“Embrace of the Father. The monthly newspaper "World of Orthodoxy" Embrace the Father when sung
Should freedom be "from something" or "for something"? Why is the search for pleasure dangerous? Why is fornication prohibited? In the Week of the Prodigal Son, the words of the apostle Paul are read, which provide an answer to these questions. Archimandrite Iannuariy (IVLIEV) explains
The "conditions of salvation" are not explicitly formulated, but they can be derived from the opposite: "external fire" is intended for those "who have never repented," God with a prayer for the forgiveness of sins. The priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY tells about the first stichera for praises, which will be sung today at the all-night vigil.
During the first four days of Great Lent, we hear the Great Canon of Penitence of St. Andrew of Crete. His troparia are imbued with contrition in sins, admission of their own weakness and worthlessness. And then follows the solemn chant "God is with us!" with a call to "tongues" to obey. What explains the sudden change in mood, says the priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY.
At the Sunday liturgy, the gospel of the Last Judgment was read. People on it will be divided into sheep and goats, the latter will be sent into the eternal fire. But is the judgment of God, who is Love, so inevitable? What if someone there, already at the Last Judgment, understood everything and repented. Will they not listen to him, forgive him? Comments by Archpriest Georgy KLIMOV, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity at the Pyatnitskoye Cemetery (Moscow), teacher of the New Testament of the Department of Biblical Studies of the MDAiS
On Saturday, at Matins, for the last time this year, Psalm 136 will sound - a mournful, penitential song "On the rivers of Babylon." What is it about? What is this cursed daughter of Babylon and babies who must be smashed against a stone? These are sinful passions that you need to hate in yourself and put to death before they grow up. By Archpriest Igor GAGARIN
The Resurrection of Lazarus precedes the Resurrection of Christ. Therefore, already on Lazarev Saturday, in the second exapostilaria of Matins, we hear "Death, where is your sting?" By the priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY
On Sundays of Great Lent, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (she fast is served on Saturdays), and the liturgy of St. Basil the Great. What are the differences between the two liturgies - says the priest Theodore LYUDOGOVSKY.
We place the text for general folk singing for the Saturday All-night Vigil and Sunday Liturgy
The Apocalypse, which tells about the Last Judgment and the great calamities that preceded it, ends with a joyful exclamation: "Hey, come, Lord Jesus!" Looking at the lower parts of the Last Judgment icon, it is not easy to share the joy of this expectation. Perhaps that is why in the church and near-church environment the eschatological topic often causes a certain tension: people look for signs of the end of times even where they do not exist, look for miraculous means to "delay" the fulfillment of Revelation, drop out of society and even burrow underground ... the future destinies of the world and the Church, our correspondent Elena NASLEDYSHEVA talks with Archpriest Alexander STEPANOV
Great Lent begins - a special time for repentance. Bishop Panteleimon of Smolensk and Vyazemsk tells how to properly prepare for the first confession
During the first four days of Great Lent, all Orthodox Christians try to free themselves early so that they can go to church by five or six in the evening - to read the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. Priest Alexy AGAPOV, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, tells about the meaning and significance of the canon.
There are people who have been going to confession all their lives and have never really repented. And there are people who do not know how to confess, but their repentance is real. About the relationship between confession and repentance - Doctor of Theology, rector of the Church of the Three Saints on Kulishki, Archpriest Vladislav SVESHNIKOV.
During the first week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Repentance is read in churches every evening from Monday to Thursday. Andrew of Crete. For those who are going to go to Canon after work and do not have a printed text with them, we have prepared a Russian-Slavic parallel text that can be easily printed on a printer.
During the first week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Repentance is read in churches every evening from Monday to Thursday. Andrew of Crete. In many parishes, it is customary not only to listen to the text of the canon, but to follow the reading on paper in order to better understand. For those who are going to go to Canon after work and do not have a printed text with them, we have prepared a Russian-Slavic parallel text that can be easily printed on a printer.
Father's embrace with holes in mine
The fourth day of Great Lent. Pyukhtitsa monastery. It is quiet and festive in the Dormition monastery church - today the monastic tonsure. Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia Korniliy reads the penitential canon of Andrew of Crete: "I fall to you, Jesus, who have sinned Ti, cleanse me ..." The sister's choir sings: "Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me." In the twilight, lamps and icons shine, the temple is filled with nuns, novices, parishioners. The altar contains four snow-white knots with the vestments of future nuns, each with a tag with the name of a novice. The last preparations for the monastic tonsure are in progress. All four novices pray while listening to the canon of repentance. They have long been in the church, in its southern aisle in the name of St. John Climacus and Seraphim of Sarov. A special screen hides them from others.
The time of the monastic tonsure is approaching, general excitement is growing, Metropolitan Korniliy reads the last song of the canon: "Have mercy, save me, Son of David ..."; the sister's choir sings: "Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me."
A lectern is installed in front of the pulpit. Nuns with lighted candles form a living corridor that runs from the pulpit to the south side-altar, where the novices stand, next to the concentrated abbess Barbara. She quietly gives the necessary orders to the sisters, and those with a bow soundlessly disappear into the "black river" of monastic robes.
Metropolitan Cornelius in a black hood and dark robe is located behind the analogue for tonsure. Absolute silence ensues in the church - the rite of monastic tonsure begins. One can hear the quiet and reverent singing of the troparion: "Embrace the fathers with their openings ...".
From the far end of the glowing living corridor, nuns begin to move. They slowly lead the novices to the bishop, covering them tightly with their robes. The sisters sing: "Savior, now my impoverished do not despise my heart ...". Each of the novices stretches three times in a cruciform manner on the floor of the temple during this journey under the cover of monastic robes.
Suddenly, the heads of novices appear from under the monastic robes in front of the bishop and abbess Varvara, then they stand up to their full height, dressed in white hair shirts, their hands are folded crosswise on their chest, their faces are unusually white and clean - they themselves are clearly excited and serious. Abbess Varvara looks at them with undisguised maternal love and care, worries, helps and imperceptibly prompts them.
Metropolitan Korniliy begins to ask questions to the novices: “What have you come, sister? ..”, the novices answer: “Desiring a life of the fast.”
Metropolitan: "Do you wish to be honored with the angelic image? ..", novices: "She, hurrying God."
Their answers are unhurried, clear and decisive.
Metropolitan: "Behold Christ is invisibly here to come: see as if no one is forcing you to come to this image ...", novices: "Hey, holy master, from your own will."
Metropolitan Cornelius's voice wavered at some point, he also failed to cope with the sincere emotion that gripped everyone for the novices. Many in the temple cannot hold back their tears, sigh, worry and pray fervently. All attention is focused on the novices, the Metropolitan's questions and their answers are carefully listened to.
An exciting moment comes - Metropolitan Cornelius picks up scissors, next to him is Abbess Barbara. At the time of the tonsure, a new name is called, with which the nun will now live. Everyone is waiting for this moment with bated breath. Nobody knows their new names beforehand. Finally, the metropolitan cuts the novices' hair crosswise and pronounces their new names. There is animation among the people around - benevolent smiles of the nuns are visible, tears in their eyes again. The agitated exclamation of the Metropolitan - "Lord, have mercy!" merges with the silent whisper of the entire temple - "Lord, have mercy!" and the sign of the cross.
Soon all the nuns are in full monastic vestments, holding wooden carved crosses and large candles in their hands, the faces of the nuns are shining. Read the Apostle, then the Gospel. The tonsure is completed, Metropolitan Cornelius pronounces a congratulatory word. Everyone is in a joyful and solemn mood. Further, the new nuns receive congratulations and monastic wishes - "Save yourself in the rank of an angel!"
Congratulations end, the nuns remain in the temple for several days without the right to leave. As it is written in the order of the tonsure - for "reading and staying in spiritual meditation and in mental prayer." The quiet voice of Mother Superior Varvara is heard: "if only not to catch a cold for the daughters." Everyone leaves the temple, praying on the go - "Lord, help them!" The first night of the newly tonsured nuns is coming.
Priest Boris Merlin
Arseny Shulgin
... The Middle Earth Sea. It is very beautiful at dawn. You stand ankle-deep in warm water: a light touch of a wave, soft sand under your feet. Slightly pink sky, silence around. A few more strokes from the Heavenly Artist's palette - and you float into a new day. There is gratitude in the soul - without shores, without borders ... Gratitude is greater than yourself. Gratitude for beauty and harmony, for what is given free of charge and has no value. Gratitude to the Artist, Master, Creator and Heavenly Father ...
My father was an artist. He sought balance in color, in a combination of lines and shadows. He was looking for a miracle on canvas, a miracle that he will give to everyone and that can soften our common tragedy of life here on earth - pain, betrayal and, most importantly, loneliness.
For me, he has always been a magician, capable of any magic. This feeling did not leave me until his death, and even now it sometimes seems to me that he is still mixing colors, diluting my reality.
He performed his first miracle when I was about 7. “Hey, son, do you know that I can conjure whatever you want? Well, for example, a model car? " "Zhiguli" of the first model - the doors open and the hood. What more could a boy want at seven years old? “Akalai-makalai! One two Three! Well, now go and look under your pillow. "
I don’t remember what I was more surprised at - a typewriter or my father’s skills. It's amazing that only at the age of 20 the thought occurred to me that the car could simply be placed under the pillow in advance.
I never doubted him, and when others doubted, I wondered how you can not believe in my father, because he is a real magician? I was worried when they talked to him disrespectfully, but calmed down when I saw my father cover up any mistrust or rudeness in his address with condescension and forgiveness. “Forgiveness is the beginning of the most terrible revenge,” he said.
My life was under his flag. Under our flag. I was not afraid of anything, and this is very important for a child, and especially for a teenager - not to be afraid of anything, that is, to know that there is a strong rear, to know that a wise father will always prompt, help, share his time with you and will be in your life always there - strong, wise, cheerful and reliable. A teenager cannot find a best friend. He will not compete with you, he will not beat off your girlfriends, he will not make fun of you in the company and assert himself at your expense.
“I am the same as you, only I have more experience,” he said. And it strengthened and supported.
Arseny with his father. Photo from the family archive.
Almost nothing was forbidden to me, and therefore many "forbidden fruits", as a rule, seemed very sweet, did not become a hidden or explicit habit. Do not read other people's letters, do not peep through the keyhole, do not be afraid, do not betray your friends - these are the basic commandments.
I remember once we were climbing on a closed construction site, and a raid began on us, and the same guys were running after us, only older ones, fed by the watchman. And so my friend slyly hid somewhere, and I did not know about it. I could already run away, but I was worried about him, did not want to leave him - and they caught me. We did nothing wrong, but in the opinion of these guys, even our presence on their territory was a great crime. They surrounded me, beat me hard, and took away my bicycle, which I had with great difficulty begged my father the day before.
I walked home without a bicycle, with a huge bump and with anticipation of how I would be scolded and reprimanded. But, lo and behold! My father supported me and even praised me for not leaving my friend, and this covered all the bruises and all my childhood grief.
I remember my father's humor and his views on the surrounding reality, which often run counter to public ones.
By the way, my father, still in school, in the 7th grade, organized a "demonstration". Probably, then he still understood little in politics, but he acutely felt the falsity, hypocrisy and injustice. A company of schoolchildren walked along the main street of the city, carrying a sled with a similar young dissident with the slogan "Down with Khrushchev!" My grandfather, a school teacher, was given a strict suggestion - deal with your son or ...
By the way, my father's relationship with his father was not very good. My grandfather parted with his grandmother early and completely immersed himself in school education. He was everything to his students, but he seems to have lost his own son ... On coming of age, he gave my father a plastic saber. It was, of course, a funny joke, but for an 18-year-old, everything was clear without words. Why did it happen?..
But back to the story of my father.
New Year's in my father's office ... It was, I think, 91st ... Father allowed me to gather my classmates for a party in his office. We brought in big speakers, decorated the room with different ribbons and balloons, trendy music, me in my dad's suit. The evening was a success, and my rating among the female half of the class rose sharply. It was great, and I was proud of my father, proud that we are on an equal footing with him and that I am a full-fledged man in our family.
When my father died, everything collapsed for me - expectations, hopes ... The strong wall behind which I lived no longer exists. It was very hard for my mother, she too got used to the light magic of our life ...
He left when I was 21 years old - I am already independent, I live separately, but ... The soil has gone from under my feet. I could not understand how to live on, how it is possible to live on and what kind of life it will be? I remember sitting on the street at the entrance, all around people moving back and forth, but for me everything stopped, as if I was not here, I am alone - and a whole life. What to do with her now, because everything was so clear and understandable, but now? ..
At the same time, I felt some kind of hitherto unknown to me inner silence, as if I was torn out of reality by an unknown force and watching everything from the side. Psychologists will say that this is just a lot of stress, and I'm sure this was the first time I heard that God spoke to me. After all, only in such silence do we hear His voice and His call.
Icon of the Mother of God "Embrace of the Father"
A good young priest served the funeral service for my father. He behaved naturally, freely, without the fake grief that often occurs at funerals. And I thought: "How can you be so peaceful, calm because we have grief - it is no more!" The priest spoke some new words - "eternal life", "Kingdom of Heaven", "victory over death." And he spoke with inspiration. I believed, I calmed down, I got hope - it turns out we are not dying, but simply ...
I became very attached to this priest, began to go to church (by the way, my father and I were baptized - it was our deliberate step, or rather, his deliberate step, and I just trusted him). Soon I was already reading in church and singing in the kliros. I believed, let go of all doubts - we are immortal.
Then I studied at the theological school at the monastery, and today I serve in the Church and I consider it a great blessing. I have matured, grown wiser, probably ... I have a wonderful wife and three wonderful children. I am happy and grateful for everything to the Creator. The gratitude is greater than myself.
The seed is buried in the ground, and it, buried, gives new life. Death is here the beginning of a new life. Some die when the time comes for others to live. We lived fully, lived in love, because only Love deserves to die for it. I don’t even want to think where the path of life would lead me if everything were different. And now I am really happy, and it is clear that everything is not accidental. My father died so that I could acquire Heavenly Father, who is the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega, who is Love.
My father is my hero. He spoke and did the most important thing - he was just in my life, was with me. I hope that the time will come, and I will meet him and hug ...
A meeting, standing in warm water on soft sand, where sea water, barely foaming, flows between the fingers, where the sky is like a canvas of a Heavenly Artist, painting for us a new day of eternal joy and peace ...
June 2012
On July 10, 2018, after a serious and prolonged illness, the priest Arseny Shulgin departed to the Lord. He is survived by a wife and four children, 12, 10, 8 and 3 years old. We ask for prayers!
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In detail: embrace Father's text - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the site site for our dear readers.
The Lord Almighty, Incomprehensible, the beginning of light and an abundant Power, like the Hypostatic Word, the Father and the emitter of Your one-powerful Spirit: merciful for the sake of mercy and inexpressible goodness, not contemptuous of human nature, the contents of my sin, but with the Divine lights of Your sacred teachings, the law and follow the shining prophets But for us that only-begotten Son of Thy grace to shine in the flesh, and to the illumination of us of Thy enlightenment, instruct us: let Thy ears be listening to the voice of our prayer, and grant us, O God, in a vigilant and sober heart, to pass away all this life of life, awaiting the coming of Thy Son and God our judge of all, but not lying and sleeping, but awake and uplifting in the making of Thy commandments to those who are clothed and in His joy, let us cope, where they sing an unceasing voice, and the ineffable sweetness of those who see Your face, inexpressible kindness. For God is good and lover of mankind, and we glorify you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.
The Lord Almighty, Incomprehensible, the Beginning of Light and Power that exceeds knowledge, the Father of the Hypostatic Word and Your One-Powerful Spirit Source, by infinite mercy and ineffable goodness did not despise human nature, in the darkness of sin imprisoned, but with the Divine light of Your sacred teachings, the law and the prophets shone to the world, After this, He was pleased that Thy Only Begotten Son Himself in the flesh would appear to us and direct us to enlightenment by Thy light. May Your ears be attentive to the voice of our prayer, and grant us, O God, with a waking and sober heart all night of our present life, waiting for the coming of Your Son and our God, the Judge of all. May He find us not lying and sleeping, but awake and ascended, while fulfilling Thy commandments, and we will all enter into His joy, where there is a ceaseless voice, and the ineffable delight of those who contemplate the unspeakable beauty of Thy face. For Thou art a good and humane God, and we glorify Thee, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.
And this troparia, voice 1: I conceived in transgressions, the prodigal, I do not dare to look at the Heavenly heights, but, daring to Your love for mankind, I call: God, cleanse me, a sinner, and save me. If the righteous is barely saved, where will I appear, sinner? The hardships and heat of the day did not endure, but the mercenaries of the tenth hour bring me, God, and save me.
Glory: Embrace the Father's openings with holes, my life is prodigal, behold thy mercifulness, Savior, who has now become impoverished, but do not despise my heart. For you, Lord, I call with emotion: those who have sinned into Heaven and before You.
And now: The hope of Christians, the Most Holy Virgin, who gave birth to God more than mind and words, constantly pray with heavenly powers to grant forgiveness of sins, to all of us, and the correction of life, by faith and love always honor Thee.
Lord have mercy (40) and prayer:
The Lord Almighty, Incomprehensible, the beginning of light and an abundant Power, Like the Hypostatic Word of the Father and the One-Powerful Spirit of Thy Emitter: merciful for the sake of mercy and inexpressible goodness, not contemptuous of human nature, content of my sin, but by the Divine lights of the sacred law and prophecies of Thy teachings, the light of the last but to us that Thy Only Begotten Son, benevolent in the flesh, to shine forth and instruct us to shine through Thy enlightenment: let Thy ears be listening to the voice of our prayer, and grant us, O God, in a vigilant and sober heart, all this life of life, awaiting the coming of Thy Son ours, Judge of all, but not lying and sleeping, but awake and uplifting in the practice of Thy commandments to those who are clothed and in His joy, we will cope with those who celebrate the unceasing voice, and the inexpressible sweetness of those who see Your face, kindness unspeakable. For God is good and lover of mankind, and we glorify you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.
The embrace of the Father, stroking with holes,
my life is prodigal,
on the wealth of the inexperienced
behold thy compassion, Savior,
my now impoverished, do not despise my heart.
For you, Lord, I call with emotion:
sinned in Heaven and before You.
Once a year, these words are heard at the service, at, at the all-night vigil. Somewhere they are sung, touching the soul, penetrating to its very depths, somewhere they are read, quickly and indistinctly, in no way attracting attention to themselves, not making it possible to understand the meaning contained in them. Those who happened to be at the monastic tonsure were more fortunate in this sense: there this troparion is sung three times, while the one who is being tonsured crawls from the narthex of the temple to the altar, from the sinful world, where he has retired, to this kind embrace.
Probably, everyone thinks about what is closer to him personally at this moment, that for some reason finds a response in his heart. Or he does not even think about it, because it seems that right now this parable is no longer relevant for him. Although it is relevant, of course, even now, it is simply that the one who “does not hear” it has moved to a “distant country” - to some of those that are nearby, you just have to take one step. Confidence in their righteousness, insensibility of the heart, blindness of the soul - you never know these countries? ..
But this time I thought about something that I had not thought about before - So it was not thought. Is it difficult for a lost son to get ready for the return journey? Yes, it’s clear that it’s not easy. And the path is not close, and it is shameful and scary, and even before that you have to "come to your senses", as the parable says, because before that you would not even think about it, about returning. Is it easy, being a son by nature, to degrade to the rank of a mercenary? And not in some momentary impulse, but deliberately decide to ask to come to the home only in this capacity, not embarrassed either by the difficulty of such a situation, or by its shamefulness for the one who in this house was supposed to become one of the co-owners!
It is difficult for a son ... Is it easy for a father who opens his arms? Or rather, to the Father. We know what happened to his son, how he first had fun, then he was in poverty, suffered, starved. What about the Father? This is a mystery ... And what do these very embraces look like, how exactly does He open them - differently for each or the same for all? What are they, these hugs? Difficult question? Maybe even superfluous, idle? ..
But only in every church there is an answer to it - hardly accidental, hardly in vain. In every church there is an icon of these embraces, their unified and irreplaceable image.
I'm not talking about engravings depicting individual episodes from this parable - there are none of them in the temples. I'm talking about the Crucifixion ...
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Why is it all this? Why can't it be otherwise - without nails, Blood, Cross? After all, none of the holy fathers, church teachers give a single answer why such suffering why so death...
It seems, and in order, too, so that we noticed... They noticed and believed that Love, which and such the price did not hesitate to pay for her lovers and so way She opened her arms to everyone, she will not turn away from anyone, including us. So that we can overcome fear, shame, despair. So that we dare to believe: He is always waiting for us, no matter what we have done, no matter what we have done, no matter how far we have gone.
For this, the Father goes to this, so that it would be easier for His children, the prodigal and sinful. After all, he knows how difficult it is for them, and he cannot help feeling sorry for them ...