Saint Seraphim’s Disciple: Michael Vasilievich Manturov

Taken from the Divye’evo Chronicles

 

At the time that St. Seraphim of Sarov came out of reclusion and began to receive people, the elders who had been his teachers had passed away and he was no longer close to any of his fellow monks in Sarov. The persons who were spiritually close to the elder included some of the nuns of the Divye’evo Convent and the convent’s protector, Michael Vasilievich Manturov.

Michael Vasilievich Manturov and his sister, Elena Vasilievich Manturov, were orphans of the landed nobility, in the village of Nucha of the Ardotov District in the Nizhegorod Province. Michael had a very pleasant, open appearance and a round face with no mustache or beard. He was full of joy and kindness of heart towards everybody. Michael Vasilievich served for many years in Lavonia (Prussia) in the military service, and while there he married a native Lavonian, Anna Michailovna Ernst. Soon afterwards he became so seriously ill that it was necessary to leave the military service and to return to his property in Nucha.

 

First Meeting With the Elder

 

When all hope for medical help was given up (the very best doctors were confounded concerning the cause and nature of the illness), there was nowhere to turn for healing but to the Lord and His holy Church. The report of the holiness of Sarov Monastery’s Father Seraphim was beginning to spread throughout Russia; it also reached the village of Nucha which was 40 versts (approximately 26 miles) from the monastery. When Michael Vasilievich’s illness reached such threatening proportions that parts of his bones fell out from his feet, he decided to turn to Fr. Seraphim.

His peasants carried him with great labor to the cell of the elder. When Michael Vasilievich recited the customary prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” Fr. Seraphim came out of his cell and graciously asked: ‘What has brought you to come look at wretched Seraphim?” Michael Vasilievich fell at his feet and tearfully asked the elder to heal him of his terrible disease. With the most lively interest and fatherly love, Father Seraphim asked him three times, “Do you believe in God?” Three times he received a very sincere, fervent assurance of Michael’s absolute faith in God. Then the elder said to him: “My joy! If you believe in God, then believe this also, that for those who believe, all things are possible with God; and believe that the Lord will heal you, and I, wretched Seraphim will pray.”

Fr. Seraphim seated Michael Vasilievich near the coffin that stood in the entrance and he himself withdrew to the cell, coming out again after a little while, carrying holy oil with him. He commanded Michael Vasilievich to uncover his feet. While preparing to rub them with the holy oil, the elder said: “By the grace of the Lord given to me, I heal you first!” (This was the saint’s first healing.) Fr. Seraphim anointed Michael Vasilievich’s feet and put stockings of linen hemp on them. Then the elder brought a great quantity of biscuits from his cell, wrapped in the folds of his frock coat, and told Michael to take this burden to the monastery guest house.

Michael Vasilievich began to fulfill Fr. Seraphim’s instructions fearfully at first, but then, convinced of the miracle, he went, in inexpressible Joy and a certain, reverent fear. A few minutes before, he had not been able to walk even into the entryway of the cider’s cell without help. Now, suddenly, by the holy elder’s words, he was already carrying a whole bag of biscuits, and feeling completely well and strong, as if he had never been sick.

In joy, he threw himself at Fr. Seraphim’s feet, kissing them and giving thanks for the great healing. But the elder raised him up and said: “Is it Seraphim’s doing, perhaps, to make to die and then to make to live, to bring down to hell and then to bring up again? (2 Kgs. 5:7) This is the work of the one God: to do His will in those who fear Him and to hear their prayers! Give thanks to the Almighty Lord and His most pure Mother!” Then Fr. Seraphim dismissed him, and Michael Vasilievich returned home.

He settled back into his life in Nucha, and for a little while, Michael Vasilievich forgot that he had ever been sick. Suddenly one day, with horror, he remembered the experience and decided to go to Fr. Seraphim once more and receive his blessing. While on the road, Michael thought, “I should thank the Lord for my healing, as Fr. Seraphim said.”

 

The Rich Young Man

 

When he had just arrived in Sarov monastery and entered Fr. Seraphim’s cell, the great elder met him with the words: “My joy! We promised to thank the Lord that He returned us to life!” Astonished at the elder’s clairvoyance, Michael Vasilievich answered, “I don’t know how, Batushka. What do you command?” Then Fr. Seraphim looked at him in a special way and said cheerfully, “Here, my joy! Give all that you have to the Lord and take up a life of voluntary poverty!” This agitated Michael Vasilievich’s mind and heart: a thousand thoughts ran through his head in a wink. He had never expected such a proposal from the great elder. He remembered the rich young man in the Gospel and how Christ had also proposed voluntary poverty to him, in order to he made perfect and enter the kingdom of Heaven. He also remembered that he was not alone. He had a young wife, and after giving everything away he would have nothing to live on….

The clairvoyant elder understood Michael’s thoughts and continued: ‘After leaving everything, do not even have a care about it; but remember, instead, that the Lord will never leave you, either in this life or the next. You will not have wealth, but you will have your daily bread.”

Michael Vasilievich was fervently receptive and loving; he was prepared according to the purity of his soul to fulfill every thought, every demand of so great and holy an elder. This was only his second meeting with him, but he already loved Fr. Seraphim more than anyone else in the world.

Michael Vasilievich immediately answered, “I consent, Batushka! What do you bless me to do?” But the great, wise elder, wishing to test Michael Vasilievich’s ardor, answered “Here, my joy! We will pray and I will direct you as God instructs me!” After this, they parted as friends who would become the very faithful servants of the Divye’evo Convent, chosen by the Queen of heaven Herself as Her “earthly portion.”¹

After healing Michael Vasilievich, Fr. Seraphim began to receive other visitors including the Divye’evo nuns. He was faithful to the promise he had made to his late superior, Fr. Pachomy, not to forget the Divye’evo Community. Father Seraphim later sent novices to the Divye’evo Convent superior, Mother Xenia Michailovna, and prayed daily for them. He received many revelations about the future of the Divye’evo Community which he guided as instructed by the Mother of God. The following is a prophecy of St. Seraphim to Ivan Semenovich Milyoukov² which stated, “Anyone who offends my Divye’evo orphans will receive a great punishment from the Lord, but whoever defends them in their need and protects and helps them—God will pour out great mercy upon him from above. Whoever even sighs for them in his heart and pities them, will also be rewarded by the Lord. And I tell you, Batushka, remember: happy are those who remain a day (24 hours) in wretched Seraphim’s Divye’evo —from morning to morning— because the Mother of God, The Queen of heaven, visits Divye’evo every twenty- four hours! Remember this testament, Batushka; I have always said it and I say it to all.”

 

Voluntary Poverty

With Fr. Seraphim’s blessing, Michael Vasilievich gave away all his possessions, freed his serfs and bought only fifteen desyatina of land (approximately forty acres) in the village of Divye’evo where Fr. Seraphim indicated to him. The elder gave him the strictest command to guard this land, to never sell it or deliver it to anyone, and to will it to the Divye’evo Community after his death.

Michael lived on this land with his wife, and they began to endure the suffering of want. He also suffered under a multitude of mockeries from friends and acquaintances, as well as reproaches from his wife. Anna Michailovna Manturov was a Lutheran who was completely unprepared for spiritual podvigs (ascetic labors). She had never endured poverty and had a very passionate and fiery personality, though she was generally a good and honorable person.

One may judge Michael Vasilievich’s indigence and the degree to which he endured voluntary poverty from the stories recorded later by his wife when she lived in Divye’evo Convent as a widow and secret nun. In her own words, “I almost constantly murmured and was indignant at my late husband for his arbitrary poverty. I would say, ‘Isn’t it possible to revere the elder, to love and be faithful to him to a lesser degree?’ Michael Vasilievich would always listen, sigh and be silent. For me this was even more exasperating. Once, when it was almost winter, there was nothing with which to light the room and the evening was long, dreary and dark. I was vexed, quarrelsome and in a fit of uncontrollable weeping. At first I became indignant at Michael Vasilievich and then at Fr. Seraphim himself. I began to murmur and complain about my bitter fate. But Michael would just sigh and remain silent, Suddenly I heard a kind of crackling. I looked: horror, and fear of the Lord fell upon me. Then, I was afraid to look, and did not believe my eyes. The lampada before the icons, which was standing unlit and without any oil, had suddenly lit itself with a white flame and was now full of oil. I then wept heartily and continually repeated, ‘Fr. Seraphim, God-pleaser, forgive me for Christ’s sake; I will never be sinful or murmur or be unworthy againl’ Even now I am unable to remember this event without fear. From that time I never again allowed myself to murmur, but endured everything as though it were easy.”

As a true disciple of Christ, Michael Vasilievich endured humiliation throughout his whole life for following the Gospel precept on poverty. (Mt. 19:21) He endured everything without a murmur, silently, patiently, humbly, meekly and good-naturedly because of his love and extraordinary faith in his holy elder. He obeyed Fr. Seraphim in absolutely everything, never making a step without his blessing, as if he had delivered his whole self and his whole life into his hands. It is not astonishing that Michael Vasilievich became Fr. Seraphim’s closest, most faithful, and beloved disciple. Fr. Seraphim always called him “Mishenka” or “Batushka.”

It is necessary to note that at this time Fr. Seraphim was not close to any other living monk, spiritual father or superior in Sarov monastery. The elders Fr. loasaph, Fr. Pachomy and Fr. Isaiah had all died. Fr. Niphont, who was abbot after the saint came out of his years of reclusion, would go to Fr. Seraphim at times and converse with him, delighting in the elder’s perfection. But Fr. Seraphim did not relate to him with the openness they had enjoyed before he went into reclusion. The young Maria Seminovna³ of Divye’evo Convent and Michael Vasilievich would hear about Fr. Seraphim’s revelations from the Mother of God before the monks in Sarov did. The monks did not understand this, because Fr. loasaph and Fr. Pachomy were superiors and spiritual fathers to Fr. Seraphim and them. They also disliked Fr. Seraphim’s defense of the Divye’evo convent when they, too, had needs to be filled. So, in time, when Fr. Seraphim’s biography was written, it came from Michael Vasilievich, Fr. Vasily Sadovsky and Morovilov, rather than from the Sarov monks.

Manturov did not leave memoirs of Fr. Seraphim but, while living in Divye’evo with Fr. Vasily and Motovilov, the three of them wrote down the past, together, with all they remembered of Fr. Seraphim’s words, so that the memoirs written by all three together were more accurate than those of Motovilov alone.

 

Fruitful Obedience

 

Soon a highly unpleasant episode arose from the slanders of the well-known General Governor of Moscow Province, Count Zakrevsky, the local landowner. While on a journey to his property, for some reason, the Count’s manager felt the need to tell the Count that the Divye’evo Community was nothing but a throng of corrupt, runaway young women, Count Zakrevsky demanded that the revered Eldress Xenia Michailovna come to his office, and in front of everyone, without any investigation, he insulted her coarsely, in an unheard-of manner. In indignation, Michael hastened to Fr. Seraphim to relate everything that had happened. The elder instructed Michael Vasilievich to explain to the powerful Count that he had made a mistake, misunderstanding the nature of this community which had been newly founded for the glory of God. Michael Vasilievich was to do this meekly, without insult or anger, and to convey to the Count that he had been completely unjust to insult the innocent, holy eldress in any way. Fr, Seraphim predicted that the repentant Count would most humbly thank him for the great favor of making his mistake known to him.

Michael Vasilievich was always practically and absolutely obedient. He awaited the arrival of the great Count in Sarov. Upon the Count’s departure from church, Michael Vasilievich loudly and publicly conveyed to him all that the elder had instructed, without any fear of Count Zakrevsky’s power and glory. The Count, who had been so coarsely abusive and threatening, humbled himself silently endured this offense to his dignity and repented fervently. He thanked Michael Vasilievich for the blessing he had brought in explaining his mistake to him. Then, Michael Vasilievich repeated and explained Fr. Seraphim’s prediction. After returning to Moscow, Count Zakrevsky raised a great noise and expressed his indignation concerning the maligning of Divye’evo Convent. The affair ended with a full justification of Eldress Xenia and official recognition of her little community near Divye’evo’s Kazan Church. Although the community did not receive completely documented confirmation from the Eparchy, it did acquire a kind of legal permission to exist.

 

Providing for the New Mill Community

 

In 1823 Fr. Seraphim called Michael Vasilievich to himself. When the disciple came, the elder took a peg, crossed himself and kissed it, and ordered Michael

to do the same. Manturov prostrated himself before the saint’s feet. Fr. Seraphim said to him, “Batushka, go to Divye’evo, and as you stand there against the middle window of the altar of the Kazan Church, clear off so many steps (the number is forgotten) and as you clear them, Batushka, you’ll find a little boundary strip. Again, clean off so many steps from here, Batushka (the number is forgotten) and you’ll come to ploughed earth, then mark off so many steps and you’ll come to a meadow. From here, figure out by sight, where the very middle is, and drive in this peg there so that it is only barely visible. Here, Batushka, I ask you to do this.”

Michael Vasilievich went to Divye’evo; the spot which Fr. Seraphim had indicated suddenly appeared behind his back. He was terrified with amazement. This was a field and all his steps matched Batushka’s measures. These measures were especially amazing because St. Seraphim had actually only been in Divye’evo twice, many years before. The first time was when he met the foundress of the Community, Matushka Alexandra, on her death bed, and the second time was a few days afterwards at her funeral. Manturov fulfilled everything exactly and drove in the peg at the appointed place. When he returned and reported to Fr. Seraphim, the cider was silent. He prostrated himself at Michael’s feet and was unusually joyful and cheerful.

The whole year Fr. Seraphim did not mention about the peg and the measured-off field in Divye’evo so that Michael Vasilievich actually knew nothing about it and (did not understand the great elder’s parable. He decided that Fr. Seraphim had forgotten about it. Suddenly one day Batushka again called Michael to himself and, this time, he had four small pegs which he blessed, kissed, gave to Michael Vasilievich and compelled him to do the same. Fr Seraphim fell at Michael Vasilievich’s feet and said: “Now Batushka, go again to the place where you drove a peg last year, and drive in these four pegs at the four corners around the big peg. But, so they won’t get lost, Batushka, take some little stones and place them on the pegs, in a group, so that they won’t get confused later, and so the place where they are will he known!”

After fulfilling these instructions exactly, Michael Vasilievich returned to Fr. Seraphim with a report. Fr. Seraphim was silent again, but cheerfully and joyfully met him and prostrated himself before his feet. Michael Vasilievich was lost in the conjecture that this all had a meaning, but he did not dare to ask. Finally in 1826 the mill was built here which fed Fr. Seraphim’s Divye’evo Orphans.

 

Elena Vasilievna

Elena Vasilievna Manturov was younger than her brother and had a cheerful character. She dreamed only about worldly life and having the quickest possible marriage. Elena was only 17 years old in 1822 when she became engaged. Reassured about her future, Michael felt that there would now be no obstacle to his withdrawing from the world and serving the Lord and Fr. Seraphim exclusively.

But somehow, inexplicably, Elena’s life suddenly changed in a strange way. She unexpectedly turned away from her fervently loving fiancé, who was extremely devoted to her. She, herself, didn’t understand this. As she told her brother, “I don’t know why and cannot understand it. He gave me no cause to stop loving him, yet he became frightfully repulsive to me.” The engagement fell apart. Her exceptionally vivacious personality, her love of worldly social life, her youth and passion for gaiety and amusements did not bode well for her family situation and frightened her relatives. Of course, she hadn’t the slightest understanding of spiritual life.

Soon the Manturov’s only wealthy relative was dying. A grandfather was on his deathbed and contacted them through the newspapers. He asked them to come to him so that he could give them all his wealth. Michael was not at home at this time so Elena decided to go alone, in order to avoid any delay. Though she did not wait long to set out, her grandfather was no longer among the living when she arrived and she only just made it in time for his burial. She was so shaken by this misfortune that she fell seriously ill, and since she wasn’t very strong she set out for home at once. She had to stop at the post station in Knyagin, the chief town of the Nizhegorod Province, and decided to have some tea there. She sent her servants to arrange for this while she remained in the coach. A servant tried to dissuade the young mistress from remaining alone and pressed her to come rest in the post room, but she insisted on waiting in the coach until it was prepared. The servants did not dare to contradict their lady any further and busied themselves with making the tea.

When the time came, the handmaid sent the footman to invite the young lady in. Hardly had he managed to descend the steps of the station entrance when he cried out at the sight of Elena Vasilievna and froze to the spot. She was standing at her full height, completely agitated. She was shaking, and supporting herself on the half opened coach door. There was a look of such fear and horror on her face that it was impossible to express in words. Speechless, with very wide eyes, pale as death, she could no longer remain on her feet: and she fell to the ground as dead. The footman, and all those people who ran to his cry, rushed toward Elena to help. They carefully took her and carried her into the room. They tried to learn what had happened but Elena Vasilievna had lost her tongue and remained in an unconscious state, or probably, in a numbed state from the terror which had seized her. The maid was afraid that her mistress would die and asked, “Should we call a priest for you, Miss?” After she had repeated this question several times, Elena seemed to come to herself a little and even smiled joyfully after grasping the girl’s hand, as if afraid to let her go. She whispered: “Yes, yes”. When the priest arrived, Elena was already conscious and had regained both her tongue and reasoning. She confessed and received the Holy Mysteries but she would not let the priest leave her all day. She was still utterly terrified and held on to his clothing. After returning from Knyagin, and calm now after all that had happened to her, Elena told both her brother and her fiancé the following:

“After being left alone in the coach, I slept a bit, and when I opened my eyes, no one was near me, as they usually are. I finally decided to go out myself and opened the door of the coach. I had just stepped onto the footboard when I involuntarily glanced upward and saw a huge, horrible snake over my head. It was black and horribly ugly; a flame was coming out of its jaws and it seemed so big that I thought it was going to completely swallow me. It writhed above me and was descending lower and lower—I was already feeling its breath. I was in such a state of horror that I did not have the strength to cry for help. Finally I broke loose from the stupor that enveloped me and cried: ‘Queen of heaven, save me! I give Thee a vow that I will never marry, but will enter a monastery.’ The terrible serpent rose up and vanished in one moment. But I could not come to myself for terror.”

For a long time, Michael could not collect himself after having heard about what had happened to his sister. Elena had apparently been miraculously saved from the enemy of mankind.

 

Spiritual Transformation and Trials

 

Elena’s character had completely changed. She became serious, spiritually inclined, and she began to read spiritual books, worldly life became unbearable to her and she thirsted to depart to the monastery as soon as possible and completely seclude herself in it. She feared to anger the Mother of God by not fulfilling her vow.

Soon Elena went to Fr. Seraphim at Sarov to ask his blessing for entering the monastery. Batushka completely surprised her by saying: “No, Matushka, that is not what you planned. Not to a monastery, my joy. You will get married!”

“What is this, Batushka!” the frightened Elena Vasilievna said, “I can’t marry! I gave a vow to the Queen of Heaven to enter a monastery and she will punish me!”

“Is this why you should not marry? Your bridegroom will be good and pious, Matushka, everyone will envy you. No, Matushka, do not even think of this. You will certainly get married, my joy!”

“What are you saying, Batushka? I am not able and I don’t even want to marry.” Elena objected. But the elder stood his ground and only repeated “No, no, my joy, it is not even permitted for you. You will certainly get married, Matushka!”

Elena Vasilievna departed from Sarov monastery unwillingly, and in a distraught state. When she returned home she wept and prayed and asked the Queen of Heaven for help, and an explanation. She undertook the reading of the works of the Holy Fathers with great zeal. This caused her to cry and pray more strongly. She burned in her desire to consecrate herself to God. She examined herself many times and became ever more certain that she was not at all suited for worldly life and that she had completely changed. Elena went to Fr. Seraphim several more times. He would always repeat that she should get married and not enter a monastery. For three whole years Fr. Seraphim prepared her in this way for entry into his Seraphim Divye’evo Community which he began to organize in 1825: he forced her to work on herself and to practice prayer and acquire the necessary patience. Of course, she did not understand, despite all her desires and requests. Fr. Seraphim told her once: “And here is what else I will tell you, my joy, so that you won’t be so burdened. Do not be too fast in everything; you are too fast, my joy, and this is not useful. Be more calm. Here is how you will proceed: not with such big steps but always slowly, calmly! If you will walk in this way, you will endure everything happily!” After showing, by this clear example, how one ought to proceed cautiously, he continued: “My joy, you should understand what happens to you so that from the first you will incline yourself little by little. Then you will endure well.”

With these words, St. Seraphim drove Elena to despair. She became very indignant at him and decided not to return to him. She rode, instead, to Murom, the woman’s monastery. The abbess there, of course, told her what was pleasant, and Elena immediately bought herself a cell there. Upon returning home she began to plan everything for her departure. But before her final departure, she could not bear to leave without going to Sarov to bid farewell to the elder. How great was her horror and amazement when Fr. Seraphim came out to meet her, without asking anything, and directly told her: “No, the road to Murom is not for you, Matushka! You do not have my blessing for Murom! And what are you doing? You should get married, and you will have the most pious bridegroom, my joy! The elder’s clairvoyance demonstrated his sanctity and disarmed everyone who came to him and worked upon their wills- The heart involuntarily became devoted to such a righteous one, and Elena Vasilievna also felt that it was impossible to live without Fr. Seraphim, especially since she would not be able to ask his instruction and advice in Murom. Fr. Seraphim told her to donate the money she had given for the cell to Murom Monastery and to not go there anymore. This time, Elena Vasilievna did not feel despair. On the contrary, she humbled herself completely and returned home, covering herself with tears. She shut herself up in her room again and almost never came out.

Finally a whole three years passed in her life as an anchoress, removed from everyone and everything. What she did in her room and how she prayed is known to no one, but a surprising occurrence convinced Michael that she had already progressed on the path of spiritual perfection. A frightening storm burst out near the home where the Manturovs lived; the rolling thunder and lightning bolts were so fearful that everyone decided to gather in Elena Vasilievna’s⁴ room, where a lampada flickered, candles burned and she prayed silently. At the time of one of the terrible lightning bolts from the side of the yard, there suddenly resounded a completely unnatural and loathsome shriek, like a cat’s, from under the ground and under the icon corner. But this cry was so strong, surprising and unpleasant that Michael Vasilievich, his wife, and everyone cast themselves involuntarily at the icon case (kiot) before which Elena was praying—Don’t be afraid, brother.’ she said quietly. “Your little sister is not afraid of this. This is the devil!” Here she added, after making the sign of the cross on the very spot from which the cry was heard, “You see, he is not even here. Is this something he is able to do?” Everything became silent immediately.

Half a year after the last meeting with Fr. Seraphim, Elena Vasilievna went to Sarov again. She began to persistently, hut humbly ask the elder to bless her for the podvig of monasticism- At this time Fr. Seraphim told her: “Well, all right, if you so desire it, then go twelve versts from here to the small community ofAgafia Semenovna, the wife of the Colonel Melgunov (i.e., Eldress Xenia Michailovna’s Divye’evo Convent). Stay there for a while, my joy, and try yourself!”

Elena went in unspeakable joy and indescribable delight from Sarov monastery directly to Mother Xenia Michailovna and settled in Divye’evo. Because of the crowded lodgings, she occupied a tiny storeroom near the small cell which exited from a small porch to the North wall of the Kazan Church. She often sat on this small porch for a long time, plunged in silence, as if mutely aware of the Church of God and in wise contemplation of nature, without ceasing to practice the Jesus Prayer in her mind and heart. She was then twenty years old. (1825)

 

Elena’s Wedding

A month after Elena moved to Divye’evo, Fr. Seraphim called her to himself and said: “Now, my joy, it is already time for you to be betrothed to the Bridegroom!” Elena was frightened and wept, crying out, “I don’t want to marry, Batushka!” Fr. Seraphim calmed her, saying, “You still don’t understand me, Matushka! You just tell the superior, Xenia Michailovna, that Fr. Seraphim commands you to be betrothed to the Bridegroom, and she will clothe you in black. Do you see now how you are to marry, Matushka? See what kind of a bridegroom you have, my joy!” Fr. Seraphim conversed delightfully for a long time with her, saying: “Matushka, I have seen your whole God-loving path. Here is the place appointed for you to live. Nowhere is there a better place for salvation. Here, Matushka, the relics of Matushka Again Semenovna rest. You go to her every evening. She walked here every day and you, also, must imitate her because it is necessary for you to go by this path, but if you will not go by it, then you will not be able to be saved. If you will be a lioness, my joy, then it will be difficult and complicated; but be a dove and everyone around you will be as doves. Live here for three years as a dove. I will help you.

“Here is my instruction for you: for obedience, always read the Akathist, the Psalter, the psalms and rule with matins. Sit and spin and let the other sisters prepare everything for you. ‘They will scutch (swingle or pull out) the flax, and hackle the fibers. But you just spin and learn to weave, and let the sisters sit near you and show you. Always be silent, not speaking with anyone, only answer the most necessary questions and then, back to work. If they begin to ask you a lot of questions, then answer: ‘I don’t know.’ If you accidentally hear something that is not useful, then excuse yourself and depart quickly and avoid temptations. Never be slothful. Guard yourself so that thoughts don’t come; always be busy. Eat little food in order to avoid falling asleep. Only eat once on Wednesdays and Fridays. From the time you wake up until dinner, pray, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ And, from dinner until sleep, ‘Most Holy Theotokos save us!’ In the evening, go out into the yard and pray the Jesus Prayer 100 times, and also, 100 times to the Sovereign Lady. Speak to no one and pray in such a way that no one will see it and, even if they do, they won’t reflect on it; then you will be as an angel! And when your Bridegroom is absent do not be despondent but persevere and take heart greatly. Thus, by prayer, eternally—by inseparable prayer—prepare everything. He will come silently, at night, Matushka, and bring you a ring — a wedding ring—like St. Catherine the Great Martyr. So prepare yourself for three years, my joy, so that in three years you will be completely prepared.

“I tell you this about your tonsure, Matushka: after three years you will be tonsured—after preparing yourself. Earlier is not necessary, hut you will be tonsured and then you will soar on the bosom of grace, ever more and more. So will it he then! When the Archangel Gabriel came to the Mother of God and annnounced to her she was not just a little disturbed; but then, she said: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to thy word!’ Here is the kind of Bridegroom and wedding feast I have told you about, Matushka. You listen to me and speak to no one until that time; but believe that what I have told you will happen, my joy!”

Forgetting herself for joy, Elena returned home to Divye’evo and after being clothed in simple monastic clothes she began to hear her previous podvigs with the most lively love, continuing in unceasing prayer in continual awareness and complete silence. Since her tiny cell was troubled by the sisters continually, Fr. Seraphim blessed Michael Vasilievich to build her another small cell in which she lived with her serf the maid Justina, who especially loved her. After Justina’s death, the novices Agafia and Xenia Vasilievna lived with her.

 

Founding the New Mill Community

On Nov. 25, 1825, the Mother of God, accompanied by St. Clement and St.

Peter, appeared to Fr. Seraphim at the Theologian’s Spring. “Why do you wish

to abandon the commandment of my slave Agafia—the nun Alexandra? Leave

Xenia with the sisters, but do not abandon the commandment of my slave.

Strive to fulfill it completely, because she gave you this according to my will.

 

“I will show you another place which is also in the village of Divye’evo and you build my promised monastery on it with me; and, in memory of the promise I gave to her, take eight sisters from the place of her death, from Xenia’s community.” She told him, by name, which ones to take.

The place she indicated was behind the village of Divye’evo opposite the altar of the Church of the Kazan appearance, which Mother Alexandra built. And she indicated how to enclose the place with canals and a rampart. With these eight sisters she ordered him to begin this monastery, her fourth share in the world, for which she commanded him to build a mill with two grinding stones from the Sarov Forest, and then, in time, to erect a church with two altars, in honor of her Son’s Nativity, for the monastery, adding this to the porch of the Church of her Kazan appearance to the Divye’evo Nun Alexandra,

She also gave him the regulations for this new monastery, such a monastery as had existed nowhere else until this time. For an unfailing rule she set the command that widows must not dare to he received in this monastery—not even one, but that it should receive only virgins, of the reception of whom she would declare her good will. She promised to always be the Abbess of this, her monastery. She would pour out all her mercy on it from all her former shares: Iviron, Athos and Kiev. Divye’evo was that place where the print of her most pure foot stood, and where bubbled out of the earth a healing spring—from a blow from her staff. In honor of the future well that would be dug there, she promised to give this water her great blessing, which the waters of Bethesda and Jerusalem once had.

Further, Motovilov wrote that Fr. Seraphim founded the monastery not according to simple human reasoning, or from example of something already existing, but only according to the revelations he received personally from the Mother of God herself. These revelations covered not only the rule of the monastery and the prayer rule, but living laws were set for this community so that he did not devise any of it himself but only according to her will. He did not receive even a single maiden according to his own personal will, but when the Mother of God did not approve he sent them to the other Monastery, to Eldress Xenia.”

Fr. Seraphim ordered Michael Vasilievich to supervise all the work at the new Divye’evo community. The elder entrusted everything regarding the construction of Divye’evo Convent to him alone. Everyone outside the Sarov monastery knew this and respected Michael Vasilievich, completely submitting to him as Fr. Seraphim’s own manager.

From Fr. Seraphim’s conversations with Fr. Vasily Sadovsky in 1826 which were found in the last notebooks, it appears that Batushka personally wished to appoint Elena Vasilievna Manturova as superior of the new mill monastery. So at the construction of the “Mill-nourisher” for his maidens, as the elder always gently called it, he called the priest, Fr. Vasily, who came and found Fr. Seraphim sitting at the stream, grieving and sorrowful. Barushka uttered: “ The eldress (Xenia Michailovna)⁴ is bad to us. Who is there to replace her, Batushka?”

“Whoever you will bless,” answered the uncomprehending Fr. Vasily.

“No, who do you think?” questioned the eider again, “Elena Vasilievna or

Irma ProkopievnaP”

Rut Fr. Vasily only answered again, “As you bless, Batushka.”

“Well, I think it should definitely be Elena Vasilievna, Batushka. You see, she

is so very well educated,” Fr. Seraphim said. “This is why I called you. So, call

her and send her to me.”

When Elena Vasilievna came to him, Batushka, in delight, announced to her that she would he superior of his community. “My Joy!” Fr. Seraphim said. “When you become Superior, then, Matushka, there will be a feast day and great joy. You will have greatness. The Tsar’s family will visit you, Matushka!” Elena Vasilievna was frightfully bewildered. “No, I am not capable, I am not able to do this, Batushka!” She answered directly: “I have always obeyed you in everything but I cannot do this. It would be better to command me to die right here at your feet right now. But as for being superior I do not wish and I am not able to be one, Batushka!”

Nevertheless, Fr. Seraphim then built the mill and moved the first seven virgins to it, and he ordered them all to be blessed by Elena Vasilievna, and to relate to her as their superior, although she remained to live in the Kazan Church Community until her death. The young ascetic was so shaken that, even at her death, she kept repeating in terror, as if pleading with Batushka, “No! I am not able to obey you in this—that I should be superior I don’t even know how I will answer for my own soul and here I would have to answer for others, also! No! No, Batushka. I am not able to obey you in this!” Nevertheless, Fr. Seraphim always directed all the sisters sent to him to her, and they always addressed her as “Your Ladyship, Superior” when they spoke to her. In general, the superiorship of Elena Vasilievna remained enigmatic and incomprehensible, since she soon reposed miraculously.

 

A Church for the Mill Community

In Spring 1827 they began to build the mill and in the summer, on July 7, the eve of the Feast of the Kazan Mother of God, it began to grind flour. In this same year, of 1827, Fr. Seraphim continually sent those who came to him for orders and arrangements for Michael Vasilievich. When Michael came, the elder told him: “My joy, our poor little community in Divye’evo does not have its own church. The nuns walk to the parish where there are baptisms and weddings. You know they should nor go; they are virgins. The Queen of heaven is pleased that they should have their own church added on at the porch of the Kazan Church since this porch is a worthy altar, Batushka! You see, Matushka Agafia Semenova used to stand there in prayer and wash it with streams of her humble tears! Here, my joy, build a church dedicated to the Nativity of Christ, her only begotten Son, for my orphans!”

Michael Vasilievich had kept inviolable the money from the sale of his property, which Batushka ordered him to conceal until it was time. Now the hour had come for Michael Vasilievich to deliver all of his fortune to the Lord. Such money was, no doubt, pleasing to the Saviour of the world. Consequently, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was created by the fortune of a man who willingly accepted the podvig of poverty for himself. “Father, bless!” answered Michael Vasilievich, and he immediately occupied himself with the decision to build and the preparation of materials.

It had been proposed to Fr. Seraphim several times to build a church for the Divye’evo sisters but he had refused the money offered because “It is not clear and not pleasing to the Heavenly Queen.’ Sr. Xenia Vasilievna testified that once she joyfully told Batushka that someone had promised to build a church, without naming the person. But Fr. Seraphim had said, “Do not rejoice so much, and do not look so much for benefactors! Here is what I tell you, my joy! Once two landowners were zealous and spoke to me, ‘Batushka, we will build a memorial on the grave of Matushka Alexandra.’ But I asked them what it would profit them. ‘No, no profit, Batushka. I answered them, ‘It would be better for us if you would make an addition to the Church and build there.’ When they heard this they became gloomy- ‘No,’ they said. ‘This is not convenient for us and it is far away.’ I answered nothing. ‘Good,’ they said. ‘We will go see this man about it.’ Here Mishenka and Tare still waiting. And so, Matushka, even to this very time we are waiting for them and absolutely nothing comes of it! Here also the decision came to build a church and we refused the benefactors, Matushka! Hope for nothing from benefactors! They are not needed!” Then after waiting a little, Fr. Seraphim asked Xenia: “And who is this that made such a promise to you, my joy?” ”Prokudin.” “We are not at all able to accept it, Matushka; it is not needed! He has already spoken to Mishenka and me and I did not order it! Remember once and for all: not all money is pleasing to the Lord and His most pure Mother! And not every kind of money will be accepted by my community, Matushka!”

 

Some of St. Seraphim’s Miracles

 

While Manturov was in the process of building the Nativity (Rozhdestvenski) Church for the convent, he never did anything without Father Seraphim’s blessing. Once he was seeking Father Seraphim’s advice and left for Sarov in the company of Father Vasily Sadovsky. The latter wrote later:

“Having come to Sarov and found out that Fr. Seraphim was in the Near Hermitage not far from his spring, we went there. He met us at the spring and Michael asked his question after receiving the blessing. We could see a small bed of green onions not far from us. Fr. Seraphim said: “These onions are ready to eat; get them out !“ We both started to pick, but Father Seraphim noticed that we were doing it with great caution so that we wouldn’t get all dirty, since the soil was wet. He knelt at the middle of the bed and began to pull onions out with both his hands, saying, “That’s the way, that’s the way.” He finished picking, working very hard. Then he told us to wash the onions and packed a lot of them in our sacks, telling us to take them to the sisters in Divye’evo, and also, to eat some ourselves, sparingly, since these onions were medicinal, for healing. “And what do you think Upon our arrival home I learned from one of the sisters that, during the previous day, the sisters had helped Fr. Seraphim to put moss on top of that same bed (the initial stage right after planting); then they saw the first sprouts in the morning and the onions were ready to pick by the time of vespers. It was impossible to describe the taste of these onions; they were unusually mild and sweet and healing. When I came home afterwards to find my wife really sick, I gave her an onion, telling her of Fr. Seraphim’s words. As soon as she ate it she became totally well.”

Michael Manturov’s wife Anna Michailovna told the following story: “Once Michael Vasilievich visited Fr. Seraphim. They talked for a long time. All of a sudden Michael Vasilievich noticed that one of the icon-lamps started to burn by itself, then another one. Michael Vasilievich couldn’t believe his eyes, and was even somewhat scared, which couldn’t escape Fr. Seraphim’s attention. The latter said:

“Don’t be surprised at what you see; this is how it should he.”

After the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Savior was erected and sanctified, Fr. Seraphim called on Michael Manturov and said: “We did the wrong thing, we have built the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Savior but we don’t have a church devoted to the Mother of God. And our Heavenly Tsarina was angry at me, unworthy Seraphim, and said: ‘You paid respects to my Son but you have forgotten me’ So I wonder if we can build another church under this one.” Michael was in great difficulty trying to solve this problem. He suggested to dig so that another church could be built. Fr. Seraphim gave him the measuring thread and was very happy when the foundation appeared to be exactly the same size as the first foundation. Then Fr. Seraphim predicted that there would be four relics of the saints because the only way to build the church was using four columns for support.

 

Manturov’s Parting with the Saint

The time came for Fr. Seraphim to part with his favorite lay brother and friend. The Polish war had just started and a General Kupriyanov came to Sarov to ask for Fr. Seraphim’s blessing for his coming military deeds. This man was very rich and had several properties. Michael Vasilievich made a strong impression on the general because of his deep spirituality and self-sacrifice, and Mr. Kupriyanov began to ask Fr. Seraphim to let Michael Vasilievich go, in order to let him run the general’s estate. The general begged Michael Vasilievich to agree to accept the post. Michael’s financial situation was a great burden to him (and especially to his wife), so this seemed like a very good opportunity to earn some money. But he said that he should ask Fr. Seraphim because he never did anything without Father’s blessing. Father Seraphim had greeted Michael at the door by saying: “I know they want to ask you to leave me. There’s nothing we can do about it. It is very sad for me to part with you since you have served so well, but the Tsar needs the general. You go and serve him now. His peasants are poor, lost and dissipated, their life is bad. So you, my joy, can supervise them gently and fairly, they will love you, they will listen to you. They will change and come back to Christ. This is the real reason I’m sending you and your wife there.” So Michael Vasilievich went to the remote region in order to save the lost souls and to run the estate of the general.

Everything in General Kuprianov’s estate happened just as it had been predicted by Fr. Seraphim. The peasants were driven to a state of great poverty by their previous rulers. They had become rude, suspicious and cruel. Michael Vasilievich remembered Fr. Seraphim’s words and began to treat them with honesty, patience, kindness and truthfulness. Slowly, but surely, their hostility disappeared and they began to come to him, as children would come to their spiritual father, they became more independent financially.

This region was marshy and there were a lot of cases of malaria; many peasants died and Michael Vasilievich, also, barely survived. When he became ill he wrote a letter to his sister, Elena Vasilevna, asking her to tell Fr. Seraphim about his illness and asking for his advice. Fr. Seraphim told him not to take any medicine, but to eat a soft piece of rye bread freshly baked. Michael Vasilievich did so; that was the end of his illness. After he became completely well he gave the same advice to the peasants and cured many of them.

Once Fr. Seraphim called on Elena Vasilievna and said: “You were always a

good novice. I want you to do one more obedience. Will you?”

“Yes, I will, as always,” she replied.

“So, my joy, the problem is that your brother is becoming ill, and it is time for him to pass away. But I really need him herein the monastery, for our orphans…So the work of penance I want from you is to die instead of him.” Elena Vasilievna said, “Bless me, Father?”

Then they talked quietly; he spoke on death and eternal life and she was silent. But suddenly she got confused and nervous, exclaiming, “Batushka, I am scared of death!”

“You and I don’t have to be afraid of death? We will have only eternal joy after death!” Elena Vasilievna passed away three days after that, seeing wonderful dreams during these three days

 

Ivan Tikhonov’s Intrigues

Michael Vastlievich was running the estate of General Kupriyanov in Siberia when Father Seraphim passed away on January 2, 1833. After Fr. Seraphim’s death, Ivan Tikhonov, the so-called “painter” and novice of Sarov, invaded Divye’evo (as had been predicted by St. Seraphim). Ivan Tikhonov realized Michael Vasilievich’s importance for the Divye’evo community and decided to destroy him, hecause Michael himself was the only close, trusted disciple and friend of Fr. Seraphim. Michael Vasilievich would never allow Ivan Tikhonov to introduce himself to the world as “the saint’s favorite disciple” and to take care of the Divye’evo sisters, which St. Seraphim, prophesied that after his death Tikhonov would do “with a cold heart.”

Ivan Tikhonov met General Kupriyanov after the war and pretended to be the best and the most humble disciple of St. Seraphim. He painted Michael Vasilievich in the worst possible light. Tikhonov begged the General, in the name of the Saint, to ask Manturov to sell the 15 desyasina of land (which Fr. Seraphim had told Michael Vasilievich to leave to the monastery only after Manturov’s death). Kupriyanov promised to force Michael Vasilievich into giving or selling the property. When he failed to do so because Michael would never forget Fr. Seraphim’s wish, the General even threatened to kill Michael, but the latter remained firm. In those days a general with Kupriyanov’s connections could do a lot—so he threw Michael Vasilievich out, without a penny: without even his or his wife’s personal things and clothes. Michael Vasilievich left the place of his work of penance penniless, proving that he was ready for a podvig, ready to sacrifice everything rather than to betray the holy memory of his elder.

In spite of the hardships he and his wife had to face they remained cheerful. But when they reached Moscow they literally didn’t have a piece of bread to eat. Michael Vasilievich’s spirits were very low. In this state of mind he found himself in front of Iverskaya Chapel and its miraculous icon of the Mother of God, for the sake of whom he had deliberately given up everything in his life. So he stood there and prayed. The Mother of God was the only person he asked for help and, indeed, she heard him! On his way back from the Chapel he bumped something with his foot and it appeared to be a little bit of money lost by someone. Since he couldn’t find anybody to return it to, Michael Vasilievich decided to take the money as if given to him by the Mother of God. So they were able to obtain food. Similar things happened to them every day until, one day, a stranger put into Manturov’s hand a piece of paper which proved to be a bill. After giving their thanks to God, the Manturov’s started for Divye’evo.

They saw a lot of miracles happening to them on the way. Then Father Vasily Sadovsky gave them the money that he himself had kept for “a rainy day,” so they could buy a little hut to relocate it to Manturov’s piece of property. They lived here for some time in poverty, feeding themselves by working hard on their land.

Although Michael Vasilievich now lived in Divye’evo, he was unable to oppose Ivan Tikhonov because he lived in very poor conditions. So Michael tried, where he could, to meet Tikhonov to try to influence him with the words of godly fear. These efforts were all in vain, however, because Tikhonov’s ambitions were stronger than his conscience. Ivan Tikhonov used all his eloquence in order to set Bishop Iakov against Michael Vasilievich, showing him as an enemy of the growing Divye’evo community. Ivan Tikhonov also passed himself off as a victim during his conversations with the Church clergy, thus currying their favor and support. There was nothing left for Michael Vasilievich to do other than to continue his podvig of honest and devoted service to the Mother of God’s convent. Soon he had to pay for his devotion and persistence: his hut was burnt. With the help of good people he was able to build another, much better one across the road from the Church of the Kazan Mother of God. He lived in this house till his death.

The site for the future building of the Divye’evo Cathedral was being chosen by Bishop Iakov and Tikhonov. Tikhonov was against selecting the place chosen by St. Seraphim long ago. Michael Vasilievich was trying to insist on it, believing the prophecies of his beloved Father, The Bishop probably received signs from above, since he rejected two sites suggested by Tikhonov. After having learned about the bishop’s search for another site, Michael thought it was his duty to declare, in front of the Bishop, that the actions of Tikhonov were completely against Fr. Seraphim’s wishes. But he realized that he was in no position to do it himself, because of the Bishop’s attitude towards him, so he asked an officer, Mr. Betling, to report to the Bishop.

The Bishop Listened to the story about the real site, bought by Fr. Seraphim and asked Manturov to prove it by something. Manturov said, “God knows I’m telling the truth, and the only person who can prove it is an old carpenter, Efim Vasiliev (who was also a friend of Tikhonov). I know that Father Seraphim often talked to this man about Divye’evo, including the plans for the construction of this Cathedral. He will tell the truth if he doesn’t want to bind his clear conscience.” The carpenter’s story proved Manturov’s words completely. The nuns received the Bishop’s blessing and began the construction, under Michael Vasilievich’s supervision. Ivan Tikhonov disappeared, asking for transfer to another monastery in order to become a monk.

Ivan Tikhonov became Hieromonk loasaf. Under this name he kept gaining popularity among the nobility by writing false stories about himself as a favorite pupil of Fr. Seraphim, and other lies. When Divye’evo was supposed to send several sisters to study art in the St. Petersburg Academy Fr. loasaf, using his influence, tried to impose his choice of sisters, which caused a lot of unrest and disagreement in the monastery.

 

No Protector for St. Seraphim’s Orphans

Michael Vasilievich was very upset and even reproached Fr. Seraphim for allowing this license and interference of Fr. loasaf into the life of Divye’evo. A few days before his death, Michael Vasilievich saw a wonderful dream. He dreamed that he and his wife were walking through the woods in Sarov. He was showing to her the place where he often talked with Fr. Seraphim. All of a sudden he saw a wonderful green clearing and a lot of peasants, gathering moss there. One of them asked Michael if he was looking for Father Seraphim. Michael Vasilievich remembered in his dream that Fr. Seraphim was dead, and was surprised. Then the peasant showed him the light from Father’s cave. Michael Vasilievich entered the cave and saw Father Seraphim who, at first, disappeared, but then came out carrying two big hot loaves of white bread, fresh from the oven. He gave one loaf to Michael Vasilievich, saying: “This one is for you; eat as much as you want and give the rest to those who know us!” Then he gave the second loaf to Michael’s wife, Anna Michailovna Manturov, telling her to eat whatever she needed and to give the rest to somebody else. After that Fr. Seraphim disappeared and came back with a huge prosphora (blessed bread) as large as a plate. He said: “We should give this to a person who is absolutely and above all God-loving. Where can we find this kind of person?” After a pause he added: “No, my joy, we will give this up. We will never find him now!” This was the answer to Michael Vasilievich’s inner reproach about finding a worthy man to run Divye’evo and to get rid of Fr. loasaf. Then Fr. Seraphim told Manturov to go back to church, saying that he would meet him there for prayers and would take Michael Vasilievich away with him from there. He also said to Manturov’s wife that she would have to walk alone here from now on, for some time. (With these words Fr. Seraphim predicted her widowhood.) When Manturov left the cave he heard the church bells ringing, though there was no church close to this place. And then he saw a beautiful church, like Trinity-Sergiev Lavra. When he entered he saw Fr. Seraphim in the cliros; they prayed together. After the service they were going along the corridor together when Fr. Seraphim took a piece of paper from his pocket, read it, and put it away again. He did this three times, looking at Michael Vasilievich each time. He finally said, “We will have to be patient for some time, nowl” Then Manturov woke up, understanding the words well,

Several days after that dream, during the service, Manturov received Holy Communion and gave a lot of important orders to the sisters regarding the church. Then he went home with a priest, and had tea at home. He kept saying to his wife: “Hurry up, hurry up, you may regret later, but it will be too late.” After these words he went to pick some berries from his garden, sat on a bench and peacefully passed away. He was sixty years old and he died on the eve of the celebration of the Kazan Mother Of God. He was buried in the church built by him.

He was a layman who consciously sacrificed his life to God, for the sake of Truth. He lived his life quietly and peacefully in Divye’evo as the only devoted and worthy pupil of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

 

Footnotes

 

1. The ‘Four Portions of the Mother of God” are Georgia (Iberia), Mount Athos, Kiev Caves Monastery and Divye’evo Monastery. According to tradition, when the Apostles drew lots to see where each would go to preach, the Mother of God also drew a “lot” which was Iberia. She did not go to preach in her lifetime, but later sent St. Nina of Georgia. Mount Athos was also given to her during her lifetime, though it did not become the “Garden of the Mother of God,” an entirely monastic republic until centuries later. Divye’evo was similarly chosen by the Mother of God as her portion. She appeared in a vision to Matushka Alexandra, a widow who had become a nun, and told her to go to the place that she would reveal. Upon the advice of the elders of the Kiev Caves, she went in the guise of a laywoman, using her worldly name, Agafa Seminovna Melgunova, in order to avoid bureaucratic entanglements. She founded a small women’s community in the village of Divye’evo which had no “official” status as a monastic community. Such women’s communities were quite common in Russia.

 

2. Ivan Seminovich Milyoukuv was the brother of Prascovia Seminovna, one of the Divye’evo nuns, and father of Elena lvanovna, who married Motovilov, who recorded St. Seraphim’s “Wonderful Revelation to the World.” Motovilov became a Sarov monk at end of his life.

 

3. Maria Seminovna came to the Divye’evo Community when she was 3 years old to visit her aunt who was a nun there. Recognizing a chosen vessel, St. Seraphim did not allow her to return home. She lived at the older Divye’evo Community, and then later at the new Mill Community, until her death, at age 9 as schema-nun Martha. She was a favorite confidante of St. Seraphim but much of her life and holiness remains hidden to us,

 

4. Lldress Xenia Michailovna was part of Matushka Alexandra’s original Divye’evo Community and became its superior after the foundress’s death. Fr. Seraphim once described her as a “flaming pillar reaching up to heaven.” The original community had had a very strict ascetic rule established by the Abbot of Sarov at the time of its founding. Lldress Xenia felt that it was absolutely essential to remain faithful to this rule. However, the spirit of love was lacking in the community and an atmosphere of ascetic competition prevailed. Because Xenia was not at all open to the elder’s direction, which was coming directly from the Mother of God, it was necessary, for a time, to establish a second Divye’evo Community in order to fulfill the Mother of God’s promise to the reposed foundress.