Life of Igumen Nazarius of Valaam (continuation)

Under his diligent care, the monastery of Valaam was, in a way, reborn from desolation and its brotherhood grew in numbers.  Before Elder Nazarius arrived, there had been one tonsured monk, some novices and two non-monastic priests living at the monastery.  But when the clergymen tragically drowned, all of the priestly duties were left to Elder Nazarius who performed all priestly duties for about a year. In May 1785 Elder Nazarius was honored with the title of Igumen. He introduced a strict church service order at the monastery and acquired lands from the Royal Donation for its permanent maintenance.  One day it happened that Elder Nazarius was in St. Petersburg to attend to some of the monastery’s needs.  He was walking on the Vyborg¹ borough with another like him when the Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich,² was crossing the Neva River in a carriage.  Seeing the Elders in humble attire, he inquired where they were from and what kind of elders they were. Having learned from them that one of them was Abbot Nazarius, he personally thanked him for the successful restoration of the Valaam Monastery; for he had  heard much good about the elder Igumen, who was famous for his spiritual experience and care for the welfare of the monastery. 

Igumen Nazarius established three forms of monastic life at the Valaam monastery: cenobitic, skete, and hermitical. The renown of this arrangement spread even beyond the borders of Russia. Motivated by a holy curiosity, many came even from Mount Athos to venerate the Valaam wonderworkers, Sergius and Herman. They saw with surprise the arrangement of the monastery, and some even preferred what they discovered to their own Athonite monasteries. The memorable Elder Igumen Nazarius, had a special gift of foresight and clairvoyance; he sometimes knew a person’s thoughts, character and inclinations without inquiring. He encouraged everyone who came to him to correct the shortcomings that he discerningly noticed in them.  During the construction of the monastery and the various cells of the brethren in accordance with the aforementioned forms of living,  Elder Nazarius visited numerous cities and provinces. When he returned to the monastery however, he had a hermit’s cell to which he retired for weeks at a time.

In 1792 and 1793 at the behest of the Empress, the Holy Synod sent Hieromonk Joasaph³, who was promoted to the rank of Archimandrite, and Monk Herman along with ten other monks from among the Valaam brethren to America to preach the word of God. Archimandrite Joasaph engaged in preaching the word of God to the wild tribes of America with an apostolic zeal. He often appeared to many of them in their dreams and encouraged them to go to Kodiak Island, where the missionary monks had settled, and accept the Christian faith and baptism there.  He assured them that he would not cease to harass them in their dreams until they turned to Christianity and were baptized.  Joasaph’s labors were crowned with the desired success. Along with those who were sent to America, the Valaam monastery was also famous for many other men who were experienced in monastic life.  It owes this glory to Elder Nazarius, who arranged everything in it in good order and in accordance with what the Apostle Paul commanded at one time.⁴

In 1801, Abbot Nazarius was relieved from his duties as abbot and allowed to retire at his own request. Taking advantage of his freedom from official work, he lived in solitude near the monastery, where his only occupation was prayer and handiwork.  Several years later, however, circumstances dictated that Elder Nazarius leave his hermit cell and the Valaam Monastery. In March of 1804 he was sent – at his own request – by His Grace Metropolitan Ambrose to the Sarov Monastery to reside permanently with his disciple Hieromonk Hilarion.  Upon arrival at the monastery he built himself a cell in the forest on the Sarovka River for greater solitude. There he lived in seclusion for about five years, conversing with God alone. Because of his humility, he remained a true lantern and spiritual comfort for the brethren, who sought spiritual edification from him.  (to be continued…)

1.     the Northeast part of Saint Petersburg

2.     Pavel Petrovich Romanov (1754-1801), Emperor Pavel I of Russia (1796-1801).

3.     In 1799 Joasaph was consecrated Bishop of Kodiak, but he did not reach his diocese, and perished in a shipwreck.

4.     This appears to be a reference to the following: “All things should be done decently and in order.” (1Co 14:40)  

Life of Igumen Nazarius of Valaam

During the administration of the Sarov Monastery by Igumen Niphont, Igumen Nazarius, a virtuous man who loved to lead a solitary, hermitical , silent life, lived there in retirement. He left the position of Abbot of Valaamo Monastery due to his desire to live in solitude and lived in a deserted area three versts (a verst is approximately one kilometer) from the monastery, where he struggled, spending time in prayer, serving as an example of a virtuous life for the brethren. While pleasing God with the feat of perfect asceticism in his remote cell in the rapture of the spirit as St. Basil the Great he used to say, “O solitary life, the home of heavenly teaching and divine discernment; the school, God is everything you learn in it. The desert – the paradise of sweetness, where the fragrant flowers of love sometimes flame with fiery color, sometimes shine with snow-like purity; with them there is peace and silence; the ones in the valleys are not disturbed by the wind. There is the incense of perfect mortification, not only of the flesh, but also, what is more wonderful, of the will itself, and the censer of unceasing prayer, incessantly burns with the fire of Divine love. There the various flowers of virtue, resplendent with various ornaments, flourish with the grace of unfading beauty. O desert, delight of the souls of saints, a paradise of inexhaustible sweetness! It is a furnace, and in it the children of God tame the power of the burning flame with prayer, and with the flame of faith they quench the raging blaze around them, in which both arrows and fetters burn, but those who are fettered do not burn away, only the bonds of sin are loosened and the soul is raised to the singing of divine praises, crying: ‘thou hast enlarged my mouth’ [1 Samuel 2:1]. ‘I will offer the sacrifice of praise to Thee’ [Psa. 116:17].”

Igumen Nazarius was born in the Tambov province in the village of Anosovo, located 15 versts from the city of Kaldom.  His father’s name was Kondrat, who was a lay minister, and his mother was Mavra.  His name in the world was Nikolai.  Having acquired love for God, he left the world at a young age.  He came to Sarov Monastery in 1752 during the time of the fifth abbot, Hieromonk Isaac.  He was tonsured a monk on September 23, 1760, in Astrakhan by His Grace Bishop Methodius.  He was ordained a hierodeacon there also in the same year on October 22^nd, and in 1765 he returned back to Sarov Monastery.  The reason that prompted Elder Nazarius to make this move is considered to be nothing other than his sincere respect for the pious life if the aforementioned Bishop Methodius, who wanted to move to Sarov Monastery to retire.  This can be seen from the Archpastor’s handwritten letters kept at the monastery.  Father Nazarius was ordained a hieromonk on December 6, 1776, by His Grace Jerome, Bishop of Vladimir.  In 1871 by decree of the Holy Synod, he was requested to go to St. Petersburg, where in 1782, due to the insistence of His Grace Metropolitan Gabriel, he was appointed Abbot of Valaam monastery to establish there a way of living and order in accordance with the rules and example of Sarov Monastery.   

Here is offered a copy of the letter given by His Grace Metropolitan Gabriel to the Monastery of Valaam on the occasion of the summons of Fr. Nazarius to this monastery for the establishment of the monastic life in it according to the example of the Sarov Hermitage

By God’s Grace

Humble Gabriel, Metropolitan of Novgorod and St. Petersburg.

The Most merciful God, Who cares for the salvation of every human being, has assured us of His love for mankind by appearing in this world in the flesh, so that He may lead all to the knowledge of the saving truth. With this assurance He makes different arrangements for every mean possible, in order to draw man from temptations, and to make his will receptive to the action of His grace. He has prepared places for those who are most zealous on the course of the virtuous path, as well as for those who are wavering from temptations in accordance with their inclinations, so that they can raise their thoughts to the Throne of His Glory with greater ease and tranquility and unite their spirit with Him.

The island of Valaam on Lake Ladoga, formerly called Nevo, is a place like that; its distance from the coast offers its inhabitants perfect solitude away from the turmoil of everyday life. Holy fathers who engaged in and accomplished ascetic feats therein and shone with the holiness of lives – Sergius and Herman who were the founders of the monastery, St. Alexander of Svir (1448-1533), St. Cyril of White Lake (1337-1427), St. Savvati of Solovki, who reposed on September 27^th  1435, and other monks of the monastery testify to this. This has been narrated concerning them in the life of St. Savvati of Solovki, they led a life of great asceticism, struggled day and night to please God, provided food for themselves by the labor of their own hands. Having so many witnesses, we see that this island was made by the Providence of the Savior of the world for the dwelling of monastics. While caring for their salvation according to our duty, in order to revive habitations of the saints in it, and thereby offer a pleasing sacrifice to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, we enjoin that the rules established at the Sarov monastery should be observed in it unswervingly. We have called Honorable Father Hieromonk Nazarius from the Sarov desert for this purpose, his feats and zeal to establish monastics in a life of salvation are well known. We entrust these rules to him for continuous preservation in the Valaam monastery, and we confirm them with a letter sealed with a seal and signed by our hand. We bow our hearts to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, “for from Him every fatherland in heaven and on earth is named, so that He may grant them, according to His riches, to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man, having implanted Christ in their hearts by faith, so that they may understand the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and the peace of God that surpasses understanding” (cf. Eph. 3:15-19), so that He will keep their hearts and minds according to His riches in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

(to be continued…)