{"id":10409,"date":"2021-10-05T09:23:55","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T13:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=10409"},"modified":"2021-10-05T09:23:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T13:23:55","slug":"st-peter-news-october-5-2021-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-news-october-5-2021-2\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter News October 5, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
\nThird Sunday of Luke <\/h2>\n

Holy Martyrs Eulampios and Eulampia at Nicomedia, Venerable Theophilos the confessor of Bulgaria; Venerable Ambrose of Optina<\/h4>\n
\n\"Venerable\n<\/div>\n

Who was the Venerable Ambrose of Optina?<\/h4>\n

Alexander Michailovich Grenkov was born Nov. 23, 1812 in the Russian province of Tambov. His parents raised him strictly and with fervent piety. Since he was of a priestly family, it was no surprise when he entered the Tambov theological seminary in 1830. He did well in his studies and was ranked among the top students.<\/p>\n

About a year before graduation Alexander became seriously ill. He promised that if God healed him, he would become a monk. Although his prayer was answered, Alexander seemed to forget his promise.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

One night he was invited to spend a pleasant evening with some friends. His conversation was witty and brilliant, and all his jokes and puns were on the mark. Although his hosts were amused and impressed by him, Alexander was disgusted by his own frivolity. Perhaps his unfulfilled promise to become a monk weighed on his conscience.<\/p>\n

The next morning he quit his job and arrived at Optina in October of 1839. After a trial period he decided to remain in the monastery and dedicate his life to God. He received the monastic tonsure in 1842, and was given the name Ambrose in honor of St Ambrose of Milan (December 7). Ambrose knew the famous spiritual directors Elder Leonid and Elder Macarius. He was the cell attendant of Elder Macarius, who undoubtedly influenced the young monk’s spiritual development.<\/p>\n

From all over Russia, people flocked to the venerable Elder. The writer Tolstoy visited him on at least three occasions, and left impressed by the wisdom of the holy monk. Fyodor Dostoevsky came to Optina in 1878 after the death of his son Alyosha and was profoundly affected by his meeting with St Ambrose. The novelist used Father Ambrose as a model for Starets Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov.<\/p>\n

By September, it was clear that he had not long to live. He fell asleep in the Lord at 11:30 A.M. on the morning of October 10 1891. Throngs of people attended his funeral and also his burial at Optina. Fathers Joseph, Anthony, Benedict, and Anatole succeeded him as Elder until the monastery was closed after the Russian Revolution.<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

The Optina Elders were glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate for universal veneration on August 7, 2000.<\/p>\n

Read the entire history on the Holy Deisis<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n

Services This Week<\/h2>\n