SAINT-MARTYR OF OUR DAYS Igor Rozin

Fr. Igor Rozin blessing holy water on the Feast of the Lord's

Nativity, Loor.

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the Mission of Thue Orthod,ox Cbristianity

Established witb the blessing of St. John Maxirnouitch, Arcbbishop and Wonderworker of Sbanghai a,nd, San Francisco.

Vol. 49, No. + (rgr)

July-August, Lor3

ISSN: oojo-S8lg

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Ascent to the Summit: The Life and Martyric Death of Fr. Igor Rozin

Front czuer: Fr. Igor Rozin in the Church of St. George the Victory-bearer in
Tyrnya uz, Kab ardino -B alkar Republic, Russia.

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changes to

THE ORTHODOX \7ORD,

P. O. Box 70, Platina,

California96076-0}7}.

Fr. Igor Rozin

with holy water, October zooo. is his son Andrew (see pp.r8r-86). robe, Behind him, dressed in an acolyte
blessing his parishioners

(Itoor)

Ascentto tbesummit
THg LIFE AND MARTYRIC DEATH oF FR, IcoR RozrN
TVte

Proui.d,ence

of God always abid,es with tbe saints,
preseruing and, strength ening thern.
Isaac the Syrian

-$s.
INrRoouctroN

furs rs rHE sroRy ofyet another martyred pastor who has suffered I at the hands of the Muslims in our days, showing his conremporaries in the twenty'first century an example, not only of piety, but undoubtedly of sanctity as well.l This is the story of a man who for many years, risking his own life, saved others from physical death, and then began to labor to save souls. It is the story of a man who was bapdzed at the age of thirty-six, ordained to rhe priesthood at fomy-rwo, and received a martyric death at forty-four. It is the story of a clergyman of the Stavropol diocese whowas murdered on the day of the commemoration of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, bishop of Stavropol, whom he especially venerated. The future Priest Igor came to God when he was no longer a young man. However, his whole life's path was not only a preparation for his future spiritual life and martyric death but a prefiguring
Thanslated from the Russian, with minor editing, from the booHetAscent to the Surnmit: Tlte Lfe and Marryric Deatb ofPiest lgor Rozin (Moscow: St. Ignatius of Stavropol Publishing House, zooz).

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THE ORTHODOX\T/ORD

still an unbeliever, he received a warning about his marryric death, and this made a deep impression on his entire life. He always loved childr€rr, and now there are many in his church. He always strove to climb to the summits of mountains, and then ascended from earthly summits to spiritual ones. He loved puriry, and attained to a puriry like that of mountain snow. He was an alpine rescuer for many years and saved people for earthly life; then, as a priest, he guided them to the salvation of their souls; now he is interceding for all of us before the heavenly throne. Grant rest, O Lord, to the soul of slain Priest Igot, and by his holy prayers forgive us our transgressions!
r. Feivtrrv eNp MouNTArNs
Tbe uisible world is only a preParatory threshold to habitations that are incomlnrasly more magnif.cent and spacious. Here the irryage of God mut be adnrned with its fnal feanres and colors, so ds to receiue the most perfect resemblance to the AJI-hob, All-perfect Original, that it *tght enter into the chamber in which the Original exists lnffibly.

-St.

Ignatius Brianchaninov

The city ofTynyauzis located in the mountains of the KabardinoBalkar Republic,2 in the Elbrus district. It is a small city with a population of zr,ooo, where people knowone another from childhood. Ninety percent of the population is Muslim, and so the division benareen ethnic Russians and non-Russians is quite distinct. Like everywhere in the North Caucasus, in Tyrnyauz a person can be subject to attacks and ridicule merely for the fact that he is Russian, and even more so if he is Orthodox. Ignorance of the locd language will lead to a situation in
2 The Kabardino-Balkar Republic is a republic of the Russian Federation, located in rhe North Caucasus. Not far from the city of Tyrnyauz is Mount Elbrus, which at r8,5oo feet is the allest mountain in Europe.-Eo.
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which people will not converse with a person, even in public places. It was in such circumstances that Igor lived. \7hen he was a litde more than twenty years old, Igor had a dream: he was surrounded by Muslims, who were stabbing him with a knife. "Dreams sent by God bear within themselves an irresistible conviction. This conviction is comprehensible to Godt saints, but is. inscrutable to those still in the struggle against the passions," says St. Ignatius. The dream madg a profound impression on Igor. \7e do not know how he understood it, or the nature of his refections on it when he was still a totally unbelieving young man, but, according to his Matushka,3 during his whole subsequent life there was a sadness and concentration in,his eyes. As St. Ignatius has written, "The property of all visions sent by God consists in the fact that they bring humility and contrition to one's soul, filling it with the fear of God and with a consciousness of one's sinfirlness and insignificance." Igor liked to hike in the mounrains, and met his fusure wife at a mountaineering competition. Katherine was a simple Russian girl who also participated in the competitions. She was born and raised in a large peasant family in a village in the Ural Mountains, not far from where St. Symeon of Verkhoturye had lived. She had been baptized as a child, but like Igor was an unbeliever. The young family moved to the village of Terskol, a ski resort near Elbrus, at an elevation of 7,ooo feet. Igor took a job at the newly created avalanche prevention service, and became its first director. The family was given a place to live: a small prefabricated house without water or other conveniences, consisting of nvo rooms and a small terrace. Th.y lived there until the birth of their fourth child-only then were they given a more comfortable home. But, as Matushka Katherine related, "\[e lived and were h"ppy." The family increased in size with each passin g year. The firstborn was Maxim, followed by Iliya, Alexandra, Eugenia, and Andrew.
3 Matusbk*: an affectionate term for a priest's wife or a nun.-ED.

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the birth of our third child, people looked ar us as though we were strange," Matushka recalled. "\[hen they saw that we were expecting our fourth, everyone began trylng to convince us to have an abortion." But the couple stood firm and would not kill their children, despite the difficulties of having alatge family' From Matushka Katherinet accounts, it is evident that the family was harmonious: there were no quarrels or conficts, husband and wife lived in concord, a4d they both loved the children very much. Igor spent much of his time in rhe mountains, but devoted all his free time to his family. He never punished the children, but he did not permit them to be overly familiar. He would speak with them
very seriously. There were many animds in their home. As he had done in his childhood, Igor would keep all the homeless dogs and cats that he found. Ail hi; friends knew this, and would bring him all their "unneeded" animals. Igor would begin each morning with a walk to_ the. woods with his foundlings, who loved him limitlessly' The door of the Rozin home was never locked when they were home, and was always open ro everyone-both to those they knew and those they did not know. Even when the family was awayr thlY would hang a nore on the door indicating where the key was to be found. The Rozins were distinguished for their hospitality, and there was always someone livingwith them. They would receive everyone. Here is one incident: Maxim had earned a few dollars at the tourist center. At thar time there was a man living in their house whom they did not know well. Katherine accidentally found the same money in the man's pocket' but did not tell anyone about it. On the contrary, when he left she gave him some money for the road, and only when he was gone did she tell her husband about the theft, and he reacted just as calmly' "seeing your neighbor's lack, be merciful to your neighbor: he is p"rt of yooi says St. Ignatius. And again: "Love for one's neighbor is a p"rh th"t leads to lovsfor God. Therefore, Christ deigned to mystically i"k ,h" form of each of our neighbors-and Christ is God"'
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After the birth of their fourth child, Igor was given a house with a bathtub and a toilet. Igor himself put in the heating and added a
second storey.

The Rozins lived at a very picturesque spot: Mount Elbrus rose up on the left, forests surrounded them, and the small Baksan River fowed beside their home. "Beaury, tranquility, stars, and the majestic mountains," is how Matushka Katherine described it. Igor loved the mountains very much. He was a first-class mountaineer, a rwo-rime champion of the sporr. He climbed ro the summits of mountains of all categories, even in winter, but he found the meaning of his life in rescuing people. The work of an alpine rescuer is to search for people lost in the mountains, who are often frozen and barely dive. Frequently a rescuer finds only their corpses or whar remains of them. He then has to carry them through the severe mountain conditions and foul weather. He has to be physically and emotionally hardened. Igort mountaineer friends gready valued and respected him, and were not afraid to climb mountains if he was with them. They all believed that "if Rozin is in the mounrains, everything will be fine." According to the testimony of rhe chief of the rescue sration at Terskol, Igor was sent on the most dificult rescues, and was always successful ar carrying out his assignments. "God preserves Rozinj' the other rescuers would say, and they would enrrusr their lives to him without fear when they were on the same rope with him. This was confirmed on many
occasions.

Once, not long before his ordination, Igort safety knot came undone when he was at a grear height. He went into a free fall for over rto feet. Those who were working with him had no doubt that Igor was dead. One can only imagine their amazement when, rransmitting what had happened ro those on rhe ground by walkie-talkie, they heard Igort calm voice: 'I'm all right." In fact, he had escaped with minor injuries. In the words of Sr. Ignatius, "During their earthly life, men are

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THE ORTHODOXWORD

given a variety of situations b;' inscrutable fate. None of these situations is accidental. Like problems to be solved, like lessons to be learned, God's Providence arranges drat each person work out his salvation by doing God's will in the situation in which he is placed." Here are the recollecdons of one of Igort mountaineering friends about their joint winter ascent of Mount Shkhelda, a grade 5b peaka
was New Year's Day. 'I came from Moscow to see Igor, and gready desired to spend the holidays in the mountains. Igor agreed to go. On

It

the way he took on the most complicated work and the main part of the load. But when there were only three to six hundred feet left to the summit, he said that it would soon be the eve of Nativiry [i.e., January 6] and we would have to go down. For me, as a mountaineer, climbing to the summit was the pinnacle of my dreams, and therefore I was quite upset, but Igor said that it was more important to him to be in church than at t"he summit. \7e both had to return. 'When we were already at the bottom I asked Igor: "Listen, Igor-

for me it's understandable : I have ambition and youth, and live in a big city, and so forth. But why do you do it? You have a home, a family, household chores, five children...." To this Igor replied: "I simply consider that, if I work as a rescuer in the mountains, and there are people that try grade 5 or 6 peaks on New Year's Day, then I've got

to go up, too."

cant be someone with an evil heart up therei said Fr. Vyacheslav Chuchev, Igor Rozin! confessor, "and I think the Lord called him to serve Him because of his mercifulness, his pure heart, and his meekness, and because he would at any moment come to the aid of any person, no matter what his religion or nationality. He rescued them all, considering them his brothers and sisters, to whom he had to render physical assistance. He was one of the best rescuers
Shkhelda is located in the Republic of Georgia. A grade 5b peak consists ofvertical or near vertical rock, requiring ropes and a high skill level-Eo.

*There

4 Mount

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ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT

in the Elbrus search-and-rescue service. Later he used to say rhar rhe higher you go up into the mountains, the closer you ger ro God."
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Couruc ro rHE FerrH

Faitb in Cbrist is W. He who nourishes himsetf by faith receiu,es, euen during his eartb$ sojoum, a taste of tbe etemal life that is appointed to the rigltteous afer the cornpleiion of that sojaurn. It is irnpossible to mter into natural existence without bauing been bom according to the law of nature. It is impossible to enter into a relationship with God, in whicb nur trae life consists, uitbout haaing entered into Christianity by means of hob Baptism. Ignatius Brianchaninov

-St.

Let us take a look at how the furure manyr came co the Faith.
Matushka Katherine says rhat this process was "gradual and conscious." It all began when the chil&en in his family became seriously ill. Karherine didnot know whar to do. Finding no help from doctors and almost despairing, she once happened to meet a believing woman who, after hearing about the mother's woes, simply replied, "Take the children to church, and have them confess and receive Communion." As a drowning man grasps at a srra% the worn-out mother took this advice. Every Sunday she took all her children and drove the eighty miles to the city of Baksan, where the nearest Orthodox church was located. It was very difficult to make such a trip in winter, in the mountains, and with the children. They had to wake up at four in the morning, and each time rhey wenr, had to make arrangemenrs for spending the night. Bur the Lord looked upon the fairh and labor of this woman and took away the chil&en's illness. From that dme on, Katherine's life took a rorally differenr turn. She accepted Orthodory with her whole heart. Igor regarded this change in the life of his family quite calmly. He did not hinder it, but neither did he show any particular interest. Sometimes he would

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THEORTHODOX\TORD drive his f"-ily to Baksan, but would not go to church himself. But some time later he became extremely pensive. On the one hand, he could not understand what was compelling his wife and children to undertake such a difficult trip every Sunday instead of resting; on the other hand, he saw the results (so far, only outward ones): his children were healthy. At the same time, Katherine was telling her husband a lor about Christianity and suggesting that he receive holy Baptism. One of the arguments she bi,ought forward was about death: ''We'll die and we'll be with the Christians-but where will you be ? Don't you want to be together with us?' One more incident infuenced Igor. He sent his son Iliya (who was then twelve years old) to relatives in TVer for a vacation. [n the same train compartment with him was a drunk man who condnually cursed and screamed. The boy was terrified, and began to pray. The out-ofcontrol drunken man suddenly fell asleep and slept all the way to Tver. 'When Iliya returned home he told this story to his parents. It made'a great impression on lgor. However, the following incident was the deciding one. His youngest son Andrew fell ill. He was mken to Nalchik for intensive care. Katherine stayed with her son in the hospital, while .Igor spent the night outside, in his car. In the morning he told his wife about a dream he had had. He dreamt that demons came up to the car, lifted it up into the air, and were carrying it over the hospital while whooping and yelling. Igor was frightened and began to pray. Then he saw a huge bright cross. The de'mons set the car on the ground and instantly disappeared.

Igor made the decision to be baptized. Later, after he had become a priest, he told his children, "It was you who brought me to the Faith." But, having made his decision, Igor could not bring it to reality right away. As if foreseeing his subsequent God-pleasing life, the enemy of the human race began setting up all kinds of obstacles. Something would always happen on the day assigned for the baptism. Either the car would break down; the priest would be sick, or $or would get an

t64

ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT

urgent call to go to work. This went on for a rather long tirne, until Katherine, recognizing the snares of the evil one, decided to "rrick" him. "Igor, ler's go plant potatoes!" And so they went offto rhe country garden, with nothing and no one hindering them. \Zhen they were driving past the church, she asked her husband to stop so she could buy some candles. \fhile he was in the church, Igor was seized by a strong desire to be baptized, and he left rhere as a baprized Orthodox Christian. "He had an icon of the Savior in his hands, a baptismal cross on his chest, and he was all aglow," said the newly baptized man's wife. The priest who baptized Igor remarked, "\fhat's with you? Everyone comes to their bapdsm as rhey would to a festive celebration, but you look as ,ho"gh you're going to plant poratoes-in work clothing!" Igor just shrugged his. shoulders. This took place in ry94. The future marryr was thirty-six years old. ln t}re words of Sr. Ignadus, *ln the baptismal font the ftllen irnage is restored, and man is born into eternal life by warer and the Spirit. Henceforch the Spirit,'til7ho had receded from man at his Fall, begins to accomrpany him durlng his earthly life." From that dme on Igor began ro go ro church with his family. But even here the enemy did not leave him. Igor noticed that he had only to enter the church and spend no more than fifteen minures rhere, and he would feel poorly. His stomach would be tied up in knots, his back would hurt, or his legs would lose their strength. He would leave the church to sit down for a while, and all the pains would go away. \7hen he went back to church, everything would hurt again. Igor was perplexed and decided nor ro leave the church. He began to force himself, and very soon these temptations passed without a rrace. There was one more similar incident. Being a mountaineer, Igor had a whole assorrment of pains: radiculiris (spinal infammation), stomach ulcers from the .orrrt*, use of dry rations, and joint and head pain from frequent falls. One summer he was sent for ffearmenr to the Pyatigorsk sanarorium for two weeks. 'S7'hen the doctors examined the parient, they told him that he had bleeding stor4ach ulcers,

t6,

THEORIHODOXITORD

but said they were unable to help him. "\Ufe[, if they can'L they cant,1 thought Igor, and he began attending the nearest church every day. The two weeks passed, and before his departure the doctors examined him again, and with amazement said, "Your ulcers have scarred over and rriat.d." Thus did the Lord show His servanr that it is He'$rho is the Physician of souls and bodies. Soon after Igor's full catechesis, he received a blessing to read at the kliros.5 He bore all the burdens of his apprenticeship patiendy and cdmly. However, he was able to learn Church Slavonic without any particular difficulty. He had a naturally good ear, which played no small role in helping him master church singing. For two years, right up to his ordination, Igor sang and read on rhe kliros, and learned the order of services well.
3.

A Moonl oF HUMTLITY

Many approacb the Lord, but not rnany rnake up their mind to follow Him. Ignatius Brianchaninov

-St.

If tou want to follou otur Lord -Pitpn
loar

keE His cornrnandrnents. , ltour beart to endare hamiliati.on with equanimity, loae those wbo ofend you, burnble yourself before all, and restrain your desires. Let tongue and lips be silent, and do not eond.emn anyone in your heart,
Jesus Cbrist,

-Abba

Isaiah of Scetis

As we have seen, Igor received baptism at a matute age. Two years

later, he and his wife had a church wedding. Another three years passed before he was ordained to the priesthood, and after one year and nine monrhs of ministry, the Lord summoned him through a martyric death.
5 Kiras: the place in church where the services are read and qunS'---ED'

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ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

It would be good to describe in more detail what kind of man rhe Lord called to the feat of martyrdom. Igor had an athletic build and was quite tall (six foot three). He had a pleasant outward appearance, thick hair, large blue eyes, and a gaze that penetrated right into the soul of the person he was speaking wirh. One of his characteristic rraits was his reserved manner: he spoke briefy, succincdy, and only about what was necessary. The Holy Fathers recognize silence as one of the highest virtues which lead to salvation: 'If you wanr ro be saved, pre, serve silencel' teaches Abba Daniel of Scetis. Al*"yr serious, he smiled'extremely rarely. He did not like idle conversations and jokes at all. He could not understand how one could joke for no reason, just for the sake of laughter, and he would sometimes get up and leave a conversarion if he saw that it would go on for a long time. In conversations he would always patiently hear out the person he spoke with, never interrupting him, never arguing, never forcing his opinion on hirn. He was always collected and, as it were, within himself. Those who knew him noticed in him a certain quality not of this world. Tbey are not of the world, euen as I am not of tbe world, said the Lord in the Gospels (Joh" ryz$), and this could be especially sensed when talking with Igor.
He trusted people in everything and respected them, accepting each person as he was. He always co-suffered with people and prayed for everyone, especially for those in sorrows, even if they were drunkards. He tried to vindicate people. If someone was fired, he would stand up for him, and he would have faith in every unfortunate soul. He was law-abiding and very respectable. He strove never ro be late anywhere. He was distinguished by rare qualities of soul, such as humility-he was always sa)nng, ''!il(rho am I? I'm no one at dl!" St. Anthony the Great once said, "My son, first of all, do not consider yourself to be anything. From *ris is born humility." Sr. Ignatius Brianchaninov explains his words in this way: "To consider oneself as nothing consisrs in not acknowledging oneself as having any kind of virtue or merit." Igor did not flatter ot'hers and was not a man-pleaser. People were t67

THE ORIHODOX'IrORD even sometimes offended at him for this. But, as St. Ignatius notes, "Not only love for God, but even the very remembrance of God is destroyed by man-pleasing." Igor did not like it when people talked about him or photographed him, bur in this regard things often failed to turn out the way he wanted. Both when he was at work on rescue crews and later, when he had become a priest, he was often filmed. Matushka recalls that once, when he found out that theib was a television crew outside, he simply did

not leave his house. \7hen he did not succeed in avoiding encounters with them, he would invariably sigh: "No matter how I run from tJrem, I run into them anyway!" He did not like excessive familiarity. He regarded everyone equally, and did not distinguish people by their faith or nationality. He would not become offended, even if he was not understood. He was dependable, and did not divide requests into important and unimportant ones. He served his neighbor with zeal' in trivial, eieryday needs, and would respond with the same alacrity to an extraordinary summons to the mountains to save someonet life. The local people knew about this, and would make use of it. Igor was frequendy awakened at night by drunkards or addicts who asked him to take them somewhere, and such trips could take all night. His wife protested against this, but he would reply that he could not refuse when he was asked. She finally complained to his confessor, and received a blessing to forbid him to make trips like that. Only then did Igor agree, and he ceased to drive drunkards around. If he was asked for financial help, he would always give, even the clothes off his back. He was absolutely unmercenary. ln his home he had only t.he necessary furniture-most of which he had made himself-and a minimum of clothing. As Matushka Katherine relates, "S7e v/ere never robbed-there was nothing to take. All our wealth consisted in our children, icons, and books." The family lived according to the Lord's commandment: Lay not ap for yourselues treasures upon earth,
ahere motb and rust dotb corrilpt, and wbere tbieues Qreah through and

68

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT steal: but lay up fnr yourselues treasures in beauen, wbere neither moth nor rust dotb conup4 and where tbieues do not break througb nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:r9-zt). He had peace and oneness of soul with his wife. As Matushka said, "\il7e eyen thought alike." The children loved and respected him as their father, After his baptism he constantly talked to them about God. If he heard his children judging anyone, he would put a srop to it. They
obeyed him from the first word.

The whole family often gathered for domestic prayer. They sang Akathists,6 and would invite a priest to their home to serve Molebens.T Igor would rise early and go to bed late, and did not like to waste time. In the morning he would pray and then walk three to five miles. H. gf."dy loved animals, especialll' .dogs. They sensed this and responded in kind. They would follow him in a pack and protect him, and were even jealous of him around people. Igor was a patriot, and gready loved his homeland. W'hen, during the time of perestroika, the borders were opened, all of his relatives began to leave for Israel.8 Only Igor and his parenrs remained. His family was experiencing material need, and his wife began ro try ro convince him to emigrate. She had all the necessary documents, but he said,

"I'm

a

patriot,' and no further discussions on this theme came up in

his family.

It would be good to complete the portrait of Fr. Igor with the following sayrng of St. Niphon, bishop. of Constaqria on Cyprus,e which, i! seems !o us, in ail'fairness could refer to Fr. Igor: "ln the last times those who truly serve God will wisely conceal themselves from men and will not perform signs and miracles among rlrem as at the presenr time. They ryrll go by the path of activiry mixed with humility, and in
6 Akatbist:
a sacred a

hymn, divided into thineen parts, dedicated to rhe Lord, a sainr, or

event.-Eo.

7 Moleben: a service of supplication or thanksgiving.-Eo. 8 Fr. Igorwas evidendy ofJewish ancestry.-Eo, 9 t+thcennrry, commemorated on December 21.-Eo,

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169

THE ORTHODOX\T/ORD the Kingdom of Heaven they will be greater than the Fathers who wer€

glorified by signs."

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\il7hat changed

"

-St.

Ignadus Brianchaninov

in Igor's life after he became Orthodox? Outwardly,

almost nothing. As before, he loved the mountains, rescued people, and fought avalanches. But on all Sundays and feast days he *d hir wife and children went to church services, and in their free time they made pilgrimages to Stavropol, where a large piece of the relics of St. Ignatius is kept, and to Vladikavkaz, ro rhe relics of St. Theodosius of the Caucasus.ro Igort inner life changed at the core. He began to read a great deal and, once he comprehended what he had read, he would embody it in his own life. He began to set aside much time for prayer-from the accounts of other mountaineers we know that Igor always prayed in the mountains. W'e do not know precisely what took place in the soul of the future marryr. Ve can only judge by the fruits, and fruits there were-it was impossible not to notice them. *Splendid and wondrous are the fruits of the Spirit! They change the whole man! The Holy Scripture is conveyed from rhe book to the soul. The word of God and the will of God, the 'Word and the Spirit, are inscribed by an irrvisible finger upon the tablets of,tl-re soul-upon the mind:andthe heart,"'writes St. Ignatius. Igor's confessor, Fr. Vyacheslav, noticed them and suggested that he accept the priesthood. This suggestion was totally unexpected by Igor. He had always considered himself as someone who did not know or understand anything, certainly not as someone womhy of the priesdy rank. 'The duties of a
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17o^

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT

pdesti writes Fr. John Maslov,ll 'are insffuction (the spreading of the teachings of the Gospel), priesdy service (by means of which believers assimilate the salvific work of the Redeemer), and guidance (the moral perfecting of chrisdan$." Igor had an excellent understanding of the complexity of these duties and therefore hesitated for a long dme. He cited his ag. (he was already forty-two), his poor memory, hi, l".k "id of a seminary education.
But Fr. Vyacheslavwas insistent in his suggestion. A church had been opened in Tyrnyauz, and there was no betrer candidate than Igor Rozin. Despire his hesitations,Igor showed obedience and agreed. "Have obedience to your farher as a constant pledge in y.our heart, and the fear of God will make its abode in you,a reaches St. Anthony the Great. On July r9lAugusr r, r9g9, the commemoration day of St. Serapfiim of Sarov, Igor Rozin's ordination to the diaconate took place. Three days larer, on rhe feast day of Equal-to-the-Aposdes Mary Magddene, he was ordained to rhe priesrhood. The ordinations were peiformed by Bishop Gideon of Vladikavkaz. Matushka Katherine relates that after he received the rank of rhe priesthood, Igor became calm, meek, and joyful, and grace wafted from him.'It w-as so good that we were simply amazed: why had this happened? After all, ure're sinners. If this is how much the Lord loyes sinners, how much more musr He love the righreous!" But Igor's priesthood totally shocked his friends. They could in no way understand why he, a famous mountaineer, a rwo-time champion of the sport, someone respected at work and loved by his family, would suddenly become a simple parish priest. But Fr. Igor had already cast aside all hesitation and doubt, and he entered upon his new path wirh joy. The newly opened church in Tyrnyauz in which Fr. Igor served was quite. small and not in very good order. "There was no church as such. The authoriries designated an old building, built before the Second \(orld \Var. It was half rorren, widr holes in the walls and a leaking rr Schema-archimandriteJohn Maslov (tyz-t991, an elder of Glinsk Monastery.-Eo.
T7T

THE ORTHODOX \TORD

Fr. Igor (cenrer)

in front of his church in Tyrnyauz with one of his daughters
and Fr. Leonid, the diocesan dean.

roofl' related Matushka. Fr. Vyacheslav added, "Although the parish he ended up with was not an easy one, they were his own people. He became rhe recror of a church in the city in which he had been born. Fr. Igor spoke of the residents of Tyr nyauz with true love. He had to creare his church. Vith a hammer and an axe in his hands he restored
and ourfirred the worn-out old building the local authorities had given

him. His whole family helped him in this, and he carried the beams
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ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

he needed from the forest on his own old 'Moskvich."2 They did the painting and whitewashing, and built rhe ahar themselves." \[e have already noted that 9o percenr of the residents of ]rnyauz were Muslims, and rherefore a large number of parishioners were not expected. But this did not bother Fr. Igor. He first of all wanted to serve God. Fr. Igor served his first Liturgy there on the feast of rhe Dprmition of the Mother of God. People came ro the church right away-some to attend the services, and some to have a look at the priest. Batiushkar3 regarded the parishioners with love. Fr. Igor served on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on feast days. On W'ednesdays they would read the Akathist to the icon of the Mother of God 'Inexhaustible Cup." Batiushka used to say, "If only one person comes to a service, I'll serve ffiywaf And serve he did: his entire time as a,priesr he never left out a single service, despire the *reats against him that emerged from the very first days of his ministry. He did nor like it when he was disuacted from serving: "You don't understand-I m serving God and cant be disuacted by all sorts of other matters. Things can be decided after services." He served unhur, riedlp with attention and reverenc€. He did not believe in doing rhings
hastily. Fr. Igor was very embarrassed by his lack of educarion, and several times asked Vladykata to bless him to enrer a seminary. But Vladyka would not give his blessing, and only said, "It would be better for you to read more books. Everythingyou need is there." And so Fr. Igor set aside all his spare time for reading. His Marushka recounred that he had books everywhere, and that he was constandy reading. He read the Handbook

for

Clergymen a4d Blessed Theophylact's Explanation of the Gospels, well as sermons, teachings, mdrhe Liues of Saints. He loved the elders

as

of

Optina and Valaam, and among the Holy Fathers he emphasized Sr. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory Palamas. He especially revered St. Ignatius
12 Moskuicb: a

common Russian automobile,-Ep.

L3 Batiushka: an affectionate term for apriest or a

monk.-Ep.

La lrladlka: an afbctionare term for a bishop.-Eo.

173

I

l,o

THE ORTHODOX\TORD Brianchaninov. There was not enough literature for him in the diocese, so he asked all his acquaintances to send him books. St. Ignatius writes, "The writings of the Holy Fathers are all composed at the inspiration of or under the infuence of the Holy Spirit. He who is guided by them has, without any doubt, the Holy Spirit as his guide.' Again, iA.ssimilate the thoughts and spirit of the Holy Fathers by reading their writings. The Holy Fathers reached the goal-salvation. Ifyou have oneness of mind'and soul with the Holy Fathers, you will be saved.' Fr. Igor assimilated these teachings of St. Ignatius well. In Fr. Igort home he had a small cell, separated by wooden par" tition, for prayer and reading. He himself made a table, two benches, and bookshelves. There was nothing in the cell but icons and books. Batiushka did not like excess. Fr. Igor had a special attitude toward fasting. He observed it strictly. He tasted no food before 3 pM, as is set forth in the ancient monasdc Typicon. But it must be noted that he was strict only toward himself. He relaxed the fasts for others in accordance with their strength, and would even permit them to eat butter and rnilk. He would say, 'Dont take on something beyond your strength.' Thus, Fr. Igor was far from being a pharisee. "Let your fasting be judiciousi says Abba Dorotheus, and St. Gregory of Sinai adds, "If you want to attain salvation ... you should ... take at appropriate times a litde from whatever victuals happen to be at hand, but never eat to satiety. In this way you will avoid growing conceited, and by thanking God for everything you will show no disdain for the excellent things He has made. This is the counsel of those who are wise in such matters."r5 There are some brief newspaper articles that Fr. Igor wrote for all the residents of Tyrnyauz. In one of them, dedicated to Great Lent, he wrote : 'hcting in the spirit of the love and mercy of God, the Church does not apply the rule of fasting in its fullness to children, the in6rm,
Pbilokalia:

'On Prayer: Seven Texts-6. How to Partake ofFoodi The Comphn Tert,vol.4, trans. G. E. H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, Kallistos W'are (London & Boston: Faber & Faber, 1995), p. z8I.
The

15 St. Gregory of Sinai,

174
I
I

:

lisFp,ryts'r,

---

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT
and the aged. Those who are infirm of body, just like the healthy, are obliged to do works of love and mercy during the holy Forty Days, and must likewise avoid sin. The Church statutes also prescribe abstinence

from marital relations by mutual coruent, in addition to refraining from various sorts of entertainment. The dme of the Fast is set asidi for the reading of the Holy Scriptures, prayer, and divine contemplation, as well as refecting on one's sins, weeping over them, and cleansing them through the sacrarnents of Confession and Communion." The parishioners loved dreir pastor. Tiust between him and them was established immediarcly-after all, Fr. Igor had been born in Tyrnyauz, artd many people knew him from childhood. Fr. Igor was the first priest there after an almost century-long interruption. Everything had to be started from scratch. People knew little about Orthodory and God. He had to do a great deal of pastoral and missionary work. Before long people were really being drawn to him. $n active parish community formed, consisting mostly of educated people and intellectuals. The parish grew, and in less than two years it became larger than many of the long-established parishes of Kabardino-Balkaria. Fr. Igor organized a Sunday school for children and adults at the church. It often happened that at 6rst a child would come, and then he would bring his parents with him. Batiushka loved children, and children were drawn to him. He inculcated love for the Church and for the Divine services in children, but did so unobtrusively and unnoticeably. The parishioners loved Fr. Igor for the simplicity of his dealings with them and for his unfeigned kindness toward the people around him. Fr. Igor liked to repear the words of St. Ambrose of Optina: "GIo-

ry to God for everything, and my respects to everyone." And that is how he lived, following the Gospel commandments. Thanks to Fr. Igor's missionary activity, many Balkarsr6 in Tyrnyauz became Christians. It should be noted that some Muslims had great reTurkic people of the Caucasus region, comprising approximately fifteen percent of the population of Kabardino-Balkaria.-Eo. 17,
16 The Balkars are a

THE ORTHODOX\UTORD
spect for Batiushka, and would even come to ask his advice. He never refused them, but would he ar them out and explain things to them. Many of them, when meeting him on the street, would stop and sincerely greet him. Sometimes they would stop by the church, and some were eyen sej

credy bapdzed. They did this secretly because, according to their laws, a person who "betrayed" the religion of Allah was threatened by expulsion from their community and even death. But the rnore courageous of tlem, once they came to know the truth, were bapdzed, Often these were society's "6gg6x515"-alcoholics and vagrants. There was one case when a

Muslim was bapdzed fifteen minutes before his death. One woman, who accepted Orthodoxy under Fr. Igor's influence, became a regular parishioner of the church. This is what she herself related:
I'm indebted to Batiushka Igor for acquainting me with the Church. It was a torturous process for rile, because by nationality I'm a crimean Tatar and in my childhood and teen years I was raised in the Muslim faith. Therefore, when I found myself in our litde Orthodox church, which had jusr been opened in a dilapidated building that had formerly been a bacteriological lab, much was foreign to me. On a subconscious level I was even afraid of the Cross-this was a foreign rradirion, with foreign customs and manners. I was drawn only by the recognition that Christ is Love. Glory be to God that I met Fr. Igor and his family at the very beginnirg of my path to Christ. The weak recognition that Christ is Love, which drew me to Orthodory, which had not been part of my tradidon, was strengthened and confirmed

in me under Batiushka's guidance. I emphasize the word "guidance." For Fr. Igor, even the words "to guide" were foreign. In my consciousness his character was connected with the words of the Gospel,: Learn of Me; for I arn rneek and lowly in beart (Matt. u:L9). H. served sincerely, simply, and naturally. He never oppressed anyone with his authority, his position, or his frame of mind. The atmosphere around him was such that a person who
176

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT
was seeking God would involuntarily and unnoticeably begin

to be

attracted to the services. He would sense the need for repentance, and the beauty of Orthodoxy would be revealed to him. We lived near Fr. Igor, and this brought grace into our lives. Only now do we understand

to what degree he took our burdens upon himself, For many people who came to our church, he was the first priesr in their lives. F{e embodied the whole Orthodox priesthood for us, the whole Orthodox religion. This was very fortunate for us, since in this man, who had not eveh received a traditional priestly education, were united Christ's virtues: love for people, humiliry, and meekness. He did not bind us by his own wjll, but bound us by submission to Godt will. In our contact with him, we really felt that Christ is Love. Through him I and my children (twins, Ira and Yura, who were seven and a half years old when they were baptized) re ceived a living sense of the presence of the God-man, Jesus Christ. My daughtet who saw Baciushka for the first time in vestments during services, asked, "Marnx,
is that Jesus Christ
?"

Fr. Igor worried over and prayed for each parishioner. If someone did not come for a long time or was sick, he would visit them, and confess and commune them if necessary. He did not care at all about money, and did not take any for performing special services. No matter what he was asked to do, he would do it: he performed baptisms and funerals, but never even mentioned being paid to do so. There were many sectarians in Tyrryatrz. Fr. Igor warned people about them, and did not permit his parishioners to have contact with them or receive them in their homes. But if one of them accepted Orthodoxy with all their heart, Batiushka would receive them into the community. One of his female parishioners had spent fifteen years in a Baptist sect before coming to the Orthodox Church. Fr. Igor did not consider all rypes of new technology to be satanic inventions, although such an opinion is widespread among Orthodox

177

THEORTHODOX\OrORD

A:

Christians these days. However, he himself did not watch television, and learned the news from his neighbors. In rhis way his children learned to spend more time reading-they gready loved to read the Lives of tihe Saints. \[hen he heard confessions, he would hear out each person to the end. He did not interrupt t'hem, but did not like it when a penitent justified himself or began to explain himself Due to his humility, he did not take anyone or.l as a spiritual child, but.he never refused to
counsel people.

In liturgical questions, Fr. Igor always consulted with the diocesan dean and his o-wn spiritual farher. He would either ravel to see rhem or call them on the phone. He did nor ffusr himself As we have noted, Fr. Igor was a humble man. He was always the first to ask forgiveness. rilZe would like ro presenr rwo insrances of his
pastoral practice. The first occasion was on the Feast of Christ's Nativity. This was the first Nativity that Fr. Igor was serving as a priesr. Pardy due to his lack of knowledge of the Church canons, pardy because of the distance of his church from the cenrer of the city, and pardy as a result of his great zeal, he announced to all his parishioners that only small children would be communed on the feast, and he asked the others ro receive Communion on an earlier day. He explained this by saylng that after t'he service everyone would break the fast and there would be joking, overeating, and excessive drinking, and this would profane Holy Com-

munion. According to his opinion, a communicant should preserlre himself in prayerful quiet. \trfle are not justifyipg Fr. Igor-t]rere are no canons prohibiting communing on feast days. Fr. Igor was simply acting out of a lack of experience. But no marrer what the reason, he warned everyone and did nor go back on his word. Despite this, one woman very much wanted to receive Communion specifically on that day, and she approached the chalice. Fr. Igor softly refused her. She went away very upser. After the Liturgy Batiushka asked her forgiveness, but she did not even wanr to listen to him. After
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ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

I

I

Fr. Igor serving in his house church dedicared to St. George.

I

J

this incident the woman continued attending the church, but at every confession'would bring it up, and could in no way forgive Fr. Igor. He continually asked her forgiveness for a year and a half, but she.did not calm down and even said to him, "I hate you." Ofcourse, her behavior was far from Christian, but we are inreresred in something else : how, thanks to the priest's patience and humility, the Lord resolved this siruation. On Sunday, May ry, zoor, the woman came to church, acknowledged her fault, sincerely asked forgiveness, and confessed. Batiushka communed her with joy. That very day he was killed. Now that woman honors Fr. Igor and thanks God ihat she was reconciled with him before his death. The second incident took place before the beginning of Lent in zoor. Fr. Igor wanted to serve in church every day during the 6rst week. But for him to do this meanr requesting time offfrom his work
179

THE OMHODOX\TORD

at the rescue station, since it was his turn ro go up into the mountains. He explained in detail how important it was for him to be in church that week and said that he was ready ro go up into the mounrains ar any other time. But his superiors either did not understand or did not want to understand, and they did not let him go. They even accused him of being a "poor and unreliable employee," and this was after ren years of work at the station. Fr. Igor humbly took all the blame upon himself and wrote a lerter of resignation, saying that, for him, serving God was above everything, although he knew only too well that this would leave him with practically'no money, since a priestb income was very small. But Batiushka placed all his hope in God. "The crown of all good works consists in placing all onet hope in God. Hasten to Him alone with all your heart and all your strengthl' says Abba Isaiah. "O All-seeing and Almighty One ! 'With lack ofhope in myself, with hope in Thee, I entrust myself to Thy most holy will, Thine endless wisdom, and Thy goodness,' Fr. Igor repeated rhe words of St. Ignadus. \ire would also like to mention t}re mudslide that descended on the city of Tyrnyauz on July r8, zooo. This was a frightful natural catastrophe. The avalanche of water, rocks, and mud wiped our everything in its path. The fow of water was so powerful that huge concrere slabs, the kind houses are constructed from, foated on rop like logs. The Lord preserved Fr. Igor's family from this disaster, but Batiushka could not look upon what happened with indifltrence. Fr. Igor issued an appeal "to friends, colleagues, citizens, and all believers, to do what they can to help the residents of the city of Tyrnyauz, who have lost their dear ones and have been left without shelter and possessions." According to his words, "the scale of the disaster was significandy greater than the official media reported. An enormous number of people were unable to leave the city, while it was impossible to live any longer in homes that had been damaged by the avalanche, and had been subjected to fooding." Fr. Igor believed that the Church should take upon itself the responsibility for the future survival of the city's. residents.
18o

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT

.

He served Molebens daily, that the Lord might turn away His wrath and help the city, bur, according to Matushka Katherine, no one came to the church at that time. It was a miracle rhat the flood water came right up to the walls of the church but no higher. The church suffered no damage. Several miracles that took place during Fr. Igor's life have been recorded. He, however, attached no significance to them, and did not even nodce them. One incident took place during the reading of the Akathist to the icon of the Mother of God, the "Inexhaustible Cup." According to the account of a woman who was presenr and praying in the church, her husband was healed. There was anorher incident of healing. A parishioner of the church, an aged woman named Melitina, was paralyzed in half of her body. She asked the priest to come and confess and commune her, which he did without delay. \U7hat was the general astonishment in the church when, a week later, Melitina was at the service! The first thing she did was to go up to Fr. Igor and thank him, to which he responded, "\flhat do you mean? You're the onewho communed, and God healed you." And he added a few other words that proved to be prophedc: "You know, Melitina, you'll oudive me. They'll bury me first, and only then will you die."
5.

ANonusnra
for
themselues short

Tltelt do not g0 the roltal way, like the rest, but choose

paths,

fu which they

clearly corne quickly to their abodes.

-St.
As we know, Batiushkafiad
a

Isaac the Syrian

large family, and all irs members played

an active part in the life of the parish. Matushka sold candles, taughr at the Sunday school, and sang on the kliros. Their younger daughter, Sasha, was a good choir director. Their older daughw, Zhenya, baked
r8r

THE ORTHODOX \TORD
prosphorarT and was learning to paint icons. Their two older sons were like guardians of the church, and kept order while their younger sotr'

Andrushka,rs helped his father in the altar. It is about him that wc would like to speak in more detail. Andrushka was the youngest, the fifth child in the Rozin family. Andrew's birth could be called a miracle, since his mother was extremely sick with botulism during her pregnancy. However, she recovered, and the child was born healthy. \[hen Andrushka was i litde more than three years old, he fell seriously ilI. He was taken to the hospital in Nalchik, and on the way the child'had a vision. He told his mother, "I see Llncle on the Cross." His mother understood that he had seen the Lord, and she made up her mind that he would get well. And that is what happened-the doctort help was unnecessary. After this, the thought came to her mind that Andrew's death would be unusual. \fhen the family started attending church regularly, the child was 6ve years old, and he veiy much wanted to serve in the altar. He got uP his courage and asked the family's confessor, Fr. Vyacheslav, about this. Thus, at five years of age, he began serving in the Lord's altar-before his father-and he zealously served for three and a half years, right up to his own death. After Igor became a priest, Andrushka served with his father at every service. During all three and a half years, the boy did not miss a single service. Fr. Igor and he had a small cell at the church, with two beds, a table, a stool, and some books. Due to the many injuries he had received in the mountains, Batiushka had a poor memory, and Andrew was an irreplaceable help to him. Once he had gained experience, he would often prompt his father as to which exclamation he had to give, or what was coming next according to the rule of the service. And so, they served together: Fr. Igor and his litde acolyte.
17 Prospbora: bread prepared specially for the Divine Liturgy.-Eo. 18 The three names cited here are diminutives: Sasha for Alexandra , Zhenya

for

Eugenia, and Andrushka for

Andrew.-Eo.
18z

ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT

Fr. Igor's son Andrushka. Fr. Igor (before his

ordination) is in the background at right.

Andrew neYer watched television, but loved the Lives of Sainrs. He would not go to sleep without hearing one, and would wair unril his mother or father would read ro him. Things like this would h"ppen: the child would be sleeping, and suddenly, without wakirg ,rp, h. would get out of bed, cross himself three times, make rhree full prostrations, and continue sleeping, without opening his eyes. Evidenrly this righteous child would be at prayer even in his sleep.
r83

Ee

THEORTHODOX\TORD
From a very young age he be came used to not eating before services in the morning, and he gready love d God's temple. Prayer was an inirnuable

:

part of his life, andhe liked to commune often. But,like all children, hc could be lively and mischievous, and he loved to ride his bicycle. Once the boy was running around and playing, and suddenly asked his mother, 'Mama, what would happen if I died?" Taken somewhat aback, his mother said, "'Well, if you die, we'll bury you in the Orthodox way." It is impossible to know now why he asked this, but at the dme'everyone ffeated it as a joke. But such a thought had even occurred ro his mother. She sensed with her rnaternal hiart that he would soon die, and that his death would be unusual,
connected with torment.

Matushka Katherine recalls that at the beginning of Septembei nor long before the child's death, in response to all his questions, a sffange Ihooght would persistently follow. For example, Andrew would say, "Mama, my tooth hurts." "Of course, we'llhave your tooth reated when we go to Tyrnyauz." But inwardly, she would have the rhought, "I(/e dont need to treat his

tooth-heb going to

die."

"Mama, buy me a new suit and track shoes for school'1 ''W'ait a litde-we'll get some money and then we''ll go zrnd buy everything." But inside there was the same thoUght, "He doesnt need anything anymore." She bore this thought within herself and uied to chase it awayshe was afraid to tell it to Fr. Igor. Two weeks before his death the boy began to refuse food. \il(rhen they tried to persuade him, he would reply, '\rhat do I need to eat for? I need rc get out of the habit of itJ And so he lived on rea alone. His mother was amazed, but did not
force him to eat. It happened on Septemb er 7, Looo. Out of carelessness, some work open barrel of an explosive mixture next to Fr. Igor's ers had I"ft house in Terskol, and it exploded while Andrushka was playing nearby. He ended up in the very cenrer of the fiery explosion. The explosion

*

r84

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT
cras so strong

A

that it scamered pieces of iron around. The wave of the blast sent Andrew fying, but he gor up and went home. As he walked, smoke poured from him as from a piece of smoldering wood. He was sdll burning when he reached home. Almost all his skin was burned, and so was his baptismal cross. At rhat time his parents were in Nalchik, on an obedience from rheir spiritual father. Andrushka came home charred, black, and smoking, but he did not cry, screarn, or complain. His sisters were at home.'When they saw him they were indescribably horrified, and called an ambulance. The boy was calm. He went inro the kitchen and asked for something to drink, but he could not mke the cup of water in his hands-they no longer obeyed him. He wenr over to the icons and started praying, and
then asked, "Am I going to die ?" He asked that they bring a bottle of holy water to the hospital. It took four hours ro ger to Nalchik, and Andrushka prayed aloud the whole way. His behavior astounded his doctors. His sisters later said that rhe look in his eyes was no longer of this world: "He looked at us as if from far away.' "Andrushenka, how do you feel?" rhey asked him. "Is it bad? Does it hurt? "I've got to endure. I have to endure." And he did endure. He did nor urrer a single word of complaintand he was only nine years old. IThen rhey arrived ar the hospital, he himself gave his first name and surname, and asked, "Do my parenrs know?" Burns covered 87 percent of his body, and were of the most severe degree. It was arnazing that Andrew was conscious and spoke. The way the boy bore everything was a real miracle. It was as if he did not notice his condition, and was only worried that he was not in the altar, and was missing services. People reacted symparhetically to this tragedy. Everyone-Christian and Muslim alike-gave blood for Andrew. Even when he was no longer among the living, people kept coming, day and night.
18t

THE ORTHODOX \TORD

Andrushka lived four daYs after the explosion. On SePtember the feast d"y of the Beheading of St. John the Forerunner' the took him. On September 14, there was a hierarchal service planned in had to Nalchik, and Fr. Igor was obliged ro attend, and therefore he third day after his serve rhe funeral and burial foi nit son, not on the His wife tried to repose, as is customary to do, but on- the.second day' "I .it ni^ out of going to the service, but he replied, have no right to all'" miss -_ the service' I'm a priest first of courageously, Fr. Igor took the death of his beloved litde assistant "Death is a' with submissiveness to God, and with amazing humility. life into etergrear mystery. It is a man's birth from earthly, temporal
St. Ignatius. nityi'writes , , on Andrew', g,",,. a simple wooden cross was erected, and a cenof his family beser was carved, orr lt. Afte, hir d."th all the members attitude. came closer to one another and acquired a more serious 6. THE,

LeSr SIx MoNrss oF FR. Icois Lrrn'

itself is n-nt fightWhen ,ne is self.ess and ded,icated, to God)s will, d,eath bis eternal fa,te into ening. A true seruant af Cbrist cornrnits hh suul and
Cbrist's hands.

-$s.

Ignatius Brianchaninov

Lord had apFr. Igor continued ro serve. He did not know that the point.diim only half a year of life, but from this time on' the thought not leav. hi*. This could be seen in his words, his choice

of d.".h did of St. of reading material, and his sermons. According to the teachings their Anrhony"the Grear: "Remember that your iniquities have reached of time fullrr.ss, that your youth has already passed' It has come-the for yoo, a"p"*or. h*r'.olne, the time *ht" yot''Inust give an account a father y.", i.^.ar. Know that brother cannot redeem brother there; .*rro, free his son. Forestall your acdons with the remembrance of
r86

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

your deparnrre from your body, and do not forger the recollection of crernal condemnation. Acting thus, you will not sin unto the ages.' 'Whether it was the dearh of his son rhat infuenced Batiushka, whether ir was the more frequenr threats of the Muslims, whether he remembered the dream he had had in his youth, or whether he received a revelation from God, we do nor know. But everyone-his family, his parishioners, and, of course, his spiritual farher-noticed that Fr. Igor changed, becoming more thoughdul and concenrrared. Earlier, Fr. Igor had told his parishioners how rhey should live and go to church, and how to correctly prepare for Confession and the reception of Christt Holy Mysteries. But now he spoke more and more often about death, about life beyond the grave, and about martyrdom. His favorite theme for sermons became: Fear not thern whicb kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (Matt. ro:28). Fr. Igor would say, "Our life is nothing. Real life begins with death. Life will be t'here, while this life is only a preparation." St. Ignatius wrot€ concerning this: "I am a sojourner on the earth. My wanderings begin from rhe cradle, and end in the coffin. Earthly life is a momentary, deceptive dream. Eternity is inescapable." Fr. Igor said about martyrdom: "This is a special cross, senr by God. Perhaps only one out of rhousands is given rhat crown by the Lord." He also called upon everyone to read Patristic books as much as possible, and to work out their salvation through enduring aflictions and forcing themselves. He strengthened people's faith, comforted them, and encouraged chem. He called upon them nor ro be afraid before people of other,faiths, but to place all their hope in God. He would say, "You can be saved in rhe world. You should try ro be like a desert-dweller in the midst of this civilization." That is how he himself lived-as a hermit in the inner chamber of his heart. He could correcdy be called an interior hermit, for he did not cut himself off from people-he loved them. He loved everyone: both those near and drose far away, both neighbors and strangers, both the Orthodox and the heterodox, who hated him so much. i
t87

THE ORIHODOX \TORD

He suffered greatlY his parent's rejection of hi preachitg about Orthod
his life. Th.y lived in Ty*f atJZ, where the church \Mas' but they were not baPdzed and did not attend churcL Fr. Igor was their loving son and regarded his Parents with due respect, but he understood that the greatest gift he could give them would consist of helping them to'become Orthodox. However, he approached this very fuendY, placing all his hoPe in God, taking into consideration their age and the fact that they had lived their whole Fr. Igor with one of his rare smiles' lives under an atheist regime' baptized at His mother was the first to come to church. She was
and their incomPrehension

I

L

theageofsixty.two,notlongbeforethedeathofherson.Thiswas ; f"",", day for him. In o,," iho'ograph Fr' Igor 9an be seen smiling veniro"dly *, h. l"r, his mother, who has just received Communion' rarevery Katherine, he smiled erare tle cross. According to Matushka happy a t , *U during their whoie life together she only saw him that
few tim.s. His father was baptized later' Fr. Igor had one -o"^d'"""': to finish the remodeling

of

the

church.Hewasworriedbecausetherewerenofundsfort]rerenova,i* *orL. Matushka related that, on Pascha'le when there would be
19 Pascha' the Feast of the Resurrection of

Christ'-Eo'

r88

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT many more people than usual in church, the floor would begin to crack and sway, and she would be afraid that it would not hold up and would collapse. However, everything would turn out well, and she and Batiushka would breathe a sigh of relief after the service was oler. Bur toward the end of his life, Fr. Igor reconciled himself to the starc of the chu-rch, as well as to the crowded conditions and the poverty. He understood that this was not the most important thing, and he would say, 'There's enough room for the people, so no more is needed." It should be noted that, just as at home, Fr. Igor made everytJring in the church himself FIe was a sffong man and carried stones himself, and worked as a cabinetmaker, carpenter, and metalworker. He did everything with joy, and work was nor a burden to him. He even baked prosphora if there was no one else to do it. The parishioners would always say, "'What tasty prosphora Batiushka has!" Tluly he did everything for God. His congregation consisted only of women. Only toward the end of Fr. Igort ministry did two men come. One of them, a young man named Andrew Vasiliev, replaced Batiushka's reposed son in the altar. He began to help Fr. Igor in every way, and quickly learned to be an acolyte. Once, Fr. Igor said to Andrew, "You know-youre going to be a monk." Andrew replied that he was planning ro get married, and was not thinking of ,monasricism at all. Batiushka repeated seriously, "However, you'll be a monk." \il(hy did Fr. Igor say this? As we shall see, very soon his words were precisely fulfilled. Although he was a married priest, when Fr. Igor was ordained he began ro live a monasdc kind of lift. \7e know that he devoted himself to monastic activities, such as the Jesus Prayer. But he carefully concealed this, not wanting to do it for show. There were no monasteries or monks in the region, and Fr. Igor contacted his spiritual father infrequendy, and this was mostly by telephone. How then could he have acquired, in such a short time, so many virtues that others, who lived for many years in monasteries, could not acquire ? It is not a matter of time, place, or age, but of a man's zeal for God. The
r89

THE ORTHODOX \TORD
me an?

was srrong last night and the f.rf down." He prerended nor ro norice rhat the wind had only down the fence around the church' anxious Mus' Early one morning, two weeks before- the murder' an

Vhar Muslims? The wind

windows Iim ranio Batiushk"'Jho*. and began knocking g" "ll the He he wanted' what him *a ao"tt. Matushka went out and asked did **r.d to speak with Fr. Igor- It was very t*ly' *.d Matushka agitats: was he why not want to wake her husband. She asked him "I .J, "H", something happened?" 1!d sh; heard in reply' know-I Fr. Igor time that it myself. fhly **t:to kill Badushka." Even
heard remained calm.

7. FnnLINGs

or

AnANDoNMENT

Hi,m beyond' all ptrayers Sorrows end,ured,for the Lord)s sake are preciuus t0 teArs, and tbeir ttghs and sacrif.ces. flrt ofrringt of the rughious are tbeir
are sacrif.ces Pleasing to God'.

-$g.

Isaac the Syrian

feel a kind ofabanSeveral days before his death Fr. Igor began to and.everyone was donment by God. It was during the Paschal perio-d' his.soul' He felt cast singing "Christ is riseni bot thtrt was no joy in

"rii", tt

*itliFr. Igor, t.""^" worried, and asked' "'What's the matter *lrt"yool It's Pascia, and youre 1o gl99my' I(/hy dont you smile?" Blt h. replied that he irimself could not explain what was going on with him-his soul was "groaning"' 'It is that you're afraiit Is it that you re sorry you became. a priest ?" "you doni understand-I'm not looking back. But I'm thinking-

"* though
or,

was a heavy stone lay on his soul' Matushka saw what

t

what if t}re Lord doesnt strengthen me?' "rU(/hat are you talking about?" else. \7hen his wife tried to lead him But he did not say "rrjything "Only a priest can understand me'" he said, into conversation "g"in,
192

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

From rhis conversation it is evident thar Fr. Igor knew abour

his impending dearh and was
preparirg for ir.

According ro the recollections of peopl. who knew him well, the week before his dearh was the most difficult. *He was Yery sorrowful;' relared Marushka Katherine. "He considered himself a worthless, proud man. I was eyen becomirg frighrened. No matter what rhe topic of conYersation, he would turn it to the topic of dearh. Four days before
his death he said, 'Marushka, prepare yourself for trials. The worsr is yet to come.' Then he started
Fr. Peter Sukhonsov, who was murdered

by Chechen rerrorists

in

rg99.

a litde abour each child." Batiushka was now frequently sayrng to everyone, "you're not praying for me. You've all abandoned me. I've been left all alone." Thi, -", quite similar to the pre-death state of Fr. peter Sukhonosov, who also, three months before he was attacked by bandits, said on several occasions, "You've all abandoned me, and I m left alone."2r On April z7/May ro, Batiushka was preparing to go home after the Liturgy, when an unshaven young man with a cigarette in his lips came up to him and, in an overly familiar way, asked him when he wtuld be in the church again: "I have something to ralk ro you about, which will
Fr' Peter was caprured by chechen found.-Eo. z1 rerrorisrs

to talk about the children: rhat I should nor abandon rhem, thar I should always be righr beside rhem. We rhen spoke

in

ry99. His body has not been

193

l

,{

i

THE ORTHODOX \TORD be of inreresr ro me and you." Fr. Igor replied that he would be at church on Sarurday and Sunday. The man contemPtuously threw down his cigarerte and srarred to leave. Vhen some young men who looked like hirrr, standing in a small group not far away, shouted, "\7here are you going ?" he replied, "I'11 be back." ii. Igor t Matushka was present during this conversation, and had no ,roobl. idendfyittg th.ar man afterward. It was he who, two days "I saw nothlater, wirhout hesitating, sabbed Batiushka with a knife.

I

i t

ing odd in himi' she related, "only defiant cynicism-nothing else." .Not long before his death, Fr. Igor's spiritual father, Fr. vyacheslav, came ro ,.. hi-, and spenr rwo days with him. Fr. Igor related his whole life to him in deiail, confessed, and shared with him everything that lay on his soul like a $onc'Without a doubt, this conversadon and confession gready suengtlrened him, and at dre samc timc prcto eterniry. pared - his soul for its Passage 'first martyrs *e know that they awaited the hour From the live s of the of their death with joy. Many examples could be cited: the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, Grear-martyr George, and the glorious Martyr Gordius, who was sorry only that "he could not die for Christ many times'" St. Ignatius rhe God-bearer, when he learned about his impending death (tJ be eaten alive by wild beasts), wrore to his fock: "I am afraid of your love,lesr it should do me an injury.... Pray, then, do not seek to confer any grearer favor upon me rhan that I be sacrificed to God.... only requesr in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not or,-ly ,p."k, but truly will, so that I may not merely be called a christian, burreally found ro t. on". For if I be truly found a christian, I may also be cafiei one, and be then deemed faithful, when I shall no longer apPear to the world. Nothingvisible is eternal.... May I enjoy the wild beasts that are prepare d for me; and I pray that they may be found eager to rush upon and not deal with me -., *hi.h also I will entice to devour me speedily, be as wirh some, whom, out of fear, they have not touched. But if they to be a I begin Now so.... do unwilling to assail mq I will compel them to disciple, and have no desire after anythingvisible or inviSible, that I may
194

I

t

I

I

t
ffi ffi

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT attain toJesus christ. Let fire and the cross; ler the crowds ofwild beasts; let breakings, rearings, and separations of bones; ler cutting offof members; let bruising to pieces of the whole body; and let the very torment of the devil come upon me: only let me attain toJesus christ" (st. Ignatius ofAntioch, Episde to the Romans, chapters ,-1,).r, But we likewise know from rhe lives of the marryrs that, having the desire to suffer, they did not always experience joy and inspiration of spirit. Thus, from the lives of the first Russian marryrs, Righcbeliwing Princes Boris and Gleb, we know that Prince Boris knew rhat he waf
threatened by death, but he was a christian and desired to ac according to thd Gospel. He dismissed all his soldiers and in grear sorrow..rt.r.J his tent and ordered that Vespers be served. Afterwards, when he began reading rhe Six Psalms, rhe murderers arrived, but he did not interrupihis prayer to God. \flhen he finished praying, he asked forgiveness ofhis assassins, andwith the words "O Lord, receive my spirit in peace," he rurned to those who had been sent and said, "Brethren, approach and finish what you have been commanded ro do!" Theypierced the heart of the holy prince with their swords. Likewise, Prince Gleb, when he heard about the

planned attempt on his life, was in sorrow, bur byprayer to God overcame his despondency and sorrow and accepted death as his brother had. Prince Igor of Chernigov, whose name Fr. Igor bore, when he was

warned during the Liturgy that people wanted to kill him, mentally prepared himself for everything with tears: "O Lord! Look down upon my infirmity that, hoping in Thee, I might endure all. Vouchsafe to take me from this rebellious, dismal world, into Thy light." Archpriest Michael cheltsovz3 described his state when he heard
22 Zhe Ante-Nicene Fatbers, vol. l (Buffalo, N.y.: Christian Literature, rgg5. Reprint, Peabody,Mass. : Hendrickson, ts g +), pp. z l- z 6. 23 New Hieromartyr Archpriest Michael chelmov (Itglo, commemorated December z5) was arrested for the fifth time in ryzzand senrenced to death. However, this sentence was later commuted to five years' imprisonment. After serving this sentence he wrote a memoir entitled Recollections of a Condernned Man about what He Endured (in Russian). He was shot after his sixth arrest eight years later.-Eo.

19,

THE ORTHODOX \TORD

his death sentence:

felt recogn rzed the whole gravity' bi terness, and hopelessness of situatiolr. Something heavy and cheerless oppressed my hearL

"I

and dull, indefinite thoughe
that I could not express in words' wandered through -y head." According to Fr. Vyacheslav, during the final days before his death Fr. Igor secluded hirnself frequendy and for long Periods, going off for long walks in his beloved mountains.

8. FR.
Prison photo of New Hieromart1r

Icon s MenrYRrc
DE,errt

Archpriest Michael Cheltsov.

Tlte Lord's disclPles are not on$t
those who are called Christians because of
confess

Hit

nArne, but those who

nuly

Him to be tbeir Lord.

Sbarne,

timidity, and hesitation are in'

supportable when one confesses
d,renched. tbe

Hirn. Confession requires decisiae self'esy ,rrr. Surl, a confession w)s ffired to the Lord by the, holy martyrs, wbo

wiole exl)anse if the eartb witb their blood and proclaimed tbeir hollt witness to ibt knowledge of God and reuerence for God to the whole uorld. Ignatius Brianchaninov

-St.

Fr. Igor sensed his impending death, and those close to him did as well. As"Matushka Karherine related, "\(/e spent May rz at the church, and the service went along calmly. Afterwards, there were confessions,

and then Fr. Igor prayed. That day some believers came and, as always, rg6

ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT

we put them up ar our house for the night. Fr. Igor turned down dinner, and only had a glass of tea. Then he wenr ro spend the nighr in the church, since there was not enough room for him at home. For such occasions he kept a folding bed, a blanket, and a sleeping pad in church. That night he slept in the vestry." On Sunday, April3o/May ry, zoor, when Iliya awoke in the morning, he said to his mother, "Mama, I have a sffong feeling that someone in our f"-ily is going to die roday." Fr. Igor himself fek especially heavy. His suffering and rorment were evidenr, but he placed all his hope in God and prayed.

was the day of the commemorarion of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. That moming Fr. Igor did not urrer a single word. He was very

It

concenrrared-entirely within himself Then he served the festal Liturgy and a Moleben, after which he was asked to go somewhere ro commune a sick woman. He took the Holy Gifts and went. All the parishioners dispersed, and only one woman was left in the church. At that dme three young men, about twenty-five years of age, entered the church and asked for Badushka. The woman replied that he was gone, but that he would soon rerurn and they coulJ wait for him. They agreed and waited in the srreer. Fr. Igor returned and heard about the visitors rhat were waiting for him. He asked that rhey be called in, then wenr into the altar to put the Holy Gifts back. He did not even divesr, and wenr out ro talk with the visitors. Only one of them approached him-Ibrahim Khapaev-and Fr. Igor invited him into rhe sacristy. A few minutes wenr by when the woman, who was sitting in the back of the church, heard a groan and ran to the sacristy. The murderer had already done his deed and was coming out, stepping over rhe fallen Fr. Igor. 'When he saw the woman, he was ready to use the knife on her as well, but she instantly remembered her children and said to him, "You're going to kill me ? But I have children!" It is not likely that compassion touched his callous soul. As is well known, there is a law of blood revenge in the caucasus, and the fear of retribudon at rhe hands of relatives is subconsciously presenr in the psychology of the local
197

THE ORTHODOX\TORD
rrr addidoo, the murderer believed.'h-"'--T::"dlif,"t:* people. Pguyrt-o In feat, whereas the murdcf of his faith he had accomplished a heroic did'':' law' women is nor approved of i' Sharia ftor;ov::,tht touch her' not h. diJ nor inrend ro hide, and so he did

him, since left unhindered, just as he had corne' Fr' Igor' who was still The woman ran over to the bleeding "Inro Thy hands, o Lord' I commend and heard his lasr words:

sPirit."

c,--r^-. school ^^r.^^r ^^. a lit" -came At that time, one of the girls from the Sunday horrific picture' she.ran into this il" \fhen usualthan ,t" ,"rti., '"* been murdered! Batiushkat been iB"'io'hka's the street and screamtJ, was were heard by Fr' Igort son Iliya' who

1

:

I

murdered!" fn. ,.r."* Batiushka was sdl alive and madc' nearby, and he ran inro rhe church. was no longer -able' Khapaev had an effort ro say somerhing, but he rhree fa.al wounds had been nor left Fr. tgo, a chance ro survive. All the.*.:l1T::1, prof.rsionally: ro rhe liver, rhe hearr, and delivered *"";;:iJ';^;;h,-ir, ,r,. arms of his ,:^, having communed had rhe chance to divest' It chrisr,s Holy Mysreries, wirhout having pascha, the sunday of the Samaritan voman' was rhe fifth Sunday after of St' Ignatius' and -*;; the commemoration who re' Ig;; *", *oty 'imilar to"the wise Samaritan woman' and was likewise made worthy of ceived the Lord -nfi Ji-i"' ht""' reading fo1 tlat day read' death for Christ's ,;.hG; Tht Go'p"l that t ibotl gtot htm shall neuer tltirst; Whosoeuer d,rinketb i;;r iuater be in bim a well of water springbut tbe water that t ihott gi" him sball ing up into euerlasti"s l'ft (John +'.t+)' , she was informed by radio Matushka was iri,f," -oo"'"ins when Jo*t immediatelv' She understood that her that she needed * ;t her had not deceived her' and she began oremonitions that ;;;;d to Iliva' But then' as 5.#;;;kt;;-.h* som"ething had happened *]-"" * insistent thought came to me: she said, 'I was coming down' so clear' that I under'Priest Igor... Prier,b;'i and it was so distinct' g";'hk" who was in trouble' \(/hen I came down stood that it was
rg8

ffi

iffi

ASCENTTOTHESUMMIT there was a car waiting for me. Everyone was standing around upset and silent. To learn the truth, I asked, 'should I go get a medicJ report?' The reply was, 'No, you need a black kerchief I understood everything right away'' She did not find him among the living. Half a year earlier, Matushka had buried her son, and now she was burying her husband. She received his death bravely, with submission, as something from the hand of God: "Glory be ro God, that He has given our f"-ily a marcyr!,Glory be to God!" People kept coming and coming. The diocesan dean, Fr. Leonid, arrived, looking as though he were in a trance, and began to serve a Litya.za Many promises were made at Fr. Igor! funeral. G. Gubin, the vice president of the republic, speaking on behalf of President v. Kokov, promised the orthodox believers of Tyrnyaaz help in building a new church. Fr. Igor was buried beside Andrew, and another simple wooden cross was erected. M*y people were present. There was a sffong downpour, the wind was blowing, and the wearher was quite dismal. Ii seemed as though all of nature was proresting against the crime. But as soon as the coffin was lowered into the grave, everything calmed down. The sun came out, and nature, as well as the souls of those present, became quiet and joyful. Matushka Katherine related that Fr. Igor lay in his coffin looking extraordinarily bright and peaceful. Thus ended the earthly life of a new confessor and passion-bearer of the much-suffering Russian land. But, as St. Ignatius writes, "God has so wondrously orilered the work of our salvation that evil, having an evil goal and acting with the intention of harming a servanr of God in dme and eterniry instead assists in his salvation.'\7e know that death is the passage to eternal blessedness for the righteous, and that those who die in the Lord begin a new bemer life and enter into a blessed eternity. The Aposde Paul writes that neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor peril, nor the sword, nor the
2a

Litla: a brief memorial service.-Eo.
i

199

THE ORTHODOX \TORD

death of Christ's soldiers could seParate them from the love of in Christ Jesus, and they are accounted as sheep for the slaughter ( Rom. 8,Jj-i6). We believe thar Fr. Igor is standing before the Lord in the glory ofi a hieromarryr, for he who suffers with Him is glorified with Him (c[ Rom. 8:r7). He who has endured revilement, dishonor, suffering, and death for Him \rhom he loves, without having seen Him (cf I Pea, r:8), will be glad with exceeding joy when His glory is revealed (cf. I pet. 4:r3), and will delight abundandy in eternal blessing, according to rhe promise z Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither baue entered into theieart of *in, the things which God hatb preparedfor thern that loae Him (I Cor. z:9; cf.Is.'e4za) Appearances of Fr. Igor after his death, either alone or with his son Andrew, have always been joyful and radiant. \(rhen one young man who had known Fr. Igor well started smoking, Batiushka began to aPpear ro him in dreams with the words "Don't smoke !" He quit smok-

irg.

A few

days after the funeral, an overwrought woman came

to

see

Fr. Igor's wife. Her son refused to become orthodox, and problems withlebts had arisen. Matushka replied, 'Did Fr. Igor help you during his tife? Have no doubts, take his photograph, and ask for help'" Two days later that woman's son was bapdzed, and the debts were miraculously sraightened out. \7hen \Me asked Matushka whether Fr. Igor had helped her, she replied, "\Tithout a doubt." And she added, "The murderer brought us both grief and joyl' It is hard ro lose one s husband and be left with four children in a Christian-hating country' but it is a ioy to have such an intercessor before God! We will end this chapter with rhe words of Fr. Igor's spiritual farher, Fr. Vyacheslav: "The picture that has passed before us of the unusual life of the priesr Fr. Igor, of his ffagic and martyric death, is a refection of the rrue victory of good over evil-a victory not through force, but rhrough his preaching of the Gospel truth, through his conzoo

ASCENTTO THE SUMMIT

of the Fairh even unto death. Such preaching-his preaching in life and his preaching in death, the beginning of which was madi by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself-is comprehensible and close to the heart of every orthodox believer. There is no need for a multitude of
fession
quotes and theological proofs ro see in Fr. Igor's life and martyric death those traits which allow us to say that a uue shepherd has gone from us. He has gone to the Lord...."

EprrocuB
fate in etemity is in our own hands, for God. will rend,er unto each one accord.ing to his deeds. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Oar
,

.Aftg, Batiushka's funeral, Muslim children ran around the church andjoyfully yelled, "That's it! Now you have no Bariushka! Now youll have no services!' But this satanic scheme was nor brought to fulfillment: from time immemorial, the Orthodox Church has"rrood on the blood of the marryrs. The diocesan dean, Fr. Leonid, came immediately from Nalchik to serve, and the parish was nor left without services. Twenty days after the murder, the young Andrew Vasiliev, who had been Fr. Igor's acolyte, was ronsured a monk with the name Igor, in honor of the Right-believing Prince of Chernigov and in memory of the martyred Batiushka. Then the bishop ordained him to the priesthood. Thus did Fr. Igor's predicdon come true. The hieromonk continues ro serve to the presenr day in Tyrnyauz, and also works to bring the Faith to prisoners located in his diocese. Fr. Igor's children, remembering his wishes, chose the path of the church. Iliya followed in his father's footsteps. He enrolled in the Stavropol seminary and dreams of returning rcTyrnyauz. Eugenia entered a school for iconographers. Sasha is still in school and continues to lead the choir in the church. Matushka Katherine works at the mereoro2Cr

THE ORTHODOX \TORD

logical station and devotes her free time to the ch Their eldest son, Maxim, came an alpine rescuer. Batiushka's parents had e Church wedding. His mother began to attend church regularly, to sing on the kliros, and to teach at the Sunday school, as her son had wanted. Likewise, Fr. Igor's sister Victoria began to come to church more frequently with her two chil
dren.

Ibrahim Khapaev, on the very d"y of the murder,i
went to the police, where he made a. declaradon that he Hieromonk Igor (Vasiliev) (center) had killed a man for being an and parish in front of the new Orthodox priest who served in Trynyauz. St. George Church God and preached Orthohad been tried for the aftempted Khapaev dory. Three months earlier murder of one of his reladves, but had been acquitted. In the case of Fr. Igor's murder, the judge considered him to be insane. The whole Caucasian fock, along with all Orthodox Christians, have obtained one more intercessor before God, one more man who laid his life down for his friends. Holy Fr. Igor, pray to God for
us !

202

Grave crosses of Fr. Igor (right) and his son Andrew.