Liturgical life is the core on which everything is strung; it is the basis of community life. Educational and catechetical activities

In 1996 he graduated from high school, in 2000 he graduated from a maritime college with a degree in “Electromechanics of ship electrical equipment.”

In 2004 he graduated from the Astrakhan State Technical University with the qualification "Electro-mechanical engineer" in the specialty "Operation of electrical equipment and automation of ships."

In 2004-2005 Studied at the Volgograd Theological School.

On August 15, 2005, he took monastic vows with the name Anthony in honor of St. Anthony the Great; was identified as one of the brethren of the St. John the Baptist Monastery in Astrakhan.

Carried out the obediences of the housekeeper, director and teacher of the Center in the monastery additional education"Bogolep", head and teacher of diocesan missionary and catechetical courses.

In 2012 he completed a 6-year course of study at correspondence department missionary faculty with a degree in religious studies, teacher of religious studies.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 12, 2013 () he was elected Bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky.

March 17, 2013 by Archbishop Jonah of Astrakhan in the Assumption Cathedral of the Astrakhan Kremlin to the rank of archimandrite.

Consecrated as bishop on March 29, 2013 in the Throne Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. May 7 at the Divine Liturgy at the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

...I graduated from university. In my hands I have a diploma in electrical engineering and an understanding that I need to move on, go to work. I came for an interview in the HR department of one company. I had already been given a place through an acquaintance. I’m sitting, listening about tasks, responsibilities, salary, and suddenly I realize that if I agree now, I’ll lose something very important in my life.

He stood up, interrupted mid-sentence, refused, which caused considerable surprise, and left. I don’t know what feelings I would experience now, but then I felt at ease. I felt that the Lord had put this thought in my heart.

- He went to the monastery.

Bishop Anthony of Akhtuba (far right) at the autumn session of advanced training courses for clergy of the Akhtuba diocese, 2017.

– Was your family religious?

– If there was any kind of religiosity, it was purely everyday. They painted eggs and baked Easter cakes. When someone died, my grandmother went to church. She was generally a person with an amazing sense of justice, but this had no religious background.

It’s not surprising that we were relatively religious; after all, my family is international. The father is an ethnic Azerbaijani, although all relatives live in Dagestan. Mom is Russian. I was born and lived in Astrakhan.

– So you went to the monastery suddenly and unexpectedly?

- Not really. For the first time I encountered manifestations of active religiosity in the family of my classmate Magomed. He had a wonderful, very sympathetic Avar family. I remember them with warmth, they meant and did a lot for me.

In their family, for the first time I saw how they prayed, how Magomed’s mother and his brother prayed. Of course they fasted. This Muslim family became for me an example of what religious life in general could be, and my observations coincided with my teenage crisis.

It’s difficult to describe what exactly happened to me, but I definitely wanted to find some kind of spiritual beginning. I searched for this core and read very, very much. One day I woke up and went to be baptized.

- How old were you?

- Nineteen. I came to the temple and asked a question. Back then it was not customary to talk to young people, and they simply gave me a list of what I needed to bring with me. The next day the sacrament of Baptism was performed on me, and I even received communion. I won’t say that the Church immediately entered my life and something changed globally. Another three years passed before I crossed the threshold of the temple and began to consciously participate in the sacraments. This already happened in the monastery where I later took monastic vows.

– There was some kind of push, but it wasn’t Magomed’s family that pushed you to take such a step?

– It’s hard to say whether it was an impetus, a call, a revelation. There was indeed a man, a family friend, who came to the Church at the same time. He shared his doubts and discoveries about Christianity, and in general was an authority for me. I followed him to the Church like a train and discovered the whole world. But I came to Church to ask my own questions.

- Which ones?

– About the revolution, about the canonization of Nicholas II. Well, what else could torment a young man at that time? Then there was the first confession. I became a parishioner and my church life began.

I understood that I couldn’t make it everywhere and wanted to go to a monastery

-Which temple did you come to?

– To the St. John the Baptist Monastery in Astrakhan. The monastery is a city one, which created certain specifics, but we had a strong community. Almost everyone who came with me then remained in the Church. Some serve at the altar, some became a priest, some became a monk. I graduated from a technical university, and after that I entered the Volgograd Theological School. In fact it was life in a monastery. That year determined my choice. I decided that I was choosing the path of monasticism.

Bishop Anthony of Akhtubinsk at a meeting of graduates of the Volgograd Theological School, 2015.

– Didn’t the young specialist really want to make a career, have a big salary, and move to Moscow?

- No. I studied in Moscow, but I really didn’t want anything else. I'm surprised at myself. The year of theological school gave me a lot both in practical terms and in understanding liturgical life, which literally became my nature. I was in an amazing state. For me it was all-consumingly interesting...

– Do you mean the world of theology?

– World of the Church. I love theology and I regret that I started studying it too late. I won’t say that it was theology that fascinated me. I was fascinated by the life of the Church. It was burning.

I remember my first missionary experience. In November 2004, the relics of Elizabeth Feodorovna were supposed to be brought to Russia, and their arrival in Astrakhan was planned for mid-November. It was historical event, but almost no one in the city knew who she was Grand Duchess and what her feat is glorified by. Even those who went to the Intercession Cathedral did not know.

We edited short life so that it fits on an A4 sheet. We printed as many leaflets as we could. They were distributed to people standing in line to see the relics, so that they understood who they were coming to. Since then I have had a special relationship with Elizaveta Fedorovna. And then I very keenly felt that people need God.

Then I was especially touched by the words of the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans about who can become a priest: “I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers, who are relatives to me according to the flesh.” Following this, I read other lines from Chrysostom that we should be like a river that flows regardless of whether someone drinks from it or not.

“We must be such a river,” I thought. – The church should be a place where a living source always flows. So a person came and touched, and even just stood nearby, all the same - thank God.” I understood that this was maximalism, of course, but if you move this way yourself, then you have to follow it to the end, there can be no half measures.

– Do I understand correctly that you were choosing between family and monasticism?

– Yes, I understood that I couldn’t make it everywhere and wanted to go to a monastery. I never regretted it.

– I heard from some priests that they deliberately did not become ordained until they were 30-40 years old in order to understand what life was like modern world, with what and how to contact it.

– The interval from my churching to the priesthood is three years. I have experienced many things myself. I can’t say that my student life was some kind of hectic spree, we had company, we actively communicated, and I knew perfectly well how this world lived. Listen, everything was written long ago in the Gospel: “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Well, nothing changes. And then people came.

- What do you have in mind?

– When you become a priest, people come, communicating with whom you discover a lot of new things. After all internal state the person appears in front of you at a glance. The Lord reveals it to you. How does the modern world live?

That's why I didn't have such a problem. I understood everything perfectly. I remember how at one time I was offended by the words of one teacher in the Marine Corps, who told me that at work they don’t like excellent students - and I’ve always been one. They say they are bad workers. Everything comes easy to them. And the three-piece drummers achieve everything through their work and they are always more diligent.

Cooking lesson at the Lyubava social center

I don’t know, maybe I’m so spoiled, but many things were easy for me to discover. However, I take this very seriously and understand that the gift that the Lord gave me must be used correctly. “Where can I use it? - I asked the question and immediately answered myself: “I want to serve God.”

Wherever you want? - To captain

– But first you wanted to be a sailor?

– No, I’ve been a lawyer, and since the sixth grade. He graduated from school with a medal and came to Moscow to enter the Law Academy. It was such a daring step, because then there were talents, and there was wind in the head, as one of my teachers said about me: “A good head went to bad feet.” Naturally, I didn’t do it. After the divorce, my father lived in the capital. He helped me enroll and study commercially. I studied for six months. The money ran out and I had to leave.

– Did you try to stay?

“I spent a month wandering around apartments. I remember once I spent the night in the entrance. It was such an experience, on the one hand, of abandonment, on the other, of inner conviction that I was not alone, although I had not yet been baptized. He returned to Astrakhan, applied to another university, but again did not have enough points.

– Did the army threaten?

– Yes, but in fact I had a family: mother, grandmother, younger sister. They needed to be supported. I couldn't join the army. The year was 1997. One day I was sitting watching TV, and there was an announcement that enrollment was continuing at the naval school.

Came. I don't understand anything. Larisa Petrovna, a wonderful teacher, is sitting in front of me (she later became a church member, and it was such a consolation for me that I had the opportunity to perform her funeral service). He sits and looks at my documents and medal: “Where do you want to go?” - “Captain.” - “Why do you need this? While at sea, you are a man. On the shore - you are nobody. What if there is something wrong with your health? Let's become an electrical engineer!.. You will always be clean, neat, and intelligent. White caste on the ship! She taught electrical engineering herself. And I agreed.

– What do you remember about studying at the nautical school?

-I found the uniform, the drill guys. Everyone was sure that I was a humanist, but it turned out that technical things were also interesting to me and I was good at them. He graduated from college with honors. It was hard because I had to work.

Then there was a university where I graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. At the end of my studies, I became a church member and then for the first time I realized that I would not do this, I wanted to leave the university. I am grateful to the confessor who said then that we need to complete the work we started so as not to regret it.

- How did he argue for this?

– It is very important for men to see everything through to the end. This is the basic principle that shapes a man to the fullest. Then there is satisfaction from the fact that I was able and did not quit.

– You never served in the navy?

– No, and this is amazing, it’s just God’s providence. I still remember the structure of the ship, I can list all the beams, I know all the terminology. But the Lord did not control.

– You became the captain of another ship...

- Probably so. But not as a captain, but as a way of establishing connections.

When I took monastic vows, my mother was hysterical, and my father stopped talking

- And did you tonsure?

– A state of sacred madness.

– Have you discussed this with your family?

- Nobody supported me. Grandma didn’t fully understand. For my mother it was just very scary. My father grew up in the Soviet Union and shared the idea that being a priest was shameful. One of my close people was so shocked by the thought that I would be a priest that he said: “It would be better if he were a drug addict.”

Diaconal ordination of Valentin Martynov with the participation of Bishop Anthony of Akhtubinsk in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Enotaevka

- Why?

- “At least you can cure, but there’s nothing to help here.” That's pretty much what he said. No one from my family came to my tonsure, only friends. I remember when, after tonsure, I came to my mother already in vestments, she was in a state of hysterics. She didn’t fully believe that I would go to a monastery. The emotional background at home was tense, but even seeing all this horror that was unfolding before my eyes, I internally felt that I was doing the very right things. I didn't have a shadow of a doubt about it.

– How did your loved ones reconcile?

“Everything fell into place when the Lord brought my mother and sister to the temple and they became church members. I confessed my grandmother, gave communion and performed the funeral service. My father and I did not communicate for ten years, until I became a bishop.

- That is, until he saw that you were a person who, despite his fears, made a career?

- Like that. He has a Caucasian, Muslim mentality. I always continued to communicate with my relatives, many of them from Dagestan. My dear aunt, a devout Muslim, came to my consecration. For her personally, as for all my relatives, this event became very significant.

I think my episcopate also inspired my father to resume our communication and reconcile.

Monasticism occurs much earlier than tonsure

– How did you choose your heavenly patron for monastic vows?

– I didn’t choose. When you are a monk, you stop wanting. But during one of the confessions, the abbot asked me which saint’s life I liked. I can’t boast that by that time I had read many lives of saints; I was frantically turning it over in my head, and the first thing that came to mind was the life of Anthony the Great.

Although my tonsure was on the eve of the memory of Anthony of Novgorod, the abbot gave me a name in honor of Anthony the Great and I am very happy about it. He is credited with “Messages to the Brethren Who Dwell Everywhere.” The spirit of freedom lives in these texts. In them, the holy hermit talks about such important things that truly heal a person.

I am not a hermit, my monasticism is of the bishop’s type, in fact I am forced to live in the world. But nevertheless, Anthony the Great is close to me in spirit, for me he is an example of how a person can breathe Love. Why did he leave the world? Because of love for God, because of love for man as His creation. You will not find any denunciatory speeches in Anthony the Great. But everything in his texts is permeated with the Spirit. This impulse is very clear and close to me.

- Accidents are not accidental?

– It’s clear that you begin to associate yourself; psychology has not been canceled.

– You ended up in the monastery long before you were tonsured, what do you remember about your years in the monastery as a monk?

“It was just a different world.” Dot. If we talk about vivid memories, I remember best the moment during my tonsure. I read that during tonsure there are struggles in a person, and temptations are generally obligatory. But it turned out that nothing like that was happening to me. “Oh,” I think, “maybe something is wrong? Where are the struggles with temptations?

And then comes the tense moment when the hair, which symbolizes the sacrifice, is cut off and, as at baptism, it is sealed in a wax cake. It turns out that they forgot to give the abbot a cake. An awkward pause, fuss, still no cake.

And I stand and know exactly where they lie. By that time, I had long been a sexton. I stand and think: “Should I go? Help? On the other hand, it’s inconvenient to fuss at such a solemn moment.” I’m standing there, thinking, and suddenly I realize that my heart is surprisingly calm and just very, very good. It was some kind of inner silence.

Christmas, 2015-2016

And then the abbot, after tonsure, said words that consoled me in my feelings and doubts. He said that the tonsure takes place without any blood movements, because everything has already happened. Monasticism happens to a person much earlier. It is naive to think that before tonsure you are not a monk, after tonsure you are a monk. No, that's not true. A tonsure is a recording of a fait accompli.

– What do you remember about the years of service?

“I looked at the world of the Church with my eyes wide open. I became a priest, and what I said came true last years dreamed internally. I can’t say that it was a passionate desire, no, but I realized that now I can serve what I loved.

Communication with people began, the opening of a Sunday school, and an active mission. The monastery was a city one, and all this was due to objective necessity. Then I realized that in some sense this active external activity was not useful.

– What would be the right thing for a young monk to do?

“Perhaps I should have taken a break and gone to a monastery.” But then there was such a time, and the Lord simply protected me. Sincerity helped me not to get lost in this bustle. This is not my merit, this is how we lived then. I’m not alone, many went to Church because they wanted to serve and were not looking for anything of their own. For this, the Lord somehow controlled, corrected, directed, and somewhere humbled me.

– But not all monks become bishops...

- Not all.

When I learned about the upcoming consecration, I cried

– You were ordained bishop at the age of 34. Was it scary to take on such responsibility?

– I don’t know how this even happened. All these processes passed me by, and even in the depths of my consciousness it did not flash that life could change so dramatically that I would become one of those who would be ordained. I never wanted or expected this. Moreover, I sincerely think that the person who dreams of this is crazy.

Being a bishop is incredibly difficult. This idea of ​​“the bishop is the prince of the Church” still exists in the church consciousness. I can tell you a lot about how I, the “Prince of the Church,” traveled to parishes, and they looked at me strangely and generally had little understanding of “who came to us here.” How I, the “prince,” was accommodated in dubious apartments and hotels where there was no heating and the toilet did not work. I'm not embellishing, I'm stating facts. I had to live like this not for months, but for years. Only a madman could dream of such a thing. But that's not the point. It was just hard for me.

“Were you not at all happy about being a bishop?”

– When the Metropolitan called me to his place and said that there would be an ordination... it brought me to tears. I cried. I didn't feel internally prepared for this. It’s easier now, but in the early years it was like that.

“You couldn’t say, “No, thank you.” I don’t need a medal”?

– When the first conversations appeared, I called my confessor and asked what to do. And he replied that it was impossible to refuse.

– But if you’re not ready, why can’t you refuse?

- Because a monk. At one time the saints refused, but they had the boldness to do so. I did not have it. I did not really aspire or seek the bishopric. But one of the principles of monastic life that I try to observe is: you simply cannot say NO.

Then there was a meeting with His Holiness. I left the office with the inner conviction that with such a Patriarch I could “try” to be a bishop.

The episcopal service differs from the priestly service in a different measure of responsibility and the scale of problem solving. For example, I tell the priests: “Well, it’s so simple - to create a community. You don't have to move anywhere. You sit in one place, maintain and develop relationships with people.” And they find it difficult.

But it is difficult for a bishop who is forced to move all the time, to address his words to everyone and to everyone at the same time. Unlike parish priests, he rarely receives feedback. The chief pastoral responsibility of a bishop is the priests. Those same spiritual children whom the Lord entrusted to you, but who do not always want to be spiritual children.

Nobody talks about this side of life; as a rule, they write about priests offended by bishops, but sometimes I am tempted to sit down and write the confession of an offended bishop.

- Really?

- Just kidding, it's ironic. I am not an offended bishop. I am grateful to God for everything. But in everything there is always another side, including another side of our service. Imagine, here I am telling the priest that I have decided to send him to another parish, more numerous and diverse. I tell the person that I am giving him serious obedience, and he answers: “No, I won’t go.”

– Is it possible? Isn’t it “under the hood and I obey”?

– It always happens differently. The main thing is that the bishop needs to do something about it. I don’t complain, however, the Lord somehow supports me every time. But now I clearly understand what “do not put new wine into old wineskins” means. During the first years I felt like old wineskins into which the new wine of grace of the bishop’s ministry had been poured. I was bursting and torn into pieces. I served, prayed, and a year and a half later passes.

– Do you need to wait for the wine to “ferment”?

– You endure, you humble yourself, you try to find support. The main thing is not to lose heart. It was difficult for me. But I remembered how His Holiness Patriarch Kirill responded to fears on my part that I would begin to lose heart from difficulties real life, said: “Don’t be discouraged. You serve. You serve and it’s already good.” And I served.

The liturgy helped me the most. For a priest, the liturgy is the place in which everything happens, where you receive strength, understanding, answers to questions, where you communicate with the Lord, and you can continue to live. Everything is resolved by the liturgy.

I am the richest man in Akhtubinsk

– What is your diocese?

- The best. But there are difficulties and specifics, of course.

Geographically, the diocese is spread over a vast territory, occupying 2/3 of the Astrakhan region and covering the entire lower Volga without the delta. Moreover, the population is only 260 thousand people, half of whom are ethnically non-Christian.

Our diocese is multinational and multi-confessional, and is divided into two parts by the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. The Volga and Akhtuba are two arteries, between them there is an area of ​​interfluve with small rivers. It’s not so easy to cross from one side of the floodplain to the other; it’s twenty-five kilometers of forest and off-road.

Christmas holiday Holy Mother of God September 21 coincided with the city day in Akhtubinsk, as well as the anniversary of the Flight Test Center, 2016.

Left side – Akhtubinsky district. It was formed thanks to the military units present here, the Kapustin Yar training ground and the takeoff testing center. Right side– Chernoyarsk region, traditionally Cossack. Huge pre-revolutionary churches remained in these territories. So it turns out that on the left side everything is destroyed and needs to be built, on the right - to restore, not to mention the fact that the Cossacks and the military are completely different level communication.

Military personnel are self-sufficient, reading, educated people. They have their own reign special atmosphere. The Cossacks really lack the feeling of being military personnel. Our Cossacks exist at the level of semi-public associations with an attempt to position themselves almost as a nationality.

The second significant difficulty in managing the diocese is its predominantly rural population. Our villages are significantly different from the dying villages of the Tver and Ryazan regions. Our villages do not die, they live in their own way. At the same time, the composition of the population in the region is constantly changing.

The Astrakhan region is a territory of nomadic people. IN Soviet time so it was, so it is now. Not only is migration happening, people are coming from all over former USSR, but also constant rotation, especially in areas with military personnel. When communicating with people, you cannot turn to the origins and say: “Our ancestors built a temple...” There is no one here to address with such words.

The third problem is the almost complete absence of students. Our youth are high school and secondary school students who barely grow up and immediately leave. We really miss human resources and young personnel. I had to ask many people to move to us from Astrakhan, Volgograd, from other large neighboring cities, but people somehow need to live, and in our diocese there are not always conditions for this.

This is one of the serious difficulties of ministry, especially since we do not have a seminary in the region. And so you create shots, try to attract attention, but not always and not everything works out.

In general, the backbone of our communities is a person of 40-45 years old, who has established himself in life, with average experience of churching, and in general we have a lot of men. What can I say, there is a place for everyone: grandmothers, children, and middle-aged people. This cannot but please, this is living life.

You know, I'm a very happy person. I was once interviewed on local television, and I said that I was the richest man in Akhtubinsk. "Why?" - they asked me. And I replied that I don’t need anything. I have everything. And most importantly, I have God.

Photo sources: Anna Danilova, vk.com/ahtuba_eparhia, vk.com/ep.antonii

In honor of St. Anthony the Great.

The name of a monk changes on the day of tonsure, and when Father Abbot Peter, abbot of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, on the eve of tonsure, and I was still studying at theological school, casually asked me which life of the saint was close to me and what I liked, I was confused. But at that moment it so happened that I had recently read the life of St. Anthony the Great and said about it. And it was as if all this was forgotten for me. And when my tonsure took place, August 15, 2005, it was also the day of remembrance of Anthony, but of a different Anthony - the Roman. But the father governor still gave me the name of this great saint.

Father Anthony was assigned to the brethren of the St. John the Baptist Monastery in Astrakhan.

I will never forget my first obedience. Then they were just beginning to build a fraternal building on the site where the garages had once stood. They were removed, but one of them remained a concrete entrance. So it had to be broken. I was “tinkering” almost all day, and in the evening the working guys came and, using simple devices, broke everything in half an hour. In those days, work was in full swing: bricks were brought in and placed in piles, the foundation was poured. We dined in the old refectory. There wasn't much space, and I was worried that I didn't always fit at the men's table.

At that time, several families still lived in the abbot’s building, although they were slowly beginning to liberate it. Looking at the devastation, we did not believe that all this could be put in order.

But time passed and everything changed: the territory, the buildings and the temple itself. It’s a little sad to remember this: then something was different in ourselves. And although now, of course, many things are perceived differently, the main feeling remains: the temple is alive, and it is always waiting for us...

File:Archimandrite Anthony.jpeg

In the Church of St. John the Baptist Monastery

On September 27, 2005, he was ordained hierodeacon by Archbishop Jonah of Astrakhan and Enotaevsk. In one of his interviews, Bishop Anthony called best time his life, the period of service in the rank of deacon. On October 30, 2005, he was ordained hieromonk by Archbishop Jonah of Astrakhan and Enotaevsk.

Father Anthony received the obedience of the director of a Sunday school, on the basis of which in September 2009 he organized the Bogolep Center for Additional Education.

He also served in the monastery as a steward, as well as the head and teacher of diocesan missionary and catechetical courses. The courses began with simple weekly discussions about faith and the Church. “This was the second year of my priesthood, and then I was surprised when I saw how many people began to come to our meetings. The halls were packed, 60-70 people each,” Bishop recalled. One of the founders of the Youth Orthodox movement Astrakhan-Enotaevsk diocese.

In 2011, the “Library Commonwealth” project, carried out under the leadership of Fr. Anthony, won a grant at the Orthodox Initiative competition. Hieromonk Anthony then became the regional coordinator of this competition.

In 2012, he completed a 6-year course of study at the correspondence department of the missionary faculty of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University with a degree in religious studies, teacher of religious studies, defending thesis on the topic “Interreligious dialogue and religiosity of students and their families in educational institutions Astrakhan and Enotaevsk diocese in the beginning. XX and beginning XXI centuries,” written under the guidance of Dr. Physics and Mathematics. Sc., Professor A. B. Efimov.

Coming to sessions, Father Anthony often participated in various events associated with the Marfo-Mariinskaya monastery.

Bishop's ministry

Metropolitan Jonah of Astrakhan and Kamyzyak

It was a difficult moment, with tears in my eyes. The priesthood for a monk is obedience. They tell you: “You will be a deacon”... Of course, I never thought or guessed that one day they would tell me: “You will be a bishop.” I can clearly say that only a crazy person can achieve, desire, seek this rank, as, unfortunately, sometimes happens.

On March 17, 2013, during the Divine Liturgy in the Assumption Cathedral of the Astrakhan Kremlin, Archbishop Jonah of Astrakhan and Kamyzyak elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

On March 29, 2013, in the Throne Hall of the Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, he was named Bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky.

May 7, 2013, on the feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in the Assumption Church of Novodevichy convent Moscow was elevated to the rank of bishop.

Activities at the Akhtubinsk department

On May 8, 2013, on Wednesday of Holy Week, the new bishop arrived in the Akhtuba diocese. Addressing the congregation, he conveyed the impressions of his consecration as follows:

In my life there was monastic tonsure, there was deacon ordination, priest ordination, but what happened yesterday was something special. I can tell you unequivocally: I felt, on the one hand, the great mercy of God, and on the other hand, the weight of the cross of hierarchal service. .

During the first month of his archpastoral service, the bishop visited 15 settlements within the newly formed diocese, traveling more than 10 thousand kilometers. “I have a constant feeling that I am going somewhere,” the bishop said in an interview. Bishop's services took place everywhere - from small rural churches to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village. Nikolsky (the second largest temple in the Volga region).

On June 24, 2013, the bishop held the first diocesan meeting, at which the diocesan council, the diocesan court, the diocese departments for catechesis and education, for work with youth, social work and charity, work with military forces and Cossacks, missionary department.

In his report at the diocesan meeting on June 24, Bishop Anthony spoke about his idea of ​​​​a strong parish community, without which, according to the bishop, “we will very soon completely lose Russian villages.”

Ordination. Working with diocesan clergy

During the first two years of the existence of the Akhtuba diocese, Bishop Anthony performed 7 priestly and 3 deaconal ordinations.

Since 2015, the diocese began to conduct advanced training courses for the clergy, including lectures and seminars (March 30 - April 1, 2015, November 16-18, 2015, March 2016).

Organization of the spiritual life of the flock. Shrines

The Bishop established the service of the night Liturgy on the feast of the Epiphany. Thus, the service took place in 2014 and 2015.

Beginning with Great Lent in 2014, the Bishop celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the evening, as required by the Charter.

On Holy Saturday, the burial service of the Savior in conjunction with the Liturgy of Basil the Great in cathedral Akhtubinsk began to serve on the night from Friday to Saturday.

On April 19, 2014, the bishop brought a lamp with the Holy Fire to Astrakhan from Jerusalem, with which he immediately went to Akhtubinsk in order to be in time for the Easter service. The arrival of the Holy Fire became a tradition that continued in 2015 and 2016.

On April 27, 2014, in the village of Cherny Yar, the bishop's liturgy began for the first time on the banks of the Volga, where the rites of welcoming the bishop and his vestments were performed, after which the worshipers went through a religious procession with the singing of the Easter troparion along the main streets of the village and entered the church building, where the service continued. His Eminence noted that this is an ancient tradition of the Church, when the service began with the singing of psalms as the clergyman left one church and went to another. In the same way, the liturgy was served for the patronal feast of the Chernoyarsk church, July 12, 2014.

People often arrive in the newly formed diocese Orthodox shrines, which many believers gather to worship. In particular, at the end of 2013 - beginning of 2014, an ark with a particle of the relics of the blessed Matrona of Moscow was in the diocese, and in the spring of 2014 - an icon with a particle of relics St. Sergius Radonezh, in May 2014 - a piece of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, in October - November 2014 - a piece of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos, in February 2015 - a reliquary cross with a piece of the Robe of the Lord and the relics of saints from the Archangel Metropolis and a piece of the relics of St. St. George the Victorious. In July 2015, a particle of the relics of St. Luke of Crimea was brought from the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Simferopol to Akhtubinsk. In September 2015, an ark containing a particle of the relics of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was delivered to Akhtubinsk. In March 2016, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Theodorovskaya” was in Akhtubinsk and Znamensk. In May 2016, 10 settlements of the diocese were visited by the miraculous Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, given to the Akhtubinsk diocese by His Eminence Jonah, Metropolitan of Astrakhan.

In October 2014, an Orthodox exhibition-fair was held for the first time in Akhtubinsk, which included not only the sale of various products, but also missionary, catechetical, and educational events.

With the blessing of the bishop in 2015 and 2016. On Easter, religious processions took place in all areas of the region included in the diocese.

As part of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the repose of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir in the Akhtubinsk diocese, it is planned to install a baptismal chapel on the water in Akhtubinsk and hold a single baptism day on the waters of the rivers of the diocese (July 2015), as well as procession by boat down the Volga (October 20-28, 2015).

Construction of the monasteries

By the time of the formation of the Akhtuba diocese, only one monastery was located on its territory - the Nativity of Christ women's monastery in the village. Krasny Yar district of the same name in the Astrakhan region.

Vladyka Anthony intends to create monastery on the territory of the Temple of the Archangel Saint Michael of God in Akhtubinsk. For now, in the Church of the Archangel Michael, every day, except Friday, the early Divine Liturgy is celebrated, and on Sunday evening - an akathist to the Archangel Michael. The Bishop pays considerable attention to the revival of the women’s Resurrection-Mironositsky monastery in the village of Zubovka, Chernoyarsk region. On April 26, 2015, on the day when the Church celebrates the day of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, a bishop's service was held in Zubovka, timed to coincide with the beginning of the revival of this monastery. Currently, the monastery has the status of a metochion of the Nativity of Christ Monastery. On May 21, 2016, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, which was located in the Intercession Cathedral in Astrakhan after the monastery was closed, returned to the monastery.

Working with the armed forces and the Cossacks

Due to the fact that the territory of the Akhtubinsk diocese includes the ZATO city of Znamensk, one of the most important areas of the Bishop’s work was the care of military personnel. The organization of the Center for Spiritual Training for military personnel began, two military priests appeared in the diocese, who completed advanced training courses and now serve as assistant commanders with religious military personnel at the 4th State Central Interspecific Test Site of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the State Flight Test Center named after. Chkalova.

On August 29, 2013, Bishop Anthony celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region before the start of a live-fire exercise with anti-aircraft missile systems. On December 17, 2013, the Bishop consecrated a temple in honor of the Savior Not Made by Hands on the territory of one of parts 4 of the State Central Interspecies Test Site. This temple became part of the Spiritual and Patriotic Center "Spas", located in the 4th State Medical Center. In December 2014, the first bell was installed on this temple, and in December 2015, a dome with a cross was installed. On February 18, 2015, Bishop Anthony and the governor of the Astrakhan region A. A. Zhilkin opened a Sunday school for military personnel. Over the course of a year, more than 1,000 military personnel passed through the school. On the feast of Epiphany this year, 23 soldiers were baptized in the military church, and in March, Bishop Anthony, after the announcement, baptized another 20 soldiers.

It was decided to create the second Spiritual and Patriotic Center on the territory of the State Flight Test Center in Akhtubinsk. On May 6, 2014, on the day of remembrance of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, the consecration ceremony of the future church building took place on the territory of the GLITs. On May 1, 2016, on the day of Easter, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in this church.

Bishop Anthony pays great attention to working with the Cossacks. On October 20, 2013, the bishop served the Divine Liturgy at the training ground in the village. Streletsky, Astrakhan region, where Cossack field training sessions took place. On the same day, the bishop met with the Cossack atamans who arrived at the training ground. “The Cossacks are unthinkable without Orthodoxy, and therefore the revival of the Cossacks must come through their churching,” said the bishop. He instructed to develop and distribute leaflets with a list of minimum requirements for an Orthodox Cossack - knowledge of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, regular communion, etc. Spiritual conversations between confessors of Cossack societies and Cossacks are outlined. On October 27, 2013, the bishop participated in the Cossack circle of the Krasnoyarsk village, which took place on the territory of the Nativity of Christ convent in the village of Krasny Yar.

Since December 26, 2014, the Bishop has been part of working group Akhtubinsky district of the Astrakhan region for Cossack affairs.

Vladyka wrote the brochure “A Brief Basic Guide to Spiritual Life for the Cossacks of the Astrakhan Army.”

Information activities

Two media outlets immediately appeared in the new diocese: the diocese’s website and the Akhtuba Diocesan Gazette newspaper. For 2014-2015 33 issues of the diocesan newspaper were published with a circulation of 3 thousand copies.

In 2014, work was carried out on a project to create a wiki directory “ Orthodox churches and monasteries of the Akhtubinsk diocese of the Astrakhan Metropolis" and the publication of its printed version. The project became the winner of the international open grant competition “Orthodox Initiative 2013-2014” in the “Culture” category. The guide was published in January 2015.

With the blessing of the Bishop, in September 2014, work began on collecting material for the layout of the second edition of the illustrated Orthodox magazine “Holy Rus', Keep the Orthodox Faith.” The presentation of the magazine took place on Bright Week 2015.

On October 15, 2015, the first episode of Bishop Anthony’s audio blog was released on the topic “An Orthodox view of dreams and ambitions.” The topic was chosen by user voting social network"In contact with". A few issues later, the audio blog was transformed into a media blog.

Since 2017, the Bishop’s audio blog has been heard on the radio “Retro-FM Akhtubinsk” on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 15:00.

Educational and catechetical activities

At the beginning of 2014 in Akhtubinsk Vladimir Cathedral a class was organized in which conversations about faith and the Church for adults began, on Thursdays at 18.30. Bishop Anthony conducted a series of conversations. The next cycle of such conversations (“Christmas Conversations”) took place on January 3, 4, 5, 2016.

From September 1, 2014, in the Akhtuba diocese, mandatory public conversations were introduced before baptism for those baptized over 14 years of age, godparents, or one of the parents, if the child is under 14 years old. At the diocesan meeting on September 16, 2014, Bishop Anthony proposed the theses of the public conversations to the clergy, while asking the clergy to treat individually each person coming to baptism. It was proposed to conduct two conversations, the first of which should be devoted to the main doctrinal aspects, and the second should be shorter, perhaps even immediately before baptism.

Commenting on this change, the bishop said:

“I think and hope that preliminary meetings before baptism will help avoid profanation of the Sacrament. On the other hand, I have absolutely no illusions that everything will work right away, like a well-oiled mechanism.”

The Bishop personally led the process of organizing the catechumen in his diocese and developed recommendations for this process. The Bishop compiled a reference outline for conducting public conversations, consisting of eighteen points.

On the initiative of Bishop Anthony, in January 2015, the interfaith council for the spiritual and moral education of students under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Astrakhan Region began working.

In connection with the difficulties that arose during the introduction of the Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics course in schools, in March 2015, meetings between Bishop Anthony and the clergy of the Akhtuba diocese were held with representatives of the education system. The meetings took place in Akhtubinsk (), Znamensk ().

In 2015, construction began on the building of the Spiritual and Educational Center of the Akhtuba Diocese in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir. The center is being built on the territory of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God (Akhtubinsk). The authors of the project are Nadezhda Ivannikova, a teacher at the Astrakhan Civil Engineering Institute, and students of the same institute. The building will be three-story, its area will be 1,000 square meters. The spiritual and educational center will work in a number of areas: military-patriotic club, young family club, school foster parents, center of folk Cossack culture, Sunday school, center for additional education for children. The building will house a house church, a library, a gym, and a mother and child room. The existing building of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the new center together, when viewed from above, will have the shape of a cross or an airplane, which has symbolic meaning for the city of aviators - Akhtubinsk.

“The construction of the Spiritual and Educational Center is an important event not only for the Akhtubinsky district. There are no analogues of our project in the entire Astrakhan region yet.”

Bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky Anthony

The ceremony of laying the first stone of the Spiritual and Educational Center took place on September 8, 2015 - the patronal feast day of the Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. By this time, a pit had already been dug for the foundation of the future building. At the foundation of the center they laid not only a capsule with a commemorative letter for the foundation of the building, but also stones brought from Chersonesos, where Saint Prince Vladimir was once baptized.

Conferences and scientific activities

In 2014, the Bishop was the chairman of the seminar “Catechesis after Baptism” at the XXII International Christmas Readings, and in 2015 - the seminar “Practical Issues of Catechumen” and the section “Psychological and pedagogical conditions for the implementation of value mentoring in Orthodox education” at the XXIII International Christmas Readings .

On May 14, 2015, within the framework of the All-Russian scientific conference “Modern issues of geotechnical support of construction engineering” and the exhibition “Orthodox architecture”, held at the Astrakhan Institute of Civil Engineering, Bishop Anthony gave an open lecture “Spiritual foundations of Orthodox architecture”, after which the chairman of the Union commission Russian architects for religious buildings M. Yu. Kesler spoke about the emergence of “rulers of a new generation.” As part of the conference, it was decided to create an association of temple builders in the Astrakhan region. The Bishop offered to organize a refresher course for them with the invitation of lecturers from the Russian Orthodox University.

In September 2015, Bishop Anthony took part in the Astrakhan People’s Forum, where he acted as the moderator of the section “ Modern culture and traditional values" and an expert in the section "Youth and Faith" together with Professor A.I. Osipov.

At the Christmas readings in 2016, the bishop made a report on the topic “Basic principles of interaction between the Church and the Armed Forces,” and in 2017, “Experience in organizing a system of pastoral care for religious military personnel in conditions of training and performing special tasks.”

Youth work

Since the fall of 2013, Bishop began to visit educational establishments and talk with students. At first these were schools, and in March 2014 - the Akhtuba branch.

With the blessing of Bishop Anthony, Orthodox youth rallies began to be periodically held in the diocese:

In the Akhtuba diocese, from time to time, so-called “Russian runs” are held - youth events for healthy image life. Bishop Anthony also took part in the run on January 1, 2016. According to a correspondent of one of the local media, the bishop said that he specially went out to check his physical condition, that he intended to begin mandatory training in order to meet the younger generation.

In April 2016, at a meeting of the ethno-confessional council, Bishop Anthony proposed holding a shift at the children's tent camps, uniting children of different nationalities and religions. Governor of the Astrakhan region A.A. Zhilkin supported this idea. An ethno-confessional session called “We Are Together” was held in August of the same year. The Bishop himself also spoke with the participants.

Organization of parish life

At the very first diocesan meeting, the bishop suggested organizing joint tea parties after the liturgy to unite the parishioners. “I really like the tradition of drinking tea together after the service. I am trying to ensure that this custom is observed in all the churches of my diocese,” says Bishop.

The Bishop also blessed to hold an open parish meeting in each parish at least three times a year.

In 2016, “Following the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with notes for regents and choristers of parish churches” was published. The selected repertoire was based on the living performing tradition of the St. John the Baptist Monastery in Astrakhan, where the bishop served as a priest. According to Bishop Anthony, this publication is aimed at “improving the singing life of our parishes.”

Communication with the flock

Bishop Anthony accepts confessions both from his spiritual children and from everyone in general. “Sometimes the bishop leaves the temple when not a soul of the clergy remains in the altar; he unmasks himself, cunningly unfastening the buttons of his omophorion at the level of his shoulder blades.”

In the fall of 2014, the bishop began to hold visiting receptions for believers in regional centers (September 9, 2014 - Kharabali, September 24 - Krasny Yar).

In 2015, Bishop Anthony held a series of meetings with the laity. On September 27, 2015, the first of them took place in the city of Akhtubinsk (in the House of Officers), timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of the Bishop’s assumption of holy orders. The conversation took place in the mode of dialogue with everyone, and the bishop answered more than 100 questions from the townspeople.

In 2017, the Akhtuba diocese was presented with a steamship, on which the bishop intends to make pastoral trips to Cherny Yar along the Volga.

Social activity

The ruler is a member of the ranks public organizations, in particular, the ethno-confessional council under the governor, the interdepartmental working group on early prevention of family troubles at the Center for Social Support of the Population of the Akhtubinsky District and Public Chamber Municipal Municipality "City of Akhtubinsk" under the Head of Municipal Municipality "City of Akhtubinsk", . In 2015, the bishop also took part in the work of the organizing committee to prepare the celebration of the 70th anniversary Great Victory, proposing, in particular, to hold a large-scale motorcycle rally from Akhtubinsk to Astrakhan and then to Mamayev Kurgan with the invitation of someone from famous people, as well as hold a triumphal procession to Victory Square in Akhtubinsk with elements of historical reconstruction. The motorcycle rally “We are the heirs of victory” took place from May 3 to May 7 across the Astrakhan region from Akhtubinsk to the regional center. The same motorcycle rally took place in 2016.

After the terrorist attack in neighboring Volgograd, which occurred on December 29, 2013, Bishop Anthony addressed his flock with a call to “prayerfully honor the memory of the deceased and pray for the health of the victims. This is our common pain. I urge everyone to refrain from special New Year’s entertainment and devote this time to prayerful empathy with our brothers and sisters.” On January 1, 2014, the bishop served a prayer service in Akhtubinsk for the increase of love and lithium for the dead, and then in the village of Kapustin Yar he performed the funeral service for the son of one of the parishioners who died in the terrorist attack.

In November 2014, Bishop Anthony, while undergoing training courses for newly installed bishops, found himself in Moscow at the same time as the wife of the Astrakhan governor A. A. Zhilkin and admonished her with the Holy Mysteries shortly before her death.

On July 21, 2015, the bishop addressed the flock, pointing out the “inadmissibility of participation of a faithful Christian” in the Holi festival of colors, which, “essentially, is nothing more than a pagan demonic rite.”

On November 26, 2015, Bishop Anthony celebrated a memorial service for military personnel Russian Federation who died during the counter-terrorism operation in Syria - Oleg Peshkov and Alexander Pozynich. From this day on, with the blessing of the Bishop, in all churches of the Akhtuba diocese, petitions for the victory of the Russian army are read at each Liturgy at the special litany.

On December 22, 2015, the Bishop made a report at a meeting of the Council for Interaction of the Duma of the Astrakhan Region with the representative bodies of the municipalities of the region, calling for strengthening the dialogue between the authorities and the Church. According to the Chairman of the Duma of the Astrakhan Region A. Klykanov, perhaps such meetings will become a tradition similar to the Christmas Parliamentary meetings in the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The diocesan website calls the performance “somewhat historical.”

On April 5, 2016, in the report “The experience of serving the clergy and social practice in the Astrakhan Metropolis as a factor of social consolidation” at a meeting of the ethno-confessional council under the governor of the Astrakhan region, the bishop proposed to appeal to all socio-political forces “about the need for responsible speeches in election campaigns that exclude games on interethnic and interfaith problems”, hold a seminar for heads of municipalities on the development school discipline“Fundamentals of the spiritual and moral culture of the peoples of Russia”, as well as organize a gathering of religious youth of various faiths.

On May 6, 2016, the Bishop performed the funeral service for a Red Army soldier, junior commander of a platoon of advanced units of the Crimean Front, Kharabalin resident Zibrov Ivan Fomich, who died in the Great Patriotic War.

Social activities

With the blessing of Bishop Anthony, the diocese launched a training program for parish social workers under the leadership of Priest Vyacheslav Shemyakin, a certified social work specialist.

In October 2014, the Bishop visited pre-trial detention center No. 2 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Astrakhan Region, located in the Narimanovsky district, and talked with the juvenile residents and staff of the detention center. In the same month, the Bishop visited other social facilities in the Narimanov district: a center for helping children without parental care, the Foundation’s Rehabilitation Center social insurance"Tinaki." In both facilities, an agreement was reached on cooperation with the diocese.

With the blessing of Bishop Anthony, in July 2015, at the parish of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Nikolskoye, Astrakhan region, a sisterhood of sisters of mercy named after the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth was created.

Vladyka is a frequent guest at the Lyubava social shelter for children. One day, he and the orphanage pupils prepared potato pancakes.

On January 26, 2017, the Bishop, together with Bishop of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Panteleimon, Bishop of Kamensky and Alapaevsky Methodius and Rector of PSTGU Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov, headed the next pastoral seminar on social service issues, organized by the Synodal Department for Charity and the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University. The issues of performing the Sacrament of Confession, preparing for it, as well as difficult cases from pastoral practice were considered.

Construction of temples and chapels. Restoration of temples. Opening of new parishes

On September 21, 2013, after the liturgy and the city religious procession, Bishop Anthony laid the foundation stone for the future chapel at the “Wing of Icarus” memorial complex in Akhtubinsk. The chapel in honor of Archangel Michael was opened a year later, on September 20, 2014.

To establish another church in Akhtubinsk (a very sprawling city, both churches of which are located in the same area, which makes it difficult for residents of other areas to visit them), in 2014 the bishop turned to the local authorities with a request to transfer the vacant music school building for indefinite free use at the address st. Zavodskaya, 75. A temporary church will be built there in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. In December 2014, the first divine service took place in the premises of the future temple - a prayer service for water.

The Bishop pays special attention to the “Cossack Frontiers of Russia” program, according to which ordinary churches-chapels will be built in 10 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In the Akhtuba diocese, it was decided to build such churches in the village of Novourusovka, Krasnoyarsk region, and in the city of Kharabali, district of the same name, Astrakhan region.

The cross and dome of the church in honor of the Apostle Thomas in Kharabali was consecrated on August 25, 2014, two days after the tragedy in the city of Kirovskoye, where, as a result of artillery shelling, a shell hit the church during an all-night vigil. Therefore, the bishop expressed confidence that the consecration of the cross of the new temple is a kind of response to the destruction of the Kirov temple: “These people were aiming at the Church of God. And let them all know that for every destroyed temple we will build ten new ones with you.” On April 19, 2015, this temple was consecrated. The date of consecration was not chosen by chance - Fomino Sunday, popularly called Red Hill, when believers traditionally strive to visit cemeteries, one of which is where the new temple is located.

During 2014, parishes were opened: in honor of the prophet Elijah p. Rechnoye, Kharabalinsky district (August 2), in honor of Peter and Fevronia of Murom in the village. Gentle Zaimishche (September 14), in honor of the Apostle John the Theologian in the village. Vyazovka, Chernoyarsk district (October 9). Parishes were also formed in the villages of Buzan, Volnoye, Zolotukha, Novourusovka. A bishop's courtyard is registered in Akhtubinsk.

On Intercession 2014 (October 14), the first liturgy took place in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the village of Prishib, Astrakhan region. The temple has been restored since the 90s. XX century Before the service, the clergy and laity walked a procession of the cross 12 kilometers from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Nikolskoye to Prishib. The procession was led by Bishop Anthony.

On September 21, 2014, the bishop laid the foundation for a baptismal church in honor of John of Kronstadt in the village of Nikolskoye, and in December 2014 - a church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ at the Trusova station cemetery in the Narimanovsky district.

The diocese is restoring ancient churches in the villages of Solodniki, Kopanovka, Prishib, as well as the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the village of Enotaevka.

On September 12, 2015, the first Liturgy took place in the prayer house in the village of Pody, Chernoyarsk region.

On October 14, 2015, after the religious procession, the bishop served the first liturgy in many years in the central chapel of the Church of the Intercession in the village of Solyonoe Zaimishche.

On November 4, 2015, the bishop consecrated the temple in honor of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, located in the village of Solodniki.

On June 12, 2016, the first Divine Liturgy took place in the church in honor of the Resurrection of Christ at the Trusova station cemetery in the Narimanov district. The service was led by Bishop Anthony.

Working with cultural institutions

On the initiative of Bishop Anthony, in 2015, Sergei Pleshak’s mini-musical “Adam and Eve” was staged for the first time in Akhtubinsk.

In 2016, when the author’s ballet “Andrei Rublev” by Konstantin Uralsky was staged at the Astrakhan Opera and Ballet Theater, the bishop held an educational meeting with the artists dedicated to icon painting and the history of the era in which the great icon painter lived. Having attended the premiere, Vladyka wrote a review of the ballet, and later took part in an episode of the TV show “Conservative Club” dedicated to this production.

Lifestyle

According to the testimony of one of the priests of the Akhtuba diocese, the bishop still does not have his own home and lives in a room between the refectory and the sacristy.

Subtotals

In an interview in February 2014, speaking about the results of the nine months of the diocese’s existence, the bishop noted: “The main achievement is the awareness of our diocesan community, such church unity. We began to gather with the priests, discuss various issues together, and serve together. This is a unity that I feel well."

During the first year of operation of the Akhtuba diocese, 5 parishes were formed, the number of clergy in the diocese increased from 32 to 37 clergy. During the third year, 2 deacon and one priest ordinations took place.

In 2015, a total of 8 new parishes were registered throughout the diocese, and documents were prepared for the registration of several more.

By May 7, 2016, the diocese had 46 registered Orthodox parishes, as well as 12 assigned temples, prayer rooms and chapels.

Social activities outside the diocese

From September 12 to 19, 2016, Bishop was part of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church visited the group of Russian troops in Syria. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, on Russian air base Khmeimim performed the rite of consecration of the chapel in the name of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious. Members of the delegation met with Metropolitan John of Latakia, Bishop of Tartus Athanasius, as well as the command of the group. During the visit, two Divine Liturgies, 18 prayer services, and a religious procession with the icon of St. George the Victorious around the air base were performed. Conversations were held with military personnel.

Many who observed the work of shepherds noted that, despite the fairly high ranks in church hierarchy, Bishop Anthony and Father Sergius acted like ordinary priests - they conducted services, performed the sacraments, communicated with everyone... And most importantly, they stoically endured the difficulties that their charges experienced. During the day, the sun burned mercilessly, but the clergy in strict vestments, holding prayer services in the open air, strengthened the spirit of the soldiers with their very appearance.

On October 19, 2016, Bishop Anthony, who cares for military personnel at Russia’s largest military training ground, took part in a seminar on issues of pastoral care for military personnel, organized by PSTGU jointly with the Synodal Department for Interaction with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies. The Bishop said: “It is important to understand the purpose - why we perform the Sacrament of Confession in the first place, why we organize it. Quantitative indicators cannot be an end in themselves.”

On October 23, 2016, the bishop served the Liturgy at the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos on the day of the enthronement of the newly elected abbot Evlogiy (Ivanov).

Publicistic activity

While still a hieromonk, Vladyka wrote a story for the so-called second volume of the book “Unholy Saints,” which Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) was going to compile from stories sent by readers. The story was published on April 11, 2014 and caused a number of positive reviews on the Orthodoxy website. RU.

Education

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, in September 2013, Bishop Anthony entered the All-Church graduate school and doctoral studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius in the department of history.

From November 17 to 28, 2014, Bishop Anthony attended advanced training courses for newly installed bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, organized by the All-Church Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius.

Essays

• Missionary aspect of the activities of educational institutions of the Astrakhan diocese from the XVIII to the early XX century
• Word from Archimandrite Antony (Azizov) at the naming bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky
• There lived a man...History for the 2nd volume of "Unholy Saints" Bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky Antony (Azizov)
• A short basic guide to spiritual life for the Cossacks of the Astrakhan army
• Messages and sermons of Bishop Anthony on the website of the Akhtuba diocese

Awards

Notes

1. Interview with Bishop Anthony of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky // Akhtubinskaya Pravda. 2014. February 19.
2. The Lord leads by the hand. [Interview with Archimandrite Anthony (Azizov)] // Tabor Light. 2013. No. 6 (07). P.14.
3. Website of Astrakhan experts
4. Team of experts “Firm”, tournament “IRC-2003”
5. Bishop of Akhtubinsky and Enotaevsky Anotony: “Our first task is to be accessible - extremely accessible to everyone.” // Theological and educational project “Dvoeslov”

– Vladyka, on whom does it depend whether the community will take place in the new church?

- From the priest, of course. Well, from the bishop, after all, we ordain and appoint priests to the parish. True, I won’t say that there is a queue of people wanting to take holy orders, especially in small dioceses like ours.

In our diocese there is the village of Vyazovka. Seven hundred inhabitants. There was no temple. Built. The priest appeared. At first, people had the effect of novelty. Many people attended, but the excitement quickly passed, the wave subsided and a maximum of five or six people came to the service.

When Saint Nicholas of Japan found himself in Japan, he wrote in his diary: “I thought I was going to see my bride, who would greet me with open arms. It turned out that my bride was sleeping in the most prosaic sleep.” So it is here. No one met the priest, no one expected him, no one thought about him.

There is such a terrible phrase: “nobody needs anything.” I forbid priests to pronounce it. I always say that not others, but we should need it. We need this person - he is the main concern and care of the priest.

As soon as our young priest treated people with zeal and set his sights on a person, the church in Vyazovka immediately began to fill up. But I now understand that it takes at least a year for something to start changing.

-What did he do?

– I won’t say that it’s something special. I just gathered people, talked, and went somewhere with them. You see, you can technologically think through events, goals and objectives, propose a set of actions, but every time everything will depend on the priest, his experience, passion, zeal, but not in terms of organizing events, but in terms of the correct organization of the parish community.

– Does it all depend on the personality of the priest?

– No, the personality of a priest can become a serious problem and even a temptation. The life of the community should not be limited to the pastor. He must decrease, but Christ must increase. The priest stands in front of the Throne, and behind him are the people. He performs the liturgy because people exist, and not by himself.

The birth of a community depends to a greater extent not on the qualities of the individual, but on the quality of the spiritual and universal education of the priest, on the desire to move and not get stuck, on the correct attitude towards the flock.

A parish life properly structured by a pastor is an environment in which there is room for God to act, even if a person initially comes for some kind of spiritual comfort and the church is perceived as a certain form of leisure. One day the Word of God will touch the human heart. But for this, the shepherd needs to build conditions.

We need to stop reviving and start living

– Is there any meaning in the community today?

– Community is the way of existence of the Church. If we consider ourselves adherents of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, then we understand that the Church is impossible outside the community. It’s high time to stop living with ideas that we are reviving something, for example, life in the Church. We need to stop reviving and start living.

– Who or what can be the core of the community?

– From the point of view of the canons (at least this was the case in ancient times), the priest was ordained into a specific community, because the clergy were generally promoted from the community. The priest became the core. Now everything is different. In urban parishes, a priest can disappear into business and hide. This is impossible in the village.

When our diocese was just formed (it is mainly rural), at one of the meetings, partly naively, but with some inner conviction, I said that without creating a parish community, not only will we not put church life on the right track, we will simply we will lose our villages.

The village has always lived according to the principle: neighbor on the right, neighbor on the left, that is, the one who comes to the rescue first is important. This principle has long been violated and therefore disunity in the countryside is experienced more acutely today than in the city. If four years ago I spoke about my guesses, now I am finally convinced that in a rural parish the core and core of the community is the priest. However, this is not enough to create a community.

- What do you have in mind?

– I am sure, for example, that a church in a village does not have to be huge. Infrastructure is more important. It is better to build a small and cozy church, and use the excess funds to build a parish house, school, or playground, than to build something grandiose. Liturgical life must be the basis, because without it nothing will work, but we must not forget about the infrastructure.

– Decorating a church has always been a form of glorifying the Creator, and a way to attract flocks, hasn’t it?

– Yes, but human consciousness has changed today, and people in general have changed. Community was a fact of life back then. Spiritual and moral traditions, values, and experience were passed on from generation to generation. Of course, it’s great to build a magnificent temple.

But I have villages where there is such a huge temple, the entire population of the village can be brought there, placed there, there will still be space left. We got it from our ancestors. I don’t know how much demand there was for a temple of this size back then; it was probably important since it was built.

But if this was really important, then those sad events that happened a century ago probably would not have happened. To say that before the revolution we had a model of community-church life is a dead end and self-deception. Trying to repeat that community is an even greater illusion. Finally, break up with her.

People need to unite. People generally want to be together, but they have forgotten how. The Church is now forced to create conditions for this.

I am not saying that non-liturgical activities should be a priority. No, of course, but I once told my fathers that a parish is all the people who inhabit a certain territory, no matter what their ethnic origin or even religion.

Potentially all of them are our parishioners. They are the people for whom our hearts should ache. They come, they go, they sympathize with us or not - it doesn’t matter at all. The Lord put us here to serve. Dot.

Give up the habit of “catching up and causing love”

“Many people consider the community a club of interests, where they go on Sundays to see friends, exchange things and hear the latest news.

– The line between a semi-religious get-together and real spiritual life is quite thin. Exactly the same thing happened in the past, even if people went to church unconditionally. The depth of spiritual life remained different. Someone worried with their hearts, devoted themselves to God and serving their neighbors.

The intensity of such a person’s spiritual life was high. But some remained on the surface, at the level of external church attendance, because they went out of habit, out of upbringing, out of obligation, because “you have to be in church on Sunday.” Such a person did not change deep down.

– Where is this line? How to determine when a person ends up in a club of interests, and when he becomes part of a living church?

– For me personally, the line lies in the plane of entering liturgical life. It is clear that we must talk about this, lead to this, strive for it, so that ultimately Christ becomes the main meaning for believers. You see, it is not works that unite us in the Church, it is Christ that unites us.

– When does a community become a community?

– Then, when people simply know each other. When a religious relationship develops between them. When they pray together, for example, they read a prayer by agreement. This is common in our parishes. The parishioners are divided into twenty groups and each one reads kathisma at his own time, remembering each other and those who need help. The entire Psalter is read in one day.

The sign of a community is the presence of social connections, participation in each other’s lives, when we all become such contiguous concentric circles. You come to church and realize that the person who stands and prays next to you is important to you. Then he’s gone for a month or two or three and you think: why, where did he go? This is an established community.

– How should this be built in the parish? Do you need to register parishioners with addresses, phone numbers, photographs? What about those who just want to come and pray and not be bothered by anyone?

– In the Church no one should rape anyone. The Church is generally based on freedom; it is a living organism, and not an artificial formation. It is wonderful when there is a parishioner with healthy activity who has an understanding of people in need. I also admit that not everyone wants to be on this list of those in need. So leave him, as well as the habit of “catching up and causing love,” and everything will work out as it should.

I remember being a parishioner. I had a temptation and real abuse against one person. I didn't know him. No first name, no last name, no profession, in general, who he was or what, but the internal hostility towards him was quite strong. He only let me go when on Forgiveness Sunday I asked him for forgiveness. And he simply bowed and responded. It felt so easy for me. I realized that my abuse of him was at the level of thoughts, some kind of internal confusion, but it was precisely this prayerfulness that united us.

In general, Forgiveness Sunday, when a person asks for forgiveness not from a narrow circle of acquaintances, but from everyone in the church, regardless of the degree of acquaintance, is a manifestation of true community spirit.

– Some say that it is easy for them to pray in the temple when no one is there.

– I’ll say more, some even choose such temples on purpose. But understand, conciliarity and prayerfulness are important because they emphasize the unity and conciliarity of the Church itself.

It's like chain breathing in singing, when one stops singing to take in air, but the melody does not stop because there is someone nearby who continues to sing. So it is in prayer. You are standing in a church (of course, everyone is weak, attention is scattered in prayer), and next to you is a person who continues to pray at that moment while you are distracted. Then you catch the breath of his prayer.

Liturgical life is the core on which everything is strung; it is the basis of community life.

People today have many needs. In our parishes, for example, they organize prayer services for pregnant women and women without children. This happens on the initiative of the people themselves. It is the common spirit of prayer that unites people into a community. The priest needs to take care of this and try to be an accomplice to the best of his ability.

Bishop Anthony of Akhtuba. Photo: ahtuba-eparhia.ru

Dividing people into insiders and outsiders is a disease of church life

– How to build such a harmonious system?

- Love people. There is no other recipe. But here the opposite extreme actually occurs. When I was appointed to the diocese, I discovered that we have parishes with a narrow circle of people gathered around the rector.

Everything that was in the parish, be it the condition of the church or the number of parishioners, suited everyone. It was such a closed club for “insiders”. People lived by the principle “if only nothing could be changed.” Through my actions I had to hack the system.

- How and why?

– I had to move the clergy, but not because I am an enemy of the people and the existing relations in the parish. It was important for me to get the priest out of the state of stagnation, in which even the most talented person can find himself. I tried to put them in a “crisis” state so that they would shake themselves up, so that energy would be generated and a taste for changes around them would appear.

The question “why” is even easier to answer. A circle of middle-aged women who close in a tight ring around the rector, cutting off strangers, as well as the general division of people into strangers and insiders, are diseases of our church life that we have inherited from Soviet times.

To establish a parish in the USSR, it was necessary to gather twenty founders. They were the core that resolved financial issues, and any others. The abbot was a hired man for them. This terrible principle of twenty in the province continues to flourish today.

It is difficult, but important, to convince, by the way, the priests that the rector is the leader of the parish, the father who is responsible for creating in the community an atmosphere of sincere, unfeigned, calm love without any unnecessary mystical things and worries about the end of the world.

– Often several temples are assigned to priests. Is it possible to create a community under such conditions?

– If a priest has several villages to serve, they sometimes live according to the principle: come, serve, leave. The priests quite sincerely believe that to perform the liturgy, confess, and receive communion is “done what he could.” But then there really won't be any community.

Liturgy is a separate aspect of the ministry and life of a priest. How and why does a priest serve the liturgy? What is she to him? It’s just a service that he performs for the sake of the people who came and ordered “mass.” Or is this a moment of personal standing before God?

I’ll say more - it’s not enough to serve; in fact, you also need to communicate. After all, we live off parishioners and alms. This means we owe them. This means you need to come to people on a weekday, not in the morning, but in the evening, talk, find out about their needs, and pray together. No one came? Well, that means just praying for those who live in this place.

The key problem of our spiritual life is the crisis of the clergy, clergy and pastorate. Today these concepts have shifted and become confused. And as a result, not everything is in order in the spiritual life of the laity. They often do not feel at all like they are part of the Church; they think of themselves as something external or, on the contrary, they perceive themselves as the owners of the parish, where among them there is a hired person - the priest.

These crises are precisely what force us to talk about what to do to create a community. Although the community is such a natural thing that the church simply cannot live outside of it.

If we carry out our shepherding in the evangelical, patristic spirit, if we educate our parishioners in this spirit, then communities will create themselves and inevitably.

Young priests in the village are heroes of our time

– Imagine that our conversation is being listened to by a young priest who is faced with such a task. He sees that strong communities are born from a common cause that binds people together like “Moment” glue. In one parish - general works of mercy, in another - raising children in large families, in a third - the construction of a church. A common cause is such a simple, literal and understandable way to build a community.

- The point is not in the general matter. It can finally be invented. In every locality there is a problem that can and should be solved. The point is how much a priest thinks of himself as a shepherd. Is he ready to answer for the people who flock to him, whom the Lord has entrusted to him? Are you ready to lead to Christ, and not ultimately to yourself? How much is he in the priesthood for Jesus' sake and not for the sake of the kusa bread?

The deep pastoral task is for human transformation to occur. Yes, it is difficult. But forgive me, but then why are we in the Church? Why a community if a person does not change? Yes, this does not happen suddenly and thanks to technology.

There is no other recipe here except the Gospel and the idea of ​​Love. If you love, it means you care, it means you empathize, it means you are ready, infringing on yourself, your time, your comfort, to go to a person. This is an active manifestation of love.

– How many people today become priests because it’s fashionable?

- It’s no longer fashionable. At all. Being a priest is not only unfashionable, it is becoming something unpromising. The main thing is that you can start to feel very sad.

– Why are priests discouraged?

– People are not responsive and do not respond. It seems that you are doing everything correctly, according to the “technology”: you organize meetings, hold conversations, you are open to everyone, but it still doesn’t work out. But despondency comes from the fact that we rely too much on ourselves. We are confident that we can do or say something right now and the person next to us will change.

Nothing like this. The Lord acts in everything. You pray to God, ask and everything works out. At one time, when I had an interview with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, in response to fears on my part that I would begin to become despondent from the difficulties of real life, he said: “Don’t be despondent. You serve. You serve and it’s already good.”

And I understand that the liturgy is the very moment when you can ask God for anything you want, and above all, strength. He will give you strength if it is useful to you, useful for the Church, and everything will work out.

I am a bishop. I'm probably supposed to grumble about the clergy, but one day I looked at my young priests and admitted that I was very grateful to them. They serve in difficult conditions. Around them, successful peers are striving somewhere, going, moving, achieving. And they abandoned prosperity. Imagine, a man lived in a city and came to serve in a village.

The average salary of the clergy in our diocese is 15-20 thousand rubles. Living conditions often difficult. This is difficult, it requires dedication, not only from the priest but also from his wife and children. Not everyone is ready for this.

It is generally difficult for a young man to come to church without false enthusiasm, with sobriety, to stand on the other side of the iconostasis and accept that nothing else in life depends on him, but only on God. But many go because they trust God so much that they are ready to give their whole lives to Him. I am grateful to such people.

The principles of society have changed. It’s not that a person doesn’t want to be a selfless altruist, it’s hard for him, under the yoke of those benefits and “joys” that the world offers. And for me, those who today make a choice in favor of serving the Church, especially in the villages, are the real heroes of our time.