INVOKE THE LORD: IN MEMORY OF PATRIARCH TIKHON

Abstract. The article deals with the Orthodox apologist of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (Bellavin) of Moscow and All Russia, the life and struggle of the Holy Church during the Revolution and the Civil War. The Christian position of Patriarch Tikhon on church-state relations is revealed.

Keywords: Theological devotion; secularization; Bellavin; invoke; revolution; persecution of the church; theomachism.

Russia. 1917. The theomachism among the people was gaining strength at a tremendous pace. Russia crossed out enthusiastically and easily all the values ​​that had been built up over the centuries. It would seem that hell covered Russia with its darkness. The Church Council did not remain indifferent to the difficult situation that our Motherland was going through. In the midst of total devastation, a salutary idea appeared about the restoration of the Russian patriarchate. It was decided to convene a Church Council without delay. Traditionally on August, 15 on the day of the Repose of the Mother of God, the hallowed Church Cathedral was opened,. But destructive ideas have also spread to the church. They couldn’t come to an agreement on whether the dying Russia needed a Patriarch until mid-autumn. It was also the height of the civil war. It was decided to elect the patriarch on November 5, but not in the Assumption Cathedral as usual, but in violation of customs in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Everyone was waiting for this day with hope, and the huge temple was crowded with people on the appointed day.

576  Cathedral Folk came to Moscow, among them were 277 clergy and 299 laity. There were ten metropolitans, seventeen archbishops and sixty bishops, well-known metropolitan archpriests and unknown rural priests, statesmen and scientists, officers and soldiers, merchants and peasants. At the end of the liturgy, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev took out of the altar and placed on a small table in front of the icon of the Mother of God an ark with the names of candidates for the Patriarchs. Then, a blind old man was led out under the arms  from the altar. It was Hieromonk Alexy a recluse of the Zosima Hermitage. He approached the icon of the Mother of God and began to pray. There was total silence in the temple. Then they led him to the ark. The elder took out a note with his name and handed it to the metropolitan… - Metropolitan Tikhon of Moscow and Kolomna. Aktsios! (Worthy) [3].

 And Vladyka Tikhon said on the day of his election: “Your message for me about my election as a patriarch is the scroll on which it has been written: Weeping, and groaning, and grief, and which scroll was to be eaten by the prophet Ezekiel [Ezek. 2, 10; 3, 1]. How many tears and groans will I have to swallow in my forthcoming patriarchal ministry, especially in such a grievous time! Like the ancient leader of the Jewish people, the prophet Moses, I will also have to say to the Lord: Why do You torment Your servant? And why did I not find favor in Your sight, that You laid on me the burden of all this people? Did I have all this people inside my womb and did I give a birth to them, that You say to me: Carry them in your arms, as a nurse carries a child ... I cannot bear all this people  by myself, because they are too heavy for me [Num. 11, 11–14]. From now on, the care of all Russian churches is entrusted to me and I will have to die for them all the days” [3].

So a cavalcade of trials for the Holy Church, the entire Orthodox world, and Patriarch Tikhon began. Since November 1917, an albatross has placed around the restored Russian patriarchate’s neck to lead the oppressed and destroyed Russian Church, to preserve the Orthodox spirit and true faith in pristine purity. Remembering the words - “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” [2].

The Holiest Tikhon ascended the patriarchal throne at the very height of the revolution. There was not just separation of the Church  and state but it was rebellion against the most scared -  the Lord and His Church. In Russia the process of secularization started, and the Church and the clergy took the brunt of it. The Decree "On the separation of the church from the state and the school from the church" of 1918 let loose the new government. There were savage persecution and barbaric actions against people who had at least any relation to the Orthodox Church, in particular, to the clergy. A wave of repressions spread throughout Russia. Those humiliations, persecutions and reprisals could be only compared with the Roman emperor Nero. The first persecution under the emperor Nero [54 - 68 years. AD]. The severe persecution spread throughout the Roman Empire, but it promoted more to strengthen the spirit of Christians than to suppress it [4]. Arrests, exiles, executions, uncovering of relics were only a small part of anti-church outrages.

The life of Russia fell apart. In the sake of saving thousands of lives and preserving the Church from the onslaught of the proletariat’s dictatorship, the Patriarch took measures to protect the clergy from political statements. On September 25, 1919, he issued a Message demanding and appealing to the clergy not to enter into a political struggle and not to interfere in the state’s affairs. In 1921, there was a great famine in the Volga region of Russia, and this invisible enemy broke the people’s spirit.

Millions of people’s lives should be saved.

In August of that year, the Patriarch founded the All-Russian Church Committee for Assistance to the Starving and addressed with a prayer "To the peoples of the world and to the Orthodox people." But the new government did not appreciate such steps of salvation. And it issued its own decree, according to which all precious objects should be seized. The Patriarch could not hold with the defile of the holy things and allow sacrilege. He openly expressed his negative attitude towards the outrage that was taking place in the next epistle, as he knew and strictly observed the "Rule of the 73 Holy Apostles" [1]. Protests and the tide of public discontent took place throughout Russia. The Patriarch’s message was regarded as counter-revolutionary, agitating for the undermining and weakening of power, for which he was imprisoned from April 1922 to June 1923.

Along with the steadfastness of spirit, strong faith, and trust in God, there were also those who refused to support the Hierarchy, being broken by the authorities, and fled dropping everything. And also many a man who had once sworn an oath to God, even among the great men of the church, were no longer following the divine way, but the human way, adjusting themselves to the new authority. They were taking care of their bodies and forgetting about their souls. The Patriarch was strong until the very last, and even the ardent foes of the Church, accepted his uniqueness strength of spirit.

For Orthodox people, His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon became the hope for salvation of the Holy Church and Russia during the chaos. He had been honored and revered not only as a historical figure - the Patriarch - but also as a kind man who achieved a high degree of wisdom, fortitude and strong faith. Throughout his life, from his early years until his death, he displayed the moral character of a Christian, that was further reflected in the spirit of Christianity, its destinies and masses. The Orthodox people of Russia and their will were brought together as Patriarch Tikhon. It was he who set the path for the Russian Orthodox Church in those years. There were many examples in the Bible and Sacred Tradition of how prayer became powerful and meaningful, and that was what the Patriarch taught. Who better to turn to in trouble than the Father? This has always distinguished him as a man and as a confessor. His example instilled faith in people, and it grew like a mustard seed and reached enormous magnitude. And there is no idea what Russia would have become without Vasil Bellavin.

Saint Tikhon lived, bearing his cross as the Patriarch for just about seven years. He faced arrests, countless interrogations, imprisonment and several attempts on his life. But even in the last seconds of his life, he turned to God. Saint Tikhon passed away to the Lord at the age of sixty. And he continues to pray for the Holy Church and Russia till nowadays as an uncreated soul of the martyr.