In the fall of 2009, the religious community stirred up from the tragic news. A priest, priest Daniil Sysoev, was killed in his own parish. Together with him in the church building of the Apostle Thomas was Regent Strelbitsky, he was wounded during the attack. Who was this priest in the Orthodox world? What caused the terrible tragedy?
The Way to Religion: A Biography
Daniil Sysoev was born in January 1974 in a family of Moscow intellectuals. Father and mother worked as teachers and were engaged in painting.
Orthodoxy Daniel adopted in 1977. Parents tried to observe church customs in the family and their son was baptized deliberately. After the child was ordained to the Orthodox faith, religious aspirations in the family strengthened. They began to participate in worship services more often, for these purposes they attended a church where the head of the family served as an altar boy.
As his son grew up, his father began to take him to work in the church of the settlement of Atheneyevo. So, Daniel began to be imbued with religious Orthodox faith. The boy watched the work of people close to church affairs, listened to choral singing at the temple, was interested in prayers and scripture reading. The future priest provided all possible assistance at the church, participated in prayers, sang on the choir. So there was a communion with the Orthodox faith.
At the age of fourteen, the young man participated in the restoration of the Novoalekseevsky monastery in the Optina Desert. There he showed himself as a zealous admirer of the Lord Jesus Christ, which pleased the rector Artemy Vladimirov. Having blessed, he advised him to study at the Moscow Theological Seminary.
Three years later, Daniel entered the church educational institution of Moscow. He was a diligent student, he studied many literary works, the Law of God. Daniil Sysoev was appointed a reader in 1994. He combined training with singing in the choir.
The year before the seminary, Daniel was ordained deacon. The consecration was led by Bishop Evgeny of Vereisk. Daniel finished the seminary well. This made it easy to submit documents to the Moscow Theological Academy. In it, he studied in absentia.
Orthodox activity
During his studies at the academy, Daniil Sysoev worked as a clergyman in a church in Gonchary. An active clergyman simultaneously taught the word of God in high school. In 1996, he began his career in Krutitsky Compound. Father Daniel supported people who fell under the influence of sects and occult fraudsters. He was part of the psychological organization of the Counseling Center. The team was headed by hieromonk Anatoly Berestov.
Since studying at the MDA, Father Daniil Sysoev has been known as an adherent of the idea of the truth of the Orthodox faith. He actively debated with teachers and students. He did not recognize compromises and deviations from the canons of Orthodoxy.
At 26, he graduated from the MDA with a Ph.D. in theology. He was ordained priest in 2001. The ceremony was held personally by Patriarch Alexy II.
Two years later, with the blessing of the Moscow Patriarchate, he founded a monastery for preachers in southern Moscow. Over the next three years, a wooden church was erected here - the forerunner of the future sanctuary of the prophet Daniel. Temporary refuge called the Church of the Apostle Thomas. Orthodox religious meetings and conversations were held in it. Daniil Sysoev trained preachers to go out into the streets of the city with the goal of bringing the Orthodox faith to the masses.
A family
In his youth, during his studies, he married Yulia Brykina. Julia's father is a big businessman. The very wife of Daniel's father is successfully engaged in writing. Three children were born in marriage. The names were given to the girls by the ancient and beautiful: Justin, Dorotheus and Angelina.
Teaching practice
In addition to teaching preachers, Father Daniel taught a course in liturgy and missiology. He taught at the walls of the Perervinsk seminary. The priest helped create preacher schools in other cities of Russia (Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Murmansk).
Murder
The missionary activity of the famous priest was not aggressive. Among the parishioners, Daniil Sysoev preached sermons gently and without attacks on other religions, because the power of his words was in conviction. He was an active and active person, took part in disputes with adherents of Islam. In heated debate, he did not agree with the dogmas of this faith and with its representatives. Father Daniel received threats against him constantly, but was not afraid and had already managed to get used to them. The nature of his activities implied many disagreeing with his speeches.
On the evening of November 19, 2009, the killer burst into the parish of Father Daniel. With two point blank shots, the clergyman was wounded in the head and chest. It was not possible to make out the face of the attacker, it was hidden behind a medical mask. Next to his father Daniel was Regent Strelbitsky, who was also wounded in the chest area. After the attack, the offender disappeared. On the night of November 20, 2009, father Daniil Sysoev died in a hospital.
He was buried on November 23. The funeral service was held in Yasenevo, where his body was interred. A huge number of people attended the funeral, the public was shocked by the arrogance and nature of the death of the priest. The Moscow clergy, led by Patriarch Kirill, arrived to say goodbye to Father Daniel. The patriarch made a memorial prayer near the last refuge of Daniil Sysoev. The grave of Father Daniel is located at the Kuntsevsky cemetery in Moscow.
Memories
Father Daniel left a memory in the hearts of people. He was remembered as a well-read man, he had the talent to remember a lot of information. He easily found a common language with people, differed from religious preachers in the simplicity of communication and the absence of pride.
Scrapbook Notes
The wife of Daniil Sysoev, Julia, after his death, published several books on religious topics. Her first work is “Notes of a Popeye.” The book is designed to erase the boundaries between an ordinary person and a priest. It reveals the secret of the life of the clergy and their families.
The first book brought success, and later Julia published several more works. In one of them, “God does not pass by,” the theme of a change of religion is revealed. So, the missionary activity of Father Daniel found an echo in the works of his wife. And even after his tragic death, ideas and devotion to the faith of Christ live in people close to him.
Philosopher about Father Daniel
Arkady Mahler met with his father Daniel in 2005. This event happened at the apartment with mutual friends at the table. Arkady was surprised by the simple manner of communication of Daniel, the lack of excessive pathos in speeches and arrogance, often inherent in priests. Daniil Sysoev did not stand out with special charisma or psychological tricks in conversation. He behaved modestly and tried not to offend anyone.
Danil Sysoev’s sermons came from his heart, therefore they were deprived of spectacular pauses and filled with the conviction of their own rightness. He only wanted to convey his thoughts to the audience, to convince them of sincerity and to call for calm discussions about the Orthodox faith.
Father Daniel was open to people, always ready to help and become a mentor. He brought people light and true faith in God. Reminded the priests of antiquity, who carried religion to the masses. God was in all his conversations and actions. The man was devoted to his work, did not know fatigue.
Missionary work occupied his whole being. A crowd of listeners was constantly arriving, and these were completely random people from everywhere. People came to sermons from the street, this was the nature of the father of Daniel. He did not divide them into friends and foes. In the photo Daniil Sysoev often with a recognizable easy, a little sly smile.
Memoirs of Father George (Maximov)
Father George was called right after the tragedy with a request for prayer for God's servant Daniel. He immediately rushed to the church of St. Thomas on Kantemirovskaya. He managed to arrive at the moment when Daniel's father was taken out by ambulance, and he was still alive. By midnight, it became known about the death of Daniil Sysoev. At this time, the church was being served because they were not allowed inside (the police and the Federal Security Service worked).
This priest is remembered as a truthful and sincere person. He never lied, not hypocrite. God was the core of his life. Father Daniel remained in memory a bright, sincere believer, friend.
"Instructions for the Immortals"
In addition to missionary and teaching activities, Daniil Sysoev had conversations with parishioners directly in the church of St. Thomas. After his death, the publication of works that have survived, took up mother Julia. One of these publications was the book "Instructions for the Immortals."
On its pages are presented the lectures of father Daniil Sysoev, parables deciphered during his lifetime and preparing for publication. Due to the fact that the book was published after the death of the priest, Julia’s actions were criticized. Mother herself notes that the blessing of Father Daniel on the appearance of this lecture collection was given to them personally, and there was nothing illegal in their appearance.
"Beginning"
The annals of the "Beginning" by Daniil Sysoev were released in 1999. The book describes the foundation of the Earth from ancient times to this day in an easy and understandable language. The priest readily explains the role of Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark in the creation of the world. The text is written in a unique, individual style.
In the book you can find answers to all questions about the origin of life on Earth and the meaning of life. She puts in place all the available biblical knowledge, structures thoughts about the appearance of peoples. Father Daniel presents to the public evidence of the Divine creation of the world, confirming this with modern scientific discoveries.
The main mystery of Christians
The book contains interpretation for the new believers. For many people who have converted to Orthodoxy, the process of worship and an understanding of the process of the Liturgy and All-Night Vigil are not easily given. It was for such believers that a book was written.
It reveals the meaning of the language of the clergy, the beauty of church action. Father Daniil Sysoev in the “Main Secret of Christians” tells about the differences in daily services and prayers for the Holy Holidays. It reveals the meaning of actions and reports in plain language the essence of what is happening under the church vaults. It reveals to the reader the secret meaning of communion.
"Islam. Orthodox look ”
A book with this title was published after the death of Father Daniel. It is based on the lecture of the priest. In them, Daniil Sysoev analyzes Islamic creed. The analysis is based on the study of the life of the prophet Muhammad and is conducted through comparative theology.
Father Daniel was an expert on the Qur'an during his lifetime. According to reviews of people personally acquainted with him, he knew him in great detail. In the course of his missionary work, Daniil Sysoev criticized the Islamic religion, thereby making many enemies who threatened his life openly.
In each chapter of the book “Islam. Orthodox view ”is a critical comparison of this religion with the faith of Christ. Reasoned conclusions, supported by references to sources, are presented to the reader’s court.
Finally
Father Daniel predicted his tragic death at the hands of a killer. His death was worthy for a preacher and a missionary. The criminal was subsequently discovered in the Republic of Dagestan. It turned out to be a citizen of Kyrgyzstan Beksultan Karybekov. He was eliminated during the capture.
The calls of the Moscow clergy to open the entire chain and arrest the customers of the murder were not heard, and the case was closed.
Father Daniil Sysoev will remain in the memory of his contemporaries a bright and active person who brings God's word to the people. After his conversations and disputes with representatives of Islam, some Muslims converted to Orthodoxy. This largely explains the aggressive behavior and the terrible result of the radical Islamic groups in relation to the priest. However, like-minded people of Father Daniel believe that even one person brought to Orthodoxy is a victory, and all efforts were not in vain.
Daniil Sysoev always gently and without aggression conducted sermons with Muslims, disputes with them were sincere and were interesting to listeners. The priest was the first person who managed to establish peaceful contact with representatives of the Islamic faith and practice disputes and conversations about faith without mutual aggression and pressure.