the holy new martyrs of eastern russia - Coptic Orthodox teaching

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9. HIEROCONFESSOR MICAH, BISHOP OF UFA
Bishop Micah, in the world Michael Fyodorovich Alexeyev, was born on
January 23, 1851 in the Saint Petersburg diocese into the family of a
nobleman-official who later became a state counsellor. At the age of ten he
was deprived of his mother. In 1872 he graduated from the St. Petersburg
Naval Cadet Corps on Vasilyevsky island and served in the Naval
Department, reaching the rank of Captain First Class. During this period he
sailed three times around the world. The service of the young officer went
quite well, his superiors were pleased with him.
But suddenly his career was cut short when, on March 5, 1890, he
unexpectedly retired. The reason was the sudden death of his wife. Overcome
by sorrow, on March 30, on the advice of St. John of Kronstadt, he entered the
Optina Hermitage as novice together with Prince Turkestanov, the future
Metropolitan Tryphon. From his early years he had been a spiritual son of St.
John of Kronstadt, having got to know him in the first year of his service in
the navy. “Visiting his services daily in the Andreyevsky cathedral,” recalled
Bishop Micah, “I was counted worthy to commune the Holy Mysteries very
often, at least once a week, sometimes more often. At that time Fr. John was
still serving the Divine Liturgy alone, without co-servers, and I was serving
with him in the altar, taking the place of the altar-servers, who often upset
batyushka by their crudity.” Explaining his decision to go to Optina, he said:
“I wanted to serve as he did. I went to the monastery of the strictest life –
Optina. I became stronger here, and abandoned earthly vanity: thinking about
my deeds, I corrected my faults. I thought of staying there forever.”
Once Elder Ambrose blessed Novice Michael to give the emperor a gift on
his namesday. Two days later he blessed him to give St. John of Kronstadt a
gift on his namesday. On seeing him in church, St. John was worried that the
novice had abandoned the monastery, and was relieved to learn the truth. On
the death of Elder Ambrose in 1891, St. John blessed him to take up the path
of learned monasticism.
Bishop John of Pechersk recounts the following story from Michael’s short
stay in Optina: “Being people of upper-class origin, they [he and Prince
Turkestanov] continued to love comforts and certain worldly diversions even
while at Optina Hermitage, such as taking a samovar into the forest and
holding tea parties there.
"Although there was nothing reprehensible in such conduct, nevertheless
the Superior of Optina Hermitage did not care for it.
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