Yakov Gavrilovich Krotov - priest and publicist, author of essays and books, church historian and radio host. Extremely interesting person and interlocutor: the sharpness of judgment, which is inherent in publicists, and the grace of a priest, and the severity of mind are combined in it.
Childhood and school years
Krotov Yakov Gavrilovich was born in 1957 in Moscow, in a family of teachers. At birth, in honor of M. Gorky, the boy was named Maxim. He remained very young without a father, who became objectionable to the authorities for criticizing her. He was convicted of anti-Party activities for 15 years. Father Yakov Krotov worked at school. After the war, he was engaged in orphanages in the Volga region. But, as Yakov Gavrilovich says, his father was always present in the house — through his mother’s stories, through his books, which he wrote for children.
Studied by Yakov Krotov in a somewhat privileged school - with in-depth study of foreign languages. In school years, Yakov Gavrilovich was listed as an activist. Among the first to join the Komsomol, was a headman and took an active part in the design of the school newspaper. Six years went to the archaeological club, went with him to tourist camps and expeditions. Then his fascination with history began. And, entering the university, he was sure that he would devote himself to archeology.
Crucial moment
Until the eighth grade, Yakov Krotov believed that his father was sick and was in the hospital. When his mother told the truth, it was a shock to him. The outrage of social, political and economic injustice grew into a rejection of the socialist system. Every day he realized the absurdity and falsehood of the system. And the fact that, as a Komsomol member, he unwittingly takes part in this. He was torn from the Komsomol, there was a strange emotional emptiness and disappointment.
Final exams at school, unsuccessful entrance exams, first job, the decision to quit the Komsomol — he remembered that year well. Everything that he was attached to, what he believed in, broke off. But it was then that he realized that the true depth is not bottomless. Once with a brother they were invited to a Christian house for Christmas. He remembered a pamphlet about Easter; he touched a clean and deep movement of the soul. Calm came, and he simply began to live in this state. On the way to work, he realized that God was near. That Christianity for him is not just a doctrine or system, but his whole life and foundation.
Baptism and Years of Service
Realizing that he had found what he was looking for, Yakov Krotov came to his father Alexander Menu, who baptized him without further ado in 1974. As Yakov Gavrilovich says, along with faith he gained a spiritual father. Soon, Yakov Krotov married, with his future wife, they worked together in the historical library. Crowned by their archpriest Alexander Men. Until 2009, Yakov Krotov taught history at the university, founded by father Alexander. From 1991 to 1995 he served as an altar boy in a church in Shubin.
In 2002 he moved to the Apostolic Orthodox Church. In November he was ordained to the rank of deacon, a little later - to the rank of priest. Yakov Krotov is the priest who created the community and is its rector. In 2007, in January, he received a letter of leave to leave the apostolic Orthodox Church. And in March of that year he was admitted to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Following him, the community also went there.
Labor activity
Yakov Krotov graduated from the History Department of Moscow State University, studied in the evening department. As Yakov Gavrilovich himself notes, teaching was not very good, so I had to deal with self-education more. He worked at the State Historical Library. Caught with a volume of Mandelstam and fired for the reproduction of anti-Soviet literature, or rather, "offered to leave of their own free will." Then he worked in the central archive of acts. From where he was also “offered to leave” for an anti-Soviet article on Bolshevism and the church.
He found himself without any chance of finding a job. Stanislavsky helped him. In the spring of 1985, he took a tour guide at the Zvenigorod Museum. According to Yakov Krotov, there he "was healed of dumbness and official speech." Having become the head of the branch at the A.S. Pushkin Museum-Reserve in Zakharovo, he learned to manage. In the 90s he earned translations and journalism. He speaks several languages - French, English, German and Polish. He knows Latin. In the spring of 1990, he finally decided to leave the civil service and began to prepare for the ordination of priests. This has been his dream since baptism.
Journalistic activity
In September 1990, the first free newspaper was opened in Moscow, and the hero of our story was invited to write about religion. A journalist and historian of the church, Yakov Gavrilovich from 1991 to 1999 was published in newspapers and magazines "Itogi", "General newspaper", "Moscow News". From 1991 to 1998 he leads a church column in the newspaper "Chimes". Author of more than 700 articles in newspapers and magazines, a number of historical essays and books:
- 1992 - The Virgin Center.
- 1992 - Reflections on Miscellaneous.
- 1993 - “The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete” (translation into Russian, introduction).
- 1994 - "Reflections on the Church Calendar of 7499."
- 1997 - “Angels in Art: European Artists” (introductory article and commentary).
Editor and radio host
From 1997 to 2003, he was the host of the Christian program on Radio Church. Since 1997 - author and broadcaster of the constant broadcast on Radio Liberty. What is the conversation between the priest and theologian Father Jacob Krotov? “From a Christian point of view” - a program in which questions are raised on the topic of Christianity, the history of the church. As guests are invited people and believers, and unbelievers, politicians and ministers of the church, representatives of different faiths. The program has gained popularity among a significant number of people, because sharp, interesting to many topics are discussed in the format of a conversation, sometimes developing into an exciting discussion.
Library of Jacob Krotov
The author of the website, Father Jacob regularly publishes articles on theological, church-historical topics. This man did a great job collecting a library of rather rare books on history, philosophy, and theology on his portal. On the site, Father Jacob writes comments on the gospel, notes on church-historical topics. His collection has a wide selection of books, and the information is divided into 5 sections. A competent catalog with different pointers and a cross-reference system allow you to quickly find everything that interests you. Resource is presented in 7 languages.