With church blessing Blessed Paul of Taganrog Not only the St. Nicholas Church, but the whole of Taganrog found its “own” saint. “My bush will never be empty,” the old man used to say. His words came true.
Saint Blessed Paul of Taganrog was an ordinary layman, and of noble origin. Saints glorified in the guise of the blessed and righteous (such as, for example, or), often enjoy the special love of believers, because it seems that they are separated from us by much less distance than the saints from the clergy.
However, achieving holiness while remaining a layman is a great feat, and people who are distinguished by a very special humility and exorbitant love for their neighbors are capable of accomplishing it. This is our hero. Blessed Pavel modestly lived not far from and was a parishioner, and not in some time immemorial, but only a century and a half ago, but now his image, the significance of which is clearly growing over the years, has acquired almost mythical features in Taganrog.
Wanderer Pavel Taganrog
The full name of blessed Paul is Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov; the parents named the boy at birth in honor of St. Paul the Confessor. He was born in 1792 in the city of Krolevets, Chernihiv province (now it is the Sumy region of Ukraine).
Chernihiv land is one of the cradles of Russian civilization; in Chernigov itself, five pre-Mongolian temples have survived to this day. Here you can feel the special spirit of Orthodoxy, which, as it seems, was less distorted in these places by the cruel 20th century than in many other parts of the former Russian Empire.
Paul grew up in a deeply religious family. This fact, coupled with the place of birth and growth, was probably of considerable importance in the matter of his internal self-determination, although, of course, this cannot explain the whole fate of the saint.
The very path of life that the noble son chose is unusual - the nobles, for the most part, preferred more “secular” options: as a rule, military or civil service. However, for Paul, who was in a state of prayerful burning, the temptations of noble life did not play any role. As Blessed Augustine concluded, a person by himself is not capable of faith, only God gives it to him, and Paul, perhaps realizing this, devoted his whole life to serving God in gratitude for this gift.
Already at the age of 25, with the blessing of his father, he distributed the part of the estate that he inherited, set the peasants free, and he himself went on a long pilgrimage to Russian monasteries. He wandered for no less than ten years, and during this time he completely forgot about his noble origin, he led the simplest life, and began to speak in the Little Russian dialect, which was not typical for Russian-speaking Ukrainian nobles. It was in this way, in appearance - a Little Russian peasant, that he came in the fourth decade of his life to the seaside Taganrog and remained there forever. Paul's ten year journey apparently gave him what he was looking for, and the Lord brought him to a city that needed its saint.
Taganrog community of Pavel
In Taganrog, Pavel settled in a dugout, like the local desperate poor, but he could not hide from prying eyes, and rumors spread around the city about a spirit-bearing stranger. People began to come to the saint, some out of curiosity, and some out of a sincere need for a spiritual conversation, and gradually a community of almost monastic type formed around him, although neither the elder himself nor his “novices” (among them women) were tonsured. accepted.
Weakness approached old age, and he left physical labor, settling in a adobe house with the landlord Efim Smirnov. Living conditions wherever he lived remained invariably simple and modest.
Every day, early in the morning, the saint went to the liturgy, taking with him a small bench to straighten the lamps, and a white towel to wipe the icons. After the temple, he went to the bazaar, where he had a kind of "reception room" - there the elder communicated with the people of Taganrog, consoled the afflicted and gave instructions. He spent his nights in kneeling prayer in his cell.
At present, Elder Pavel's cell is being turned into a museum and a spiritual and educational center at St. Nicholas Church; by the end of 2015, they are going to finally restore the situation in it, as close as possible to what it was during the life of the blessed on earth.
A part of the house, or “farmstead”, as this place is now called, namely the room where the elder himself lived, and the adjacent one were turned into a chapel, there are many icons in front of which candles in pots of sand are burning (this was also the case with the elder ), on the lectern lies an open ancient prayer book. A narrow wooden bench has been preserved in the cell, which served as a bed for the elder.
In other rooms lived members of the community formed around Paul, headed by the novice Maria, a village girl who once came to the saint with the question of whether she should marry or enter a monastery, and so she remained with him forever.
The life of the community was distinguished by extreme asceticism. The elder, who led a strict life of prayer and fasting, did not give concessions to those who surrounded him. The community members ate simple fast food and devoted many hours to prayer. However, it was not an absolutely hermetic formation that did not communicate with the "outside" world in any way; on the contrary, the elder's followers tried to be "socially" active - they helped the needy as much as they could, comforted those in trouble, nursed the sick. They also did a lot for the beautification of Taganrog churches.
In the same house, the saint peacefully reposed in the Lord in 1879, having received communion before that from his confessor, Father Damian. The next day, the Taganrog priest Vasily Bandakov testified that he saw angels that night carrying a holy soul to heaven with joyful singing. To the question of the priest, whose soul this is, a voice was heard from heaven: “This blessed soul is the soul of Pavel Pavlovich.” Before the glorification of Pavel Stozhkov, there were still 120 years left in the face of the blessed.
After the death of Elder Paul, the community continued to exist and, thanks to the help of wealthy patrons, was able to preserve the atmosphere of the saint's dwelling almost unchanged. The Soviet government did not pay much attention to the inconspicuous cell, and after decades of neglect, it is regaining its original appearance.
Sasha Mitrahovich 30.01.2018 10:10
In the photo: Icon of the Holy Blessed Paul of Taganrog in the St. Nicholas Church.
He lived not far from St. Nicholas Church in a small cell, died in 1879. He was buried in the old city cemetery, where a small chapel was soon erected over the saint's grave. By that time, the elder was known not only in Taganrog, but also in the surrounding provinces, from where, even during his lifetime, many people came to him for advice and consolation.
Those who knew Elder Paul had no doubt that sooner or later he would be canonized, but this did not happen in the four decades remaining before the revolution, although the issue was discussed, but the matter did not advance further than the discussion.
The saint acquired the gifts of clairvoyance and healing during his lifetime, so there was no shortage of formal occasions for glorification. In Taganrog, a local “unofficial” veneration of the elder, who had not yet been canonized, was born, which continued, for the most part secretly, into the Soviet years. Perhaps such a “delay” saved the relics of the blessed one from desecration and destruction - throughout the Soviet era they rested peacefully in the cemetery, and the authorities had nothing to complain about - St. Paul was not even a clergyman, so formally his grave remained a simple burial place of a Taganrog city dweller.
The holy relics survived the atheistic years; they solemnly found them and transferred them into modern times. It happened on a hot summer day on June 20, 1999, after the long-awaited canonization of the Taganrog righteous man took place. Thus the dying prophecy of the saint was fulfilled, who said:
"They carried Paul to the grave, and from the grave to the cathedral."
It was a clear and sunny day, but when the relics were transferred around the sun, which was at its zenith, a rainbow circle formed - everyone could see it for about an hour. And then small clouds ran up, taking the shape of a cross over the temple. Witnesses also noted the surprisingly sweet taste of the water that was distributed to those present in order to protect them from dehydration on a hot day - usually the water in the seaside Taganrog, where there is no big river, is hard and tasteless.
Since then, the relics of the blessed one have been in the St. Nicholas Church and are available for worship to all parishioners, pilgrims and just travelers. Next to them is a large icon of Elder Paul, in front of which the candles never go out. A church-wide glorification of Blessed Paul of Taganrog is currently being prepared.
Sasha Mitrahovich 30.01.2018 12:11
holy blessed Pavel Taganrogsky(Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov) was one of the most prominent figures of Russian eldership - a significant phenomenon in the spiritual life of Russia in the 19th century. He was born in the Chernigov province in 1792, inherited considerable capital and 300 souls of serfs, but at the age of 25 he set them free and went on a pilgrimage to holy places. At the age of about 35, his wanderings end in Taganrog, where Pavel will remain until his death in 1879. Here he led the most ordinary life, earning by day work, but soon became a prominent spiritual authority - first among ordinary people, and then among the clergy.
“The pious elder Pavel led everyone who came to him to salvation through his instructions, taught them to do good deeds, spend time in work and honor the feasts of the Lord and Sundays,” says his biography published by the Rostov diocese in 1994. “The elder was always visited by many people from the Black Sea coast and from beyond the Don and the entire Azov circle, and everyone told a lot about his predictions, mercy and his good deeds.” After the death of the elder, according to eyewitnesses, thousands of people gathered to see him off on his last journey, and his grave in the old cemetery of Taganrog immediately became a place of pilgrimage.
The issue of canonization of Paul of Taganrog was raised shortly before the revolution of 1917, but for obvious reasons, its decision was postponed for decades, although the veneration of the elder continued into the Soviet period, despite the repressions against the closest circle of his followers. Finally, in 1999, Elder Pavel was reckoned among the locally venerated saints, and immediately after that, work began to include his name in the number of church-wide saints. Now this process is moving towards completion, and on the day of the general church canonization of Paul of Taganrog in April next year, the first ever visit to Taganrog of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is expected. Kirill. In addition, it is planned to reconstruct the memorable places in Taganrog associated with the life of St. Nicholas Church, the grave and cell of Pavel Taganrog. The dean of the parishes of the Taganrog district, rector of the Nikolsky Church, Archpriest Alexey Lysikov.
Heavenly patron of Don
- What is the significance of the canonization of Elder Pavel for the Rostov region and in general for the south of Russia? How would you explain this to unchurched people?
Elder Pavel lived here for so long and made such a contribution to the formation of the spiritual life of Taganrog that we had every right to intermarry with him, canonizing him as a saint of the Don land. And after the glorification of Blessed Paul of Taganrog in the guise of church-wide saints takes place next April, a saint of this magnitude will appear in southern Russia for the first time in a century. This event will open a new page in the history of Taganrog, and it will become important not only for our region, whose patron is Elder Pavel, but also for Ukraine, since the elder was born in the Chernigov province. His general church glorification will mean that the name of the righteous will be revered in all corners of the Orthodox world. Already, icons with his image are in a number of foreign countries, including the United States and Italy. I know for sure that his icons are in several churches on Mount Athos and in the Holy Land. And pilgrims come to Taganrog not only from nearby regions, but also from Moscow, from Vladivostok - everyone who has ever prayed at the shrine with the relics of Elder Paul will remember this forever. I can say with confidence that the general church glorification of the righteous Paul of Taganrog will allow a huge number of people to get in touch with his personality, his holiness and discover a unique example of life according to the Gospel. And we know that only such a life reveals the true knowledge of God and makes a person truly happy.
- How prominent was Elder Pavel for Taganrog during his lifetime?
We can say that the personality of Elder Pavel spiritually transformed Taganrog, at that time a noisy port city. Despite the many churches, the merchant spirit reigned in the city, and faith and piety were not always the center of life of Taganrog residents. But the way of life of the ascetic attracted attention - people saw the seal of God on him and began to turn to him for help. He helped many with spiritual advice and alms. Through his prayers, miracles of healing and conversion to a righteous life were performed. Thanks to the feat of Elder Paul, a special spiritual atmosphere was formed in the city. As confirmation - the stories of people who lived a high spiritual life and connected their fate with Taganrog, including our contemporaries. Among them are Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov) of Alma-Ata, Archbishop Arseny (Smolyanets), Elder Maria Velichko, Archbishop Nikolai (Feodosiev) of Cheboksary.
- Can you describe the most famous examples of Elder Paul's miracles?
Miracles happened both during his lifetime and after his death. For example, shortly before his death, Pavel Taganrogsky predicted to Hieromonk Damian, who served in the courtyard of the Jerusalem Patriarchate in Taganrog, that he would become a great man, and so much so, "that there can be no more." This prediction came true: two decades later, an ordinary hieromonk became the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The monthly literary supplement to the Niva magazine, published in 1902, describes the cholera epidemic that swept the vicinity of Taganrog in 1892 and claimed the lives of eight hundred people. After the panikhida for Elder Paul, the next day the epidemic dwindled, and then, as this publication says, “as if bypassed the city and completely disappeared.” It is curious that in a secular publication from the time of the spiritual crisis that had already begun in Russia, it was emphasized that the miracle happened through the prayers of Elder Paul. I myself know many cases when Elder Pavel helped those suffering from incurable diseases, many of these stories are confirmed by medical evidence. People receive comfort and help from him in difficult life situations, family troubles, spiritual problems. These are real miracles that happen daily through his prayers.
Path to canonization
- Were any attempts made in the pre-revolutionary period to canonize Elder Pavel?
At first, ordinary people revered him, but then the clergy began to see in him an extraordinary personality. When he died, a huge number of Taganrog residents and residents of the surrounding villages came to say goodbye to him. The Church of All Saints at the city cemetery could not accommodate all the people, and from the temple to the place of burial - it's only 200-300 meters - the coffin was carried for more than an hour, because everyone wanted to touch it. Already in 1911, 32 years after the death of Elder Paul, with the approval of the Holy Synod, a biography was published that tells about the miracles of the ascetic during his lifetime and posthumous. And in 1917, Prince Nikolai Zhevakhov, assistant chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod, expressed a desire to collect more information about Elder Paul in order to begin the process of his canonization. This was prevented by well-known events, but during the years of Soviet power, mass veneration continued. A follower of the elder, Maria Velichko, gathered around her a community of his admirers, which included the clergy. But in 1927-28, the authorities, trying to stop this veneration, started the so-called "cause of the saints" against the community. Staritsa Maria and other members of the community were tried for anti-Soviet propaganda, the chapel was destroyed, the grave was broken into and desecrated. Despite this, people continued to seek help from the elder.
- What ultimately became the prerequisite for the canonization of Elder Paul as a locally venerated saint? How was this decision made?
When the years of Soviet power ended, the question of the canonization of Elder Paul began to be raised by ordinary people who revered him. And among church hierarchs, Metropolitan Vladimir (Sabodan) of Rostov and Novocherkassk, now Metropolitan of Kyiv, was the first to propose this idea, then it was supported by Metropolitan Vladimir (Kotlyarov) of St. Petersburg. In 1999, Archbishop Panteleimon of Yaroslavl and Rostov, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, reckoned Elder Pavel among the locally revered saints. About three hundred priests came to this canonization. The relics of Elder Pavel were previously placed in a special capsule and transferred from the territory of the All Saints Church to the cemetery across the city to the St. Nicholas Church. The canonization was attended by about 30 thousand people who witnessed the miraculous event. At the moment when the rite of glorification of Blessed Paul was performed, a rainbow appeared around the sun, which remained in the sky for two hours, and many recorded it on photo and video cameras. It would seem that nothing surprising, a rainbow around the sun, the so-called halo, is a rare but natural physical phenomenon. But for believers, this was a spiritual evidence that the glorification of Elder Paul gladdens not only our hearts, but also Heaven.
Visible and invisible front of work
- How is the process of reckoning locally venerated saints to the general church organized now? What preparatory work have you done?
Only a Bishops' Council, which takes place every two years, can be recognized as a general church saint. And such recognition is a rare event. Therefore, the preparatory work must be carried out huge and responsible. Throughout all these years, there has been a collection of documents testifying to the help of Elder Paul - miracles or healings. At the same time, a lot of work is going on with the archives, and the liturgy for Elder Pavel is being compiled. All this is being handled by the commission for the canonization of the saints of the Don Metropolis, and preparations for general church glorification are being carried out with the blessing of Metropolitan Mercury of Rostov and Novocherkassk. Further, the documents are submitted to the Synodal Commission for Canonization under His Holiness the Patriarch, and if the preparatory work is recognized as satisfactory, then it is transferred to the Bishops' Council, which makes a final decision. But the preparation of canonization is not only work with documents, but also the reconstruction of memorial places associated with the name of the saint.
- What are these facilities in Taganrog?
Firstly, the chapel over the grave of Elder Pavel, and secondly, his cell, and most importantly, the St. Nicholas Church - the main one in Taganrog, it was in it that the relics of Elder Pavel rested. Therefore, we are faced with the task of implementing the project for the reconstruction of St. Nicholas Church, since after canonization it will become the center of attraction for even more believers. First of all, you need to connect the already existing two buildings into one large temple. There is a huge amount of work to be done - in the temple it is necessary to make a new painting, an iconostasis, re-cover the roof, install new domes. Outside the territory of the temple, we plan to build a Sunday school and create an administrative building.
- The cost of these works has already been determined?
It all depends on what restorers and icon painters will offer us. Now we do not know the full scope of the necessary work, but the cost of successful implementation of the entire project ranges from 90 to 120 million rubles. In addition, we need to coordinate all project documents, including with the Ministry of Culture. Everyday work is going on here, but we understand that the time frame is so short that it is difficult to do a lot with human efforts - therefore, we hope for God's help.
- Is it possible to count on the fact that large enterprises of Taganrog will take part in the reconstruction of the St. Nicholas Church?
Of course, we hope that people who know Elder Pavel and for whom the shrines of St. Nicholas Church are not indifferent will take part in its restoration. Although I am asked questions: now, when the state and people are going through hard times, does it make sense to conduct new construction? But temples were built even in the most difficult times - because people wanted to pray to God, to receive help, and the people, united by this prayer, overcame all difficulties. In the case of the Nikolsky Church, we expect that it will become not only a spiritual, but also a social center, and this will correspond to the mission of Elder Paul, the ministry that he carried during his lifetime.
Is it possible for such a person as Elder Pavel to appear in our time? Are there figures in the Orthodox world today comparable to those elders who lived a hundred or two hundred years ago?
- “A village does not stand without a righteous man, and a city without a saint” - this wisdom reflects the meaning of the biblical story about Lot, for the sake of which God did not destroy Sodom until the righteous man left the city. Now it is difficult to say who these people are, for whose sake our cities stand. Only time and the fullness of church reason can recognize the life of a person as pleasing to God. Despite the fact that the Church was persecuted in the 20th century, this period gave Russia tens of thousands of holy new martyrs, confessors and ascetics. Among them there are those whom we also call elders - for example, Archpriest Nikolai Guryanov and Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) who recently died in Bose. There were many ascetics, popularly called elders, in the 20th century. We turn to their experience, their wisdom, but too little time has passed to canonize them: more years will pass until the church consciousness recognizes them as saints.
Cell of St. Paul (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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In the center of Taganrog, you can see a small clay house, as if rooted into the ground. This house enjoys special respect among the people. After all, the ascetic Saint Blessed Pavel of Taganrog, who is especially revered by the inhabitants of the city, spent part of his life here. The fame of this charitable man spread beyond the borders of Taganrog long before his death. Many people hurried here and left the elder's cell spiritually renewed and bodily healed. The canonization took place at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, and the holy relics of the Blessed One are kept in the St. Nicholas Church, not far from the place where he spent his earthly years.
In the cell of St. Paul, everything remained the same as during the life of the ascetic. Here you can see in what a modest environment a man of great spiritual powers lived. Icons, candles, lampadas are everywhere, from furniture items there are only simple benches and pots used as candlesticks.
Saint Blessed Paul of Taganrog (Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov) was born on November 8, 1792 in the Chernihiv province. He was named Paul in honor of St. Paul the Confessor, and from the first years of his life he discovered in himself the desire for salvation and a righteous life. Upon reaching the age of 20, the young man received an inheritance from his father, which amounted to vast lands and several hundred souls of serfs, it was a very solid state. But since his soul was far from earthly concerns, Paul released all his serfs to freedom. Of course, such an act greatly surprised the neighbors and acquaintances of the family. After that, Paul, fulfilling his old dream, went on a journey through the holy places of Russia.
The journey was long, in total it took about 10 years. As a result, the road led him to Taganrog, where he stayed.
Having settled in the city, Paul becomes known for his modest life, for attending all church services, fasting strictly and praying earnestly, donating to churches. The novices reached out to the man of God. The Lord gave Paul the gift of healing, and rumors of miraculous recovery spread far beyond the city. People from all over the province came to Taganrog with their troubles, sorrows and ailments. During his life, the ascetic lived in different parts of the city, and spent his last years in an apartment on Depaldovsky, now Turgenevsky Lane. In this small house, the old man met his death. Now this house is called the farmstead of the elder Pavel or, as is customary among the people, the cell of St. Paul.
Pacifying the flesh, the saint slept only on a hard bench, and instead of a pillow he put some clothes under his head. Saint Paul led an ascetic life and encouraged his flock to do the same.
The room where St. Paul of Taganrog offered prayers was full of icons, candles and icon lamps were burning everywhere. Pacifying the flesh, the saint slept only on a hard bench, and instead of a pillow he put some clothes under his head. Saint Paul led an ascetic life and encouraged his flock to do the same. Very many came to him in this small cell, received spiritual or physical healing. They began to honor him even before his death, which followed in March 1879.
