Arseny the Russian (1893-1973)

[Crispin Pemberton]

Recently I read two books on the life and spiritual work of Fr.Arseny, a Russian priest who was condemned for many years to exile in a Siberian labour camp. I am sure these books and their contents will be very familiar to you .

Within the pages of these books I felt I was touching on something truly saintly, such was the evident humility, sanctity and selflessness of this man. Not only had he been a powerful witness to the love of God for all His people in the circumstances of the labour camps, winning over many of the rougher diamonds around him, but on his release he worked tirelessly as a spiritual director and counsellor - I believe the term is 'staretz'.

Is this extraordinary servant of God to be recognised by the Russian Orthodox Church as the vehicle of divine activity that he appears to me to have been? Maybe others know more about Arseny, and his suitability to bear the title 'Saint'.

Thank you
Crispin

[Jerry W. Peach]

I just finished the book Father Arseny 1893-1973 Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father which are accounts taken from his life and I'm wondering if he's being Sainted? His life is very inspiring. He suffered and survived the Soviet Labor camps and in the process influenced many people, for Christ and the Orthodox faith including camp guards and administrators and at least one violent criminal with a murderous past. His life would make for a great movie. (I realize Hollywood would not be up to this task but its a nice thought.) His life demonstrated miracles and he had insights into peoples lives that were indeed miraculous. In a situation in which he and another prisoner were sentenced to a small punishment cell during the Siberian Winter, a virtual death sentence, it appears he radiated the "Uncreated Light" just as St. Seraphim of Sarov and other Saints are said to have and they survived. If you haven't read the book I invite you to do so. So why isn't he a Saint? I don't know much about the way believers become saints in the Orthodox Church; I'm a recent convert. }

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

When this book came out a few years ago (actually there is also a second book about him which is just as moving)its effect was like a whirlwind. For those with the eyes to see & ears to hear it also answered many questions about the Church in Russia even in the darkest of times. In a real sense Fr Arseny's hands stretch out in prayer to help heal the divisions that afflicted the Church of Russia in the 20th century. As a fellow priest pointed out the appearance of these books at the time they did was not accidental but due to God's mercy working through the prayers of Fr Arseny.

About him being a saint I will let the Church declare this. But his holiness should be obvious to all who read these books. The power of his prayer courses through them in a very powerful way. Incidentally there are those spiritual fathers who advise that we can turn to the prayers of Fr Arseny. We should not hide such bright lights under a basket.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Arsenios]

It was because of my intense response to the first book on him that my priest gave me the name Arsenios - His was the second Orthodox book I encountered - The first was the Way of a Pilgrim - Part of the saint issue is that his grave has been lost, though the cemetary in which he was buried apparently has not...

Arsenios

[Elias Young]

www.storytellingmonk.org/ (http://www.storytellingmonk.org/). ../people/arseny.htm

***

Part of the saint issue is that his grave has been lost, though the cemetary in which he was buried apparently has not...

Arsenios

[Jerry W. Peach]

Thanks so much everyone for responding to my inquiry and letting me know his book has had a powerful influence on others. I'm comforted to know I can call on Father Arseny's intercessions in my prayers as well.

Besides the second book of accounts of Father Arseny's life, can anyone recommend a book on the terrible Soviet persecution of the Orthodox faithful in which I can only imagine millions suffered?

Or better yet another inspiring book on the life of a Saint?

[Ken McRae]

NEW CONFESSORS OF RUSSIA - Vol. I, Nizhny-Novgorod Province (http://www.sainthermanpress.com/catalog/chapter_five/NewConf_book.htm)

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Besides the book that Theophilus mentions there is also Russia's Catacomb Saints- Lives of the New Martyrs by Ivan Andreyev- St Herman of Alaska Press. And: The New Martyrs of Russia- Fr Michael Polsky-Monastery Press.

With the changes in Russia and access to archives which didn't exist in the Soviet time there are also now many histories which capture the tone of that time of persecution.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Mother Evfrosinia]

I read chapters from "Fr. Arseny" for the first time about 20 years ago, in Russian Samizdat editions that were smuggled out to the West, and spoke to many people, some of them instrumental in the final publication of the 2 books, both in and out of Russia about the accounts and Fr. Arseny himself. To the best of my knowledge "Fr. Arseny" is a composite of several people. Events from the lives of several New Martyrs and Confessors were woven together to create Fr. Arseny, and he's a literary figure rather than an actual person, though all of the stories are absolutely true. For example, no one has been able to name a well-known art historian of that era, specializing in Russian iconography, who became a monk and priest and was incarcerated in the Gulag, as Fr. Arseny was. I did meet someone, though, that had known a witness to the events described in the chapter "Where Two or Three are Gathered in My Name", about the prayer of Fr. Arseny and the student Alexei in the freezing isolation cell. In this light, it would seem more fitting to address one's prayers to the New Martyrs of Russia in general rather than to "Fr. Arseny".
Christ is Risen! - m. Evfrosinia

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Mother Evfrosinia,
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Could we be talking about another Fr Arseny? The two English books present an apparently real flesh & blood person whom many people knew & talked with. At the end of the second volume is "Memoirs of Fr Arseny & his Spiritual Children" which includes many biographical details. Also there is a photo of a memorial stone to Fr Arseny.

Considering all this and the many more specific references to Fr Arseny in the books it almost would be fraudulent if these books did not present a real Fr Arseny.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Ken McRae]

Forgive my oversight, but I feel these two more than deserve an honorable mention as well:-

1 - ELDER NEKTARY of OPTINA (http://www.sainthermanpress.com/catalog/chapter_six/nektary_book.htm)

Elder Nektary (1853–1928) was the last Elder to function as such at Optina. He was in Optina when it was forcibly closed by the communists in 1923, and spent his remaining years in exile from his spiritual home. He lived through a time of persecution worse than any other in the thousand-year history of the Russian Orthodox Church. At this time of immeasurable sorrow for Christian believers, God gave Elder Nektary to Russia as both a consoler of souls and a voice of prophecy.

2 - ELDER SEBASTIAN of OPTINA (http://www.sainthermanpress.com/catalog/chapter_six/sebastian_book.htm)

The spiritual image of Elder Sebastian (1884–1966) is that of a longsuffering, quiet bearer of the vision of the Optina monastic tradition—destined to preserve Optina eldership through decades of communist persecution of the Church. After the closure of Optina Monastery in 1923, Fr. Sebastian—a disciple of both Elder Joseph and Elder Nektary—matured rapidly into a truly compassionate pastor. He suffered arrest and imprisonment by the communists in 1933, and was sentenced to ten years in the Karaganda concentration camps of Kazakhstan.

humbly,
Theophilus

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Perhaps the following may at least partially clear up this mystery about Fr Arseny.
One person writes about him:


"It is now 1980 and I am 87 years old. Many of us have written our memoirs as Fr Arseny asked us to, and I have read them all. I am sorry to say that in ways unknown to me these memoirs found their way into the samizdat. As a result, there are mistakes, inexactitudes, wrong dates. Some texts were changed without the permission of their authors. While Fr Arseny was alive I did not share my memoirs; only now have I decided to include my words with what has been written before. I am including the talk I heard in 1972 and wrote down then and there because that talk opens up several details of Father's life for us that were unknown till now, and retells some points of view he had not expressed before.

While I was living in Rostov in August 1972, I saw Fr Arseny almost daily and was present at many of his talks. One of them, that lasted for two evenings, I especially remember."

Perhaps anyone else who knows of this matter with any certainty could also comment.
In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Mother Evfrosinia]

Dear Fr. Raphael, bless, and Christ is Risen!

We’re definitely speaking about the same Fr. Arseny. I’ve read several articles in Orthodox journals, both scholarly and popular, dealing with the question of Fr. Arseny’s identity. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of them at hand right now, though I can look in our library if you feel it’s important. My original sources for the statement that he was a composite of people rather than a single personage were Fr. Vladimir Shibaev and Zoya Krakhmalnikova, the editors of the “Nadezhda” collection of Orthodox Samizdat materials that were published in the West in the late 70’s and early 80’s by Possev publishing house in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Those journals included the first few chapters from “Fr. Arseny” to appear in the West. Fr. Vladimir spent several months at our monastery when he first left Russia in 1988, and Mrs Krakhmalnikova visited twice soon after that. The most current information on this question that I have on hand right now is from the French edition, “Pere Arsene, Passeur de la foi, consolateur des ames”, published by Les editions du Cerf in Paris in 2002. The introduction relates that the 2 books were first officially published in Russia by the Saint Tikhon Theological Institute in Moscow in 1993. According to the same introduction, the tomb stone depicted in the English translation of the book was erected in 2001 by Vera Boutenenv, the English translator, in Rostov, near the entrance to the old cemetery, as a memorial to Fr. Arseny, as the original site of his grave had been lost. Then the introduction goes on to say: (the following is my translation from the French) “In spite of the great and profound veneration that has developed in Russia and abroad, Fr. Arseny still hasn’t been canonized, because his civil identity remains unknown. Who then was Fr. Arseny? The essentials of his life and personality are revealed to us through the various accounts. But because they’re not at all systematic, many parts and aspects of his story remain unknown. We hope that new witnesses and accounts will appear who will reveal to us what we still don’t know: Fr. Arseny’s last name, which camps he was incarcerated in, and which churches he celebrated in. The name given Fr. Arseny in the first part’ “Piotr Andreevich Streltzov”, is an imaginary name. All of the names in parts I and II were purposely changed to protect these people from persecution by the State. The only name that we can be certain of is the name he received when he made his monastic vows: Arseny. According to Orthodox tradition a monk uses only his monastic name. Nevertheless, throughout his many prison terms, only his civil name, which we don’t know, appeared in official documents. For a certain time many believed that “Fr. Arseny” was a composite of several persons, but the more recent accounts of his spiritual children, who’s names we know, don’t contradict each other and tend to attest to an actual historical Fr. Arseny. “ The Introduction then summarizes facts about his early years as a priest, his prison years and terms of exile, and his subsequent life in Rostov Veliky, as related in the books.
After rereading all of this, I would say that there probably was a definite “Fr. Arseny”, this particular Confessor that lived in Rostov after his many prison terms and died in 1975. But I still think that some of the accounts are about other New Martyrs. It’s quite possible that Fr. Arseny himself related these stories to his spiritual children, and in time and from being passed on orally they got confused and attributed to Fr. Arseny himself. I’ve run across this sort of thing in lives and accounts of the New Martyrs very often. One has to realize that this is a new field, new archives and records are constantly being made public, and many accounts that are based solely on oral tradition have proved to be inaccurate. One of the reasons is probably that probably Fr. Arseny was at least at some occasion a member of the Catacomb Church. He was first imprisoned in 1927, which leads one to think that he was probably in opposition to the Declaration of Loyalty made by the future Patriarch Sergius in that year. Several of his children knew members of and participated in secret services organized by the followers of Fr. Sergey Metchev, another Confessor of the Catacomb Church. And the diocese of Rostov hasn’t come forth with any documents attesting to his years there; apparently he was never an “official” clergyman while living in Rostov.

The stories, struggles and lives of thousands of such martyrs and confessors still remain unknown throughout Russia. It will take long years of study and research before the full truth of the persecution of the faith in Russia under Communism is written.

Asking your blessing, in Christ, m. Evfrosinia

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Dear Mother Evfrosinia,
Many thanks for your post.

I was relieved to read from the Introduction to the French edition you quoted:


For a certain time many believed that “Fr. Arseny” was a composite of several persons, but the more recent accounts of his spiritual children, who’s names we know, don’t contradict each other and tend to attest to an actual historical Fr. Arseny.

As you say it was very possible especially in the difficult times of Soviet persecution when much of what we know of the New-martyrs was the result of oral stories passed from person to person to gradually go astray from what actually happened. Many of these accounts are now being verified and corrected from access to archives from the Soviet period.

One good example of this you probably know about was how it was once told as definite truth that the relics of St Seraphim had been waylaid by peasants while being taken by Bolshevik soldiers. Then they were apparently hidden in a secret place that would one day be revealed. However when the Soviet regime fell we discovered this story was not accurate at all- the relics had been seized by the Bolsheviks but had never been recovered by peasants. In a way we can now see that this apocryphal account was literally wishful thinking. But in the 1970s this account was said to have been absolutely true.

My doubts about any claim that Fr Arseny didn't actually exist are due to the style contained in the English editions. Much of what is reported comes from many different spiritual children. Each of these accounts is different and reflects the personality & concerns of the persons writing. Given the complexity as well as consistency of what is presented about Fr Arseny it is difficult to see how what is presented could be anything but a real person seen by many different people in widely different circumstances. Or else what is presented amounts to conscious fraud by someone. In this case any fundamental doubts about the veracity of Fr Arseny should have been openly dealt with by the translator and publisher. After all you have on the back jacket of these books a blurb by a very reputable Orthodox personality speaking about Fr Arseny as if he was a real person.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Janice Chadwick]

I think Fr. Arseny should be canonized as a saint. The first book on Fr. Arseny is probably my favorite Orthodox book. He is a true inspiration and example of a truly holy person.

Another book I really like is "The Blessed Surgeon: The Life of Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol". It is published by Divine Ascent Press. He started out as a surgeon and became world famous. After his wife's death, he became a monastic and was then ordained as a priest and then a bishop. He was exiled several times and was sent to the gulag a few times as well. The Russians needed his skills as a surgeon during WWII. He insisted on having icons in the operating room while performing operations and was actually allowed to have them in there. I highly recommend this book--he is a real inspiration as well.

[Catholic]

I too have read both books on Father Arseny and have discussed the book with both Catholic and Orthodox friends.

I am glad this came up about 'doubts' about him - at first when I heard this I found it disheartening and disturbing... downright annoying ... and didn't know what to think about it, and since I really didn't have time to look into it, I let it go.

But if I might ask what the general thought about it is here - then - it would appear that even if the stories are about different persons, or he is a 'composite' of different people, it doesn't mean 'all is lost' or that 'all is untrue' but that rather, we can still respond to the truths therein, to the Christ like love and prayer he exemplified, as really existing whether in himself or in others... I have to admit it has bothered me ever since I read casually someplace or heard someplace about these doubts and I never picked up the books again since then even though I'd previously gotten the first one as a gift for someone....

Did I interpret correctly how we might regard this? It's nice to 'not' have to be disenchanted....!

Catholic

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

From the books themselves we can tell that Fr Arseny was a real flesh & blood person. There are several 'mysteries' about him but this should not trouble us as to his existence. After all the lives of many notable new-martyrs of Russia are being updated from new information to do this day.
Don't worry. Fr Arseny is real.
In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Justin]

Besides the second book of accounts of Father Arseny's life, can anyone recommend a book on the terrible Soviet persecution of the Orthodox faithful in which I can only imagine millions suffered?

While not about the persecution of Orthodox Christians alone, The Gulag Archipelago by Alexader Solzhenitsyn gives a very detailed and weighty description of the Soviet persecutions of innocent people.

[Olga]

There is also the book "The Catacomb Saints" which covers the lives of many who suffered under Soviet persecutions. Not sure if it's still in print.

[Vasilis Kirikos]

Besides the second book of accounts of Father Arseny's life, can anyone recommend a book on the terrible Soviet persecution of the Orthodo"x faithful in which I can only imagine millions suffered?

It is strange, isn't it? The fact is The Church suffered greatly under the Communist; yet there isn't that much documentation concerning exactly what they did suffer....and yet their suffering was immense. It's the same for the Orthodox and other Christians who lived under the cruel hand of the Muslim Turks. Few realized, and many did not care about their suffering (e.g., the English PM, Lord Beaconsfield, AKA Benjamin Disraeli who chided anyone who took issue concerning his pro-Turk attitude. Disraeli was PM for almost seven years, during which time thousands of Orthodox Christians were murdered by the Turks. It was said of PM Disraeli that he was more anti-Christian than pro-Turk. Disraeli knew that the Turks exacted a tax on their Christian subjects(whom they referred to as their cattle or slave class) in the form of Christian children. One of every five male children between the ages of 9 to 20 years of age were taken from the Christian homes as a tax paid to their Muslim masters. On certain days all young male childer were required to report naked to the Turk governorin the town or village square. And he would choose those who were to become slaves. Many of these children did not survive this slavery. Some of the survivors were forced to convert to islam and became what was know as the Janissaries. The Janissaries often times were sent to murder their own Christian people. I believe that there is a special place in hell for the Turks responsible for this. Our Lord said that it would be better if a millstone were put around their necks and drowned rather than cause a little one to sin. Often times more were taken. And at the whim of the Muslim governor women were taken as well. My own great grandmother was slated to be sent to the Sultan as a slave despite the fact that she was already betrothed to my great grandfather. Fortunately the Greek Revolution started that year. My enraged great grandfather got a reputation during that revolution... becasue he was said to loved to smell Turkish blood...up close!

[Byron Jack Gaist]

Dear Vasilis,

While, as a Greek Cypriot, I can empathise with your resentment towards Turkish people, I do not think "an eye for an eye" is a Christian teaching. We all need, in my opinion, to beware of becoming black-and-white in our perspective on things. This inevitably leads to idealising one side and denigrating the other, whereas your own description of your grandfather suggests crimes were committed on both sides. Don't get me wrong, I'm no friend of Turkish policy; but I do think we need to be level-headed and fair, and as Christians we need to also be loving and forgiving in our dealings with others...

In Christ
Byron

[Boulos]

And forgive ure brother 7 times 70, doesn't mean as ignoring his bad deeds toward you .....

[Father David Moser]

The book, "The Catacomb Saints" is, I believe, out of print and difficult to come by. There are two other books that I know of that are a collection of the sufferings of the New Martyrs of Russia - "The New Martyrs of Russia" by Archpriest Michael Polsky and "New Confessors of Russia" by Archimandrite Damascene. Both of these are currently available (to the best of my knowledge).

Archpr. David Moser

[Father David Moser]

I would also like to suggest the life of the Elder Sebastian in the "Optina Elders" series (someone already mentioned this). There are many parallels to Fr Arseny in the life of this elder.

Archpr. David Moser

[Olga]

I (or should I say, my husband) have a copy of the book "Catacomb Saints". I would be happy to provide the contents list on this site, and scan individual chapters on particular saints for emailing if people wish.

[Michael L.]

Sorry to drag up such an old thread. I read the two books about Fr, Arseny a few months ago and I was wandering if anyone has ever come across a photo of Fr. Arseny? Is there perhaps a Fr. Arseny icon available?

In Christ,
Michael