie must be learned during the preparation period. Then the choir will not be very angry at the (inevitable) stupidities of the newly consecrated proteges, and the responsible priests will not clutch their hearts with a knife in sacred horror. For example, I still have questions about baptism, but immediately everything was fine with weddings (since I sang a hundred times and sang the same number - everything was in plain sight).

In general, now everything will be done again, but briefly and according to the Gospel.

Christ began his sermon by gathering disciples (apostles). Therefore, do not get carried away with your own priesthood, look for those worthy among your flock and beyond.
Christ continuously taught the future apostles for three and a half years. Therefore, do not focus everything on books and self-preparation - spend your own energy and time on future personnel.
Christ tolerated the “lack of preparation” of the apostles, not being afraid to send them out to preach. Learn to trust your protege and his inevitable mistakes. And check for strength before.

Answers from the head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions, Archbishop Mark, to questions from visitors to the website of the Synodal Information Department
March 14, 2013

The head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions, Archbishop Mark of Yegorievsk, answered questions from visitors to the website of the Synodal Information Department (published in abbreviation).

Your Eminence, is it planned to create a diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church in Italy? (Dmitry Matys, Novosibirsk)

Your Eminence, bless. What is the current state of the Bogorodsk diocese? After its creation in 2007, temporary care was entrusted to the Right Reverend Bishop of Korsun, but then the synodal decrees spoke only about “Patriarchal parishes in Italy.” So it's a little difficult to understand what legally exists now. And is there a diocesan bishop or a separate manager of parishes, as in Canada or the USA? Thank you. (Manuil Pishkovich, Rome)

Dear Dmitry and Manuil, the creation of a centralized structure for the management of parishes in the Italian Republic is one of the important areas of activity of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of care for foreign institutions.

Thus, in 2007, the Administration of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy was formed, and in May last year it received the status legal entity, which is a significant achievement for further development.

In essence, this structure is analogous to a diocese. The management of the Italian parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate - and these are more than 50 communities - requires special attention. At the moment, temporary care of them has been entrusted to the Korsun bishop.

As for the determination of the Holy Synod on the appointment of a bishop with the title “Bogorodsky”, who will be entrusted with archpastoral care of the parishes in Italy, then over time, according to the decision taken, it will be implemented.

Your Eminence Bishop, please tell me why Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) wrote in his letters that clergy who were previously fond of rock music should not approach the altar and rock music is harmful to Orthodox Christian, and now rock music concerts, even celebrations in honor of the Baptism of Rus', are blessed by the priesthood. Answer please. He probably did not understand the patristic Orthodox teaching? (Sergey, Moscow)

Dear Sergei, turning to the experience and heritage of the ascetics of the 20th century, we must always remember that their words are applicable both in a general context and to a specific person, to his personal life. In his letters to Fr. John Krestyankin expresses regret that many hastened to life choice in favor of the priesthood, without dealing with his past. Rock music - part cultural era 60-80 XX century - is perceived as a symbol of unbridledness, permissiveness and depravity. Many who plunged into these outrages were never able to completely cleanse themselves of their corrupting influence. The priesthood, reserved for the pure in soul, carries a great deal of responsibility and cannot be accepted by an unprepared or unqualified person. Otherwise, the rank will be a hindrance and a reason for greater condemnation and downfall, which is what the elder mentioned in his letters.

It is not beneficial for a Christian to listen to rock music: the meaning of the songs and the nature of their performance certainly leaves an imprint on the understanding of the world. Moreover, on the physical level, when listening to many rock works, pressure rises and a false euphoria is created.

However, sometimes we see how some of the clergy talk with rockers, including at concerts. The idea in itself is good, since in this way it becomes possible to reach an audience that, as a rule, rarely visits the temple. Often such conversations bring good results.

In the last century, thousands of people from all over the country went to the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, the blessed Matrona of Moscow, the Venerable Amphilochius of Pochaev, and Father Alexander Menu. Who are the great theologians, preachers and healers of our time? (Oleg, Samara)

Dear Oleg, I must admit, it is difficult to talk about saints using the terminology from your question. On the one hand, open the Internet, and you will find a lot of information on modern theologians and preachers. However, this issue can be approached from the other side.

At all times human history There were people who were considered great during their lifetime, were known to their contemporaries, and were revered. But after some time, after death, not all of them remained in the memory of people, and the names of many of them were forgotten. Christian ascetics tend to shun any glory and fame. There are many examples when even great saints during their earthly life had neither recognition nor veneration in the world. For example, the great Russian classic A.S. Pushkin knew nothing about his contemporary Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky. Blessed Matrona of Moscow during her lifetime was not as revered as in our time.

It also seems important that there are different preferences in the church environment. Some people like the sermons of some shepherds, some like the sermons of others, some like to go to this church, and some like to go to the next one. For some of the parishioners, his parish priest is the main guide to Christ. The main thing for every person is not to chase after big names, but to find what you need, what will leave a spiritual mark on your soul.

In conclusion, I note that the term “healers of our time” is unlikely to be applied to outstanding shepherds. Nowadays, this phrase carries a certain occult character. Christian saints are not sources, but conductors of God’s grace, healing not with their personal power, but exclusively with the power of God.

Your Eminence! Are there any plans of the Russian Orthodox Church to increase the number of religious institutions on the territory of the Vienna and Austrian Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate? (With respect, Alexander Shavleiko, Moscow)

Dear Alexander, in the Vienna and Austrian diocese there are currently three registered parishes. In addition, regular services began last year in Innsbruck, services began to be held more often in Graz, and liturgical life will soon begin in St. Pölten. The ROCOR parish in Salzburg also holds regular services, but state registration the community has not received it yet. We provide her with assistance in resolving legal issues.

Last year, the Diocese of Vienna and Austria celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding, and in the same year it succeeded in obtaining recognition of its legal status. Austrian laws are quite strict, and decisions regarding religious organizations are made slowly and with difficulty.

Please tell me how a person who wants to be baptized should be prepared, are there any criteria? Is it possible to be baptized without special preparation? What can you say to a priest who does not want to baptize? Does he have the right to do this?.. Thank you. (Alexander, Tula)

Hello, Alexander. First of all, a person must know what O he is baptized. Know about God, the Church. Imagine what spiritual gifts he receives and what obligations he perceives.

Different churches have different durations for the catechumenate (this Greek word refers to the preparatory period before receiving baptism). There are no exact criteria in this matter.

It is important to understand that such preparation is necessary for an adult. When baptizing children, it is different: the parents and recipients of the baptized person express their readiness to raise the child in the faith, and in this case it is they who undergo the training. In some cases, baptism without preparation is allowed: most often, when it comes to a serious illness or other difficult circumstances.

As for the priest’s refusal to baptize a person, it is difficult to talk about the motives for such a decision without knowing the specific situation. Refusal is possible, but the priest must be aware and clearly explain to the person why he cannot accept the sacrament. Most often, refusal is due to the fact that a person does not take this important step seriously, just wants to go through a traditional and, as it seems to him, “fashionable” ritual, does not understand the spiritual foundations and has little idea why he needs it at all. [...]

Your Eminence, I am interested in this question. Many episcopal sees outside the canonical territory of the Russian Church have been widowed for quite a long time (for example, The Hague since 1988, Budapest since 2003, Vienna since 2009), and now Buenos Aires has been added to them (which is especially sad, given the acute shortage of clergy there). It is known that where there is a bishop, there is a Church; the absence of a bishop has a negative impact on diocesan life. Please tell me what is the reason for this absence of bishops in a number of foreign dioceses and when this will be overcome. (Alexey Rodionov, Moscow)

Hello, Alexey. I would like to immediately correct you: the departments you mentioned are not dowager departments. With the blessing of the hierarchy, temporary care of the dioceses in Austria and Hungary has been entrusted to me. Despite the fact that my main obedience takes place in Moscow, I regularly visit Vienna and Budapest, perform divine services, communicate with the clergy and parishioners, and resolve issues of diocesan life. Of course, the scale of these dioceses is incomparable with the dioceses in Russia, both geographically and in terms of the number of parishes. Therefore, the appointment of bishops to small dioceses on a permanent basis is not always possible for completely objective reasons. I will also note that sometimes the status of a diocese is given “for growth” or, so to speak, for the future.

For the Argentine and South American diocese: not long ago it was left without a ruling bishop. And, objectively speaking, there is a shortage of clergy in this diocese. But we should not forget about the very difficult conditions in which the priests serve there. At the same time, there are still good workers in the field of Christ who, despite all the difficulties, are ready to work in this difficult region. Since last year, priest Sergius Yurin has been serving in Argentina, another priest will be sent in the near future.

Vladyka, I have been interested in this question for a long time. As far as I know, priests are assigned to parishes, but what about our foreign institutions? How do you find priests for our foreign parishes? In what order does this assignment take place? Are they specially selected? By what criteria? Save me, God! (Anna, Ryazan)

Hello Anna. I’ll start with the criteria for selecting clergy to serve in foreign countries.

It is important that the candidate has a theological education, completed seminary and preferably academic; secular higher education is also preferable. As a rule, the candidate owns at least one foreign language and can demonstrate leadership qualities in church life. Responsibility is very important, since often the priest serves alone in an entire city or even in an entire country.

However, the main criterion I will call faith and an ardent pastoral spirit, readiness for sacrificial service to one's neighbor. An important point is how a person relates to the material side of his service. Many people have the opinion that serving abroad is much more attractive in financially than serving in Russia. I’ll say right away that this is a fallacy. Most of our foreign clergy live modestly. Once he cited the Assumption Parish in Beijing as an example. There the priest earns half as much as the embassy janitor. Of course, this does not mean that he and his family are starving. But it is important to understand that being sent on a business trip abroad does not automatically entail an improvement in well-being.

Of course, not everyone who wants to, even if at first glance they meet the criteria, can serve abroad. Very often the obstacle is the person himself: his interest in profit and a romantic idea of ​​​​life abroad. There is a great danger in this misconception: if his aspirations and ideas are not justified, an internal crisis may occur. For a priest, this seems to be a particularly dangerous phenomenon.

Sometimes priests who want to work abroad turn to us, having at the same time a recommendation from our own foreign clergy. Sometimes we ourselves turn to one or another diocese with a request to find a candidate. I will note the need for a good recommendation from the ruling bishop. As a rule, I meet with a candidate and, if the result of the interview is satisfactory, I present this cleric to His Holiness the Patriarch for consideration. By the way, there is currently a vacancy in Canada for a priest with a good knowledge of English. Perhaps among the readers of the portal there will be shepherds who want to work in this field.

Your Eminence, please pray for my mother - she is now in the hospital in very in serious condition and, in all likelihood, ever closer to eternity. It hurts a lot. As a believer, I know that she will be better off in the Kingdom of Heaven and I ask that the Lord will have mercy and quickly end her earthly torment. Isn't this a sin?! How to live while seeing your own suffering dear person? What can I do for her? (Anna, Moscow)

Dear Anna, I agree that seeing loved ones suffer is a difficult ordeal. It seems that it is easier to experience suffering yourself than to see a dear and close person suffer.

You are a happy person because you have faith.

In general, the prayer is that the Lord will ease the fate loved one, is not a sin. At the same time, we do not know why the Lord determined this particular path for him. The Church teaches that suffering in this life is sent down to atone for sins, so the best thing would be to rely on the will of God and pray according to the words of the Lord’s prayer so that His holy will is fulfilled.

Lord, bless! I heard that the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem lacks clergy. On what basis are priests selected there and can a priest from a provincial diocese get to serve there? What is needed for this? (Hegumen Seraphim (Semiletov), ​​Alexandrov)

Hello. Seraphim. Currently, there are enough clergy in the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem. But since the climatic conditions in the Holy Land are very difficult, often after a certain period of time the priests there change. We should not forget that clergy in the Holy Land care for a large number of pilgrims from Russia and all over the world who annually visit the sites of evangelical events. This is a colossal load, so the priest must have good health.

I listed the criteria for selecting candidates for service abroad in one of my previous answers. Belonging to a provincial diocese is not an obstacle for a candidate.

Hello, lord! You bear the title “Egoryevsky”. Tell me, how often do you visit the city? What does this city mean to you? You are engaged in ministry in the Office of Overseas Institutions. In this regard, you did not attend the Patriarchal service in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral? (Denis, Yegoryevsk)

Hello, Denis. It's gratifying to receive a question from Yegoryevsk. I love this city near Moscow and the temple of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky. I sincerely thank everyone who offers prayers for me during services in the churches of the city. Since I became Bishop of Yegoryevsk, I try to visit Yegoryevsk every year, although canonically, of course, it belongs to the Moscow regional diocese and local parishes are subordinate to Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna.

As for the last Patriarchal service in Yegoryevsk, I initially planned this trip and was included in the list of employees. However, shortly before the holiday, His Holiness the Patriarch blessed me to fly on a business trip to Holy Mount Athos, since a very important meeting was taking place there these days.

Your Eminence, bless. The Pilgrimage Service of the Moscow Patriarchate operates under the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for Foreign Institutions. The service organizes pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Mount Sinai with a visit to the monastery of St. Catherine. Will they organize the same pilgrimage trips to Italy, to Bari to the relics of St. Nicholas? (Marina from Yaroslavl)

The pilgrimage service of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions organizes trips to the Holy Land. Cooperation has been established with pilgrimage services in Rome and Bari. However, at the moment, pilgrimages to Italy are not carried out on a regular basis.

Twice a year the Directorate organizes pilgrimage charters for the feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari.

Your Beatitude! I am interested in the fate of St. Sunday School. Lyudmila in Prague, where my two sons go. The school constantly changes its location. Currently, reconstruction of the spiritual and cultural center of the Russian Orthodox Church is underway opposite the Embassy School. After reconstruction, can our children count on the allocation of part of the premises for Sunday school? (Thanks in advance, Victor Melay, Prague)

Hello, Victor. Indeed, in one of the premises transferred to the use of the Russian Orthodox Church, a spiritual and cultural center is being created. Currently, only the central part of the building, where services began, has been partially renovated.

Unfortunately, we cannot accurately predict the time of commissioning of the entire building, since it requires the creation of a comprehensive reconstruction project, agreement with the owner of the building - Russian Federation, and the relevant authorities of the Czech Republic, as well as preparation of financing for reconstruction.

According to the agreement reached by our representatives in the Czech Republic, Sunday school classes have been held for more than a year in the premises of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office. There are all conditions for this. At the same time, we can assure you that in the future, spiritual and cultural center Children's Sunday school classes will definitely be held on an ongoing basis and without any significant restrictions.

Hello, lord! Has the Russian Orthodox Church considered the issue of creating a foreign diocese to unite all parishes outside the canonical territory? (Alexander, Kyiv)

Hello, Alexander. At the moment, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has not one, but as many as 8 foreign dioceses and 2 administrations of Patriarchal parishes in the USA and Canada, equivalent in function to dioceses. In addition, the Russian Church Abroad has 9 dioceses.

In general, the establishment of the Russian Orthodox Church beyond the canonical territory of Russia and neighboring states former USSR There are more than 820 churches, farmsteads, monasteries, parishes and communities. Most of them are concentrated in Western European countries and North America. More detailed information information about parishes and dioceses can be found on the Internet: http://www.karta.patriarchia.ru/.

In countries with a large territory, where many parishes are open and where church life requires the presence of an archpastor, dioceses are established over time. Such a system allows the ruling bishop to quickly manage church institutions, be closer to the flock and respond in a timely manner to events in the life of the Church.

Your Eminence, bless! In what directions is communication with parishes in Norway, including in Oslo, carried out? And how do you see the future of Orthodoxy in this country? Does your institution have the opportunity to send gifts to parishioners to other countries for major church holidays? (With respect, R.B. Galina, Moscow)

Dear Galina, there is a direct administrative connection between parishes abroad and the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Institutions Abroad.

Thus, the rectors of the communities send annual reports on the activities of the parishes to His Holiness the Patriarch, which present the results and analysis of parish life over the past year. In many matters of pastoral service, archpastoral judgment is required - then the clergy turn to the Patriarch or the head of the Office for advice and blessing.

Personnel issue, incl. the appointment of abbots is a priority in the activities of the Department. Based on the results of work with candidates, the final decision on sending a cleric to serve abroad is made at a meeting of the Holy Synod.

The number of parishes in Norway, as in many other countries, tends to increase. This is largely due to the influx of new citizens from Russia and other CIS countries. Many of them are also children of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Norway is undoubtedly becoming more and more tangible. Thanks to the active efforts of the clergy and parishioners, parish life is developing. Meanwhile, there is a need to organize pastoral care for remote communities. It is possible that in the coming years the number of Orthodox clergy in Norway will increase.

As for sending gifts to other countries, there are some delivery difficulties that should be mentioned. For example, cargo clearance is always required when exporting from Russia, and when importing into the country of destination, duties and taxes are usually levied. This activity is not always possible for the Office of Overseas Establishments.

In this regard, a good example was the initiative of the parish of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga in Oslo. This year the parish assets independently amounted to church calendar with soulful reading for every day of 2013, using the official calendar grid of the Publishing House of the Russian Orthodox Church. Through the efforts of the parish, the calendar was published in a circulation of 2,500 copies and sent free of charge by mail to all parishioner families. As a result, all the children of the Russian Orthodox Church in Norway received a New Year and Christmas gift, which will be useful reading throughout the year.

Vladyka Mark, do you have a favorite theological topic? (R.B. Olga, Moscow)

Dear Olga, I cannot say that I have one favorite theological topic. Moreover, episcopal service implies knowledge of a wide range of theological topics.

While studying at the Moscow Theological Academy, I was seriously interested in patrolology, wrote my PhD thesis on it, and taught New Testament at the seminary for some time.

I have written several times lately about the theological aspect of pilgrimage.

Please tell us about the project “Peace. Human. Word". What was the intention and how does what was done correspond to what was intended? Are the topics and format exhausted? What are the prospects? The continuation of the historical part was recently announced, but the theological and pastoral blocks? Maybe some other directions? (Olga, Moscow)

Dear Olga, I can say that this project turned out to be successful. 8 years have passed since its creation, and it continues to develop. Work is underway on new topics.

As part of the project, a series of audio programs was carried out, such as: “Religious Encyclopedia”, “History christian church”, “Pastoral Conversations”, “The Bible for Children”, “Eternal Verbs”, “Russia. History in faces" and others.

Projects “History of the Christian Church”, “Bible for Children”, “Russia. History in Persons" has now been completed. These are some of our most in-demand and popular projects, and interest in them remains consistently high to this day. Their popularity was largely due to their release on CD. You can get them for free at the temple Life-Giving Trinity in Khoroshevo, Moscow, where I am rector.

Currently, Radio Russia continues the projects “Religious Encyclopedia”, “Pastoral Conversations”, “Pilgrim”, “Teachers. Thinkers. Prophets”, the project “Europe. Great names."

I would especially like to mention the last two projects.

Project “Teachers. Thinkers. Prophets" tells about outstanding personalities of the past, covering a gigantic temporal and geographical layer of human history. Initial working title- “Teachers of Humanity.” We started this project with ancient philosophers, thinkers and writers. Then it was the turn of Rome, followed by the Old Testament characters, starting with Abraham. Next we moved on to the New Testament period. Considerable attention in the project will be paid to thinkers and philosophers of Christianity. At the same time, it is planned to talk about representatives of other world religions - Islam, Buddhism and Judaism. It is expected that this global project will last for several years and will also be in demand by listeners.

Since December last year, instead of the project “Russia. History in Faces" began to appear new project: “Europe. Great names." The purpose of this project is to tell about outstanding personalities of the Old World. Among the heroes there are both secular and clergy. It is expected that thematic division will be by country.

Separately, I would like to draw the readers’ attention to the project website: http://www.mir-slovo.ru/. It is visited by many visitors every day. Here many files are available in both audio and text format.

Podcasts for iTunes, for devices of the now popular gadget manufacturer Apple, are especially popular. A clear confirmation of this is the number of downloads of some of them per day:

“Eternal Verbs” - 1000, “Teachers, Thinkers, Prophets” - 3500, “Russia. History in faces" - 4000.

You were the editor-in-chief of the Orthodox Pilgrim magazine for 10 years. Are you going to create a new magazine? (Ekaterina, Moscow)

There are currently no such plans. Most creative time is occupied by the project “Peace. Human. Word". I believe that this resource can be used to convey to people knowledge about God, the Church and its history in an accessible and understandable way.