"We went together," Brother Nicholas told us later, "when I said a prayer at the door of the cell, the elder answered 'Amen!' and opened the door of his cell. The general went into the cell, and I remained in the corridor. A few minutes passed, and then I heard from Fr. Isaiah's cell some kind of strong weeping; I was terribly interested, who is crying and why? After waiting a few minutes, I could not stand it, I was worried about the spiritual desire to use the demon of the elderly, and I quietly opened the door slightly, so that I could hear their demons through the crack that had formed. I heard the general crying like a child, and the elder in a stern voice, but dissolved in place and love, admonished him. Through tears, the general said to the elder: "These two people, father, died through my fault! The elder answers him: "You need David's repentance, imitate him in this, but do not despair like Saul. This is how the Word of God tells us about this," — at the same time, Fr. Isaiah began to quote texts from the Holy Scriptures, and all this came out so reasonable and edifying that I was extremely surprised: how could our simple elder Fr. Isaiah be so reasonable and beautiful, I thought, he said?! The general could not talk much, but only wept and sobbed. Finally, the elder began to calm him down and, comforting, said: "Do not grieve greatly, but trust in the mercy of God; May the Lord help you and grant you true and salvific repentance and peace!" - and began to say goodbye to him. At that moment I hurried away from the door. A little later, the general came out of the cell, all in tears, and, wiping away his tears, said to me: "Take me to the pier to the boat." "No, no, I don't need anything else, I got what I came here for!"

7. ON THE GRACE-FILLED WORDS OF THE ELDER SCHEMA-MONK FATHER NIKITA

Schema-monk Nikita

A similar incident happened to another man, who suddenly began to cry when he saw Schema-monk Fr. Nikita. The assistant of the innkeeper, Fr. Peter, told us about this. An officer came to us on Valaam when he was a middle-aged man, he did not come for pilgrimage, since he was a very small man and was very indifferent to religious questions, as he himself said afterwards. The purpose of his trip was: to amuse himself and admire the beauty of the wondrous and picturesque Valaam. Having received a blessing from the abbot, Fr. Hegumen, to inspect the sketes and all the sights of the monastery, the latter wished first of all to take a boat ride through the bays of the monastery and on the way to stop somewhere at the sketes. "So I was sent away," said Fr. Peter, "to accompany the latter and show everything interesting. So we went with him in a boat across the bay; My dear companion talked to me heartily, confessed that he was terribly tired of life: he had long since lost the purpose of his life; all around sees only lies and hypocrisy. "I do not find anything joyful in my life; I have become cold and indifferent to everything, I look at everything directly with a kind of anger," and so on. We examined the Konevsky skete; we drove further along the bay to the Forerunner Skete. They came. Getting out of the boat and climbing the mountain, we first examined the brethren's cells, the garden, went into the church for a moment, then went to the Cross, from where a wonderful view of the lake and the islands opened up - all this made a positive impression on my companion. Then they went along the path around the island. I had a long-standing desire to see the elder Schema-monk Fr. Nikita and to have a heartfelt relationship with him - for the good. But what is to be done? I knew that my companion did not want this and was not interested in it; then I cautiously warned him on my way and said to him thus: "I will leave you for a few minutes, as I am thinking of going to a certain elder for spiritual trouble." "Please, please! My companion replied to my words. "Talk as long as you like, I'll wait, but dismiss me from it, since I have no desire to listen to edifying stories." The skete path, as you know, passes by the very cell of the elder. As soon as we approached his cell, I knocked lightly on the door of the cell, and the elder immediately went out. My companion, an officer, had not yet managed to move away and, as if involuntarily turning around or being interested in the appearance of the elder-schemamonk, looked at him. Father Nikita looked at us with his usual affectionate and inviting smile and, bowing, said to us: "Hello, dear guests, welcome! Come to me, a wretch, visit me, a sinner!" The officer was taken aback by the suddenness of such a meeting and approach, and I did not know what to do either. The elder, as if not to overwhelm our confusion, even more enthusiastically invited us to visit him. My pilgrim threw up his hands and, in bewilderment, without giving an account, obediently followed the elder to his tiny front prayer cell. The elder sat us down, and he sat down in front of us on a low bench and, looking kindly at us, began to talk to us simply and good-naturedly. I noticed that my wanderer, as if struck by something, became moved. Having said a few words to the elder, he suddenly burst into tears, from where they came from him, he wept as little children cry when someone greatly offends them. Then the elder began to console him, saying: "Do not grieve, but pray to the Lord and the Most-Pure Virgin Mother of God, and you will be glad." But through tears, sobbing, he said: "Father! Father! I am a great sinner." "Do not despair of your salvation, my dear, for the Lord has come to the earth to save sinners, and not the righteous," the elder replied to him. I felt that my presence was superfluous, and silently left the cell. I do not know what they were talking about, but it was not until quite a while later that my officer came out with his face swollen with tears. On the way, returning back to the monastery, the last of my words repeatedly said with amazement: "I do not understand what has happened to me; I have never wept so much in my life as I did now. This elder is really a holy man among you, and I feel that after talking to him there has been some kind of salvific change in my soul. Now life has begun to have meaning for me, and I know what a person should strive for in order to find happiness. Without God, we are the most miserable and miserable people." Hearing these words from my companion, I rejoiced in my soul and thanked God, thinking that behold, where he did not expect, he had found peace for his troubled soul and joy for his heart.

8. FR. NIKITA: "OBEDIENCE DOES NOT DROWN IN WATER"

Told by Fr. Peter. "While still a novice, I sometimes went to the late elder Schema-monk Fr. Nikita at the Forerunner Skete for spiritual benefit. Once, exactly a year before his death, the elder asked me, through others, that I come to him for some work. Early in the morning, I went to him; it was in the middle of April, when the ice on the lake was very bad. Taking advantage of the matinee, I transferred from our monastery island to the island of the Baptist safely and came to the elder. The Elder received me cordially and asked me to write him replies to the few letters he had received. I willingly agreed and wrote letters almost before lunch. At the end of the meal, he and I went to the wretched refectory of the skete, and at the end of the meal I again went to the cell of the elder and continued to write letters. Having finished, we spiritually besieged him, said goodbye. Since it was already far past noon, the elder, when saying goodbye to me, with his usual inviting smile, said to me: "You, brother P., when you descend from my cell to the lake, go not along the road, but to the cape that juts out from the Valaam Island, and go "without hesitation." May God bless you and preserve you!" Descending from the mountain along the ladder that goes from the cell of the elder to the lake, I approached the water and saw that the local skete Hieromonk Iliodor was throwing stones on the ice, wanting to know the hardness of the ice; The stones broke through the ice easily and sank into the water, as the spring sun was very hot, and the ice became very weak. There was not the slightest fear or confusion in my soul, and I, not coming close to Hieromon, fearing that he would detain me with conversations or dissuade me from crossing the bad ice, stepped on the ice and firmly and confidently went to the other bank. Although the ice was very weak, I, as if hearing in my ears the blessing of Fr. Nikita, for whom I had great faith and love, fearlessly walked on the ice farther and farther. The hieromonk, as he later said to the writer of these lines, looked with horror and amazement at this procession as if directly on the water, well aware that it was impossible to walk on the ice under any circumstances. Having safely crossed to the indicated place, I then came to my senses, and, realizing the seriousness of my journey, I no longer began to be guided by faith, but by reason, and, having walked a little along the shore, I again wanted to test how hard the ice was, and as soon as I touched the ice with my foot, I immediately fell almost waist-deep into the cold water and instantly jumped ashore. Having poured the scooped water out of my boots, I no longer began to test the hardness of the ice, but quickly went home. I did not say a word about this incident to anyone, for fear of being known as a miracle-worker or a braggart. But this is a true event that happened to me a year before the death of Schema-monk Nikita, and only the power of his elderly prayers and my obedience to him saved me from drowning."

9. DEATH OF FR. NIKITA AND FR. ONUPHRIA

A certain monk reported that, once being at the skete of All Saints, he went into the church, the service had not yet begun, and the late elder Schema-monk Onuphry was already in the church. Soon Father Nikita, a schema-monk of the Baptist, also came to the church in order to pray; it was on the second day of Holy Pascha. The elders, seeing each other, began to kindly confuse one another, therefore, in order not to interfere with their spiritual demons, the monk who had come earlier wanted to move away from them; Seeing this, the elders wished that he also should be a participant in their demon. Among other things, they talked about their death, which soon, soon would visit them. Then the monk said a word about himself, saying that his death might soon come. But the elders answered him with a smile: "No! You will still live, if you are still young, you will see everything ahead - both bitter and sweet, but it is time for us, old people, to prepare for it." At this, Fr. Nikita said: "I ask the Lord that I be tempered on Pascha; This is my sincere desire." "And I," said Fr. Onufriy, "pray to the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos that I may die on the Dormition on the first, or on the second, or on the third day of this wondrous feast of the Queen of Heaven." The elders, having spoken with love in the Lord, asked each other for holy prayers. At this time the divine services began. And what do we see? Wondrous are Thy works, O Lord! — Fr. Nikita died on the evening of Great Saturday. He was buried on the third day of Holy Pascha. And Fr. Onuphry died on August 17, and was buried on August 19 on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.

Truly great are the mercies of God to us! The Lord will do the will of those who fear Him, and He will hear their prayer," says the Psalmist. "Let us give thanks to the All-Good Lord, Who has mercy on those who fear Him and fulfills their will, if it is not contrary to His Divine will!"

10. THE GRACE-FILLED PRAYER OF SCHEMA-MONK FR. ONUFRY

The inner life of a monk was always hidden for all those around him, according to the words of the Apostle Paul: "Your life is hidden with Christ in God." Likewise, St. St. Isaac the Syrian writes: "Be hidden from all." Consequently, the ascetic monks preserve their hearts, as the Holy of Holies, unapproachable and hidden for those around them, even though they are close and spiritually disposed to them. Only before death does it happen that the ascetic sometimes confides his inner state to someone close in spirit, to one of the brethren.

On August 17, 1912, the ascetic elder Schema-monk Fr. Onuphry departed peacefully from us. He lived in the world for 81 years, of which 49 years he spent in monasticism. The last years of his life he lived in the skete of All Saints, where he was buried behind the altar of the skete church. Elder Fr. Onuphrius was a monk of a primitive life, filled with many virtues, such as: non-acquisitiveness, silence, abstinence, diligence, love for church and cell prayer, meek, humble, not malicious, etc. Many respected him for his holy life, and sometimes, visiting him when he was sick, they tried to find out his inner work, asking him how his prayer was going, but he always avoided and did not let anyone into his heart, entrusting his treasure to no one, only on the eve of his death, sitting on his wretched bed, with a joyful and loving smile he told his life to a monk who was close to him in spirit, and how he had found unceasing prayer.

"I was in the world a man of the lord, and from my very youth I strove strongly for monasticism, and more than once I asked my masters to let me go to a monastery; but I was married against my will. However, I did not live long with my wife, who, by the way, was kind and faithful, and I begged her to let me go to the monastery. At that time the peasants had already been set free, the landlord could no longer restrain me, but the peasants held me back and did not let me go for a long time. I had to treat them, according to their wishes, with vodka, and only then did they dismiss me from society. And finally, having freed myself from all the worldly snares and fetters, I rushed to the monastery, with great joy. I had already heard about Valaam earlier, where I directed my steps and help God, on June 10, 1863, I entered the quiet holy Valaam Monastery.

Living in the monastery, I diligently underwent many obediences entrusted to me, cutting off my will in everything, trying to learn the monastic virtues, and especially the inner prayer of Jesus. By the conscience and blessing of my elder, I began to diligently engage in the Jesus Prayer. The Elder taught me to pray simply, without sticking to any artificial devices. keeping his attention in the chest stripe. After some time, various strong battles and temptations began to attack me. At first my mind was troubled by warfare through various thoughts: now malice, now hatred against my neighbors disturbed me, and like a dark cloud hung over me, so all kinds of thoughts attacked me. Then I told the elder about my difficult condition. He, having calmed me down, said: "This will pass, do not be dismayed and do the prayer of Jesus diligently, do not accept any thoughts and imaginations; drive them away, but pay attention to the words of prayer, and from your soul call out to the Lord with repentance and humble awareness of your insignificance and all sinfulness, remembering also His presence. This battle had not yet subsided, when a new misfortune came, and a fierce fever was revealed in me, most in my chest, and so strong that I did not know what to do. I applied both sleep and ice to my chest, but nothing helped, as if something was burning in me. Thanks to the elder! He supported me in this temptation and did not allow me to fall into despondency and hopelessness. As soon as this temptation began to disappear, a new one swooped in: some kind of subcutaneous blisters began to spread all over my body; The skin was strangely swollen and swollen, although I did not feel pain, but I was quite embarrassed by this new grief. After this, a worse temptation befell me. I lost sleep, and I suffered greatly from sleeplessness: days, weeks, months pass, and I have almost no sleep at all; No matter how hard I try, I can't fall asleep. To be honest, I was already seriously frightened, thinking that I would probably go mad from insomnia. But again the elder calmed me down and assured me that this temptation would soon pass. Thus I struggled, struggled with various temptations for four years; but at last the Lord had mercy on me, and these temptations were over for me, and I began to calm down. Now it became easier and easier for me to engage in mental prayer; attention was no longer so repulsive, and tears of tenderness and repentance began to come more and more often. During prayer, the Divine peace began to illuminate my sinful soul. I always asked the Lord that He would vouchsafe me to be prayerfully with Him, and that prayer would always be lifted up to Him from my heart. And behold, the All-Good Lord was pleased to comfort me, unworthy, and reward me, not according to my works, but according to His ineffable mercy. I remember that it was at the Holy Matins of Christ, when, according to the custom of the Church, they went in procession around the church and sang a solemn and joyful song: "Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Saviour, the angels sing in heaven, and vouchsafe us on earth to glorify Thee with a pure heart." Suddenly, in some incomprehensible way, a spiritual fire was kindled in my heart, and from that time on it began to incessantly spiritually warm and comfort me. The prayer went by itself, like a stream of flowing water, an inexpressible love for the Lord boiled in my heart; spiritual joy filled my soul, and tears, according to the words of the Psalmist, were for me to eat day and night. Only I asked the Lord not to weep at the table, and not to give myself away and not to disturb the brethren; this the Lord has given me. And now 37 years have passed, as this spiritual flame dwells in my heart. True, there were cases when for some careless word he left me for a short time; then I wept, repenting before the Lord: I asked His mercy, and the fire appeared again in my heart, and warmed me spiritually. He is so subtle and spiritual that not only is it impossible to do anything bad, but he does not tolerate even talking about anything vain or sinful. Now I cannot live without the Lord for a single minute, no matter what I do, but in my heart the fire of prayer burns unceasingly, and prayer, like a stream, always flows within me. Tomorrow, if the Lord blesses," the elder concluded, looking at his fellow priest with a cheerful smile, "our Skete Hieromonk Fr. Seraphim will commune me of the Divine Mysteries of Christ in the morning, and it is time, it is time for me to go home to my forefathers." "Well. You will still live, father," the monk objected, "you are not yet so weak that you will die so soon." "No," the elder replied in a confident and firm voice, "tomorrow I leave you and go home to my forefathers. The news there is incomparably better than here." "But I," says the monk, "did not believe this in my heart, seeing him so cheerful and kind sitting on his wretched bed, and speaking to me with a firm voice." This conversation took place late in the evening, and on the next day, August 17, after the early Liturgy, having communed of Christ's Holy Mysteries, some half an hour after communion, the elder quietly and peacefully gave up his spirit into the hands of his beloved Lord, Whom he had loved with all his heart from his youth, and Whom he had zealously served and pleased with all his soul. Over him was truly fulfilled the word of the Psalmist: "Blessed is Thou whom Thou hast chosen and received, He shall dwell in Thy courts" (Psalm 64:5).