the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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detail, that he had forbidden me to serve and that I did not recognize him and
that he was a renovationist. Out of all the eight people present, only one
hierodeacon did not agree with me.
"'I will commemorate Bishop Alexis,' he said.
"'If you want to commemorate Alexis,' I replied, 'go to him and serve there,
but I will not allow you to serve with me in the podvorye.'
"I did not allow him to serve, and he went to the bishop's house, where he
served. From August 23rd Alexis was not commemorated with us in the
podvorye. Nor was the HCA. The whole city knew about that in the St.
Andrew podvorye Archimandrite Pitirim had forbidden his monks from
commemorating Alexis of Odessa and Kherson.
"On October 25th, I was arrested and taken to the GPU. I went with joy for
the purity of the faith. They kept me there for seventeen days for
interrogations: why did I not recognize or commemorate Alexis? I explained
that I was from old Athos, there I was tonsured into monasticism and
ordained as a church-server by a Greek bishop and I was in obedience to the
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. According to our Church law, one
must commemorate the person one is in obedience to. After interrogation I
was freed.
"Vladyka Alexis was unhappy. He summoned a Diocesan Congress for
November 7, 1923 [1922?], at which it was decreed that the Athonite podvorye
should be closed and handed over to the Administration of the Odessa-
Kherson Diocese, since it was a menace for the world.
"During this period, on January 2nd, 1923, I saw a vision: it was as if I was
in my community on Athos and the reposed Archimandrite Joseph was
blessing me for a new obedience. He was making me a bishop, vesting me in a
hierarchical mantia and omophorion, and putting a staff in my hand, while by
the other column on the left stood the Apostle Andrew, who was also blessing
me. And they put me on the left kliros of the church. I looked at them with
such joy - at my elder Joseph and the Apostle Andrew. The service continued
for some time until suddenly two people came up to me and said:
"'Let's go. You have been appointed our bishop. Everybody's waiting for
you there!'
"They took me by the hands and led me out of the church, and suddenly a
simple peasant cart drawn by a pair of horses appeared. I kept on thinking
how I was going to sit in this carriage in my mantia and omophorion and
staff. Then suddenly I was in the carriage, while behind me there was a carpet
and railings. The driver set off, and we left my community and Athos. We
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