Righteous, holy, holy martyrs ...Many people are familiar with these Christian concepts, even those who never considered themselves believers in God. One of such people is Alexander Feofanovich Petrovsky. What kind of person was he? How did you live your life, and how did you win universal love?
In the city of Lutsk, Volyn province, August 23, 1851, the son of a deacon was born son - Alexander Petrovsky. His biography is very rich and interesting.
Then no one knew that after years of thisthe boy will become an archbishop and will be counted among the saints. Having graduated from the 4th grade and received a good education at the Faculty of Law, the young man began to live with his mother. And after her death, Alexander received a small inheritance and began to lead a wild life. This went on for a long time, until one day an almost mystical event occurred.
Returning home late at night, Alexander lay downSleep in his room, which was separated from the former mother's room by a curtain. Suddenly, the curtain opened, and he heard the voice of his mother, who asked him to leave this way of life and go to the monastery.
This event had a huge impact on the young man and became fatal. Very soon Alexander Petrovsky, photo which is presented in the article, really went to the monastery and took tonsure.
His path to the dignity of the archbishop was long and arduous.Since 1900, for 10 years, he is a hieromonk, governor, archimandrite Alexander Petrovsky and, finally, rector of the Lubensky monastery (in 1911). During the years of service, the clergyman became famous for organizing the famous procession from the monastery to Belgorod, in which hundreds of people took part.
And from 1917 to 1919 he was rectorPskovo-Pechersky monastery and rector of the skete church in Poltava province. These were difficult years - the churches were closed, and the priests found shelter in the formed monastery. Among the 12 priests who served here were remarkable people who possessed great talents in various fields - asceticism, singing, preaching, icon painting.
A large number of people from all aroundgathered for the service, which was always very inspiring. Alexander Petrovsky paid much attention to folk singing. Being himself a wonderful singer, he invited everyone to take part in the hymns. And people were singing!
Eyewitnesses remembered what a harmonious folk choirwas heard over the monastery during the service. In subsequent years, the future Archbishop and PriestMartyr earned increasing popularity and universal acceptance. In May 1937, the Soviet bishop Alexander Petrovsky was awarded the honor of owning the Kharkov diocese.
Bishop Alexander of Petrovsky possessed extraordinaryfeatures of character - sincerity, philanthropy, kindness, attention to another's grief. At the same time he was very lively and pleasant in communicating with a person. His steadfastness and endurance manifested themselves in all matters and endeavors.
Thus, in the Kharkov diocese he facedmonotony and routine, but did not impose new orders, but simply showed how the service actually should pass. Usually for Easter service is held for three days. The local flock was not used to this because the third day was working. The new bishop urged all to postpone the work and come to the service on the third day.
The people listened to him, and the church was full.Alexander began to sing with his beautiful tenor and urged the flock to support him. Never before over the church have heard such an inspired and harmonious chant. At the end of the service, both the choir members in the choir and the common people were happy and thanked the bishop for this lesson.
It's no secret that 1937 was very difficult forall of that time in Russia. And Bishop Alexander fully experienced all his negative influences. In those years the churches in Kharkiv were everywhere closed. In the end, only one of them remained active. People without fear gathered there from all parts of the city, because it was located on the very outskirts. However, the authorities got there.
The order came to the church, according to whichthe temple was to be divided with the Renovationists. Since that moment, the Orthodox bishop and the Renovationists were to hold Sunday services in turn. The flock was extremely outraged by such a decision. As a result, it was decided to build a wall and give the Renovationists one of the chapels.
Despite the disagreement of the authorities, the wall was builtalready in two weeks. To the service of the Renovationists, no more than 40 people gathered from this moment, while the other part of the temple was overcrowded. People came from different places and were ready to stand for long hours waiting for the service. Here, Alexander Petrovsky habitually urged the people to take an active part in the hymns, and every Sunday resurrected the inspired "Give, Lord!"
Such activities could not remainunpunished in that time difficult for the country and all the people. In June 1938, the archbishop was arrested and charged with counter-revolutionary propaganda. A year later, the military tribunal sentenced him to 10 years in prison. By the way, prisoners treated with respect to the convict, but two years later, on May 24, 1940, Archbishop Alexander Petrovsky died in prison.
The lord in the village of Zalyutino was buried. For many years this place served as a place of pilgrimage for believers.
At present, the holy relics of the Archbishopare located in the city of Kharkov, in the Holy Annunciation Cathedral. After his death, the services in the church continued for a long time, until 1941, when the last of them took place. The flock, as well as during the life of the lord, performed hymns with a friendly chorus.
