It will be a mistake to believe that Christian associates, astonishing others with their stamina and miracles, are a thing of the distant past. The saints of the 20th century are real people, not myths at all. For their prayers and sufferings, they received a unique gift of prophecy and healing. There are very few such people, some of them lived until recently. We will talk about them in this article.
John of Kronstadt
This is one of the most famous saints of the 20th century - a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, who is considered the inspiration for the creation of the Union of Russian people. A spiritual writer and preacher who held monarchical and conservative views.
John of Kronstadt is an Orthodox saint of the 20th century. He was born in 1829 in the Arkhangelsk province. The life indicates that his grandfather, like all other ancestors, was a priest for more than three centuries.
In 1839, John was sent to a parish school in Arkhangelsk. At first, he experienced serious difficulties, praying at night for the Lord to give him reason. Later, the saint admitted that at some point the veil seemed to fall from his eyes: everything in his head brightened, it became clear and clear.
In 1851, John entered the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg. He dreamed of becoming a monk and going as a missionary to America or China. He asked God to suggest which way he should choose. Once, a novice saw himself at a service in some unknown cathedral.
In his third year at the Academy, John married the daughter of Archpriest Elizabeth Nesswicka from Kronstadt. At the same time, they lived as brother and sister by mutual agreement. In 1855, John became a graduate of the Academy.
Knowing the need from childhood, in his service he paid special attention to the poor and destitute.
After the ordination was sent to Kronstadt. All-Russian fame came to him in the 1870s, when it became known about his spiritual talents.
At the request of Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna in 1894 he arrived at the dying emperor Alexander III, and afterwards attended the coronation of Nicholas II.
Lifestyle
The way of life of John of Kronstadt is well known, which many later focused on. He himself was recognized as one of the most famous saints of the 19-20 century.
He got up at about 4 a.m. He went to the service in Kronstadt Cathedral, which ended around noon. After he went on a visit to the locals and visitors who invited him for this or that need. Basically, requests were received to pray at the patient's bedside.
Then he went to Petersburg. He made private visits, attended celebrations and social events. He returned to Kronstadt around midnight.
During Great Lent, instead of traveling to Petersburg, he accepted confessions in St. Andrew's Cathedral. There were so many people who wanted to get to him that he often confessed before the beginning of the morning service.
He slept little, often did not eat properly, had absolutely no personal time. He lived in this mode for decades.
Canonization
John of Kronstadt was revered as a miracle worker, prayer book and visionary. In the 1880s, he developed a group of fanatical fans who revered the incarnate Christ in him. They were regarded as a variety of whips, and they were recognized by the Holy Synod as a sect. At the same time, John himself condemned them.
He died at the end of 1908 at the age of 79. For the first time, the question of the canonization of this Orthodox saint of the 20th century was raised in 1950 in the Russian Church Abroad.
The Canonization Commission confirmed cases of miracles after his prayers. However, they did not immediately begin to rank John of Kronstadt as a saint, postponing the decision to the Local Council.
As a result, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia announced its canonization in 1964, and the Russian Orthodox Church in 1990.
Joseph of Optina
Among the saints of the 20th century, the legendary elders of Optina Desert are famous. One of them is Priest Joseph.
He was born in the Kharkov province in 1837. At 11, he remained an orphan. Having no livelihood, he was forced to work in a grocery store and a tavern.
In 1861, he planned to go to Kiev to make a pilgrimage, but his sister-nun advised him to go to Optina deserts. After a conversation with the old man, Ambrose remained in this monastery in the Kaluga province.
Service
The life of the saints of the 20th century tells in sufficient detail about Joseph of Optina.
Since 1891, he, along with the elder Anatoly, was the confessor of the Shamordinsky monastery when the Monk Ambrose died. Two years later, the clergy was entirely transferred to him after a serious illness of Anatoly. After the death of the latter, he became a herder.
Joseph Optinsky himself died in 1911. Canonized by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000
Matrona Moscow
There are women among Russian saints of the 20th century. Matron was born in the Tula province in 1881. According to the life of the saint, she grew up in a peasant family. Since birth, she has been blind since she was born without eyeballs.
Her parents, who were already elderly, wanted to leave the girl in a shelter. Mother changed her mind when she had a prophetic dream. In it, a blind white bird of extraordinary beauty sat on her chest. After that, she decided to leave the child.
From the age of eight, Matrona was a deeply religious person. She had the ability to predict the future and heal the sick. Moreover, her condition worsened. At 17, her legs were taken away.
Despite her disability, Matron traveled in her youth. With her on a pilgrimage, she was taken by the daughter of a local landowner Lidia Yankova.
According to legend, when Matron met with John of Kronstadt, he asked the parishioners to step aside, saying that he was changing, the eighth pillar of Russia.
After the October Revolution, Matron and Yankova remained virtually on the street. In 1925, they arrived in Moscow, where they temporarily stayed with friends and acquaintances. At the same time, Matrona basically did not communicate with the brothers, who also lived in the city, since they went over to the side of the Bolsheviks and supported the Soviet regime.
One of the books about this 20th century saint in Russia describes the meeting of Matrona with Stalin after the threat of the capture of Moscow by the Germans appeared. This meeting is depicted on the famous icon "Matron and Stalin." However, there is no evidence that they really saw each other. Most researchers believe that the whole story is made up.
In addition, in the life of Matron, repeated episodes of persecution against her by the Soviet government are described. Therefore, this story looks even less believable. It is noteworthy that each time the Matron managed to avoid arrest. But her friend Zinaida Zhdanova was convicted. She was found guilty of organizing a church-monarchist anti-Soviet group.
In the 40s, Matrona lived in Moscow, taking up to 40 people daily. She healed them, gave advice on how to act in various situations, and prayed intensely at night. She regularly communed and confessed. It is well known that during her lifetime, monks from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra revered her.
She died in 1952, according to her life, she predicted her demise in three days. Her grave in the Danilovsky cemetery became a place of mass pilgrimage.
Saints
In her book Zinaida Zhdanova, who lived with her for 7 years in the same room in Starokonyushenny Lane, spoke in detail about the life of Matrona in her book, and watched her spiritual activities.
In 1993, the work was published. Moreover, it set forth many facts that did not fit into the Christian dogma. The expert group of the Synodal Commission compiled the canonical text of the life, removing all inaccurate information that could not be confirmed.
It was ranked among the saints of the 20th century in 1999 at the level of the Moscow diocese. A few years later the general church canonization took place.
Archbishop John
In the list of saints of the 20th century, the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, John, is necessarily mentioned. This is a missionary who, according to eyewitnesses, worked wonders and predicted the future.
Born in the Kharkov province in 1896. He was distinguished by his deep religiosity from childhood, he was constantly noticed reading the life of the saints. But at the insistence of his parents he was forced to receive a military education, having graduated from the cadet corps in 1914.
After that, he nevertheless declared his desire to serve God. He entered the theological seminary in Kiev. After the October Revolution, supported the White movement. When the army of Denikin stood in Kharkov, he served in the provincial court.
When the White Army retreated, he went with his family to the Crimea, and in 1920 he was evacuated to Constantinople. He lived in Yugoslavia. Since 1934 he served in China, from where he was forced to flee after World War II when the communist army approached Shanghai. Refugees and Russian immigrants from the Middle Kingdom were sheltered in the Philippines.
In 1950, he was appointed Archbishop of Western Europe. Since then, he has spent a significant part of his time in Paris and its environs. At that time, even Catholic clergy highly appreciated his work. They say that in Paris he was living proof that saints and miracles exist in our time.
In the early 1960s, he left for the USA. He died in Seattle at the age of 70.
Veneration
For the first time, the question of veneration of this holy father of the 20th century was discussed in 1993. The following year was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, this status was confirmed by the Moscow Patriarchate in 2008.
It is considered the patron saint of all Russian foreign cadets.