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the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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ano<strong>the</strong>r source, June 11), in Zosima Hermitage, Nicholas was tonsured by<br />

Bishop Theodore with <strong>the</strong> name Barnabas in honour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Apostle Barnabas<br />

and Elder Barnabas (+1905) <strong>of</strong> Gethsemane skete.<br />

Before his tonsure Elder Alexis gave him <strong>the</strong> following advice: "Let your<br />

motto and prayer for <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> your life be <strong>the</strong>se words: Receive me, O<br />

Lord, into Thy paternal embrace and do not release me whatever happens to<br />

me throughout my life. May I always be Thine."<br />

Two or three years after this tonsure, Bishop Theodore was visited by <strong>the</strong><br />

famous Elder Schema-Archimandrite Gabriel. Vladyka called all those whom<br />

he had tonsured, about 15 to 20 people, into his room. When <strong>the</strong>y were all<br />

sitting at <strong>the</strong> table and Vladyka began to recommend several <strong>of</strong> those who<br />

were <strong>new</strong>ly tonsured, <strong>the</strong> elder at <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Barnabas said, without talking<br />

to anyone in particular:<br />

"When <strong>the</strong>y tonsured him and I heard about it, I thought: a <strong>new</strong> Fr.<br />

Barnabas has been born."<br />

And his eyes became bright and smiling.<br />

This was <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> Fr. Barnabas' acquaintance with <strong>the</strong> great elder<br />

Fr. Gabriel (Zyryanov). "Batyushka would talk," Vladyka Barnabas<br />

remembered later, "and I listened attentively, not lowering my eyes from him.<br />

It's hard to believe that it really was all like that. Batyushka was sitting all<br />

white, like <strong>the</strong> moon, peaceful, joyful, while through <strong>the</strong> window it was a<br />

quiet evening and a strong, sickly sweet smell <strong>of</strong> jasmine came up from <strong>the</strong><br />

garden...<br />

"It was good to sit with <strong>the</strong> elder Fr. Gabriel those quiet warm summer<br />

evenings... I was going through a particularly difficult period in my life: <strong>the</strong><br />

transition from <strong>the</strong> noetic Egypt through "<strong>the</strong> Red Sea deep"... And to meet<br />

such a Moses on <strong>the</strong> way was exceptionally sweet and, as I see now,<br />

absolutely necessary."<br />

In 1911 Fr. Barnabas entered <strong>the</strong> Moscow Theological Academy, and in <strong>the</strong><br />

summer he was ordained to <strong>the</strong> diaconate, and in 1913 – to <strong>the</strong> priesthood.<br />

While he was studying in <strong>the</strong> Academy, Fr. Barnabas got to know <strong>the</strong> very<br />

strict life <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> monasteries and sketes which were around <strong>the</strong> Trinity - St.<br />

Sergius Lavra, which made a great impression on him.<br />

In 1913 Fr. Barnabas was ordained to <strong>the</strong> priesthood, and during <strong>the</strong> last<br />

year <strong>of</strong> his course, he went on a pilgrimage to <strong>the</strong> Holy Land, and returned in<br />

<strong>the</strong> summer <strong>of</strong> 1914 because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world war. In 1915 he<br />

graduated from <strong>the</strong> Moscow Theological Academy and on September 11 was<br />

sent as a teacher to <strong>the</strong> Nizhegorod <strong>the</strong>ological seminary, where he taught<br />

289

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