According to a legend Optina Pustin Hermitage (Оптина Пустынь) was found in the late 14th century by a former robber Opta or Optia who took up the name Macarius then he became a monk. "Pustin" is a Russian word for a "desert" after deserts of the Middle East where first Christians constructed early monasteries to isolate themselves from the World.
Location: 2 km (1 mi) East of Kozelsk Map
Tel. (08442) 2-24-32
Aumrosius of Optina
The monastery is located 3 km northeast of the city of Kozelsk: the road
crosses the Zhizdra River and runs along the monastery grove. In
1832-1839, a low fence and four corner towers were built around the
monastery.
The monastery is almost square in plan. In the center
is the main temple of the monastery - the Cathedral of the Entry of the
Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Churches are located around the
cathedral in a cross-shaped manner. In the north is the Church of Mary
of Egypt, rebuilt in 1858 from an old refectory, in the south is the
Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, built in 1811, in the
east is the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
Behind the monastery grove is a hermitage, where services are held
around the clock. In 2009, ten monks lived there. When it was being
established, it was forbidden to cut down the forest around it, "so that
it would be closed forever." The houses where Nikolai Gogol, Fyodor
Dostoevsky, Sergei Nilus, and Konstantin Leontyev stayed are still
intact. The wooden church in the name of John the Baptist (1822), cut
from the same forest that grew on the site of the hermitage, has been
preserved. The entrance to the hermitage for laymen has been closed
since 2013.
Sergei Nilus gave a description of the furnishings of
the Optina cells at the beginning of the 20th century: a wooden bed, an
icon in the corner with a lamp, a chair, a table, and a washstand with a
basin. The clothes of the novices (scroll) were given out in the
"rukholnaya".
According to legend, it was founded at the end of the XIV century by a
repentant robber named Opt (Optya), in monasticism — Macarius. The
synodic of the Optina Monastery of 1670, copied from the ancient
synodic, testifies that the Optina monastery existed already in the XV
century: monks and nuns lived in it in different departments, which was
possible before the Council Definition of 1503, which introduced a
strict division of monasteries into male and female.
The first
written evidence of the Makaryev Optina Desert dates back to the reign
of Boris Godunov. In the Kozelsky scribal books (1629, 1630, 1631) it
appears that the monastery was given for the commemoration of Tsar
Theodore Ioannovich (d. 1598) "for candles and incense." At the end of
the Time of Troubles, Optina Deserts recovered from the disasters that
befell her, from the Lithuanian devastation. The oldest contribution
book since 1670 testifies to the contributions of royalty.
In
1689, the construction of the first stone church of the Introduction of
the Most Holy Theotokos with a side chapel in the name of St. Paphnutius
Borovsky began in the monastery.
In the XVIII century, the
financial condition of the monastery was difficult. In 1704, by decree
of Peter I, Optina Pustyn had to pay taxes to the state, the money was
needed for the construction of St. Petersburg and for the war with the
Swedes. This rent was burdensome for the Optina desert. According to
requests from former depositors, one can judge the plight of the Optina
desert. By 1724, there were 12 people in the monastery.
Optina of
the deserts was abolished in 1724 according to the Spiritual Regulations
and was annexed to the Belevsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery. However,
at the end of 1726, by decree of Empress Catherine I, Optina deserts was
restored. On the basis of the decree of Archbishop Leonid of Sarsky and
Podonsky dated July 11, 1727, Archimandrite Tikhon, rector of the
Belevsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Optina Pustyny was returned
monastic property.
In 1741, the construction of a wooden bell
tower began. In 1750, construction began on a new church in the name of
the Introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos, with two side chapels: on
the south side — the chapel of St. Paphnutius Borovsky, the
wonderworker, on the north — the Great Martyr Theodore Stratilat. In
1759, the temple was almost ready, and in the same year the chapel of
Paphnutius Borovsky was consecrated.
In 1764, by decree of
Catherine II, during the secularization reform, Optina Pustyn became one
of the minor monasteries in the Krutitsky diocese.
In 1768, the
construction of a new cathedral church was completed thanks to the rich
contributions of new benefactors. In 1770, according to the report,
there were three monks. In 1773, there were two elderly monks in the
monastery.
The position of the monastery began to change in 1795,
when Metropolitan Platon of Moscow and Kaluga drew attention to the
needs of the monastery. In 1796, he visited Optina Deserts, and he
really liked this place. At his insistence, Hieromonk Avraamiy, an
experienced elder from the Pesnoshenskaya monastery, was appointed abbot
of the monastery. Already in 1797, the brethren of the monastery
numbered 12 people.
In 1799, Optina Pustyn was transferred to the
newly opened Kaluga Diocese. Bishop Feofilakt (Rusanov) of Kaluga paid
special attention to the reviving monastery.
In 1802, construction began on a new three-tiered bell tower with a
height of 30 fathoms. Wings for fraternal cells were attached to it on
both sides. In 1804, the construction of the bell tower and the left
wing was completed, and in 1806 the right wing was built. In 1805, the
construction of the Kazan Temple began, and in 1809 they began to build
a hospital church with six cells attached to it. The material for the
construction of the church was donated by the court counselor Kamynin.
Both churches were completed in 1811 and consecrated by His Grace
Evlampy, Bishop of Kaluga and Borovsky: the hospital church was
consecrated on August 26, 1811, and the Kazan Church on October 23,
1811.
On January 18, 1809, at the request of Abbot Abraham and at
the request of Bishop Theophylact, by decree of the Holy Synod, the
staff of the monastery's inhabitants was increased to 30 (together with
the rector).
In 1821, a monastery was established in the
monastery. Hermits settled here — people who had spent many years in
perfect seclusion. The elder took charge of the entire spiritual life of
the monastery (the abbot remained the administrator). From all sides,
people who aspired to a spiritual life reached out to the monastery.
Optina has become one of the spiritual centers of Russia. Donations
began to arrive; the monastery acquired land, a mill, and equipped stone
buildings.
Under Abbot Moses, the Optina monastery flourished
with such high morality that every boy was a novice, like an elder. I
saw there, in the full sense of the word, earthly angels and heavenly
inhabitants. What an exemplary deanery, obedience, patience, humility,
meekness, humility it was! Optina was a school for Russian monasticism.
The monastery was actively engaged in book publishing, with the help
of the brothers Kireevsky, Ivan and Peter, writers Konstantin Leontiev,
Sergei Nilus and others.
Episodes in the lives of some writers
and thinkers of Russia are connected with the Optina Desert. In the
summer of 1878, V. S. Solovyov accompanied F. M. Dostoevsky to Optina
after a difficult drama — the death of his son in May of the same year.
The writer stayed in the hermitage for three days. Some details in the
Brothers Karamazov appeared under the impression of this trip. The
prototype of Elder Zosima was Elder Ambrose (St. Ambrose of Optina,
canonized in 1988), who lived at that time in the hermitage of Optina
Desert.
At the turn of the 1890s and in the 1900s, Mitya Kozelsky, a Russian
fool who later enjoyed the favor and trust of Emperor Nicholas II and
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, lived in the Optina Desert. After his
removal from the court, he became an ardent opponent of Grigory
Rasputin. On January 23, 1918, by decree of the Council of People's
Commissars, Optina Pustyn was closed, but the monastery still existed
under the guise of an "agricultural artel". In the spring of 1923, the
agricultural cartel was closed, the monastery was taken over by
Glavnauki. The Museum of Optina Deserts was named as a historical
monument.
In 1931, a Gorky recreation center was opened on the
territory of the Optina Desert Monastery. In November 1939, after the
partition of Poland by order of Lavrenty Beria, the NKVD of the USSR
transformed the rest house into the Kozelsk-1 concentration camp, where
about 5,000 Polish officers were housed, about 4,400 of them were later
sent to Katyn to be shot.
During the Great Patriotic War, there
was first a hospital on the territory of the Optina Desert, in 1944-1945
a screening and filtration camp of the NKVD of the USSR for Soviet
officers who returned from captivity, and after the war a military unit
was located until 1949.
On November 17, 1987, by decree of the
Government of the RSFSR, Optina Pustyn was transferred to the Russian
Orthodox Church. According to Konstantin Kharchev, "Alexander Yakovlev,
a member of the Politburo, proposed to return Optina deserts." The
decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on the opening
of the monastery was adopted on December 30, 1987.
On June 3,
1988, the first Divine Liturgy was held in the upper tower of the
monastery on the day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
On February 1, 1990, the St. John the Baptist Monastery was returned to
the Optina of the desert.
Currently, the monastery has been
almost completely restored.
Grant unto me, O Lord, that with peace of mind I may face all that this new day is to bring.
Grant unto me to dedicate myself completely to Thy Holy Will.
For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in all things.
Whatsoever tidings I may receive during the day, do Thou teach me to accept tranquilly, in the firm conviction that all eventualities fulfill Thy Holy Will.
Govern Thou my thoughts and feelings in all I do and say.
When things unforeseen occur, let me not forget that all cometh down from Thee.
Teach me to behave sincerely and rationally toward every member of my family, that I may bring confusion and sorrow to none.
Bestow upon me, my Lord, strength to endure the fatigue of the day, and to bear my part in all its passing events.
Guide Thou my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to endure, to forgive, and to love.
Amen
Господи, дай мне с
душевным спокойствием встретить все, что принесет мне
наступающий день.
Дай мне всецело предаться воле Твоей
Святой.
Во всякий час сего дня во всем наставь и поддержи
меня.
Какие бы я не получал известия в течение дня, научи
меня принять их со спокойной душою и твердым убеждением, что на
все Твоя Святая воля.
Во всех словах и делах моих - руководи
моими мыслями и чувствами.
Во всех непредвиденных случаях не
дай мне забыть, что все ниспослано Тобою.
Научи меня прямо и
разумно действовать с каждым членом семьи моей, никого не смущая
и не огорчая.
Господи, дай мне силу перенести утомление
наступающего дня и всех событий его.
Руководи моею волею и
научи меня молиться, верить, надеяться, терпеть, прощать и
любить.
Аминь
Shamordino Convent is located 12 km (7.5 miles) from Optina Pustin. However it is a convent for nuns and monks almost never come here unless their help is specifically asked for. Sister of Leo Tolstoy was the head of the monastery for several years.
Hieroschemonk Ambrose (Grenkov) was glorified at the Local Cathedral
in 1988. The rest of the elders were glorified on July 26, 1996 as
locally venerated, and in 2000 as church-wide.
On December 25,
2009, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved the service
to the Council of the Venerable Optina Elders prepared by the Synodal
Liturgical Commission and recommended it for general church liturgical
use.
Hieromonk Nikon (Belyaev) was glorified in the rank of a
reverend confessor, Archimandrite Isaac II (Bobrakov), shot by the
Bolsheviks, was glorified in the rank of a reverend martyr.
Hieroschemonk Lev (Nagolkin) (1768-1841) was the first founder and
inspirer of the Optina elders. The expression of evangelical love was
the whole life of this elder, who passed in selfless service to God and
his neighbors. By his exploits, unceasing prayer and onomatopoeic
humility, he acquired abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Hieroschemonk Makariy (Ivanov) (1788-1860) was an elder in the Optina
Desert at the same time as the Monk Leo, and after his death, until his
death, he carried out the great and holy feat of senile care. The name
of Elder Makarii is associated with the beginning of the publication of
patristic works in the monastery, which united the best spiritual and
intellectual forces of Russia around the monastery. Not only Optina of
the Deserts, but also many other monasteries were under his spiritual
guidance, and the letters to the monks and laity published by the
monastery became an invaluable guide for every Christian in spiritual
life.
Archimandrite Moses (Putilov) (1782-1862) showed an amazing
example of combining strict asceticism, humility and non-possessiveness
with wise management of the monastery and extensive charitable
activities. It was thanks to his boundless mercy and compassion for the
poor that the monastery gave shelter to many wanderers. Under the
Archimandrite Moses, the old temples and buildings of the monastery were
recreated and new ones were built. Optina of the Deserts owes its
visible flourishing and spiritual rebirth to the wise leadership of
Elder Moses.
Hieromartyr Anthony (Putilov) (1795-1865) was the
brother and associate of Archimandrite Moses, a humble ascetic and
prayer book, who patiently and courageously bore the cross of bodily
diseases throughout his life. He contributed in every possible way to
the establishment of seniority in the monastery, which he led for 14
years. The written instructions of the venerable elder are a wonderful
fruit of his fatherly love and the gift of a teaching word....
Hieroschemonk Hilarion (Ponomarev) (1805-1873) was a disciple and
successor of Elder Macarius. Being a zealous defender and preacher of
the Orthodox faith, he managed to bring back to the bosom of the
Orthodox Church many who had lost their way and fallen away from the
Orthodox faith.
Hieroschemonk Ambrose (Grenkov) (1812-1891) was a
great ascetic of the Russian land, whose holiness and godliness of life
God witnessed with many miracles, and the Orthodox faithful people with
sincere love, reverence and reverent appeal to him in prayer…
Archimandrite Isaac (Antimonov) (1810-1894) was the ever—memorable abbot
of the Optina Desert, who combined the firm management of the monastery
and the finest art of pastoral leadership with humble obedience to the
great Optina elders and high asceticism. The life work of Archimandrite
Isaac was the preservation and confirmation of the spiritual precepts of
the elders in the monastery.
Hieroschemonk Anatoly (Zertsalov)
(1824-1894) was a scythian and elder, who instructed in the spiritual
life not only the monks of the Optina Desert, but also the inhabitants
of the Shamordinsky convent and other monasteries. Being an ardent
prayer book and ascetic, he was for all those who came to him a
sensitive father, a patient teacher, always sharing a treasure of
wisdom, faith and special spiritual joy. Elder Anatoly had an amazing
gift of consolation.
Hieroschemonk Joseph (Litovkin) (1837-1911) —
the disciple and spiritual successor of St. Ambrose, who revealed the
image of great humility, kindness, unceasing sincere prayer, the elder
was more than once honored with the appearance of the Mother of God.
According to the memoirs of contemporaries, many during the life of
Hieroschemonk Joseph saw him illuminated by the blessed divine light.
Schiarchimandrite Varsonofy (Plikhankov) (1845-1913) was a skythonic
leader, about whom elder Nektariy said that the grace of God created a
great elder from a brilliant military man in one night. Sparing no
expense to his life, he fulfilled his pastoral duty in the
Russian-Japanese War. The elder possessed extraordinary foresight, the
inner meaning of events was revealed to him, he saw the innermost heart
of the person who came to him, lovingly awakening repentance in him.
Hieroschemonk Anatoly II (Potapov) (1855-1922), popularly called the
comforter, was endowed by the Lord with great gracious gifts of love and
consolation of the suffering, perspicacity and healing. Humbly carrying
out his pastoral ministry in the difficult days of revolutionary turmoil
and godlessness, the elder affirmed his spiritual children in their
determination to be faithful to the holy Orthodox faith even to death.
Hieroschemonk Nektariy (Tikhonov) (1853-1928) was the last synodically
elected Optina elder who, through a feat of unceasing prayer and
humility, gained the greatest gifts of miracle—working and perspicacity,
often hiding them under the guise of foolishness. During the days of
persecution of the Church, while he was in exile for confessing his
faith, he tirelessly nursed the faithful.
Hieromonk Nikon (Belyaev)
(1888-1931) was the closest disciple of Elder Varsonofy, an ardent
prayer book and loving pastor, who selflessly performed the senile
ministry after the closure of the Optina Desert, suffered torments from
atheists and died in exile as a confessor.
Archimandrite Isaac II
(Bobrakov) (1865-1938) was the last abbot of the Optina Desert, who
experienced the full brunt of the ruin and desecration of the holy
monastery. Bearing his cross of the abbot's ministry during the years of
trials and tribulations, he was filled with unshakable faith, courage
and forgiving love. He has been imprisoned four times. He was shot on
January 8, 1938 and buried in a mass grave in the forest on the 162nd
kilometer of the Simferopol highway.
The Russian Orthodox Church has glorified 15 people in the face of
new martyrs and confessors, from among those who suffered during the
years of repression of the XX century: the Venerable Martyrs Euphemia
(Lyubovichev), Panteleimon, Lavrenty (Levchenko), Seraphim, Paphnutius,
Raphael, Ignatius, Vikenty, Gury, John, Isaac; the Venerable confessors
Raphael, Agapit (Taube), Nikon, Sebastian (Fomin); martyr Boris.
On Easter 1993, three monks of the monastery were killed — Hieromonk
Basil and monks Ferapont and Trofim. All three were struck in the heart
by a long dagger with inscriptions on the handle "666", "Satan". Their
killer was arrested 6 days later. He was declared insane and placed in a
closed-type hospital, where he is now. In 2008, a chapel was built over
the burial place of the murdered monks, in honor of the Resurrection of
Christ.
On Good Friday in 1994, in the forest, on the way from
the hermitage to the monastery, a young pilgrim, a childhood friend of
novice Alexander, Yuri (George), who came to Optina Deserts for the
Easter holiday from Tolyatti, was killed with a ritual satanic weapon —
a long needle.
In 2006, the Optina publishing house published the
book "Optina deserts. The Years of Persecution", which included the
lives of the newly glorified saints, compiled by Abbot Damaskin
(Orlovsky). The following year, the first issue of the Optina Almanac
was published, most of which is devoted to the persecution of the Soviet
period. The collection "The Lives of the New Martyrs and Confessors of
the Optina Desert" is also being prepared for publication. This
collection will include the lives of the Holy Martyrs Euphemia
(Lyubovichev), Lavrentiy (Levchenko), Ioanniky (Dmitriev), Seraphim
(Gushchin), Raphael (Tyupin), Guriy (Samoilov), Paphnutiy (Kostin),
Ignatiy (Dalanov), Vikenty (Nikolsky), Evtihiy (Didenko), Mark
(Makhrov), Avenir (Sinitsyn), Savva (Suslov), the martyr Boris Kozlov,
the Venerable Confessors Nikon (Belyaev), Raphael (Shechenko), Sebastian
(Fomin), as well as the letters of the Venerable Confessor Raphael in
full.