Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye Kirill ops. Yekaterinburg and Verkhotursky Kirill

Komsomolskaya Pravda, May 7, 1999

The Bishop's Actions Yekaterinburg and Verkhotursky resulted in a scandal that spread far beyond the church fence A GROUP of Ural priests made a statement: they have been ruled by a homosexual bishop for five years now.

“Our bishop is a homosexual!” A month ago, angry believers stood outside one of the churches in Nizhny Tagil with such posters. The culprit of the events - Bishop Nikon - was supposed to come to the service. “Nikon is a sodomite! - the demonstrators chanted. “We won’t let the goat into the temple!” In church tradition, homosexuals are called sodomites. From the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Their inhabitants were addicted to sodomy, and the Lord drowned them at the bottom of the Dead Sea. The Bishop was informed about the disturbances halfway there. He turned around and left for Yekaterinburg.

Nikon appeared in Yekaterinburg in 1994 and liked it at first. Then they began to notice something was wrong. One day, the bishop stole an antique church vestment from the 17th century. The rector of the Nizhny Tagil Church of Alexander Nevsky, Father Gennady Vedernikov, begged for a robe embroidered with gold in local history museum for one day. The Lord saw: “Give it back!” For a long time the priest lay at the feet of the museum director, asking him to forgive the debt...

Drunk to death, Nikon beat the priests. Once, during a visit to one of the monasteries, he completely slapped the representative of the governor of the Sverdlovsk region for Verkhoturye, Alexander Kapustin. He didn’t know what to do.

In the refectory senior officials region, they drank vodka with Nikon and shouted worldly songs to the guitar. One day, the bishop tore off the order from the chairman of the regional government, dipped it into a glass of vodka and demanded: “Take it out with your teeth.” And then he splashed vodka into the sky and asked God: “Who are you? And I am a bishop!”

But worst of all were the rumors about Nikon's sexual inclinations...

From the “KP” dossier
The Orthodox clergy is divided into black and white. White priests can marry. Blacks must live in absolute celibacy - they make up the top of the church nomenklatura. But, alas, there are also “blue” priests.

A twenty-five-year-old young man with a black eye is sitting in front of me. Sergei Mordovtsev was a servant in the Verkhoturye monastery.
“Our bishop,” Seryoga sticks out thumb, - that’s such a girl. In terms of oral sex, no woman has ever satisfied me so much.

Not at all embarrassed, the guy tells how a certain hieromonk called him: “Can you please the bishop?” "In terms of?" - “Fuck him.” Seryoga did not suffer from chastity. “For money - no problem.”

Every time Nikon came to Verkhoturye, Seryoga royally allowed the bishop to give himself a blowjob. For five times of unearthly bliss, Mordovtsev received six million old.

Nobody blames Sergei here. By going to bed with a fat man, he saved the entire brethren from dishonor. Before Mordvinov agreed to work as a prostitute, Nikon extorted virgin and chaste monks into his bed.

Here is the story of the abbot of the monastery. “In October 1995, Bishop Nikon came to us. I went up to his chambers for a blessing; the bishop was in shorts, my brother, priest Oleg Fedotov, stood next to him. Vladyka was pretty drunk. Lying down, he said. “Pimen, let your brother love me, and I I will be his wife.”
The abbot refused to give up his brother, and the bishop lowered his demands." “Bring some monk to me.” The unfortunate Pimen had to convince the bishop for a long time that everyone had gone to work. Then Nikon pulled down his trousers and climbed towards him himself.
From that day on, the bishop began to demand comfort boys from the rector.

For reference: the system of subordination in the church is stricter than even in the army. Disobeying an order is a terrible sin. For which severe sanctions follow.

The diocese learned what a “career with legs spread” is. The bishop hated married priests (as well as women in general). He appointed “his own people” to leadership positions. The diocese was shocked by the incident when Archimandrite Claudian was appointed rector of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in the city of Kamensk-Uralsk. The 25-year-old young man received the monastery on the day .... he was tonsured - without having been a monk for a day. He admitted, that he was Nikon’s lover. The priests call him “Klavdia Ivanovna.”

The Yekaterinburg Diocesan Theological School became the FORGE of personnel for Nikon. I was able to meet his former listeners. Both entered there at the age of 17, dreaming of “serving the Mother Church.” Both were harassed by the ruler. Lesha happily avoided such a fate. Sasha couldn't.

Entrance exams there wasn't. They selected me based on appearance: height, weight, face... They gave me a test: four hundred questions.
“Do you like to look at your genitals in the mirror? Do you like to touch them? Do you use cosmetics?”
The young men were not selected for study. This was not required of them at all.

They said: “You are our poor things. So busy!” - In the fourth year, we passed the “tails” for the first year. And received certificates “For excellent study”!

A month later, Lekha and Sasha were taken to Nikon’s dacha.

We were told you will work. Us: let's take a rake. And they bought thirteen bottles of vodka and two cases of beer.

While still in the car, they started giving the guys something to drink. They were driving, clearly confusing the road. At the dacha, the “seminarians” were amazed by the luxury - a bathhouse with a swimming pool, a “sexdrome” five by five meters. Lech understood in time what he was here for and managed to “get out of it.” Sasha was drunk almost to the point of losing consciousness.

“I go into the bathhouse,” he says, “and I see Nikon sitting naked. I was so stunned that I sobered up. I'm in church then pink color seemed. I could have thought about anyone - just not the bishop.

Nikon asked me to steam his back. And he poured more for the guy.

They put me, almost unconscious, in bed with Nikon...

Having sobered up, the guy could not look at the priests.

“When I go out to the temple to bless the people and see handsome boy, everything is stopping me, and I can’t do anything...”

The boys ran away from school. Some time later at night a car came for Sasha. Nikon was waiting in the temple. He raised his hand to the altar: “I swear, if you tell anyone, you will be buried under a dead man’s coffin. No one will find your body."

Even now, a year later, the boy’s condition is close to hysteria. He drinks glasses of valerian and eats tranquilizers. Hiding, doesn't live at home...

Maybe it was his fate that overflowed the cup of patience. In the summer of 1998, 52 priests (exactly half of the diocese) complained to the Patriarch about Nikon. They presented all the facts in ninety reports. A delegation of five priests took them to Moscow.

The commission arrived in January. Based on the results of its work, on April 1, the Holy Synod issued a resolution: to release the most active troublemaker fathers from their positions. Bishop Nikon should be reprimanded... for failing to provide leadership. That is, to punish the priests for daring to complain!

The priests were shocked. According to church laws, you can repent of murder - you will be forgiven. But anyone convicted of homosexuality is excommunicated from the church for 15 years. A pederast not only cannot be a bishop. He is not a Christian at all!

The center of resistance was located in Nizhny Tagil. The ideological leaders - Father Gennady Vedernikov and the dean of all zones of the city, Father Foma Abel (he professes prisoners, including the legendary ITK-13 - the “Kozlenok” zone, where Dima Yakubovsky was imprisoned) - launched a campaign. For two days, fifty women believers captured one of the monasteries. They demanded a bishop. It’s interesting that the monastery was for men.

BELIEVERS are in confusion. Some believe in Nikon’s depravity, others believe that this is slander. Many have stopped going to churches - they are afraid to kiss the hand of a pederast priest.

The condition of the “rebellious” fathers is also close to nervous breakdown. The diocese took the position of “the dog barks, the wind blows” towards them. She doesn't give any comments. Father Thomas Abel sadly jokes: “If I had said in the zone, “Your brothers are a rooster!” - it was torn apart would to pieces...”
Nikon promised to put both fathers behind bars. Every day they expect that drugs or ammunition will be “accidentally” found on them. It's easy to throw them in. A few days ago, a “thief” visited Gennady’s father’s house. He defiantly stole the smallest amount. Youngest daughter the priest said it was a monk. The priest can tell the difference between a cleric and a criminal...

But the priests do not give up.

“I am an extremist,” says Father Gennady, driven to the brink, “if they try to defrock me, I will gather a detachment of Cossacks (the priest “spiritually nurtures” the Cossack military district. -U.S.) and will go to destroy the churches where the sodomites have settled! We'll throw them out god's temples!

My father was already offered help by the Tagil riot police, whom he had once escorted to Chechnya. The priests had their last hope - the Patriarch.

Ulyana SKOYBEDA
Moscow - Nizhny Tagil.

Kirill, Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye (Mikhail Vasilievich Nakonechny)

Date of birth:

Ordination date:

Date of tonsure:

Angel Day:

Country:

Biography:

Born on May 15, 1961 in the village of Verkhnechusovskie Gorodki, Chusovsky district, Perm region, into a working-class family.

In 1978 he graduated from high school.

October 25, 1980 rector of the Holy Dormition cathedral The city of Vladimir was tonsured into monasticism by Archimandrite Alexy (Kutepov, now Metropolitan of Tula and Efremov) with the name Kirill.

On October 26, 1980, Archbishop Serapion (Fadeev) of Vladimir and Suzdal ordained him a hierodeacon, and on May 6, 1981, he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1986 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary in the correspondence education sector.

From October 26, 1980 to May 6, 1981, he served in the rank of hierodeacon at the Holy Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir. From May 6, 1981 to June 1, 1982 - cleric of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Alexandrov, Vladimir Region. From June 1, 1982 to March 19, 1984 - rector of St. Nicholas Church in Kirzhach, dean of churches in the Kirzhach district.

On April 7, 1984, Archbishop Serapion (Fadeev) of Vladimir and Suzdal elevated him to the rank of archimandrite at the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.

From March 19, 1984 to June 10, 1987 - rector of the Holy Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, secretary of the Archbishop of Vladimir and Suzdal, dean of churches in the Vladimir district.

From June 10, 1987 to July 7, 1989 - rector of the Theodoro-Tiron Cathedral in Chisinau, secretary of the Metropolitan of Chisinau and Moldova, dean of the churches of the Chisinau district.

Member Local Councils 1988 and 1990

From July 7, 1989 to October 9, 1995 - cleric of the Tula diocese, secretary of the Metropolitan of Tula and Belevsky, dean of the churches of the Tula city district. From October 9, 1995 to January 1, 2000 - rector of St. Nicholas Church (on Rzhavets) in Tula. From March 15, 1999 to March 15, 2000 - rector of the All Saints Cathedral in Tula.

Since October 1, 1998 - rector of pastoral courses at the Tula diocesan administration; on March 7, 2000, pastoral courses were transformed into the Tula Theological School, and on October 6, 2001, the school was transformed into the Tula Theological Seminary with a 5-year term of study.

On February 26, 1998, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was elected Bishop of Bogoroditsky, vicar of the Tula diocese.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2011 (journal No. 68), he was appointed His Eminence of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 5-6, 2011 (magazine No. 132), he was appointed head of the newly formed Ekaterinburg Metropolis. Also, by the definition of the Synod (journal No. 120), he was relieved of the post of rector of the Yaroslavl Theological Seminary and appointed rector of the Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary.

From December 2011 to March 2012 and from May 2013 to January 2014 - temporary administrator of the Kamensk diocese.

Education:

1986 - Moscow Theological Seminary.

Diocese:

Ekaterinburg diocese

(Ruling Bishop)

Place of work:

Ekaterinburg Metropolis

(Head of the Metropolis)

Awards:

Church:

• 1. 2010 - Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov I st.
• 2. Order of St. equal to book Vladimir I-III century.
• 3. Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II Art.
• 4. Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow II Art.
• 5. Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov II Art.
• 6. Order of St. ap. Stamp of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church.

Secular:

• 1. 2011 - Order of Honor
• 2. Order of Friendship.

Dear visitors!

We bring to your attention questions from users and answers from the Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye Kirill.

Alexander: Vladyka, hello! Is there a project to build a temple at Sortirovka?

Hello, Alexander! As far as I know, in the Sortirovka area there is a temple in honor of Vladimir icon Mother of God(Shuvakishskaya St.), a temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Sofia Perovskaya St.), the recently erected temple in the name of St. George the Victorious at the 5th Auto Repair Plant is being developed. This is extremely insufficient, given the length and dense population of the Sortirovochny microdistrict, but it is at least to some extent provided with churches. The same cannot be said, for example, about the Botanichesky microdistrict, where for almost 60 thousand people there is not a single temple. Therefore, the immediate plans include the construction of a temple there. Moreover, there has been an Orthodox community there for 10 years. As a matter of fact, every church begins with a community: it is not the diocese that will figure out where to build new church, but believers gather and take the initiative to build a temple in one place or another, participate in the preparation of all the necessary documents and construction.

Marina: Dear Archbishop Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye! Tell me, please, will you pursue the same policy in Yekaterinburg as your predecessor regarding the construction of churches or will there be a new qualitative policy?

P.S. I mean that your predecessor intended to build 300 more churches in the city of Yekaterinburg! Do you support his intentions or not? After all, it is probably better to build much fewer churches (temples), but so that they are in the right areas, for example, on Khimmash, Elmash in Koltsovo, than to “proliferate” them in the city center. Thank you in advance.

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Marina! In a huge city of over a million people there should be many churches. Although, “many” is perhaps not quite the right word: there are never too many temples. There should be enough of them so that young mothers with small children and older people who are not always physically healthy can get from home to church without any special obstacles or difficulties. This means that churches must be built both in the center and on the outskirts of the city. And how this is done - I have already answered this question (see the answer addressed to Alexander).

Andriyanova Nadezhda: Tell me, please, I want to be baptized together with my sons, do we each need our own godparents for our children, or can we have a common godparent and godparent? And if I can’t find a godfather for my youngest son, then what should I do? I really want a godfather - this is not an empty phrase!

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Nadezhda! It is wonderful that you take the issue of baptism so seriously. I think that you will definitely find a godfather for your youngest son when you and your children (if their age allows) prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism. Our diocese has a system of announcements before baptism. That is, for a person who wishes to be baptized, the clergy of the temple he has chosen first help him learn the basics of the Orthodox faith. The cycle of catechetical conversations lasts differently in different churches: from several weeks to several months. During this time, the catechumen (as those wishing to be baptized were called back in ancient church) also gets acquainted with the life of the parish, of which he will become a part after baptism. Perhaps it is in your future parish that you will meet a godfather for youngest son or the priest will recommend to you someone who, having become a godfather, will, as expected, pray for your children and instruct them in the faith.

Drachev Alexander Alexandrovich: Bless, Master! I have the following question: Why, in accordance with the Resolution of the Holy Synod, does Pelym belong to the Kamensk diocese? It is in the north, next to Ivdel - it would be more logical to Nizhny Tagil. Thank you.

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: God bless you, Alexander Alexandrovich! Perhaps it would actually be more convenient. But at the present time, when the Yekaterinburg Metropolis has been formed, this is not so important.

Sergey: Good afternoon Is it true that your Toyota Land Cruiser jeep was stolen in Moscow and then returned? Is it true that you collect expensive antiques and ancient icons? Where do you get the money for such hobbies?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Sergey! What was stolen is true; what was returned is not. And I actually collected ancient icons - in the churches of Yaroslavl. They are now located in Yaroslavl churches.

Sergey: In an interview with E. Enin, you stated that “if the laity have Mercedes and gold watches, then why can’t we, priests?” And how much money do the priests have for these Mercedes and watches? Is it not the money that parishioners donate for the construction and restoration of churches? The Bible says: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.” Why don't priests follow this principle?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Sergei, your idea of ​​priests stealing money from the church circle to satisfy personal needs and whims, in my opinion, came out of the pages of atheistic brochures that have been published in large numbers recently. I can say about myself. I have a watch (surprisingly, this is the third time I have to talk about it publicly - after all, it’s a subject of general interest!) - so, the watch that the Yaroslavl priests gave me as a parting gift costs about 50 thousand rubles. This is not a small sum, but should I really throw away or sell a gift made with all my heart just because someone might think that I bought it with church money? As for cars, for priests, right according to Ilf and Petrov, this is not a luxury, but a means of transportation. And this remedy, as a rule, is donated to the priest by wealthy parishioners. There are also sad exceptions in the priestly environment, when the material component comes to the fore. But why do you project these exceptions onto literally everyone? It seems that this is due to ignorance of the true state of affairs in the Church and from reading sources in which the truth simply cannot be found.

Tselinkov V.A.: Dear Father, Do you go in for sports or physical education?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: No, unfortunately, I don’t do sports. Physical education, maybe a little bit - I would like a lot more.

Dmitry: Hello, Vladyka Kirill! What car do you have, make, what year? Do you file your taxes like Putin?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Dmitry! Tax return, like Putin, I don’t serve. I drive cars left over from my predecessor, to whom I am very grateful. The diocesan garage's vehicle fleet includes a Volga and two Toyota Camrys (one of which Bishop Vikenty drove for many years, the second is new).

Voronkova Galina Vladimirovna: Our family lives in Yekaterinburg, Vtorchermet microdistrict. I would really like to see a church built in our neighborhood. The closest one is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, but you have to take a bus to get there; it’s very inconvenient for families with many children. Children cannot stand walking long journey. Does the Diocese have any plans to build a church at Vtorchermet?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Galina Vladimirovna! We discussed the plans of the diocese for the construction of churches with the leadership of the region and the city. By agreement with the city leadership, we are now dealing with the issue of allocating plots of land for some churches, especially in those areas where there are none at all - I think that Vtorchermet will also be covered.

But I would like to say for those who want to get churches: I think that it would be advisable to organize communities and, after consulting with deans, find worthy priests, so that they would immediately, while still in the process of building this or that church, stand at the head of new parishes. So that as the walls grow, parish life also grows. Thus, when the temple is built, church life will not be something brought into these walls, but a completely natural continuation of the joint efforts of the community to build the church.

Suprun Vitaly Oktavovich: Good afternoon, dear sir. How do you like our city? How do you like the seminary and when will the seminary move? Best regards, Vitaly.

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Good afternoon, Vitaly Oktavovich! Ekaterinburg is a very interesting city, a developing city. This is truly the capital of the Urals. All intellectual, material and spiritual forces are concentrated here. The city has a future. This is one of the few regional centers where there is natural population growth. 95% of Yekaterinburg residents do not want to change their place of residence - this also says a lot. There are many young people, many universities.

I really hope that the Yekaterinburg Theological Seminary will move to a new building near the Holy Trinity Cathedral before the end of this year. We made a proposal to the city leadership to organize kindergartens in the former seminary buildings, while preserving the existing house churches and their communities.

Victor: Hello, Lord! How does the diocese resolve the housing issue for clergy?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Victor! Today, everyone solves this issue individually. This is not entirely correct, but at present we do not have the opportunity to tackle this problem centrally.

Ignatov Mikhail Edgartovich: Hello! At what age can you become a priest? THANK YOU!!!

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Hello, Mikhail Edgartovich! According to accepted church regulations, one can become a priest from the age of 30, and a deacon from the age of 25. But life dictates many of its own additional laws, and there are always exceptions.

This is not a question of our time and not a question of the time of the recent persecution of the church, when it was difficult to find priests. Those who have been to Merkushino know that the relics of the holy martyr Konstantin Epiphany are kept there. This is a priest who was shot in 1918. He was 22 years old. That is, even at that time people became priests earlier than the age specified by the charter.

As for our diocese today, the question of those who wish to become priests or deacons is decided by the appointee commission and the diocesan council. We review the candidate's request and make a decision. We try to ordain people who are more mature, but today this does not always correspond to the age of 30.

Michael: Why is the architectural monument of the 18th century - the Temple of the Ascension in Yekaterinburg literally falling apart, and the Russian Orthodox Church, instead of spending money on its restoration or the restoration of the temple on Subbotnikov Square, plans to spend it on destroying the park on Truda Square? Is it really impossible to rebuild this temple in another place? There are three barracks at 11 Gurzufskaya Street. Demolish them, resettle people, do a good deed. And in place of the barracks, build a temple to Catherine. Everyone will just thank you!

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Good afternoon, Mikhail! Firstly, the Russian Orthodox Church does not plan to destroy anything, except, perhaps, atheism.

As for the temple of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine... Along with the construction of this temple in 1723, the creation of the city in which we live today began. And our ancestors, who created this city, treated the Church of St. Catherine as the main temple of the city. It was also a temple military glory: the banners of units that participated in the liberation of our Motherland in various wars were kept there. This temple is a shrine, and I do not understand those who, on principle, do not want to restore the temple of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine.

Of course, we must be more tolerant of each other. The construction of temples should unite people, and not separate them into different corners. But there will always be people who are for the construction of the temple, and there will always be those who are categorically against it. However, I don’t think this is a topic for discussion today.

On the issue of restoring other temples. Each parish has its own capabilities and is being restored to the best of its ability. Those temples that have financially wealthy benefactors are being restored quickly. It’s a shame and very difficult when churches that were opened 20 years ago are in a deplorable state. And we will solve this problem. It is necessary that human love for the house of God be demonstrated by concrete actions.

But to demand that all churches be immediately restored from their desecrated state - we are not ready for this today. And for society this, unfortunately, is not a priority. Now, if society realized that there were once temples in this or that place, they were beautiful in their architecture and decoration, they were special place love and reverence for our ancestors, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers went to them - they prayed, baptized children, took blessings for marriage, and passed from them into eternal life - then they would not have fought with those who want to restore churches.

All temples require support. But our strength and capabilities are limited. Today these tasks are solved by specific parishes.

As for relocating the barracks, it’s an excellent offer, I’ll definitely take advantage of it. We will talk with Alexander Edmundovich Jacob about this topic, and maybe we will start demolishing the barracks. And let them say thank you not to us, but to the city authorities, to those people who should be doing this. Will there be a temple there? Okay, let's make a temple. We'll be glad.

Evgeniy: Why do priests NEVER publicly condemn officials who steal trillions of rubles from the budget and take bribes? After all, there is a commandment “Thou shalt not steal.” If only some priest would appear on TV and say that stealing is a sin, that those who steal and take bribes will not go to heaven, they would call on them to repent and not steal anymore. But instead we hear condemnation of miniskirts. So, according to the Russian Orthodox Church, stealing a billion is not a sin, but wearing a miniskirt is a sin?

Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye: Evgeny, let's be honest. When you see a girl in a miniskirt, how pure thoughts and desires awaken in your soul? “You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt.5:27,28) Here is your answer.

As for condemning theft and bribery - stealing and taking bribes is, indeed, sinful. And representatives of the Church have stated and continue to declare this. Maybe you're watching the wrong programs? Perhaps there is an opportunity, if desired, to look in more detail at the statements of our Church made on this topic? For statements His Holiness Patriarch, to the statements of Father Vsevolod Chaplin, who is called on behalf of the Church to testify to society about our views... The position of the Church on this issue was publicly announced more than once, in particular, at the VIII World Russian People's Council in 2004 (Code moral principles and rules in economic management), it is reflected in the Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church (the document was adopted in 2000). This is not to mention the fact that in the sermons of the Patriarch and clergy, broadcast, including on television, this topic is periodically raised. But, unfortunately, very often we listen to what is imposed on us or what we want to hear. At the same time, deeper things pass by, and we subsequently begin to blame for what does not exist.

In fact, the problem of theft and bribery is obvious to everyone. But you and I didn’t come up with the proverb that a fish rots from the head. From the head of each of us. All problems are in ourselves. If we solve these problems in our lives, at our level, then those who are destroying our country in various ways, including corruption, you will have to at least be careful.

The Church has always said that theft and bribery are a dangerous sin, which on a large scale leads to the disintegration of the country, and on a private scale destroys the human soul.

- Vladyka, you have been at the Yekaterinburg See for two months now. What are your first impressions?

You just reminded me of a conversation that is passed down orally in church tradition. They ask: “Father, how long have you served?” - “Yes, for a whole year!” And the nun is asked: “And you, mother, how long are you in the monastery?” - “Yes, it’s only 10 years.” This is the difference between “already” and “still”.

In fact, no time is enough to perceive the mighty volume that Orthodox life represents, no matter in what corner it takes place - in the Yekaterinburg diocese or in any other.

But, probably, any priest, any thinking Christian always has a double impression when he sees something powerful, new in church life: on the one hand, he admires, and on the other, he understands: no matter what we do, everything will happen not enough.

So today, on the one hand, I am immersed in this enormous work that is being carried out here, and on the other hand, I see that my life is not enough to turn people’s consciousness around, so that people return to their roots, to their true Orthodox existence .

But this didn’t happen until the end - that’s why we have a lot of destroyed churches, and there are people who not only don’t know God, but also don’t want to know Him.

- What is the first task you set for the diocese?

I believe that for any diocese - not only ours, but for any other - there is only one task in the Church: salvation human souls. All the rest should be a help for this - the main - task. Therefore, whatever we do now, we strive only for people to know Christ as much as possible.

And at the same time, unfortunately, we are dealing with those sorrowful responsibilities that fall to our lot: restoration, constant construction, repairs...

Involvement in the life of the Church more and more more people- this, I think, is very significant today. You see how huge the Verkhoturye Monastery is and how many worries there are. Come here and you don’t have to leave: rake and rake, build and build.

But the most important thing, probably, today, the main thing that I see for myself is that those who preach the word of God, that is, future priests, should themselves be bearers of this lofty idea. So that during their training - even if someone came to the seminary not entirely consciously - this awareness entered their lives, so that they understood what a wonderful road they had embarked on and how much it would require of them.

Do you plan to somehow develop educational process for future priests - a seminary, a theological school? How do you see the process of development of theological schools in the Yekaterinburg diocese?

We are now moving the seminary from the Uralmash district in Yekaterinburg to the city center - to the Trinity Cathedral, to the building there. We want the clergy to be at the center of life - not only in the sacramental sense, but also in the literal sense. We want priests and seminarians to be models of their service, and we think that when they participate more actively in this life, when they begin to feel the taste of a pastoral calling, then it will become easier for them to fulfill what they came to the church for. .

Therefore, the development of the Yekaterinburg seminary should for some time focus on ensuring that this seminary feels the taste of its existence, the beauty of church students. So that this period of time - very short, but so beautiful and bright - would be marked for seminarians with the best events in their lives. So that when they go further into service, they have a solid foundation for their worldview and spiritual view.

What do you think is the main core - not even of a seminary student, but already of a cleric - a cleric of the Yekaterinburg diocese? What should it be built on? this house of the soul?

The house of the soul is a very serious topic. But I think that today a priest, as a son of his people, must take care of this people every moment. Because if we conduct even a small analysis of the current state of affairs, we will see that in almost all cities of our country, and even more so in villages and towns, the population is becoming smaller and smaller.

And if we want our nation to be alive and Orthodox, then the clergy must truly be a real example. Priests must care with their souls for the people, for their small people, that small flock where they become priests. So that by the power of their example, by the power of their spirit, they could unite people, keep them from this rapid decline into which we are now heading - because the country is being destroyed before our eyes, and it is being destroyed not by some external signs, but from the inside. People have no enthusiasm, no thirst for life. People have no perspective.

And the priest should strive to involve the people in the beauty of life given to us by God, so that people would perk up and be able to somehow perform their earthly ministry more soberly, meaningfully and with love. This is why a priest, a guide, is extremely necessary now. Very necessary. He must lead the attack. Don't bury yourself in trenches.

God bless you, sir. On the feast of the holy righteous Simeon, so important both for the Yekaterinburg diocese and for our entire Russian Orthodox Church, say a few words for our portal, a few wishes.

I was born in the Urals and grew up with the name of the righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye, and I have a very touching state now, when, being already in quite mature age, I feel how, from somewhere deep in my soul, images of childhood and memories of those people who so tenderly and reverently loved this memory, this saint, arise.

In fact, the righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye is a kind of example of what we came to Siberia with. Despite the fact that he is a Ural saint, glorified as a Siberian saint, for the people of that time there was probably no difference, the Urals or Siberia, but entering Siberia, people had their own saint, just like that - meek, kind, very good-natured, very doing a lot of useful things in your life. And this was a symbol of Christianity and enlightenment of Siberia.

Therefore, today I would like to wish everyone that we remember our origins, that truly Christian values ​​must be returned to our lives, which, unfortunately, are becoming less and less within our Christian life: namely, those qualities that the righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye gave us. And by absorbing them into ourselves, we will know that the Lord will give us the strength and opportunity to carry out our ministry further.

On August 9, 2011, a new Ruling Bishop, Archbishop Kirill, arrived in Yekaterinburg. Today “Orthodox Messenger” has the honor to introduce Vladyka to our readers.

– Vladyka, you took monastic vows at the age of 19. It was 1970. How did it happen that a Soviet youth found God and chose the persecuted Orthodox Church? Did you have believing parents?

– Yes, the family was a believer. I have five older brothers - everyone always went to church, no one was a Komsomol member (at least before the army). And, probably, this is what got them so fed up with the system that when it came to me, the youngest, my parents had very strong problems - both my father and my mother. They suffered a lot because of me, my parents.

– How did your parents instill faith in you?

- They didn’t vaccinate on purpose. This was the norm, a natural state.

– I’m not asking out of curiosity. Today there is a problem: church-going mothers sometimes, with their activity and unhealthy “piety,” kill the vitality of faith in their children. And in adolescence, rebellion begins.

– The vitality of faith is killed, that’s for sure, if you are driven into heaven with an iron fist, if you can’t take a step either to the right or to the left... But everyone experiences adolescence, it can happen at any time age group. And at some point I was in a protest mood.

- How was it?

“Mom called me to the temple, I answered: “I won’t go.” - “Why don’t you want to go to the temple?” - “I don’t want to, that’s all. What should we do with these money of yours? I won’t go.” Mom cried and was upset. My older brother, a deacon, also persuaded me to go to church, and I replied that being there, among grandmothers, was not a man’s business.

And then life brought me to the understanding that it is impossible to live without the Church. You go through a period of searching, and in the end you are left with the most important thing. By the age of 18, I no longer had any doubts; the choice was made absolutely consciously.

– As a person with experience, what would you advise today’s Christian schoolchildren, who sometimes have to deal with views and traditions at school that are contrary to Christianity? You've probably had situations like this? What is worth fighting for, and what can you simply ignore?

– The name of God should never be mocked. If they scold you, you have to endure it. I was also beaten at school. If they make fun of you, it's okay. But the Lord cannot be given over to ridicule; it is worth fighting for - for God, for the Church, for parents, for the Motherland. There are concepts that are higher than us, higher and more expensive.

The situation of choice always exists. But during my studies, the system itself obliged teachers to pursue an atheistic line, although many actually did not think so. I will never forget that the party organizer of the school stood up for me, who could have lost not only her party card, but also her job.

I remember the late school director, who was also sympathetic to my position. I remember teachers who have always been family and friends for me, whom I loved and respected, regardless of their attitude towards me, and now I love and respect. And I was always friends with my classmates, and we still communicate.

As for the current situation in schools, for example, I don’t understand why the administration sometimes insists so much on the same Halloween, but does not allow priests into classes. Are they afraid of the notorious clericalization of society and are trying in this way to distract people from God?..

It seems that school is now very difficult for both students and teachers. Those who become teachers today are ascetics. for us long hair, for an unshaven mustache, for dirty shoes they could be punished, but now students smoke and walk around in an unknown form - and it is difficult for teachers to understand how to work with them.

Therefore, I understand parents who choose home education for their children, I understand those who keep their children away from the computer and television as much as possible: a person is weak, and this can have a corrupting effect on the child. But I don’t understand parents who protect their child from literally everything, because time will pass- he will grow up and attack everything previously forbidden with such zeal that the latter can be much worse than the first.

– Vladyka, here is another church problem of our time. Orthodoxy is one thing. Christ is one. And everyone must serve God with their gift, and we all, so different, make up one Church. But Orthodox Christians today are very easily divided due to differences in views; conflicts between parishes and various Christian societies can arise “out of the blue.” What is the reason for this phenomenon, and how is this disease treated?

– There are many parishes in our Church. And each parish is a small church, but this does not mean that it is on an autonomous voyage and is saved separately from the whole world.

I think a lot happens due to the lack of Orthodox roots. The problem is that, having come to Church as an adult, a person very quickly forgets that he is a baby in church life. And he begins to bring everything that has been developed behind the fence of the Church into church life - from here a lot of confusion arises. He considers himself smart, educated, capable, a believer, and considers his experience to be the most important thing in the life of the Church. But in fact, he has not yet gone through the very basics.

In my youth, I was always amazed by what I read in the lives of saints and spiritual literature: how the Church humbled people with education. If someone smart came to the monastery, they would definitely put him in charge of cleaning toilets and shoveling manure heaps. Why, if it can be useful in another way?

But then, you have to go through everything. Because a person who has gone through the lower classes begins to see the Church with different eyes. And if he doesn’t pass, he acts on the principle “I haven’t studied anywhere, I teach myself.” Such people bring divisions into the internal church life.

Both Orthodox and liberal Orthodox were overwhelmingly born as believers 20 years ago; they were not brought up in a church environment, they did not experience much of the oppression that our parents went through. They came to the Church, where they can go to Orthodox school, publish spiritual literature, and create a church television channel. They don't appreciate it, so they allow themselves to be divided. If they were valued, these divisions would not exist.

Today, many people are extremely harsh in their judgments and tend to condemn any person; and disrespect for superiors - spiritual or temporal - is considered a national virtue. If you do not condemn or denounce anyone, you are not interesting to society. You must be a prophet with fire sword and cut down everyone right and left, including neighbors in the parishes. This trouble comes from lack of churching, in my opinion. Because people who have experienced a lot in the Church will never be inclined to such drastic actions. They are much more tolerant. There is a field of activity for everyone. If you don’t like this parish, go to another one, find yourself there and work according to your soul. And if you have a soul that is not satisfied with everything, you will rush around everywhere and will not join anything.

– What should we do about it?

– Once the Monk Pimen the Great was asked: “What to do if a brother sins?” He replied: “Close your eyes.” “But he’s sinning! The Lord will call me to judgment and say: your brother sinned, but you did not oppose him! What will I answer Him? - “You will answer: Lord, I took the plank out of my own eye before I dealt with the speck in the eye of another.”

– Vladyka, let’s talk about the difference in views. Each of us has our own talents, our own calling, our own character. Depending on this, everyone finds for themselves in the Gospel, in the Church, something that is closest to them and it is with this that they primarily associate Orthodox faith. Some people focus on asceticism, some rejoice at God’s mercy, some see signs of the Apocalypse everywhere... What is your Orthodoxy like?

– I always remember one priest who, at Soviet power He was imprisoned twice for ideological reasons, did not change his convictions, but for all that he was completely a joyful person. And he always told us, who expected the end of the world from minute to minute or by the evening of the current day: “Look at life! You all think of God as a terrible Judge, but you do not try to perceive God as a humane Father. The world was created for man - so find joy in it! This will not prevent you from realizing your unworthiness before the Creator.” Thank God this priest is still alive. He influenced our restless and constantly protesting souls with his abundance of love. Moreover, he did not speak theoretically, but had experienced a lot in life.

In addition, I really love divine services, and the service, if it goes as it should, brings me great joy. When you come to church, inhale the church smell, enter this environment - the joy is inexplicable. That’s why I don’t understand priests who don’t like to serve. They have a service - as if by the way. They love to preach or something else, but worship is not the main thing for them: they serve because they need to. But how can you not serve on Sunday? Divine Liturgy and replace it even with some church matters?

There is very little love for worship in the Church today. Hence there are a lot of questions about the beauty of the service: they don’t read well, Church Slavonic language not clear... Stand on the choir for two months with a good reader and singer - you will understand not only the language, you you'll get the point, beauty, depth of theological thought, which cannot be expressed in Russian - the language we now speak.

Therefore, Orthodoxy for me is an inexplicable depth, and the further you live, the more it delights you, pleases you, and fills you with a special feeling. At the same time, you understand that you are nobody, an unhappy grain of sand - that’s all. But this treasure has been given to you.

– Vladyka, what was your reaction to the news of the transfer to the Yekaterinburg See?

- This can’t be!

– In bad or in in a good way?

- Good! Because the Yekaterinburg diocese is far from the last diocese in our Church. It is very developed, a lot has been done here, and there are very great prospects. And the people who work here must correspond to this. But in any case, you do not correspond to either Yaroslavl or Yekaterinburg.

By inner feeling you understand that the depth of holiness and responsibility of service far exceeds your human capabilities...Before the Yaroslavl department I had Tula, before it - Moldova, and even earlier - Vladimir. As a bishop, I changed several departments, and I was mentally prepared for a change in my place of service. Another thing is that with age it becomes a little more difficult. But you understand perfectly well that you can’t get attached to anything. This makes it possible not to relate oneself to a specific place. But I never thought about Yekaterinburg, it never even occurred to me.

– Vladyka, what did you primarily associate Yekaterinburg with in the past, and what are your current impressions? Please share your impressions of the diocese, which you have been heading for more than a month.

– Ekaterinburg is power, flourishing, it is the Church on the Blood, it is the SOYUZ TV channel, which everyone knows - however, everyone has long forgotten that it is from Ekaterinburg - everyone perceives it as a church-wide channel, which is watched by millions, and so it is.

And one more thing: the church people here are very kind, and this is something indescribable. I haven’t felt this way in a long time—like the church I grew up in. When I came to church as a little boy, I had a clear feeling that they were really waiting for me there, that they were waiting for me there. Everyone is glad you came. It is clear that this did not happen in the literal sense, but I grew up with this feeling. I went to church with joy, because the priest there is so good, and the people are so good, and they are all waiting for you without fail. And if you don't show up for service, they'll be upset. I want to sleep, but I definitely have to go.

By the way, returning to childhood: in order to come to the beginning of the service, you had to leave the house at 3 am. Because the service began at five-thirty in the morning, and we lived on the other side of the river, it was 9 km to the temple. Everyone came to the village church only on Sundays, and the priest served Vespers in the evening, and began the entire service in the morning, and it lasted until 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

That's why there were problems in adolescence: you want to play football, go hiking, but you have to go to church - then there was a surge of discontent, but it passed very quickly.

Today I see people here who are very similar to the church people of my childhood. And this is incomparable. – Yekaterinburg today is a clear reflection of the principle “Action equals reaction.” The more successfully a diocese develops, the more active and even aggressive atheists manifest themselves, and this creates conflict situations. How should we behave?

– If I knew how to behave... The only thing is that I believe that our preaching, our actions should not be intrusive. We must preach, we must carry the word of God, but it is impossible to impose the word of God on someone who does not want to accept it.

They live here and we live here. They are forced to tolerate us - and we are forced to understand that such a worldview exists. Let us live with the understanding that Christ came to earth not only for you and me, but for them too. For the sake of these people, He shed the Divine Blood, accepted the suffering of the cross - including for the sake of each of them, no matter how they themselves felt about it. Maybe the Lord will bring someone to Himself through our example. Therefore, we must try to be a role model as much as possible. And do your thing. There is nothing else left.

– Vladyka, please say a few words to the readers of our magazine.

– Live with God. The most great sorrow in a person’s life – a feeling of being abandoned by God. This is the worst thing. And the most great joy– when you feel the presence of God in any circumstances. This feeling of the presence of God in our lives should never leave us. You must always feel yourself before the eyes of God, and then it will be easier. And with God’s help all issues will be resolved.

– Vladyka, thank you for this conversation. May your good feeling from childhood here in Yekaterinburg remain for many, many years.

Interviewed by Svetlana Ladina