The planting of eldership in the Russian Church, connected with the podvig of the Optina Hermitage, was a work of great difficulty and sorrow according to human understanding, at the same time an action of the incomprehensible Providence of God, which strengthens the strength and strength of the work of the elders precisely in sorrowful circumstances.

Sorrowful was the path of the restorer of the eldership, the Monk Paisius Velichkovsky, but at the same time glorious was his path, having found the pearl of salvation, and he was cheerful, according to the word of the service composed by him, since he found a treasure and a source of everlasting and pure joy – spiritual discernment in God and spiritual guidance of people to these ever-animal sources of the spirit.

The life of Paisius' disciples, who returned to their homeland and brought with them the salvific teaching of the eldership, was full of sorrows. One has only to delve into the biographies of Schema-monks Theodore and Cleopas in order to understand with what hostility and incomprehension their supposedly new, but essentially old, patristic teaching on the revelation of thoughts, on the inculcation of radiant spiritual wisdom in Christ, was accepted. It is necessary to understand the bitter sufferings of the blessed Elder Theodore, who died in the distant Alexander Svirsky Monastery. Moving from one monastery to another after returning from Moldavia, Fr. Theodore met Fr. Leonid at the Cholna Monastery, who became his faithful disciple and with whom they endured great sorrows on Valaam, when it came to threats to expel Fr. Theodore from the monastery. Everywhere misunderstood, condemned and often gravely ill, Father Theodore reposed in the Lord on the Friday of Bright Week, exclaiming: "Glory to God, glory to God, and I finally see the shore of the sea of life."72

His follower, Elder Leonid, in the schema, Hieroschemamonk Lev,73 was the man who was able to affirm the truth of the work of the elders. The mighty, great in his conviction and humility soul of Elder Leo carried through his entire earthly life sufferings for his neighbors and the confession of eldership. This soul, through its sufferings, essentially began the work of eldership in Optina, affirmed, strengthened, and created its very foundation.

It is impossible to calmly read those lines from the life of Elder Leonid and his disciples, which tell how they were humiliated by the spiritual authorities, expelled, resettled, persecuted, and even accused of heresy. And it was in these bitter sorrows, in reasonable and humble patience, that strength of the elder's work was forged, which became the strength and foundation, the joy and pride of the Russian Church. Here are the pages of the life of the ever-blessed Elder Leo, telling how, at the direction of the spiritual authorities, he was transferred from skete to monastery, from one cell to another. "Sometimes, when it was announced to him that he had been ordered to be transferred to another room," we read in his life, "the elder would take the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God in his arms, sing loudly: 'It is truly meet...' and go to the new cell. Having placed the icon and prayed, he immediately sat down, not caring about anything, and as if nothing had happened, he continued his work: he wove his belts and received the brethren. Meanwhile, his close disciples would follow the elder with books, some of his other cell belongings: thus he very easily settled in his new home."74

When Elder Leo, already elderly and sick, was ordered to attend divine services in the monastery, this also resulted in a popular celebration – so revered did the ordinary Russian people revere him. "The people awaited his appearance," we read below, "and when he came out, many fell to the ground, kissed the hems of his garments, and some loudly expressed their compassion for him. Between the two walls of the people, Father Leonid walked at least half an hour a short distance from the cell to the church, jokingly driving away those who were too crowded to him with a stick; everyone tried to grasp his hand and accept the blessing. A huge crowd of people gathered at the right kliros, where the elder stood."75

The elder died, having a premonition of his transition to the other world; And in his dying sufferings he was just as adamant, demanding of himself and humble-minded. The love of his spiritual children, the hieromonks, supported and strengthened him. Many times, at his request, the canon for the departure of the soul was sung. Suffering greatly, the elder could not eat food, and only the Heavenly Bread strengthened him. For the last two weeks, the dying man took communion almost every day. Dying in severe bodily suffering, the elder experienced great spiritual joy and all the time he thanked God.76

His ever-present disciple and friend, the humble and humble-minded Hieromonk Macarius,77 became the successor of the great work begun by Elder Leo, and he also had the glorious lot of publishing the works of Elder Paisius and promulgating the works of the Holy Fathers, who teach about the life of the inner man in Christ. During his lifetime, Elder Leo wrote few letters and usually signed those written by Father Macarius. Now Father Macarius conducted an extensive correspondence with both monastics and lay persons. His role in the publication of patristic works is truly enormous, and this work of the blessed Elder Macarius was accomplished precisely in the power of the work laid down by Elder Leo. That day and night the people received them, fulfilling the spiritual precepts of the ancient Holy Fathers, and Elder Macarius had the opportunity, under the guidance of the same Spirit of God, to restore and publish the basic books of the Holy Fathers on asceticism, mental work, and the spiritual path in the Church of Christ. A significant number of the Orthodox Russian intelligentsia were drawn into this great work by God's Providence.

The elderly leadership of Father Macarius is marked by his quiet and humble-minded spiritual work. It was, as it were, guarded by the feat of the suffering confession of the eldership of the Monk Leo, and now it reached its fullness, it was, as it were, legitimized and acknowledged. The image of the Elder Hieromonk (later Hieroschemamonk) Macarius rises especially clearly from the lines of his numerous letters to various persons. These letters are written by him easily and often, and are very lengthy: even during the lifetime of the Monk Leo he conducted a considerable part of the correspondence for him, and the Elder Leo signed the letters without reading. Elder Macarius in his letters is quiet and at the same time firm; he is humble and at the same time wise, he is characterized by strong and unfortunate humility; No event in the lives of his correspondents frightens him: there is a firm determination for everything, always ready. He knows well the teaching of the Holy Fathers, he carried it in his heart, he always knows what and where to give as reinforcement, for the edification of those who ask, and his quiet words only reveal and interpret the patristic mind. Quietly and confidently, he speaks of consolation, of genuine and also unfortunate spiritual joy. Noting in his letters the dates of his life, the course of events, he always remains peaceful and calm in God, relying entirely on His holy will. He writes letters all the time, even in a hurry to attend church services, but this again is quiet and with inner joy and conviction.

Thus, he hastens to say to his close spiritual children, nuns: "December 24, half past twelve in the evening. They preach the good news for the vigil. Now we come: Lord, bless us to glorify Thee, our Lord, Who was born for our salvation!" 78. Sometimes the elder grieves and does not hide his sorrow when he writes such words: "Yesterday I received your letters, I could not read them; something was not good, he did not sleep at night; the reason for this – I will not hide it – is your letters."79 Such appeals of the elder to his spiritual are relatively rare; more often he takes good cheers, teaches them to endure sorrows, speaks of God's Providence, and entrusts the course of the days of his loved ones to Him. The Elder does not enter into the events of public life in detail, although he vividly responds to the illnesses and deaths of the sisters in connection with epidemics, etc.

Most often, the lines of his letters are full of instructions about teaching a person through sorrows and about devotion in everything to the will of God. "I received your very sorrowful letter and your sorrows were reflected in me; it is evident that there is the will of God and the time for your trial has come; and sickness and disorder in the cell, and you do not find a compassionate One Do not lose heart, O children, but be firm and unyielding in the struggle of your patience; believe that the Lord, Who allowed this to happen, will bring about for the best."80

It is impossible to pass by such lines in the letters of Elder Macarius without inner silence and at the same time amazement and consolation: "Every day I have many guests of birds. A shelf is attached to the window, and all kinds of birds fly in with different grains: titmice, sparrows, ivanchiks, jays and others; and everyone feeds in her own way; natural science in nature, and creative power and wisdom are visible."81 "Agree, calm and healthy,"82 the elder usually concludes his letters, entrusting his spiritual children to the protection and Providence of God. "Be all peaceful and healthy," we read in other letters, "and succeed in humility and salvation."83

We have already written above that it was this humble-minded Optina elder who had the glorious lot of publishing the works of the Holy Fathers and Russian spiritual writings. In his book on the literary work of Elders Paisius Velichkovsky and Macarius of Optina, Archimandrite Nikodim (Kononov) points out how little spiritual and ascetic literature there was in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, how books of mystical content were allowed to be printed, while the finished translations of the Holy Fathers made by Elder Paisius lay unpublished under a bushel for more than 50 years.84 By God's Providence, a group of intelligent and learned assistants was created around Elder Macarius, who managed to realize the salvific idea of the Elder about the publication of the works of the Holy Fathers, full of spiritual reason. The idea of publishing the patristic heritage was actively supported by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow,85 and the humble Elder Macarius became a friend of the divinely wise Vladyka in this matter.

With gratitude to God, to His incomprehensible Providence, the numerous assistants of Elder Macarius should be commemorated, first of all the Kireevsky couple (Ivan Vasilyevich and Natalia Petrovna), Professor of Moscow University S. P. Shevyrev, censor Professor F. A. Golubinsky and others. Funds were available for the printing work, the divinely wise abbot of the Optina Hermitage, Archimandrite Moses,86 contributed much to the new undertaking,86 and among the brethren there were constant assistants for Fr. Macarius.