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the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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292<br />

On <strong>the</strong> evening <strong>of</strong> September 29, 1922 all his problems received a fitting<br />

resolution. "The elders," wrote Vladyka, "easily and freely blessed me to take<br />

on <strong>the</strong> feat <strong>of</strong> foolishness for Christ's sake as <strong>the</strong> only way out <strong>of</strong> my present<br />

situation, which threatened grave dangers for <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> my spiritual life."<br />

Fr. Alexis said: "Well, we [that is, he and Fr. Metrophanes] are locking you<br />

up [that is, away from people, although not completely, not as a recluse]."<br />

When Vladyka asked whe<strong>the</strong>r he could serve at home, Fr. Alexis said:<br />

"God gives His blessing, that is a good work."<br />

At <strong>the</strong> clinic he obtained a certificate that on October 16 he had been seen<br />

by Doctor Lebedev because <strong>of</strong> "hysterical neuras<strong>the</strong>nia". This was in order<br />

that it should not seem as if he had suddenly gone out <strong>of</strong> his mind, but that<br />

his illness had been developing gradually, in accordance with <strong>the</strong> psychiatric<br />

textbooks.<br />

And so, on October 19, 1922, he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital.<br />

Later, on October 22, <strong>the</strong> feast <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kazan icon, he was released at <strong>the</strong><br />

petition <strong>of</strong> believers and settled in <strong>the</strong> private house <strong>of</strong> his spiritual children<br />

Raphael Andreyevich Karelin and Elizabeth Germanovna Karelina. Raphael<br />

Alexandrovich was a former satanist with great power in <strong>the</strong> demonic world,<br />

who had been saved from destruction by Vladyka Barnabas, for which<br />

Vladyka had to pay by suffering many attacks from <strong>the</strong> dark powers. After<br />

Karelin's conversion, <strong>the</strong> demons appeared to <strong>the</strong> bishop and personally<br />

confirmed <strong>the</strong> great authority he had had among <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

It was in this house that, with <strong>the</strong> blessing <strong>of</strong> Elder Alexis, he began writing<br />

"The Foundations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Art <strong>of</strong> Holiness". He wrote it in such a way that<br />

anyone, and especially young people, could understand and pr<strong>of</strong>it from it.<br />

During this period <strong>of</strong> his life he had no communications with anyone. Here he<br />

was visited by Fr. Metrophanes, who had been sent by Elder Alexis; and after<br />

a long conversation Fr. Metrophanes emerged to say that by <strong>the</strong> command <strong>of</strong><br />

Vladyka his spiritual children were to refer for <strong>the</strong> time being for spiritual<br />

nourishment to Fr. Peter Topolev.<br />

Vladyka Barnabas was several times arrested by <strong>the</strong> authorities and put in<br />

prison. But he was soon freed because <strong>the</strong>y could not prove that he was<br />

healthy. They told his novice Valentina to take him way.<br />

Once Vladyka was sitting and writing. There was a knock on <strong>the</strong> front<br />

door. Realizing that this was <strong>the</strong> GPU, he got up, put <strong>the</strong> pages he had written<br />

into a book and placed it on <strong>the</strong> shelf. The chekist came in and, without a<br />

292

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