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Reverend Ambrose of Optina (Russian: преподобный Амвросий Оптинский; properly Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Grenkov - Александр Михайлович Гренков, December 5, 1812, Bolshaya Lipovitsa settlement, Tambov guberniya—October 23, 1891) was a starets and a hieroschemamonk in Optina Monastery, canonized in 1988 by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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Biography
Aleksandr was born in the family of sexton Mikhail Fyodorovich Grenkov and Marfa Nikolayevna Grenkova. He was the sixth of eight children. At the age of 12 Aleksandr entered the Tambov clerical school and later the Tambov theological seminary. Then he became a teacher in the Lipetsk clerical school and in 1839 entered the Vvedensk monastery of the Optina Monastery in Kaluga guberniya when the monastery was in its spiritual hayday. His first guide was Starets (Elder) Leonid and then later Starets Makary, whom Ambrose shared a cell with. This gave him get help in his spiritual progress. Ambrose had a very lively humor and sociable character which conflicted with his more stoic spiritual discipline. Ambrose had many struggles with illness throughout his life building upon these struggles for insight into the human condition. Ambrose was tonsured as a monk after only three years. He was named Ambrose in honour of Saint Ambrose of Milan. In another three years Amborse advanced and was ordained a hieromonk. Due to illness Ambrose was forced into semi-reclusion for several years. This seclusion allowed him to concentrate on the mastering of the Jesus Prayer or hesychasm and to experience the meaning of hesychia, the silence of the soul before God or theoria. Even though of a weak constitution Father Ambrose continued work assist Elder Makary with the translation of the Holy Fathers. Father Ambrose maintained his correspondence and in counsel to pilgrims, and later as a startez and elder out of love for all people he council any who sought him. When Reverend Macarius died in September, 1860 Ambrosius became a superior of the monastery. Elder Ambrose remained the principal starets of Optina for 30 years. Ambrose was visited by countless people and his love for his fellow man was so strong that he would even see people when he had passed the point of exhaustition being forced to lay down. Even then he would not refuse to listen to people coming to him to seek his counsel. The starets had the gift of being able to see into men's souls where no secret could hide from him. There is abundant testimony existing to his clairvoyance. Known for his kindness and compassion no one's question or counsel was refused. Ambrose died in the Shamordinskaya cloister and was buried in the Optina desert. His relics were placed in the Vvedensk monastery.
Saint Ambrose in the arts
Dostoevsky stated in Elder Ambrose he had found a living example of the Christian ideal. Elder Nektary of The Brothers Karamazov referred to Ambrose as "an earthly angel and a heavenly man." Saint Ambrose was seen more than once surrounded by the uncreated light. This being the definitive sign of transfiguration and citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven to come or paradise much like had been attributed to Saint Seraphim of Sarov. Ambrosius was also a subject in Velikoe v malom... by Serge Nilus.
See also
Quotes
- "One should live unhypocriticaly and behave exemplarily then our cause will be right, otherwise it will be bad" (Russian: «Нужно жить нелицемерно и вести себя примерно, тогда дело наше будет верно, а иначе будет скверно»)
- "To live--do not grieve, do not judge anyone, do not vex anyone, and to everyone my regards" («Жить - не тужить, никого не осуждать, никому не досаждать, и всем мое почтение»)
- "From kindness, people see things entirely differently."
- "Do not be greatly disturbed by the arrangement of your fate. Have only the unwavering desire for salvation and, standing before God, await His help until the time comes."
