St. Innocent of Moscow Russian Orthodox Church

Biography of Saint Innocent of Moscow

Memory = celebrated March=20 31 and September 23 "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. = Go ye=20 therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the = Father, and=20 of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things=20 whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto = the end=20 of the world Amen" (Matt. 28:18-20)

Following = God's call=20 (Matt. 28:18-20), the Russian Orthodox Church has tirelessly performed = its lofty=20 and salvific ministry of preaching the Word of God throughout its=20 millennium-long existence. Soon after the Baptism of Russia took place, = many=20 peoples who grew in the cradle of the Russian State were enlightened = with the=20 Gospel's Truth through the zealous efforts of archpastors and pastors = and=20 especially monks from our ancient monasteries. In the 18th and 19th = centuries=20 the Russian Church carried out its salvific mission in the vast lands of = Europe=20 and Asia reaching the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Mountains in the = west, the=20 Black Sea and the Pamir in the south, and the Amur River and the Pacific = in the=20 east. At the turn of the 19th century, the Russian Orthodox mission, = following=20 the "Russian Columbus, Gregory Shelikhov (1744-95), spread to the remote = North=20 American continent where missionary monks from Valamo sowed the first = seeds of=20 orthodox faith. It was in heretofore unknown Alaska and the Aleutian and = Commander Islands, dispersed in the vast waters of the Pacific, that the = all-holy name of God was glorified through the apostolic ministry of a = yet=20 little-known priest from Irkutsk by name of Ioann Veniaminov. Fr. Ioann = was to=20 become Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna in succession to luminaries = Peter,=20 Alexis, Jonas, Macarius, Philip, Job and Philaret.

With the = Message we now=20 begin to mark in 1997 the 200th anniversary of St. Innocent, = Metropolitan of=20 Moscow and Kolomna whose life to the last breath was devoted to the = sacrificial=20 service of the Holy Church. Looking at his great apostolic feat, we = praise and=20 worship God the Saviour Who is wondrous in His saints.

St. Innocent = was born on=20 26 August 1797 at the remote village of Anginskoye, Irkutsk Province, to = the=20 poor family of the local church's sexton. He was named Ioann at baptism. = His=20 modest origin and inconspicuous place of birth did not betoken the high = social=20 position and fame he was to be granted later by Lord for his ascetic = life. He=20 lost his father at the age of six to experience the bitter life of an = orphan. In=20 1806 nine year-old Ioann was assigned to the seminary in Irkutsk. = Significantly,=20 not long before he came to Irkutsk in 1806, there were found, in the = city's=20 Monastery of the Ascension, the relics of St. Innocent of Irkutsk whose = name and=20 apostolic ministry he was to inherit as the enlightener of America and = Siberia.=20 During his eleven years at the seminary in Irkutsk, young Ioann showed = brilliant=20 abilities in assimilating the basics of theology, rhetoric, philology, = which=20 allowed him later to achieve a truly outstanding success in his = educational=20 work. In this seminary the future great enlightener was given the same=20 fundamental academic training as his glorious predecessors in missionary = work,=20 such as St. Cyril Equal to the Apostles, the enlightener of the Slaves = (+869),=20 St. Stephen of Perm (+1369). He trained in the traditions of classical = Greek=20 education in St. Gregory's Monastery in Rostov, St. Innocent of Irkutsk = (+1731)=20 who graduated from the Theological Academy in Kiev and worked as prefect = of the=20 Slavonic-Greek-Latin Academy in Moscow. During his life in the seminary, = the=20 future luminary showed such Christian virtues as humbleness, natural = kindness=20 and exceptional industry. His extraordinary achievements and exemplary = behaviour=20 compelled the rector of the seminary in 1814 to give him the family name = of=20 Veniaminov after the late Bishop Veniamin (Bagriansiky) of Irkutsk who = was much=20 loved by the faithful.

In 1817 = Ioann Veniaminov=20 graduated from the seminary and was ordained deacon. In May 1821, he was = ordained presbyter at the Church of the Annunciation in Irkutsk where he = spent=20 the first years of his pastoral service. Since the first years of his=20 priesthood, Father Ioann enjoyed general favour and love for his = "pastorship=20 unprecedented in Irkutsk", which included Sunday talks with children on = the=20 interpretation of the Holy Gospel. The Irkutsk period set an indelible = stamp on=20 the saint's memory. Later, performing his pastoral ministry, he never = forgot=20 about the church service he carried out in his native land. Later he = dedicated=20 the first church, in the Unalashka Islands, to the Ascension of the Lord = and in=20 memory of St. Innocent's Monastery of the Ascension in Irkutsk. He also = renamed=20 the Ust-Zeiskaya Cossack village on the Amur as the town of = Blagoveschensk=20 (Annunciation) after the Church of the Annunciation in Irkutsk in which = he was=20 ordained.

Yet, it was = in such=20 remote lands as the Russian America that God's selected-one had to carry = out his=20 educational ministry in the apostolic field. Monks from several northern = Russian=20 monasteries began this work in 1794 in the Kodyak Island of the Aleutian = Archipelago. In 1822, the Holy Governing Synod decided to send the = missionary=20 priest to the Aleutian Islands. Motivated by the apostolic zeal, Father = Ioann=20 Veniaminov approached the Right Reverend Mikhail (Burdukov), Bishop of = Irkutsk,=20 and declared his willingness to assume this service. Already in May = 1823, the 26=20 year-old missionary together with his family set off for a very hard and = dangerous journey. In June of the following year, the travellers arrived = in=20 Unalashka, the main island of the Aleutian Archipelago.

Father Ioann = s primary=20 concern was to learn the language of the local people and to build a = church=20 dedicated to the Holy Ascension. He built it with his own hands together = with=20 islanders, while teaching them various skills. The church was = consecrated in=20 July 1826 and became the center of Christian education for the Aleutians = in=20 Unalashka and the surrounding islands. Exposed to various dangers and=20 deprivations, the pastor went in wretched boats from island to island, = preaching=20 the Word of God to local people. The zealous missionary managed to learn = quickly=20 six local tribal dialects and composed a Cyrillic alphabet for the = prevailing=20 Aleutian language and translated the Gospel from St. Matthew into it, as = well as=20 the catechises and the most popular prayers and church hymns. Using a = simple and=20 accessible language, he wrote an Aleutian brief course of Orthodox = dogmatics and=20 morality entitled "A Guideline to the Kingdom of God". Considered one of = the=20 best catechetical courses and educational aids for children and youth, = this=20 course has been reprinted many times since. Father Ioann Veniaminov = organized=20 schools in which some 600 boys were taught to read and write, built a = hospital=20 and an orphanage, fought with hard drinking and polygamy widely = practiced by=20 local people and managed to overcome these vices almost completely. =

After ten = years on the=20 Unalashka Island, Father Ioann baptized all the people in the = archipelago. With=20 the blessing of Bishop Mikhail of Irkutsk, he made a trip in 1829 to = Nushegak in=20 the American continent and preached the Word of God to people who lived = on the=20 Bering Sea coast and baptized those who came to believe. In 1834, Father = Ioann=20 was transferred to New Archangel in the Sitka Island, the center of the = Russian=20 possessions in North America, to serve in the Cathedral Church of = Archangel=20 Michael. During his four years in the island, he brought into the fold = of the=20 Church of Christ many local heathen Indians who had been known, before = he came,=20 for their commitment to paganism and cruel practices. In spite of all = the=20 hardships, he encountered in his missionary work, the great enlightener, = throughout his 14 years in the Russian America, found time and energy to = engage=20 himself in a fundamental study of the life, culture, languages and = customs of=20 the local population. He also studied the local climate, flora and fauna = and=20 left capital ethnographic, geographical and linguistic works for which = he was=20 later elected an honorary member of the Russian Geographical Society and = Moscow=20 Royal University.

The acute = need to draw=20 the attention of the Holy Governing Synod to the urgent needs of = missionary and=20 parish work in Russian America compelled Father Ioann Veniaminov to make = a trip=20 to St. Petersburg. He arrived in the city in June 1829 and met with a = lively=20 response of the Synod members whom he managed to convince of the need to = establish a permanent Orthodox Mission in the north of the American = continent.=20 In acknowledgment of his missionary service on behalf of the Russian = Orthodox=20 Church, Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow elevated Father Ioann = to the=20 rank of archpriest. It was in St. Petersburg in November 1840 that = Father Ioann=20 received sad news about the death of his wife in Irktitsk. After a = pilgrimage to=20 St. Sergius Monastery of the Holy Trinity and to the shrines in Kiev, = Archpriest=20 Ioann, on the advice of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, took monastic = vows on=20 November 29. He took the name of Innocent, after Bishop Innocent of = Irktitsk,=20 and was elevated to the rank of archimandrite on the following day. In = December=20 1840, the Holy Governing Synod established a new diocese of = Kamachatka-Kurils=20 and the Aleutian islands based in the city of New Archangel. Bishop = Innocent=20 (Veniaminov) was consecrated bishop on 15 December 1840 at the Cathedral = of Our=20 Lady of Kazan in St. Petersburg and became the first archpastor of the = new=20 diocese, New Archangel remained Bishop Innocent=92s See for eleven = years. It was=20 the time when his archpastoral gift blossomed.

The bishop = undertook=20 many hard trips through Kamchatka and eastern Siberia, nourishing his = flock,=20 taking efforts to train clergymen from among local people in Alaska and = Siberia=20 and to set up new Orthodox missions. With his paternal kindness gaining = him=20 favour among the Koryaks, Chukcha and Tungus, he succeeded in spreading = the Word=20 of God among them. Wherever Bishop Innocent performed his Episcopal = service,=20 Orthodoxy invariably grew and gathered strength. Bishop Innocent was = elevated to=20 the rank of archbishop in April 1850. Two years later his diocese = extended to=20 include the vast region of Yakutsk, In September 1853 he arrived in the = city of=20 Yakutsk. During his service there he translated scriptural books into = the=20 Yaktitian and Tungus languages, built churches, arranges parish life and = set up=20 orphanages. In April 1859, divine services in the Trinity Cathedral in = Yakutsk=20 began to be conducted in the Yakutian languages. In 1857, Archbishop = Innocent=20 made a trip through Yakutia and North America to inspect his farther = parishes.=20 He was summoned to St. Petersburg twice (in 1860 and 1861), as the Holy = Synod=20 was to approve his proposal for transferring the See from Yakutsk to = Amur and to=20 establish vicarages in New Archangel, on the Sitka Island and Yakutsk. = The=20 bishop made archpastoral and missionary trips along the Amur and Ussuri = Rivers.=20 In September 1861, the apostle of America and Siberia met in Tokyo with=20 hieromonk Nicholas (Kasatkin), the future apostle of Japan. In April = 1865,=20 Archbishop Innocent became a member of the Holy Governing Synod after = the death=20 of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. Archbishop Innocent was appointed on = 5=20 January 1868 to the See of the Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna. He = was to=20 occupy it for eleven years.

Soon after = his=20 appointment to the See of the old Russian capital, Metropolitan Innocent = established an Orthodox Missionary Society and guided it for nine years. = "The=20 Lord is pleased", he wrote. "that here too, in the centre of Russia and = in an=20 advanced age, I should not stay alien to the missionary work to which by = Divine=20 Providence my life was devoted since I was a youth working in the remote = parts=20 of my homeland". Through the efforts of Metropolitan Innocent the = missionary=20 work of the Russian Orthodox Church extended considerably as the church = people=20 learnt to believe it their sacred duty to help spread and affirm the = Orthodox=20 faith among the heathens. Serving at the old Moscow See, Metropolitan = Innocent=20 showed a profound archpastoral wisdom and knowledge of life. He took the = needs=20 of the Moscow clergy close to heart and sought to alleviate them. He was = concerned for arranging the work of theological schools in his diocese, = opened a=20 school for icon-painting and other arts for poor children and orphans,=20 transformed Philaret's college into a school for daughters of the clergy = who did=20 not receive any pensions or allowances, founded the large Ostrovsky = alms-house,=20 and wrote educational aids for the clergy of the staff list, as well as = their=20 widows and orphans. As the Holy Archimandrite of St. Sergius' Monastery = of the=20 Trinity, Metropolitan Innocent devoted much of his energy to improving = it and=20 ensured the development of its charitable ministry. With his blessing, = the=20 monastery began to publish "The Trinity Sheets" which were very popular = among=20 believers. He raised before the Holy Synod the question of spiritual = improvement=20 of monastic life in monasteries. He built a church dedicated to the=20 'Intercession' at the Moscow Theological Academy.

Throughout = his=20 archpastoral activity, the Metropolitan gained the love of the clergy = and=20 faithful by his kindness, accessibility, and sincerity in human = relations. At=20 the same time, the great enlightener continued his concern for the = Russian=20 Orthodox Church in North America. It was on his initiative that the Holy = Governing Synod chose San Francisco as the bishop's See. Metropolitan = Innocent=20 also emphasized the need for the clergy to know English and for the = Church to=20 train priests from among local Americans as a necessary condition for=20 strengthening Orthodoxy in the American continent. Feeling his death=20 approaching, Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow and Kolomna asked on the = Great=20 Tuesday, 27 March 1879, that the Sacrament of Extreme Unction be = administered to=20 him. On the Great Thursday, 29 March, he Communed. At 2.45 on the Great=20 Saturday, March 31, the Metropolitan equal to the apostles passed away = in the=20 Lord. On 5 April 1879 Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow and Kolomna of the = blessed=20 memory was buried at St., Sergius' Monastery of the Trinity. Two = inscriptions=20 were made at his tomb: "May the Lord remember your archpastoral service = in his=20 Kingdom always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages." and "0 Lord = Jesus Christ=20 our God, have mercy on us through the prayers of Metropolitan Innocent". =

The = apostolic preaching=20 of Metropolitan Innocent spread to a vast territory including Alaska and = Chukotka, the Aleutian, Kurils and Commander Islands, eastern Siberia, = the Amur=20 region, Kamchatka and the Far East. Metropolitan Innocent brought the = light of=20 Christian faith to the Aleutians, Koloshes, Kurils, Eskimo, Kenai, = Chugaches,=20 Kamchadals, Oliutores, Negidales, Mongols, Samogirs, Golds, Gulyaks, = Koryaks,=20 Tungus, Chukcha, Yakutians, and Kitians. The preaching of the gospel was = the=20 primary achievement in the life of Metropolitan Innocent and occupied a = special=20 place in his apostolic service. The metropolitan had a great homiletic = gift and=20 was a remarkable preacher. He never missed an opportunity to preach and = talk to=20 people and tirelessly instructed his clergy to do the same: "Woe to him = who is=20 called but fails to preach". He wrote, "Interpreting matters of faith, = one must=20 speak after careful consideration, clearly, distinctly, as briefly as = possible,=20 otherwise your preaching will be of little success... One must say that = the=20 whole teaching of Christ is that we should repent believe in Him and = have a=20 selfless and pure love for Him and all people... In order to influence = the=20 heart, one must speak from the heart, for it is from the abundant heart = that the=20 mouth speaks. Therefore, only he who is filled with faith and love can = have the=20 mouth and wisdom which the hearts of listeners find hard to resist. This = is how=20 the personality of the Metropolitan of Moscow was described by one of = his=20 contemporaries: "The Most Reverend Innocent appears majestically = distinct and=20 original among our Orthodox bishops both old and new. As one who was = raised and=20 then worked for seventy years amidst ingenious and simple nature and = among as=20 simple children of nature, he himself was open, gentle and affable,=20 straightforward and impartial. He did not like smart artificiality in = anything,=20 he did not like to show off his knowledge or his merits, but always = behaved=20 simply and humbly. He enriched his powerful natural intelligence with a = vast and=20 manifold knowledge that only few can boast His heart was free from envy = and=20 craftiness, ambition and conceit, greed and luxury. Having faced severe = nature,=20 needs and deprivation since his early age, he trained himself to be = patient and=20 industrious, courageous and steadfast self-possessed and resourceful, = temperate=20 and content with little, and to be absolutely obedient to the sacred = will of God=20 in all circumstances. His name became famed and honoured both in his = country and=20 in foreign lands.

Not only = every Russian=20 who is devoted to the honour and glory of his country, but also every = educated=20 person who only respects science and humanity respectfully bow before = the great=20 personality of our apostle of Kamchatka and the Aleutian Islands. The = fact that=20 many Orthodox Christians, both in Russia and in the American continent,=20 cherished the memory of Metropolitan Innocent of blessed memory and = venerated=20 him in their hearts led the Russian Orthodox Church to consider his = canonization=20 as an ardent apostle of Orthodoxy, selfless pastor filled with a = profound=20 humbleness and devoted love for God and people and zealous servant of = the=20 Church. After a thorough consideration of this matter by the Synodal = Commission=20 for Christian Unity the Holy Synod, having praised our Lord the Saviour = and=20 Guardian of the world Who shows inexhaustible mercy for His Church, = resolved=20 that Metropolitan Innocent of blessed memory, Bishop of Moscow and = Apostle of=20 America and Siberia, be ranked among the saints glorified by God's = grace. The=20 Holy Synod resolved that the memory of our St. Father Innocent, = Metropolitan of=20 Moscow and Kolomna, be celebrated twice a year, namely, on the day of = his=20 blessed demise, 31 March (13 April according to the new calendar) and on = the day=20 of his glorification, 23 September (6 October according to the new = calendar),=20 and that his name be included in the Church calendar. On 13 October = 1994, the=20 eve of the Feast of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, = the=20 Orthodox people were honoured with God's great grace as the honourable = relics of=20 St. Innocent were found at St. Sergius' Monastery of the Trinity. The = year 1997=20 is marked with the 200th anniversary of Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow = and=20 Kolomna. The land of Irkutsk, which cultivated this great preacher of = the Holy=20 Gospel, is rejoicing. Orthodox America also rejoices, glorifying its = Apostle and=20 Luminary. Rejoicing is also the Siberian land, which has St. Innocent as = its=20 heavenly patron. The glorious city of Moscow, too, stands out vividly, = lit up=20 with the heavenly light of the star, which came from the cast. Rejoicing = also is=20 the ancient monastery of St. Sergius, having under its protection the = treasure,=20 which are the holy relics of St. Innocent.

The = Saviour's parable of=20 a sower who sowed some of his seed into good ground and it brought forth = fruit a=20 hundredfold (Mt. 13:3-8) was embodied in the apostolic feat of St. = Innocent. The=20 seeds of faith he sowed in the hearts of dozens of thousands of children = of God=20 from many tribes and peoples in Alaska and northern islands of the = Pacific,=20 eastern Siberia and the Far East continue to sprout to this day. Nine = dioceses=20 in Siberia and the Far East cover today a vast territory whose = indigenous=20 peoples heard the Word of God from St. Innocent equal to the apostles... = At a=20 time when we seek ways for reviving mission in the Russian Orthodox = Church, the=20 image of St. Innocent stands before us as an example of a man who was = "the=20 minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles" (Rom 15:16); a true apostle = who=20 devoted his life to the proclamation of Christ and the gospel. The = experience of=20 this great apostolic enlightener shows convincingly that the church = mission can=20 be successful only if it is based on respect for every nation and its = culture=20 and for every person. The Church's witness should never be interrupted = during=20 shifts in social formations or radical social changes, but should call = all to=20 harmony and reconciliation, Apostolic zeal, profound humbleness, ardent = love of=20 people, boundless commitment to the task of preaching the gospel and=20 faithfulness to the Orthodox Church. These are the qualities that are=20 characteristic of St. Innocent. Every one of us should seek to acquire = them, if=20 the mission of our Church in the world today is to be successful. The = preaching=20 of Christianity is "not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in=20 demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1 Cor 2:4). The missionary and = archpastoral feast of St. Innocent shows us how profound and powerful = should be=20 the faith of a preacher. St. Innocent himself used to say, "human steps = are=20 corrected by the Lord", and we all serve as tools of God's grace. We = believe=20 that the words of Christ the Saviour are addressed to every person, = wherever he=20 may live and whatever nation he may belong to. His words are about one = thing,=20 that is, the heavenly kingdom, repentance and the way to this kingdom. = St.=20 Innocent wrote to the Tunguses: "Do not be afraid of following the Lord = Jesus=20 Christ, He is a powerful Supporter; follow Him, hurry up, go, as long as = the=20 door to the heavenly Kingdom is open for you, and your Heavenly Father = will meet=20 you early on this way, kiss you, clothe you in the first garments and = introduce=20 you in His house". These words written in the last century by the light = of an=20 oil-lamp in an Eskimo shack can be addressed to any audience at any = time.=20

From The = Orthodox Messenger,=20 vol 8(11/12) & 9(1/2), 1997-8 published bi-monthly by the SA Central = Youth.=20 PO Box 269, GLENELG SA 5045 AUSTRALIA

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