The Teachings of the Elders of the Glinsk Hermitage
The
Glinsk Hermitage came into being in the 16th century in Kursk Province (a
territory which now is part of the Sumsk Region), on the site of the appearance
of the iraculous Icon of the Nativity of the Theotokos. It appeared in a pine
tree. A solitary desert-dweller first settled there, and then others joined him.
Later, the Glinsk Hermitage was attached to a succession of monasteries, but
even after being granted independence, it was not known as a distinguished
monastery until 1817, when Abbot Philaret (Danilevsky) of the St. Sophronius
Hermitage was assigned there. Upon his arrival at the monastery, he found only
a few ancient structures and 25 brethren. Inspired by the example and teachings
of St. Paisius Velichkovsky, Abbot Philaret truly became the awakener and
spiritual founder of the monastery which became renowned for its eldership and
wide-ranging charitable undertakings. Already at the close of the 19th century,
the Glinsk Hermitage encompassed 5 churches, 4 house churches, 15 buildings to
house the residents, 8 hostels for the faithful, a refectory, a laundry, a
hospital with a pharmacy, and many household buildings, including 4
waterwheel-powered mills. The monastery included a vocational school in which
up to 50 boys, primarily orphans, were educated. Approximately 400 people lived
at the monastery.
Almost
everything of the external glory of the monastery was swept away by the
revolutionary whirlwind. By 1942, when the warmth of monastic life was
rekindled on the ruins of its former splendor, the Glinsk Hermitage included
only one house church, in the building also housing the hospital and “bishop’s”
building.
The most
noteworthy aspect of the history of the monastery was the fact that its
monastics were able to endure through all of the deprivations and trials of the
awful decades, and to return to the monastery not the glory of its former
magnificence, but rather the spirit of true asceticism, eldership, and service
to the world. This permitted the Glinsk Hermitage to function for a short time
– from 1942 to 1961, when it was once again shut down – as a manifestation of
unusual spiritual strength, at whose center were the elders.
We were
told a great deal about the elders of the Glinsk Hermitage by his Eminence, the
Most Reverend Lazarus, during his visits to Washington, and by
Schema-archimandrite Makary Bolotov, who was personally acquainted with several
of the Glinsk elders during the final stage of the history of the monastery.
They both believe that the time will come when the Church will include them in
the host of Saints.
We begin
our introduction with the instructions of elder Schema-hieromonk Seraphim (Romantsov).
“To
protect your soul from being disturbed, it is better to compromise on what does
not contradict the commandments of God, and to be careful in watching yourself,
lest you leave irritation, hatred, and offense in your soul.”
“Condemnation
of one’s neighbors is a spiritual weakness and not a paltry thing. The one who
condemns shares responsibility with the sinner.”
The elder
did not like to hear claims of someone’s spiritual elevation, incidents of
“revelations,” or that someone “had experiences.” He cautioned against too
readily believing such people, lest this turn into the blind leading the blind.
The elder
persuaded people to hold to the golden mean, not falling into senseless joy or
into excessive sorrow. Extremes have brought many to a bad end, even to
suicide.
When it
is painful to remember the past, it is better to simply repent of what had been
bad, and think no more about it. In order not to despair or be enfeebled by it,
“remember the examples of God’s great mercies to great sinners. The main thing:
do not condemn, do not envy, know yourself and be with God.”
“Do not
pay particular heed to comforting dreams. It is better not to welcome an angel
than to receive a demon in the form of an angel. We are proud, and can easily
make a mistake in this regard.”
Instructions of Schema-hieromonk Andronicus
Lukasha (1889-1974)
It is
enough to know yourself.
Come to
love work, and soon God will send you peace.
What you
sow in youth, you will reap in old age.
I fear
three things: when I will die, how I will die, and where I will find myself.
Truly
wise is he who teaches not in words but in deeds.
Do not
abandon the will of God in order to serve the will of man.
(From the book Glinsk Mosaic: Pilgrims’
Recollections of the Glinsk Hermitage,
1942-1961, Pilgrim Publishers, Moscow, 1997.)
Source: http://stjohndc.org/en/orthodoxy-foundation/lessons/teachings-elders-glinsk-hermitage
