…The heavy wrought iron door is open: enter, good man, see the beauty, observe the order, fill yourself with the air of prayer. But the magnificent courtyard of the monastery is empty: Vespers has ended, but Compline has not yet begun. Neither inhabitants nor pilgrims can be seen along the cobbled roads, the work on the chapel under construction has stopped and even the cows on the farm have calmed down. Only the chimes of the newly completed bell tower melodiously remind us that another quarter of an hour of quiet monastic life has passed.
The rector of the Monastery of Saint Seraphim, Hegumen Clement, interrupts his brief rest and descends from his cell to the arcondarik; This is what the brothers call the guest reception room on Athos. For a long time he cannot remove the phone from his ear, he gives orders on the design of one of the rooms of the Transfiguration Cathedral, which is being completed.
In his past, worldly life, Abbot Clement was the artist and musician Sergei Krivonosov (leader and vocalist of the famous Vladivostok group “Gadfly”). His developed taste and organizational talent were successfully demonstrated later during the construction of the monastery, which today has become a landmark of Russky Island and a popular place of pilgrimage tourism. Such abilities could not be hidden from the ruling bishop, so in recent years the rector has actively participated in the construction of the cathedral, which, as he himself says, performs “administrative obedience” on the central square of Vladivostok. But in his monastery, the abbot tried to minimize all work during Lent.
– Lent is a time of spiritual mobilization. All work, news, construction, repairs are reduced to a minimum… Only urgent obediences remain. The farm, the apiary and the kitchen operate on a limited basis,” he explains. – On the first two days of fasting, every person whose health allows it completely abstains from eating, during the week – vegetable foods without oil, and only on Saturdays and Sundays we cook with oil. The monks never eat meat anyway, but during Great Lent they are supposed to eat fish twice: on the Feast of the Annunciation and on the Feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem. The main thing is that all inhabitants participate in all daily services. The Letter during Lent allows us to lead a more attentive life of prayer.
Long, without abbreviations, monastic services during Lent become even longer. However, here the 3:30 ascent is year-round. This is how ten monks in robes, three monks, a novice and several workers live in the monastery of Saint Seraphim: in total, 25 people. They pray, they work, they take care of themselves: they save their souls for eternal life. The abbot gives similar instructions to laymen who regularly attend monastic services. After all, the commandments of Christ are given to all Christians, without distinction between monks and non-monks, and the Rule of the Church is the same for all of them.
– The purpose of fasting is to allow the spirit to triumph over the body. Man has two parts: he has a material one and a spiritual one. We get used to fulfilling the desires and whims of our body, this is not always expressed in some obvious vices, but also in seemingly harmless things: we love to eat delicious food, buy ourselves comfortable things, take care of how to relax. Have fun, please yourself. With this we please our carnal and material principle. And the more we do this, oddly enough, the less he listens to us. The Holy Fathers compare the human body to a donkey. You have to load the donkey. If there is little pressure on him, then he behaves uncontrollably: he starts kicking and becoming stubborn. And if you load it a lot, it becomes obedient and efficient. Our meat is more or less the same. Therefore, it is necessary to let the spirit prevail over the flesh; This is achieved through fasting, says Abbot Clement.
23 years ago, a burned-out cinema with a dilapidated roof was returned to the inhabitants: this was then the former regimental temple of the 34th East Siberian Regiment. Since then, the monastery has been the subject of slow but continuous construction: the temple was restored and painted, a fraternal building, a refectory, a boiler room, a farm, a hotel for pilgrims and a cafe were built at the gate of entrance. All on your own. Last year they laid asphalt and pavers, planted flower beds and the space was transformed. Recently, the construction of a five-level bell tower was almost completed: construction lasted seven years and money was raised, including on an Internet fundraising site. A baptismal chapel with a baptistery is now being built. They also plan to erect a corner tower which, according to the abbot, will architecturally mark the territory of the monastery. But that’s all after Easter.
Photo: Elena Vasilyeva
– Great Lent is, as they say, “the abyss, after crossing it, we must celebrate the feast of the Resurrection of Christ.” For every Christian, Easter is a very important day of the year, the dominant day of the annual cycle, in the words of Gregory the Theologian, “a festival of festivals and a triumph of celebrations.” It’s like in childhood, when we waited for the New Year and the appearance of Santa Claus. It was not about tangerines and chocolates, but rather an internal celebration, a triumph,” the abbot compares. – This is how we wait for Easter. It has been observed: those who fast and try to spend Lent according to the Rule – in abstinence and repentant prayer, confessing more often and taking communion every Sunday – celebrate Easter with joy, with deep experience and awareness of the holiday. But those who do not fast cannot feel its depth.
During fasting, the vision should be directed inward and scattered thoughts should be collected and concentrated. For a modern person, says Abbot Clement, this informative publication is especially relevant:
– We consume megabytes of information every day, we have a lot of fun, we spend time watching and reading entertainment content. During Lent, I recommend our parishioners stop watching news and entertainment programs altogether. If a person tries to limit himself, he himself will be surprised at how much “we sit on this needle.” Many people are addicted to the Internet and depend on information that is actually unnecessary for us.
Everything that does not serve the salvation of the soul is unnecessary. Furthermore, you can save yourself in the world by living a family life; It is not for nothing that the family is called a small church. In it, says the abbot, almost everything is the same as in the monastery:
– The head of the family must be a man, there are no other options. There is a saying, well known to many: “Like the priest, so is the parish.” That is, it depends on the abbot how things are in the parish or in the monastery. If we transfer this to the family, then the abbot is the father. Of course, the family must have the authority of the father. If it exists, then the entire hierarchy is built correctly. This is the ideal that should exist. But in practice one becomes convinced that each family is a completely original union of political-military forces (laughs). It happens that a woman takes on some of the male responsibilities. But if we talk about a normal family, it should be an emotional, sensual, physical and spiritual union, at all levels.
In November 2023, Abbot Clement, as part of the delegation of the Primorsky diocese, participated in the World Council of the Russian People, at which the Russian president declared this year the Year of the Family. Today our State considers its priority task the education of a harmonious personality based on spiritual and moral values. The church has a very important place in this and the demand for pastoral experience is growing more and more.
The rector of the Monastery of Saint Seraphim is one of those who can share that experience: for 14 years he has been venerated as a father not only by the brothers of the monastery, but also by many parishioners who have become his spiritual children. For example, I recently spoke with a couple about a common misconception: “we don’t want to impose faith on the child, let him grow up and choose for himself.”
– You say to those people: would you be satisfied if your son made his own decision and told you that he was gay? And that he wants to live in a same-sex marriage? Are you ready to accept this choice of his? If not, you need to help him make the right decision today. After all, it is easier and more pleasant for us to do something vicious and sinful than something good, useful and holy, reminds the abbot. – Each person, as an integral element of the image of God, is granted freedom. But this is a precious gift and must be used correctly. If freedom is elevated to the status of a cult, then it becomes a beast that devours itself, and this is what we are seeing now in the world of liberal freedoms.
The inhabitants of the Monastery of Saint Seraphim made their choice once and for all: they returned to the Father and strove to enter the Kingdom of God through the narrow gates. In the fight against sins, in overcoming desires and illnesses, constantly praying for oneself and for all those who need help. Fortunately, more and more people realize the need for such help and the narrow forged gate of the monastery remains open for them.
