| Monastery | |||
| Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery | |||
| View of the Kaluga Laurentian Monastery from the south in 1861. Drawing from the mid-19th century.
|
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| 54°32′05″ n. w. 36°14′45″ E. d. HGIOL | |||
| A country | Russia Russia | ||
| City | Kaluga | ||
| Confession | Orthodoxy | ||
| Diocese | Kaluzhskaya | ||
| Type | male | ||
| Founder | Prince Simeon Ivanovich Kaluga | ||
| First mention | 17th century | ||
| Date of foundation | 16th century | ||
| Abbot | Hieromonk Paphnutius (Arkhipov) | ||
| Status | Protected by the state | ||
| State | destroyed in 1929 | ||
| Website | St. Lawrence Monastery | ||
| Laurentian Monastery at Wikimedia Commons | |||
Story
In the summer of 1512, the city (Kaluga) was attacked by the Hagarians (Crimean Tatars), against whom he (Prince Simeon) and his citizens came out. Righteous Lawrence, who was in his house, suddenly cried out in a great voice: “Give me my sharp axe, the dogs attacked Prince Simeon, so that I can defend him from his dogs!” And then he left (having taken it, he walked away). To Prince Simeon, who at that time was fighting with the Hagarians from a nasad (river boat) on the Oka. Hagaryan, who surrounded the prince in large numbers, suddenly found the righteous Lawrence on the attack, strengthening him and encouraging the whole army, saying: “Do not be afraid!” And at that hour the prince defeated and drove them away. And the righteous Lawrence found himself again (again) in the princely house, acting like a fool and saying: “I defended Prince Simeon from the dogs.” The prince, returning from the battle, told the story of how the righteous one had appeared, and with his strengthening and help he defeated the enemies who had attacked the city of Kaluga.
Lavrenty Kaluga died on August 23, 1515 and was buried in the Church of the Nativity of Christ. At the request of Prince Semyon of Kaluga, a monastic monastery arose on the site of the saint’s exploits, which was first called Rozhdestvenskaya and then Lavrentievskaya.
The monastery stood on the high bank of the river. Yachenki and closed the approaches to the city from the Borovskaya road. Probably already in the 16th century. it was surrounded by a high wall and a rampart, from which the village of Podzavalie (now an urban area) that arose nearby received its name. The walls of the monastery have repeatedly withstood enemy sieges.
1799. The monastery turned into a bishop's courtyard, where Kaluga bishops lived in the summer.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the monastery had three stone churches. The Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1650 and was completed in 1739 with donations from A. A. Goncharov. St. Lawrence, the first archimandrite of the Karion monastery, and Bishop of Kaluga Alexander Svetlakov, theologian and spiritual composer, are buried in the church. In 1732, the gate church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built, and in 1823, at the bishop’s chambers, the house church of St. Sergius of Radonezh. In addition to churches, the monastery had a stone bell tower, buildings and cells for the brethren. There is an orchard around the monastery walls. Many famous Kaluga residents were buried in the monastery cemetery. Here was a chapel at the grave of Ermil the Fool, the tomb of the Obolensky princes, tombstones and slabs of heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812: Lieutenant General K. F. Baggovut, mortally wounded in the Battle of Tarutino, whose body was taken to Kaluga, who died in the Kaluga military hospital general - Lieutenant N.P. Lebedev and Major General A.M. Vsevolozhsky (currently, the rector of the monastery, Father Pafnutius, is taking measures to study and restore the monastery necropolis; in particular, an exact copy of the granite tombstone of K.F. Baggovut was made and installed ).
The monastery was closed by the Bolsheviks in 1918. For some time, the Kaluga Infantry Command Courses were located within its walls, and in 1920 a forced labor camp was created, which was under the jurisdiction of the Kaluga Provincial Executive Committee. It housed political and criminal prisoners and prisoners of war. In May 1921, participants were transferred here
The St. Lawrence Monastery is located in Kaluga, on Shirokaya Street. According to legend, the monastery was founded on the site of the Church of the Nativity of Christ, which was known since the 15th century. and was located near Kaluga on the left bank of the Yachenka River. This temple was often visited by the righteous Lavrenty of Kaluga.
The foundation of the monastery on this site occurred after the death of Lawrence. Righteous Lawrence died on August 23, 1515 and was buried in his favorite church in the name of the Nativity of Christ. In the second half of the 16th century. Righteous Lawrence was canonized. And on the site of his exploits a monastic monastery was founded. At first it was called Rozhdestvenskaya, then Lavrentievskaya. Ivan the Terrible visited the St. Lawrence Monastery more than once.
The history of the monastery is closely intertwined with the history of Kaluga. In 1610, False Dmitry II took refuge in the monastery, who fled from the Tushino camp to Kaluga. In 1617, a battle between the Polish king Sigismund and the Russian troops of Prince Pozharsky took place near the monastery. As a result, the monastery was ruined. Only after 1622 did it begin to recover. Stone construction inside the monastery began in 1732.
According to the ecclesiastical states of 1764, the St. Lawrence Monastery was ranked third class. It had its own abbot, 8 ministers, a scribe and 11 monks. In 1776, a theological seminary was opened in the St. Lawrence Monastery. Since 1799, the Laurentian Monastery has been the summer residence of the bishops.
At the beginning of the 20th century. The monastery complex included three stone churches: the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the gate Assumption Church and the house church of Sergius of Radonezh.
The two-story Nativity Cathedral Church was erected in 1650. Its first floor was warm, its altar was consecrated three times: in 1650 - in the name of the Hieromartyr Lawrence; in 1790 - in the name of St. Gregory of Neocaesarea and St. Nikon of Radonezh; in 1855 - in the name of the righteous Lavrenty of Kaluga. The second floor was initially made of wood, but in 1739 it was rebuilt in stone. The thrones located on the top floor were consecrated in honor of the Ascension of the Lord and the Nativity of Christ.
The gateway Assumption Church was built in 1723. It was a parish for the monastic peasants of the village. Turynino and Podzavalye settlements. The house church in honor of Sergius of Radonezh was built at the bishop's chambers in 1823.
In addition to churches, the monastery complex also included: cells and buildings for the brethren, and a stone bell tower. In the 18th century The monastery was surrounded by a stone fence with four towers. The alley of the park, which was founded in 1809, with plantings of birch, linden, oak and elm trees, has survived to this day. An orchard grew around the walls of the monastery, which was planted by seminarians under the leadership of Evlampius of Vvedensky. On the eastern side of the garden there was a pond with a dam.
There was a necropolis in the Laurentian Monastery, where many famous Kaluga residents, monks and clergy, heroes of the War of 1812 were buried.
In 1918 the monastery was closed. The Kaluga Infantry Command Courses are located here. In 1920, on the territory of the former monastery there was a forced labor camp of the punitive subdivision of the provincial executive committee, in which political prisoners, prisoners of war and criminals were kept. In 1921, the tombstones of the Laurentian necropolis were broken with blacksmith hammers. In 1921, the wall painting on the first floor of the Church of the Nativity was painted over due to the fact that it was decided to place prison premises here. Museum workers managed to save only part of the church utensils and icons. In 1929, it was decided to demolish the cathedral Church of the Nativity. One of the monastery buildings housed a school; other buildings were inhabited. Temporary houses were built on the territory of the monastery, in which people still live to this day.
In 1991, the territory of the monastery was declared a natural monument of local significance. In 1993, a wooden cross was installed over the burial place of Righteous Lawrence. In 1994, part of the premises of the bishop's house was transferred to the Kaluga diocese. On December 29, 1994, the Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery was opened.
Now a house church has been equipped on the territory of the monastery, acting as a parish church, and a monastic community is being created. In 1995, on the site where the altar of the Nativity Cathedral used to be, a chapel was built and consecrated in the name of Righteous Lawrence. Recently, all the remaining buildings of the monastery were transferred to the monastery; the bell tower and the main church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary are being restored.
When in September 2009, the abbot of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the St. Paphnutyev-Borovsk Monastery, Archimandrite Seraphim, presented Hieromonk Paphnutius with the Decree of Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk on his appointment as rector of the St. Lawrence Monastery, Father Paphnutius found it difficult to believe that this was actually happening. Firstly, he chose the monastic path only about three years ago. And secondly... He knew about the holy righteous Lawrence, a holy fool for Christ's sake, because blessed Lawrence, the venerable Paphnutius of Borovsky and Tikhon of Medyn are the three pillars of the Kaluga land, to whom the brethren of the monastery performed services and addressed them in prayer. But Hieromonk Paphnutius did not know that somewhere nearby there was a St. Lawrence Monastery. Nor did I know that after 1917, the magnificent churches, the marble, granite, cast iron, bronze tombstones of the necropolis, and the stone monastery walls were destroyed. Only one bishop's building has survived, on the second floor of which the families of the builders of the Yachensky reservoir lived until recently.
Today, a lot has already been done on the territory of the monastery, which has the status of a Bishop’s metochion, but even more remains to be done, because on August 23, 2015, the monastery will celebrate its 500th anniversary and awaits the arrival of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.
How is the process of restoring the once famous monastery going, which was visited at different times by Patriarch Macarius III of Antioch, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Empress Catherine II, Metropolitan Platon (Levshin), Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Emperor Alexander I, writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, we are talking about this with the rector of the St. Lawrence Monastery, Hieromonk Pafnutius (Arkhipov). But the first question was:
- Father, what feelings did you experience when you first saw this holy place?
- I was shocked. In other men's monasteries on Kaluga land: in the St. Pafnutev-Borovsky Monastery, in the Optina Hermitage, in the Tikhonova Hermitage - much of the monastery complex has already been restored. Spiritual life was revived in them. And it wasn’t just desolation that reigned here. The blasphemy of the Bolsheviks, manifested in the fact that after the revolution of the seventeenth year they turned the St. Lawrence Monastery into a forced labor camp where political prisoners, criminals and prisoners of war were kept, aggravated the sin committed already in our time, in the third millennium. The residents - the same reservoir builders who settled here - took out the bones of our ancestors from the graves and equipped crypts as cellars where they stored food supplies...
You talk - and it sends chills down my spine. Was there a murmur in the depths of your soul that you, approaching your 70th birthday (and now, as I read on the Internet, you are 72 years old), have to overcome such difficulties?
- It was difficult, yes. But neither grumbling nor doubts arose in me, just as there are none now. I felt that the Lord had put me in this place, and I soon realized how providential everything had happened. I myself am a Muscovite, born into a family of artists, lived on Arbat. And my mother belonged to a merchant family from Kaluga. According to some reports, our peasant ancestor collected capital and went into business. His children continued their father's work. It is known that my grandfather became related to an old Moscow merchant family, and his brother Vasily Luzhsky (real name - Kaluzhsky) became one of the founders of the Moscow Art Theater together with Stanislavsky, Nemirovich-Danchenko and remained in his troupe as a director, actor, administrator until the end of his days. When I got here, to the Laurentian Monastery, which was completely destroyed, I realized that this was not just like that. Probably many in our family revered Saint Lawrence, Christ for the sake of the holy fool. After all, how many posthumous miracles through prayers to the Kaluga Wonderworker occurred in subsequent centuries! This means that my duty to my family on my mother’s side is to put all my efforts into restoring the monastery that appeared in the place where the righteous Lawrence carried out the feat of foolishness, fasting and prayer.
- And where did you start?
- There was no money for restoration at all. I had fifty thousand rubles of my own, and the abbot of the St. Paphnutiev-Borovsky Monastery, Father Seraphim, looked at everything around him and said to me: “I’m waiting for you on Monday,” and on Monday he gave me one hundred thousand rubles. I borrowed another hundred thousand. We started with this starting amount. I found a team of builders, and by August 20, 2010, that is, on the eve of the celebration of the day of memory of St. Lawrence, the workers had completed a major renovation of the second floor of the bishop's house. Now in the bishop's house there is a house church, there is a good hall for Sunday school classes, and there are also several cells here. And then, immediately after the patronal feast of the monastery, we began to dig out the cathedral along the perimeter. They didn’t even know whether there was a foundation there or not, because according to rumors everything was blown up. But when they made a pit, they hit the wall, which was preserved with the cladding. They dug up a bell tower, the lower tier of which was about a third intact. I went to the ruling bishop, Metropolitan Clement, and told him about this. The Bishop called Archimandrite Nikita, the vice-rector of the Theological Seminary (now he is the Bishop of Kozelsky and Lyudinovsky), and said: “This Sunday we are serving a prayer service at Father Paphnutius for the beginning of the restoration of the monastery.” And so they arrived: Metropolitan Clement, Archimandrite Nikita, Archimandrite Donat. Together with them, I and Priest Anthony served a prayer service, after which construction began on the territory of the monastery.
The Lord led me through life in such a way that for eight years I helped restore the Conception Monastery in Moscow, then for some time - Novospassky. Arriving at the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, which had long since become dear to me, I obediently occupied myself with technical matters there. So I had some experience. But at first, very often, on various issues, I went to my confessor at the Pafnutyev-Borovsky Monastery, Schema-Archimandrite Vlasiy, told him about problems, asked for blessings on this or that matter. Father Blasius gave his blessing for something and gave spiritual advice. Regarding some of my questions, he said that I should address them to Metropolitan Clement. Then I went to the bishop. The Lord is a very wise man. I would even venture to say that as a bishop he is perspicacious. Much of what he said happened. In general, I consider myself lucky to end up in a diocese with such a ruling bishop. Polite, attentive, pious. I am grateful to him for his help. I also sincerely thank those Muscovites who donated certain funds for the restoration of the monastery. I invited many of my capital acquaintances here so that they could see what a quiet, blessed place it is. And so they go, look, go home, and then call and say: “You need help!” Of course, I am glad to see such a response in their souls. Some of them still help to the best of their ability, but these days are difficult times, and money is tight for people.
Muscovites, you say, are helping, but what about Kaluga residents? After all, on this land labored a miracle worker, who during his lifetime saved the city from destruction by the Crimean Tatars, and after his blessed death, according to the descriptions of his posthumous miracles that have reached us, he sent abundant aid to the Russian army and delivered the Fatherland from enemy invaders. For example, I especially remember the fact that during the Patriotic War of 1812, the Kaluga militia numbering 15 thousand people was assembled, and Bishop Evlampius of Kaluga, after the prayer service, swore everyone in, handed the head of the militia a banner-gonfalon, on which on one side was the image of the Kaluga Mother of God, and on the other - the holy righteous Lawrence. The militia went through the entire war under this banner. Do modern Kaluga residents venerate the Kaluga Wonderworker?
- Kaluga residents are good, kind, patient, but unique people. When I started building a bell tower here, the local residents said with dissatisfaction in their voices: “Here comes a Muscovite and is building a tower here!” The attitude towards me was negative. I started performing on regional television. Talking about the monastery, its history, he addressed people with the words that if every Kaluga resident gave only 100 rubles for the revival of the monastery, in the end it would be 30 million. The amount is quite sufficient for the construction of destroyed temples and monastery buildings to proceed at a rapid pace. I remember literally the next day after one of these programs a lot of people came to us here. People heard my call and donated as much as they could. And on the second day the Kaluga residents came. They brought money that someone collected by enthusiastically walking around their apartment building, someone - in their organization, doing work among colleagues. And on the third day the flow dried up, and such activity was no longer observed. But I will still say that everything is being built here by the miracle of God! At some point, I realized that the main thing in my work in this holy place was prayer. Prayer connects us with God. When you rely mainly on people, it's wrong, it's bad. And when you trust in the Lord, the Mother of God and our heavenly intercessor, the righteous Lawrence, then you fuss less, run less, pray more and see with your own eyes: help is coming, things are moving.
For example, for three years I tried to lay the foundation for the Assumption Church, and nothing worked. There used to be a gateway Assumption Church here, but we can’t build a gatehouse one - it’s difficult and time consuming, so we decided to build a gatehouse one. And this year we started digging a foundation pit in April and, God willing, we will finish it in brick sometime in February next year. Although I still don’t have money for construction, and several times an extremely difficult situation arose, when it seemed: that’s it, the construction will stop, the workers will run away. Then suddenly, miraculously, after fervent prayers, money was found both to purchase building materials and to pay workers. By the way, about the Kaluga residents. Kaluga local historian and restorer architect Ivan Dmitrievich Belov had pain in his soul all his life for this monastery. And after I was appointed abbot here, I went to him and told him that I would restore the ancient monastery. Ivan Dmitrievich smiled somewhat skeptically, because, as it turned out, there were many attempts to engage in revival, but they ended in nothing. I asked the architect how much he estimated his work on the project to restore the bell tower would cost so that we could get down to business. He named a very small amount. Time has passed. Today I can say with confidence that now Ivan Dmitrievich, who is somewhat older than me, and I are practically a single whole. Amazing architect, amazing head! Belov at one time helped restore St. Tikhon’s hermitage, and its vicar, Archimandrite Tikhon, told him: “You, in fact, replaced an entire architectural institute for me!” Indeed, when I have any questions, I bring him here (he responds immediately, despite his age and illness!), and on the spot we decide what to do, what to do. For me this is happiness. I understand perfectly well that it was the Lord who placed such a person on my path.
Father Paphnutius, you and I were just now in the Nativity Church, which is being restored, in which there are two altars: in honor of the Righteous Lawrence, Christ for the Fool's sake, and in honor of the Reverend Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. Why did they decide to make the second throne in honor of the Reverend Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth?
- She was here in 1915 - she came to the celebrations dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the death of the holy righteous Lawrence. Today we offer prayers to the holy venerable martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and nun Varvara, read the akathist to the holy venerable martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth within the walls of the temple, where there is a shrine with the relics of the saint she revered - Christ for the sake of the holy fool Lawrence. The relics of the righteous Lawrence lie hidden...
Please tell us about the monastery necropolis. On a black marble stele, apparently installed recently, we saw the names of noble families, heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812.
- The necropolis is described in detail in the work of Hieromonk Leonid (Kavelin) “Historical Description of the Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery,” published in 1862. And we republished it in 2011. In the ancient monastery cemetery there were burials of priests and monastics - hieromonks, abbots and abbesses of monasteries - honorary Kaluga citizens Bilibins, Pryanishnikovs and others. There were tombs of the princes Obolensky, Volkonsky and Kaluga merchants Zolotarev here. A modest tombstone stood on the grave of Lieutenant General Baggovut, who distinguished himself in the battle of Borodino and died near Tarutino. Here his close friend Vsevolzhsky, a major general, who was nominated by Field Marshal Kutuzov to be awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree with diamonds, found his last refuge. Three main architects, Nikitin, Yasnygin and Sokolov, who decorated Kaluga, were also buried in the necropolis. The list of famous people buried here goes on and on. But in 1921, by order of the camp commandant, the sculptural tombstones of the Laurentian necropolis were broken using blacksmith hammers. Now we are restoring what can be restored. For example, they found the tombstone of General Karl Baggovut, split into several parts. Other gravestones were found. We are trying to reconstruct the burial plan using many documents.
Today this is the Bishop's Compound of the Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery. Will monastic life resume in him in the foreseeable future?
- At the very beginning, I asked Bishop Clement about this. And he answered me that there would be a monastery here. One of my tasks for today is to begin the construction of a fraternal building with cells for 25 inhabitants, who, in search of monastic salvation, will choose our monastery as the place of their spiritual deeds.
Interviewed by: Nina STAVITSKAYA
id="razdel">The winner of the fourth All-Russian vocal competition “The Voice”, Hieromonk Photius, became the most successful finalist. Throughout the year, his name constantly appears in the media, and he travels around the country giving concerts at various venues - from philharmonic societies to street stages.
But this week the name of the singing monk was heard in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, where a meeting of monastery governors was held.
Hieromonk Paphnutius, acting as vicar of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the St. Paphnutiev Borovsky Monastery, turned to Patriarch Kirill with the question: “What should I do with Father Photius?”
According to the rector, after Father Photius won the “Voice”, he was taken to confession, but not a single parishioner approached him. In an interview given by the monk to journalists, when asked “Why do you sing?”, he admitted: “I’m bored in the monastery.” And now the star of “The Voice” practically does not appear within the walls of the monastery, does not participate in the service - he is constantly on tour.
Hieromonk Paphnutius is confused by this behavior: it seems good that Father Photius is popular, but from the monastic side, not very much. After all, he remembers how at the age of 16 this future monk came to the St. Paphnutia Monastery, how a specially hired teacher taught him to sing for the church choir within these walls...
Patriarch Kirill at first uncompromisingly defended Father Photius, saying that thanks to his work, many people discovered Orthodoxy. And if he saw that the monk only had fame, but no popular sympathy, he would have used his power and banned his concerts.
However, having heard about the constant concerts, due to which Photius rarely appears within the walls of the monastery, the patriarch advised the abbot of the monastery, together with Metropolitan Clement, to “work out the correct algorithm of life” for Father Photius.
If he goes from one tour to another, we will lose him. But if, upon returning, he becomes a member of the brotherhood and bears obedience, is under your kind, although perhaps strict, care, there is a chance that Father Photius will save himself for monasticism and eternal life. But you, father, and the entire community are responsible for it.
Hieromonk Paphnutius (Arkhipov)
When in September 2009, the abbot of the Nativity of the Mother of God of the St. Paphnutyev-Borovsk Monastery, Archimandrite Seraphim, presented Hieromonk Paphnutius with the Decree of Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk on his appointment as rector of the St. Lawrence Monastery, Father Paphnutius found it difficult to believe that this was actually happening. Firstly, he chose the monastic path only about three years ago. And secondly... He knew about the holy righteous Lawrence, a holy fool for Christ's sake, because blessed Lawrence, the venerable Paphnutius of Borovsky and Tikhon of Medyn are the three pillars of the Kaluga land, to whom the brethren of the monastery performed services and addressed them in prayer. But Hieromonk Paphnutius did not know that somewhere nearby there was a St. Lawrence Monastery. Nor did I know that after 1917, the magnificent churches, the marble, granite, cast iron, bronze tombstones of the necropolis, and the stone monastery walls were destroyed. Only one bishop's building has survived, on the second floor of which the families of the builders of the Yachensky reservoir lived until recently.Today, a lot has already been done on the territory of the monastery, which has the status of a Bishop’s metochion, but even more remains to be done, because on August 23, 2015, the monastery will celebrate its 500th anniversary and awaits the arrival of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.
How is the process of restoring the once famous monastery going, which was visited at different times by Patriarch Macarius III of Antioch, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Empress Catherine II, Metropolitan Platon (Levshin), Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Emperor Alexander I, writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, we are talking about this with the rector of the St. Lawrence Monastery, Hieromonk Pafnutius (Arkhipov). But the first question was:
– Father, what feelings did you experience when you first saw this holy place?
- I was shocked. In other men's monasteries on Kaluga land: in the St. Pafnutyev-Borovsky Monastery, in the Optina Hermitage, in the Tikhonova Hermitage - much of the monastery complex has already been restored. Spiritual life was revived in them. And it wasn’t just desolation that reigned here. The blasphemy of the Bolsheviks, manifested in the fact that after the revolution of the seventeenth year they turned the St. Lawrence Monastery into a forced labor camp where political prisoners, criminals and prisoners of war were kept, aggravated the sin committed already in our time, in the third millennium. The residents - the same reservoir builders who settled here - took out the bones of our ancestors from the graves and equipped crypts for cellars where they stored food supplies...
– You tell it – and it sends chills down my spine. Was there a murmur in the depths of your soul that you, approaching your 70th birthday (and now, as I read on the Internet, you are 72 years old), have to overcome such difficulties?
- It was difficult, yes. But neither grumbling nor doubts arose in me, just as there are none now. I felt that the Lord had put me in this place, and I soon realized how providential everything had happened. I myself am a Muscovite, born into a family of artists, lived on Arbat. And my mother belonged to a merchant family from Kaluga. According to some reports, our peasant ancestor collected capital and went into business. His children continued their father's work. It is known that my grandfather became related to an old Moscow merchant family, and his brother Vasily Luzhsky (real name - Kaluzhsky) became one of the founders of the Moscow Art Theater together with Stanislavsky, Nemirovich-Danchenko and remained in his troupe as a director, actor, administrator until the end of his days. When I got here, to the Laurentian Monastery, which was completely destroyed, I realized that this was not just like that. Probably many in our family revered Saint Lawrence, Christ for the sake of the holy fool. After all, how many posthumous miracles through prayers to the Kaluga Wonderworker occurred in subsequent centuries! This means that my duty to my family on my mother’s side is to put all my efforts into restoring the monastery that appeared in the place where the righteous Lawrence carried out the feat of foolishness, fasting and prayer.
– And where did you start?
“There was no money for restoration at all.” I had fifty thousand rubles of my own, and the abbot of the St. Paphnutiev-Borovsky Monastery, Father Seraphim, looked at everything around him and said to me: “I’m waiting for you on Monday,” and on Monday he gave me a hundred thousand rubles. I borrowed another hundred thousand. We started with this starting amount. I found a team of builders, and by August 20, 2010, that is, on the eve of the celebration of the day of memory of St. Lawrence, the workers had completed a major renovation of the second floor of the bishop's house. Now in the bishop's house there is a house church, there is a good hall for Sunday school classes, and there are also several cells here. And then, immediately after the patronal feast of the monastery, we began to dig out the cathedral along the perimeter. They didn’t even know whether there was a foundation there or not, because according to rumors everything was blown up. But when they made a pit, they hit the wall, which was preserved with the cladding. They dug up a bell tower, the lower tier of which was about a third intact. I went to the ruling bishop, Metropolitan Clement, and told him about this. The Bishop called Archimandrite Nikita, the vice-rector of the Theological Seminary (now he is the Bishop of Kozelsky and Lyudinovsky), and said: “This Sunday we are serving a prayer service at Father Paphnutius for the beginning of the restoration of the monastery.” And so they arrived: Metropolitan Clement, Archimandrite Nikita, Archimandrite Donat. Together with them, I and Priest Anthony served a prayer service, after which construction began on the territory of the monastery.
The Lord led me through life in such a way that for eight years I helped restore the Conception Monastery in Moscow, then for some time the Novospassky Monastery. Arriving at the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, which had long since become dear to me, I obediently occupied myself with technical matters there. So I had some experience. But at first, very often, on various issues, I went to my confessor at the Pafnutyev-Borovsky Monastery, Schema-Archimandrite Vlasiy, told him about problems, asked for blessings on this or that matter. Father Blasius gave his blessing for something and gave spiritual advice. Regarding some of my questions, he said that I should address them to Metropolitan Clement. Then I went to the bishop. The Lord is a very wise man. I would even venture to say that as a bishop he is perspicacious. Much of what he said happened. In general, I consider myself lucky to end up in a diocese with such a ruling bishop. Polite, attentive, pious. I am grateful to him for his help. I also sincerely thank those Muscovites who donated certain funds for the restoration of the monastery. I invited many of my capital acquaintances here so that they could see what a quiet, blessed place it is. And so they go, look, go home, and then call and say: “You need help!” Of course, I am glad to see such a response in their souls. Some of them still help to the best of their ability, but these days are difficult times, and money is tight for people.
– Muscovites, you say, are helping, but what about Kaluga residents? After all, on this land labored a miracle worker, who during his lifetime saved the city from destruction by the Crimean Tatars, and after his blessed death, according to the descriptions of his posthumous miracles that have reached us, he sent abundant aid to the Russian army and delivered the Fatherland from enemy invaders. For example, I especially remember the fact that during the Patriotic War of 1812, the Kaluga militia numbering 15 thousand people was assembled, and Bishop Evlampius of Kaluga, after the prayer service, swore everyone in, handed the head of the militia a banner-gonfalon, on which on one side was the image of the Kaluga Mother of God, and on the other - the holy righteous Lawrence. The militia went through the entire war under this banner. Do modern Kaluga residents venerate the Kaluga Wonderworker?
– Kaluga residents are good, kind, patient people, but unique. When I started building a bell tower here, the local residents said with dissatisfaction in their voices: “Here comes a Muscovite and is building a tower here!” The attitude towards me was negative. I started performing on regional television. Talking about the monastery, its history, he addressed people with the words that if every Kaluga resident gave only 100 rubles for the revival of the monastery, in the end it would be 30 million. The amount is quite sufficient for the construction of destroyed temples and monastery buildings to proceed at a rapid pace. I remember literally the next day after one of these programs a lot of people came to us here. People heard my call and donated as much as they could. And on the second day the Kaluga residents came. They brought money that someone collected by enthusiastically walking around their apartment building, someone - in their organization, doing work among colleagues. And on the third day the flow dried up, and such activity was no longer observed. But I will still say that everything is being built here by the miracle of God! At some point, I realized that the main thing in my work in this holy place was prayer. Prayer connects us with God. When you rely mainly on people, it's wrong, it's bad. And when you trust in the Lord, the Mother of God and our heavenly intercessor, the righteous Lawrence, then you fuss less, run less, pray more and see with your own eyes: help is coming, things are moving.
For example, for three years I tried to lay the foundation for the Assumption Church, and nothing worked. There used to be a gateway Assumption Church here, but we can’t build a gatehouse – it’s difficult and time-consuming, so we decided to build a gatehouse. And this year we started digging a foundation pit in April and, God willing, we will finish it in brick sometime in February next year. Although I still don’t have money for construction, and several times an extremely difficult situation arose, when it seemed: that’s it, the construction will stop, the workers will run away. Then suddenly, miraculously, after fervent prayers, money was found both to purchase building materials and to pay workers. By the way, about the Kaluga residents. Kaluga local historian and restorer architect Ivan Dmitrievich Belov had pain in his soul all his life for this monastery. And after I was appointed abbot here, I went to him and told him that I would restore the ancient monastery. Ivan Dmitrievich smiled somewhat skeptically, because, as it turned out, there were many attempts to engage in revival, but they ended in nothing. I asked the architect how much he estimated his work on the project to restore the bell tower would cost so that we could get down to business. He named a very small amount. Time has passed. Today I can say with confidence that now Ivan Dmitrievich, who is somewhat older than me, and I are practically a single whole. Amazing architect, amazing head! Belov at one time helped restore St. Tikhon’s hermitage, and its vicar, Archimandrite Tikhon, told him: “You, in fact, replaced an entire architectural institute for me!” Indeed, when I have any questions, I bring him here (he responds immediately, despite his age and illness!), and on the spot we decide what to do, what to do. For me this is happiness. I understand perfectly well that it was the Lord who placed such a person on my path.
– Father Paphnutius, we were just now in the Nativity Church, which is being restored, in which there are two altars: in honor of the Righteous Lawrence, Christ for the Fool’s sake, and in honor of the Reverend Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. Why did they decide to make the second throne in honor of the Reverend Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth?
“She was here in 1915 - she came to the celebrations dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the death of the holy righteous Lawrence. Today we offer prayers to the holy venerable martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and nun Varvara, read the akathist to the holy venerable martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth within the walls of the temple, where there is a shrine with the relics of the saint she revered - Christ for the sake of the holy fool Lawrence. The relics of the righteous Lawrence lie hidden...
– Please tell us about the monastery necropolis. On a black marble stele, apparently installed recently, we saw the names of noble families, heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812. 
– The necropolis is described in detail in the work of Hieromonk Leonid (Kavelin) “Historical Description of the Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery,” published in 1862. And we republished it in 2011. In the ancient monastery cemetery there were burials of priests and monastics - hieromonks, abbots and abbesses of monasteries - honorary Kaluga citizens Bilibins, Pryanishnikovs and others. There were tombs of the princes Obolensky, Volkonsky and Kaluga merchants Zolotarev here. A modest tombstone stood on the grave of Lieutenant General Baggovut, who distinguished himself in the battle of Borodino and died near Tarutino. Here his close friend Vsevolzhsky, a major general, who was nominated by Field Marshal Kutuzov for awarding the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree with diamonds, found his final refuge. Three main architects, Nikitin, Yasnygin and Sokolov, who decorated Kaluga, were also buried in the necropolis. The list of famous people buried here goes on and on. But in 1921, by order of the camp commandant, the sculptural tombstones of the Laurentian necropolis were broken using blacksmith hammers. Now we are restoring what can be restored. For example, they found the tombstone of General Karl Baggovut, split into several parts. Other gravestones were found. We are trying to reconstruct the burial plan using many documents.
– Today this is the Bishop’s Compound of the Kaluga St. Lawrence Monastery. Will monastic life resume in him in the foreseeable future?
– At the very beginning, I asked Bishop Clement about this. And he answered me that there would be a monastery here. One of my tasks for today is to begin the construction of a fraternal building with cells for 25 inhabitants, who, in search of monastic salvation, will choose our monastery as the place of their spiritual deeds.
- Father, God help you! But human help wouldn't hurt either...
– I really hope that many will hear my call and respond. After all, the St. Lawrence Monastery can rightfully be called an all-Russian shrine, where the people's consciousness should be restored and Orthodoxy strengthened. And since the pain for all the desecrated shrines lives in the souls of Russian believers, the desire to restore them should become dominant. I will repeat my simple and easily implemented idea: fabulous sums are not required to restore the St. Lawrence Monastery, but at the same time, material resources - money, building materials, equipment - are extremely necessary. Therefore, if a large number of Russians can transfer 100–150 rubles to our account, then we will have time to do a lot by the half-century anniversary of the monastery. (Of course, donors will have to work hard: go to Sberbank, fill out a form, stand in line. But this is work for the glory of God). And we really need prayer help! A strong, fiery prayer will ascend into Heaven for us, then, I believe, the Lord will continue to help us. Let us remember the main thing: Orthodox monasteries in Rus' have always been built through prayer!