Mila,
It's wonderful to hear from people who actually met him. It's the only way I can know a little about these lights of Orthodoxy.
I was told that he knew exactly when he was going to fall asleep. He told it to his attendant...I believe his name was Nikitin.
Do you know about this?
In Christ,
Joanna
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Ps. 50)
I think this an opportunity to call for his universal glorification in ALL PARTS of the Russian Church....
Memory Eternal, Vladyko!
R M Malleev-Pokrovsky
On Sunday, May 7/20, 2001 at the Church of the Holy Resurrection, Worcester, Massachusetss, the Holy Synod of the Holy Orthodox Church of North America glorified our Father among the Saints, Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, the New Confessor. Thus, St. Philaret's singulare witness to the faith once for all delivered to the Saints (Jude 3) has been enshrined in the Church.
Our Father among the Saints Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, the New Confessor
Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, the New Confessor
Whom the Holy Church Celebrates on October 28.
Saint Philaret, born George Nicholaevich Voznesensky, was born in
Kursk, Russia on March 22, 1903. His mother, Lydia Vasilievna, reposed
when he was eighteen, and his father subsequently became a monk receiving
the name Dimitry, was consecrated a bishop, and then was repatriated (from
Manchuria) to the U.S.S.R., where he died in 1947.
Elevated to the rank of Archimandrite, and refusing Soviet citizenship,
Archimandrite Philaret became acquainted with an issue of the Journal of
the Moscow Patriarchate in which Lenin’s name appeared in a list of the
foremost benefactors of the human race. He expressed his indignation in a
sermon which became widely known. His fearless denunciation of the godless
Communists incited their determined rage, and they decided to burn
Archimandrite Philaret alive, setting fire to his cell. But the Lord preserved
His chosen one: although badly burned, he escaped from the fiery trap alive.
The Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Boston 1
Our Father among the Saints Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, the New Confessor
He protected his flock in every way possible, and, as he himself put it,
“never defiled [his] lips or his prayer with prayer for the servants of
Antichrist;” that is, he never commorated the Clergy of the Moscow
Patriarchate in the services of the Church nor did he concelebrate with them.
Saint Philaret left Harbin in Manchuria for Brisbane, Australia in 1962.
At the Council of Bishops in 1964, at which Metropolitan Anastassy retired,
the new Bishop Philaret was elected First Hierarch, holding that position for
twenty one years.
As first Hierarch, he was instrumental in the glorification of the
following Saints: St. John of Kronstadt, St. Herman of Alaska, St. Xenia of
Petersburg, the Royal Martyrs and all the New Martyrs and Confessors of
Russia.
As a faithful shepherd of the flock of Christ, he denounced the growing
apostasy when, in 1969, he wrote an Open Letter to Archbishop Iakovos,
pointing out the canonical violations involved in the Archbishop’s joint
prayers with the heterodox. The saint also wrote several Sorrowful Epistles
to the Orthodox Hierarchy all over the world concerning concelebrations of
the Church’s Mysteries with apostates and avowed atheists. Not one response
did he receive from his fellow Hierarchs concerning these warnings about the
clear and present danger of apostasy facing the Church of Christ.
On Sunday, October 14/27, 1983 the Synod of Bishops of the Russian
Orthodox Church outside Russia issued the Anathema Against Ecumenism.
This Anathema carries the signature of each of the Bishops in the Synod.
The Holy Synod ordered that this Anathema be included in the
Synodicon of Orthodoxy which is read each year on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.
On November 8/21, 1985, Saint Philaret reposed. His relics were
temporarily buried in the sepulchre below the Dormition Church in the
Cemetery of the Holy Trinity Monastery at Jordanville, New York.
Prior to the transfer of the Saint’s relics, on November 4/17, 1998, his
coffin was opened. The wooden coffin was corrupted. The Saint’s body had
dried but was incorrupt; the skin had taken on a bronze color. The vestments
and the Gospel Book, including all its pages, were, except for the metal
hinges on the book, which were corroded, completely preserved even though
they had lain thirteen years in a very damp basement crypt. Later, the Saint
was carried into the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity in a new coffin
that was covered with the Saint’s original blue mantia which itself was
incorrupt. After the Liturgy on November 8/21, 1998 the Saint was lowered
into a new, deeper grave that had been excavated to a depth of nine feet in
the northwestern crypt located under the Cathedral’s altar. The grave was
not filled, instead, only a small amount of soil was poured on top of the coffin.
The coffin was closed; the faithful were not allowed to venerate the
relics of the Saint. It was said that the coffin was not open at that time
because the people had, thirteen years ago, already paid their respects at the
The Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Boston 2
Our Father among the Saints Philaret, Metropolitan of New York, the New Confessor
Saint’s funeral, and it would take some time to gather evidence of his
miracles.
In 2004, six years after the transfer of his relics, it now appears that
no plans have been made for the veneration of Saint Philaret’s relics.
On Sunday, May 7/20, 2001 at the Church of the Holy Resurrection,
Worcester, Massachusetts, the Holy Synod of the Holy Orthodox Church of
North America glorified our Father among the Saints, Philaret, Metropolitan
of New York, the New Confessor. Thus, St. Philaret’s singular witness to the
faith once for all delivered to the Saints (Jude 3) has been enshrined in the
Church.
Dismissal Hymn. Plagal of first Tone.
Let us worship the Word
Now the God-bearing Fathers, the very mind of Christ, * have clearly
spoken anew in the God-inspired Philaret, * who, though living in the
world was never of the world; * like David, meek and once unknown, * he was
raised up by the Lord to shepherd His holy people.* Now crowned on high
with the Fathers, he interceedeth that our souls be saved.
Kontakion. Fourth Tone.
On this day Thou hast appeared
Named for him renowned for alms * and boundless mercy, * thou didst
show an equal love * in thy confession of the Faith, * rightly dividing the
word of truth, * working salvation for many, O Philaret.
Liturgy: Megalynarion
All the life and doctrine of Holy Church, * all her fasts and feast-days, *
her confession of saving truth, * her heroic spirit * of sacrifice and
struggle, * hast thou declared for all time, * God-bearing Philaret.
Text and Hymns: © The Holy Orthodox Church of North America, Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131
Icon of St. Philaret © Andrij Maday
Maday Studios P.O. Box 33315 Cleveland, Ohio 44133
a.maday@worldnet.att.net
Icon of the Ark of Salvation © Convent of the Annunciation Oinoussis, Chios Greece
The Holy Orthodox Metropolis of Boston 3
Hieroschemamonk Akakie, leader of the True Orthodox Church of Serbia under the omophorion of Archbishop Chrysostom (Kiousis) of Athens, yesterday told me of the following extraordinary miracle.
It took place on the day of the Protomartyr Stephen earlier this year in the women's monastery of New Stenik, which has just been built in a very remote part of Serbia in spite of threats to destroy it coming from the false patriarchate of Serbia (the nuns were expelled from Old Stenik a few years ago because of their opposition to the heresy of ecumenism).
Nun Ipomoni (which means "patience" in Greek) suffers from very severe asthma attacks. On this day, she had the most severe attack yet and suffocated. For 20 minutes she did not breathe and her body was without any sign of life. Now it should be noted that a few days before this, the 10 nuns in this monastery led by Schema-Abbess Euphrosyne had earnestly prayed to the Lord to give them the fear of God.
During the 20 minutes she was clinically dead Nun Ipomoni met several demons in a dark tunnel; they got hold of her and were trying to drag her to hell. It was a most terrifying experience. After 20 minutes, Matushka Euphrosyne anointed her dead body with oil from the lampada in front of the icon of St. Philaret of New York. At the moment when the oil touched her head, which felt like an electric shock, she revived and began to move. For some afterwards, she was still very weak and wept all the time. But the next day Fr. Akakie arrived at the monastery, served the liturgy for three days in a row, communed her and gave her the sacrament of Holy Unction. Now she has fully recovered. She feels well, walks and even prepares food.
This whole incident has had a very beneficial effect on all of the nuns. Their prayer to receive the fear of God was answered. And they ardently thank God and his great hierarch, St. Philaret of New York.
Vladimir Moss
