A small genealogy

A Notification to the person who asked to have this book written:

A small genealogy:

All that you have desired—through the mercy of God—has come to be according to your request, O brother in Christ, Imrik.

What you asked for, receive: this small and concise work; yet it is a true account, given from above by God, who grants it and acts upon human beings—the blessing passed from one to another. By this, and by the description written by us, the poor, you are able to understand how it began from above, one after another, and how it reached even to us, the last ones: an unbroken continuity, as though a certain allotted inheritance—the blessing passed from one to another, and the monastic one— of those who journey for the sake of Christ and who live piously in the world, from these roots of instructors.

Praise and bless God and the Most Holy Theotokos, who granted me help to write this book. To Him, from all of us, be honor, glory, and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, always, now, and unto the endless ages. Amen.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT CONCERNING THE FLIGHT

An account of the Orthodox Christian pious priesthood, bearing with it the blessing of Joseph, the pious Patriarch, descending as a lineage, from one to another, handed on from one to another, as though an allotted inheritance being given forth.

We believe that this has reached even to us, the last ones, through those fathers who were the first founders of the sketes. It is called the one named “Kerzhanka.”

After the repose of the pious Patriarch Joseph, in the year 7167 from the creation of the world (1659 AD), when the patriarchate was handed over to Nikon, then there came to be a disturbance in the Russian Church of Christ.

For Nikon did not wish to walk on the prepared and well-smoothed path with humility, but, being lifted up through the high-mindedness of his learning and through the pride of love of authority, he resolved to set forth a new path.

He convenes an assembly of the Russian arch-shepherds: archbishops and bishops; and many archimandrites, protopriests, and igumens, requiring from them a common and unhindered agreement, so that all the church books might be printed according to his opinion, from the ancient Greek translations, and under his supervision.

However, those present at that assembly — Macarius, Metropolitan of Novgorod; Markel, Archbishop of Volotsk; Alexander, Bishop of Vyatsk; and Pavel, Bishop of Kolomna, and many other persons of sacred rank — hesitated to place trust in Nikon concerning the correction of the church books, and did not agree with the undertaking.

Above all, Bishop Pavel of Kolomna stood most firmly for the holy Church’s piety, contending with zeal against Nikon, not allowing him to introduce a new rule into the Church, but exposing his delusion and his error.

And Nikon, seeing the unbending and steadfast faith of Bishop Pavel in the holy Orthodox belief, was filled with rage and anger, and before the entire council revealed the fierce nature of his malice: he tore from Bishop Pavel the conciliar mantle, and with his own hands, using his staff, beat him without mercy, and in the end ordered him to be confined in prison.

And the others, seeing such a cruel disposition, the Nikonian character, all those present at that council were struck with fear, and none dared to speak anything in opposition; even unwillingly, all the bishops signed, being afraid of being beaten by him.

Except for Bishop Pavel, when Nikon saw such zeal in that long-suffering struggler, the new confessor, Bishop Pavel—his firmness in the faith and his unbending greatness of soul—having despaired of persuading him to accept the newly corrected books, he condemned him and sent him into exile within the Novgorod lands.

And while he remained there, many pious men would come to him. And Pavel, receiving all with joy, instructed them to hold unwaveringly to the holy paternal piety, saying these words:

“My beloved brothers and children in the Lord, stand firm in piety; hold fast to the tradition of the holy Apostles and the holy Fathers. But the new doctrines introduced into the Church by Nikon and by his disciples—do not accept them. Guard yourselves from those who create strife and divisions.”

Through instruction: imitate the faith of the former Russian hierarchs. But in teaching, do not attach yourselves to strange and various innovations. And with other similar words he strengthened in piety those who came to him.

But Nikon, having heard this, sent to him the strictest watchers—overseers— so that they might forbid Bishop Pavel from teaching, and not allow anyone to come to him, nor permit any visitation to him, and especially not those who were of one mind with him.

And Pavel was very grieved over this. Later, when certain zealots of piety, from among the clergy of the simple rank, came secretly to him, and he, filling his eyes with tears, began to speak:

“My beloved brothers, behold, you see that the time is already drawing near; this will be my last meeting with you. And separation now stands before us, and you will not be able to see me any longer. And although it is very sorrowful, yet nevertheless, as it has seemed good to the Lord, so let it be for me; may His holy will be done. But concerning this I beg you: do not be troubled at my separation from you, and do not give yourselves over to despair. For the cities of Israel shall not come to their end, and the Christian people will not pass away, even as Christ Himself has spoken this very truth.”

And when they heard this, they wept greatly and said to him: “Bless us, O holy Master, with your last blessing.”

And he turned to them and said:

“May the blessing of the Lord be upon you, and upon your children, and upon the entire holy Church, and wherein God wills her to be, there the Holy Spirit will begin to act in her.”

And they, still questioning him, said... Holy Master, teach us what we are to do after your separation from us. For it is through these priests who remain by your blessing, and through the others who have received ordination from true Orthodox bishops, that we receive the Divine Mysteries, and so we cannot be deprived of the grace of God. But if through them there comes to be a lack, what shall we then do, and in what manner shall we have the priesthood? And from whom will we be able to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, and to receive the other Church Mysteries?

But Bishop Pavel, having understood their words, said:

“It is written, my children, in the Holy Gospel and in the Scriptures: just as Christ does not die, so also His priesthood does not cease. The Body and Blood of Christ will remain until the end of the age. And even if the priesthood should be cut off through the falling away of pious bishops, then it is fitting to await God’s visitation. For God is able, even from stones, to raise up children to Abraham. He can, by His providence, give from above the spiritual nourishment of His Church. Yet, therefore, look attentively into the Divine Scripture.”

As the holy Fathers and the holy Apostles established, so also in the canons of the Ecumenical and local Councils it is appointed how those turning back from heresy are to be received.

The Divine Scriptures separate such people into three levels of deviation. For those of the first level, they command that such be baptized completely, as the Gentiles were.

For the second level: only to renounce one’s own heresy and every heresy opposing the Church of God, and to be anointed with holy Chrism.

For the third level: neither to baptize nor to anoint with holy Chrism; but only to renounce one’s own heresy and all the other heresies, and by this it is sufficient to be received into communion.

Thus it also behooves you to examine the deviation from the truth of the followers of Nikon and of other such new teachers; and all the more to examine their baptism: whether they abandon in baptism the three immersions, and baptize with one water, that is, with a single immersion, or pour, or use some other strange manner.

Then it is proper to receive them into church communion as the Gentiles, by the first rank — that is, to baptize them fully with holy Baptism.

But if they baptize with three immersions, with the invocation of the Holy Trinity — in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit — then it is proper for you to receive those returning from among them by the second level; that is, to have them renounce their own heresy and all the other heresies, and to anoint them with Holy Chrism. And if there are priests among them, then concerning such, to observe the same level again.

But if someone should depart from the Orthodox Christian faith, being led astray by some heresy and remaining in it for a certain time, and then recognizes his error and, having repented, returns again to the Orthodox faith, such a one is to be received by the third level: that is, to renounce the heresies in which he had been, and not to be anointed with Holy Chrism.

But if someone, having been baptized in piety, should cast off the Orthodox faith and revile it, and begin to praise a heretical one, and having remained for a certain time, should desire again to approach the Orthodox faith, such a one is to be received by the second level: that is, with renunciation of the heresy in which he had been, and with anointing by Holy Chrism.

Thus also I command you, my beloved brethren and spiritual children from this day forth: believe in the divine words and keep the commandments of God, and place all the hope of your salvation upon the saving providence of God; for He is bountiful and merciful, the Provider of our salvation, and He will never abandon His servants, but will provide those things which are for benefit and for proper ordering.

And they, weeping greatly over their separation from their arch-shepherd, and having received his blessing, and each one having given the kiss in Christ, returned to their own homes.

Afterwards, however, increasingly merciless officers began to afflict Bishop Pavel and to commit various torments and indignities against him; and to recount and to tell them in full is not possible, for by all sorts of plots and oppressions they tormented him.

And not much time later, they made what concerned him known. And according to the account of the books of Vinogradov, they burned him in a log hut.

Such was the end of the new confessor, Bishop Pavel of Kolomna.

Thus also there were others from among the ordained persons of that same time, who, like Bishop Pavel, did not wish to depart from the holy-church piety, but even laid down their own souls; namely, these:

1. Lazar, a priest of Moscow, who was the spiritual father of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and who did not consent to the acceptance of the innovations.
2. Avvakum, Protopriest of Moscow, who served as examiner of the printed books under Patriarch Joseph.
3. Ioann Neronov, Protopriest of Moscow, who was a collaborator with Avvakum in the correction of the printing of books under Patriarch Joseph.
4. Feodor, deacon of the Dormition Cathedral, who served as a corrector at the Printing Court under Patriarch Joseph.
5. Spyridon, Archimandrite of the Pokrov Monastery of Moscow.
6. Kapiton, priest of the Pokrov Monastery.
7. Simeon, priest of Vyaznikov.
8. Login, Protopriest of Murom.
9. Nikita, priest of Suzdal.
10. Poliekt, priest of Borovsk.
11. Elijah, priest of Novgorod.
12. Varlaam, Protopriest of Pskov.
13. Login, priest-monk.
14. Iakov, priest-monk of the schema.
15. Paphnutiy, priest-monk.
16. Lazar, priest-monk of Romanov.
17. Daniel, priest-monk.
18. Sergius, priest-monk of Yaroslavl.
19. Daniel, Protopriest of Kostroma.
20. And Nikifor, Archimandrite of the Solovetskiy Monastery, together with his chosen flock, and the other Solovetskiy fathers.

These were all written down: twenty ordained persons and men, worthy of remembrance, who ended their lives as sufferers for the ancient patristic ordinances.

Nikon, hastening to bring his intention into action, persuaded Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the synclite, and all the hierarchs of the council at the council itself—some by persuasion, and others by royal fear—to draw them to his intention. But those who did not submit he afflicted with bonds, prisons, wounds, and exiles, and deprived them of the present life by the most bitter deaths; and he commanded that books be printed, filled with all manner of new insertions, carried out according to his desire.

And these were sent everywhere throughout the regions of the Russian lands, and every service and prayer-order was to be performed according to them. These were sent everywhere into all the metropolias, cities, lands, monasteries, and villages and settlements, and in all the dioceses they were distributed to every priest; and there was no one opposing those innovations: from so many great monasteries and cities, few stood firm, as all were shaken by fear of the church decree and command— except for Bishop Pavel of Kolomna, and those mentioned above, and the forty-three hierarchs also mentioned below.

Consider how many bishops there were in the seventy provinces; likewise, under each bishop, a certain number of priests; and thus all those newly printed books they regarded as innovations and did not wish to accept, and concerning the services performed according to them they deliberated, carrying out newly devised sacred actions.

But if in those times anyone from among the persons of the priesthood did not wish to abandon the church in which he had been appointed, and did not follow the Nikonian service charter(or typikon), for such a one there lay only torment, and after that a bitter death. But if he wished to preserve the faith and the ancient tradition, he was bound to flee and to hide. These likewise are the priestly persons listed below.

The twenty-three, having upon themselves consecration from pious bishops, and who, with a single-minded zeal together with the above-mentioned hierarchs and with Bishop Pavel, held firmly and without deviation to the holy patristic Tradition, resolved beforehand concerning themselves that they would conceal themselves from mortal torment.

They left the monasteries situated near the cities. They left the churches entrusted to them that were located in cities and in villages, and, with great affliction, they fled and settled in the wildernesses.

They did this so that they might not be compelled by force to accept the new laws that had arisen through Patriarch Nikon, and so that they might preserve the seal and the sign of the faith of Christ in all things, unbroken and inalienable.

We shall speak here in part of the places from which they came, and of who were the founders and first leaders.

And the foundation of this place was thus laid.

The first founder of that skete was Job, the twenty-first among those listed, a hieromonk ordained by Patriarch Philaret, who raised two monasteries while piety was still shining forth in its fullness, in the Tver region.

And again, twice already, when ecclesiastical disturbance had arisen through the Nikonian innovations, he concealed himself from them.

The first in the Rylsk district of the Kursk province; and this latter one on the Don, at the River Chir.

And there a church was also built; yet he did not manage to consecrate it for its enduring repose, for he departed this life.

Afterward there came to that newly built monastery Dosifey, the twenty second a hieromonk, the abbot of the Nikolsky Monastery, which was located not far from Tikhvin; and to him there also came Gerasim, a hierodeacon.

By whom this worthy man, Abbot Dosifey, having consecrated the church newly established by Job, celebrated within it the Divine Liturgy and governed the brotherhood. As for the rest of their manner of life and their hospitality, on account of its extent we leave it aside.

Starodub Skete

He established himself in the Starodub skete.

The founder at Starodub was the twenty-third priest Kozma.

After the Moscow Council, which took place in the year (҂зро҃д/7174 | 1666, Gregorian), directed toward the overturning of the ancient order. He, having concealed himself, was staying with twenty parishioners at the place of his friend, the Starodub colonel Gavriil Ivanovich; and he led them to a place for habitation, called Ponurovka, where they also settled in the year (҂зро҃з/7177 | 1669 Gregorian), on the small river Revnyë.

And in a short time a multitude of zealots of the ancient piety gathered to him, so that they succeeded in settling four slobodas. And this Kosma had been a priest of Moscow, from the Church of All the Saints which is on Kulishki. And his assistant was another priest, from Belev, by the name of Stefan, the twenty- fourth. And thus these were the first founders of the Starodub skete.

Afterward, by decree of the heirs of Alexei Mikhailovich, they were stripped and expelled from sloboda. Later again, even a church was erected; this became the third founding of the Vetka sketes and slobods, in the Polish lands under the ownership of nobleman Khalevsky, on the island of Vetka, with a circumference of about two versts. The initial founders were those mentioned above, from among the priests.

Kosma and Stefan, having been driven out from the Starodub sketes in the year (҂зр҃и/7180 | 1672), afterward came to Vetka the hieromonk Ioasaph, the twenty-fifth. With zeal there also came from Kerzhenets the hieromonk Feodosiy of Rylsk, the twenty-sixth, who had endured imprisonment and confinement in a dungeon for nine years for the sake of the holy Church tradition, and was later released by the elder Mina.

As for the rest, concerning what was received by tradition from the fathers on Vetka, we leave it unwritten here, on account of its extent.

There were also these priests of God:

27. Feofil, hieromonk, abbot of the Dalmatov Monastery in Siberia.
28. Tikhon, hieromonk, who was put to death for the sake of sacred Church piety. In Tobolsk, in an ice-prison, he surrendered his soul to the Lord.
29. Nikodim, hieromonk of Siberia.
30. Vasily, priest of Siberia.
31. Ioann, priest of Siberia.
32. Domentian, priest of Siberia.
33. Arseny, hieromonk.
34. Dorothey, hieromonk.
35. Simeon, priest, martyred in Tobolsk.
36. Paphnuty, priest, who came to the Don, to the monastery of Job.
37. Ioann, priest of Vetka.
38. Feodot, deacon.

And there are still ordained persons whose names we shall relate later.

Then these became founders of monasteries and communal sketes, in various places suitable for this purpose. Everywhere they planted numerous communities of monks.

Yet even amid such upheavals, with death threatening everywhere, they were covered by piety, and the priests were under the hand of the Lord.

They did not cease to care for the spiritual governance of the Church of God, as true shepherds, instructing the God-obedient in the path of salvation, and attending to their spiritual needs.

And when they perceived that many truly pious Christians were standing in hunger for spiritual nourishment for this reason, though scattered bodily and separated from one another, the pious priests, united in mind through faith, remembered the words of Pavel, Bishop of Kolomna. Being spread throughout all the sketes and monasteries, handed down from one to another by tradition.

According to the saying, nothing is covered that will not be revealed, nor is there anything hidden that will not become known.

And they began to gather together, jointly, a certain number of clergy, and also informed lay people of the simple rank, in various places where they had been scattered.

Namely: on the Vetka, on the Don, in Starodub, and in other local holy places.

Having examined the holy divine Scripture and the Canon Laws of the holy Ecumenical Councils, they recognized it to be correct and lawful to receive those who had followed the Nikonian new statutes without repetition of baptism or ordination, but only that they renounce before the council the new traditions, and place all heretics under renunciation, and pledge unchangeably to hold fast—down to a single iota—the Tradition of the holy Fathers.

Then they are to be anointed with Holy Chrism, and thus are to be regarded as Christians. And those of the priesthood are to remain in their own ecclesiastical dignity, as is also stated by the 8th Canon Law of the first Ecumenical Council.

Considering only this matter in dispersion, they thus acknowledged it. But finally, those on the Kerzhenets, having examined this most reliably in a common assembly, established for all that those turning away from the Nikonian innovations are to be received by the second level.

But now already is the time, according to our intention, to show you that very thread itself, from where it is drawn: the blessing of our monastery, handed down from one to another in succession, as was said above; for the root of our monastery is not from those monasteries and sketes mentioned above, but from those who followed after them.

But from those who followed after these — namely, the Kerzhan people — give heed here, so that you may come to know the truth that proceeds from them. Fourth: the foundation of the Kerzhan sketes begins in this manner.

When Nikon replaced with his new books, for the regulation of his own church order of services and the performance of the Mysteries.

Having cast aside the old [books], having defiled and rejected them with various reproaches, this stirred many persons of the clerical estate to leave their flocks, and to flee and hide themselves in many different places. Then these also found for themselves, for the preservation of the uncorrupted faith, and suitable for monastic life, a place on the Kerzhenets River.

The first founders upon it were these persons of the following rank.

1. Dionysiy, hieromonk of Shuya.
2. Trifiliy, hieromonk of Vologda.
3. Abraham, hieromonk of the Lykov Monastery of Kazan.
4. Sergey, hieromonk, abbot of the Bizyukov Monastery.
5. Isidore, priest of Kozmodemyansk.

These above-mentioned fathers, Dionysiy and the others, gathered to themselves from all sides and from the surrounding places a multitude of God- loving monks and reverent Christians, so that they might examine together in council and deliberate how it is fitting to receive baptism and ordination from the followers of Nikon’s innovations.

And thus, having carefully examined all the Divine Scripture, and the Canon Laws of the Holy Fathers, and having considered many events of the first Church of Christ; and especially among the other events, those concerning the iconoclasts, in the Life of Saint Tarasius, in the readings of February, on the twenty-fifth day.

They recognized as lawful and correct to accept those coming from the Great- Russian Church by the second level.

According to the 8th Canon Law of the first Ecumenical Council, and to recognize clerical persons according to their existing designation and rank; this judgment of the Kerzhan fathers was firmly preserved among the zealots of the ancient tradition and was held in honor by all the above-mentioned founders of the sketes; precisely according to this decision.

The initial act of reception took place as follows. They first received for sacred ministry the hieromonk Sophoniy, who was living there on the Kerzhan, having come from the Solovetsky monastery, and who possessed ordination already from a bishop adhering to the new wisdom.

According to this example, and according to the aforementioned canon, and by deliberation of the council of fathers who were on the Kerzhan.

They also began, in other monasteries and sketes, to receive ordained persons who were coming to Orthodoxy. But we shall return to the abbot of this monastery here. He first received Dionysiy the hieromonk Feodosiy, not the one who suffered for the faith, but another.

After his reception, he was sent into the Siberian regions for the spiritual care of Christians.

That same Dionysiy, together with his collaborators mentioned above, received the hieromonk Sergey and Gerasim, and the priest Dimitry.

After the repose of Dionysiy and the other ordained persons contemporary with him, who were of the old ordination, the stewardship and governance were entrusted to the one who had been first received, the hieromonk Sophoniy.

This Sophoniy likewise, following the conciliar deliberation of the fathers and according to their judgment, received by the second level the hieromonks Varlaam and Lavrentiy, and also the priest Abraham.

That same Sophoniy also received the hieromonk Nikifor. After the death of the hieromonk Sophoniy, on the Kerzhan he remained for a long time the elder over the other priests.

The hieromonk Gerasim, who likewise—following the conciliar deliberation of his fathers and in no way departing from the established custom—received, by the second level, the priests who were coming from the Great-Russian Church, remaining in their existing dignity of the priesthood.

The above-mentioned hieromonk Nikifor, by the blessing of those holy fathers, together with many elders, having been corrected and instructed, departed from Kerzhan and crossed into Siberia, to the ridge of the Urals.

And this passage of those fathers occurred, together with the possibility for the preservation of the Orthodox faith and a suitable dwelling for monastic life, in all the regions around the Ural ridges. By the Lord’s providence this was thus arranged.

See what follows below: the fifth foundation of sketes around the Urals. In the regions of the Ekaterinburg and Verkhoturye districts of the Perm province.

Through the searching out and discovery of rich ore deposits: copper and iron, and likewise gold extractions.

Under the Demidovs: Tsar Peter I was thus until illness, through the success of Demidov’s, he granted him unhindered freedom for the expansion of factories, and commanded that those wishing to settle in his territories be received, without the gathering of certificates or inquiries, whoever they might be and from wherever they came.

Making use of such a opportunity, our forefathers—burning with zeal for piety, true Christians—quickly gathered together, driven by no compulsion, just as at times irrational animals [gather] to Noah’s Ark. Among their number came, from Kerzhenets, the first establisher of the monastic life in the regions around the Urals, in the surrounding places, near the newly established factories of T. Demidov.

The first of the aforementioned fathers, the hieromonk Nikifor, having come from the Kerzhan region with many elders—who were inclined with joy and eagerness to come to the Vetka fathers of the ancient rite—began to be tempted toward a non-canonical reception of clerical persons who had been visited by Little-Russian bishops; but the Kerzhan fathers did not wish even to hear of this.

Therefore contention arose among them; because in those very years, when the hieromonk Nikifor came from Kerzhan to the factories, there had already begun bargaining with the Great-Russian Church over hierarchs who had been baptized by pouring.

For Patriarch Adrian had been abolished by Tsar Peter, and upon his throne was elevated the Little-Russian Stefan Yavorsky, one baptized by pouring.

When those who had been installed by Patriarch Adrian into the priestly office (See)—whether as metropolitans or as bishops—passed away, then, in their place, the duty of ordaining and consecrating by the laying on of hands belonged to that same Stefan Yavorsky.

And from that root, our forefathers did not accept ordination at all.

But those persons who had ordination deriving from the lineage of Patriarch Adrian — these they accepted.

Now the hieromonk Nikifor, being in Nizhnii Tagil in the year 7233 (1725), received the priest John. And after tonsure, he was named Job. This Job received and instructed Michael, who had newly come to know the Orthodox faith, and he tonsured him into the monastic order, giving him the monastic name Maxim. After this, Job reposed in the year 7239 (1731).

And the above-mentioned hieromonk Nikifor also received hieromonks who had come from the Vyatka province: Simeon and Gabriel—the first to Naryum, the second to Ishim. These two were martyred for the faith of Christ.

In Tobolsk, one of them rests in Shartash; of the other it is unknown where.

The same Nikifor received the hieromonk Yakov (Jacob). He continued his life in Nevyansk until deep old age and many times urged the Christians concerning the seeking of a priest, whom it would be possible to set in order, and to hand over to him a blessing, for the performance of the necessary services among the Christians.

But the Christians, with the cares of this age, thus left the proposal of Father Yakov without attention; and so the hieromonk Yakov reposed in deep old age.

He exceeded the measure of one hundred years of his life; and there was made great weeping and lamentation by all those dwelling around him. For in those communities there was no priest.

And again let us return a little and recall the above-mentioned hieromonk Job, and the one received from him and tonsured into monasticism, the schema- monk Maxim; this Maxim, then, in the year 7239 (1731), after the death of his spiritual father, the hieromonk Job. He went to a skete not far from the settlement by the Chernistochnik factory, to the schema-monk Dionysiy.

And he remained there in obedience for a sufficient time. After the death of the one who had been the abbot in that skete, by the common judgment and persuasion of the whole brotherhood, the administration and governance of the common life of that skete were entrusted to the schema-monk Maxim, on account of his good character and discernment.

Around these times, Father Maxim became abbot; the above-mentioned hieromonk (who had lived a long time), Yakov (Jacob), reposed. After the death of the hieromonk Yakov in the factories and in Siberia the Christians had great need of the priesthood.

Therefore the Christians living around the factories, and others who were then persuaded, urged that same, schema- monk Maxim—who was respected by all the Christians of that time on account of his virtuous life and sufficiently knowledgeable understanding of the divine Scriptures.

By their persuasion, in the year 7265, that is, 1765, Father Maxim set out for Moscow, for the investigation of the Ogruzin land. And having sought out the Georgian archimandrite and the protopriest. The protopriest Porusk was fully able to speak. Father Maxim appeared before the owner of the Nevyansk factory, Ivan Ivanovich Galitsyn. He had a conversation with them and was assured by them that among the Georgians they baptize by three immersions, that no foreign clergy from anywhere had entered, and that they have their own patriarch.

After this necessity, they again sent a resident of the Nevyansk factory, Gabriel Sergeevich Koskin, to Moscow and to Petersburg, in the year 7266, that is, 1766, for the obtaining from the synodal protocol-register a genuine copy concerning the Russian hierarchs—that is, in past times, who was ordained by whom.

When Koskin returned to the factory with the lists, and our fathers, having examined those recorded register lists, discerned that even then there was the ordained Archbishop Alexei Titov, who had been ordained by the Russian-born Job, Metropolitan of Novgorod; and this Job had been ordained by Patriarch Adrian, still before the Little Russians. And according to this investigation of the schema-monk Maxim concerning the Georgians, and according to the record concerning the Russian hierarchs.

Our forefathers and all Orthodox Christians established a decision: to receive priests ordained by Alexei Titov, and by Georgian bishops. In that same year 7266, that is, 1766, they brought to the Nevyansk factory the priest Irodion, ordained by Alexei Titov; and for correction they took him to Moscow, to the Rogozhskoye cemetery: there the priest Matfei corrected him and bestowed upon him the blessing for the Christian services.

And Matfei also was corrected, and such is the chain of succession: the priest Matfei was corrected by the priest Ionah; and Ionah was corrected by the priest- monk Jacob. And Jacob was corrected by the priest-monk Lazar; and Lazar by the priest-monk Makariy.

And upon Makariy there came an initial and an additional correction and blessing, from the pious priest-monk and sufferer Feodosiy. Concerning him there is the very same list mentioned above, page 11 (the 26th priest); and thus both the correction and the blessing came upon the priest Irodion, genuine from the pious, and from those very same roots, only proceeding from another side.

1. First went Irodion; he was corrected and bestowed the blessing.
2. The priest-monk Theophylact, ordained by Alexei Titov. He lived in Nizhny Tagil, performing the Christian services; there he also rests with the fathers.
3. Theophylact received the priest Peter, ordained by a Georgian bishop. He rests in Nizhny Tagil.
4. And Theophylact together with Irodion received the priest-monk Ionah, ordained by Alexei Titov; he rests in Nevyansk; and those who follow below received correction and blessing from one another.
5. Basil, priest, ordained by a Georgian bishop; he rests in Nevyansk.
6. The priest Ioan, ordained by Alexei Titov; he rests in Nevyansk.
7. The priest Stefan, common to the Sredne-Tagil communities, ordained by Alexei Titov; he rests in Nevyansk.
8. The priest Ioan, ordained by Alexei.
9. The priest Stefan Afanasievich, ordained by the Georgian bishop Antonii; he rests in Nevyansk.
10. The priest Philip, ordained by the Georgian bishop Grigorii.
11. The priest Vasilii, ordained by the Georgian bishop Grigorii. In the year 1825.
12. The priest Ioan, ordained by the Georgian bishop Varlaam. In the year 1825 he rests in Nevyansk.
13. The priest Vasiliy Alexandrovich, ordained by the Georgian bishop Gaii.
14. The priest Vasiliy Ivanovich, ordained by the Georgian bishop Gaii.
15. The priest Efrem Stepanovich, ordained by the Georgian bishop Gaii; he rests in Nevyansk.
16. The priest Arkhip, ordained by the Georgian bishop Gaii; the last of the Nizhny Tagil priests, there he also rests.

And they ceased to receive the priesthood around the years 7335 that is 1827; this correction, handed down orally from one to another, they recount. Or, as others say, 7345 that is 1837.

After the repose of the last priests, correction and blessing were given, as a necessity, to simple, reverent, and God- fearing men as guides, in order that they might preserve themselves in the Orthodox faith—blamelessly and unshakably—and shepherd in the events which occurred and were permitted by the holy Fathers, because of the necessity arising among the Christian people, for unavoidable needs that occur not by choice. They are to be corrected according to this charter and order, not by those bearing the priestly rank. But to act in this only with fear of God, and with one another as companions, according to the tradition handed down from the holy Fathers, with blessing.

These are from those who are in the world and who live according to worldly life.

The blessing of our forefathers is an unbroken thread, from the former ones even unto those of the present day.

Upto this point.

And as for our monastery, the desert and monastic spiritual blessing of our forefathers—this is treated separately from what has been said above. Concerning it, if God so wills, we shall likewise write to you in greater detail.

But now it is fitting to set forth those grounds and reasons for which our forefathers ceased to accept the priesthood, and for which we also now do not accept that which comes from the Great Russian Church;

This is the first: And the evident grounds are these: that our forefathers took precaution and did not accept, from that very root, clerical persons ordained by Stefan Yavorsky, who had himself been baptized by pouring (affusion) rather than by immersion, and who was elevated to the ecclesiastical throne in Russia in place of Patriarch Adrian, in the year 7209 (1701).

If it should happen that ordinations are performed by that Stefan and one is by nature Russian and baptized by triple immersion, whether he be ordained as metropolitan or as bishop, and even if such persons then ordain priests, priestly ordinations from such a root — that is, from one baptized by pouring — our forefathers did not in any way accept for priestly ministry. But if such a one should wish to come into Orthodoxy, they received him simply as a layman.

The second cause concerns the same matter:

In the time of Empress Catherine, in the year 7289, that is 1789, at the second joining to the Russian Church, all those in Kiev who had been baptized by pouring, the Uniates, were joined by chrismation; whereas they ought to have been baptized—including those who were clergy.

The third cause: At the joining to the ruling Church in Russia in the year 1839, the Lithuanian (Polish) Uniates, who likewise had been baptized by pouring, were also joined without correcting their baptism by pouring. They were only counted as belonging to the undivided community with the Russian Church, while prayer and baptism were left to their own discretion, to do as they wished.

But this produces a very great confusion through baptism by pouring, because the naturally Russian priest and the Polish priest, and the children of both, when they pass through higher education, are educated in the same academy. And thus Polish children, who are by nature baptized by pouring, attain high levels of ecclesiastical status, and are appointed not only as priests but also as bishops. They are then sent out to various places in Russia and within their own dioceses; and these same persons baptized by pouring ordain priests, and send them out among the villages.

And you see, in the course of subsequent times even to the present day, what kind of confusion there is in the Russian Church.

For these causes: It was discerned already by our forefathers, that from that time onward the priesthood was not to be accepted from the Russian Church— not simply and not unconditionally. Rather, our forefathers did not proceed to accept it, since both matters were established in writing and according to law.

They received those whom it was proper to receive. But as for those whom our forefathers did not allow near to themselves, concerning such persons we also see that the divine canons likewise regard the priestly rank of such people as nothing, since they do not have correct baptism upon themselves. Concerning this, see the 68th Canon Law of the Holy Apostles, Kormchaya page 19, and 19th Canon Law of the First Ecumenical Council, Kormchaya, page 40.

Concerning the other monastic blessing handed down by tradition. Let us now proceed to uncover the present source of the saving blessing given to us from above.

Let us now begin our account from this known stage, speaking of the above- mentioned former abbot and guide to many brethren in Christ, the schema- monk Maxim, who received correction and tonsure from the hieromonk Job.

As for Job, we have already described him to you in full detail in the articles set forth above. When Father Maxim was transferred from this temporal life to the eternal, in the year 1783, on the 23rd day of the month of May, after the repose of Father Maxim there appeared many obedient and experienced disciples, men of self-restraint and ascetics, who set their life as an example for those truly desiring to be saved, and the number of the brotherhood began to increase. However, they were not able to expand their dwellings because of severe persecutions from the civil authorities; therefore, by the voice of loving counsel, they determined a single-minded flock in small amounts.

And leaders of the flock were chosen from among the brotherhood—ascetics: the schema-monk Gerasim, and schema-monk Anthony, and schema-monk Feodosiy, and the schema-monk Vlasiy.

However, Vlasiy, who was the root of the monastery, and who was already in inclined old age, once in the autumn, at a stormy time, while going through the forests, in an impassable place, lost his way and came to his end.

After him, the governance was received by the schema-monk Nikodim, who had lived for a sufficient time in sincere obedience, both to the abbot and to the whole brotherhood, in a life of self- restraint. In time, he too fell asleep in the Lord with a natural sleep, entering eternal rest.

In the year 7380 that is 1871, after the repose of Father Nikodim, the governance was entrusted to his most ascetic disciple, the schema-monk Lavrentiy. He governed the brotherhood for thirty-two years, and in the course of those years he sent all his brethren of that community before him into eternal rest; only one remained. And when Father Lavrentiy reposed, then that one also, after four days, fell asleep in the Lord, and was laid in a single grave together with his flock-leader. Their departure was from a life of many labors, in the year 7375 this is 1867.

Being diligent, this ascetic and not a slothful worker left very few after himself by his laying on of hands of the lesser order of monks, for he was a cautious and watchful shepherd. He did not begin any undertaking except after prior discernment, guarding himself lest he fall under canonical examination.

Here we enumerate those who remained after Father Lavrentiy, of his covering of the lesser order of monks, namely: the black-robed monks Mina; and the black- robed monks Joel, Karp, Diomid, Ieremiy, Kastor, Filipp, Trefiliy, Evseviy, Nikita, Nikon, Ioann, Serapion, and lastly Nifont, who was for us a guide and spiritual father. This black-robed monk Nifont was, from the beginning, [formed] by his own father, the schema-monk Lavrentiy.

He received a blessing to conduct a solitary life, with only a few disciples. Because Father Nifont greatly loved silence. But later, even though he did not wish it, the governance of the communal life of the brethren was entrusted to him. But nevertheless, before even receiving the monastic vesture, he remained for fifteen years in all благопокорение — that is, humble obedience — with his own spiritual father and with the other brethren in Christ.

And after the reception of monasticism, as was said above, it befell him to live in silence with a small company for only a short time. But while Father Lavrentii was still alive, he was persuaded by the brotherhood; and Father Lavrentii himself from that time no longer commanded him to attend only to his own salvation, but blessed him also to take care for the salvation of others. And thus, though he did not wish it, he submitted to the common counsel and will, namely, to take upon himself the burden of governing the common life of the spiritual brotherhood. And this same Father Nifont governed the brotherhood for twenty-eight years.

And thus, having lived in this way, he departed with a good Christian end. Even up to the very end, he was in full sobriety of mind, seeing that his departure from here was at hand. He began to prepare himself for the departure. And that which is fitting to do for one who is preparing for departure, these things he did without delay: that is, repentance to God with heartfelt compunction. And to his own elder disciple, he made before God a pure confession of all his shortcomings that arise from human weakness. After this, as provision for the journey of eternal life, with great faith he partook of all the great holy things of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he commanded that all his brotherhood be gathered and stand near him. After this, even though speaking from a weakened throat, he nevertheless still showed what was required and instructed all of them: to remember the commandments of God and to have love among themselves. And with this, he blessed them all. And having pointed out one from among the brethren and blessed him, he appointed him to be the elder over the others in his place, and to have care and concern for the salvation of their souls.

And thus, having fulfilled all this, afterward he quietly, in a gentle manner, fell asleep with the sleep of eternal rest, in the year 7398, that is 1890, in the month of January, on the 26th day.

Having left us to be orphaned, he left behind his two disciples: the black-robed monk Savva, and the black-robed monk Siluan, together with the brotherhood, which we have also written about.

What has been set forth above, although a shortened account of his life, is nevertheless true; and thus it is understood from where our blessing proceeds: from Nikodim, the schema- monk, through his obedient disciples; and from the schema-monk Lavrentiy, the evangelical brotherhood; and from the schema-monk Kliment; and from the schema-monk Nikita.

And from Nikita’s obedient disciples: the black-robed monk Tarasin, the black- robed monk Izrail, the black-robed monk Ilariy, and the black-robed nun Izrailia.

The obedient disciples: the black-robed monk Vitaliy, the black-robed monk Grigoriy, and the black-robed monk Avraam.

This book is called the “Small Genealogy.”

It was begun to be written from the ancient written genealogy in the year from the creation of the world 7398 that is 1890, in the month of April, on the first day. The writing was finished on April third.

Glory be to God, Who granted both the beginning and the completion, according to His good will, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.