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The Startsi of Optina Monastery are holy fathers Moses,
Antony, Leonid(Lev), Macarius, Hilarion, Ambrose, Anatolius I, Isaac I,
Joseph, Barsanuphius, Anatolius the Younger, Nectarius, Nikon the Confessor,
and Hieromartyr Isaac the Younger. Hieromartyr Isaac was shot by the Bolsheviks
on December 26 1937.
The holy Fathers made the Optina Hermitage (Pustyn) a focus for the powerful
renewal movement that spread through the Church in Russia beginning early
in the nineteenth century, and continuing up to (and even into) the atheist
persecutions of the twentieth century. Saint Paisius Velichkovsky (November
15) was powerfully influential in bringing the almost-lost hesychastic
tradition of Orthodox spirituality to Russia in the eighteenth century,
and his labors found in Optina Monastery a 'headquarters' from which they
spread throughout the Russian land. The monastery itself had been in existence
since at least the sixteenth century, but had fallen into decay through
the anti-monastic policies of Catherine II and other modernizing rulers.
Around 1790, Metropolitan Platon of Moscow undertook a mission to restore
and revive the monastery in the tradition set forth by St Paisius. By
the early 1800s the monastery (located about 80 miles from Moscow) had
become a beacon of Orthodox spirituality, partly through their publication
of Orthodox spiritual texts, but more importantly through the lineage
of divinely-enlightened spiritual fathers (startsi, plural of starets)
who served as guides to those, noble and peasant, who flocked to the monastery
for their holy counsel. The fathers aroused some controversy in their
own day; a few critics (some of them from other monasteries) disapproved
of their allowing the Jesus Prayer to become widely-known among the people,
fearing that it would give rise to spiritual delusion (prelest). For a
wonderful depiction of the deep influence of the Jesus Prayer on Russian
life during this period, read the anonymously-written Way of a Pilgrim.
With the coming of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the monastery was of
course officially shut down, but some of the Fathers were able to keep
it running for a time as an 'agricultural legion'. Over the years, most
of the Fathers were dispersed, to die in exile, in prison camps, or by
the firing squad. Many of them are known to have continued to function
as startsi to their spiritual children, despite great danger and hardship,
for the remainder of their time on earth.
Commemoration of the Optina startsi was approved by the Synod of the Russian
Church Abroad in 1990, and by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1996. The Optina
Monastery itself was officially re-established in 1987.
Schema-Archimandrite Moses
As a youth, Elder Moses received St. Seraphim's blessing to enter the
monastic life. He was 16 when he joined the Roslavl forest ascetics, among
whom were disciples of Elder Paisius Velichkovsky, and for 14 years he
exercised himself in spiritual warfare and inner concentration under their
tutelage. Forced to move by the War of 1812, he lived for a time with
ascetics in the Briansk forest where he forged ties with Elder Leonid.
In 1821 he visited Optina, which had been revived by Paisian disciples
not long before, and he was persuaded to stay and establish nearby a skete.
With his younger brother Anthony and two other monks he began building,
and a year later the skete church was consecrated.
In 1825 Moses was appointed superior of the Hermitage, while his brother
succeeded him as head of the skete. Elder Moses greatly expanded the physical
plant of the Hermitage: he built the St. Mary of Egypt refectory church,
additional cells for the brethren; he added stables, a kiln, a large library
and an apiary. More importantly, he strengthened its spiritual foundation
by inviting Elder Leonid to Optina and himself setting an example of utmost
obedience and meekness. After Elder Leonid arrived, he did nothing without
his blessing. His love and gentleness attracted many pilgrims, with their
financial support, but his true spiritual stature remained largely hidden,
just as his life was hidden in God.
Schema-Hegumen Anthony
Elder Anthony was discipled by his brother in the Roslavl forest before
following him to Optina. He was only 30 when he was appointed superior
of the skete, and even in this position of authority he did nothing without
his brother's blessing. Visitors to the Skete were impressed by the order
and cleanliness, which were mirrored in the inner tranquility of the brethren
under the care of this spirit-bearing elder. The diocesan bishop, however,
saw the revival of eldership as an innovation and made things difficult
for the elders. In 1839 he transferred Elder Anthony to the derelict Maloyaroslavl
monastery. Leaving Optina was a great trial for the Elder, but nevertheless,
he applied himself to revitalizing the monastery and endured 14 years
before returning to his beloved Optina for retirement.
For 30 years the Elder suffered from sores on his legs which, in time,
penetrated to the bone. Even in this condition he did not spare himself
for the sake of his brother. One monk often gave in to a weakness to oversleep
and missed Matins, which was served at 1 or 2 in the morning; finally
he gave up altogether, in spite of repeated entreaties by his superiors.
One morning after service in church Elder Anthony came to the brother's
cell. "I must give an account for you. Have pity on me and on your'
own' soul," the Elder implored. He prostrated himself before the
brother, whereupon blood poured out from the elder's boots, forming a
pool beneath his mantia. The brother was cured of his weakness.
 Hieroschemamonk
Leonid
Eldership at Optina properly begins with Elder Leonid (Leo in schema)
who arrived when was already matured in this ministry. Outwardly his monastic
path was unsettled. It began in Optina at the dawn of its revival, initiated
in 1795 Metropolitan Platen, then led to White Banks Monastery where he
was tonsured, to Cholnsk, the Roslavi forest, Valaam, St. Alexander of
Svir monastery, Ploshchansk and the Briansk forest, before "returned"
to Optina in 1829 at the invitation Elder Moses. This transience was the
result not of instability but of circumstance. The tradition eldership
and hesychasm had become so removed from the Russian monastic experience
of the 18th century that it was suspected of being an innovation and not
infrequently aroused misunderstandings leading to slander, jealousy and
outright persecution - something which Elder Leonid experienced at varying
degrees throughout his monastic career, and particularly in his last years
at Optina. Leonid's involuntary mobility did not, however, prevent him
fro developing a solid spiritual foundation. In his sojournings he was
in constant cent with Paisian disciples, and spent some twenty years in
the company of Elder Cleopas and Elder Theodore (of Svir) who had lived
with Elder Paisius. From them Leonid learned the art of unceasing prayer.
At Optina the brethren came daily to Elder Leonid to reveal their thoughts
practice which nurtured spiritual vigilance and control. With his gift
of clairvoyance, the Elder expertly wielded the spiritual scalpel, going
directly to the heart of the person's problem and inspiring healing tears
of repentance. He worked countless miracles also among laymen. In the
world he had been engaged in commerce and this, experience helped him
to establish a rapport with pilgrims from diverse backgrounds. At first
acquaintance many were misled by the rather jovial exterior which often
hid his ascetic temperament.
Trials were bound to follow this soul-saving activity. The same authority
which sent Elder Anthony from Optina forbade Elder Leonid from receiving
visitors. But people continued to flock to him with their troubles and,
possessing great love and compassion, he could not refuse them. Fortunately,
he received moral supp from Elder Moses and also Metropolitans Philaret
of Moscow and of Kiev. But the tension was wearying. Elder Leonid died
after a serious illness of five weeks.
 Hieroschemamonk
Macarius
Elder Makary's face was scarred by smallpox, he stuttered and was always
poorly dressed, but he was distinguished by a very refined personality.
He was born to a landed gentry family, loved music and was a talented
violinist. After some years' experience in the world as a bookkeeper,
in 1818 he entered upon the monastic path at the Ploshchansk Hermitage.
There he formed ties with Elder Leonid and followed him to Optina.
With Elder Leonid's repose, the burden of the spiritual guidance of the
skete fell to Elder Makary. He was soft-spoken and emanated a quiet joy
in the Lord. Like Elder Leonid, he used his gift of spiritual discernment
to work numerous healings, especially of the demon-possessed. also carried
on a tremendous correspondence: his letters of counsel fill two volumes,
each numbering a thousand pages.
Elder Makary did not tolerate idleness among the brethren. He introduced
various handcrafts: bookbinding and woodworking. He also adorned the skete
with mass planting of flowers. His greatest contribution to Optina, however,
to initiate its work of publishing patristic texts. This was historically
significant since Peter's reforms had greatly curtailed such activity
which subsequent laws restricted to ecclesiastical print shops. The result
was that many works of Holy Fathers existed only in manuscript form or
in very limited editions. Meanwhile, the secular press was churning out
translations of mystical-philosophical works from the West, some of them
plainly hostile to Orthodoxy. With the blessing and earnest support of
Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, and the active collaboration of the Orthodox
writer and philosopher Ivan Kireyevsky, Elder Makary began meticulously
editing manuscripts translated from the Greek by Paisius Velichkovsky,
which he had acquired in Ploshchansk, and other patristic manuscripts
donated by various individuals, thus launching an undertaking which, in
50 years, produced more than 125 books in 225,090 copies. These were sent
to libraries and seminaries all over Russia, putting into circulation
the works of St. Isaac the Syrian, St. Symeon the New Theologian, St.
Nil of Sera, Elder Paisius and others, and inspiring a growing circle
of religiously inclined intelligentsia.
Hieroschemamonk Hilarion
Elder Hilarion was born on Pascha night and baptized Rodion. In the world
he was a tailor and ran a clothing store, devoting his spare time to missionary
work among the schismatic Skoptsy. He spent a year visiting various monasteries
before settling in Optina in 1839, drawn by the presence of Elders Leonid
and Makary. When the latter was appointed skete superior, he chose Rodion
as his cell attendant, an obedience he fulfilled for 20 years, until Elder
Makary's repose. In addition he worked in the gardens, made kvass, baked
bread and looked after the apiary He was characterized by simplicity,
goodwill and a readiness to help. With his missionary background he showed
special concern for those outside the Church. Although he remained for
posterity in the shadow of his more famous fellow elders, his spiritual
greatness may be judged by the fact that Elder Makary entrusted to him,
as well as to Elder Ambrose, his spiritual children.
Appointed skete superior and father confessor in 1863, Elder Hilarion
tried to plant love and oneness of mind in the hearts of the brethren,
and continued the order established by Elder Makary, following the pattern
of his abba's wise instructions as if he were still his obedient cell-attendant.
During a painful illness in the last two years of his life, he asked not
for healing but for patience and fulfilled his cell rule to the end.
 Hieroschemamonk
Ambrose
The sixth of eight children, the future Elder had a lively humor and sociable
personality which conflicted with his spiritual yearnings. A serious illness
helped him to resolve his inner struggle.
He arrived at Optina in 1839 when the monastery was spiritually in full
bloom. Guided at first by Elder Leonid and then by Elder Makary who chose
him as his cell-attendant, he made rapid spiritual progress. After only
three years he was tonsured and in another three years he was ordained
hieromonk. Illness forced him into semi-reclusion for several years, enabling
him with great profit to concentrate on the Jesus Prayer and to experience
the meaning of hesychia, the silence of the soul before God. Plagued by
a weak constitution for the rest of his life, he continued nevertheless
to expend every effort at first in assisting Elder Makary with the translation
of the Holy Fathers, with his correspondence and in conveying his counsel
to pilgrims, and later as an elder in his own right for the sake of that
love which beareth all.
For 30 years alter Elder Makary's death, Elder Ambrose was in the position
of being Optina's principal starets. Countless pilgrims streamed to his
cell, and even when he was thoroughly exhausted and had to receive them
lying in bed, he never turned away anyone in need of soul-profiting counsel.
Men's souls held no secrets from him; abundant testimony exists of his
clairvoyance. He always adapted his advice to the individual and no one's
problem was considered too insignificant.
Dostoevsky found in Elder Ambrose a living example of the Christian ideal,
while Elder Nektary callcd him "an earthly angel and a heavenly man."
Indeed, he was seen more than once surrounded by uncreated light, a sign
of transfiguration and citizenship in paradise.
Hieroschemamonk Anatole (Zertsalov)
Elder Anatole's parents encouraged their children towards monasticism.
After attending seminary, a miraculous healing from consumption led him
to Optina. He was discipled by Elder Makary who, foreseeing his future
greatness, jokingly called him "the tall one". He had a difficult
novitiate, working in the kitchen and sleeping there on a woodpile. In
1870 he became a hieromonk and then, at Elder Ambrose's request, skete
superior. With his exceptional gift of prayer, he was in great demand
as a spiritual father and received up to 200 letters a day. He often forewarned
people of impending trials, counselling submission to God's will. He worked
closely with Elder Ambrose who, recognizing his rare spiritual gifts,
depended on his help in guiding the Shamardino nuns. When Elder Ambrose
reposed, Fr. Anatole felt orphaned, although he was consoled by ties with
St. John of Kronstadt, Like so many of the elders, Elder Anatole suffered
from slanders, a trial which further weakened his heart and hastened his
departure from this world. In 1893 he was secretly tonsured into the great
schema and three and a haft months later he reposed. |
