Now let's move on to the most pleasant sight. Let us prepare, let us purify ourselves with tears of repentance, and, distracting our minds and hearts from all earthly cares, let us join the hosts of the Holy Angels, in order to devote ourselves together with them to the sacred contemplation of the incarnation of God the Word, so that together with them in sacred wonder and joy we may sing: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men [1534].

Memories

about St. Ignatius

From the manuscript

Mikhail Vasilyevich Chikhachev [1535]

At the same time as me, Dimitri Alexandrovich Brianchaninov decided to enter the Engineering School. In his parents' house he was taught by a seminary student, who thoroughly explained to him the Law of God and the Orthodox faith. So when his parents asked him where he wanted to enter the service, the young man answered: "Wherever you want, and I want to become a monk."

Upon entering the Engineering School, at the insistence of his parents, Dimitri was appointed a boarder of Her Majesty the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, then still the Grand Duchess, and besides, he enjoyed the special favor of Emperor Nicholas Pavlovich.

Every Saturday we confessed, and on Sunday we communed of the Holy Mysteries. After graduating from the course of science, Dimitri became an officer, and I still remained a cadet at the school.

The first time he appeared as an officer to the Grand Duke, he heard him reproach him: "You pray to God a lot, we will give you a task."

June 9, 1870

They met Fr. Seraphim and other monks of the Valaam metochion, which was in Kolomna, where they often went to services and for confession and communion; they talked about the benefit of the soul and listened to their instructions.

In the Nevsky Lavra, we met the disciples of Fr. Leonid, an experienced elder who received a monastic education from the disciples of Paisius of Moldavia himself. At that time there were three of them: Fathers Aaron, Ioannicius and Chariton.