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the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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On May 9, 1930 he was banned by Metropolitan Sergius, and on June 4 was<br />

submitted to a hierarchical trial, but continued to serve, not considering<br />

himself to be a sergianist bishop.<br />

As Metropolitan Sergius, relying on <strong>the</strong> Soviet authorities, increased <strong>the</strong><br />

pressure on those who did not recognize him, Bishop Sinesius departed into<br />

<strong>the</strong> catacombs. He took on <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> a wanderer. He travelled round<br />

what was once Holy Russia, but which was now fallen, full <strong>of</strong> sin, in bast<br />

sandals with a rope belt round his waist, his hair and beard sticking out in<br />

wisps, a knapsack on his back... Who would have thought that he was an<br />

archpastor! In <strong>the</strong>se difficult conditions he taught and instructed <strong>Orthodox</strong><br />

Christians on <strong>the</strong> way to salvation. He spoke about <strong>the</strong> Jesus prayer as a<br />

convenient and indispensable work... He also spoke about <strong>the</strong> external<br />

conditions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> persecuted Church:<br />

"From now on don't go into <strong>the</strong> open churches. They are snares. There is no<br />

<strong>Orthodox</strong>y <strong>the</strong>re. Only <strong>the</strong> form without <strong>the</strong> content... There it is as <strong>the</strong> Lord<br />

said: 'Your house is left to you empty!' (Luke 13.35). The Lord has punished<br />

us for our sins. The Church <strong>of</strong> Christ is not <strong>the</strong>re - only a sham appearance<br />

remains. The true pastors have been annihilated, imprisoned, exiled, put to<br />

flight. While <strong>the</strong> 'priests' that have remained are, as a rule, party members,<br />

a<strong>the</strong>ists. And <strong>the</strong>se priests are creating <strong>the</strong>re what <strong>the</strong> Holy Gospel calls '<strong>the</strong><br />

abomination <strong>of</strong> desolation'. And we are told to 'flee into <strong>the</strong> mountains' from<br />

this 'desolation'. And this is <strong>the</strong> same as that which Revelation refers to as<br />

'fleeing into <strong>the</strong> wilderness'... Flee by praying to God! He is <strong>the</strong> Most High, He<br />

will not leave us who hope on Him as orphans. He is powerful to defend us,<br />

to preserve us from all evil, from enemies visible and invisible... Save us!"<br />

The Lord gave him <strong>the</strong> gift <strong>of</strong> clairvoyance, but he hid it by playing <strong>the</strong><br />

fool. Because <strong>of</strong> his foolishness for Christ's sake, <strong>the</strong>re were some who did not<br />

understand this feat and laughed at him.<br />

His prophecies were sometimes realized many years later. Once he gave a<br />

nun some children's swaddling clo<strong>the</strong>s. She was indignant:<br />

"What's this?"<br />

But he answered: "It will come in handy!"<br />

And ten years later she was put in camp... And her swaddling clo<strong>the</strong>s<br />

"came in handy"!<br />

On May 24, 1931 he was arrested for being “<strong>the</strong> leader <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Udmurtia<br />

branch <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> counter-revolutionary church-monarchist organization, <strong>the</strong> True<br />

<strong>Orthodox</strong> Church”, and on January 26, 1932 was sentenced to ten years in <strong>the</strong><br />

camps. He was sent to <strong>the</strong> camps on <strong>the</strong> Baltic-White Sea canal, arriving <strong>the</strong>re<br />

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