Sermon by Father Valerian Krechetov on the Day of memory of New Russian Martyrs and Confessors

In February the Russian Orthodox Church, in line with a recently established tradition, marks the Council of New Russian Martyrs and Confessors, who suffered in the years of the Socialist revolution in Russia and under the Soviet rule.

We offer you a sermon by Father Valerian Krechetov, a deeply loved and respected clergyman in the Orthodox community. He is the Superior of the Church in Otradnoye, just outside Moscow. His sermon was read on the day of memory of Russia’s Martyrs and Confessors, early in February this year, and was published in the Orthodox paper “Sunday School”. In it, Father Valerian tells his parish about the confessors he was fortunate to know personally.

“Our Church received a great blessing from God: before our altar lie the holy relics of the very Confessors, whose memory we honor today. Among them – Bishop Stefan.

In his youth, Bishop Stefan was a doctor – a neurologist. He maintained a close spiritual relationship with the renowned Elder – the Reverend Nectarios Optinsky.

During the Stalin purges Bishop Stefan spent some ten years altogether in camps, and he faced another ten-year sentence for his attempts, as a doctor, to alleviate the fate of those prison inmates, who had been unjustly condemned (and in those years there were many such unfortunate ones, particularly clergymen). At the advice of a nurse, who was witness to all his good deeds, and sympathized with him, in his prayers he sought the help of the Holy Blessed Matrona of Moscow, who was still alive at the time. Since, as a doctor, he was granted the right to leave the boundary of the prison zone, he went out into the woods and shouted thrice: “Matronushka! Help me in my troubles!” Thanks to the prayers of the Blessed Matrona, he was miraculously released! After this, he didn’t immediately make for home, but first decided to pay a visit to the Blessed Matrona, to thank her. When he entered the house that had been pointed out to him, not finding anyone there to begin with, he said: “Greetings to you!”

Suddenly from the depths of the room came the voice of the ill Matrona:

“Greetings to you, Servant of God Sergiy!” (in secular life his name was, indeed, Sergey Alexeyevich Nikitin).

“How is it that you know my name? he asked.

“Why, didn’t you call me? As you can see, I heard you!” replied Matrona.

“Archimandrite of St.Daniel’s Monastery Dorotheus, whose relics also lie here, spent eight or ten years in prison, and after being released – lived in a barn for ten years. During the cold season, I personally witnessed how the local cats would all come over to lie alongside him, keeping him warm. The Lord granted me an opportunity to visit him.

Also buried here, near our church, is Father Yefrosin. He labored in Siberian exile, on the Kolyma, for some ten years. When his term was up he was summoned and informed that the term would be prolonged by another ten years. However, a commission, unexpectedly arrived from the centre, thwarted the plans of the camp authorities. When the lists of inmates were being checked, it became evident that Father Yefrosin was doing additional time – so he was released. The other campmates helped get together some basic essentials into his suitcase. He boarded a boat, bound for Vladivostok. There, on the shore of the Pacific, he learned that the Great Patriotic War had broken out. If he hadn’t been released then, he would never have survived in camp. During the war everyone there died.

Afterwards, Father Yefrosin roamed at length. For some time he was forced to spend every night in a new place, for fear of being hunted down and arrested again. However, Father Yefrosin’s spiritual Father Hieromonk Innocent told him: “Fear not! The Lord shall protect you!”

Father Yefrosin recalled that in camp on Kolyma he once reached a state when he felt he could no longer put up with the torments of the camp authorities and decided to make a run for it. The decision was a totally rash one, since all around for several thousand kilometers there was nothing but taiga, and it was in the depths of winter – bitterly cold!

Still, defying all reason, Father Yefrosin escaped into the taiga. He walked on and on, growing every weaker. He ate berries and nuts that were pretty scarce. He had no notion of which direction he was moving in, for he had no map. Eventually he emerged out of the woods onto a highway, where he was caught and sent promptly back to prison camp. The camp bosses, upon seeing him, were infuriated! As punishment, Father Yefrosin was kept out in the bitter frost for three weeks, and given bread and water every other day… Despite everything, he stayed alive! He would pray: “God, preserve me, not for my sake, but for the Glory of Your name!” And the Lord kept Father Yefrosin alive! The camp Director was amazed at this…

“This particular camp head received his due: he was soon transferred to a different camp, where the inmates, familiar with his reputation for cruelty, tore him to pieces! Thus, the Lord made the tormentor pay a price for his sins already here, on Earth.

When after three weeks out in the cold Father Yefrosin was left to die, he was nursed back to life by criminals, doing their time alongside the political inmates. Camp rules forbade that Father Yefrosin be fed, since he couldn’t carry out his daily work load. So the criminals took him along with them, and did his part of the work, so as to later feed him at their table.

Already after the war, one doctor, who regularly checked up on Father Yefrosin, said: “What have they done to you? Your entire nervous system has been frozen through!” At the time Father Yefrosin lay wearing woolen socks and ‘valenki’ (felt boots) even when it was warm. He kept a pillow under his feet, for he could feel the chill from the floor… When he sat, he would keep a pillow at his back, for he could also feel a chill from the wall.”

It was not only the clergy who were subjected to persecution during those years, says Father Valerian, and cites the following:

“When I was working in the Urals, I was acquainted with one elderly woman, whose husband was a Tsarist officer. He had sworn allegiance to the Czar on the Cross and the Bible, and could not go back on his word of honor. He refused outright to serve the Soviets. As a result, he was sent into exile. His wife and six children followed him…

The road was so horrendously difficult, it made survival next to impossible. However, the woman prayed fervently. All she prayed for was that at least one child be left to her! In the long run, only one child survived the ordeal. Her husband went the way of other Czarist officers and was executed by a firing squad. It all happened right before her eyes. Watching her husband’s execution, she sang “Christ Is Arisen…”, and addressing the executioners she said: “May God forgive you…”

Despite all she endured, this woman wasn’t hardened. She remained a person of remarkable kindness. The daughter, whose life the Lord had preserved, was similarly good and kind-natured. She married, had children… The daughter’s husband, the grandchildren all adored this woman, and an atmosphere of love reigned in their family.”

Generally, all Martyrs and Confessors, stressed Father Valerian, were possessed of a remarkable power of Love. He said:

“All martyrs and confessors, just as the martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity – are a shining example of purity, lofty love and holiness. Love is a great gift of God. This love is mentioned in the Bible, read during the day of memory of the Russian newly-martyred and the confessors: “These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

These words are true to this day. And so we should seek love. And we can do so only if we are prepared to accept one another at face value…

Our task lies in preserving, in the conditions that we find ourselves in by God’s Provenance, the love, the foundation that bolsters man’s spirit in diverse trials, in sufferings, particularly for one’s faith. Do not believe that one who grows impatient and frustrated with others for their failings, shall say to his torturers: “May God forgive you!” One who is irritated by his fellow men will hardly be able to withstand true suffering. Perhaps he will be able to hold out for some time on pride alone, but not for long! For it is like a house built on sand…

Marking the day of Russia’s New Martyrs and Confessors, glorying in their heroic deeds, their sufferings, their labors; drawing strength from their unfailing love and goodness, let us try to emanate them at least to some degree in their boundless love for their fellowmen.”