Here, however, the question arises: how did the apostles walk through the Roman Empire without being accompanied by gendarmes? And today I can protect myself from heresies: in order to keep my mind within the framework of Orthodoxy, I do not need an Orthodox mayor. Or will the monarchy give me not a guardian soul, but bodykeepers who will protect my physical life from the attacks of sectarians? But isn't it strange to risk the lives of other people to save your own? However, the word "salvation" here is ambiguous: it is precisely in the event that the enemies of Orthodoxy kill the body of an Orthodox preacher, his soul will be saved. So what do bodyguards protect against? From the path to the Kingdom of God? Is it not better to rely on God's Providence? Moreover, a priest or missionary who walks with armed guards is unlikely to arouse sympathy for the faith that he preaches. It is still strange to see monasteries under the protection of dozens of Cossacks and policemen (guarding not icons in churches, but fraternal buildings), because monks are by definition! – the "living" dead. These monastic bodyguards especially multiplied after the murder in the Optina Hermitage. We had forgotten the axioms of church life to such an extent that letters and telegrams of condolences were sent to Optina from Orthodox congregations and pastors! But was such a thing conceivable in the ancient Church? Is it possible that in Carthage they learn that several priests have been executed in Rome, and send a messenger there to express sincere condolences? Is this not a feast for the Church – the appearance of new martyrs, new saints?

The Savior said: "I send you out as sheep among wolves..." (Matt. 10:16). Didn't the "sheep" then take too much from the "wolves"? Should sheep dream of a false wolf's jaw? As one philosopher put it, "The Church itself provoked its own crushing defeat in the battle for culture. Too often, instead of fulfilling the commandment of love, she insisted on tightening the law; instead of knocking softly on doors, she broke them down; Instead of just being here, open to those in need and willing to serve them, she loudly demanded to be served; instead of accepting insults in humiliation, she proudly rebuffed."865

They also say that the Orthodox monarchy is needed in order to attract people to the church. However, people come to those lectures that are really interesting without any urging from the state. And on the contrary, I often see that the church of an untalented preacher is empty. But, unable to honestly admit to himself his own lack of talent, this unfortunate preacher begins to look for reasons somewhere outside, and accordingly he sees purely external measures to improve the situation. He will come to school, and the children will not listen to him. And instead of thinking: "Maybe I am too poor and boring, it is my fault that the children do not listen to me," he begins to dream: "If only there were an Orthodox tsar, he would organize a school in which the children would be obliged to listen to me."

Or maybe you need to look in the other direction with hope? It is better to leave the plans for the restoration of the Orthodox monarchy to God (for it cannot be anything other than a miracle), and not to act in His place, and not to calculate the terms in His place. And we ourselves begin to do what really depends on us – for example, to force ourselves to receive a serious theological education. Today, even among priests, no more than one in ten has at least a seminary education. And let us recall the words of St. Philaret of Moscow: "In Christianity, no one is allowed to be completely unlearned and remain ignorant. Did not the Lord Himself call Himself His Teacher and His followers disciples? Are these idle names that mean nothing? And why did the Lord send the apostles into the world? First of all, teach all nations: "Go and teach all nations..." (cf. Matt. 28:19). If you do not want to teach and enlighten yourself in Christianity, then you are not a disciple and follower of Christ – the apostles were not sent for you – you are not what all Christians have been from the very beginning of Christianity; I don't know what you are and what will happen to you." 866

It seems to me that instead of looking for prophecies and signs of the coming drastic changes, you should move to the ethics of small deeds and just do what is your Christian duty. Let us remember the Gospel commandment: "Do not be anxious about tomorrow." We need to try to put things in order in our souls, and not reach for a vodka glass with another fortune-telling: "What will happen to the Motherland and to us?" … The best step towards the revival of Russia is simply a boycott of wine and vodka stores.

For Orthodox people, the first step towards the defense of Russia is not in a hasty rush to a "protest" rally. If you study Orthodox theology yourself, then you will not need not only an Orthodox policeman, you will not need Deacon Andrei Kuraev either. Then you yourself will be able to distinguish between Orthodoxy and a surrogate, and you will be able to adequately respond to sectarians and protect your loved ones from sects.

But such an episode is painfully characteristic of our current state of mind. It was in one of the northern Siberian cities. A woman who sells books in a local church complained about the sectarians: "Protestants often come to our church and, of course, they attack our icons. It happens that I am alone in church – so they pester me with their attacks. I defend our icons as best I can, but for some reason they do not believe me. And I tell them that we bow to icons because the Savior commanded us to do so. After all, Christ Himself created the first icon when He presented the cloth with His face to Tsar Augarus. And they tell me that there is nothing in the Bible about this. Are they right? Look: this is undoubtedly one of the most conscious and literate parishioners, since she is assigned to books. She hears these questions repeatedly. And she understands that the fate of many people depends on her answers. And the books she needed were at hand. But it did not occur to her to look for the right book herself, open it and learn from there a few truly biblical arguments in defense of the veneration of icons and Orthodoxy. Even for the sake of many people who turn to her, she did not deign to work.

This lazy mother of ours, who was born before us, is the one who will bury us in the end.

Interviewer: Do you think a new, Fourth, Rome is possible, if the fall of Moscow as the Third Rome is final?

А.К.: "Rome" in church language is a state that is not just headed by Orthodox rulers. "Rome" is where these rulers are aware of their most important duty to defend Orthodoxy throughout the world. If this people feels its universal calling, feels its responsibility for the fate of world Orthodoxy, well, Rome can be where such a people lives. If such a consciousness is born among the Georgians and their rulers, then Tbilisi will be the Fourth Rome. If it is formed in Ukraine, Kyiv will become the Fourth Rome. If the Serbs have Belgrade, if the Romanians have Bucharest. Theoretically, such a turn of events cannot be denied. But will it be accomplished? This is already the realm of prophecy, and you understand that here I prefer to be silent.

Interviewer: But the period of empires seems to be over. A nation-state cannot be a "Rome."

А.К.: That's right, only an empire can be Rome. But the time of empires has not yet passed. Before our eyes, America is becoming a world empire – although not quite in its classical form. However, in the Roman Empire, the appearance of independent governments and kingdoms was also preserved. But no matter how great Herod seemed to his Jerusalem flatterers, he was still only a vassal of Rome. So there are empires even now, but there is no Orthodox empire today... Perhaps the forces of the traditionally Orthodox peoples are broken. In this case, the word is up to the missionaries. Just as Cyril and Methodius once saved Orthodoxy by going from dying Byzantium to the barbarian Slavic tribes, so perhaps tomorrow it will be our turn to send our missions to other countries (although, in my opinion, our turn came "the day before yesterday", but we slept through it).

And perhaps the world American empire will one day become Orthodox. In any case, in the second century, the hope for the Christianization of the Roman Empire seemed no less insane. Or maybe the churches that we are now building in Siberia will contribute to the fact that over time the Chinese (to whom – almost without a doubt – the Siberian lands will go in the next century) will become Orthodox. Then the diligence and discipline of the Chinese will enrich the universal history of Orthodoxy with what we have not been able to enrich it. Remember the words of St. Nicholas of Japan, said about the Chinese a hundred years ago: "This is the people of the future, the greatest of all destinies that have befallen other peoples. A great people, even now capable of crushing the whole world – and how peaceful it is! He had nowhere to live, and had he thought of conquering Cochinchina, Siam, and Burma? What other people in the world would have survived? None of the European ones can even imagine this."867

I even ask sensible Orthodox young men to seriously think: is it worth going to the seminary right away? Maybe you should first get a university education in Oriental Studies? After all, in the next century we will no longer meet with the West, but with the East. There must be people in the Church who are prepared for this in advance. However, this is not only about China and the Chinese. Eastern religious ideas are already fermenting in the minds of many Russian philistines. And therefore, for missionary work in the Russian environment, it is already necessary to know the history and philosophy of Eastern religions.