"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

The Promise of the Comforter. — The breath of the storm and tongues of fire. — The glorification of the Triune Godhead. — Doxologies and prayers to the Holy Spirit.

We celebrate Pentecost, and the coming of the Spirit, and the offering of the promise (of Christ), and the hope of fulfillment, and the sacrament, as great and honorable (as the sacrament, as the sacrament is the great and honorable sacrament). We celebrate the feast day after the feast day, and the final feast we celebrate brightly, — this is Pentecost, the fulfillment of the promise (of Christ) and the offering: for on this day the fire of the Comforter descended upon the earth, as in the form of a tongue, and enlightened the disciples, and these untroubled ones showed (made them contemplators of the mysteries of heaven), the light of the Comforter came, and enlightened the world. Come, and let us stand on Mount Zion, in the city of the living God, a Spirit-bearing disciple (of Christ) now rejoicing. By the law and the prophets of old are fulfilled what was preached: for to all the faithful today grace has been poured out. The pure and honest lips (of the Lord) said: "There shall be no separation for you (from you), O friends: For I, on the Father's Throne on high, I will pour forth the Spirit (radiance, enlightenment) to those who desire the grace of envy" (inexhaustible). Thou didst say to Thy disciple, O Christ: "Sit ye in Jerusalem, until thou shalt be clothed from on high with power: but I, as Me, the Comforter of another, My Spirit and the Father, in Whom thou shalt be strengthened." "The most glorious day saw all the tongues (nations) in the city of David, when the Holy Spirit descended into the tongues of fire, as the God-speaking Luke narrates, saying: "The gathered disciples of Christ made a noise like a storm of breath, and filled the house where it sat down: and all began to speak strange (wonderful) words, strange teachings, strange commandments of the Holy Trinity. When Thou didst send Thy Spirit, O Lord, to the seated Apostle, then the Jewish children (the Jewish people) were terrified with terror: for I heard (them) speaking with other strange tongues, as the Spirit gave them; For thou art ignorant, having become wise, and having caught the tongues (peoples) in the faith, the Divine Vettius. O Lord, O Lord, the powers of the Most Holy Spirit upon Thy Apostles are incomprehensible, and the tongue (of speech) is changed. And we, having been strengthened by them (instructed by the word of the Apostles), unceasingly say: Take not away Thy Holy Spirit from us, pray, O Lover of mankind! The zealous of the Savior (the Apostles) were filled with joy and boldness, having formerly feared, that the Holy Spirit had descended from above on the house of disciples, and in another (and each in a different way) spoke to the people, for the tongues were scattered (above them) visible like fire; and these did not fall, but rather irrigation. Now the Apostles are clothed with the power of Christ from on high: for the Comforter renews them. Having been enlightened by these teachings, let us worship the Father with the Son and the Spirit, praying for the salvation of our souls. Spiritual spirits, disciples of the Saviour, who organized the Spirit by faith, scattered to the ends of the earth, sowing the honest preaching of Orthodoxy. Come, people, let us worship the Triune Divinity, the Son in the Father, with the Holy Spirit: for the Father childless (before all ages, without beginning) begat the Son, co-existent and co-throned, and the Holy Spirit is in the Father, with the Son we glorify: One Power, One Being, One Godhead. As we worship Him, we all say: Holy God (Father), Who hath done all things by the Son, by the co-operation of the Holy Spirit; The Holy Mighty (Son), Whom the Father and the Holy Spirit came into the world; Holy Immortal, Comforter of the Soul, proceed from the Father and rest in the Son: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee! We sing the Trinity of one essence — the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit: for this was preached by all the prophets, and the Apostles, with the martyrs. In Thy courts (temples), O Lord, bowing the knees of soul and body, we sing praises to Thee, the Father without beginning, and the Son without beginning, and the Eternal and Most Holy Spirit, Who enlightens and sanctifies our souls. From Thy Spirit upon all flesh, as Thou didst say, Thou didst pour out richly, and O Lord, Thou didst be filled with all Thy knowledge, for from the Father Thou wast incorruptibly born, and the Indivisible Spirit departed. Thou hast renewed Thy disciples with foreign tongues, O Christ, that by them they may preach Thee the immortal Word and God, Who bestows great mercy upon our souls. Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who are the wise fishers (Apostles), Who sent down the Holy Spirit to them, and by them Thou didst catch the world: O Lover of mankind, glory to Thee! Give Thy servant, O Jesus, a swift and well-known consolation, when our spirits are discouraged; do not be separated from our souls in sorrows; Do not depart from our thoughts in circumstances (calamities), but always anticipate us. Draw near to us, draw near, Thou Who art everywhere! As Thou art always with Thy Apostles, unite Thyself to those who desire Thee, O Bountiful One: that we may sing to Thee, and glorify Thy All-Holy Spirit. Possessing the Comforter (intercessor) to the Father, Christ God, the other Comforter, Who has come to us on earth today, the Holy Spirit, let us worship by faith. O Divine Holy Soul, Who dividest the gifts of all and does all things by will, breathe upon me Thy light-bearing gift, that I may glorify Thee, Who is copulated with the Father and the Son. Inexpressibly proceeding from the Father, and resting unfused in the Son, the honorable and all-powerful Spirit, we exalt Thee unto the ages. By Thy will distribute gifts to those whom Thou wilt, O Comforter, to Thee who know God, Give Thy grace by faith to those who cry out. With silent songs the grace of the Spirit, which in the stormy breath shone over the God-speaking Apostles, we praise in accord, with bodiless faces crying out: Holy art Thou, O Lord! In the prophets, the first to speak and preached by the law (of Moses) to the imperfect, God, the true Comforter, is known today as a servant and witness of the Word. The Holy Spirit bestows everything: He sharpens (exudes) prophecies, He fulfills priests, He teaches wisdom that is not learned (the Apostles), the fishermen Theologians show, the entire Council of the Church (the whole Church) gathers together. O Father and Son, Comforter, of one essence and co-throne, glory to Thee! The Light is the Father, the Light is the Word, the Light is the Holy Spirit, Who was sent into the tongues of fire by the Apostle, and by Him the whole world is enlightened to venerate the Holy Trinity. For the Holy Spirit is ever, and is, and will be, we begin lower, lower we cease, but ever to the Father and the Son He is numbered (united and copulated). The Life-Giving and Life-giving, the Giver of Light and Light, the Self-Benevolent and the Source of Goodness, in Whom the Father is known, and the Son is glorified, and from all is known one Power, one counting (union), one worship of the Holy Trinity — the Holy Spirit — Light and Life, and the living Intelligent (spiritual) Source, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of reason; good, right, smart; possess, cleanse sins; God and idols; Fire, proceed from Fire; speak, deed (acting), distributed gifts; By whom all the prophets and the divine Apostles were crowned with the martyrs. Strange (wondrous) hearing, strange vision: Fire divide into alms of gifts! O Soul of wisdom and fear of God, of truth, counsel and understanding, grant peace, dwell in us, as sanctified by Thy dwelling, from the morning night we glorify Thee, O Lover of mankind. O All-Holy Soul, proceed from the Father, and come by the Son to the unlettered disciples, save those who know God and have mercy on all! O Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere present and fulfills all things, the Treasure of good things and the Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all defilement, and save, O Blessed One, our souls. "Come to us, O Holy Soul, partakers of Thy holiness, and of the unfading light, and of the divine life, and of the most fragrant distribution, for Thou art the river of the Divinity, proceeding from the Father as the Son. O right soul, instruct Thee in theology on the right path. Now, as a sign of all things, tongues of fire have been. For the Jews, from whom Christ according to the flesh, having been sick through unbelief, fell away from the grace of God, and (we) who are from the tongues (pagans) have been vouchsafed the Divine light, having been confirmed by the words of the disciples, proclaiming the glory of the Benefactor of all, God, with whom our hearts and knees bowed, let us worship the Holy Spirit by faith, having been confirmed as the Savior of our souls.

484. The Sin of Blasphemy

What is blasphemy? Blasphemy is a joke, mockery or desecration of a sacred object. Notice, my friend, a joke on a sacred thing is the same as a mockery, an insult to a holy thing. This is a grave sin against the third commandment of God (see "Orthodox Christian Catechism"). Why does it mean to insult a sacred object? But because where there is holiness, there is the grace of God, there is the mysterious presence of the special power of God, sanctifying and saving man. Is it possible to joke, to laugh at the power of God? Does this not mean that we, insignificant creatures, laugh at our Creator and God Himself?... And to think, brethren, is frightening about such impudence!

In the time of King David, there was such a case. The priests of Israel transported the Ark of the Covenant of God in a chariot from one city to another. A certain Uzzah, fearing that the Ark of the Lord would fall from the chariot, decided to support it as an ordinary thing, but as soon as he touched it with his hand without reverence, he fell dead. Thus the Lord demands reverence for every holy thing! Reverent fear, a humble, prayerful disposition of the heart — this is what the soul should be occupied with when thinking about everything that is holy, that is close to God, that is sanctified by His grace. God's saints are close to God: how can one joke or laugh at them? Would this not be an insult to God Himself? Will you allow yourself to laugh at a person close to you – father, mother, your dear friend or benefactor? No; you, man, will not carry this joke, which is offensive to the honor of those close to you: is it possible to think that the Lord will not regard blasphemous words about His saints? Will you be offended if someone ridicules your portrait or your loved ones? How dare you joke or laugh at holy icons? Would you be offended if someone read your letter, distorting its meaning, turning your words into ridicule? How dare you turn into a joke the holy words of God, inscribed in the Holy Scriptures, to add them to a conversation where it is not proper, to provoke laughter with them, as if these were not the words of God, but the jokes and contortions of a farcical buffoon?.. Restrain thy tongue, brother, from the sinful word of blasphemy! Fear God: "God is not mocked" (Gal. 6:7), and He will not allow you to allow yourself to laugh with impunity for the sake of sinful amusement (not to mention outright blasphemy) at everything that requires reverent reverence and worship from us!

Of course, God is merciful and long-suffering; but He is also just; as our ancestors said: "God endures for a long time, but it hurts!" In 1886, the Russian steamship "Tsaritsa" sank on the Black Sea. Here is what an eyewitness of this crash tells in the magazine "Blagovest" (1887, No 9): "In the cabin of the first class there was an image of St. Nicholas, near which the officers were very carelessly smoking tobacco. I noticed that this was indecent, but in response I received ridicule and even greater mockery of the sacred; One of them deliberately took smoke into his mouth, and then let it into the very face of the saint... Indignant at this blasphemy, I said to the officer: "Look, St. Nicholas is as merciful as he is formidable; he will not tolerate it and will punish you." further details of the wreck of our steamer are known from the newspapers." The incident narrated is all the more instructive since St. Nicholas of Christ is revered in the Orthodox Church as the patron saint of those who sail in the sea.

And here is the story of a certain venerable elder, a simpleton, about himself, about how severely the Lord punished him for his blasphemous mockery of the holy Prophet of God Elijah. "On my sinful soul lies, like a heavy stone, a mortal sin. That's why I don't eat fish, I don't eat milk and meat, and I don't take anything quick in my mouth for six decades; Do not boast of this: I drink neither wine nor beer. From my youth, I had a satanic delusion, so terrible that it is scary to tell good people. Then I ate and drank, and sometimes I got drunk on wine, to the point of insensibility and ugliness. What should I, an old man, hide now? I will repent before the world to all who are baptized. You can hide it from people, but you can't hide it from God: He sees everything, our merciful Father, and for the time being tolerates us, accursed sinners," here the old man wiped away the tears that were rolling down his pale, exhausted face with the sleeve of his caftan, and continued. "There was no one to instruct me when I was young: I was six months old from my breadwinners, from my father and mother. They say that God took them in one day. Grant, O Lord, to their darlings the Kingdom of Heaven, the most radiant paradise; give them rest, O Lord, have mercy on them, O Heavenly Christ. After them, I was left alone, like a finger in the world, but it is not for nothing that the saying goes: "The world is not without good people." In our village there lived a man, a blacksmith, Uncle Maxim. He was a well-to-do man, but he had no living children: he had children, but they died soon. Uncle Maxim took me into his house, and brought me up, nurtured me instead of his own child. Uncle Maxim was a kind and intelligent man; He taught me everything: both the peasantry and the blacksmith's craft, but the only trouble was that he loved vodka very much, did not guard me either, pampered and indulged me. Forgive him, Lord! Perhaps because of him I am now punished by the Lord and have been sitting without legs for six decades. In our village, the village headman had a son, the same age as me, named Pavel. We all hung out with this Paul, and what did we not do with him! Sometimes, on the feast day or Sunday of Christ, we would not go to Mass, but instead of Mass our business was to go to the tavern, get drunk, dance, swear, quarrel, fight. For this the Lord God punished us! Our whole village celebrates the Prophet's Elijah every year in the summer; People from other villages gather in our village for the holiday. So it was this time. We started games, songs, dances, various round dances. It was such a bright and warm day for the feast of the saint of God. In the evening, the sun closed, and a dark, dark cloud found it, so that nothing could be seen in the village, but the lightning was still flashing, and the thunder was thundering. Everyone crossed themselves and said: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts.." From fear, everyone fled wherever they could: some to the hut, some to the courtyard, some under the shed. Only the two of us remained on the street: me and Pavlushka. He played the balalaika, and I sat down and said: "Elijah is a prophet... Elijah the Prophet...". And I said other words that should not be recounted. We dance, and the old people, standing in the yards, shout to us: "Miroshka, Pavlushka! What are you? Are you crazy? Fear the Lord God, are you not Christs, or what? Stop, calm down. The prophet Elijah will punish you!"