Ten cases from the life of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Anthony Surozhsky: Biography

Metropolitan Anthony (Antony of Surozh, in the world Andrei Borisovich Bloom; June 19, 1914, Lausanne, Switzerland - August 4, 2003, London) - Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Surozh. Philosopher, preacher.
Author of numerous books and articles on different languages about spiritual life and Orthodox spirituality.
Born June 19, 1914 in Lausanne (Switzerland) in the family of an employee of the Russian diplomatic service.
Paternal ancestors are from Scotland. They settled in Russia in the time of Peter the Great. On his mother's side, he was related to the composer Scriabin. He spent his early childhood in Persia, where his father was a consul.
Since 1923 he lived in France.
In 1931, Metropolitan Evlogy (Georgievsky) consecrated him into a surplice to serve in the church of the Three Hierarchs Metochion of the Moscow Patriarchate. And from that time on, in all difficult years, he always remained faithful to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne, without deviating into any currents.
In 1939 he graduated from the biological, then the medical faculties of the University of Paris.
On April 16, 1943, Archimandrite Athanasius (Nechaev), rector of the Three Saints Metochion, was tonsured a monk with the name Anthony.
During the Second World War he was a doctor in the French army, and during the Nazi occupation he was in the ranks of the Resistance movement.
After the end of the war, he practiced medicine for several years.
Oct 27 In 1948 he was ordained a hierodeacon by Metropolitan Seraphim (Lukyanov), and on November 14 he was ordained a hieromonk with the appointment of St. mch. Albania and etc. Sergius of Radonezh, in connection with which he moved to London.
From 1 Sept. 1950 - Rector of the Patriarchal Church of St. app. Philip and Rev. Sergius in London.
In January 1953, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen.
In 1956, on the day of Holy Pascha, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
In December of the same year, he was appointed rector of the Patriarchal Church of the Assumption Mother of God and All Saints in London.
On November 30, 1957, he was consecrated Bishop of Sergievsky, vicar of the Exarch of the Patriarch of Moscow in Western Europe. The consecration was performed in London by the Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, Archbishop Nikolay (Eremin) of Klishinsky, and Bishop of Apamea, Jacob, vicar of the Exarch of the Patriarch of Constantinople in Western Europe.
From 10 Oct. In 1962, he was appointed to the newly opened Diocese of Sourozh in the British Isles with the elevation to the rank of archbishop.
On May 11, 1963 he was awarded the right to wear a cross on his klobuk.
On January 27, 1966, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan and approved as Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe. He held this position until April 5, 1974.
During the years of his service in England, through the works of Met. Anthony, on the basis of the only small Russian parish in London, a diocese was formed with clearly organized parishes. Lectures are arranged in the diocese, annual parish meetings, general diocesan congresses and meetings of the clergy are held. Metropolitan Anthony actively participates in church and public life and is widely known and popular in different countries. He was a participant in theological discussions between delegations of the Orthodox Churches and representatives of the Anglican Church (1958), a member of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Orthodox monasticism on Mount Athos (1963), a member of the Commission of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on Christian unity, a member of the Central Committee of the WCC, a participant in the Assemblies of the WCC in New Delhi (1961) and Uppsala (1968) , a member of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1971. He lectured at the University of Cambridge (1972-1973). For active work for the benefit of the Orthodox Church, he was awarded the medal of the Society for the Encouragement of Good (1945, France), the Order of St. equal to ap. Prince Vladimir 1st class (1961), Order of St. Andrew (1963 - Patriarchate of Constantinople), Lambeth Cross (1975 - Anglican Church), Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh 2nd degree (1979). Aberdeen University (Scotland) Anthony was awarded the degree of doctor of theology honoris caus "for the preaching of the word of God and the revival of spiritual life in the country."
As a preacher, Mr. Anthony is widely known not only in England, but also abroad. Everything he published was born from the living word, but not everything he said went down on paper, and, as N. Lossky notes, "very little of his vast work has been published." Metropolitan Anthony is constantly invited to speak to the most diverse audiences both in England and in various countries of Europe and America. During 34 years of his pastoral ministry, he gave more than 10,000 lectures in non-Orthodox communities, churches, student and other groups. His books on prayer and the spiritual life have been translated into many languages.
On January 31, 1983, the Council of the Moscow Theological Academy awarded Metropolitan Anthony the degree of Doctor of Theology honoris causa for the totality of his scientific, theological and preaching works, published from 1948 to the present in the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate and in other publications. On February 3, in the Assembly Hall of the MDA, a solemn presentation of the doctoral cross and the diploma of the degree of Doctor of Theology took place.
While receiving his degree, Metropolitan Anthony, in particular, said that it was a great joy for him, since this diploma "will testify before the Western Churches that my word is an Orthodox word, not a personal one, but an all-church one."
By decree of the Holy Patriarch of May 2, 1989 in connection with the 75th anniversary awarded the order St. blgv. Prince Vladimir 2nd degree.
By the decision of the Academic Council of the Kiev Theological Academy of September 24, 1999, for outstanding work in the theological field and as a sign of deep respect for hierarchal merits for the benefit of the Holy Orthodox Mother Church, Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh was awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology honoris causa.
Earlier, Metropolitan Anthony was awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology honoris causa from the Universities of Aberdeen and Cambridge.
On July 30, 2003, by the decision of the Holy Synod and according to the submitted petition, he was released from the administration of the Sourozh diocese and retired.
Metropolitan Anthony died on August 4, 2003 after a serious illness.
He died at about 19:00 Moscow time in a hospice. At the beginning of the year, the Metropolitan underwent a surgical operation. After that, he submitted to Patriarch Alexy II a petition for dismissal by the Sourozh diocese.
In recent months, Vladyka Anthony served very rarely. He performed one of the last divine services on Easter. He last appeared in public at a banquet at Buckingham Palace, which was given in honor of Russian President Vladimir Putin by the English Queen Elizabeth II on June 24.
August 13, 2003 in the London Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God and All Saints after Divine Liturgy the funeral of Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh took place. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia, the funeral was performed by Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. After that, Metropolitan Anthony was buried at Brompton Cemetery in the southwest of the British capital.

Abstract

This book is the most complete collection of conversations, sermons and dialogues ever published by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh. Metropolitan Anthony, a doctor by profession, is one of the most respected Orthodox theologians in the world, head of the diocese of the Russian Church in Great Britain. A significant part of the texts is published for the first time. The book is provided with an extensive introductory article, photographs, numerous commentaries, a bibliography, an annotated index of names, and a subject index. The book is intended for the widest range of readers: not only the Orthodox, but everyone who wants and is ready to hear what the Orthodox Church has to say. modern man.

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh

Foreword

Curriculum vitae

Editorial

The Theology of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh in the Light of Patristic Tradition

The main themes of this book

Abbreviated titles of Bible books

Matter and Spirit

Human values in medicine(17)

Medical Ethics Issues(21)

Death(25)

Reanimated from the Dead(35)

Orthodox philosophy of matter(49)

Body and Matter in the Spiritual Life(50)

In the face of suffering(57)

Shepherd at the bedside(58)

About stigmata(63)

questioning

Questioning and Doubting(68)

Orthodoxy and western world{72}

Dialogue between an atheist and a Christian(75)

God in question(82)

No note(86)

About the true dignity of man (104)

Faith of God in Man(105)

Self-knowledge(109)

Internal stability(114)

What is spiritual life(121)

Spiritual leadership in the Orthodox Church(132)

Life Summary(134)

Holy(140)

About the calling of a person(146)

Reconciliation of all creation(149)

We must bring faith to the world (151)

About freedom(156)

Contemplation and activity(162)

Christian ministry in a secular society(171)

About the feat of love (174)

Mystery of love(176)

Marriage & Family Matters(182)

The Word of God

Thoughts While Reading Scripture(186)

Old Testament Lessons(192)

About Gospel Gospel(193)

"The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (199)

Chapter first

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

First petitions of the Lord's Prayer(210)

The call of God and the way of salvation(216)

Reflections on the way to Easter(220)

God's ways

On the creation and salvation of the world(225)

Day Seven(231)

About the Resurrection of Christ(233)

Beauty and matter in their relationship with God(238)

Life and prayer are one(301)

Prayer and activity(302)

Courage to Pray(310)

About the Lord's Prayer(320)

Prayer intercession(335)

Evening Prayer(338)

Sermons

"The preacher should talk about what is his experience of God" (339)

Shepherd's Word(342)

New Year's prayer

Sermon on the week before Christmas(344)

Nativity

Meeting of the Lord(345)

Baptism of the Lord(347)

Transfiguration

Annunciation - Good Friday(348)

Palm Sunday

Holy Week

Annunciation - Bright Monday(354)

About Mary Magdalene(356)

About the Joy of Christ(358)

Ascension(359)

About the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost (360)

Nativity of the Mother of God(361)

Assumption of the Mother of God

Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" (362)

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

About the fear of God(364)

Gospel(365)

About the meeting(366)

About a miracle(368)

Newlywed Sermon(369)

About body(371)

On the responsibility of Christians for the whole world (372)

About repentance(373)

About wars(375)

On the message of Patriarch Alexy to the youth (377)

Funeral service for sailors who died on a submarine in the Barents Sea

Day of all saints who shone in the Russian land (378)

Day of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia

Bibliography

Name index

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh

Foreword

Curriculum vitae

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh (in the world Andrei Borisovich Bloom) was born on June 19, 1914 in Lausanne in the family of a Russian diplomat. Mother is the sister of the composer A. N. Scriabin. Metropolitan Anthony's early childhood was spent in Persia, where his father was a consul. After the revolution in Russia, the family ended up in exile and after several years of wandering around Europe in 1923 settled in France. The childhood and youth of Metropolitan Anthony were marked by the hardships and suffering inherent in emigration, and by the firm determination shared by Metropolitan Anthony's relatives to live for Russia. At the age of fourteen, he converted to Christ and entered the Church. Since 1931, he served in the Church of the Three Saints Metochion, the only church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Paris at that time, and since then he has always kept canonical loyalty to the Russian Patriarchal Church. In 1939 he graduated from the biological and medical faculties of the Sorbonne. Before going to the front as a French army surgeon, on September 10, 1939, he secretly took monastic vows, in 1943 he was tonsured a monk by Archimandrite Athanasius (Nechaev) with the name Anthony. During the German occupation, a doctor in anti-fascist underground. In 1948, he was ordained a hieromonk and sent to England by the spiritual director of the Orthodox-Anglican Commonwealth, St. Albania and etc. Sergius. In 1956 he became rector of the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God and All Saints in London and remains so to this day. In 1957 he was consecrated Bishop of Sergievsky. Since 1962 - Archbishop, ruling bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh, established in the British Isles. Since 1966 - Metropolitan, in 1966-1974. - Exarch of the Patriarch of Moscow in Western Europe. In 1974 by own will relieved of his duties as exarch. Since then, he continues to minister to the ever-growing flock of his diocese, and through books, radio and television talks, he preaches the Gospel throughout the world. He has many awards of the Russian Orthodox Church, fraternal Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Church. Honorary Doctor of Theology from the University of Aberdeen (1973, UK) "for the preaching of the Word of God and the renewal of the spiritual life in the country" and the Moscow Theological Academy (1983) "for the totality of scientific, theological and pastoral works", as well as the University of Cambridge (1996 d.) and the Kiev Theological Academy (2000).

Editorial

In the introductory article to this book, Bishop Hilarion points out the relevance of the theological teaching of Metropolitan Anthony as feature its roots in patristic tradition. Deep conviction in the theological relevance of Metropolitan Anthony's sermon makes us talk about the need to publish his book in our current situation. One of the sections of the book is entitled "Inquiry". Doubt is inseparable from faith, as Metropolitan Anthony constantly says. In addition to those inevitable and beneficial questions and doubts about the meaning of life, about the beauty and meaningfulness of the created world, about injustice and cruelty human society There are doubts of a different kind, which, through sometimes painful trials, lead a person to a deeper knowledge of God. For a person who is outside the church fence, this is the question of whether it is worth entering the church, voluntarily putting on the yoke of Christ; for a church person, the same doubt looks like a question about the correctness of the chosen path, about whether he is not enclosed in a church fence, as in a cage, behind the walls of which there is an easy and simple world, whether the yoke of Christ should not be thrown off. These questions and doubts, as Metropolitan Anthony also constantly and fearlessly says about this, are caused primarily by the unworthiness of Christians. Metropolitan Anthony often repeats an ancient monastic proverb: “No one can come to God unless he sees a radiance on the face of at least one person. eternal life". In other words, the truth of Christianity is revealed to man primarily not as reasoning, but as personal example. Therefore, it seems to us that, especially in our era, in which all words seem to be spoken and devalued, the word of Metropolitan Anthony is necessary, a word in which the depth of theological contemplation is completely inseparable from the example of Christian deed.

Turning to a discussion of the theological teachings of Metropolitan Anthony, we note that, firstly, his thinking was brought up in reading the holy fathers and fruitful conversations with outstanding Orthodox theologians of the past century - Archpriest Georgy Florovsky and V. N. Lossky. In addition, his formation, in our opinion, was influenced by the philosophy of religious existentialism, mainly by the personalism of N. O. Lossky, N. A. Berdyaev’s reflections on freedom and creativity, and M. Buber’s central idea of ​​being as an I-Thou relationship.

In the mature theology of Metropolitan Anthony, first of all, I would like to note three features.

Evangelism. This feature is expressed primarily in the fact that the sermons and conversations of Metropolitan Anthony are structured completely transparently: all the theological concepts of Christian and other religious cultures with which Metropolitan Anthony often argues or talks, all literary allusions about ...

THE HERETIC METROPOLITAN'S HERITAGE
The “Spiritual Heritage of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh” Foundation is holding a seminar from the series “Human Integrity: The Path of Discipleship” dedicated to the “works” of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh (Blum) is one of the most popular ecumenical writers. His books are published in thousands of copies, including "School of Prayer", "A Man Before God", "Spiritual Journey" and numerous sermons.
He is loved by the intelligentsia, words from his sermons are heard from church ambos, references to his “works” are often found in literature and the media, but after reading them you find that the Metropolitan of Sourozh relies more on the experience of a heterodox confession than on the patristic Orthodox tradition.
An important detail is that Anthony of Surozh, in order to please the Protestants, spoke out in defense of the female priesthood. His works are filled with discourses about himself, where self-satisfaction and praise of his person are indirectly traced. The Holy Fathers, on the contrary, never allowed anyone to talk about themselves, considering this a sign of a proud disposition.
And here is his attitude to the Roman Catholic and Protestant heresies: "Each of our Christian communities is faithful to Christ, in each there is truth and full depth."
But we know that only the Orthodox Church possesses all the fullness of the truth revealed by God to mankind, and Roman Catholicism after II Vatican Cathedral(1962-1965) turned from a heretical Christian denomination, which was hitherto, into a neo-pagan anti-Christian religion.
Metropolitan Anthony diligently quotes Catholics - the French Jesuit Bernanos, J. Daniela, General Maurice de Elbeau, as well as Protestant false teachers, not only not warning, but, unfortunately, passing off "poison" as a pure source of truth.
So, he quotes from the writings of the writer C. S. Lewis, an adherent of the Anglican faith. The story of his conversion is described by him in the book Overtaken by Joy, after reading which it becomes clear by whom poor Lewis was “overtaken”. Unfortunately, the root of this demonic joy is also present in the writings of Vladyka Anthony, who does not neglect even the heretical Protestant translation of the Bible.
Speaking of “humility,” he cites Teresa, revered by Catholics, as an example to follow: “When St. Teresa was seized with a vivid experience of God’s all-consuming love for us, she fell on her knees with tears of joy and amazement; she got up a new person; the vision of God's love left her in the "consciousness of an unrequited debt", that's true humility - and not humiliation, - concludes Met. Anthony.
St. Ephraim the Syrian speaks of himself: “Until now and on this very day, with a face ashamed and downcast, I dare to tell you, Lord of Angels and Creator of all things: I am earth and ashes, a reproach to people and a humiliation of people, I am a condemned man, all covered with wounds and filled with despondency. How can I raise my eyes to Your grace, Master? How dare I move an impure and defiled tongue? How can I initiate my confession?”
And Metropolitan Anthony assures that “humility does not at all consist in a constant effort to humble ourselves and reject the human dignity with which God has endowed us, which he requires of us, because we are His children, not slaves.” But to anyone familiar with the teaching of the Holy Fathers, it is obvious that this is not humility, but a proud magnification of a man who autocratically appropriates the honor of sonship, while he cannot even be called a servant of God.
“He is not worthy of the Lord, he is not worthy of imitation who is full of filth and uncleanness, but with a stupid, proud, dreamy opinion thinks to be in the arms of the Most Pure, Most Holy Lord, thinks to have Him in himself and talk with Him as with a friend,” writes St. Ignatius. - Person! Reverently cover yourself with humility."
It is not clear what prompted Vladyka to resort to such an innovation, which never had a place in the teaching of the Church. How does he choose from heretical and atheistic teachings that which cannot serve as a good example in any way, without heeding the words of the Hieromartyr Irenaeus, who says: “You should not seek from others the truth that is easy to borrow from the Church, rich treasury, the Apostles laid down in full all that belongs to the truth…”
Saint Ignatius directly warns, saying: “Do not play with your salvation, do not play! Otherwise, you will cry forever. Take up reading the New Testament and the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church (by no means Teresa, not Francis and other Western madmen whom they heretical church passes off as saints!); study in the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church how to correctly understand the Scriptures, what kind of living, what thoughts are appropriate for a Christian. From Scripture and living faith, study Christ and Christianity…” There have been many such ascetics in the Western Church since the time it fell into papism, in which Divine properties are blasphemously ascribed to man and worship is rendered to man, befitting and befitting the one God; Many of these ascetics wrote books out of their heated state, in which frenzied self-delusion seemed to them divine love, in which frustrated imagination drew for them many visions that flattered their pride and pride.
Very often ow. Antony cites his own experience as an example. So, he recalls how he visited with Met. John Wendland Hindu temple: “When we knelt in the depths of this temple and both prayed the Jesus Prayer, the people who were there, despite the fallacy of their faith, turned to God, it was quite clear that they were praying to the One, only God ". Thus, he claims that in the temple there is a communion of the pagans with the true God, the Holy Trinity. What else, if not blasphemy, can be called such a statement?!
In his "School of Prayer" Met. Anthony teaches to pray like this: “We can repeat over and over again: joy, oh joy ...! We can say whatever words we want, because words don't matter, they only keep our spirits up, absurdly, madly, our love or our despair."
But if the words in the prayer do not matter, then this is no longer a prayer, but a spell. It is spells (mantras) that have no semantic meaning and represent a certain set of words. This practice belongs to Eastern occultism and has nothing to do with Orthodox teaching. Frequent repetition of meaningless spells turns off the inner attention of a person, which is necessary for demons to gain power over him. Through spells, many let the devil into their souls and reached a frenzy of mind.
But even more bewildering in the named "School" are examples from the life of the Hasidim. Thus, Vladyka, enraptured, writes about the young Rabbi Tsussia: “He [Tsussia] was able to influence all people in an amazing way, arousing repentance in them, arousing new life in them.”
Apparently, this rabbi had an amazing effect on Vladyka, who praised the “repentance” of those who never had true repentance, who crucified Christ, and themselves cursed the generations of their descendants, testifying: His blood is on us and on our children (Matt. 27, 25); and those who say about themselves that they are Jews, and they are not, but the assembly of Satan (Rev. 2, 5).
“None of the Jews worships God,” says St. John Chrysostom. - And therefore [I] especially hate the synagogue and abhor it, because, having prophets, [the Jews] do not believe the prophets; reading the Scriptures, they do not accept his testimony, and this is characteristic of people in the highest degree of wickedness ... In a word, if you respect everything Jewish, then what do you have in common with us? If what is Jewish is important and worthy of respect, then ours is false, and if what is ours is true, and it is indeed true, then what is Jewish is full of deceit.”
And the reasoning of ow. Anthony about the Judgment of God? This is the judgment of a Protestant, a man “saved” before the Court: “God does not ask either the sinners or the righteous about their beliefs or about the observance of rituals,” Met. Anthony, “The Lord weighs only the degree of their humanity… Humanity, on the other hand, requires imagination, sensitivity to the real situation, a sense of humor, and loving concern for the real needs and desires of the object…”
But, forgive me: which of the Holy Fathers placed these qualities among the Virtues?... And did the bishop ask the question - why did Christ come to earth? Why did he die on the cross? After all, if it doesn't matter how you believe, then the sufferings of Jesus are in vain. But Vladyka Anthony does not explain that Christ came to bring the true teaching in its entirety, to bring sinners to repentance, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, given to people by which we should be saved.
The works of Vladyka Anthony are saturated with the poison of ecumenism. Adherents of this false teaching accuse the Church of apostasy from the truth, saying that she allegedly violated Christ's commandment of unity. Such a conviction is wrong, for the True Church is holy and blameless, and if anyone has violated the commandment of unity, it is those who have departed from the one truth of Orthodoxy. But the doors of the Church are open for them too. We accept them, too, only after renouncing our delusions. The ecumenical heresy seeks to round everything sharp corners, level all religions to some universal state, so that all recognize "oneness". To do this, under the guise of "love", ecumenists try to find new points of contact, bypassing disagreements.
But that is why it is necessary for every Orthodox to be vigilant about the books that we read, so that we do not receive the spirit of the ecumenical virus. Everyone will answer the Last Judgment not only for reading, but also for distribution, and for that silence, which is inappropriate at the sight of a neighbor reading such books. Here is how St. Ignatius writes about it: “Do not be seduced by the loud title of the book, which promises to teach Christian perfection to those who still need the food of babies; a saint who seemed to have proved his holiness by numerous miracles... One thought can kill the soul, containing some kind of blasphemy, subtle, completely inconspicuous for those who do not know...”
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my flock! says the Lord. The shepherd must not only heal the sheep, but also protect them from the wolves. But if, under the pretext of love, he gathers both sheep and wolves into one herd, then he is not a shepherd, but a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Saint Ignatius, as a true shepherd of the flock of Christ, warns us, saying: “You are allowed to read only those books on religion that are written by the Holy Fathers of the universal Eastern Church. This is what the Eastern Church demands of her children. But if you reason otherwise, and find the command of the Church less solid than the reasoning of yours and others who agree with you, then you are no longer a son of the Church, but Her judge…”
The article used the materials of the book. I.N. Andreeva. “St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) and the “School of Prayer” of Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh (Blum)”,
as well as "A Man Before God" and "About the Meeting" by Anthony of Surozh
ruscalendar.ru

Many years have passed since the events that were described in the Gospel. But Christ incessantly continues to choose for himself special people who will become the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh (Blum) was such a chosen one, the memory of whom to this day is reverently kept by his spiritual children.

Path to service

Difficult times for Christian preaching were with Vladyka Anthony. Nevertheless, with the help of God, he succeeded and was able to create an Orthodox community in the West, which exists to this day.

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh

Childhood and adolescence

The future servant of the Lord was born on June 19, 1914 in Switzerland, in the city of Lausanne. The parents named the boy Andrei. Andrei's maternal grandfather was a Russian diplomat, which allowed him to visit different parts peace. Mother, Ksenia Nikolaevna Scriabina, met the boy's father in Turkish city Erzurum.

Almost immediately after the birth of the child, the family returned to Russia. Already in 1915 the family moved to Persia. Here, the boy was raised by his mother and grandmother. Due to turbulent times and growing danger, Xenia was forced to leave her husband and move to a safer place.

Only a year later the family managed to settle in France. At that time, emigrants were treated badly, and there were problems with permanent work. Nevertheless, knowledge of several languages ​​helped Ksenia Nikolaevna get a job as a stenographer.

Andrei was placed in a school, which was located on the outskirts of Paris. Here the boy endured bullying and ridicule from his peers, but did not lose heart and received an education. Unfortunately, the mother did not have enough money to educate her son. She decided to use the help of the Catholic parish, which offered assistance to Russian emigrants, including scholarships for education. The condition for such assistance was the conversion to Catholicism. But the boy expressed his indignation, calling such a situation a huckster from the side of the Catholic Church.

At the age of 14, Andrei began to study the Holy Letter. In 1931, he began to serve in the church, which belonged to the farmstead named after the three saints. This farmstead was part of the Russian Orthodox Church, which indicates that the young man belonged to the canonical Church.

Monasticism

After school, Andrei enters the medical faculty of the Sorbonne University. During his studies, he decides to become a monk. By the very beginning of the war, he was educated as a surgeon and was forced to go to the front, while giving monastic vows.

And only after returning in 1943, Andrei was tonsured a monk with the name Anthony. At the end of the war, he found his relatives and returned to Paris.

Anthony of Surozh (Bloom)

In 1948, Anthony was ordained a hierodeacon, and later a hieromonk. He became the rector of the temple in London. In 1956 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite. In 1957 he was ordained Bishop of Sergievsky. In 1962 he became Archbishop of the Diocese of Sourozh, which was revived in the British Isles. Until 1974, Vladyka Anthony was Patriarchal Exarch in Europe.

V last years During his life, he rarely held worship services due to poor health. Metropolitan Anthony reposed in the Lord on August 4, 2003.

Interesting! During the Second World War, still young Andrei was in the ranks of the French Resistance, thereby contributing to the victory over Nazi Germany.

Although there was no ban on religious activity in Europe at that time, Vladyka Anthony experienced difficulties in establishing a parish in Great Britain.

Local authorities demanded huge sums from the metropolitan for renting the premises, that is, the church. Otherwise, the temple should have been taken away and turned into a restaurant. Vladyka Anthony did not allow this to happen. A year and a half later, the entire amount was collected.

All this happened thanks to the mercy of God and the labors of the zealous Metropolitan Anthony. After all, more than two hundred works on the Christian theme came out from under the pen of the Bishop. His works have been read by people from all over the world. After the publication of an article in The Times newspaper about the plight of Orthodox Christians in the UK, donations began to come from readers from all over the world.

This is how Metropolitan Anthony was loved by his readers and spiritual children.

Occupying such an important position, Vladyka remained modest and common man. One family graciously received Vladyka at their home. After the meal, Vladyka Anthony volunteered to help wash the dishes.

He remembered each of his spiritual children. One day he invited his future spiritual son to meet for talks every two months at four o'clock in the afternoon. It was at this time and on this day that Vladyka was always at the agreed place.

Stories from the life of the metropolitan can serve as a good Christian example for believers.

Life of Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh

Contains already published texts by Metropolitan Anthony. Vladyka never writes or prepares his talks, speeches, or sermons in advance. Everything published was originally born as a word addressed directly to the listener - not to a faceless crowd, but to each individual person, our contemporary, who experiences (often without realizing it) spiritual hunger. As a priest and theologian, Vladyka Anthony is the spokesman not only of the Russian spiritual tradition, but also of the universal, ecumenical Truth of Orthodoxy. His word is convincing by the combination of precise formulations with his own inner experience, the experience of Orthodoxy, deeply rooted in Tradition and at the same time open to modernity. The texts of Metropolitan Anthony call for a very deep, sober understanding of the faith and for a responsible life in faith. Vladyka refers to some topics, examples again and again; and we, the readers-listeners, may be tempted to think: "We have already read this." But, perhaps, if these topics and examples have sunk so deeply into the soul, the mind of the Lord - and we should linger on them with our attention? It is probably useful when reading his own texts to remember the advice he received in his youth from his father: "Think more than you read."

We hope that the living word of Metropolitan Anthony will also reach where his books have not yet reached.

BIOGRAPHY

Anthony, Metropolitan of Sourozh(in the world Andrei Borisovich Bloom, Bloom) was born on June 19, 1914 in Lausanne, in the family of an employee of the Russian diplomatic service. Ancestors on the father's side - immigrants from Scotland, settled in Russia in the time of Peter the Great; by mother, he is related to the composer A.N. Scriabin. He spent his early childhood in Persia, where his father was a consul. After the revolution in Russia, the family ended up in exile and after several years of wandering around Europe, in 1923 settled in France. Here youth passed, marked by the ordeals of emigre life and a deeply conscious aspiration to live for Russia. The boy grew up outside the Church, but one day as a teenager he heard a conversation about Christianity by a prominent theologian, who, however, did not know how to talk with boys who valued courage and military order above all else. Here is how Vladyka himself recalls this experience:

He spoke about Christ, about the Gospel, about Christianity /.../, bringing to our consciousness all the sweetness that can be found in the Gospel, from which we would have shied away, and I shied away: meekness, humility, quietness - all the slavish qualities, in whom we are reproached from Nietzsche onwards. He got me into such a state that I decided /…/ to go home, find out if we have the Gospel somewhere at home, check it out and put an end to it; it didn't even occur to me that I wouldn't be done with it, because it was quite obvious that he knew his stuff. /…/ Mom turned out to have the gospel, I locked myself in my corner, found that there were four gospels, and if so, then one of them, of course, must be shorter than the others. And since I did not expect anything good from any of the four, I decided to read the shortest. And then I got caught; I have found many times since then how cunning God is when He lays down His nets to catch fish; because if I read another gospel, I would have difficulties; behind every gospel there is some kind of cultural base. Mark wrote precisely for such young savages as I - for the Roman youth. I did not know this - but God knew, and Mark knew, perhaps, when he wrote shorter than others. And so I sat down to read; and here you, perhaps, take my word for it, because you can’t prove it. / ... / I sat, read, and between the beginning of the first and the beginning of the third chapter of the Gospel of Mark, which I read slowly, because the language was unusual, I suddenly felt that on the other side of the table, here, stands Christ. And this feeling was so overwhelming that I had to stop, stop reading and look. I looked for a long time; saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. But even when I looked straight ahead at that place where there was no one, I had a vivid consciousness that Christ was undoubtedly standing there. I remember that I leaned back and thought: if the living Christ is standing here, then this is the risen Christ; so I know for sure personally, within my personal, own experience that Christ is risen and, therefore, everything that is said about Him is true.

This meeting determined the whole subsequent life, not its external events, but the content:

After high school graduated from the biological and medical faculties of the Sorbonne. In 1931 he was consecrated into a surplice to serve in the Church of the Three Hierarchs Compound, then the only church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Paris, and from these early years unfailingly kept canonical fidelity to the Russian Patriarchal Church. September 10, 1939, before leaving for the front, a surgeon of the French army secretly took monastic vows; in a mantle with the name Anthony (in honor of St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves) was tonsured on April 16, 1943, under Lazarus Saturday; the tonsure was performed by the rector of the Metochion and the spiritual father of the tonsured, Archimandrite Athanasius (Nechaev). During the German occupation, a doctor in the anti-fascist underground. After the war, he continued his medical practice until 1948, when Metropolitan Seraphim (Lukyanov, then Exarch of the Moscow Patriarch) called him to the priesthood, ordained him (on October 27 as a hierodeacon, on November 14 as a hieromonk) and sent him to pastoral service in England, as the spiritual director of the Orthodox Anglican Church. Commonwealth of St. mch. Albania and Rev. Sergius, in connection with which Hieromonk Anthony moved to London. From September 1, 1950, the rector of the churches of St. app. Philip and Rev. Sergius in London; church of st. app. Philip, granted to the parish by the Anglican Church, over time was replaced by a church in the name of the Assumption of the Mother of God and All Saints, whose rector Father Anthony became on December 16, 1956. In January 1953 he was awarded the rank of abbot, by Easter 1956 - archimandrite. On November 30, 1957, he was consecrated bishop of Sergius, vicar of the Exarch of the Patriarch of Moscow in Western Europe; the consecration was performed in the London Cathedral by the then Exarch, Archbishop Nikolay (Eremin) of Clish and Bishop Jacob of Apamea, vicar of the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Western Europe. In October 1962, he was appointed to the newly formed in the British Isles, within the framework of the Western European Exarchate, the Diocese of Sourozh, with the elevation to the rank of archbishop. Since January 1963, after the retirement of Metropolitan Nikolai (Eremin), he was appointed Acting Exarch of the Patriarch of Moscow in Western Europe. In May 1963 he was awarded the right to wear a cross on his klobuk. On January 27, 1966, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan and approved as Exarch in Western Europe; he carried this ministry until the spring of 1974, when his petition for release from the administrative duties of the Exarch was granted in order to devote himself more fully to the organization of diocesan life and pastoral care of the ever-increasing flock.

During the years of Vladyka Anthony's service in Great Britain, the only parish that united a small group of emigrants from Russia turned into a multinational diocese, canonically organized, with its own charter and diverse activities. The parishes of the diocese and its individual members bear witness responsibly Orthodox faith rooted in the Gospel and in patristic tradition. The diocese is constantly growing, which is especially remarkable against the background of the crisis of faith that has gripped the Western world, and the fact that all Christian denominations in the West are losing their members and decreasing in number. Here is the testimony (1981) of Dr. Robert Rancy, Archbishop of Canterbury: “The people of our country - Christians, skeptics and unbelievers - owe a great spiritual debt to Metropolitan Anthony. /...he/ speaks of the Christian faith with a frankness that inspires the believer and calls the seeker /.../ He works tirelessly for the sake of greater mutual understanding between Christians of East and West and opens to the readers of England the heritage of Orthodox mystics, especially the mystics of Holy Russia. Metropolitan Anthony is a Christian leader who has earned respect far beyond the borders of his community.” It is no coincidence, therefore, that he received an honorary doctorate in theology from the University of Aberdeen with the wording "for the preaching of the word of God and the renewal of spiritual life in the country." Metropolitan Anthony is widely known not only in Great Britain, but throughout the world as a pastor-preacher; he is constantly invited to speak to a wide variety of audiences (including radio and television audiences) preaching the gospel, the Orthodox gospel of the living spiritual experience of the Church.

The peculiarity of Vladyka's work is that he does not write anything: his word is born as an oral appeal to the listener - not to a faceless crowd, but to every person who needs a living word about the Living God. Therefore, everything published is printed from tape recordings and preserves the sound of this living word.

The first books on prayer and spiritual life were published in English language back in the 1960s and translated into many languages ​​of the world; one of them (“Prayer and Life”) was published in the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchy in 1968. In recent years, Vladyka’s works have been widely published in Russia both as separate books and on the pages of periodicals, both ecclesiastical and secular.

In Russia, the word of Vladyka was heard for many decades thanks to the religious broadcasts of the Russian service of the BBC; his visits to Russia became a significant event, tape recordings and samizdat collections of his sermons (and conversations in a narrow circle of close people in private apartments), like circles on water, diverged far beyond Moscow. His preaching, in the first place - the preaching of the Gospel Love and Freedom, was of great importance in Soviet years. The spiritual experience that Metropolitan Anthony not only carries within himself, but is able to convey to those around him is a deeply personal (although not closed on personal piety) relationship with God, Love incarnate, a meeting with Him “face to face” of a person who, despite the incommensurability of scale , is worth a free participant in this meeting. And although Vladyka often emphasizes that he is “not a theologian,” he did not receive a systematic “school” theological education, his word makes us recall patristic definitions: a theologian is one who purely prays; theologian is one who knows God Himself...

In addition to the already mentioned award from the University of Aberdeen (1973), Metropolitan Anthony is an honorary doctor of theology from the faculties of Cambridge (1996), as well as from the Moscow Theological Academy (1983 - for a set of scientific and theological preaching works). On September 24, 1999, the Kiev Theological Academy awarded Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh the degree of Doctor of Theology honoris causa.

Metropolitan Anthony - a participant in theological discussions between delegations of the Orthodox Churches and representatives of the Anglican Church (1958), a member of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the celebrations of the millennium of Orthodox monasticism on Mount Athos (1963), a member of the Commission of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on Christian unity, a member of the Central Committee of the World the Council of Churches (1968-1975) and the Christian Medical Commission of the WCC; member of the Assemblies of the World Council of Churches in New Delhi (1961) and Uppsala (1968), member of the Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church (1971, 1988, 1990). Awards: Bronze medal of the Society for the Encouragement of Good (1945, France), Order of St. book. Vladimir I Art. (1961), Order of St. Andrew (Ecumenical Patriarchate, 1963), Browning award (USA, 1974 - “for spreading the Christian gospel”), Lambeth Cross (Anglican Church, 1975), Order of St. Sergius II Art. (1979), St. book. Vladimir I Art. (1989), St. book. Daniel of Moscow I Art. (1994), Rev. Sergius I Art. (1997), St. Innocent of Moscow II degree (1999).