Vladyka Eusebius. Biography
Eusebius (Savvin Nikolai Afanasyevich)
Born on May 15, 1939 in the village of Stegalovka, Lipetsk region. In 1956 he graduated from high school. In 1961 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, in 1965 - from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree for the essay “The Church and Literary Activity of St. Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh.” In 1963 he entered the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
In 1964, he was tonsured a monk with the name in honor of the martyr Eusebius, Bishop of Laodicea (October 4/17) and ordained a hierodeacon by Archbishop Donatus (Shchegolev).
In 1965, he was ordained hieromonk by Metropolitan Nikodim and sent to the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem as a secretary.
In 1969 he was appointed secretary of the Voronezh diocesan administration. Since 1971, he was a member of the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In 1974 he graduated from graduate school at the Moscow Academy of Sciences. In 1977, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen approved him as dean of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra.
From 1982 to March 1984 - Vicar of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra.
Visited Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Holy Mount Athos, Bulgaria, Egypt. In 1982, he was the guest of honor at the World Conference “Religious Leaders for Saving the Sacred Gift of Life from Nuclear Disaster.”
On April 1, 1984, Archimandrite Eusebius (Savvin) was ordained Bishop of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow.
In 1990, Bishop Eusebius (Savvin) was appointed to the Samara See.
Since February 1993, Archbishop Eusebius (Savvin) has headed the Pskov and Velikoluksk diocese.
In his activities, the Bishop pays great attention to creating conditions for satisfying the spiritual needs of believers, strengthening the position of Orthodoxy, which occupies a special place in the history of the Pskov region, in the formation and development of its spirituality and culture.
Over the years, more than 100 temples and chapels have been built and restored. Monastic life has been revived in Svyatogorsk, Mirozhsky, Snetogorsk, Krypetsky, Nikandrovsky, Eleazarovsky, Tvorozhkovsky, Vvedensky and Simansky Spaso-Kazansky monasteries. The Pskov-Pechersky Monastery received further development, which is still the spiritual center of the Pskov diocese and carries out enormous work to preserve and disseminate cultural heritage, conducts missionary activities, and is involved in charity work. The publication of the newsletter of the Pskov diocese “Blagodatnye Luchi” and several parish church newspapers has been established. An icon painting school has been opened in the Mirozhsky Monastery. Every year, Vladyka visits up to 60 churches in the diocese, visiting many several times. During his stay at the Pskov See, His Eminence Archbishop Eusebius performed about 200 ordinations as presbyters and deacons.
Historical and cultural monuments in the use of the Pskov diocese are kept in good condition, and a large volume of repair and restoration work is carried out on them every year. There are places associated with the name of Olga, the Grand Duchess of Russia, a native of the Pskov region and the founder of the city of Pskov. Today, parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church operate in all cities and districts of the region, taking an active part, led by their ruling Archpastor, in holding events dedicated to memorable dates in the history of the region and Russia. Together with educational, cultural and educational institutions and military units, they carry out a great deal of work on the patriotic and moral education of the population and especially young people.
On February 25, 2008, Archbishop of Pskov and Velikoluksky Eusebius was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.
Over the past eighteen years of management of the Pskov diocese by Metropolitan Eusebius, more than 3,000 divine services were performed, and at each of them, teachings on Gospel and other topics were tirelessly pronounced, in which the content and meaning of the holidays was explained, and the Archpastoral call for peace and good deeds was tirelessly sounded.
He retired in May 2018.
Church awards:
Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 1st degree;
Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh III degree;
Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II degree;
Order of St. equal to book Vladimir II degree;
Order of St. blgv. book Daniil of Moscow II degree.
Secular: State Order of Honor.
After graduating from the Tula Theological School and Seminary, he entered the Moscow Theological Academy. In 1885 he graduated with a candidate of theology degree (master's degree) and at the same time was assigned to the Mogilev Theological School as a teacher of Russian and Slavic languages.
Since 1888 - assistant superintendent of the Mogilev Theological School. At the same time, he served as a member of the Mogilev district branch of the diocesan School Council and served as clerk of the School Board.
On August 3, 1893, he was tonsured a monk under the name Eusebius in honor of Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata. On August 5 he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on August 6, on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, to the rank of hieromonk. The sacrament of consecration was performed by Nikolai (Nalimov), Bishop of Gdov
On September 11, 1893, he was appointed to the St. Petersburg Spiritual Censorship Committee and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. But he barely managed to arrive at his destination when, on October 18, 1893, he was appointed to the post of rector of the Irkutsk Theological Seminary.
Service in Irkutsk
In Irkutsk, Archimandrite Eusebius, in addition to being the rector and teaching at the seminary, took part in other diocesan affairs: he was the editor of the Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette, chairman of the Diocesan School Council, and an active member of the Irkutsk Missionary Society.
On January 26, 1897, he was consecrated in the Irkutsk Ascension Monastery as Bishop of Kirensky, vicar of the Irkutsk diocese. The consecration was performed by Archbishop Tikhon of Irkutsk (Troitsky-Donebin), Bishops of Ryazan Meletius (Yakimov), Transbaikal Georgy (Orlov) and Bishop Nikodim (Preobrazhensky) of Yakutia. Immediately after this, on January 26, 1897, Bishop Eusebius was appointed to the independent see of Bishop of Kamchatka, Kuril and Blagoveshchensk in the city of Blagoveshchensk.
Bishop of Kamchatka
On February 4, 1898, he arrived in Blagoveshchensk and took over the administration of the diocese. From the very first steps of his pastoral activity, the remarkable qualities of his personality were revealed. The bishop was zealous in his worship, preached zealously, and brilliantly combined his love of enlightenment with personal righteousness, zealous preaching with charity. He never left his care for his flock for a minute.
On January 1, 1899, the bishop was appointed the first bishop of the newly established Vladivostok and Kamchatka diocese.
Archpastor of Vladivostok
The 20-year tenure of the Bishop at the Vladivostok See coincided with the increased settlement of the Ussuri region, with the construction of railways in the Far East, with the Russo-Japanese War, with the time when the Russian Far East, hitherto sparsely inhabited and almost deserted, was filled with Russian people, when the number of its population and at the same time agriculture, trade, and industry developed. This region needed enhanced spiritual enlightenment.
Before arriving in the diocese in 1899, on the first week of Holy Pentecost, the bishop arrived at the Holy Trinity Shmakovsky monastery and spent a whole week there, asking for Heavenly help for the arduous obedience of establishing a new diocese. In the monastic silence and solitude, the shepherd strengthened himself with fasting and prayer for the upcoming service.
The new diocese occupied a huge territory of 1,200,000 square miles, in which there were 69 churches. There were not enough priests and parishes were often empty. Upon the arrival of the new ruling bishop, there was not even room for him, and Bishop Eusebius initially found shelter in the governor’s house. The only parish Assumption Church in Vladivostok was renamed into a cathedral, and the consistory was temporarily hosted by the cathedral archpriest.
However, a year later, through the efforts of Bishop Eusebius, the Spiritual Consistory, the Guardianship of the Poor of the Clergy, the Diocesan School Council, and the Diocesan Committee of the Orthodox Missionary Society were opened. Over time, over 170 churches and more than 100 parochial schools were built and consecrated. Only in Vladivostok, with his direct participation, were the following churches built and consecrated: Assumption (cathedral), Intercession (cemetery), Peter and Paul (“on the First River”), a school-church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” (missionary), not not to mention the churches of the military and those located at educational institutions, as well as the bishop’s compound in Sedanka (a suburb of Vladivostok), where Vladyka supported 50 pensioners at his own expense.
The Bishop worked a lot on the organization of the monasteries - the Ussuri Nikolaev Holy Trinity Monastery and the South Ussuri Nativity of the Theotokos women's monasteries.
On July 12, 1907, the churches and clergy of northern Manchuria were added to the diocese, and on January 1, 1909, the Russian Spiritual Mission in Seoul was subordinated to the Archbishop of Vladivostok. All this was a sign of special trust on the part of the emperor and the hierarchy of the Church.
Starting from the second half of 1899, without sparing his health and strength, Bishop Eusebius traveled around his entire huge diocese more than once, and no difficulties could prevent him from visiting church parishes even in Kamchatka and Sakhalin.
Hearing about such a love of the shepherd for his flock, many Russian philanthropists, starting with the most august persons, donated significant sums for the creation of new churches. Righteous John of Kronstadt himself donated to the needs of monasteries and churches in the Ussuri region, to the establishment of a library at the school in the village of Osinovka, and also donated for the Alexander Sakhalin Church the icon of the Mother of God “The Unfading Flower,” sent to him personally from Holy Mount Athos. Priests and teachers of parochial schools from other dioceses asked and were transferred to serve in the Vladivostok-Kamchatka diocese. The wise Lord identified candidates for positions only after direct acquaintance with each of them.
To attract the clergy to the cause of religious and moral education, the Bishop regularly convened diocesan congresses. In 1903, on his initiative, the publication of the Vladivostok Diocesan Gazette was started. In the printing house of the Holy Trinity Shmakovsky Monastery, with his blessing, spiritual literature was printed, which was distributed outside the diocese.
One of the main areas of activity of the ruling bishop was missionary work, for the Vladivostok-Kamchatka diocese was then populated by numerous pagan foreigners - Chinese, Koreans, and small nationalities of the Far East. Vladyka raised missionary work to unattainable heights. Missionary camps were created throughout the diocese to teach how to conduct missionary work, and catechetical schools and courses were opened. Here they taught not only the Word of God, but also lessons in rational housekeeping. The talents, virtues and useful activities of the ruling bishop earned him the love and respect of pagan foreigners, many of whom he led to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
With the blessing of Bishop Eusebius, the Orthodox Kamchatka Charitable Brotherhood was created, approved by the Holy Governing Synod after the Feast of Holy Easter in 1910, with the goal of bringing the word of God to the most remote corners of the diocese. Tsarevich Alexei became the august patron of the Brotherhood.
The gracious service of Bishop Eusebius was highly appreciated by the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church: on May 6, 1906, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop, and in 1912 he was awarded the Highest Charter, which stated:
Your long hierarchal service on the far eastern outskirts of our Fatherland is marked by the labors and exploits of your zeal for the glory of the holy faith of Christ and the spiritual good of the flock entrusted to you. Through your efforts, the churches of God have been multiplied, the religious and moral education of the younger generation, based on the principles of love for the Orthodox Church and devotion to the Tsar and the Motherland, is expanding and strengthening, missionary work is rising among the numerous foreigners striving to know the Truth. According to your thoughts, the Orthodox Kamchatka Brotherhood was established in the name of the Image of the All-Merciful Savior Not Made by Hands, which aroused deep interest in the spiritual needs of distant Kamchatka and attracted sacrifices to satisfy them. Vladyka was awarded other high awards.
In November 1912, Archbishop Eusebius was summoned to attend the Holy Synod, took part in the glorification of St. Patriarch Hermogenes, and was appointed chairman of the Commission for the development of rules governing the transportation of St. icons along waterways.
In 1917-1918, Archbishop Eusebius took part in the work of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, after which he returned to Vladivostok. But soon he was appointed a permanent member of the Holy Synod under the patriarch, for which he again went to Moscow.
Recent years in Moscow
At the end of his term of activity in the Holy Synod in 1919-1920, unable to return to his diocese due to the civil war, Archbishop Eusebius was temporarily appointed to govern the Smolensk diocese.
In 1920, Saint Patriarch Tikhon appointed Archbishop Eusebius as vicar of the patriarchal throne in Moscow. On February 18, 1920, he was elected Metropolitan of Krutitsky. Metropolitan Eusebius accepted such a high appointment as temporary, with the condition that at the first opportunity he would be given the right to return to his native Vladivostok diocese.
In subsequent years until his death, he lived in Moscow. Metropolitan Eusebius (Nikolsky) died on January 31, 1922, serving the Divine Liturgy a day before his death. The funeral service was performed by Saint Patriarch Tikhon with many hierarchs who were then in Moscow in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with a large crowd of worshipers. The burial took place in the Novodevichy Convent, on the north side of the Smolensk Cathedral.
In his private life, Bishop Eusebius was distinguished by simplicity, kindness, love of poverty and forgiveness towards others.
Awards
- The highest diploma (1912).
- Order of St. blgv. led Prince Alexander Nevsky (1912).
- Diamond cross on a hood (1915).
Proceedings
- Archbishop Eusebius. “Russian people, preserve the Orthodox Faith!”
- “Speech at the presentation of the staff to Bishop Nestor of Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka,” Supplement to the Church Gazette, 1916, No. 46, 1099.
Literature
- Prozorova, G.V., “At the origins of the Vladivostok-Kamchatka diocese”, ZhMP, 1995, No. 11, 47-51.
- BEL, vol. III, stb. 535; vol. V, stb. 1033; vol. VIII, stb. 233.
- FAM II, No. 31, 6.
- Irkutsk Diocesan Gazette, 1898, No. 4.
- Church Gazette, 1896, No. 49, 425; 1897, No. 42, 387; 1899, no. 3, 17.
- Orthodox Interlocutor, 1900, June, 767.
- Composition of the Holy Rule All R. Syn. and Ros. Church Hierarchies for 1917, 68-69.
- Missionary Calendar, 1907, 132.
- V.G(linsky), 10/22.
- Addition to the Church Gazette, 1897, No. 14, 533; 1910, No. 31, 1312.
- BES, vol. I, stb. 518, 956.
- Russian Pilgrim, 1912, No. 27, 410 (photo).
- CES, 68-69.
- News of the Kazan Diocese, 1912, No. 33, 988; No. 41, 242; 1913, no. 1, 22; No. 7, 245.
- Bulgakov, 1395, 1401.
- Kamchatka Diocesan Gazette, 1898, No. 1, 3; 1899, no. 9.
***
Your Holiness!
On Forgiveness Sunday, February 26, 2017, under fear of having their crosses removed, many clergy of the Pskov deanery did not appear for the rite of forgiveness to Metropolitan Eusebius and ignored his threats. Isn’t this an indicator that the “old man” has played too hard in his place and he has long outlived his poison? But thanks to the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Barsanuphius, there is no end to the tyranny of Metropolitan Eusebius. At one time, Metropolitan Eusebius rendered an invaluable service to Metropolitan Barsanuphius, and now Metropolitan Barsanuphius is indebted to him for the rest of his life, which Metropolitan Eusebius flaunts. This lifelong dependence of Met. Barsanuphius from Metropolitan. Eusebius makes us very happy.
Many believers assessed the resolution of Metropolitan Eusebius, superimposed on the list of persons from the deanery of the city of Pskov, who were absent from the metropolitan rite of forgiveness at the Trinity Cathedral in 2017 (we sent a copy of this document with the resolution of Metropolitan Eusebius to Your Holiness along with this letter to the Patriarchate website, and also on this occasion one of the orders) as a hypocritical “rite of forgiveness” of Metropolitan Eusebius, spiritual violence against the clergy of the Pskov deanery, obliging the clergy to forcibly appear on this day in the cathedral for extras. But what about the service of the priests themselves in their parishes on this day, did Metropolitan Eusebius think about this? Or did we all need to unanimously leave our parishes and parishioners and rush to the cathedral to appease its arrogance and pride? This is how Metropolitan Eusebius throws dust in the eyes of the public and pilgrims, trying to create the illusion of mass “respect and veneration for his Eminence” and instill in himself the “love” of the shepherds with the “spiritual” whip of “invisibility”. And for those who do not come to ask for forgiveness, the “spiritual” whip is always ready - away with the breast cross, and with the deacons orarion. We draw your Holiness's attention - it is a breast cross, not a pectoral one.
And his constant, blatant, swinish treatment and attitude towards the clergy in the office of the diocesan administration and at church services? Abuse of one’s position, spiritual sadism, which aggravates our attitude towards him. Or does a metropolitan not have to be a Christian, and this only applies to the clergy??? Master class from Metropolitan Eusebius on Forgiveness Resurrection for all Christians on the planet. Throughout Great Lent, many of the clergy, laughing at the demons, were left without crosses in grief and sorrow.
To Your Holiness, I have a great request to leave us the shocking Metropolitan Eusebius for another two years. This will be enough for Metropolitan Eusebius to completely destroy the Pskov diocese and send the remnants of the Orthodox believers and the clergy themselves fleeing to other denominations. And with his further unpredictable actions he continued to compromise the Russian Orthodox Church MP on the Internet. Are they already writing so little about us? The scandal with the priest, rector of the Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women in Pskov, Priest Sergius (Ivanov), has just begun to subside, in whose refrigerator they found a large batch of drugs, and under the sofa a combat pistol with a silencer and sixty rounds of ammunition for it. And at the same time, after miraculously receiving a suspended sentence, the priest continued to serve under the omophorion of Metropolitan Eusebius. And only thanks to the scandal that arose around this case in the media, Metropolitan Eusebius banned his favorite. And here you go, it’s no better that the Metropolitan is acting weird again.
If you are satisfied with this senile disgrace of Metropolitan Eusebius towards the clergy and pilgrims of the Pskov diocese, then this upsets us very much, and our faith wavers. It is not without reason that popular wisdom says: “The manager of a diocese should retire on time.”
Attached to the letter:
1. A copy of the list of persons from the deanery of Pskov who were absent from the metropolitan rite of forgiveness in the Trinity Cathedral in 2017 with a handwritten resolution by Metropolitan Eusebius (Savvin Nikolai Afanasyevich).
2. A copy of the order dated February 27, 2017, by Metropolitan Eusebius of Pskov and Porkhov (Savvin Nikolai Afanasyevich). Your Holiness, pay special attention to the table of contents of this form: “CHANCELLERY OF THE PSKOV METROPOLIA” And where is the diocese then? The pride of Metropolitan Eusebius swallowed her up completely!
With respect to Your Holiness, clergy of the Pskov diocese.
We do not put our names under the letter; they are on the list. There was a time when the parishioners of Archimandrite Eleutherius (Popov) wrote a complaint to the Patriarchate, so it was returned to Metropolitan Eusebius, who, at a diocesan meeting in 2014, then complained to him about it, saying: “You see, you are complaining about me to the Patriarchate, but to me everything your letters are being returned."
Contrary to popular belief, the era of freethinking and the struggle for democracy in the church parishes of Pskov did not end with the death of Father Pavel Adelgeim. Three years after his death, Pskov priests did not remain silent, but wrote a complaint to the Moscow Patriarchate. They openly accused the current Metropolitan Eusebius of tyranny and “spiritual sadism,” advising the capital’s Orthodox officials to retire the ruling bishops on time.
Archbishop Eusebius(Savvin) came to the Pskov diocese in 1993. And he immediately identified himself as a politician first and foremost. “You won’t have life in the diocese,” he warned his father. Pavel Adelgeim and Orthodoxy explained that a bishop he knew told him everything about the Pskov priest (this knowledgeable bishop could probably be the late Metropolitan Macarius, who at one time wrote a denunciation against Pavel Adelgeim to the KGB). The bishop kept his promise: he deprived Father Paul of two parishes, excommunicated the shelter for disabled children created by Adelgeim from funding, and in 2008 removed the priest’s rank of rector of the Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women. There were also high-profile trials with parishioners, from whom all church powers were taken away and transferred to the ruling bishop. The conflict reached the patriarch, who, at a church-wide trial, demanded from the clergy “mutual forgiveness and reconciliation in the spirit of Gospel love.”
The Lord did not react.
In parallel with the confrontation with Adelgeim, the head of the diocese took up arms against journalists. In January 2008, an article was published in the newspapers “Pravda” and “Pskovsky Rubezh” Oleg Dementyev“A hornet’s nest under golden domes”, where local residents actually blamed the now deceased abbess Elizabeth(Belyaev), at that time the abbess of the Spaso-Eleazarovsky Monastery, in racketeering. The author assumed that she used threats to force people to sell land to the monastery, and to force nuns to earn money using completely non-Christian methods. The release of the material coincided with the construction of the bishop's residence in Elizarovo.
Bishop Eusebius has headed the Pskov diocese since 1993.
Abbess Elisaveta went to court and recovered 20 thousand rubles from the journalist for infringing on his honor, dignity and business reputation. Oleg Dementyev responded with an appeal to the president, where he pointed out the illegal expansion of the monastery’s security zone. A few days later, Bishop Eusebius anathematized the unbelieving journalist. “In connection with the ongoing vile slander and satanic lies against the nuns of the Spaso-Eleazarovsky Monastery and in particular Abbess Elisaveta (Belyaeva),” Oleg Dementyev “is excommunicated from Orthodox church communion and is subjected to anathema - a curse,” said a release sent out by the press service of the diocese ( the author's spelling and punctuation have been preserved. — L.P.).
Oleg Dementyev could have accompanied Leo Tolstoy, who was also excommunicated from the church after the release of the novel “Resurrection,” which offended the hierarchs, but it turned out that Metropolitan Eusebius traditionally exceeded his authority. Head of the Synodal Information Department of the Moscow Patriarchate Vladimir Legoyda stated that “only one who is a member can be excommunicated from the church,” and that anathema must be preceded by a number of actions, including an attempt to enter into negotiations. “In any case, the anathema will not come into force without the consent of Patriarch Kirill,” the church official emphasized. The Patriarchate preferred to hush up the scandalous bishop’s latest escapade.
In 2013, Metropolitan Eusebius again found himself in the spotlight of the federal media due to the “Easter scandal.” On the main holiday of all Orthodox Christians, he drove around Pskov in a Mercedes, where instead of a license plate there was a sign with the modest inscription “Vladyka”. “Consider this a nice Easter joke,” the diocese commented on the incident, and a little later clarified that the sign was given to the metropolitan and since then he hangs it on his car every Easter and Christmas. “The traffic police know about this, permission has been received,” the clerics asserted. The police turned out to be unaware and still issued a fine of 5 thousand rubles “for the ruler,” however, in the name of the driver.
All this time, one of the main intercessors of the bishop was the demonstrably religious governor Andrey Turchak. According to unofficial information, on his orders, the news about the “sovereign license plate” was even removed from the printed version of the regional Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper. In 2015, Andrei Anatolyevich interceded for Eusebius in patriarchal circles: the bishop then crossed the age limit for a bishop of 75 years and, according to the rules, could retire. A source from the “Pskov Gubernia”, close to the diocese, claims that one of the governor’s main arguments was a request not to rock another boat in the unstable border region: they say that the bishop copes with the role of a reconciling and unifying shepherd, and a change in the spiritual leader could result in “confusion and vacillations."
They left the bishop, but at the end of 2016 - beginning of 2017, the Pskov diocese was marked by three federal scandals in just three months. The first one struck in early December, when the Pskov City Court sentenced the then rector of the Church of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, Archpriest Sergius(Ivanova) to three years of suspended imprisonment and a fine of 15 thousand rubles for possession of weapons and drugs on a large scale. Metropolitan Eusebius commented on the situation three weeks later: he called all the information slander, and promised to erase its distributors from the book of life. True, later, under public pressure, he still temporarily banned the convicted rector from serving.
In January 2017, the bishop dismissed the village priest hegumen Romana(Zagrebneva), who was the rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Zayanye, Plyussky district, for refusing to pray for Patriarch Kirill. Also, the official reasons for the ban on service and the removal of priestly and monastic robes were the distribution of one's books of heretical content, confusion of the people with false fabrications, slander of the church leadership and departure into schism. According to sources of the “Pskov Province”, the conflict between Abbot Roman and the Metropolitan began back in 2011 and was associated with certain financial obligations. The Plyussky parishioners of the Metropolitan did not understand and responded with a collective letter to the Patriarchate asking them to return the priest.
But the bishop was already busy: he was removing the pectoral crosses from the Pskov priests. On February 26, he held the rite of forgiveness in his Trinity Cathedral and expected to see the entire clergy of Pskov at the service, but 18 clergy at the same time were conducting services in their parishes and could not come to the metropolitan. In response, he could not forgive them: by a bishop’s resolution he deprived the priests of the right to wear pectoral crosses right up to Easter.
The patience of the Pskov clergy has run out. "Is this ( This refers to the removal of breast crosses. — L.P.) is not an indicator that the “old man” has played too hard in his place and has long since outlived his poison?” - they asked the Moscow Patriarchate. In early March, those same eighteen ( among them were both priests and deacons. — L.P.) sent Patriarch Kirill a complaint against the bishop, where they reported the “hypocritical rite of forgiveness,” which turned into “spiritual violence” against the clergy. According to the authors of the letter, Eusebius needed a crowd of priests in order to “show off dust in the eyes of the public and pilgrims, create the illusion of mass respect and veneration for his Eminence and instill in himself the “love” of the shepherds with a “spiritual” whip.”
They recalled the Metropolitan and his manner of communication: “flagrant, swinish treatment and attitude towards the clergy in the office of the diocesan administration and at church services,” “abuse of his position, spiritual sadism.” The priests affectionately called all this “senile disgrace” and advised “to leave the shocking metropolitan for another two years.” “This will be enough for Metropolitan Eusebius to completely destroy the Pskov diocese and send the remnants of the Orthodox believers and the clergy themselves fleeing to other denominations,” the unbaptized priests threatened.
Tired of public Pskov conflicts Patriarch Kirill, according to the famous theologian Andrey Kuraev, immediately after the story of the complaint, he personally appointed the steward of the Donskoy Monastery, a media hieromonk, as manager of the office of the metropolis Thomas(Demchuk). It is he who will probably lead the diocese. According to other information, the Pskov diocese will be headed by a certain young hieromonk from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra; fortunately, it is possible to receive the rank of abbot, archimandrite, bishop, archbishop in “special cases” in the Russian Orthodox Church with a difference of two days. Metropolitan Eusebius himself will “retire” to live and pray in one of the cottage houses of the Eleazarovsky Monastery.
The very monastery that he so zealously defended from Oleg Dementyev.
“For a long time now, realizing my weakness, I asked His Holiness for help through his messenger. Glory to God, His Holiness blessed, and we now meet dear Hieromonk Thomas,” the imperturbable Metropolitan responded to the arrival of the envoy from the Patriarchate. He has four months to transfer affairs: in May the bishop will turn 78 years old, after which the Holy Synod will approve his resignation. Easter this year will take place on April 16, and Pskov residents have every chance to enjoy the Bishop’s farewell car drive.
until February 25, 1991 - bishop
until July 20, 1990 - Kuibyshevsky and Syzransky
village of Stegalovka, Dolgorukovsky district, Kursk region (now Lipetsk region)
Metropolitan Eusebius(in the world Nikolai Afanasyevich Savvin; May 15, village of Stegalovka, Dolgorukovsky district, Kursk region (now Lipetsk region)) - bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Pskov and Porkhov, head of the Pskov Metropolis.
Biography
In 1956 he graduated from high school.
In 1963 he entered the brotherhood of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
On October 15, 1964, the abbot of the Lavra, Archimandrite Pimen (Khmelevsky), was tonsured into monasticism with a name in honor of the martyr Eusebius and ordained a hierodeacon by Archbishop Donatus (Shchegolev).
In 1965 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate's degree in theology for the essay “The Church and Literary Activity of St. Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh.”
On November 14, 1965, he was ordained hieromonk by Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Ladoga and sent to the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem as a secretary.
In 1969 he returned from the mission and was appointed secretary of the Voronezh diocesan administration.
Since 1971 - again in the brethren of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
In 1982, he was the guest of honor at the World Conference “Religious Leaders for Saving the Sacred Gift of Life from Nuclear Disaster.”
On March 28, 1984, by resolution of the Holy Synod, he was determined to be the Bishop of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan.
Bishopric
He defended the rights of believers, seeking free attendance at religious services for citizens.
Thanks to the intensive efforts of Bishop Eusebius, the cathedral of the city of Uralsk was returned to the Orthodox Church, and the Peter and Paul Cathedral was built and consecrated in Chimkent. It was possible to open and register a convent in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost.” Several churches were also opened in Tselinograd, and new priests were ordained to serve in them.
Not without the participation of the new Bishop, the city returned its old name Samara. The Iversky Convent was opened. He also carried out the registration and opening of church printed organs - the newspapers Blagovest and Samara Vedomosti.
Pskov diocese
On February 23, 1993, he was appointed Archbishop of Pskov and Velikoluksky.
On February 25, 2008, Patriarch Alexy II elevated him to the rank of metropolitan.
Over the years, more than 100 temples and chapels have been built and restored. Monastic life has been revived in Svyatogorsk, Mirozhsky, Snetogorsk, Krypetsky, Nikandrovsky, Eleazarovsky, Tvorozhkovsky, Vvedensky and Simansky Spaso-Kazan monasteries. The Pskov-Pechersky Monastery received further development, which is still the spiritual center of the Pskov diocese, conducts missionary activities, and is involved in charity work. The publication of the newsletter of the Pskov diocese “Blagodatnye Luchi” and several parish church newspapers has been established. An icon painting school has been opened in the Mirozhsky Monastery.
During his tenure at the Pskov See, Archbishop Eusebius performed about 200 ordination as presbyters and deacons.
On December 25, 2014, by decision of the Holy Synod, the Velikolukskaya diocese was separated from the Pskov diocese, and in connection with this the title was changed to: “Pskov and Porkhov”. By the same decision, the Pskov Metropolis was formed, the head of which was appointed Metropolitan Eusebius.
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Excerpt characterizing Eusebius (Savvin)
Anna Pavlovna's living room began to gradually fill up. The highest nobility of St. Petersburg arrived, people of the most diverse ages and characters, but identical in the society in which they all lived; Prince Vasily's daughter, the beautiful Helen, arrived, picking up her father to go with him to the envoy's holiday. She was wearing a cipher and a ball gown. Also known as la femme la plus seduisante de Petersbourg [the most charming woman in St. Petersburg], the young, little princess Bolkonskaya, who got married last winter and now did not go out into the big world because of her pregnancy, but still went to small evenings, also arrived. Prince Hippolyte, the son of Prince Vasily, arrived with Mortemar, whom he introduced; Abbot Moriot and many others also arrived.-Have you seen it yet? or: – you don’t know ma tante [my aunt]? - Anna Pavlovna said to the arriving guests and very seriously led them to a little old lady in high bows, who floated out from another room, as soon as the guests began to arrive, called them by name, slowly moving her eyes from the guest to ma tante [auntie], and then walked away.
All the guests performed the ritual of greeting an unknown, uninteresting and unnecessary aunt. Anna Pavlovna watched their greetings with sad, solemn sympathy, silently approving them. Ma tante spoke to everyone in the same terms about his health, about her health and about the health of Her Majesty, which was now, thank God, better. All those who approached, without showing haste out of decency, with a feeling of relief at the fulfillment of a difficult duty, walked away from the old woman, so as not to approach her once all evening.
The young Princess Bolkonskaya arrived with her work in an embroidered gold velvet bag. Her pretty upper lip, with a slightly blackened mustache, was short in teeth, but it opened even more sweetly and sometimes stretched even more sweetly and fell onto the lower one. As is always the case with quite attractive women, her flaw—short lips and half-open mouth—seemed special to her, her actual beauty. Everyone had fun looking at this pretty expectant mother, full of health and vivacity, bearing her situation so easily. It seemed to the old people and bored, gloomy young people who looked at her that they themselves became like her, having been and talked with her for a while. Whoever spoke to her and saw her bright smile and shiny white teeth, which were constantly visible, with every word, thought that he was especially kind today. And that's what everyone thought.
The little princess, waddled, walked around the table with small quick steps with her work bag on her arm and, cheerfully straightening her dress, sat down on the sofa, near the silver samovar, as if everything she did was part de plaisir [entertainment] for her and for everyone those around her.
“J"ai apporte mon ouvrage [I captured the work],” she said, unfolding her reticule and addressing everyone together.
“Look, Annette, ne me jouez pas un mauvais tour,” she turned to the hostess. – Vous m"avez ecrit, que c"etait une toute petite soiree; Voyez, comme je suis attifee. [Don't play a bad joke on me; you wrote to me that you were having a very short evening. You see how poorly I am dressed.]
And she spread her arms to show her graceful gray dress covered in lace, girded with a wide ribbon just below her breasts.
“Soyez tranquille, Lise, vous serez toujours la plus jolie [Be calm, you will be better than everyone else],” answered Anna Pavlovna.
“Vous savez, mon mari m"abandonne,” she continued in the same tone, addressing the general, “il va se faire tuer. Dites moi, pourquoi cette vilaine guerre, [You know, my husband is leaving me. He is going to his death. Tell me “Why this nasty war,” she said to Prince Vasily and, without waiting for an answer, turned to Prince Vasily’s daughter, the beautiful Helen.
– Quelle delicieuse personne, que cette petite princesse! [What a lovely person this little princess is!] - Prince Vasily said quietly to Anna Pavlovna.
Soon after the little princess, a massive, fat young man with a cropped head, glasses, light trousers in the fashion of that time, a high frill and a brown tailcoat entered. This fat young man was the illegitimate son of the famous Catherine’s nobleman, Count Bezukhy, who was now dying in Moscow. He had not served anywhere yet, he had just arrived from abroad, where he was brought up, and was for the first time in society. Anna Pavlovna greeted him with a bow that belonged to people of the lowest hierarchy in her salon. But, despite this inferior greeting, at the sight of Pierre entering, Anna Pavlovna’s face showed concern and fear, similar to that expressed at the sight of something too huge and unusual for the place. Although, indeed, Pierre was somewhat larger than the other men in the room, this fear could only relate to that intelligent and at the same time timid, observant and natural look that distinguished him from everyone in this living room.
“C"est bien aimable a vous, monsieur Pierre, d"etre venu voir une pauvre malade, [It’s very kind of you, Pierre, that you came to visit the poor patient,] - Anna Pavlovna told him, exchanging fearful glances with her aunt, to with which she let him down. Pierre muttered something incomprehensible and continued to look for something with his eyes. He smiled joyfully, cheerfully, bowing to the little princess as if he were a close friend, and approached his aunt. Anna Pavlovna’s fear was not in vain, because Pierre, without listening to his aunt’s speech about Her Majesty’s health, left her. Anna Pavlovna stopped him in fear with the words:
“You don’t know Abbot Morioh?” he is a very interesting person...” she said.
- Yes, I heard about his plan for eternal peace, and it’s very interesting, but it’s hardly possible...
“Do you think?...” said Anna Pavlovna, wanting to say something and return to her duties as a housewife, but Pierre did the opposite of impoliteness. First, he left without listening to the words of his interlocutor; now he stopped his interlocutor with his conversation, who needed to leave him. He, bending his head and spreading his large legs, began to prove to Anna Pavlovna why he believed that the abbot’s plan was a chimera.
“We’ll talk later,” Anna Pavlovna said, smiling.
And, having gotten rid of the young man who did not know how to live, she returned to her duties as a housewife and continued to listen and look closely, ready to give help to the point where the conversation was weakening. Just as the owner of a spinning workshop, having seated the workers in their places, walks around the establishment, noticing the immobility or the unusual, creaking, too loud sound of the spindle, hurriedly walks, restrains it or puts it into proper motion, so Anna Pavlovna, walking around her living room, approached the silent man. or to a circle that was talking too much and with one word or movement again started a uniform, decent conversational machine. But amid these worries, a special fear for Pierre was still visible in her. She looked at him caringly while he came up to listen to what was being said around Mortemart and went to another circle where the abbot was speaking. For Pierre, who was brought up abroad, this evening of Anna Pavlovna was the first he saw in Russia. He knew that the entire intelligentsia of St. Petersburg was gathered here, and his eyes widened, like a child in a toy store. He was still afraid of missing smart conversations that he might overhear. Looking at the confident and graceful expressions of the faces gathered here, he kept expecting something especially smart. Finally, he approached Morioh. The conversation seemed interesting to him, and he stopped, waiting for an opportunity to express his thoughts, as young people like to do.
Anna Pavlovna's evening was over. The spindles made noise evenly and incessantly from different sides. Apart from ma tante, near whom sat only one elderly lady with a tear-stained, thin face, somewhat alien in this brilliant society, the society was divided into three circles. In one, more masculine, the center was the abbot; in the other, young, the beautiful Princess Helen, daughter of Prince Vasily, and the pretty, rosy-cheeked, too plump for her youth, little Princess Bolkonskaya. In the third, Mortemar and Anna Pavlovna.
The Viscount was a handsome young man with soft features and manners, who obviously considered himself a celebrity, but, due to his good manners, modestly allowed himself to be used by the society in which he found himself. Anna Pavlovna obviously treated her guests to it. Just as a good maître d'hotel serves as something supernaturally beautiful that piece of beef that you won't want to eat if you see it in a dirty kitchen, so this evening Anna Pavlovna served her guests first the Viscount, then the Abbot, as something supernaturally refined. In Mortemar's circle they immediately started talking about the murder of the Duke of Enghien. The Viscount said that the Duke of Enghien died from his generosity, and that there were special reasons for Bonaparte’s bitterness.