On Easter night, three monks: Hieromonk Vasily, monks Trofim and Ferapont
On Tuesday of Easter Week 1993, three crosses stood up simultaneously at the new brotherly cemetery in Optina Pustyn. The blood of the monks buried under them spilled onto the graves of the great elders for Russia, for the whole world. The temporary belfry, on which two were slain - the creators of the Easter gospel - was hastily erected for Easter 1991 in the vacant lot of the old monastery cemetery. The killer, without hiding his intentions, engraved his nickname and number on the sword of his ritual murder: 666.
The event is blatant and symbolic: in the famous monastery, which under the elders was the spiritual pinnacle of universal Orthodoxy and thus the glory of Russia, an obvious worshiper of Satan kills three monks on Holy Easter. However, instead of immediate messages of condolence from the country’s leaders (such as, for example, there were during the attack on the synagogue in January 2006), all television channels on that day broadcast the usual entertainment programs and obvious indifference was demonstrated, even mocking articles appeared in Izvestia and Moskovsky Komsomolets (one name speaks for itself - “The Silence of the Lambs”!)...
Bright Resurrection of Christ. A day that reminds us of the common resurrection for all. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen; and if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is vain: you are still in your sins (1 Cor. 15:16-17).“Without the future blessed endless life, our earthly stay would be incomplete and incomprehensible,” wrote the Monk Ambrose of Optina.
Easter 1993 in Optina Pustyn began, as usual, with the Easter Midnight Office, followed by procession to the St. John the Baptist Skete - according to the established tradition of the reviving monastery. Then Easter Matins began, turning into the early Liturgy.
They say that future events cast shadows. Many people had a feeling of something heavy. Even the singers on the two choirs sometimes got confused. Some pilgrims said that they seemed to force themselves to rejoice. The service ended at six o'clock in the morning, and the brethren went to break their fast in the refectory. After the meal, the monks Trofim and Ferapont returned to the monastery belfry to proclaim to all people the joy of the Risen Christ.
Literally ten minutes later the Easter bell stopped. Alarmed pilgrims who ran to the monastery first-aid post and to the cell of the governor, who at that time was talking with the monastery brethren, reported that the bell ringers had either been beaten or killed. The inhabitants who ran out in the pre-dawn twilight saw two monks on the platform of the belfry. Both lay motionless. Understand how to nightmare, nothing was impossible: someone must have hit them so hard that they lost consciousness, or maybe they were seriously hurt when they fell. Some woman shouted: “There’s another third one,” and on the path leading to the monastery tower they saw another monk lying on the ground. Monk Trofimus began to be carried to the temple. His blue eyes were wide open, and it was unclear whether there was still life in him, or whether his soul had already been separated from his body. As soon as they entered the open doors of the Nikolsky chapel closest to the belfry, the brethren who were carrying Fr. Trofim, saw a trickle of blood on the white marble floor of the Vvedensky Cathedral. This means they hit him with a knife or something sharp... At the same time, the monastery doctor, novice Vladimir, tried to perform artificial respiration on Father Ferapont right in the belfry, but soon realized that it was already useless...
The third was Hieromonk Vasily, who was on his way to confess the pilgrims at the skete Liturgy, which began at six in the morning. Some of those who ran up to him could not even immediately recognize which of the Optina monks was lying in front of them, so the priest’s face was drained of blood. He did not utter a single groan, and only from his eyes one could guess the suffering that he was experiencing. Hegumen Melchizedek ran with a blanket to carry Fr. Vasily, but he was already carried in their arms to the Vvedensky Cathedral and laid in the St. Ambrose chapel opposite the shrine with the relics.
One of the women heard Fr. Trofim, who continued to strike the bell, said, losing consciousness: “Our God, have mercy on us...” One of the pilgrims saw a man in an overcoat running up to the bell ringers. Traces were found on the roof of the barn, located near the eastern wall of the monastery; an overcoat was lying next to the barn. When she was picked up, inside saw a small dagger. The blade was shiny. There was a feeling of some kind of unreality: the killer could not have had time to wipe it until it shined, and why would he need it? But then, under the wall of a wooden two-story outbuilding, between the barn and the monastery tower, they found a huge bloody sword. They did not touch it so as not to leave extra fingerprints. The picture of the murder began to somehow become clearer.
The overcoat was hung on the fence around the foundation former church Vladimir icon Mother of God. The fraternal confessor, schema-abbot Iliy, was already standing there, around whom the brethren and pilgrims had gathered. Father Eli immediately said about what happened: “There can be no question that this random murder is the work of the servants of the devil.”
All this happened when Fr. Vasily was transferred to the Vvedensky Cathedral. We were waiting for the ambulance and the police to arrive. Brother Vladimir began to bandage it - the wound was terrible, through and through. The women who spent the night in the temple were asked to leave the St. Ambrose chapel - no one should see the monk’s body.
“This is how the devil hates the ringing of bells,” said Hierodeacon Mitrofan, who entered the church. “We need to go to the monastery and tell them to remember,” I turned to him. “Yes, go and tell me.”
Hieromonk Mikhail, who served the Liturgy in the Church of St. John the Baptist, was already perplexed as to why such an obligatory Father did not always come. Vasily, when I entered the altar on the prokinna before the reading of the Apostle.
- Father, remember the newly deceased slain monks Trofim and Ferapont. -Which monastery? - Ours.
– This is how the Lord honored Optina... Now we have martyrs. For Easter!..
– Pray for the health of Fr. Vasily, he is seriously wounded. Immediately after the reading of the Gospel, a health litany was proclaimed, to which three petitions were added for the seriously ill hieromonk Vasily. Then - this was a special occasion - the funeral litany began with the prayer “God of spirits and all flesh.” From the liturgical health prosphora of Fr. Mikhail took out a piece about the health of Hieromonk Vasily, and from the funeral document about the repose of the monks Trofim and Ferapont. The servant, Hierodeacon Hilarion, had tears streaming down his cheeks.
And when the Liturgy ended, Hierodeacon Stefan came to the church and told the singing brethren that the hospital had reported the death of Fr. Vasily. The pilgrims heard this, and the temple was filled with sobs.
Two days later, the rector of the Moscow metochion of Optina Pustyn, Hieromonk Theophylact, who came to the funeral, said that, having learned about the death of Fr. Vasily, on Monday morning he, together with Hieromonk Hypatius and Monk Ambrose, went to his mother and said that Fr. Vasily, her only son, is already with Christ. Anna Mikhailovna immediately understood: “He’s dead?!” In the cell of Fr. Basil remained lying Apostle, opened on the fourth chapter of the Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: I fought the good fight, I died, I kept the faith. Otherwise, the crown of righteousness will be kept for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will reward me on the day; not only to me, but to all those who loved His appearance(2 Tim. 4, 7–8)...
Every Christian who is familiar with the teachings of the Church knows that people do not die so easily on Easter, that there are no accidents in our lives, and to go to the Lord on the day of Holy Easter is a special honor and mercy from the Lord. From this day, when these three brothers were killed, the bells of Optina Pustyn sound in a special way. And he announces not only the victory of Christ over the Antichrist, but also that now the land of the Optina Hermitage is abundantly watered not only by the sweat of ascetics and inhabitants, but also by the blood of the Optina brothers, and this blood is a special cover and testimony future history Optina Pustyn. Now we know that there are special intercessors for us before the Throne of God...
Monks cannot be praised during their lifetime. The Holy Fathers say that one cannot praise any person at all; one can only praise a person in a state of despondency. But now, when these three brothers appear before us here with their bodies, and their souls stand today, on the third day after their death, before the Throne of God, we can remember the good things that happened in their lives...
The first person we need to talk about is Hieromonk Vasily. He was already in the rank of priest, and it was difficult for him to hide those traits of piety and asceticism that he had internalized and internalized from the first days of his stay in Optina Pustyn. Everyone who knew him can say that he came to lead a monastic life unfeignedly and never sought to be tonsured or ordained as quickly as possible, but thought about how to acquire the Holy Spirit in his heart. Those who lived next door to him or in nearby cells can remember that at night through the plywood partition they could hear him reading the Psalter in a low voice, and although in order to bow, he put a padded jacket or a piece of felt on the floor , it was heard that he was saying the Jesus Prayer. He served in Optina Pustyn and in Moscow during the opening of the Compound at first, which was the most difficult, the most difficult. And although there was a lot there that bent and relaxed internally, he remained unshakable. According to the testimony of his relatives and friends, he was the same in the world. Everyone who knew Fr. Vasily, they somehow internally hoped that he would turn out to be a good priest, that he would turn out to be a real monk, whom they could turn to for advice, who would never leave. But, apparently, one court is human, and the other is God’s. And the Lord judged him to cross the path of this land in order to intercede for us there, in the unevening day of the Kingdom of God.
Monk Trofim worked in civilian life in agriculture, and here, in Optina Pustyn, great hopes were placed on him in setting up a subsidiary farm, and he justified these hopes. He was distinguished by simplicity, kindness, generosity and forgiveness. His kind blue eyes always shone with inner joy.
Monk Ferapont will remain in our memory as a modest, silent man, as a man who secretly performed the Pentecostal prayer every night with bows. While on general obedience, he worked where the monastery hierarchy assigned him...
We believe that these brethren have now piously inherited the lot of eternal blissful life, because even in relation to worldly persons, and even outside the Easter period, it is said that when killing a person, the killer takes all his sins onto his soul. Therefore, brothers and sisters, they went to the Lord, cleansing their human infirmities with innocently shed blood...
The killer of monks - Averin - served in Afghanistan in military service. After returning from Afghanistan, he became interested in amateur mysticism. He began to attend church, but imagined himself to be “enlightened from above” with some mystical help. Voices began to appear to him, dictating what to do. These voices, or rather the voice that gradually gained power over him, called themselves “god.”
These voices really helped Averin at times and saved him from troubles. And he rose more and more in his opinion of himself. His submission to the spirit of evil became the reason for the development of mental illness, and demons further developed mental disorder in order to subjugate the person to themselves. The demon did not let him rest, then he began to scold and humiliate him in every possible way, forcing him to do something. Day and night there was a voice in the man’s head that simply tormented him.
The spirit that tormented Averin aimed him at murder. Averin understood this, but could no longer free himself from him - he was so subordinate to him. He began to worship Satan as the enemy of God because the being who was tormenting him called himself “god.” He began to serve Satan and write blasphemous poems. And then the moment came when the spirit that possessed Averin demanded from him what happened. (From Father Tikhon Shevkunov’s description of his conversation with the killer.)
Materials from the Optina New Martyrs website were used:
http://optina1993.narod.ru/opt_golgof.htm
The further time moves us away from the tragic events of that Easter, the clearer the scale of what happened becomes. The murder of monks went far beyond the scope of banal criminality. The martyrdom of our contemporaries entailed a chain of various kinds of miracles and signs... Already on the 40th day from the moment of the murder of the monks at their graves, the first healing of a person recognized by medicine as terminally ill took place. And since then, many thousands of people have witnessed the miracles revealed to the world. Many carved about. Ferapont, the crosses began to stream myrrh over time. Exactly a year after the death of the monks, an abundant flow of myrrh was discovered from the crosses placed on their graves.
Even according to Orthodox religious tradition- very rich in examples of signs and wonders - this seems like an exceptional event. Numerous miracles associated with the personal belongings of dead monks have been recorded.
The miracles revealed over the past years are so numerous and so convincingly testify to Divine grace on everything connected with the Optina new martyrs, that perhaps the current generation (i.e., contemporaries of the murdered) will be able to see them canonized.
At one time, Saint John of Kronstadt prophesied that Russia would not perish as long as at least one person was alive, ready to die for the Lord God. In this aspect, the death of the monks, born in the era of total atheism, but who found the Faith and were ready to die for it without trepidation, seems optimistic in its own way. Not one person in Russia was ready to die for Christ that Easter morning, but three at once! And martyrdom was a worthy crown of life for each of them. This is exactly how believers explained the behavior of the dead to investigators.
During interrogations, Averin also emphasized the mystical nature of his deed. He directly stated that the murder of the monks was committed by him deliberately and was prepared in advance. As an incentive, he cited the commands of the inner Voice, which constantly sounded in his head for several years. This voice tormented Averin for a long time with all sorts of roars and hums, which caused terrible headaches. There was no way to fight him, and over time the Voice achieved Averin’s complete subjugation. On the orders of the Voice, the criminal committed the most unimaginable acts: ate used toilet paper, chopped up the Bible with an ax, attacked women, swore uncontrollably in public, etc. The Voice hated Orthodoxy and everything connected with Christianity, and therefore Averin himself became imbued with hatred of religion . The criminal agreed that this inner voice belongs to Satan, and that he himself - Nikolai Averin - is a conscious assistant to evil spirits.
These statements by the accused allow us to classify the crime he committed as ritual, that is, committed out of motives of religious fanaticism. IN in this case, the killer's religion was Satanism. It is noteworthy that modern domestic law in every possible way moves away from the concept of “ritual crime”, replacing religious motivation with political or economic one. Meanwhile, the pre-revolutionary law of Russia (i.e., before 1917) was much wiser in this regard. It is obvious that legal systems that refuse to consider religious fanaticism as a motivation for crime demonstrate a significant one-sidedness...
Despite the fact that the criminal was captured and exposed, a number of very significant points were never clarified during the investigation. The fact that Nikolai Averin had a significant amount of money about three months before the crime was committed remained unexplained. Meanwhile, many who previously knew him as a person constantly in need of money noted with surprise that he suddenly began to easily lend money and give drink to drunkards. Averin himself did not drink, but after the New Year (in 1993) he suddenly began easily giving money for drinks to people from whom he could not expect repayment of the debt... The investigation never established from what sources and for what merits Averin received money in the first months of 1993, although the very fact of his unexpected enrichment involuntarily suggests the existence of unidentified friends (and, possibly, like-minded people) of the Satanist killer.
The investigation did not want to consider the substance of the numerous evidence that pointed (albeit indirectly!) to the possibility of the existence of an organized group of Satanists, which set itself the goal of intimidating the monks of Optina Hermitage and parishioners with the threat of terror...
The investigation actually ignored the indication that Averin’s accomplices were in the monastery at the time of the murder. Two female pilgrims who witnessed the killer’s attack on the bell-ringers reported that when they screamed in horror at what they saw, two unfamiliar men standing nearby shouted at them: “Well, shut up, otherwise the same thing will happen to you!” It is noteworthy that these men were not on the list of witnesses to the crime compiled by the investigative team. In other words, these people hastened to leave the monastery, taking advantage of the turmoil that arose. This behavior is all the more strange because all the people who were in the monastery hurried to the belfry, puzzled by the unexpected break in the festive ringing.
The murders of pilgrims in the Optina Hermitage occurred annually throughout the 90s of the last century. Often these crimes were timed to coincide with the feast of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. They took place, however, not in the monastery itself, but in the surrounding forests, which allowed local law enforcement agencies not to consider them in any way connected with pilgrimage missions and not to consider the investigation materials in their entirety.
The specific nature of some of these murders serves as an indirect indication of the existence of a certain satanic organization that does not advertise the fact of its existence (one can assume that this completely coincides with the intentions and sentiments of local authorities). Most likely, this organization is based in Moscow and its adherents appear intermittently in the vicinity of Optina Hermitage...
Most likely, no one will ever be able to reliably establish whether Averin was a member of such an organization. And therefore, can vice really be considered punished and truth triumphed?
a murderer who obeys a demon, he cannot go to the temple, he hurt people close to him, the parents of these monks, it was correctly written on the sword three 666 Satan, he is a Satanist, why should he burn in hell, a snake under the well.
We all forget about God's providence. And it is good that the crown of martyrdom in the Orthodox Church has not become obsolete. Remember the first martyr Stephen. Now we have prayer books before the Lord who lived next to us in our time.
A year after the death of the monks...
Oh people, lift your eyes to Heaven,
Let FAITH flare up in your hearts with renewed vigor.
Just a year has passed, and the myrrh is flowing
The crosses of the deceased were placed on the graves.
New saints have appeared to the world -
Make the road to salvation easier for people.
And often there are seriously ill people here
Suddenly they find a miracle of healing.
And I believe with all my heart and soul, -
The darkness of unbelief will not engulf the Fatherland,
As long as there are at least three saints in it,
Ready to give their lives in the name of LIFE!!!
Dmitry Batrakov
2011.
On the one hand there are tears and grief; on the other, the crown of martyrdom is Glory from the Lord!
The influence of psychotronic weapons with the aim of raising an unquestioning killer and this was successful in Afghanistan, he obviously killed!
Averin is a victim of psychotronic weapons!
so who actually killed the monks? blamed on the innocent? Look for traces in the monastery itself! The information changes all the time! intimidate
who killed them and why we don’t need this, because time cannot be turned back and returned and we cannot return to life. We can only descend from some kind of sin from condemnation to evil desires! We can usefully spend our energy over time to the CREATOR with a prayer for forgiveness and remission of sins to the servants of the LORD, who accepted death in torment on the bright day when the LORD conquered death! May these martyred people come with CHRIST GOD in HIS kingdom! wonderful is the LORD in his saints!
In our family, we really love the Optina martyrs Vasily, Trofim and Ferapont; We pray to them and have received help through prayers to them several times. Maybe someone has reliable information about the fate of Nikolai Averin? About 7 years ago I saw a mention on the Internet that in the psychiatric hospital where Nikolai was serving his sentence, he prayed and bowed before the icon; says that the murdered monks have forgiven him and are helping him return to God. It is unknown whether this is true or a “pious” fiction. Sincerely, Ludmila
The murder of the three Brothers is GOD’s sign that monasticism will be “killed” - slaughtered (destroyed) by assigning to all inhabitants of the monasteries the “number of the name of the beast-666”, which is present in electronic identifiers of a person’s identity and in electronic media.
Read about these monks, "Red Easter" I read and cried. Lord have mercy on us sinners.
Note: Let's let God deal with nnn, 6666 and the murderers too.
, Kaluga region
Murder of monks in Optina Hermitage on April 18, 1993- the murder of three monks of the Russian Orthodox Church - Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov) and monks Ferapont (Pushkarev) and Trofim (Tatarnikov), committed in the Optina Monastery on Easter night of April 18, 1993 by the mentally ill Nikolai Averin.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Averin was born on June 13, 1961 in the Kaluga region. In 1990, he first came to the attention of law enforcement agencies for committing rape, but the victim withdrew the statement. A year later, in April 1991, Averin again committed rape, involving the infliction of grievous bodily harm on his victim. However, on August 8, 1991, he was sent to a psychiatric clinic, declared insane.
In February 1992, Averin was discharged from the hospital. He was given the third disability group. Averin returned to his native village of Volkonskoye in the Kaluga region, located not far from Optina Pustyn.
After the murder, Averin threw the knife and disappeared into the forest.
The monks' bodies were discovered an hour later. All local police units were alerted.
Interviewing witnesses<…>brought an amazing result: the pilgrims clearly distinguished the bell ringers in the morning twilight..., they saw how the monks fell one after another, but no one saw the attacker. So, three pilgrims saw that someone dressed in a black naval overcoat jumped over the fence of the belfry and ran away; all three women, independently of each other, decided that the bell ringers felt ill and the man who ran would now bring the doctor. These women approached the belfry and for some time did not dare to approach the monks, deciding that their illness was caused by the severity of the Easter fast. Only when the blood flowing from the monks’ wounds became visible on the boards of the platform did the pilgrims realize that they had witnessed a crime. The other two women observed the moment of the attack, but were also unable to give any satisfactory description of the perpetrator; According to them, what happened looked as if the monks silently fell on their own and the attacker was not visible until he ran from the belfry towards the Skete Gate. Of course, the investigation encountered some curious phenomenon subjective perception, but it should be recognized that in everything connected with the fate of the dead monks, there is a lot of mystical, rationally inexplicable.
The knife found at the crime scene was sent for examination, which established that the fingerprints on the handle belonged to a resident of the neighboring village, Averin. Meanwhile, the killer went through the forests to the Tula region, where he committed a theft in one of the cooperatives, then decided to return home, where he was detained.
Averin spoke in detail about all the murders. A forensic psychiatric examination found him insane, diagnosing him with schizophrenia. After this, Averin was sent to a special hospital closed type. His further fate is unknown; perhaps he is still in a psychiatric hospital.
On April 18, 1993, a monstrous crime was committed in Optina Hermitage on Easter night - Hieromonk Vasily and monks Trofim and Ferapont were killed. Not everyone knows that Father Vasily, already as a monk, prepared for publication of the works of the holy fathers and Russian philosophers in the “Psychological Journal” of the Academy of Sciences. In the early 1990s, any publication of this kind was perceived as a revelation, like a sip fresh air. Just as in the 19th century, books on mental prayer that were published in Optina were a revelation for Russian educated society. Natalia SHALASHNIKOVA, at that time the executive secretary of the Psychological Journal, recalls what Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov) was like, what it was like to work with him, and what the atmosphere was like in Pustyn in the early 1990s.
O. Vasily at the graves of the EldersApril 18 is a sadly memorable date for Optina Pustyn. In 1993, on Easter night, Hieromonk Vasily and monks Trofim and Ferapont were killed in the monastery.
Many articles have been written about this tragic event in newspapers and magazines, the sincere and touching book “Red Easter” by N.A. Pavlova and others. All of them contain biographies of the murdered Optina martyrs, as well as stories from relatives and friends, friends and acquaintances about meetings, common affairs and joint work.
It is precisely this kind of work with Hieromonk Vasily that I want to talk about. I didn’t talk about this before, because... I didn’t consider Father Vasily’s participation in our common cause to be anything special. But time passes, and, as often happens, a “reassessment of values” occurs. My memory comes to life, and, gradually, my opinion changes. Now we need to return to the distant 1990, and much will become clear. Now that time is called the “dashing 90s”. But then, what was happening, what we felt, was called the “spirit of revival,” “a breath of freedom,” a free wind.”
Yes, we can say that society has freed itself from the stereotypes in consciousness imposed by orthodox materialism, the question of the spiritual principle in man acquired its meaning and relevance.
At that time, I worked as the executive secretary of the editorial board of the “Psychological Journal” of the Academy of Sciences. At the meetings of the editorial board, issues of “filling the spiritual vacuum” were discussed and my proposal was accepted to introduce a new section for the publication of fragments from the unpublished works of Orthodox philosophers and scientists in our country, as well as from the handwritten heritage of the Optina elders. So the need arose to visit Optina Pustyn.
The editor-in-chief of the magazine, a prominent domestic psychologist, Andrei Vladimirovich Brushlinsky clearly understood how valuable he could become for spiritual development people's story of Christian perfection. He supported my idea - to invite Optina monks to work in this column.
We have prepared a letter to the rector of the monastery of the Holy Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage, Archimandrite Evlogy (Smirnov). The letter contained a request for help to our magazine in publishing materials available in the monastery library, contributing to the revival of spirituality in society, as well as education in the field of history and philosophy of the Russian Orthodox Church. I came to the monastery with this letter.
So, 1990, the beginning of autumn. The weather is fine; road, nature, pine trees to the sky. But the most important thing is people! A lot of people, mostly young, busy with a wide variety of work, and having one goal: to revive, restore Optina, support and strengthen the belief that our lives will change for the better. The atmosphere of general uplift, manifestation of attention, mutual assistance, trust and joy from communication and awareness of the benefits of one’s business - all this created a feeling of true freedom, and the “wind of change” was spinning! And things got better!
Now, walking along the monastery paths, seeing the slender temple buildings, golden domes with shining crosses, it is difficult to imagine what was here 20 years ago. The temple in which the services were held is Vvedensky. Kazansky and Mary of Egypt are half-destroyed. The work ahead was enormous! After all, until recently there was an “Agricultural Technical School” on the territory of the monastery. And I remember what Optina was like, because... in 1973 she showed us everything bus tour with an enticing title: “Tsiolkovsky’s Kaluga, Dostoevsky’s Optina Pustyn.” Yes... There was a literary museum in the monastery, and in the Vvedensky Cathedral the guys worked on turning, milling and some other machines; in Kazansky, a tractor drove right through the opening of the altar. Well, in the Refectory there was a club with cinema and dancing. That's how it was...
And now. 1990 and everything around has changed. This is the result of the active, selfless work of many people who came to Optina at the call of their hearts.
I really wanted to work together with everyone, but I understood that my contribution was the publication in the Psychological Journal of materials that would contribute to the revival of spirituality in society. In order for Optina monks to participate in the preparation of such materials, it was necessary to obtain permission from Archimandrite Eulogius.
Holy Gates, photo from the early 1990s.I was very worried because I saw how busy the Optina inhabitants were.
I thought that Father Evlogy would not be able to help me: he simply had many more important things to do.
I confessed, took communion, prayed to St. Ambrose of Optina and went to Archimandrite Eulogius. And I still remember everything that happened next as a miracle!
Father Evlogii received me very cordially and was not at all surprised by the request for help in working for the magazine, but, on the contrary, said that he understood how important and timely such publications would be. He invited me to come tomorrow and promised to find me assistants.
The next day, Father Evlogii introduced me to his assistants - Hieromonk Ipatiy (Khvostenko), Hierodeacon Vasily (Roslyakov) and novice Evgeniy Lukyanov - and explained why he chose them for this work. He noted their knowledge of the basics of patristic teachings and their ability to clearly present Orthodox dogmas. Special words were said about Father Vasily: a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University, even before the opening of Optina Pustyn he had a desire to work in an Orthodox magazine.
Father Vasily himself said that he gladly accepted the offer to collaborate in the new section of the “Psychological Journal” and is ready to give his knowledge to the benefit of such a good undertaking: bringing to the scientific audience a thoroughly forgotten patristic tradition. And I realized that we would succeed in our plan.
Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov). Conversations with pilgrims.Archimandrite Eulogius noted how important and timely such educational work in an academic journal was, and proposed as the first publication to discuss some of the issues raised in the work of Archbishop Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky, not yet glorified at that time) “Spirit, Soul, Body.” Next, the father governor advised us to go to the library, allowed me to use books and blessed us all for our work, saying that he would expect us in two days with a report. We went to the library, discussing the name of the new section along the way. Father Hypatius suggested: “Christian anthropology.” Father Vasily did not agree: “Too scientific.” Evgeniy and I asked to take into account “spiritual experience.” So far nothing has worked.
When we entered the library and saw empty shelves and piles of books on the floor, Father Vasily said: “Well, now we will look for “treasures of spiritual experience” - which became the name of the section.
Now we had to find Archbishop Luke’s book “Spirit, Soul, Body.” But, alas, what we found could not be called a book: in a paper folder there was a stack of thin sheets of typewritten text with omissions and errors, in some places even without page numbering.
To be honest, I thought I should switch to something else. But Father Vasily decided that it was too early to cry. “We need to pull ourselves together, tremble and concentrate!” - these are his words. We did just that and made a plan for working with this “book”, highlighting the chapter: “Brain and Spirit. Spirit in nature." Father Vasily suggested starting with a short biographical sketch of the scholar-theologian Archbishop Luke and promised to quickly prepare it. We perked up again, but not for long—it was impossible to collect the text of the book. Father Vasily suggested looking among the books scattered on the floor for something in return, and going to the father-vicar with a new option. He believed that much useful could be gleaned from little-known instructions and teachings from the handwritten heritage of the Optina elders and ascetics of piety.
Father Vasily summed up the results of our search, and we decided that we were ready to go to the father governor with a report.
The next day we gathered again in the library. Both Father Vasily and novice Evgeniy (also a graduate of Moscow State University, a physicist) suggested considering as an option Gogol’s text “On those mental dispositions and shortcomings of ours that create confusion in us and prevent us from being in a calm state,” previously completely unpublished.
Archimandrite Evlogii listened to us carefully, looked with regret at the folder with the text “Spirit, Soul, Body” and agreed with the opinion expressed by Father Vasily regarding the preparation for publication of Gogol’s text.
Thus, the issue of the first publication in the Psychological Journal was resolved. Here's what happened: title of the section: “Treasures of spiritual experience”; an introduction with justification for the publications that we wrote with Father Vasily; text by N.V. Gogol, published in full for the first time; comments by philologist V.A. Voropaev, psychologist V.A. Eliseeva; and, most importantly, the participation of the Optina heritage - the opinion of Father Ipaty and novice Eugene. (PZh, vol. 12, no. 3 1991).
So, with the help of the monks of the Optina Monastery and with the blessing of the father-vicar, we worked together for almost 3 years. 7 materials were published.
In 1990, together with Father Vasily, Father Ipatiy and novice Evgeniy, he compiled long-term plan future publications. The goal of our efforts is to provide an opportunity to learn Christian anthropology more fully and deeply. Therefore, the plan included fragments from the unpublished work of Archbishop Luke “Spirit, Soul, Body”, from the work of St. Theophan the Recluse “The Path to Salvation”, which had not been republished since 1908, from the works of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov “Ascetic Experiences”, the patristic heritage of Isaac the Syrian, Gregory of Sinaite, Nile of Sora, as well as little-known instructions and teachings from the handwritten heritage of the Optina elders.
Started in Moscow active work. Together with Evgeny Lukyanov, we tried to follow the plan.
When Father Evlogii was ordained Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, we, on the advice of Father Vasily, went to him in Vladimir to show the first results of the work begun with his help. Blah this is in 1991. The Bishop received us smiling, approving general idea the first publication “The Key to the Human Soul” based on Gogol’s text and gave good parting words for further work.
And Father Vasily and I continued to cooperate. In PJ No. 6, volume 12, 1991, the material “Three sides of spiritual life” was published according to the teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse. When we were preparing comments on the text, Father Vasily emphasized how important for publication in the “Psychological Journal” the revelations of St. Theophan about the desire to create a section - religious psychology, because the program of this psychology was supposed to reflect the composition of human nature.
In 1992, we were again in Optina Pustyn, attending a water prayer service in the monastery. Then, together with Father Vasily and novice Evgeniy, we discuss possible options for "Treasures of Spiritual Experience". Then Father Vasily suggested turning to the works of famous Orthodox philosophers N.A. Berdyaev, I.A. Ilyina, I.M. Andreeva. As before, his advice was very reasonable, and the work turned out to be interesting.
The water-blessing prayer service in the Skete is performed by Abbot Ilian (Nozdrin, now Schema-Archimandrite Iliy). On the right is Hierodeacon Vasily (Roslyakov)We walked for a long time around the monastery garden, admiring the phlox and chrysanthemum flowers. Father Vasily, usually reserved and taciturn, smiled and said that surrounded by such beauty, peace and kindness, he felt able to be useful and was glad that novice Evgeniy and I shared his views. We thanked him for his participation in the work for the magazine and told us that, on his advice, we were preparing for publication an essay “On the psychological nature of moral feeling” (based on the works of Professor N.M. Andreev). Father Vasily said that he is always happy to help us in word and deed; but asked, as before, not to include him among the authors. We walked for a long time along the paths of the garden, sat on a bench near the belfry. Father Vasily suggested returning to the work of Archbishop Luke “Spirit, Soul, Body”, because The complete book has finally come out of print, and we will be able to fulfill what we promised to Vladyka Eulogius at the very beginning of our work in the section “Treasures of Spiritual Experience.”
But who could have known that this was our last conversation!
Procession on Easter 1993. The last hours of Fr. Vasily.In the “Psychological Journal” No. 4 for 1993, material prepared together with Father Vasily was published on the works of N.M. Andreeva. The publication was completed by the words of Bishop Evlogii, dedicated to the memory of Hieromonk Vasily: “A monstrous crime on Easter night 1993 cut short the life of one of the best confessors and preachers of Optina Pustyn. The consolation for our grief can be the hope that the light of his life will shine forever, warming our souls with kindness, faith and love.
Funeral service for the murdered Optina brethren. 1993 Vvedensky Cathedral of Optina Pustyn.
Chapel at the burial site of the murdered Optina brethren
Interior view of the chapelPhoto from site optina.ru
Natalia SHALASHNIKOVA, Neskuchny Sad magazine
Film from the series "SAINTS". "Monks Condemned to Death" (2010)
Movie information
Name: THE SAINTS
original name: Monks sentenced to death
Released: 2010
Genre: Documentary series
Director: Denis Krasilnikov
Leading: Ilya Mikhailov-Sobolevsky
Expert: Arkady Tarasov
About the film: The investigative documentary series “Saints” will tell about the amazing destinies of people whose lives are still shrouded in an aura of mystery. The hosts of the program are Candidate of Historical Sciences Arkady Tarasov and journalist Ilya Mikhailov-Sobolevsky find amazing facts biographies of Russian saints, communicate with relatives and eyewitnesses of the miracles they performed and visit holy places. On Easter 1993, a triple murder was committed on the territory of Optina Pustyn. At the crime scene, investigators found weapons - a homemade sword and a dagger with the numbers 666. Despite the passing of years, many questions remain in this case. The host of the program, Ilya Mikhailov-Sobolevsky, conducts his own investigation into this mysterious crime. He is trying to find out who needed to kill the bell ringer and two monks? And why are the people who died glorified as saints?
WHO DIED FOR THE FAITH
Movie information
Name: WHO DIED FOR THE FAITH
Original name: Those who died for their faith. Optina New Martyrs
Released: 2010
Genre: Documentary
A country: Russia
Director: Dmitry Martynov
Production: TV channel "NTV"
About the film:
The film tells about the clergy killed in Russia. Over the past 20 years, 26 priests and two monks have been killed. There are no such statistics anywhere in the world. The murder of clergy is not only a crime against the law, but to a greater extent it is a crime against God. And when the Church canonizes the martyrs, simple people they are losing the brightest and purest people.
The first high-profile crime against clergy in new Russia happened on September 9, 1990, when Archpriest Alexander Men was killed on the path to the Semkhoz railway station. April 18, 1993 in Optina Pustyn immediately after Easter service a resident of a neighboring village, disguised as a pilgrim, entered the monastery and fatally stabbed three monks: monks Ferapont and Trofim and hieromonk Vasily. And on November 19, 2009, in the Moscow Church of the Apostle Thomas on Kantemirovskaya Street, an unknown person in a mask shot the rector Daniil Sysoev. In the late 80s, Daniel was one of the first clergy to come to Optina Pustyn. Together with Father Vasily, they began to raise the monastery and together received the crown of martyrdom - with a difference of sixteen years...
Easter 1993 in Optina Pustyn began, as usual, with the Easter Midnight Office, followed by a religious procession to St. John the Baptist Skete. The service ended at six o'clock in the morning, and the brethren went to break their fast in the refectory. After the meal, the monks Trofim and Ferapont returned to the monastery belfry to proclaim to all people the joy of the Risen Christ. Literally ten minutes later the Easter bell stopped. The inhabitants who ran out in the pre-dawn twilight saw two monks on the platform of the belfry. Both lay motionless. The third was Hieromonk Vasily, who was on his way to confess the pilgrims at the skete Liturgy, which began at six in the morning... One of the pilgrims saw a man in an overcoat running up to the bell ringers. Traces were found on the roof of the barn, located near the eastern wall of the monastery; an overcoat was lying next to the barn. When they lifted it, they saw a small dagger on the inside. The blade was shiny. There was a feeling of some kind of unreality: the killer could not have had time to wipe it until it shined, and why would he need it? But then, under the wall of a wooden two-story outbuilding, between the barn and the monastery tower, they found a huge bloody sword...
Viewed (6423) times
Buildings of the Holy Vvedensky Stauropegial monastery, better known as Optina Pustyn, were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church in November 1987. Soon, pilgrims from all over Russia flocked to the monastery returned to the church in the Kaluga region: the church-going Orthodox were attracted by the glory of the Optina elder Ambrose Optinsky (1812-1891), canonized the following year, the intelligentsia - the name of Dostoevsky, who sought consolation here after the death of his three-year-old son Alyosha and brought the venerable Ambrose in “The Brothers Karamazov” under the name of Zosima, informal youth were captivated by Optina’s casual mention in one of the first big interviews of the then iconic Boris Grebenshchikov.
In July 1988, when the brethren of the monastery, in addition to the abbot, numbered only two hieromonks, two hierodeacons and four novices, the first liturgy was served here, which was remembered by eyewitnesses as “such a wave of grace that strangers, like family, they rushed to hug each other.” In a place that has not yet been rebuilt after decades of neglect (with Soviet power here was a vocational school where machine operators were trained) the monastery in those years had an atmosphere of exaltation: pilgrims call it “a land of wonders,” and, returning home, they willingly share stories about the special grace of this place and the wonders and signs surrounding it.
It is becoming fashionable to go here - despite the Spartan conditions in the monastery building reserved for guests, the almost army discipline and the frightening severity of the Optina confessors. Under the guidance of monks, pilgrims perform “obediences”: they work to restore the monastery walls, make furniture, carry water, prepare firewood, and work in the kitchen. “At that time, there were teenagers living at the monastery - one of those who in our time are called “hippies”, but in the old days they were called “tramps.” Orphans, half-orphans, from the age of 8-12 they wandered from den to den, where the child was given drugs and a syringe instead of milk. And they clung to the monastery not yet out of an excess of faith, but rather out of that instinct by which freezing sparrows huddle in the cold to warm housing. In Optina they were called that - our “sparrows”,” the writer Nina Pavlova described the community of young volunteer “workers” that had formed around the monastery.
Residents of the surrounding villages, however, treated the clergy who returned to these places differently. One day in the early 1990s, a noticeable black inscription “MONKS ARE DOGS ****** [harloty]” appeared on the wall of the monastery from afar, but it is unknown who exactly left it.
The idyll in Optina was unexpectedly interrupted in April 1993, on Easter, when a triple murder was committed in the monastery.
A graduate of the journalism department of Moscow State University, Muscovite Igor Roslyakov came to Optina Pustyn in the year when the restoration of the monastery was just beginning. The clergy noted that the young novice was a diligent, silent and modest person: he performed any work flawlessly.
At the university, Roslyakov studied diligently. Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism Tamara Chermenskaya spoke of him as a very talented young man. “Students in those years were interested in Zen Buddhism, and a stream of philosophical literature mixed with occultism came from the West. I tried to prevent this poison from touching Igor’s soul, fortunately, when he needed advice, it was easy to do this,” the church-going teacher shared her memories. Roslyakov became a frequent guest in her house, however, Chermenskaya claims, it was not she who converted the student to Orthodoxy - over time, Roslyakov allegedly himself was drawn to the faith.
The first change in her son was noticed by his mother. Suddenly, Igor, who had previously painstakingly collected his home library, took all Leo Tolstoy’s books out of the house: “Mom, he’s a heretic!” Tolstoy was replaced by the works of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, the young man began to go to church services, and then left for Optina Pustyn.
Only a few years after Roslyakov settled in the monastery, it turned out by chance that in the world Igor was the captain of the Moscow State University water polo team - one of the pilgrims found his photograph with a cup in the Izvestia newspaper. In Optina, the young novice kept himself apart and kept to himself past life did not spread. According to the inhabitants of the monastery, he put a lot of effort into restoring the monastery and soon became a monk, and then a hieromonk, taking the name Vasily.
The complete opposite of Roslyakov was Leonid Tatarnikov, later named monk Trofim. The brethren and parishioners knew him well - the young man, who came to Optina in August 1990 from Biysk, stood out for his liveliness of character; he quickly scurried around the monastery and, without hesitation, took on any work. In the world, Tatarnikov managed to change several professions - after serving in the tank forces, he worked in the Sakhalin fishery, was engaged in artistic photography, was a photojournalist in a regional newspaper, a shoemaker, a shepherd and a fireman. He explained his departure to the monastery to his relatives as a sign: he saw a dazzling light emanating from one of the icons in the temple, and heard an unearthly voice.
Being an impatient man, Tatarnikov was in a hurry to become a monk. In Optina they recalled that once he came to ask that his tonsure be done as quickly as possible. “Or maybe you should be tonsured into the schema right away?” - asked the priest to whom he turned. “Father, I agree!” - Tatarnikov exclaimed then. For this - or some other offense - Tatarnikov was denied residence within the walls of the monastery for two months. The young man settled in a dugout nearby, but did not miss a single service. At the monastery, he managed the pilgrimage hotel, worked as a bell ringer, bookbinder, and repaired clocks.
Less than a year after his arrival, Tatarnikov achieved his goal and took monastic vows under the monastic name Trofim. “Trofim was the spiritual Ilya Muromets, and in such a heroic way he generously poured out his love on everyone that everyone considered him their best friend. Me too. He was everyone’s brother, helper, relative,” Abbot Vladimir recalled about Tatarnikov.
Another future inhabitant of Optina, Siberian Vladimir Pushkarev, appeared at the monastery in June 1990, having walked 75 kilometers from Kaluga. Locals claim that, having reached the gates of the monastery, he did not knock, but knelt down and stood like that until the morning, patiently waiting for him to be let in.
A native of the Novosibirsk region, Pushkarev was known in the monastery as a closed person - he spent many hours in his own cell or carpentry workshop. The artist-carver Sergei Losev, who worked at the monastery at that time, said that in Pushkarev “one could feel the enormous inner drama and intense life of the spirit, which is characteristic of large and complex personalities.” “I don’t know what was behind it. But this was Dostoevsky’s man,” Losev said about the Siberian.
Suddenly a good relationship This man of few words got along well with the “sparrows” around the monastery - young people trusted him and willingly learned wood carving. A year and a half before his death, Pushkarev became a monk and took the name Ferapont. He began to run a carpentry workshop: he cut crosses, prepared boards for icons, and made furniture.
Believing eyewitnesses recalled that the murder of the hieromonk and monks in the Optina Hermitage was preceded by signs, and the monks themselves seemed to have a presentiment of approaching death. In the summer of 1992, the monk Trofim allegedly turned to one of the pilgrims: “Lena, why are you sour? There is so little time left to live, maybe a year. There is no time to be sad anymore. Rejoice! And with these words, the pilgrim claimed, he handed her a bouquet of wild flowers. Local resident Nikolai Zhigaev said that in a conversation with him, Tatarnikov predicted his imminent death. “I feel it in my heart. But I’ll live for another six months,” Zhigaev quoted the monk as saying.
After the murder, they started talking in the monastery that during Great Lent, the monk Trofim came to the bookbinding workshop. unknown man, who declared that “monks must be killed.” The unknown person did not respond to the offer to calm down and have lunch within the walls of the monastery and promised that soon the clergy would begin to be “slaughtered.” “You are ours, ours!” - the guest allegedly repeated, grabbing the monk’s hand in farewell.
In Optina they recalled that several novices were suddenly injured in the altar on the eve of Easter, and on the evening of Holy Saturday there was a strange haze over the monastery - “the air seemed to tremble, the contours of objects doubled, and the cores clutched at the heart.” Local residents are said to have seen unusual atmospheric phenomena on Easter before - before the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The Easter liturgy on April 18, 1993 ended at about five in the morning. Monastery buses took residents of surrounding villages away from Optina Hermitage, and the police officers guarding the participants in the service also left with them. The inhabitants of the monastery and pilgrims went to the refectory. Father Vasily, who was to conduct two more services, only sat at the table for a while and, having congratulated everyone on the Resurrection of Christ, went up to his cell.
Monk Trofim (Tatarnikov) with relatives
By six o'clock in the morning the monastery courtyard was empty. The last to leave for the monastery was Abbot Alexander, who met the monk Trofim on the way. “Bless me, I’m going to ring,” Trofim asked and, having received the blessing, went towards the belfry.
From the porch of the temple Trofim saw the monk Ferapont. They stood up to the bells together when Ferapont suddenly fell on wood flooring pierced through with a long knife. Then a blow to the back overtook the monk Trofim, but before his death he managed to pull himself up to the bells on ropes and ring the alarm. Then the body young man went limp, and the ringing stopped abruptly. Hieromonk Vasily was on his way to confess the pilgrims to the monastery at that time, but, hearing the sound of the alarm bell, he turned towards the bells and went to meet the murderer.
“It happened on Easter at 6.15 am. We were breaking our fast over tea in the icon-painting workshop when the bells suddenly stopped ringing and an alarming ringing rang out. “What a strange sound,” said Andrey, pouring tea. “Rather, the alarm bell.” And I thought with annoyance: “Andrey is always with his jokes - well, what alarm bells? It’s Easter!”, icon painter Tamara Mushketova later said.
Twelve-year-old Natasha Popova was the first to run up to her fallen father Vasily. Two years earlier, a girl from Kyiv was brought to Optina Pustyn by her parents. The hieromonk was lying on the path near the gate of the monastery. The rosary flew off to the side as it fell. “I didn’t understand why he fell. Suddenly I saw that the priest was covered in blood, and his face was distorted with suffering. I leaned towards him: “Father, what’s wrong with you?” He looked past me - into the sky. Suddenly the expression of pain disappeared, and his face became so enlightened, as if he saw angels descending from heaven,” Popova later said.
At seven o'clock in the morning, when the liturgy began in the monastery, a young novice Alexei burst into the temple, shouting: “They killed the brothers! Brothers!” The dying hieromonk was transferred to the church, placed next to the shrine containing the relics of St. Ambrose. The pale clergyman could no longer speak and, judging by the movements of his lips, was praying intently. “He prayed until his last breath, and all of Optina prayed in tears. The agony was already underway when the ambulance arrived. How everyone regretted later that they did not let Father Vasily die in his native monastery!” - Nina Pavlova writes in her book. The priest died on the way to the hospital.
Local residents noted that after the murder of the monks, it was as if winter had returned to Optina Pustyn - a cold wind blew, it began to rain, and then snow. People gathered at the blood-stained belfry, crying and praying for the murdered monks.
“Okay, the inspection begins. In a central location, next to wooden bench, covered with a green flannelette blanket with a white check, lies a corpse... Is this Father Vasily? “Oh, this is the monk Ferapont,” prosecutor-criminologist Larisa Gritsenko conducts an inspection of the crime scene while her colleague records what is happening on a video camera.
Law enforcement officers walk through the yard and, not far from the scene of the murder, find an army overcoat - the military donated a large batch of uniforms to the monastery, such overcoats were distributed to arriving pilgrims. The killer hung his on the stakes of a wooden fence.
“A knife was found in the pocket. Alexander Vasilyevich, what should I call him? The knife is like a dagger, with three sixes stamped near the handle,” continues Gritsenko. Another long sword with a hilt wrapped in electrical tape is found near the monastery wall. It was with this weapon, as experts will find out, that the monks were inflicted with mortal wounds. The inscription “Satan 666” is clumsily engraved on the blade of the sword.
Later, investigators will establish that the murder was carefully planned: local residents will tell them that before Easter an unknown man came to the monastery and squatted for a long time at the belfry. At the eastern wall of the monastery they will find a woodpile stacked in steps - along these pre-folded stairs the attacker fled from the scene of the murder, leaving in plain sight the overcoat with the documents of the monastery fireman in his pocket, in order to throw the investigation off the trail.
They managed to get on the trail of the killer two days later - a forester from a neighboring village told the police that a man armed with a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun had broken into his house, who, however, was calmed down with the help of alcohol. The unknown person ate, drank, asked for clean clothes, and half an hour later left the house without harming anyone from the forester’s family. From his words, a sketch of the strange visitor was compiled.
“At this time, a woman accidentally came into the police department and identified this man. She gave his last name, said his name and said that they live in the same village,” said forensic expert Dmitry Osipov. So the law enforcement agency learned the name of the suspect - he turned out to be 32-year-old resident of the village of Volkonskoye Nikolai Averin, born in 1961. Later, Averin’s guilt was confirmed by a fingerprint examination - his fingerprint was preserved on the third layer of electrical tape that was wrapped around the handle of the sword. Soon he was detained in the regional center of Kozelsk - Averin, who had been hiding in the forest for several days, came to his aunt and, not realizing that her house was already being watched, calmly went to bed.
As the prosecutor’s office later explained, the killer served in Afghanistan and “came home without a single scratch, but with a broken psyche.” He first came to the attention of the police in the summer of 1990, when he and a friend tried to rape an elderly woman. But the men then apologized, the pensioner forgave them and withdrew the statement.
In April 1991, Averin was again accused of attempted rape. This time he beat the woman badly; the case against him was heard in the Kozelsky District Court. A psychiatric examination showed that the accused suffers from schizophrenia, and therefore should be sent for compulsory treatment. Until February 1992, Averin was in Moscow in a psychiatric hospital named after Gannushkin, after which he returned home to his parents.
In the vicinity of Optina Pustyn they claimed: Averin promised to kill the monks long before he managed to realize his plan. In the collective farm workshop they recalled how before Easter the killer came in to sharpen a sword on a machine, putting out some booze.
Nikolay, who do you have a grudge against - your future mother-in-law? - one of the masters joked.
No, I want to cut off the monks,” Averin allegedly answered.
A 29-year-old special investigator also spoke with the workshop workers. important matters Prosecutor's Office of the Kaluga Region Alexander Martynov, who investigated the murder of Optina monks. They said that Averin was not the only one who approached them with orders of this kind: the fashion for “satanic” symbols in the Kaluga region allegedly arose after the television showing of the film “The Omen,” a 1970s thriller about the coming of the Antichrist.
The pilots of the agricultural aviation airfield, where Averin worked before the murder, recalled how he showed them the sword with which he later killed the monks, declaring: “I will become famous throughout the world!” Averin, they noted, was completely sober and did not drink at all, although he was actively selling vodka.
At the same time, anonymous letters with threats were sent to the monastery. One of the clergy allegedly received two photographs of the coffin and a promise to kill him with a “golden ramrod in the crown.” And shortly before Easter, a certain man, eyewitnesses recalled, shouted in the temple: “I, too, can be a monk if I kill three monks!”
Three coffins were placed in the temple in front of the open ones Royal Doors, crying people approached them with the words: “Christ is risen, Father Vasily!”, “Christ is risen, Trofimushka!”, “Christ is risen, Father Ferapont!” Parishioners placed blessed Easter eggs in the coffins.
Following a trial, the killer of the monks was declared insane. The version that Averin was a member of a certain sect of Satanists or was an adherent of occult teachings was completely refuted by the investigation.
From the case materials it is known that Nikolai Averin was tormented by unaccountable fears since childhood; he was afraid to sleep in the dark. After returning from the war, the man believed and, according to his parents, spent a lot of time in the temple, drying himself out by fasting, and soon began to “hear voices.” At some point, Averin announced to his relatives that in fact he was Jesus Christ. But later, the voice that sounded in his head began to mock the unfortunate man: he forced the man against his will to bang his head against the wall, eat paper and throw himself out of the windows. Averin opened his veins several times. Gradually, the idea took shape and became stronger in his mind that God wished him harm, and, therefore, intercession should be sought from Satan. Averin decided to take revenge on the cruel god by destroying his army - the monks.
According to the witnesses interviewed, in everyday life the killer gave the impression of a calm, polite, harmless person “with oddities.” He was well versed in everyday realities, and showed reasonableness in business.
Nikolai Averin gives an interview to the TV show “Sentenced for Life.”
Averin’s parents testified that their son came to Optina Pustyn more than once and talked with the monks; they reproached him for his pride and advised him to undergo treatment. Following this advice, Averin turned to doctors and psychics, but to no avail.
The medical report, which declared the defendant insane, noted that Averin was not aware of his own actions and could not control them. He is obsessed with delusional ideas and needs compulsory treatment because he poses a particular social danger, the doctors concluded. Averin was imprisoned in a psychiatric clinic.
“I couldn’t get hold of God, because you can’t get hold of him. This machine is the most insidious and, roughly speaking, the cleanest in the universe. I can repeat that they [the monks] died a dignified death,” Averin explained in an interview with the film crew of Vakhtang Mikeladze, who was filming the series of programs “Sentenced for Life.” The only thing Averin didn’t like was that two of the three monks “left in an unmanly manner” - they screamed like women before they died. “I had no anger towards them, these guys. I didn’t kill someone for personal gain, I didn’t take the money, you understand,” Averin explained.
Contrary to the version of the investigation, there were rumors in the monastery that Averin did not kill the monks alone, but that a whole group of Satanists was operating in Optina, the purpose of which was to intimidate Orthodox believers. Two pilgrims, who saw from afar how the stabbed Trofim and Ferapont fell, recalled that two men allegedly stood next to them, and one of them said: “Just make a noise, and the same will happen to you.” In church circles they suddenly remembered the secret orders, human sacrifices and “psychic attacks of the SS”, which, according to rumors, were used against Soviet troops in the Second World War.
The Orthodox community was also offended by the fact that investigators were looking for the killer primarily inside Optina, suspecting the fireman and other inhabitants. But most of all, the newspaper publications that followed the tragedy hurt the feelings of believers - at first, journalists suggested that the murder was committed on the basis of homosexual passion, and then presented Averin as a war hero who had lost his mind.
“The press unanimously made Averin an Afghan hero and declared him a “victim of totalitarianism.” There was no forensic examination yet, but the press was already making its diagnosis: “the young man’s psyche could not withstand the tests of the war into which he was thrown by politicians” (Znamya newspaper). “Twisted by the absurd war, the soul of a young strong guy, left without moral support, was tossing about” (“ TVNZ"). You can give more quotes,” Nina Pavlova is indignant on the pages of her book. She also claims that Averin never actually took part in hostilities: in 1981, after graduating from the Kaluga Cultural and Educational School, he worked at the Volkonsk House of Culture, during the same years he took driver training courses. “Everyone who has received a license knows that this requires a certificate from a psychiatrist confirming the absence of mental illness. Averin was given such a certificate, and until the day of the murder he drove a personal car,” the author notes.
When the case of the murder of the Optina monks was closed, the public-church commission conducted an independent investigation, the findings of which were then published by the newspaper Russky Vestnik. “The commission has evidence that at least three people were involved in the murder, who were seen and could be identified by witnesses,” the final report said. However, the demands of the Orthodox community for a re-investigation of the case and an independent psychiatric examination were ignored.
“But as unjust as human judgment is, so exacting is God’s Judgment. And when they began to collect the memories of local residents in Optina, it turned out that among those who destroyed the monastery during the years of persecution, there was not a single person who would not end up in a truly terrible way,” Pavlova notes gloomily.
The blade with which Averin killed Father Vasily and the monks Trofim and Ferapont is currently kept in the Museum of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Moscow. Nothing is known about where Averin himself is now. Vakhtang Mikeladze’s program, aired on DTV in 2009, was his last mention in the media.
In a conversation with the film crew, Averin then behaved calmly and confidently. He said that he did not repent at all of what he had done and was unlikely to ever repent.
“There is a war between God and Satan, I can say that I was one of his best students. I'm against God, yes, and I'm glad that I'm with Satan. Because I am good,” Averin smiled, looking into the camera.
Skete Temples For Pilgrims Plan of the monastery and monastery Schedule of services Accommodation Sermons Prayer book Library Books, articles Sheet music Publications Audio gallery Audio books Hymns Sermons Prayers Video gallery Photo galleryThe publishing house of our monastery has published a new book - “The Life of the Hieromartyr Veniamin (Kazan), Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov, and those like him who suffered the Venerable Martyr Sergius (Shein), the martyrs Yuri Novitsky and John Kovsharov » .
In the new book of the famous Russian hagiographer Archimandrite Damascene (Orlovsky), the reader is offered the life of Metropolitan Veniamin (Kazan) of Petrograd - one of the first holy martyrs who did not sin with their soul or conscience during the persecution that began and gave their life for Christ and His Church .
all teachings →WITH too much tension is harmful. It’s possible to lose your strength suddenly and lose your strength. You need to fence yourself with an iron ring for everything. Each of your actions must be completed only after you have verified whether you agree with the laws, with the Holy tym Pi-sa-ni-em. And yes, the words need to be said after the fact, as you pray and believe.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
Spiritual conversations with pilgrims
all videos →
For many years now, at the Optina Pustyn Monastery, the murdered brothers - Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov), Monk Trofim (Tatarnikov) and Monk Ferapont (Pushkarev) - have been commemorated daily at the Divine Liturgy. Numerous pilgrims come from everywhere to venerate their holy graves and ask for gracious help in spiritual and everyday needs.
During this time, the fame of the murdered monks spread not only throughout Russia, but also far beyond its borders. God glorifies his chosen ones who gave their lives for the sake of His Holy Name.
The news of the martyrdom of three Optina monks at the hands of a Satanist on Easter 1993, like heavenly thunder, cut through the ordinary everyday life and shocked human souls and hearts.
Interior 3-D view of the chapel
Soon after the death of the brothers, a telegram was sent to the father of the Viceroy:
Christ is Risen! I share Easter joy with you and the brethren of the monastery! Together with you, I also share grief over the tragic death of three inhabitants of Optina Pustyn. I pray for the repose of their souls. I believe that the Lord, who called them on the first Holy Day Christ's Resurrection through martyrdom, will make them participants in the eternal Pascha in the non-evening days of His Kingdom.
My heart is with you and my brothers.
Patriarch Alexy II
Siblings, Case Details wonderful help We ask you to send us the prayers of the murdered brothers to the following address: . The most interesting of them will be published on the website.
