The Shepherd, January 2009
Metropolitan Philaret cultivated the classical teaching concerning the synergy (working together) of the free will of man with the grace of God in the work of salvation. He devoted great attention to this, employing the three powers of the human soul: mind, desire and will.
Being uncompromising in the battle with sinful attachments, Vladyka Philaret was always emphatic with regard to the means to be employed in this warfare. “Take the knife and cut it off” - he would say to his spiritual children, if he saw that anything was hindering their spiritual life.
Vladyka Philaret was a lover of monasticism. In his own words: “According to the explanation of the Holy Fathers, the monastic way is, per se, the straight path to the Heavenly Kingdom, when it is accomplished as it should be.” He explained to his spiritual children that, through its being singled out from life in the world, monasticism gives one the possibility of consecrating oneself wholly to God.
While being a caring and loving pastor, the Holy Hierarch Philaret was extremely strict with himself. He led a truly ascetic life: he slept for two or three hours a day; he ate ordinary food, but in very restricted amounts. Vladyka was very attentive to the sorrows and joys of his flock, and spent the night in prayer for them. His spiritual children were the witnesses of his numerous miracles, which he worked both during his lifetime and after death. Their testimonies speak eloquently of the immense power of the prayers of a Spirit-bearing pastor, who in very truth laid down his life for his friends. Here we will give only two examples.
Elena Pikul: “When we emigrated to Australia, to Croydon, my family experienced difficult circumstances. Unexpectedly my sister fell seriously ill. I took her in. After an operation my son was brought out of hospital. My sister’s daughter was here too, a young girl. I needed to get away from it all. Besides all this, I had to go to work, which was heavy work. My strength had all but dried up. The doctor prescribed some medicine for me, but it only made me even worse. Apparently it acted upon my nervous system in such a way that I became really fearful. I was worried that I would go out of my mind. I went to the Croydon church. Metropolitan Philaret was serving. He was vested and sitting on the cathedra, engrossed in prayer, with his head bowed. A sudden thought came to me: Vladyka is here right now in the place of the Lord Jesus Christ. I shall touch his vestments, just like the woman with the issue of blood touched the Saviour’s and was made healthy, - and I will be well too! I came up from behind; Vladyka’s omophorion was hanging across the stool. So I came up to him and touched. Just then Vladyka suddenly turned round and our eyes met. How could he have felt it? But I was made well, my strength returned. To the very end of my days will not forget this miracle!”
Abbess Alexandra (Chernyavskaya) of the Monastery of Saint John: “In August, 2008, I was about my business in Odessa and was standing by the car which had just been parked; the doors of which were open. All of a sudden, backing in too sharply, a car came into the neighbouring parking space. The blow was so violent that the door swung back and slammed, and caught my right hand and leg. The pain was very sharp. The oncoming car threatened to crush me to death, and in my soul I cried out: “Vladyka Philaret! How can I die without Communion!” At that moment the car reversed. When I was able to extricate myself from the damaged car, my hand and my leg were both unharmed. I cannot say that this was anything other than a miracle. So, through the mediation of Metropolitan Philaret, I remain among the living.”
In his sermons, which were regularly short, Metropolitan Philaret came to the spiritual essence of his subject, setting it forth simply and clearly. According to the witness of many people, his oratory was like that of John Chrysostom. With particular trepidation, the Holy Hierarch Philaret approached the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, reminding his flock that: “Communion - this is a Fire. No one can forbid it, if there are not serious canonical impediments. One must receive Communion as often as possible. It is for this reason that we have to receive Communion in front of the Royal Gates. This symbolizes our closeness to the Kingdom of Heaven, our rising on high, upwards!”
The life of Metropolitan Philaret, which was equal to that of the Angels, was crowned by his blessed falling asleep on 8th / 21st November, 1985, on the day of the Archistrategus [Archangel] Michael and all the Bodiless Powers.
Metropolitan Philaret was buried in the crypt of the cemetery Church of the Dormition in the Holy Trinity Monastery at Jordanville. Thirteen years after his demise, it was decided that the honourable remains of Vladyka Metropolitan should be transferred to a newly prepared resting place in the crypt under the altar of the Holy Trinity Cathedral at Jordanville. The opening of his grave was made on 28th October / 10th November, 1998. Archbishop Lavr of Syracuse and Holy Trinity, Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan, Archimandrite Luke and the brethren were present on this occasion. Then the complete incorruption of the relics was witnessed. The body was white and even soft. The vestments, cross and panagia were still bright.
The faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad accept the opening of the relics of the Holy Hierarch Philaret as a manifest miracle, given them by God for the strengthening of our faith.
Holy Hierarch Philaret, pay unto God for us!
Russian language text supplied by Abbess Alexandra of the Convent of St John (Maximovich) in Odessa, Ukraine. We hope, next month, to include reports of some of the miracles of St Philaret the New Confessor.
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