“From the very beginning of the anti-religious war, churches and monasteries were turned into prisons, warehouses, stables and factories, In this way the fruits of the labors of our pious forebears have been denigrated, defiled and desecrated… (Monk Innokenti, Moscow)

Once the pride of Holy Russia, it is not surprising that her monasteries were primary targets for destruction in the atheist revolutionaries’ campaign to eradicate religion. Among the greatest tragedies was the destruction of the famous Optina Monastery, renowned for her God-bearing Elders or ‘startsi’ who were direct successors to the disciples of that great Holy Father, Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky.

One of the last Optina Elders was Starets Anatole “the Younger”, who possessed that humility of wisdom and unceasing prayer which are the core of the Paisian tradition. These “gave rise in him to that unshakable peace which enabled him… to become a great benefactor to the whole of society… , educating the souls of thousands of Russian people in true Christian piety.”

In the 19th century, Optina reached a high level of spiritual development, attracting literally thousands of pilgrims among whom were the famous Russian writers Dostoevsky and Gogol. One pilgrim to Optina before the Revolution, Archimandrite Ambrose of Ca- nada, wrote of his visit to the Monastery to see Elder Anatole:

“Having arrived at Kozelsk, located not far from Optina Monastery, we walked across a beautiful meadow covered with a luxuriant green growth. It spread itself before us like a wonderful carpet that was adorned with varicolored flowers And then on a slope of a hill towering over the river Zhizdra, there it was: the Optina Monastery, that great monastic desert, our own Thebaid or Trans- Jordan… We came to the Zhizdra. There was a ferry-boat ready to take us across the river. Arid then with awe we stepped onto the soil of the holy monastery, where every thing had been sanctified by the ascetic labors of the monks, with their tears and unceasing prayers…. Finally, we arrived and saw the Skete bell tower, and on the right of it a little hut where the great Startzi had lived. At last, in the depth of the Skete ma small cell, we saw Father Anatole, who received us with love. As we conversed with him his gift of clairvoyance was revealed to us. This first meeting with him remained in our memory for life..

It was not many years after this that the revolution began its anti-religious campaign which was initiated with such a blood-bath whose crimson waters flow over the Russian land to this very day. In the early years of the Revolution, Optina was allowed to exist, although its monks were harassed, some were arrested and others simply fled. But the Orthodox faithful continued to flock to this holy sanctuary, to receive strength from the God-given wisdom of Elders Anatole and Nectarius. Then…

“Starets Anatole’s turn finally came. Red Army soldiers arrested him several times, shaved him, tortured and mocked him. He suffered much, but he still received his spi ritual children whenever he could. Towards evening on July 29th, 1922, a Soviet commission came, interrogated him for a long time, and was supposed to arrest him. But the Starets, without protesting, modestly begged a 24-hour delay in order to prepare himself. His cell-attendant, the hunchbacked Father Barnabas, was menacingly told to prepare the Elder for departure, as he would be taken away the next day; and with this they left.

“Night came on and the Starets began to prepare himself for his journey. The following morning the commission returned. Leaving their cars, they asked the cell-attendant, ‘Is he ready?’ ‘Yes,’ answered Fr. Barnabas, ‘the Starets is ready.’ And opening the door he led them to the Elder’s quarters. Here a disconcerting picture presented itself to their astonished gaze: the Starets, having indeed ‘prepared himself,’ lay dead in his coffin in the middle of the room! The Lord had not allowed His faithful servant to be mocked any further, but had taken him to Himself that very night..” Optina had offered to God a pleasing sacrifice. HoIy New Martyr, Elder Anatole, pray to God for us!

“The next year, just before Easter, the Monastery was finally liquidated. All the remaining monks were arrested and banished, the churches sealed, the graves of the Startsi desecrated, and the Skete turned into a resort for the Soviet ‘upper class’.

It seems that a mighty tree was hewn down and its branches cast into the fire, the fire of martyrdom. But perhaps it is pleasing to God that seeds from this tree remain hidden in the ground until such a time when they will spring forth and blossom once again. A more recent report on the deplorable condition of the Monastery indicates that indeed, Optina is not as barren as it may appear:

“Soviet youth are showing an interest in the piety of the Elders of Optina and in the monasteries habitually visited by famous authors of the past, This phenomenon is especially in evidence as regards the former Optina Hermitage and the Convent of Shamardino, which are both in lamentable condition.

The historical cemetery of Optina Hermitage has been leveled, and a pigsty has been erected over the graves of the monks. The grave of the highly revered Fr. Ambrose has twice been destroyed, though a small cross has now been erected over it by believers. The authorities have warned, however that the grave will be totallyy obliterated should a large cross appear on it. At present, the house where Dostoevsky stayed in the monastery is open, but the church is in utter disrepair. It has long been used as a latrine. The little house where the elder Ambrose lived is now inhabited by the Obramov family. Visitors ask the Obramovs about the monastery, and especially about the elder Ambrose, and the authorities, on learning of this, have warned t h e family that if they do not cease giving out such information, they will be evicted and tried.”

At last the “seeds” which have lain dormant for so long are beginning to sprout watered by the tears of Optina’s holy Elders and the blood of its New Martyr S. Let us pray that they bear fruit a hundredfold!

Sources: The Orthodox Word, July-August, 1971, “Religion and Atheism in the Soviet Union,” December, l9~9(12/148).