"Donskoy Monastery". Bright evening with Bishop Paramon of Bronnitsky (08/28/2016)

Paramon, Bishop of Sergiev Posad, vicar His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and all Rus'(Golubka Fedor Mikhailovich) born June 26, 1977 in the village Coal of the Tyachesky district of the Transcarpathian region. Ukraine in a family of employees. In 1984-1994. studied at Uglyansk secondary school.

In 1994 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary. On December 5, 1996, he was ordained a reader by the rector of Moscow theological schools, Bishop Eugene of Vereisky. In 1997 he was accepted into the brethren of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra as a novice.

In 1997-2001 studied at the Moscow Theological Academy.

March 30, 1998 The abbot of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Theognost (Guzikov), was tonsured a monk with the name Paramon in honor of the holy martyr Paramon of Bithynia.

On July 23, 1998, in the Church of the Deposition of the Robe in Moscow, Bishop Alexy of Orekhovo-Zuevsky ordained him a hierodeacon.

On October 14, 2000, in the Intercession Church of the Khotkov Stavropegic Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II ordained him a hieromonk.

In December 2001, he was sent on a business trip to the Yuzhno-Sakhalin diocese, where from December 31, 2001 to June 1, 2010, he served as the vicar of the Resurrection cathedral Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

In 2003, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Yuzhno-Sakhalin diocese, Bishop Daniil of Yuzhno-Sakhalin and Kuril was elevated to the rank of abbot.

March 22, 2011 (magazine no. 31) included in working group under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' on issues of transferring shrines (since May 30, 2011 - Commission under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' on issues of bringing shrines).

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' dated April 12, 2011, he was appointed full-time cleric of the Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God in Kapotnya, Moscow.

Since November 2011 - Chairman of the newly formed Commission for Coordination of Exhibition Activities of the Russian Orthodox Church.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated February 24, 2012, he was appointed full-time priest of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lefortovo, Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 26, 2012 (journal No. 78), he was appointed vicar of the Donskoy Stauropegic Monastery.

September 1, 2012 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of hegumen Donskoy Monastery.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 22, 2015(magazine no. 63) elected vicar of the Moscow diocese with the title “Bronnitsky”.

October 27, 2015 in the Church of St. blgv. book Alexander Nevsky Donskoy Monastery in Moscow by Metropolitan Barsanuphius of St. Petersburg and Ladoga was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

He was consecrated bishop on November 5, 2015 in the cross church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God at the Patriarchal residence in Chisty Lane in Moscow. Hirotonisan December 2nd Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in November 2015 appointed manager of the Northern and Northwestern Vicariates of Moscow.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of April 10, 2017 in addition to the obediences carried out, an acting rector of the Patriarchal Metochion of the Church of St. Vmch. Demetrius of Solunsky in Khoroshevo, Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of February 26, 2019(magazine no. 9) appointed vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra with the title “Sergiev Posad”, with the dismissal of the governor of the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of February 28, 2019, he was released from the management of the Northern and Northwestern Vicariates of Moscow.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated March 12, 2019, he was appointed manager of the Northern Moscow Vicariate.

Born on June 26, 1977 in the village. Coal of the Tyachesky district of the Transcarpathian region. Ukraine in a family of employees. In 1984-1994. studied at Uglyansk secondary school.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' dated April 12, 2011, he was appointed full-time cleric of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kapotnya, Moscow.

Since November 2011 - Chairman of the newly formed.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of February 24, 2012, he was appointed full-time priest of Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 22, 2015 () he was elected vicar of the Moscow diocese with the title “Bronnitsky”.

October 27, 2015 in the Church of St. blgv. book Alexander Nevsky Donskoy Monastery in Moscow to the rank of archimandrite.

To the bishop on November 5, 2015 in the cross church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God of the Patriarchal residence in Chisty Lane in Moscow. December 2 at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in November 2015, he was appointed manager of the Northern and Northwestern Vicariates of Moscow.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of April 10, 2017, in addition to the obediences carried out, an acting rector of the Patriarchal Metochion of the Church of St. Vmch. Demetrius of Solunsky in Khoroshevo, Moscow.

Discussion continues, developed by the Inter-Council Presence. The rector of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos is Archimandrite Ephraim, which is more correct when the abbot is chosen by the brethren, and not appointed from above. In an interview with Pravmir, the abbot of the Donskoy Monastery, Abbot Paramon (Golubka), expressed his opinion about the project.

– Father Paramon, do you agree with the proposal of the authors of the project or do you think that it is more correct when the abbot is chosen by the brethren

In answer to your question, I consider it necessary, first of all, to note that in the Church content always prevails over form. This circumstance takes on special significance in the context of the discussion of the draft document “Regulations on monasteries and monastics.”

The history of monasticism in the Byzantine Empire clearly demonstrates that the election of an abbot from among the brethren was a traditional form of succession of spiritual power in the monastery. However, before applying this paradigm to modern monasteries, it is necessary to recall a number of circumstances related both to the various vicissitudes that took place in the history of the Russian Church of the 20th century, and to the way of life of Russian monasticism at the present time. Simply put, it seems to me that today, after the persecution the Church has experienced, we cannot rush to return to the ancient practice of electing an abbot by the brethren.

A return to this practice is possible, but for this the monastics themselves must mature. Let us remember what criteria the ancient monks were guided by when choosing an abbot over the brethren? They were by no means choosing someone who would encourage the shortcomings of the brethren, thereby turning the monastery into a Cossack freemen.

A monastery is a religious school with a very clearly defined statutory life: everyday life, cell rule, joint worship and obedience. The one who was most successful in monastic life was elected abbot; the one who with his life could set an example of following the communal rules was elected, thereby not giving others a reason to weaken their saving feat.

In our time, monasticism in Russia is only on the path of its revival. People come to monasteries, most of whom know little about monastic life. It seems to me that in such conditions it is very premature to proceed to the election of an abbot by the brethren. It is necessary that the brethren in monasteries become spiritually stronger, mature enough to choose not the most “convenient”, but the most worthy.

Today, the discussion of the Regulations in many commentaries comes down to proposals for various variations of the relationship between the administrative power of the abbot and the diocesan bishop in a particular monastery. At the same time, the question of the spiritual authority of the head of the monastic community falls out of sight of the participants in the discussion, although if this issue is resolved positively, it seems to me that the problem of administrative prerogatives will fade into the background.

However, even today diocesan bishops, when appointing a new abbot or vicar to the monastery, listen to the opinion of the monks and are interested in inner life monastery. Thus, the random selection of one candidate or another is excluded.

During the pilgrimage to Athos, I was lucky enough to communicate with Archimandrite Ephraim, who made a very deep impression on me. Undoubtedly, his advice is of particular value to us, but it must be taken into account that Athos did not survive the upheavals that befell Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. I repeat: the election of the abbot of the monastery by the brethren - perfect option, but its implementation often depends not only on the internal environment of the monastery, but, no matter how strange it may seem, also on the conditions of the socio-political life of the state.

Archimandrite Ephraim not only himself combines the duties of abbot and confessor, but writes that this is how it should be, and the practice that has developed in Russia of dividing these responsibilities is possible only in exceptional circumstances.

Father Ephraim is a man with real spiritual authority. The election of an abbot by the brethren presupposes the presence of such authority. It is quite natural that the abbot becomes at the same time the confessor of the monastery. In Russia now there is a slightly different practice - an abbot is appointed. It is impossible to appoint a confessor - this would be a violation of the principle of spiritual freedom, which could lead to various disorders.

Of course, even today the abbot of a monastery can simultaneously be the confessor of the brethren, but only if the brethren themselves recognize him as having sufficient experience and authority.

Officially, the confessor is also appointed by the clergy (in our Donskoy Monastery - by the Holy Patriarch), but this issue is first decided at the spiritual council of the monastery, which includes not only monks holding administrative positions, but also those who enjoy the greatest spiritual authority among the brethren.

It is the spiritual council of the monastery that proposes the candidacy of a confessor for the monastery, petitioning for the approval of this brother as a spiritual father and mentor.

On the other hand, the division of the functions of the confessor and abbot of the monastery, observed in modern monasteries of the Russian Church, has its own positive sides. So, for example, the confessor of a monastery is not burdened with administrative obedience, thanks to which he has more free time for the spiritual care of the brethren.

The greatest objection from Father Ephraim was caused by the point about the inadmissibility of serving as monks in nunneries. Do you agree with him that only a monk can spiritually instruct monastics, and that women's communities were successful when they were under the spiritual guidance of experienced elder hieromonks?

If you carefully read Father Ephraim’s commentary, it is easy to notice that the main concept with which Father Archimandrite operates is “experience.” It is the presence of spiritual experience that allows a priest to become a true spiritual mentor for each resident of the monastery.

The Shamordinsky monastery, for example, cared for, the Diveyevo -. Why? I think the question was not what the marital status of these ascetics of piety was, but what kind of experience they had in dealing with passions.

In the nineties, we often sent young hieromonks to serve in convents. A paradoxical situation arose: a person himself takes the first steps on the monastic path, has practically no experience, and he is sent to a nunnery to edify others about the difficulties of spiritual achievement.

To avoid such confusion in the future is the purpose for which the rule on the inadmissibility of monks serving in nunneries is prescribed. In this same paragraph there is a significant addition: “Exceptions can be made only for pastors who have rich spiritual experience and are in advanced years.” Thus, our hierarchy indicates that an experienced elder monk can minister to a nunnery.

But there are probably fewer such elders than convents. So, in most of them the confessors will be archpriests?

Yes, and I don’t see any tragedy in this. How does the Christian life of a monk differ from the Christian life of a married person? Everyone is overcome by the same passions.

I agree with Father Ephraim that it is very good if the female monastic community is cared for by an experienced elder monk. But I would not categorically assert that a person without monastic experience cannot edify monastics. It all depends on inner world person. You can live in a monastery as in the world, and in the world as in a monastery. The kind of life a priest leads determines whether the convent he cares for will succeed in spiritual life.

The current tradition of sharply opposing monastics to the so-called white clergy seems to me to be incorrect and has nothing to do with the spirit of Christianity. Often, in the course of such reasoning, it turns out that in the minds of individual parishioners, the spiritual experience of the white clergy turns out to be deficient in comparison with the experience of monastics. However, to debunk this myth, you don’t have to go far - let’s remember other wonderful shepherds of the Church of Christ.

We are all Christians, members of one Church, and we partake of the same Chalice. From my point of view, such a contrast is false, far-fetched, and most importantly, a contrast that misleads Christians. We are all called to salvation: everyone must choose the place of their salvation - a monastery or the world - in accordance with their inner structure.

The draft states that experienced monks, with the blessing of the abbot, can become mentors for lay people visiting the monastery. Does this mean that other monks will not confess at all?

A person, coming to a monastery, remains in obedience to the abbot or dean of the monastery. It is the monastic hierarchy that determines who can accept confession and who cannot. At the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the newly ordained hieromonk never performed the sacrament of confession.

IN pre-revolutionary Russia this rule extended not only to monastics; confession was performed only by experienced clergy. In Russia today there are not enough priests, so there is no way to return to this practice overnight. But in monasteries, I hope, this rule will soon become the norm - only experienced monks will confess to the laity.

I didn’t communicate much with monks, but reading letters and sermons, I was always amazed at how deeply they understood the problems of the laity, including family ones. But can every monk, even an experienced one, if he came to the monastery in his youth? good advice on questions family life?

It is not surprising that such an experienced old man as Father John (Krestyankin) could see the cause of some family troubles and help cope with them. After all, at the heart of family troubles lie the same human passions with which monks struggle. The main thing is that the doctor - the shepherd - correctly makes the “diagnosis”, and it does not matter whether he himself has a family.

It is important to remember that no one person can understand all the details of complex everyday situations. And it is difficult for me to answer questions about family life. In this case, I honestly tell the person who comes to me that I do not have enough experience, and I advise him to contact a married priest.

There is no sin in admitting to a parishioner your lack of competence on a particular issue. It’s a sin to do the opposite. For any priest, monastic or married, the main thing is to help everyone who comes to him for advice and support. Help, not harm.

You served in parishes for many years. As far as I understand, the tradition of monks serving in parishes developed in Soviet time, when there are almost no active monasteries left? The draft says that constant service in the world is not useful for a monk. What about the impermanent?

It is generally not useful for a monk to go beyond the walls of the monastery. Believe me, any monk who has lived for some time in a good monastery always dreams of one thing - to return back to his native monastery.

Perhaps the tradition of monks serving in parishes actually developed during the years of persecution, when there were not enough monasteries or clergy. But even today, bishops are often forced to appoint monks to parishes. In most cases we're talking about about those parishes where a married person cannot live.

Today, many monasteries are active social activity, in which lay people also participate, work with young people. Some Orthodox Christians, while supporting such initiatives in parishes, doubt their appropriateness in monasteries. Do you think social activity interferes with a monk?

A good deed, be it helping the sick, the needy, the homeless, or educational activities, does not violate the monastic routine. You just need to remember that you are doing this out of obedience, not forgetting the main feat for every monk - fasting and prayer.

What is the right thing to do for a monk with gifts? We are, of course, not talking about cups, but about cars and telephones. It is clear that in the current conditions, some monks have to travel a lot out of obedience, and they need a car. But people, seeing a priest in an expensive foreign car, are tempted. If it was given to a monk, can he sell it, buy a simpler one, and donate the proceeds to the monastery or to those in need? Wouldn't that be a violation of the vows?

There will be no violation in this. I don’t understand how you can demand from a person who, due to circumstances beyond his control, spends a considerable part of his time in a car, that he sell the car he received as a gift and move to a lower quality one. vehicle. Let me ask myself a question: why do those people who today actively criticize the Church on this issue themselves prefer to use very expensive cars?

In order to be perfect, a person must renounce everything, including his own will - every Christian is called to this. Let me emphasize: this rule applies not only to monastics, but also to every Christian in particular. Attachment to things is sinful for both the monk and the layman.

A monk should not become attached to things given to him. If he is free from such attachment, then no car will harm his soul. The main thing is that the thing does not possess the person.

I recently went to Once again I re-read the life of St. Macarius of Egypt. Three times thieves came to his cave in which he lived. Entering the cave and seeing that they were stealing from him, he helped the criminals collect the things that were there and take them out. This is the principle of spiritual freedom: you can lose everything at any time and you will not grieve about it.

Please note: even the basic necessities of life can so capture the mind and heart of a person that he becomes a slave to them.

Interviewed by Leonid Vinogradov

Vicar of the Patriarch about his choice, about the pioneer tie and about the writer Leskov Born future bishop in an Orthodox family, he was baptized in infancy with the name Theodore. When his elder brother Stepan took monastic vows, he decided to leave school and also join a monastery, but his parents kept him from doing so. “Youth is always hot,” the Bishop recalls with a smile. After graduating from school, he went to Sergiev Posad, entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, and then the academy. At 20 years old - a monk, at 25 years old - hegumen. He served on Sakhalin, and from 2012 to this day - the abbot of the Donskoy Monastery.

Why is it light in the temple?

I am the eighth child: I have two sisters and seven brothers. Since school, I have been a sexton in our rural Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On Saturday and Sunday we all big family went to worship services.

Did you have any problems because of your faith?

In 3rd grade, I, along with other children, was forcibly accepted as a pioneer. Whether you like it or not, a tie around your neck. This outraged me, and after the ceremony I took off my tie in front of everyone and wiped my shoes with it. He got off easy: the school director ordered him not to do this again, otherwise he would be registered with the police.

Were there still Orthodox Christians at school?

This was not advertised. The teachers and the director pretended that they were atheists. But in fact... As a child, I asked my dad: “Why are the lights on in the church at night?” He answered: “It’s the communists who take communion.” The villagers knew that people secretly came to the local priest. During the day they preach communism, and at night they go to confession. And when the attitude towards the Church changed, many teachers openly went to church. Several years ago I was in my native village and met a teacher at the liturgy primary classes. She taught us the alphabet. It was a joyful meeting.

Monastic prosperity

Why did you decide to become a monk? Did your brother influence you?

My brother is nine years older than me, his example meant a lot, but a person makes a decision about monasticism himself. I was very inspired that the Church was given freedom, that monasteries began to be revived.

How did your parents react to this?

They, of course, wanted me to have a family and hoped that I would change my mind. When I came home from seminary for the holidays, they started talking about marriage. They even tried to introduce me to a girl from a good family: they say, take a closer look, court me. But I said: “If you insist too much, I won’t come home anymore.” And they answered: “Okay, whichever path you choose, we will accept it.”

For many people, monasticism is a mystery. At the age of 20, a person renounces the joys associated with family, children, pleasures, prosperity...

We have prosperity! Why do you think monks don't prosper? A person can direct all his strength to serving God, people, and the Church. To be a monk means to rejoice. As for family, this is a person’s internal choice. It all depends on your mental inclination. The main thing is not to make mistakes.

Lessons from Elder Kirill

During the years of your studies, the elder Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) served in the Lavra...

Yes, he was the confessor of the monastic brethren, they went to him for confession. I was lucky enough to live on the same floor with him. You should have seen: at six in the morning he took part in a fraternal prayer service, then went to his cell and received people there until midnight. And the next morning again at the prayer service. Although he was already 80 years old. He always smiled and knew how to put everyone in the right mood. He gave everyone special attention. When I was young, he gave me chocolates.

Did you ask him for advice? Did he give instructions?

He always answered questions with a quote from Holy Scripture. No orders. He smiled and quoted the Bible. Often it was a quote that you read many times. And suddenly its meaning was revealed in a new way. As a result, I received a comprehensive answer to my question.

What surprised Sakhalin residents

You served in Sakhalin for eight years. What do you remember?

At first I was puzzled: in the temple I met believers, people came up for a blessing, but behind the fence, on the street, these same people walked around me, as if they were afraid of something. Then they explained to me: since Soviet times there have been very few priests here, and those who served walked around the city in lay clothes. And I am always in vestments, in a cassock.

But then they began to get used to it. I go into the store - they recognize me and say hello. The attitude has changed.

Were there many believers? No, because on Sakhalin for a long time there was no Church at all: until the end of the 1980s, not a single Orthodox church . But under Andropov, a Baptist community managed to register there. And in the 1990s, missionaries rushed there from South Korea

. We built many houses of worship and actively involved the population. They invested a lot of money in this.

Have you had any problems with sectarians?

No, we just started building new temples.

Classic never gets old

Today you have a heavy workload: Donskoy Monastery, Northern and Northwestern Vicariates... Are you on time?

I'm trying.

What is leisure for you?

An opportunity to sleep a little longer.

What about reading, classics?

Trying. I love Leskov. You read it, and it feels like it was written about today.

Interviewed by Mikhail USTYUGOV

Born on June 26, 1977 in the village of Uglya, Tyachiv district, Transcarpathian region, into a family of employees.

In the 3rd grade he was forcibly accepted into the pioneers, but the tie

Didn't wear it.

He was tonsured a monk with the name Paramon in honor of the holy martyr Paramon of Bithynia.

His confessor at the Lavra was the famous elder Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov).

The elder brother of the bishop - Archimandrite Simeon (Golubka) - serves as the vicar of a monastery in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine.

During the so-called “restoration” work, organized by a group of unscrupulous officials, the only symbolic marble tombstone plaque in the Russian Federation in honor of millions of Orthodox Christians was publicly desecrated and destroyed in the Donskoy Monastery. killed for the Faith. The knocked down and destroyed board was installed on the wall of the Small Cathedral Donskoy Monastery with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II, on the initiative of Alexei Polozov - the son of Yakov Anisimovich Polozov, cell attendant of Patriarch Tikhon, who was killed for the Faith. In 1924 New Martyr Yakov Polozov shielded Patriarch Tikhon from the bullets of hired bandits and was after his death buried near the wall of the Small Cathedral Don Icon of the Mother of God. 25 years ago ( a meter from his grave) on the wall Small Donskoy Cathedral was marble board installed with the text "ETERNAL MEMORY IN THE FEAT OF MARTYRHORD FOR THE FAITH OF CHRIST TO THE SUFFERED. WITH THE BLESSING OF PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL Rus' ALEXI II THIS PLATE IN THE MEMORY OF THE MARRIED AND KILLED CHRISTIANS WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE DAY OF THE RESURANCE OF CHRIST 7 IV 199 1 year."

Currently, under the guise of "restoration", vandals plan to destroy the Orthodox memorial, created in 1990-1991 at the burial site of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov, including REMOVE, DESCREATE AND DESTROY the TWO remaining granite tombstones on his grave, dedicated to the "NEW MARTYRS WHO ACCEPTED DEATH FOR THE FAITH OF CHRIST."

Marble board"for the Faith of Christ those who suffered", which was on the wall Small Cathedral, a meter from the grave of Yakov Polozov, already shot down and destroyed. Now in line for destruction the other two are granite slabs on the grave of Yakov Polozov.

This was reported by a group of parishioners of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, who became witnesses, how they knocked down from the wall the Sacred plaque to the tortured and murdered Christians, installed in 1991 a meter from the grave of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov, on the initiative of his son Alexei Yakovlevich. It was they who spoke on this issue with people close to the governor, Bishop Paramon, who did not take any measures to prevent this public sacrilege.

In September 2016, this CONSECRED board was shot down off the wall, mutilated And destroyed under the pretext of bringing appearance Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery in " original historical appearance".

How cynical say the organizers of public vandalism and mockery, supposedly at this place" never buried"Christians, killed and executed for the Faith. And this despite the fact that hundreds of tortured Orthodox clergy and laity were buried near the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery and in its environs in the 20th century.

It should be especially noted that after his death in 1925, Patriarch Tikhon was buried in the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery, opposite that place, where (on the outside of the wall) in 1924 there was cell attendant Yakov Polozov is buried, who shielded the Patriarch with his body from the bullets of sent killers. That is why in April 1991, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, (a meter from the burial of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov) a unique marble plaque was installed on the wall of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, dedicated to all Christians tortured and killed for the Faith.

In 1992, the relics of Patriarch Tikhon (after being found) were placed in a shrine and subsequently transferred to the Great Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery.

These photos show a marble plaque on the wall of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, a meter from which there is a bronze cross and two granite tombstones above the grave of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov, cell attendant of Patriarch Tikhon:

A plaque on the wall of the Small Cathedral opposite the burial place of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov.

Blessed board - close-up.

And this is a fragment of the wall of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, from where vandals (with the knowledge of a group of church and secular officials) knocked down a symbolic marble tombstone in memory of the tortured and murdered Christians:

This photo clearly shows the mark on the wall from the knocked down and destroyed Sacred Board, crudely painted over with white paint by migrant workers who were hired and used by officials to commit sacrilege, with the complete inaction of the Donskoy Monastery administration.

Cross and tombstones over the burial of the New Martyr Yakov Anisimovich Polozov, killed by hired bandits in 1924:

A granite plaque erected over the burial place of Yakov Polozov and his wife Natalya Vasilievna in 1990, on which the text " ETERNAL MEMORY TO THE NEW MARTYRS WHO ACCEPTED DEATH FOR THE FAITH OF CHRIST".

The second granite plaque on the grave with memorable epitaphs " In memory of the martyrdom of Yakov Anisimovich Polozov, who died on December 9, 1924 while defending His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon from the bullets of bandit atheists", "In memory of Natalia Vasilievna Polozova (1899-1988), nee Princess Drutskaya - Sokolinskaya, who accepted and carried the Cross of martyrdom in the kingdom of the atheists", "Through the feat of earthly life he has gained heavenly glory, glory forever and ever, Amen".

Another memorial plaque erected on the grave of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov, his wife Natalya Vasilyevna and their son Alexei Yakovlevich Polozov, who died suddenly on August 20, 2003.

It is noteworthy that the demonstrative an act of outrage against the memory of millions of Orthodox Christians, tortured and killed for the Faith of Christ, was committed in anticipation 2 upcoming dates: 100th anniversary election of St. Tikhon (Bellavin) Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; 92 years anniversary the villainous murder of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov.

So defilers Orthodox shrines show their solidarity with the executioners, participated in organizing and carrying out mass executions of Orthodox clergy and laity during the years of fierce persecution of the 20th century, including the villainous attempted assassination of Patriarch Tikhon in the Donskoy Monastery, during which there was Cell attendant Yakov Polozov was shot dead.

According to participants in the public investigation, the unique board was shot down and destroyed due to inaction of the church administration. Viceroy of the Donskoy Monastery Bishop Paramon(Golubka), his assistant for historical and architectural work Oleg Starodubtsev, economist Foma Demchuk and other representatives of church authorities DID NOTHING to try to stop unscrupulous officials and “restorators” who are engaged in public desecration of the memory of millions of tortured and murdered Christians. According to one version, subordinates of the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky from subordinate structures, represented by a group of officials, may also be involved in this dirty business involved in the misappropriation of budget funds allocated for the restoration of the Donskoy Monastery.

It is necessary to especially note the fact that The Holy Archimandrite of the Donskoy Monastery is Patriarch Kirill. But none of the clergy of the Donskoy Monastery has so far decided to inform His Holiness the Patriarch about the public blasphemy being committed, despite the requests and complaints of the parishioners of the Small Cathedral, on the wall of which hung a knocked down and destroyed plaque “For the Faith of Christ those who suffered.” Therefore, by virtue of their position and position, the abbot of the Donskoy Monastery, Bishop Paramon (Golubka) and his associates bear full responsibility for the committed act of vandalism and desecration of the memory of millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered for the Faith of Christ.

Among the direct organizers and executors of this atheistic act are: heads of the design institute "Special projectrestoration"(subordinate to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation), Chairman of the Department cultural heritage Moscow Alexey Emelyanov and his deputy Leonid Kondrashev, head of the scientific council of the Donskoy Monastery Andrey Batalov, Chief Engineer monastery Nikita Folomeev, guardian of the necropolis Tatiana Bazhutina and other defilers. Exactly under their leadership, migrant workers knocked down the consecrated plaque"For the Faith of Christ those who suffered"; from the wall of the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery.

Moreover, clergy of the Donskoy Monastery took an active part in the work "Commissions", which carried out the acceptance and signing of the act of the so-called "repair and restoration work" of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, during which a marble plaque in honor of millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered for the Faith of Christ was knocked off the wall, desecrated and destroyed. None of them, including Bishop Paramon , did not speak out against the committed act of desecration of memory and did not demand the immediate restoration of the plaque on the wall of the Small Don Cathedral.

The photo shows the composition and work of the so-called “Commission”:

Signing the acceptance certificate for “restoration work”.

In the photo there are hired migrants and migrant workers, who knocked down and destroyed the consecrated plaque (in honor of the Christians “Victims for the Faith of Christ”), on the instructions of a group of officials from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Department of Cultural Heritage of Moscow (Moscow City Heritage) and the office “Spetsproektrestavratsiya”, with the knowledge of the hierarchy of the Donskoy Monastery.

Upper fragment of a marble plaque on the wall of the Small Donskoy Cathedral (close-up):

Bottom fragment of the board with an annotation that it is installed " With the blessing of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II":

As already mentioned, the marble plaque to Christians “For the Faith of Christ suffered” was installed (and then consecrated) on the wall of the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II, who died suddenly in December 2008. Participants in the public investigation suggest that perhaps because of this, a blasphemous decision was made to publicly knock down and destroy the Holy Board in order to eliminate any visible memory of Patriarch Alexy II on the territory of the Donskoy Monastery.

According to another version, a public act of vandalism and desecration of the memory of many millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered for the Faith, deliberately arranged, to provoke a major scandal. The purpose of this atheistic action: to divert attention from the theft (cutting) of multi-million dollar public funds, allocated to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Moscow City Heritage for the repair and restoration of the Donskoy Monastery in 2015-16. It was for this purpose that the officials ordered their assistants knock down a marble symbolic tombstone from the wall of the Small Cathedral to all Christians “who suffered in the feat of martyrdom for the Faith of Christ,” and also intend to desecrate and destroy two other granite slabs at the burial site of the new martyr Yakov Polozov.

It is noteworthy that public the act of abuse was committed after, how the investigative bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB opened a number of criminal cases(on the fact of theft of funds on an especially large scale) in relation to a number of senior officials of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and their subordinate organizations “Tsentrrestavratsiya” and “Spetsproektrestavratsiya”.

As mentioned above, two tombstone granite plaques on the grave of the cell attendant of Patriarch Tikhon the New Martyr Yakov Anisimovich Polozov were erected back in 1990. on the initiative of his son Alexei Yakovlevich Polozov.

There were unique boards made by Zaraysk sculptor Nikolai Pavlov, starring member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and head of the Patriotic Union "Russia" Igor Sychev, participant in the storming of the Reichstag guard colonel Erofey Levshova- leader of the Memory Movement in defense of cultural and historical heritage. (Please do not confuse the “Memory” Movement, founded by WWII veteran Levshov, with the “Memory” society of the same name by Dmitry Vasiliev).

At the same time sculptor Vyacheslav Klykov installed a bronze Cross on the grave of Yakov Polozov, created with the assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR).

And in April 1991 (on the initiative of Yakov Polozov’s son) a symbolic marble plaque was installed on the wall of the Small Cathedral of the Don Icon of the Mother of God, on which the text was placed: “Eternal Memory in the feat of martyrdom for the Faith of Christ to those who suffered. With the blessing of Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II, this plaque in memory of tortured and murdered Christians was installed on the day of the Resurrection of Christ, April 7, 1991.”

November 18, 1991 this unique The plaque and grave of cell attendant Yakov Polozov were attacked for the first time. Then "unknowns"; bandits threw a Molotov cocktail into the slightly open window of the Small Cathedral Donskoy Monastery. The incendiary device hit to that place, where indoors(near the wall) the tomb of Patriarch Tikhon was located. And on outside On the same wall (opposite) a marble plaque was installed to Christians who suffered for the Faith, a meter from which is the burial place of Yakov Polozov. After 15 minutes, the fire was extinguished by firefighters who promptly arrived at the scene following a call from one of the employees of the Donskoy Monastery.

According to one version, this arson was committed to blame supporters of the Russian Federation for this crime. Orthodox Church abroad (ROCOR) and personally Alexei Yakovlevich Polozov (son of the New Martyr Yakov Anisimovich Polozov), with the aim of initiating a criminal case against him and innocently imprisoning him in a prison cell with criminals, from where he would not come out alive.

This version is confirmed by the words of some parishioners of the Donskoy Monastery that a group of people spread misinformation about the involvement of the ROCOR and personally Alexei Polozov in the arson of the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery. This provocation was mentioned in a note published by the newspaper “Our Country” in 1992.

According to eyewitnesses, Alexei Polozov was so shocked by the slanderous accusation of arson that one got a stroke, from which he never recovered and remained disabled for the rest of his life.

One of those who helped in the creation and installation of plaques on the wall of the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery and at the burial site of Yakov Polozov was Colonel Erofey Levshov, a participant in the storming of the Reichstag Guard, who went through the entire war from Moscow to Berlin. He's the one organized an independent investigation into the arson Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery and identifying the real criminals.

After that, On January 7, 1992, WWII veteran Levshov was shot in the back of the head. by "unknown" killers in his apartment. According to the official version, he allegedly committed suicide (by shooting himself in the back of the head with a pistol). At the same time there was his personal archive was stolen and all investigation materials disappeared.

But God is not in power, but in truth, which always, sooner or later, comes to the surface.

HISTORICAL PHOTOS, miraculously preserved in the archives of one of the participants in the installation of memorial plates and plaques in the Donskoy Monastery in 1990-1991:

Son of the New Martyr Yakov Polozov - Alexey Yakovlevich Polozov (in the two bottom photos he is second from the right) among his comrades who participated in the installation of memorial plates and plaques in the Donskoy Monastery.

Installation December 9th, 1990 the first granite plaque (at the grave of Yakov Polozov) in memory of the New Martyrs who accepted death for the Faith of Christ.

The ceremony of consecration of the Holy plaque to Christians "In the feat of martyrdom for the Faith of Christ, those who suffered", after its installation on April 7, 1991 on the wall of the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery:

The priest of the Donskoy Monastery is preparing to consecrate a memorial plaque to the tortured and murdered Christians.

This photo shows moment of solemn consecration marble plaque to all Christians who suffered for the Faith, now knocked down and destroyed by vandals.

A memorial event in honor of the New Martyrs, organized on July 17, 1991 at the burial site of Yakov Polozov:

In the lower left photo is Alexey Yakovlevich Polozov (in the center) with his like-minded people.

Blessed Board Christians "Those who suffered in the feat of martyrdom for the Faith of Christ" must be restored in its previous form on the wall of the Small Donskoy Cathedral, and those responsible for its desecration must be removed from their positions or publicly repent of the crime committed!