Saint Ambrose of Optina
Alexander Michailovich Grenkov was born Nov. 23, 1812 in the Russian province of Tambov.
His parents raised him strictly and with fervent
piety. Since he was of a priestly family, it was no surprise when he entered
the Tambov theological seminary in 1830. He did well in his studies and was
ranked among the top students.
About a year before graduation Alexander became seriously ill.
He promised that if God healed him, he would become a monk. Although his prayer
was answered, Alexander seemed to forget his promise.
After graduation from the seminary he took a position as tutor
to the children of a certain landowner and remained with this family for a year
and a half. After this he became a teacher at the local parochial school.
One day in 1839 Alexander and a friend visited the famous hermit
Father Hilarion to ask him what they should do with their lives. Alexander was
surprised when he was told to go to the monastery of Optina Pustin, where they
had great need of him. In September of that same year, however, he seemed to be
prepared to continue with his teaching career.
One night he was invited to spend a pleasant evening with some
friends. His conversation was witty and brilliant, and all his jokes and puns
were on the mark. Although his hosts were amused and impressed by him,
Alexander was disgusted by his own frivolity. Perhaps his unfulfilled promise
to become a monk weighed on his conscience.
The next morning he quit his job and arrived at Optina in
October of 1839. After a trial period he decided to remain in the monastery and
dedicate his life to God. He received the monastic tonsure in 1842, and was
given the name Ambrose in honor of Saint Ambrose of Milan (December 7). Ambrose
knew the famous spiritual directors Elder Leonid and Elder Macarius. He was the
cell attendant of Elder Macarius, who undoubtedly influenced the young monk’s
spiritual development.
Ordained as a priest in 1845, Father Ambrose’s reverence and
piety in celebrating the divine services were noticed by the other monks. His
health began to decline shortly afterward, and he had to ask to be relieved of
all duties. In 1846 he was so ill that the Mystery of Holy Unction was
administered to him. He bore his illness without complaint and slowly regained
his strength. By 1848 he was able to walk with the aid of a cane.
Father Ambrose began to help Elder Macarius with his
correspondence and in preparing the Russian edition of Saint John Climacus’s
LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT, which was published by the monastery.
When Father Macarius had to go to Moscow in 1852, he designated
Father Ambrose to take his place until his return. Father Ambrose never gave
his personal opinions when he was asked for advice, but always referred people
to the writings of the Fathers. If someone did not understand the text he was
given to read, Father Ambrose would explain it in simple terms.
Father Macarius died in 1860 without naming anyone to succeed
him as Elder. By divine providence, all the other possible candidates either
died or were appointed as abbots of other monasteries. This left Father Ambrose
as the undisputed spiritual director of the monastery. In his role as Elder,
Father Ambrose had to receive many people each day to hear confessions and give
advice. He used to say, “The Lord has arranged it so that I would have to talk
to people all my life. Now I would be happy to remain silent, but I cannot.”
An average day in Saint Ambrose’s life began at 4 A.M. when his
cell attendant came into his cell to read the morning Rule of prayer for him.
After this he would wash and have some tea, then he would dictate replies to
the many letters he received every day. Visitors would be lining up even as he
was having breakfast. Sometimes he would take a break after two hours, but more
often he would continue seeing people until noon when he had his lunch.
After lunch he would go out into the next room and greet more
visitors. People would call out questions and he would give an appropriate
response. He took a short rest at 3 P.M. then talked to people until the
evening. At 8 P.M. he had dinner then received more visitors until 11 P.M. At
that hour the evening Rule of prayer was read, and Father Ambrose begged
forgiveness of the brethren whom he may have offended by thought, word, or
deed. After three or four hours of sleep it would all begin again. This routine
would fatigue a strong man. It is remarkable that Saint Ambrose, who was often
in poor health, was able to keep it up for so many years.
From all over Russia, people flocked to the venerable Elder. The
writer Tolstoy visited him on at least three occasions, and left impressed by
the wisdom of the holy monk. Fyodor Dostoevsky came to Optina in 1878 after the
death of his son Alyosha and was profoundly affected by his meeting with Saint
Ambrose. The novelist used Father Ambrose as a model for Starets Zosima in The
Brothers Karamazov.
The saint founded Shamordino convent in 1884. This convent,
which was near Optina, opened its doors to women who were poor, sickly, or even
blind. Most convents were very poor and had to rely on the incomes of women who
had a certain personal wealth in order to remain open. Saint Ambrose made it
possible for any woman who wished to become a nun to follow this path of
salvation.
Shamordino began to decline after the death of the first abbess,
Mother Sophia. Saint Ambrose went there in June 1890 to straighten out the
convent’s affairs. He was unable to return to Optina due to illness, then
winter made it impossible for him to travel. Father Ambrose continued to see
visitors at Shamordino, even though his health continued to deteriorate in
1891.
By September, it was clear that he had not long to live. He fell
asleep in the Lord at 11:30 A.M. on the morning of October 10 1891. Throngs of
people attended his funeral and also his burial at Optina. Fathers Joseph,
Anthony, Benedict, and Anatole succeeded him as Elder until the monastery was
closed after the Russian Revolution.
The Moscow Patriarchate authorized local veneration of the
Optina Elders on June 13,1996. The work of uncovering the relics of Saints Leonid,
Macarius, Hilarion, Ambrose, Anatole I, Barsanuphius and Anatole II began on
June 24/July 7, 1998 and was concluded the next day. However, because of the
church Feasts (Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, etc.) associated with the
actual dates of the uncovering of the relics, Patriarch Alexey II designated
June 27/July 10 as the date for commemorating this event. The relics of the
holy Elders now rest in the new church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of
God.
The Optina Elders were glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate for
universal veneration on August 7, 2000.
Saint Ambrose was glorified in 1988 by the Patriarchate of
Moscow as part of the Millennium celebration of the Baptism of Rus.
He was born
in Thessalonika around 1300; his mother was a convert from Judaism.
He entered monastic life, first at Mt Sinai, then at the
Great Lavra on Mt Athos. The so-called
"Hesychast controversy" was then raging, And
St Philotheos became one of the firmest and most effective supporters
of St Gregory Palamas.
Father Philotheos defended
Orthodoxy against western-inspired attacks on the doctrines of uncreated Grace
and the possibility of true union with God. It was St Philotheos who
drafted the Hagiorite Tome, the manifesto of the monks of
Mt Athos setting forth how the Saints partake of the Divine and
uncreated Light which the Apostles beheld at Christ's Transfiguration. In 1351, he took part in the
"Hesychast Council" in Constantinople, and wrote its Acts.
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