16
The biography is compiled from the books:
Parfeniy (Ageev) , monk . The Legend of Wandering and Journey... M., 1856. P. 143; Part 4. P. 259.
17
The biography is compiled from the books:
Parfeniy (Ageev) , monk . The Legend of Wandering and Journey... Part 4. P. 235; Lives of Russian ascetics of piety of the 18th and 19th centuries. With portraits. Month of August. M., 1909. P. 8.
Is year vary 1839 and 1840?
============================================
Hieroschdeacon Benedict - (nothing about hymns/odes/songs, not a monk)
Hieroschdeacon Benedict
16 , Greek by origin,
lived on Holy Mount Athos for more than 70 years. He was a very educated and highly spiritual monk. The Patriarch of Constantinople sent people three times to ordain him as a bishop, but he not only did not want to accept the priesthood, but even
refused to become a hieromonk, and died as a hierodeacon. However, Hieroschdeacon Benedict played a decisive role in the return of the Russians to the monastery of St. Panteleimon on Athos.
After the Greek uprising of 1821 and the subsequent devastation of Athos by Turks and robbers, the Russian monastery of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon was unable to get back on its feet and fell into severe economic need. But God pointed out to the elders of the monastery the only true path to its revival - to invite Russian monks to the monastery. Thus, the thousand-year-old connection with Russia, which had always nourished the monastery, was restored.
Again, by the Providence of God at this time, in 1834, Hieroschemamonk Anikita (Prince Shirinsky-Shikhmatov) came to Athos, who visited the Panteleimon Monastery and asked the elders of the monastery for permission to build a temple in honor of St.
Mitrophan of Voronezh . The elders considered this a sign of God and blessed not only the construction of the temple, but also the residence of 30 Russian monks in the monastery. The prince entrusted the new Russian brethren to the confessor Procopius, and he himself went to Jerusalem.
But after the departure of Father Anikita, due to the fact that he, without consulting with the confessor of all Russian monks on Athos, Father Arseny, recruited candidates for settlement in the monastery among random hermits, troubles began between the Russian and Greek brethren. The Russians whom Anikita's father gathered were not accustomed to life under strict rule. They did not listen to the Greeks, but, on the contrary, contradicted them in everything and, moreover, began to scare them that the monastery, they say, is ours, Russian, and their boss is a prince and they will drive out all the Greeks. The Greeks were confused. After which daily sorrows and temptations multiplied.
Then they began to tell Abbot Gerasim and Elder Benedict that they could not live with the Russians and did not want their wealth. They said that it would be better to eat crackers with water, but without the Russians, who upset their entire monastic life. Hegumen Gerasim spent a long time trying to persuade them to be patient. But even Elder Benedict began to hesitate... When Father Anikitas returned from Jerusalem, Elder Benedict and his older brethren fell to their knees before him, cried and asked for forgiveness for not remaining true to their word. They told him: “Forgive us, holy father, we cannot and do not want such brotherhood, we have ruined our life with the Russians.”
Father Anikita, hearing this, cried bitterly and, asking everyone for forgiveness, left the monastery. Only Abbot Gerasim knew that, deprived of Russians, the monastery would be deprived of benefits, both spiritual and material. That without the Russians she will be in poverty forever.
This was soon confirmed. The monastery fell into even greater debt and was on the verge of ruin. After some time, Father Benedict realized his mistake, becoming one of the initiators of the second invitation of Russians to the monastery. He had a vision that he would not die until the Russians performed his funeral service, so he was concerned about accepting them into Russik. On his initiative, in November 1839, a cathedral was convened in Russika and it was decided to invite
Father Paul with all his Russian brethren. Father Pavel agreed to settle in the monastery, which was blessed by confessor Arseny.
When on November 21, 1839, Russian monks, led by
Hieroschemamonk Paul, came to the monastery to stay here forever, Father Benedict went to the hotel, where they treated the guests who came and, making three prostrations, read the prayer with tears: “Now you release your servant, Vladyka , according to Your word, in peace...” Then he approached Father
Paul and, bowing to him to the ground, took his blessing, embraced him and said the following: “Today my heart has rejoiced, and my spirit has rejoiced that I hold today in my arms Russians. Now I embrace the lost treasure. Now my exiled sheep have come again, wandering through the mountains and forests and having neither a fence nor a shelter where to lay their heads. Now she has returned to her former enclosure. Now I hold her in my arms, and I will no longer drive her away, and I will not let her go from me. Now I have cleared my conscience, which always denounced and worried me for the expulsion of the Russians.”
Releasing Father Pavel from his hands and seating the guests, he said: “Sit down, my dear guests. Sit down, my honest fathers. Sit down, my beloved children. Sit down, exiled sheep, once again returned to their enclosure. Sit down, newfound treasure. Sit down, purity of my conscience. Sit down, my inexpressible joy. Sit down, my much-desired brothers. Have fun and rejoice and celebrate with us!” When he said this, the Greeks all stood and cried.
Father Benedict also addressed them: “Rejoice with me, my children, rejoice! Today my youth is renewed like an eagle. Today, my hundred and six year old bones have become younger. Today my blind eyes have regained their sight, because they again see Russians in our monastery. Today only one enemy is crying -
the devil , who laughed at my old age and pushed me to expel the Russians. I, as a man, listened to him and fell into great temptation. During the last years of my life, I outraged my conscience and ruined my many years of work and exploits, blaspheming my heart. For three years this heavy stone lay on my heart, and I could never calm my conscience and soul. I shed many tears about this and asked my Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Pure Virgin Mary: “May the Russians return back to our monastery!” And the Lord heard my prayer and informed me that the Russians would perform the funeral service and bury me. And so I waited for this day.
This is the day that the Lord promised me; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Now listen, my brothers: I expelled the Russians, but I invited them back again and brought them into this monastery, I am your elder and mentor Benedict. I accepted the Russians and am leaving you for eternity. I leave the Russians behind me here as heirs for eternity. And you always live with the Russians in love and like-mindedness and bear each other’s burdens. I leave you all and entrust you to this blessed elder, your abbot and my disciple, Father Gerasim. And truly he is blessed and blessed! We all hesitated and stood up against the Russians, only he alone stood for the Russians. But I didn't listen to him! And he, the only one, was able to foresee the mental and physical harm that would come to us. And now, thank God, I myself accepted the Russians. Now I am not their persecutor, but their patron and protector.”
Having said these words, he said goodbye to everyone, wished everyone peace and love, and went with the help of others to his cell. He never left his cell again. After the Russians were accepted into the monastery
, Father Benedict lived only forty days and died on December 11, 1840 at the age of 106.