Following the closure of the monasteries in Sarov and Diveyevo, some monks and nuns escaped. Hiding in surrounding villages they continued secretly in the

way of St Seraphim. EASTER 2013 EASTER The faithful of the closed city of Sarov now worshipped in God's Sanctuary, the forest, in which St Seraphim had dwelt and had been beaten, had now become ‘the Green Church’. The ‘monastery in the world’ was now beginning. In the title Lavra was given to particularly large and famous monasteries, of which there were four: the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, the Trinity St Sergius Monastery, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, and the Pochaev Monastery. St Seraphim predicted that there would be a Lavra in Diveyevo: “There will be both a Lavra and a coenobitic monastery in the community of poor Seraphim!” Here, we use the term with reverence, to embrace those who, while not geographically within the community, feel drawn to the spirit of the saint. We use Lavra to include those who endeavour to follow the way of St Seraphim, his teaching and practice, as did those monks and nuns in hiding, so that we too may be held in the saint's prayer as a part of that

‘monastery in the world’.

Saints Alive Saints

Lavra the Publication for the friends of of friends the for Publication the 12 1

Christ is Risen! Glastonbury A day pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey in Dear Friends, Somerset is planned for May 25th 2013. Fellowship As you read this you may still be in the Led by Fr Maxim Nikolsky, accompanied by others involved in Saints Alive, this day is Easter season so I greet you all with that aimed at gathering our Friends and other joyous greeting 'Christ is Risen'. This is of supporters. course the cry of millions and is how St Glastonbury probably had its first Seraphim greeted all who came to him, Christian church in the first century AD and an abbey in the seventh, "dissolutioned" 'My Joy, Christ is Risen'. by Henry VIII in c.1539. The site with its ruined monastery is considered a holy place. According to tradition this is where Joseph of Arimathea resided when he was sent to St Seraphim, as indeed many saints, preach in Britain. There are also other legends surrounding this place. while in this life, already experienced to the very depth of his being the joy of that It will be of interest to many to know that Glastonbury has an icon of St Dunstan, Paradise which Christ promised to the good robber. May we all be granted to witness the first abbot of Glastonbury, which was painted by a monk of the Kievan Cave the same joy that God has prepared for us. Monastery.

At Glastonbury we shall have a brief service, and talks on Joseph and the stories Cover photograph: View from Chora on the Isle of Patmos, Greece of Patmos, Isle the on Chora from View Coverphotograph: In recent months the Trust’s Director has made a trip to Russia forging closer connected with his life. It will be a good place to reconnect with old friends and make working relationships in both Sarov and Diveyevo with plans for future cooperation new ones. A picnic in the grounds of the abbey, weather permitting, and a guided including education and publication. tour of the site promises to be a good day, starting in the morning and ending around tea-time. May I take this opportunity firstly to apologise for this late publication due to my If you are interested in taking part, please register your interest by May 18th, either having been out of commission for the past few weeks, but may I also welcome all online at: http://tinyurl.com/SaintsAliveGlastonburyMay2013, or by post (contact who intend to join us on the day pilgrimage to Glastonbury on 25th May where we details are on page 11). may meet old friends and make new ones.

Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky Joseph of Arimathea According to Christian tradition,

Joseph of Arimathea, who gave up his “When I am no longer with you, come to my tomb for the Body of Christ, later came tomb. Come when you have time, and the more to Britain, and when in Avalon often the better! Whatever you have on your (Glastonbury) stuck his staff in the heart, whatever has happened to you, whatever ground—more about this on 25th May you are grieving over, come and bring it all to in Glastonbury. me at my grave. Come, fall on the ground and tell me everything, just as if I were alive, and I Troparion will hear you and your sorrows will fly away and The noble Joseph, taking down thy disappear. Speak to me just as you did when I most pure Body from the Tree, was alive, speak to me there. And I will always wrapped it in pure linen cloth and be alive for you unto the ages of ages!” sweet spices and laid it in a new tomb. St But on the third day thou didst rise, O Joseph of Lord, granting the world great mercy. Tomb of Jesus, Church of the

Prayer Arimathea. Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. 2 3

reactions, which he makes it his business and pleasure to provoke from you. These reactions will be variously tinged in different individuals, but even so it is reasonably easy to foresee, to foretaste and to plan them. For the victim there is only one way open to save himself, and that is to fail to react at all: then having ceased to be interesting, he will eventually be left alone. Now there are two ways to achieve this end. The first, the way of passivity, follows the line of least resistance…...this easier way involves rendering yourself completely unfeeling. ....Inability to suffer sometimes proves to be the greatest evil of all…...if you once lapse into such a condition, it is unlikely you will ever get out of it without the help of a psychiatrist.

The other way of coping with sadism is very hard. It is pre-eminently active...... It Julia de Beausobre Lubianka Prison, demands penetration, as far as possible, into the mind of the men who have staged the `cross-examination' and insight into the breadth of God's composition for this Resurrection particular event on earth. It is imperative that the heightening of all the mental and moral faculties that this requires be brought about in a mood of complete Seeing life through death, seeing joy through suffering, seeing beauty through evil, selflessness. ....Once it is achieved you realise that you have been privileged to take are modes of seeing which are pre-eminently active and fundamental to Christian part in nothing less than an act of redemption.’3 ontology. They are states of being into which all Christians are called. Participation in nothing less than an act of redemption ….. such participation in God This opening of our eyes is often awakened within us through a particular brings into focus the 'perfect joy' of the life of the resurrection. This joy does not encounter, enabling us to see more deeply into the reality of life, drawing forth inner suggest a life free from suffering, but one in which suffering can carry us only more resources, which, when strengthened, enable us to more fully participate in this new fully into our participation in the cross of Christ, a cross of victory, a cross on which reality. The experience is not single, for as we increasingly participate in this new Christ is raised and from which Christ is raised. This ‘resurrection life’ is the joy of reality we 'see more’; enabling us to participate more completely in the mystery which which St Seraphim speaks when he greets us with the words, "My Joy, Christ is is life. And we discover that life itself has as its fulcrum, pivot, focal point, full risen," a joy lived, moment-by-moment, in the face of death. This ‘perfect joy’ has at participation in God.1 its root the chiasmus of joy and suffering, ‘creative suffering’, ‘cross-sharing. For this A witness within this tradition who has spoken powerfully of her own experience, joy, borne of our sharing in the cross of Christ, whereby we also share in Christ's gives us insight into how she acquired a certain extraordinary perception. It was in risen life, is divine joy, stronger than the forces of darkness and death. It is a joy in the 1932, in the labour camps in the Sarov forest where Julia De Beausobre first heard Spirit. the legends of St Seraphim, of which she writes, ‘St Seraphim entered my heart’. And it is Resurrection Life to which St Seraphim witnesses in another extraordinary She had been sent to the labour camp following her solitary confinement in Lubianka way too. Prison, Moscow, where she was tortured. She later spoke of this experience to a In 1903, St Seraphim was the last Russian Saint to be canonised before the group of students at Lincoln Theological College, England, 4 revolution. By this time Sarov had become a focal point of pilgrimage for much of ‘I wonder how I can convey to you the extraordinary atmosphere of the prisons and Russia. In 1926, 11 thousand pilgrims from all over Russia came to Sarov to concentration camps, where a vast number of mystically minded men and women celebrate the 23rd anniversary of his canonisation. The Sarov Monastery was the last accept in the temper of the yurodivy,2 the torture that they undergo at the hands of working in the whole country.5 With the coming of the revolution, attempts were made ascetically minded rulers, bent on destroying every vestige of personality in their to destroy this spiritual power…. victims so as to reduce them to undifferentiated smooth-running parts in the great Here is a testimony from this period. In this account, a party of Communists have machine of their idol worship - the State. been sent to the famous Sarov Pustyn, at a time when the monastery is still in …………. When you are in direct contact with this type of mind, you very soon learn operation. They carried with them instructions to open the relics of the much loved that there is only one way to make your torturers stop torturing you and that is to saint, Saint Seraphim of Sarov, an act designed to demonstrate the power of the become invulnerable. To a sadist you are of interest only for a particular series of Bolsheviks over the superstition of the 'faithful'.

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The story, of how St Seraphim saved a peasant from desecrating his relics, is written ‘He who should eat of the “eyes of in a letter from E. Poselanin to Prince Vladimir Zhevakhov dated December 19th Christ” is the one who is able to 1922, understand the visible creation in a spiritual 'In the Spring of 1921, an official commission had come to open and inspect the way, and thus is capable of bringing relics in Sarov. The chairman was a peasant, probably from Vertianovo (not far from together the logoi of the things which he Diveyevo). That night in a dream, he was standing by the shrine as the bones of St has grasped through his senses and his Seraphim came together.6 And then St Seraphim rose from the coffin, robed, just as mind into one single glorification of God.’12 seen in icons, saying, "You see, I am alive!"7 And at that the saint touched the man's The resurrection (abolition of death) cheek with two fingers. transforms reality, such that our seeing The peasant awoke standing upright,8 in a sweat, with two black impressions on Christ in creation and creation in Christ his face where he had been touched. Finally, in the morning, he related what had constitutes a dynamic. happened, and this was documented. The peasant refused to carry out his original ‘The incarnational likeness of the task and left'.9 sacrament receives the responsive likeness of the communicant into itself, The vision of the Communist chief is effective in transforming the outcome of transforming it into the likeness of human events. Here we find echoes from the Old Testament, of the vision of Daniel, of deification’.13 Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones coming to life, and, taken together with the For when we see with the eyes of Christ resurrection appearances of Jesus in the Gospels, this account, provides us with a we see no death. Then the gift of the Word when received transforms death to life, rich witness, in relatively recent history, of Christ's effect in re-construing reality. Just but not only our death, but the death of all flesh, that we may thereby become the as in the Book of Daniel, the vision in which the man is touched and stands up, sacrament, in life and death, given for the Life of the World, such that the Word may carries forward in time from the visionary/dream state into existential reality, for the say, `This is my Body'. following morning, the man who has received the vision, stands up and witnesses to Jeanne Knights those who have come with him to carry out the mission. * 1 In Orthodox spirituality full participation in God is through the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. 2 How does Julia de Beausobre's witness carry forward in time? How is her See de Beausobre, Julia, Creative Suffering, (Oxford: Fairacres Publication 88, 1984), p.18. de Beausobre discusses the clear characterization of this through the ‘yurodivy’ in the Russian extraordinary perception of the penetration of lives to which she has attested and tradition, who sees godliness and spirit shining out from all that is lowliest and worst; from the ‘insight into the breadth of God's composition for this particular event on earth’, dust of the highway, the sharp stones that cut his feet, the thorns that tear his flesh, the biting consciously shared with others? winter frost, the intolerable heat of summer, the stench of the doss-house; from the most degraded types of men and women. He participates in all the badness and degradation, and She later wrote, ‘the texture of one's own life opens one's eyes to the texture of the believes fervently in so doing he helps in the great drama of redemption. lives of others’.10 3 See de Beausobre, pp.20-22. 4 With eyes now opened, vision purified through the knowledge of evil, and with St But of course in the post-revolutionary , the communist persecution created tens of thousands of New Martyrs. Seraphim in her heart, de Beausobre wrote the text of the life of St Seraphim, the 5 Agapov A., Sarov - ee proshlom i nastojashhem (Sarov - its Past and Present), Sarov - book through which so many people in the West, including myself, have come to Saransk, 1999), p74. 6 Cf. Book of Ezekiel 37:1-9. know and love St Seraphim of Sarov, and through which the saint has entered their 7 11 Cf. Gospel of Mark 16:11. hearts, Flame in the Snow. 8 Cf. Book of Daniel, Chapter 10. * 9 Fomin, Sergy, B gocti k batiushke Serafimy, (Moscow, Palomniki, 1997), p.454, n.12. 10 Seeing beauty through evil, ‘godliness and spirit shining out from all that is lowliest de Beausobre, p3. 11 de Beausobre, Julia, Flame in the Snow: A Russian Legend, (London, Constable, 1945). and worst’, ultimately seeing life through death: how may we appropriate Christ’s re- 12 Maximus the Confessor, PG91,1364C, quoted in Lars Thunberg, Microcosm and Mediator, construal of reality through our own lives?? Lund, 1980, p398. 13 Theologically this raises a question concerning the nature of reconciliation, a Thunberg, Lars, Man and the Cosmos: The Vision of St Maximus The Confessor, (St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, New York, 1985), p172, in an excursus on Maximus text movement from di-vision to vision when that vision is directed unitively. A thought Mystagogia 23 (Patr. Gr. 91,701B.). from Maximus the Confessor may be helpful here, 6 7

I have a bothy1 in the wood— Resting there are herded swine, none knows it save the Lord, my God; goats and piglings; one wall an ash, the other hazel, wild swine too, deer and doe, and a great fern makes the door. speckled badgers.

The doorposts are made of heather, Great woodland bands troop like fairies the lintel of honeysuckle; to my bothy; and wild forest all around and great delight when timid foxes yields mast for well-fed swine. show their faces.

This size my hut: the smallest thing, I hear the soughing of the pine-trees homestead amid well-trod paths; and pay no money; a woman (but blackbird clothed and seeming) I am richer far through Christ, my lord, warbles sweetly from its gable. than ever you were.

   Though you enjoy all you consume and wealth exceeding, This little secret humble place I am grateful for the riches holds tenure of the teeming woods; my dear Christ brings me. maybe you will come to see?— but alone I live quite happy. No hour of trouble like you endure, no din of combat: Tree of apples, huge and magic, I thank the Prince who so endows me great its graces; in my bothy. crop in fistfulls from clustered hazel, green and branching.   

Sparkling wells and water-torrents, A Celtic poem by Connaught (c.670), translated by Professor James Carney, in L. Bieler’s Ireland, Harbinger of the Middle Ages, London best for drinking; 1963, p.59. green privet there and bird-cherry

and yew-berries. 1 bothy—a small hut Lifestyle 8 9

Russian Stories Saints Alive Giving Who we are An important relatively recent publication in Russia is We seek your participation in building Saints Alive is an educational charity operating Rasskazy ob otse osnovatele nashem startse an International Community in St in the UK and in Russia. We aim to help svyashenno-ieromonakhe Seraphime (Stories about our founding father, the elder hieromonk Seraphim)1, a Seraphim Studies. people grow spiritually, to see the world and beautifully illustrated facsimile edition of what is known as Your support in developing and our place in creation. One of the main ways in ‘Notebook 1’. maintaining dedicated Centres in which we do this is by telling the stories of extraordinary lives in which we can see the full This is the first of the notebooks of testimonies, Cambridge and Diveyevo will make a gathered around the time of the death of St Seraphim, potential of our humanity. The lives of holy significant and lasting contribution to which record the memories of monks, nuns, close friends people and the saints have an impact and a theology and spirituality, by offering and laypeople who knew St Seraphim personally, and Book Cover transforming relevance for us today, as we whose lives had been directly touched by his. resources to a wide range of individuals become increasingly aware of our integrated In compiling the Chronicles of the Monastery of Seraphim-Diveyevo, the key text in and communities. role within the whole created order. St Seraphim studies, Metropolitan Seraphim Chichagov’s main source were these If you are able to help us to achieve this, then regular monthly contributions, What we do however small, promote core Our educational work includes conferences, sustainability, allowing us to plan ahead, seminars and study days, publications and a and are ultimately what keep us going— major research programme in Russia these are precious and welcome gifts. recording testimonies of ordinary people who Single gifts allow us to accomplish have led extraordinary lives through the period of soviet persecution of religion. Our plans for specific objectives: developing learning the future are focused on developing our UK programmes, publication of books and of study centre and establishing a Russian Study course development of our study centres. facility both with vibrant programmes of To become a Friend and participate in education, research and publication. our life in any way and as much as you Title Page of Original Side by side layout of facsimile edition with transcription Notebook 1 wish—do get in touch, either by email or Become a Friend unpublished recollections. This material he found in sixty by writing to us. You will find contact To register as a Friend online go to manuscript notebooks preserved at Diveyevo. At the details in the next column. www.saintsalive.org.uk and choose the Get closure of the monastery in 1926 at least some of these notebooks, perhaps all of them, were taken to Murom, Involved link or call to request our postal form. where the then Mother Alexandra, the first Abbess of Writing for LAVRA As a Friend you’ll receive regular Updates to Diveyevo, relocated together with a number of her sisters. We would like to invite readers to keep you informed, as well as invitations to Since the handing back of the churches in the late participate in the production of LAVRA special events and new initiatives. 1980’s, just a few of the notebooks have been recovered. by writing the occasional article. If you This first of these notebooks, a most important one, has Contact Saints Alive would be willing to contribute in this now been published in facsimile, with a transcription.  +44 (0)1223 575 988 way, please get in touch with us and let These stories, written in the first person, bring to life the  [email protected] immediacy of the experiences, thoughts and feelings of us know about your interests and fields  www.saintsalive.org.uk the people involved. of expertise. The Editor will consider Saints Alive, 12 Grange Road, any topic related to the aims of Saints 1Rasskazy ob otse osnovatele nashem startse svyashenno- Cambridge, CB3 9DU, UK ieromonakhe Seraphime, 3rd ed. (Diveyevo: Seraphim-Diveyevo Alive. Sketch of St Seraphim, Registered Charity No. 1070055 Monastery, 2009).

Study dated 1830

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