FATHER GURY, whose name in the world was Simeon Pavlovich Pavlov, was born in 1906 in a village called Middle Kibeche, which is in the district of Chiveez, in the province of Kazan. His parents were Orthodox Christians of peasant stock. His father, Pavel Ivanovich Pavlov, and his mother, Varvara Michaelovna, who had five children, were pious Christians. They were Chuvash by nationality. Father Gury's paternal grandfather was the village priest. All of the children were raised in the Christian faith. All of them worked hard in the village.
In 1916, Father Gury completed the parish church school in his village, which was affiliated with the parish in the village of Visovtsevo. After this, he studied for two years in the village of Yandikovo.
When Father Gury was fourteen years old, with the blessing of his parents, he became a novice in the Chuvash Monastery of Saint Alexander Nevsky. Shortly thereafter, the Alexander Nevsky Monastery was destroyed by the Bolsheviks. After this sad event, Father Gury departed for the Makarev Hermitage in the district of Kazan Makarev Hermitage in the district of Kazan which was located some eighty versts from the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. Soon the Makarev Hermitage was also destroyed and Father Gury crossed over to the Raevsky Hermitage [dedicated to the Holy Fathers of Raithu]. When the Raevsky Hermitage was destroyed, he departed for the Odigitrsky Hermitage [dedicated to the Holy Icon of the Mother of God "Odigitria"], which was located in the diocese of Ufa.
When the Bolsheviks likewise destroyed the Odigitrsky Hermitage, Father Gury departed for the city of Ufa. In Ufa, in the Simeonov Cathedral, on the eleventh of October, 1928, according to the old calendar, Father Gury was tonsured into monasticism by Bishop Benjamin, who at the time was the ruling bishop of the Diocese of Ufa. The predecessor of Bishop Benjamin in this see, Archbishop Andre of Ufa (Prince Uhtomsky), had already been arrested and exiled to Kazakstan. On October 13 (according to the old calendar) of the same year, Vladika Benjamin ordained Father Gury a hierodeacon. On October 18 (according to the old calendar) of the same year, Bishop Benjamin ordained hierodeacon Gury a hieromonk.
After the publication of the declaration of Metropolitan Sergius Stragorodsky, many Christians ceased to attend those churches which were serviced by clergy who had signed this document. A group of Christians, who were Chuvash, haristians, who were Chuvash, had written a letter to Archbishop Andre of Ufa, who was in exile. In this letter the Christians asked the persecuted archbishop what they should do? Should they attend the Sergianist churches or not? Archbishop Andre of Ufa responded as follows: "It is necessary to pray in your own houses. One is not allowed to go to the Sergianist churches, since they are antiChristian. Even if Metropolitan Sergius repents before the entire world, there is no forgiveness for him. However, it is not possible to live without clergy. Find for yourselves a spiritual father."
Archbishop Andre, having information that Father Gury was to be found in freedom, similarly wrote a letter to Vladika Benjamin in which he requested Vladika Benjamin to give his blessing that Hieromonk Gury be assigned to the Chuvash flock. Vladika Benjamin gave Father Gury an antimins and holy chrism and blessed him to go to the Chuvash people.
For a certain time, Father Gury lived in Kazan with Protopresbyter Arkady. Bishop Nektary of Eran, whom the GPU had forbidden to fulfill his priestly duties, was also in Kazan during this time. However, Bishop Nektary secretly continued to serve in Kazan and secretly performed ordinations. Father Gury came into contact with Bishop Nektary and several times had confession with him. Once after confession, Bishop Nektary bowed fully n, Bishop Nektary bowed fully to the ground before Father Gury. Father Gury objected, insisting that it was he, Father Gury, who should bow before the bishop. However, Bishop Nektary replied, "So it must be." That very night Bishop Nektary sent Father Gury to spend the night at the house of Protopresbyter Arkady. During the night there was a knock at the door. Father Arkady quickly disposed of all that might arouse the suspicion of the GPU. After this, Father Arkady opened the door. The Chekists carefully searched the entire house. During this time, in a separate room and lying on a bed, Father Gury was reciting the ninetieth psalm. On the table, in the same room, lay the Kanonik with which Father Gury had just completed his prayer rule. Inside the Kanonik were the documents attesting to Father Gury's ordination. Neither the Kanonik nor Father Gury was noticed by the Chekists. When Vladika Nektary heard of all this from Father Gury, he said, "This is a miracle, the protection of God." This all occurred before Pascha on Great Saturday. In spite of the fact that all were under the threat of an arrest, Father Gury celebrated the Paschal service in a secluded place in another house.
Soon after this, the starosta of the parish of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Shutneevo was brought to Father Gury. Metrbrought to Father Gury. Metropolitan Sergius was not commemorated in this church and the starosta asked Father Gury to serve there. Father Gury agreed. The people of Shuteevo greatly loved their batiushka. Until the fast of Saint Peter, Father Gury served this parish continually. At the beginning of the fast of Saint Peter, a group composed of members of the Komsomol [Communist Youth League], teachers, and militia arrived at the church. Also certain collaborators of the GPU arrived with the intention of arresting Father Gury. However, the people were opposed to this. The Christians wrote an appeal to the authorities requesting that Father Gury not be touched. But the authorities did not leave Father Gury in peace. They decided to arrest him nonetheless. Prior to his arrest, Father Gury gave a moving sermon in the church. All wept and did not want to give up their batiushka, but Father Gury was arrested. During the interrogation, the Chekists placed a gun to Father Gury's chest and with all their might beat him on the chest with the gun demanding, "Tell us who wrote the appeal requesting that you not be arrested?" Here Batiushka patiently endured this and repeated, "I do not know, I do not know . . ." and in this manner he did not name a single person. Father Gury was placed into the KPZ [Preliminary Detention Ward]. There were in the same cell two j were in the same cell two juvenile delinquents. During the night, these two youths sawed through the bars and ran away. Father Gury, after briefly considering the situation, followed the youths by crawling through the opening. Reaching the prison wall, Father Gury found that it was too high and that he could not climb over it. He then entered into an adjoining building. Finding an empty room, Batiushka opened the window and climbed out. Later, Father Gury returned to the church and left a note to his flock instructing them not to search for him.
After his escape, Father Gury was in hiding both day and night. The entire church was with him in a knapsack. His vestments, necessary books and utensils—all of this he kept with him. Faithful Christians safeguarded the antimins, and would bring it when required.
At one time, Batiushka was serving in a certain house. The entire house was locked up. Father Gury himself was reading the Six Psalms. Komsomoltsy from the "Red Broom" (such was the name given to the organization assigned to combat the Church) climbed in through the roof into the entryway. The entryway was opened and the komsomoltsy came through to where the Christians were praying. They came up to Father Gury and ordered Batiushka to stop reading. Father Gury would not listen to them. Finally, they overpowered him, forced him to stop, and led hirced him to stop, and led him away to the KPZ. In the morning the commander of the militia arrived and, glancing at Father Gury, for some reason did not wish to arrest him. He said to Father Gury, "Do you have all your stuff with you? Take your things and go." Batiushka collected his antimins, books, utensils . . . and left.
During the times of his hidings, Batiushka entered into a village called Ezobakino in the county of Oktarsk. In this village he found a Chuvash parish and here he stayed to serve. At one point, he was baptizing a child at the request of the child's mother. After the baptism, a certain representative from the village soviet [council] arrived with the purpose of bringing Father Gury before the village soviet. Batiushka went with the representative of the village soviet and there he was arrested. After several weeks, Father Gury was temporarily released. Later, however, during a ferocious snowstorm, he was forcibly taken to Simbirsk. There he was simply abandoned. In Simbirsk, Batiushka found some Christians who hid him. He lived concealed under hay. Even here, after a certain time, representatives of the "Red Broom" came upon him and arrested Batiushka. After this, he was sent to prison in Elabug. Later he was imprisoned in Chistopol and in Kazan. Thus he spent a year, without an investigation and without a trial. In Kazan, Fatherut a trial. In Kazan, Father Gury was freed and he left for the village of Shutneevo, to the same church where he had begun to serve. There he served again and during the services he commemorated Vladika Benjamin and Archbishop Nektary of Eran, both of whom had been arrested. Father Gury also commemorated Archbishop Andre of Ufa and Metropolitan Cyril of Kazan. This was during the years 1932 and 1933.
Three months later, during Great Lent, Father Gury was arrested again. And again he was placed into prison and kept under investigation for approximately one year in the city of Cheboksary. This time he was sentenced to three years in a concentration camp. There were nine captives who decided to escape from this camp. Father Gury and another hieromonk were among these nine. The captives ran through the taiga (thick impassable forests) using the moss growing on the north side of the trees for orientation. When the escapees emerged from the taiga they came to a railroad. Keeping to the woods, they followed this railroad. Finally the escapees found a ravine and hid in this ravine awaiting an opportune time to cross the railroad. At last they decided to cross, when a guard spotted them and started to shoot. Bullets flew one after another. The escapees all ran in different directions. Father Gury ran into a swamp and lay there from morning to night, praying to orning to night, praying to Saint Nicholas. When it became dark, Batiushka crawled out of the swamp, broke up some twigs, laid down some branches, and slept in the woods. Batiushka had with him some matches, a pot, and certain produce. All of this he had received in a parcel not long before his escape. Batiushka cooked some kasha and boiled some water. Having fortified himself in this manner, he set out to where his eyes led him. Suddenly he heard the axe of a woodsman. Walking toward the sound he came out to this person. "God is our help!" said Father Gury. "I have escaped from the camp. How can I cross the Svir River?" The woodsman showed him the road. Batiushka came to the place where there was a boat in order to bring people across to the landing. There were people sitting in the boat already. Batiushka entered the boat and the boat set off for the landing on the other shore. Later, Batiushka took a ticket for the steamboat and on this steamboat arrived in the city of Potma. In Potma he stood in line to obtain a ticket for the train. Unexpectedly, a policeman came up to Father Gury and demanded to see his documents. Father Gury said that he forgot his documents. The policeman then grabbed Father Gury's shirt and noticed the mark of the concentration camp. The policeman brought Batiushka to the police station. There he was searched and all that he searched and all that he had, including icons and photographs of bishops, was taken away from him. They even wanted to take the small cross which hung around his neck. However, Batiushka himself tore off this cross and put it in his mouth. The policeman struck Batiushka and Batiushka fell down. They raised him up and threatened to shoot him immediately. Father Gury replied, "Shoot me. I will not give you my cross." Then they led him away to the chief commander, who already had all of Father Gury's confiscated items. The commander said, "Take all of this and go. Do not approach the ticket office again. Go on foot." And so, on foot, Batiushka made his way to the next station. There he got onto a train and journeyed to Petrograd and from there, passing through Moscow, he returned to Kazan. From Kazan, he went to the Chuvash. There he lived in a stable, and out of a shed he made a church in which he served. When he was called to visit his flock for various needs, then as a rule he never traveled during the daytime in clear weather. In the daylight hours he would only travel during a storm or in the rain. At night he would go in any kind of weather. Often it was necessary for him to travel on skis. Batiushka's suit and hat would be white for camouflage. Father Gury painted his skis white also. In this manner, Father Gury secretly served for thirty years untiserved for thirty years until his next arrest.
At another time, it was necessary to construct a church under ground. This first such church was very small. It held only five to ten people. The last such church accommodated from fifty to sixty people. Since the clay there was good and strong, this church had arches. It was round and as if it were under a cupola and it had an altar. Its depth was from thirty to thirtyfive steps beneath the ground. Batiushka himself, along with helpers, dug this church out. Under the cover of night, they would cart the earth from the church to a place beyond the village where they would dump it into dug out trenches and then spread top soil over it for concealment. The church was located here for fifteen years, after which it was necessary to abandon it because the son of the owners married a young girl who could not be trusted.
Again the hidings began. At one point, Batiushka came to his home village and stopped at the house of an acquaintance. The father of this family immediately went to the village soviet. His daughter seeing this had time to warn Batiushka. Father Gury left. However, as he was leaving the village he was met by a person who threatened Batiushka with a pistol and returned Batiushka back to the village. Here he was placed in a cart and taken to the district committee. Along the way, Father Gury became extremelFather Gury became extremely ill. At the police station, he was thrown onto the floor and a doctor was sent for. When the doctor arrived, he placed Batiushka into the hospital. Batiushka's sister found out that he was in the hospital and, notwithstanding the fact that the hospital was guarded, she was able to come up to the window. Batiushka told her that at twelve o'clock at night he would escape and asked her to bring clothing to a certain place. Exactly at twelve o'clock, Father Gury jumped through the window and ran away. His sister had brought the items, but did not bring a hat or any outer garments. Batiushka lay in the cemetery in light clothing until morning. In the morning he left and arrived in the city of Tsivilsk. In this city Batiushka had a flock. Here Batiushka lived for one year, moving from house to house until he was arrested again.
At one time, Batiushka had to give Communion to some people. When he arrived at the house a certain man, Ivan, who was there fell to his knees before Batiushka, crying, wiping his eyes and saying, "I have been searching for you for a long time, Batiushka. May I stay with you?" This Ivan was a close friend of Father Gury and served with him as a psalmist (reader/chanter) for several years. However, Ivan was then arrested. After staying in prison a certain term he was told, "Find Father Gury for us and then wather Gury for us and then we will set you free." Ivan agreed. Ivan was freed and given money and a bicycle that he might find Father Gury. Here, at last, he found him. After the service, Ivan pretended that he was leaving for the bakery in order to buy some bread. However, he returned with the police. Father Gury was arrested. The chief of the police took out a photograph of Father Gury and said, "See how much I love you? For so many years I have been carrying your photograph with me." Father Gury was taken to a prison in Cheboksary. This time a general interrogated Batiushka. The questions were as follows:
"Do you recognize the Soviet government?"
"Does the Soviet government recognize God?"
"No."
"Then neither do I recognize this government."
"Do you recognize Patriarch Alexey?"
"No. Our last Patriarch was Tikhon."
After the interrogation, Batiushka was taken down to a cell in the basement. There, along with those who were sentenced to death, he sat for six months. Later he was transferred to a general prison where he remained for close to one year while he was being investigated. After the trial, Batiushka was sent off to a labor camp. In this camp, under very difficult circumstances, Father Gury stayed for seven years. After the death of Staeven years. After the death of Stalin, Father Gury came under amnesty. Having been freed from the camp, Father Gury immediately found his flock. The people were awaiting Father Gury. Letters from Batiushka arrived rarely, only once a year. However, the people patiently awaited and hoped. This flock of Father Gury's is alive to this day, and is requesting Batiushka to look for a canonical bishop in order that he may leave priests after himself. Father Gury searched for bishops. In this manner he found Bishop Anthony Galinsky (of Galin). After investigating Bishop Anthony, he rejected him in that he found that Bishop Anthony was not canonical. After this he found Bishop Genadi Sekach, but here he also uncovered falsehood. Similarly, Father Gury does not trust Bishop Lazar, formerly of the Catacomb Church.
In 1988, Priest Victor Potapov arrived in Moscow for the celebration of the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia. He became acquainted with Father Gury and told Metropolitan Vitaly about him. Metropolitan Vitaly summoned Father Gury to come to America. There, in America, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad decided to ordain Father Gury a bishop. However, this was hindered by Vladika Lazar, formerly of the Catacomb Church. In America, Father Gury was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.
| The flock of Father Gury is large and to this day he continues his pastoral work, disregarding his elderly infirmities. To this day Father Archimandrite Gury lives under difficult circumstances, in a remote village. Batiushka does everything by himself. He washes clothes, prepares food, and helps a sickly old woman. And just as before, he still walks from house to house, village to village, city to city, with his knapsack on his back visiting his flock. Similarly he humbly and patiently endures and does not abandon his flock, remaining faithful to God and to his pastoral duty. Amen. |