I had a difficult journey to Russia, with much uncertainty about what to take with, what my reception would be and what the programme would entail – and whether my alcoholic gifts would stay intact! After a week I can say that my fears about what to take with were unfounded. What I have is adequate for this early winter. January will be considerably more difficult apparently, but I have extra clothes for then, and am confident that I won’t freeze. The jury is still out on whether my lungs – always a concern for me – will hold out between subzero temperatures and heaters which are constantly on, but so far so good.
My reception was in one word, overwhelming. We eat together with the seminarians of the theological seminary attached to the Sretenskiy Monastery, where we are accommodated. The food is tasty, typically Russian, and more than enough; and today we had a feast!
And we have been very well received by the Metropolitan of the African Exarchate (who each gave us some spending money and a metro card); by the Rector of the Seminary (who gave each of us a triptych of icons); and with open arms by the students of the seminary, with whom I have already had several very interesting conversations. Most lately I have spoken with a young man who knows Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Russian, Greek and is studying German. He is studying linguistics at a secular university in Moscow, but also doing a Masters in Biblical studies at the seminary!
On Tuesday we visited the Psokovsky monastery, which houses the relics of Saint Matrona of Moscow. For me it was one of the most moving moments of my life. I have read the life of Blessed Matrona in various sources and knew that she was one of the “eight pillars of Russia,” but did not know that I would feel her presence so profoundly, nor how deeply she would touch me.
At the Pskov Monastery I realised that the most humble, vulnerable and difficult circumstances can be used by God to do great things through us, if we would but live continually in His presence.
And as I walked outside after venerating Blessed Matrona’s holy relics – specially opened for us, so that we could see the relics from close up – I experienced as an absolute reality her words: “Come, come to me, all. Tell me about your troubles, as if I were alive, and I will see you and hear you, and help you.”
Or course I asked, and I can see her blessing in my life already in a number of ways. One of these is that last night, after returning from the monastery, I received a message from an old friend who had been struggling with suicidal thoughts for months, and for whose life I have often feared, to say that he has destroyed the sleeping pills with which he intended to take his life.
As if these blessings were not enough, we were treated like kings afterwards, to a meal that would rival the best restaurants in the world.
In summary I felt like the emissaries of Prince Vladimir to Constantinople, who ‘knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth’.
Our lectures also have to cater for people with little theological training, so it is of necessity fairly simple, but this also means that they are not too taxing. I am glad about this, because the rest of the experience is very rich: Liturgies and services with music of which I have similar quality only on recordings; conversations with learned and wise people; and visits to monasteries and Churches where the terrors of the Soviet times are recent memories and famous icons dot the walls. All of this is emotionally and intellectually quite exhausting, but of course very fulfilling.
Next week we will be starting on more practical liturgical training – and of course a few more excursions!
I conclude with a few photographs.
