These self-willed people do not obey the hierarchs, the bishops of the Church and the presbyters ordained by them: doing all the blessings and commands of the hierarchs, they have no part with them in God. And therefore they have all kinds of evil instead of God's blessings: neither the Holy Mysteries, nor the sacred teaching, for without shepherds they feed like lost sheep. And therefore they will not be saved. Truly the word of Christ is attached to our spiritually poor, graceless schismatics: "The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you" (Matt. 21:43). "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38). In fact, they are a collection of only ordinary people, without a head, not controlled by anyone. "The Church of Christ cannot exist without bishops, and has never been anywhere," says the old handwritten "Polydonium" by Archimandrite Zachary Kopytensky of Kiev, respected by the schismatics, but directly accusing them of lawless apostasy from the Holy Church, although they all shout, not ashamed of anyone, not fearing God: "We are also a church.."

The "Great Catechism" teaches: "Where there are no priests, it is possible for Christianity to be inferior." Thus, all schismatics, remaining without bishops, without priests, remain without the Church, and consequently go to perdition. It is evident that none of them has the shadow of the Church! It remains for them to humbly listen to the truth, to submit to the Holy Church of Christ of Russia! If they do not believe again that it is true, then let them ask the four ecumenical patriarchs. They will say and assure those who separate themselves that the Russian Church is true of Christ, a part of the universal, completely of one mind with them in the holy faith. God is faithful and true and said: "I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." It means that there is His true Church somewhere. It is Greek-Russian, with full hierarchy and Sacraments.

(From the "Tambov Diocesan Gazette")

481. The Blessed Youth

In our time, it is not uncommon to encounter examples of fervent childish piety, prolonged fervent prayers with tears, love for the Divine services, and a zealous striving to imitate the feats of the Holy Fathers; this happens in those pious families in which children are brought up in the fear of God, on the reading of the lives of the saints, under the shadow of the temple of God. And this feeling, these pure, holy aspirations do not bring sorrow and darkness into the young soul, but a joyful silence, clarity and tranquility. The child draws spiritual strength and strength from them; in his soul there are formed bright images (ideals) of a holy life, a life according to the Gospel of Christ, images that become akin to his young heart and become for him for the rest of his life a cherished sacred object, to which a person then turns with warm feeling, even in extreme old age. And the stronger these holy aspirations are in childhood, the more they subsequently illuminate the darkness of life in this earthly vale—they reconcile the stranger of earth, weary of the adversity of life, with his joyless lot, and support, encourage, and console him in his arduous pilgrimage to the heavenly fatherland.

Such was St. Sergius in childhood. Early in his soul, nurtured by examples and lessons of piety, there was revealed a feeling of love for prayer and a readiness for ascetic deeds to please God. The simple, kind heart of a child is an open door to the grace of God, and that is why the Lord said of children: "For of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 19:14). Early the grace of God descended into the innocent heart of the lad Bartholomew (the secular name of St. Sergius) and reigned there. With all his soul, Bartholomew fell in love with church services and did not omit a single church service. At home he spent all his time reading spiritual books and, in part, in home studies at the direction of his parents. Drawing lessons of spiritual wisdom from books, he immediately tried to apply them to his life: "Not so," remarks St. Philaret, "like many long-time scholars, whose teaching blossoms in words, but does not ripen in deeds." He soon realized that even in adolescence the passions already begin to manifest their destructive power, which costs no small difficulty to restrain; and whoever succumbs to their attraction even once in his youth and allows himself to be bound by vicious inclinations, it is even more difficult for him to overcome them. And so the prudent lad takes all measures to cut off all the ways by which they have become accustomed to finding access to the heart of man. Thus, first of all, he completely avoids childish games, jokes, laughter and idle talk, remembering that with the "obstinate" one can easily "become depraved" (Psalm 17:27). Then, realizing that to abstain oneself in everything is the best means of restraining the passions, the holy lad imposes upon himself a strict fast: on Wednesdays and Fridays he does not allow himself to eat anything, and on other days he eats only bread and water. He did not allow himself to think about any other drinks, not to mention wine, all his life.

His caring mother tried to moderate the severity of his fasting: "Do not exhaust yourself with excessive abstinence, my son," she said, "so that you do not fall ill from exhaustion; then you will cause us no small sorrow. You are still a child, your body is still growing; other children will eat seven times a day, but you, my child, eat only once a day, or even every other day; Stop doing this, it is beyond your power: every good thing is good in moderation and in due time. Eat food, at least with us." But the prudent lad meekly answered these admonitions of his loving mother: "Do not hinder me in this, my dear, so that I do not have to act contrary to your will. Do not turn me away from abstinence, which is so sweet to my soul; Why do you advise your son that which is unprofitable? For you told me that I fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays when I was still in my cradle; how can I not compel myself to please God, that He may deliver me from my sins?" — "You are not yet twelve years old," his mother objected to him, "and you speak of your sins! You have chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from you — what are your sins?" — "Stop, mother," the son answered her with restrained grief, "what are you saying? listen to what the Holy Scriptures say: "No one... pure" before God, "if his life be one day on earth" (Job. 14; 5). The mother was amazed at her son's rational speeches and, not wishing to interfere with his good will about God, used to say to him: "If you reason like this, then do as you wish; The Lord is with you, I do not want to hinder you in good, my child." And the holy lad never allowed himself even to taste any sweet dishes or drinks, following the wise instruction of St. Basil the Great: "If thou wilt enter into paradise, restrain thy belly, flee from drunkenness." Thus, taming his young flesh by abstinence and labors for the preservation of purity of soul and body, he did not deviate from the will of his parents in any way; As a meek and obedient son, he was a true consolation to them.

"And there was seen in him before the monastic image a perfect monk," says Blessed Epiphanius; his step was full of modesty and chastity; no one saw him laughing, and if there was sometimes a gentle smile on his beautiful face, it was restrained; More often than not, his face was thoughtful and serious; tears were often noticeable in his eyes, witnesses of his heartfelt tenderness; his lips never forsook the inspired psalms of David. Always quiet and silent, meek and humble, he was affectionate and courteous to everyone, he was not irritated with anyone, he lovingly accepted occasional troubles from everyone. He walked in bad clothes, and if he met a poor man, he willingly gave him his clothes. The reverent disposition of Bartholomew's young soul naturally disposed him to seek solitude, where he could, alone with God, pour out in tearful prayer before Him all the holy feelings of an innocent heart. And so he did. He especially loved to pray at night, sometimes spending nights completely without sleep, and trying to carefully hide all this from his family. And what childlike credulity and ardent love for God, what wise simplicity, so to speak, breathed in his pure prayer! "Lord," he cried out in tenderness of heart, "grant me to love Thee with all my heart and with all my soul, and to serve Thee alone, for I have been attached to Thee since my mother's womb. My father and my mother — the time will come — will leave me, but Thou shalt receive me, make me Yours, count me among Thy chosen flock! Deliver me, O Lord, from all impurity, from all defilement of soul and body, vouchsafe me to create holiness in Thy fear, O Lord! To Thee alone let my heart aspire; let not all the sweets of this world delight me; let not all the beauties of life deceive me; to Thee alone let my soul cleave, and let Thy right hand receive me... Do not ever allow me to rejoice in the joy of this world, but fill me, O Lord, with spiritual joy and the ineffable sweetness of God; And involuntarily everyone who saw such a good disposition of Bartholomew admired it, involuntarily said to himself with surprise: "Will something come of this youth, whom God has vouchsafed such grace from early childhood?" And of its own accord the desire for monastic podvig arose in him, and every day this desire grew and matured more and more, until at last it turned into a fiery thirst of the soul, with which the crowned ascetic and prophet once languished and cried out: "My soul thirst for the strong, living God: when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" (Psalm 41:3).

482. The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord in Church Hymns

The Lord ascends to the Mount of Olives. — The sorrow of the apostles and the consolation of the impending separation. — The Mother of God on the Mount of Olives. — Glory of the Ascension of Christ. — "Take the gates!" — Angels. — Praises to the Ascended One.

"By the power of Thy Cross, O Christ, confirm my thought, in which I sing and glorify Thy salvific ascension."

"Magnify, O my soul, Christ the Giver of Life, Who ascended from earth to Heaven."

Come, let us conceive, O believers, to the high Mount of Olives, as the Apostles ascended, and having lifted up our hearts and minds on high, let us see the Lord now (as a cloud) carried away. Wherefore we, too, rejoicing gratefully, cry out: Glory to Thy Ascension, O Most Merciful! Come on high, let us lift up our eyes and thoughts, let us direct our sights together and our feelings, to the gates of heaven; For the Lord ascended to heaven and there were gracious gifts to His Apostle, comforting them as the Father, and having strengthened them as sons, and saying to them, "I am not separated from you: I am with you, and no one is against you!" Thou didst come with Thy disciples to the Mount of Olives, having Thou Who gave birth to Thee, the Creator and Creator of all: for in Thy Motherly passion, which was more painful than all others, it behooved Thy flesh to enjoy many joys... Saith Thou Who didst do all things to his disciples, ascending the Mount of Olives: "Draw near, O My friends, the time of ascent; Go ye therefore and teach the tongues (peoples) the word, which ye hear from my voice... — I will not forsake you who are orphans, sons and heirs of my kingdom; and having ascended, I will send the Comforter from on high, teaching you secretly. For I will not forsake the sheep that I have gathered, I will not forget, whom I have loved. I will never be separated from you, if I go to the Father who sent Me; Go, teach the whole world to know Me, the true God, Who hath made the most glorious, which ye have seen and heard." When Thou didst lift up Thy hands, O Christ, for the blessing of Thy Mother and Thy disciples, and Thou didst take a cloud of light from their eyes, then Thou didst ascend in glory. Thou hast ascended to Thy Parent, Whom Thou hast not parted, though Thou hast conversed with man. Being present as a divine disciple, O Most-Pure One, and beholding Him, Thou didst give birth to Him, lifted up from the earth, Thou didst cry out: Ascend to the Father, fulfill all things with Thy glory, O Lord, most glorified! The disciple's countenance, as I saw Thee, said: "O Lord, how have you now forsaken Your servants? And where do you go, Who by hand keep the ends (of the world)? And we, having forsaken everything, rejoicing in Thee God, have hope for ever to be with Thee. Do not leave us orphaned, as Thou hast promised, O our merciful Saviour... Do not separate from us, O Good Shepherd, but eat for us Thy Most Holy Spirit, instructing, and strengthening, and enlightening, and sanctifying our souls. O righteous Spirit, the Divine Spirit, the Spirit inseparable from Thee, as Thou hast promised, send unto us, bearing the Word of God upon the clouds of glory!" — "When Thou camest, O Christ, to the Mount of Olives, O Father, to perform good will, the Angels of Heaven were terrified, and the Angels of Heaven were terrified, and the disciples stood before them with joy of trembling... And the throne was being prepared against the waiting cloud; And the heaven opened its gates, Thou didst manifest Thy goodness (Thy beauty and glory)... For Thy feet are exalted like a hand; and the lips of the nobles blessed; the cloud lifted up, and the heavens within are pleasing to Thee. This work, O Lord, Thou hast done great and most glorious, for the salvation of our souls. "The Lord ascended into heaven, that He might send the Comforter to the world, that the heavens might prepare His Throne, and the clouds that might be His ascent (way); The angels marvel, seeing Man above themselves; The Father waiteth for Him in the bosom to be contiguous; And the Holy Spirit commandeth all His angels: Lift up your gates, O princes; Clap all your tongues with your hands, for Christ has ascended, Where He is first. They marvel at the bodiless ones, looking upon Thee, O Christ, bearing the earthly body, and ascending to the cloud, and ascending to the heavenly ones. The leaders of the angels were perplexed to one another: what is this vision? For man is visible as God ascends above the heavens with a gatotia. Thy deified flesh, O Christ, beholding the angels on high, said to one another: Verily, this is our God! "The cloud of Thy light has been received on high, and the Angels with fear and trembling serve Thy Divine ascension. The angelic powers cry out to the most lofty ones: Lift up the gates to Christ, our King, Whom we sing together with the Father and the Spirit. Lift up the gates, understand the most glorious one: O King of all, bearing the body of the earth, Thou hast come to us in Thy rest, having deified man for much mercy and immeasurable mercy. Seeing Thy garments blackened (bloody), O Christ the All-King, Thou didst be terrified at Thy ascent, and worshipped with fear and joy. "Why are Thy garments scarlet, O Lover of mankind?" — To the divine powers that inquire: "The winepress is now expelled" (that is, He shed His Blood for the salvation of the world), Christ, ascending, cried out. "The white-bearing angels of the Apostle appeared as an Apostle to the new vision (unprecedented spectacle) of Thy Ascension, the Word, the Father with the Beginning, saying: Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? Why do you grieve? why are you surprised?.. This Jesus, Whom you see ascended, will come in glory to many to judge the world, and to give worthy to all. Thou didst ascend upon the clouds of heaven, having left the world to those who are on earth, and hast ascended and sat down at the right hand of the Father, for Thou art of one essence with Him and with the Spirit; For though thou didst appear in the flesh, thou didst abide immutably... The Apostles rejoiced, beholding the Creator of the earth on high today, with hope (expectation) of the Spirit and fear (filled) with fear: Glory to Thy rising! Thy disciples descended with joy from the Mount of Olives, O Word, glorifying and singing Thy divine Ascension. Let us give majesty to God, let us cry out in praise, let us sing, let us rejoice, and let us clasp with our hands: Our God ascended into heaven from the earth, singing Him as an angel and archangel, as the Lord and Creator of all. Woe to the Father Christ ascends, and brings flesh, which He received from us: Him shall we sing in praise today, singing a song of victory. Strange (incomprehensible) is Thy Nativity, strange is Thy Resurrection, strange and terrible is Thy Life-Giver, O Giver of Life, when the divine Ascension is from the mountain, when Elijah depicts the four-crowned ascent, singing praises to Thee, the Lover of mankind. Thou hast come to the Mount of Olives, O Thou who hast had mercy on the human race, and a cloud shall lift Thee up from the eyes of Thy disciples, who tremble for the vision, and rejoice for the expectation of the Holy Spirit... Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, Thou didst make joy to the disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit, which had been communicated to them by the former blessing (when they were strengthened in faith by Thy blessing), for Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world. On the mountains of the saints, we behold Thy Ascension, O Christ, the radiance of the glory of the Father, we sing of Thy luminous face, we bow down to Thy Passion, we venerate the Resurrection, glorifying the glorious Ascension, — have mercy on us! Do not part from the bosom of the Fathers, O Sweetest Jesus, and having lived with the earthly as a man, today Thou hast ascended in glory from the Mount of Olives, and hast mercifully lifted up our fallen nature, Thou hast planted it with the Father; By the same heavenly order of the bodiless, marveling at miracles, terrified by terror, and trembling, Thy love for mankind is great. With them also we, the earthlings, who have Thy condescension upon us and the ascension of praise from us, pray, saying: O disciples and the Mother of God, Who gave birth to Thee, filled with innumerable joys in Thy Ascension, and vouchsafe us, the joys of Thy elect, through their prayers, great for the sake of Thy mercy. Wherefore, O Christ, Thou didst bestow peace upon Thy disciples, descending to the heavenly ancients, Thou didst also send down to us richly, sustaining all in love, as according to Thee, O Saviour, we magnify them. Having ascended into heaven, from whence Thou didst descend, forsake us not the orphans, O Lord; let Thy Spirit come, bringing peace to the world; show to the sons of men the works of Thy power, O Lord Lover of mankind! Having fulfilled Thy providence for us, and having united us on earth with the heavenly ones, Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our God, never departing, but remaining unceasing and crying out to those who love Thee: I am with you, and no one against you! "The earth celebrates and rejoices, and the heavenly (village) joys are fulfilled in the Ascension of Christ, the Creator of creation, who of old was united by grace."

483. The Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Church Hymns