(Sergey Anatolyevich Golovkov) was born on March 31, 1964 in Perm in the family of a church choirboy. In 1981 he graduated from high school.

In 1982-1984 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army. In 1984 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, from which he graduated first class in 1988.

In the same year he was admitted to the Moscow Theological Academy. While studying at the academy, he was twice awarded the Patriarchal Scholarship.

On November 21 of the same year he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on January 7, 1991 - to the rank of hieromonk. In 1992 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy, defending his thesis at the Department of History of the Ancient Church on the topic “Blessed Diadochos of Photikie and his theological and ascetic views.” By the decision of the Holy Synod of August 12, 1992, he was appointed a member of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem. On the feast of Pentecost 1997, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' at the Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem was elevated to the rank of abbot.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 28, 1999, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. By decree of His Holiness the Patriarch of January 26, 2000, he was appointed rector of the Moscow Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khoroshevo.

On May 3, 2000, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the DECR, elevated him to the rank of archimandrite. On January 14, 2004, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, he was ordained to the rank of bishop by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and a council of bishops.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 31, 2009, Vladyka Mark was relieved of his post as deputy chairman of the DECR and appointed secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions. The Holy Synod also entrusted Bishop Mark with the temporary administration of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian dioceses.

In consideration of his diligent service to the Church of God, on February 1, 2010, he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

In December 2010, he was entrusted with the care of parish churches in the North-Western Administrative District of Moscow (Uspenskoye Deanery).

Since March 22, 2011 - member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated December 31, 2011, he was appointed manager of the Northwestern Vicariate within the boundaries of the Northwestern and Zelenograd administrative districts of Moscow and the Northern Vicariate within the boundaries of the Northern administrative district of Moscow and included in the Diocesan Council of Moscow ex officio .

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of April 8, 2013, he was appointed acting. rector of the church of St. prpmts. Elizabeth - Patriarchal Metochion in Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 16, 2013, he was appointed temporary administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 25, 2014, he was appointed chairman of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate with the temporary retention of the post of head of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration for Foreign Institutions.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Supporting the Construction of Moscow Cathedrals.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of October 22, 2015, Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, appointed by His Grace of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, head of the Ryazan Metropolis, was relieved of the administration of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian dioceses and the post of head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions (magazine No. 62).

On November 4, 2015, during the Liturgy in the Patriarchal Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of metropolitan.

Education:

• 1988 - Moscow Theological Seminary.
• 1992 - Moscow Theological Academy (PhD in Theology).

Place of work:

Patriarchal Award Commission (Chairman)

Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate (Chairman)

Church awards:

• Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow II Art.
• Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II Art.
• Order of the Holy Sepulcher of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church
• Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov II Art.
• Order of Friendship
• Commander of the Hungarian Order of Merit

138.)
Archbishop of Yegoryevsk, vicar of the Moscow diocese, temporary administrator of the Vienna and Austrian diocese and the Budapest and Hungarian diocese, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Office for Foreign Institutions, rector of the Moscow Church of the Holy Trinity in Khoroshevo, member of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In the world Golovkov Sergey Anatolyevich, was born on March 31, 1964 in Perm in the family of a church choirboy. His father, Anatoly Grigorievich Golovkov, graduated from the Saratov Theological Seminary, served as a subdeacon for some time, then sang in the choir, combining it with secular work; at one time he was the treasurer of the cathedral in Perm, and was involved in church management. Mother, Anna Vasilievna, worked in the diocese and always sang in church. The elder brother is Archimandrite Luka (Golovkov), the younger brother is Archpriest Vladimir Golovkov.

In 1981 he graduated from high school. In 1982-1984 he served in the Soviet Army.

In 1984 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, from which he graduated first class in 1988. In the same year he was admitted to the Moscow Theological Academy. While studying at the academy, he was twice awarded a patriarchal scholarship.

In the third year of the academy, on October 19, 1990, in the Intercession Academic Church he was tonsured a monk with the name Mark in honor of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark.

On November 21 of the same year he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on January 7, 1991 - to the rank of hieromonk. In 1992 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy, defending his thesis at the Department of History of the Ancient Church on the topic “Blessed Diadochos of Photikie and his theological and ascetic views.”

By the decision of the Holy Synod of August 12, 1992, he was appointed a member of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.

On the feast of Pentecost 1997, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' elevated him to the rank of abbot at the Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

On December 28, 1999, by determination of the Holy Synod, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. In this position, he oversaw the administrative and economic work of the Department and carried out practical interaction with government agencies in Russia and other countries.

Editor-in-chief of the magazine "Orthodox Pilgrim".

By decree of the Patriarch of January 26, 2000, he was appointed rector of the Moscow Church of the Holy Trinity in Khoroshevo.

On May 3, 2000, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

By decree of the Holy Synod of December 26, 2003, he was determined to be Bishop of Yegoryevsk, vicar of the Moscow diocese.

On January 14, 2004, in Moscow in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, he was consecrated Bishop of Yegoryevsky, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese by Patriarch Alexy II. Concelebrating with His Holiness were Metropolitans of Krutitsa and Kolomna Yuvenaly, Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill, Archbishops of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement, Istra Arseny, Korsun Innokenty, Vereisky Evgeniy, Bishops of Orekhovo-Zuevsky Alexy, Krasnogorsk Savva, Stavropol and Vladikavkaz Feofan, Baltic Seraphim, Dmitrovsky Alexander, Sergievo - Posadsky Feognost, Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas Georgy, Lyubertsy Veniamin, Saratov and Volsky Longin.

From February 11 to March 31, 2009, he temporarily served as chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 31, 2009, he was relieved of the post of deputy chairman of the DECR and appointed secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions and temporary administrator of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian dioceses.

In December 2010, he was entrusted with the care of parish churches in the North-Western Administrative District of Moscow (Uspenskoye Deanery).

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated December 31, 2011, he was appointed manager of the Northwestern Vicariate within the boundaries of the Northwestern and Zelenograd administrative districts of Moscow and the Northern Vicariate within the boundaries of the Northern administrative district of Moscow and included in the Diocesan Council of Moscow ex officio .

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of April 8, 2013, he was appointed acting. rector of the church of St. prpmts. Elizabeth - Patriarchal Metochion in Pokrovsky-Streshnevo, Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 16, 2013 (journal No. 93), he was appointed temporary administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 25, 2014 (magazine No. 64), he was appointed chairman of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate with the temporary retention of the post of head of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration for Foreign Institutions.

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Supporting the Construction of Moscow Cathedrals.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 22, 2015 (magazine No. 62), he was appointed His Eminence of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, head of the Ryazan Metropolis with release from the administration of the Vienna-Austrian and Hungarian dioceses and the post of head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions.

On November 4, 2015, during the Liturgy in the Patriarchal Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of metropolitan.

By order of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill in November 2015, he was released from the management of the Northern and Northwestern Vicariates of Moscow.

In July-November 2018, he temporarily ruled the Kasimov diocese.

Paradigm is a model or pattern,
belief system and
moral and ethical principles.

Alexander Petrov: Hello! I am Alexander Petrov. And this is a program about the values ​​of our society - the “Paradigm” program. And this is what we will talk about today:

In Russia in the 19th century, Orthodox traditions were an integral part of the surrounding reality, and faith was an imperative that permeated literally all spheres of human life. Much has changed since then; the atheistic 20th century has made its own adjustments. And today, according to the Constitution, our state is secular in nature, religious practice has become a purely personal matter. At the same time, one can often hear that modern Orthodoxy is the faith of the older generation, and young people are far from the traditions of Christian morality, they do not understand the church message, the language of worship and pretentious rituals seem incorrigibly outdated. At the same time, the church is criticized for its isolation and unwillingness to renew itself, moving with the times.

How fair is this criticism? Should the church, in principle, rush after the ship of modernity? And what are the challenges facing believers in the 21st century?

Alexander Petrov: The guest of the program is Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky. Good afternoon, sir.

Metropolitan Mark: Good afternoon.

Alexander Petrov: I am sincerely glad to welcome you to the studio of the Public Television of Russia.

Metropolitan Mark: Thank you.

Alexander Petrov: You know, when I was preparing for the program, my colleagues made fun of me, saying, “This old man Zosima from The Brothers Karamazov will come to you.” Of course, this vivid literary image of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky has nothing to do with the real thing, nevertheless, for the majority, the figure of the metropolitan is such a celestial being, before whom everyone should bow.

Vladyka, tell me, what is a modern metropolitan really like?

Metropolitan Mark: There is probably no single image. And there are different metropolitans - metropolitans who are gray-haired, who are many years old, who walk important and majestic, people who may already be old, who are perceived in this way. I don’t yet consider myself such a mature person, but I still consider myself a young person, so I try to be active, dynamic, and, of course, not only a celestial being.

You know, for more than ten years, when I was still serving in Moscow only, taking care of the church and being a vicar of Moscow, I made it a practice to pour tea for people after services. I continue this tradition in Ryazan, when a service is held - well, not every time, but most often I try to do this. After the service, I go out into the street, bless either the samovar or some kind of thermos and distribute tea to people from disposable cups. There are cookies and sweets right there.

People ask me: “Why are you doing this?” I have several answers. The first answer is probably the most important and important: people often imagine that in a church a priest is a person who is the center of attention, in such shiny clothes, and a bishop, even more so, is a person who stands in the center, to whom they bow , kiss hands.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, but still there should probably be some distance between the metropolitan, the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church and the ordinary believer.

Metropolitan Mark: You know, but nevertheless, the most important thing is that a person understands what and why. Not the believer for us, but we for the believers. Just as Christ served people, and he washed the feet of his disciples, so do we, bishops... After all, a bishop is, in essence, a person who takes the place of Christ at the Last Supper, the implementation of which is every liturgy. And therefore, to show thereby that every person is valuable to us, that we are for him, and not he for us.

Alexander Petrov: I can’t help but ask, sir. You still received an education, you studied during the Soviet years, when religion was condemned, right?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes.

Alexander Petrov: So I’m curious, how were you a pioneer? You were born into a religious family. How did you wear a cross in the army? Can you say a few words about this?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes. Well, you know, as for the pioneers, no one asked at that time; in our time, in the 70s, no one asked, but they simply put on a red tie. Well, I didn’t advertise that I was, so to speak, a believer. Yes, of course, I always wore a cross, and in the army I wore a cross. Well, let’s say, I didn’t wear it openly, but the cross was always with me, so to speak, it was sewn up. Of course, I always prayed...

Alexander Petrov: In a bag, right?

Metropolitan Mark: Well, yes. Of course, there were some excesses. I remember when I came to the draft board, I was going through a medical examination, I came to one doctor and I looked - on the other side of the table there was such a piece of paper, a description written by the class teacher, and the words were highlighted in pencil. I see it says: “I was brought up in a believing family.”

Alexander Petrov: So this is a “diagnosis”?

Metropolitan Mark: Well, yes, that’s the “diagnosis”. Then I come to the person who headed this draft commission, some lieutenant colonel. He shouted something, slammed his fist on the table: “How are you, a believer, going to serve in the army?!”

Alexander Petrov: In the Soviet army.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes. How did you serve? Our army is Russian - it is much older than the Soviet army. “As I served in the army before, I am going to serve.”

And I was going to go to seminary, so I joined the army. And at that time they simply did not accept people into the seminary who would not have served in the army. I had a good enough score that I could theoretically enter a university. Although I was not a Komsomol member, and therefore, of course, there would probably be questions. Therefore, I followed this path, went to the army, and then to the seminary.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, you began to talk about your obediences, about your labors in the church. Tell us more about this.

Metropolitan Mark: I have different experiences. After I graduated from the theological academy, I was sent to the Holy Land, to Jerusalem, worked there for seven years, and dealt with many issues. Well, then, after that, the current patriarch invited me to the Department for External Church Relations, I was his deputy. After that, he headed the Office of Foreign Institutions and dealt specifically with the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church around the world. This is already active activity. Then the patriarch entrusted me with another... threw me into a slightly different direction - he entrusted me with financial and economic management.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, if we translate into secular language, then this is the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economics of the Russian Orthodox Church, right?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, partly, only partly. We currently have a certain number of defined tasks, as a rule. That is, three main tasks. This is the construction of churches in Moscow - our program is so active...

Alexander Petrov: We'll talk about this later.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes. Then, the second topic is the restoration of temples and monasteries, church monuments both in Moscow and throughout Russia. And the third big topic is the transfer of real estate to the church, and this is a process that works for us in accordance with federal law. Here are three such directions.

Alexander Petrov: That is, this is the return to the church of property that was taken away by the Bolsheviks at one time?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes Yes Yes. These are the three main and main tasks we face. And of course, I am the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky, as you said.

Alexander Petrov: And it seems to me that you forgot to mention that you still minister to believers in Moscow.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes.

Alexander Petrov: You are the abbot...

Metropolitan Mark:...a temple in Moscow, yes, yes. For almost 19 years now, since 2000, I have been the rector of a church in Moscow.

Alexander Petrov: How do you manage everything, sir?

Metropolitan Mark:(Laughs.) Well, I don't have days off. First of all, I get up early. If I’m in Moscow, at half past seven I’m already there; if I’m not performing divine services, I’m there. If I perform a divine service, then I come after that. Well, Ryazan also takes time, of course.

And it turns out that I don’t have a single day off, because when I’m in Moscow, my day starts early - I’m already at half past eight, as I said, at my workplace, at the place of obedience, I finish late, and if I in Ryazan, this is the performance of divine services, this is communication with believers, this is the solution of some issues. This is such an intense life.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me, please... I recently saw a photograph on social networks where you are washing the floor in one of the hospitals in the Ryazan region - you, a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. Is this also obedience?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, this story began with me in Moscow. We started going to the hospital, which is located next to the temple, this is the 67th hospital in Moscow, this is the Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district. Somewhere, probably, it was in the year, maybe 2004, it seems. They somehow began to cooperate, and a new chief doctor came there. The hospital was not exactly well-kept; there was a lot of dirt and some everyday inconveniences. We started coming to the department.

Once, I remember, the first time, it was a summer day, me and several parishioners, church employees. Let's see - dirt. They began to take out the trash and began to wash the floors. You know, people couldn’t all fit into the rooms; some were sitting on beds or lying on beds in the corridor. And I remember one woman, such an old woman, who sat up on the bed like this: “Thank God that the church has not forgotten us!” You know, it was so nice! I remember these words to this day.

And since then, we have established this practice - on Sunday after the evening service, we went to the hospital with the parishioners, sometimes even taking gloves with us, washing the floors, washing the walls, talking with the sick. That is, such a diverse activity. I also sometimes talked with people, confessed to someone and washed the floors. This is the activity. And then... Well, sometimes it worked out for me, sometimes it didn’t work out. And when I arrived in Ryazan, I also began to practice sometimes.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me... Honestly, I was shocked when I saw the comments on this photo. Some people called it PR. Someone, of course, praised me. Someone called it PR. Some people were irritated by this. Tell me, please, are there any points in which society does not understand the church, does not understand what church obedience is? Where does this misunderstanding occur, tell me?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, indeed, our modern life is spoiled by PR, I agree, because many people do some things purely for the sake of PR. People are used to seeing some kind of trick everywhere, some kind of PR campaign. This is a disease of our society. Many people are normal, but many people are socially active, people who write comments on social networks, they are often spoiled by this and pass off too much as PR.

I have no desire to promote myself in this regard. Well, so to speak, I make no secret of it. But again - for what? In order to show that, you know, the church does not disdain anything useful, that our task is to serve people. And in this way too. And there is nothing shameful or disgraceful in this.

Alexander Petrov: Amazing! Vladyka, you have already spoken about the Ryazan diocese. Let's look at a short story on this topic.

Metropolitan Mark: Let's.

Ryazan diocese - it has a long history. An independent episcopal see was established at the end of the 12th century. From 1669 to 1723 it existed as a metropolitanate. One of the merits of the Ryazan metropolitans is the construction of the majestic Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Ryazan diocese was one of the largest in Russia. According to 1903 data, there were 1,087 churches and 21 monasteries, which were not only sources of spiritual life, but also enlightenment, as well as help to those in need.

After the tragic events of 1917, the church suffered persecution. By the end of the 30s, Ryazan did not have a ruling bishop, monastic and parish activities were banned, services were held in single churches. Only after the end of the Great Patriotic War did a gradual revival of diocesan life begin.

In 2011, a decision was made to transform the diocese into a metropolitanate with the allocation of two more departments - in Kasimov and Skopin. Ryazan is called a God-protected city. How could it be otherwise, if many saints of God served on this earth, were connected with it, and upon their death were glorified by the church.

There were different moments in the history of this city, but it really remained preserved from great troubles and tragedies thanks to the intercession of the saints - these are the passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, Grand Duke Oleg Ryazansky, the blessed Prince Roman, blessed Lyubushka and many others. And of course, the first of them, revered as the patron saint of the entire Ryazan land, is St. Basil of Ryazan, who, with his intercession, has not left the city and its inhabitants to this day.

It is impossible not to say that more than 100 names of new martyrs and confessors of the land of Ryazan of the 20th century were glorified in the host of saints. The names of outstanding historical and church figures remain in the memory of descendants - Metropolitans Stefan (Yavorsky), Nikodim (Rotov) and Simon (Novikov), Archimandrites John (Krestyankin) and Abel (Makedonov).

Today in the Ryazan diocese there are 170 churches and 7 monasteries, 30 churches are under construction and revival. 230 ministers. The main cathedral of the Nativity of Christ, located in the spiritual center of the city, welcomes believers to prayer every day. It, like other churches of the Ryazan Kremlin, is always accessible to people.

Educational institutions providing education based on Orthodox values ​​and traditions are widely represented in the diocese. The Orthodox kindergarten has been operating in Ryazan for 5 years. The Orthodox gymnasium in honor of St. Basil of Ryazan has been operating for more than 20 years. The Department of Theology at the Sergei Yesenin Russian State University has been training personnel since 2001. Its graduates receive a deep humanitarian education and can be implemented in various types of activities. There is also an Orthodox theological seminary and a diocesan women's theological school in Ryazan.

The diocesan administration has departments and commissions that conduct pastoral and missionary service in almost all spheres of activity of our society. This work on Ryazan soil is extensive.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, you led foreign parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, you worked in the Jerusalem Temple, in the Jerusalem mission of the Russian Orthodox Church. And here is the Ryazan diocese. How did you feel about your appointment?

Metropolitan Mark: Wonderful, wonderful! Ryazan is an ancient land, one of the oldest departments in our country. In addition, you know, it’s interesting that I’m not the first who, after parishes abroad, took the Ryazan department. One of my predecessors is Metropolitan Pavel, the current exarch of Belarus, who also served in Jerusalem before this and who also headed the diocese in Austria and Hungary. I also headed the diocese in Austria and Hungary, when I was the manager of the parishes, when I headed the Office of Foreign Parishes. Therefore, in a sense, it was even interesting, a kind of repetition in a sense.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me, how did you perceive the local clergy? Was it somehow different from the capital’s clergy with whom you had to communicate before?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes, sure. There are some similarities and some differences. If we take the Ryazan clergy, we can say that these people are more modest, in some cases, perhaps less, such a lower level of education, but in general the clergy are quite educated and good. It is precisely simplicity, I would say, a more modest way of life, the ability to survive even in some sense in an extreme situation - this is probably such a property.

You know, we sometimes hear people say in Moscow: “One of the priests drives an expensive car.” I don’t know a single priest in Ryazan who drives an expensive car. We don’t have anyone from the clergy who drives Mercedes.

Alexander Petrov: But you still need a car to go off-road.

Metropolitan Mark: Car? Yes Yes Yes.

Alexander Petrov: And, unfortunately, domestic vehicles do not always help.

Metropolitan Mark: Of course yes. In any case, the priests do not have such machines that could be the basis for them to be injected.

Alexander Petrov: This distinguishes them from the capital's clergy.

Metropolitan Mark: In the capital, everything is also simpler, but nevertheless, the level of prosperity in Ryazan, in the Ryazan diocese, is lower.

Well, I'll give you an example. In one parish... and not in one parish, but I remembered one priest who works not far from the nature reserve in the Ryazan region. Father, six children, and they live and survive on 10 thousand rubles. That is, the priest receives from the temple, but the temple simply cannot give... Yes, 10 thousand rubles. Of course, the priest has a vegetable garden, he tends to the garden himself. Yes, he receives some help from his parents, but still.

Alexander Petrov: Any help from the church as a family with many children?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes Yes Yes. But nevertheless, a person lives and grumbles, lives with understanding.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me, please... You have been caring for the Ryazan diocese for three years now, head of the metropolis. Please tell me what problems did you encounter? What did you manage to solve? And what else would you like to do for the believers of the Ryazan diocese, have time to do?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, when I began to study, when I began to serve, I see that there are still many churches that have been destroyed. There are temples that have not been fully restored - this is if we take the outside. On the other hand, of course, it is necessary to fill vacancies, we need to study and work with the educational qualifications of priests, and develop the seminary. Well, in general, of course, the task is more activity.

You know, we are actively engaged in creating some kind of normal media space. We have created what we call a media holding, and there is also a radio there. We broadcast Radio Vera, but we have a fairly large local component. If before me there were only evening hours, then we introduced morning hours and broadcast in the morning. And people who are going to work, who are driving in cars, they listen to our radio on the FM frequency. There the clergy talk with the presenters. I also sometimes take part and even, probably... well, most often in the evening, but, as a rule, I also perform every week.

Alexander Petrov: You have raised a very important topic. It seems to me that the main function of the church is to console and help. Does the church find words of consolation for those people who find themselves in difficult life situations? After all, if I’m not mistaken, the Ryazan region is not the richest.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes, of course, of course.

Alexander Petrov: What words?

Metropolitan Mark: You probably know that words are too few, words alone are not enough. It is important to have not only words, but also actions. We have a priest who, on major holidays, makes a big pot of soup and treats people to soup in the yard. And many come with pleasure to eat soup. The church helps someone with some kind of social troubles and problems. Just recently (not for the first year) we held a “White Flower” and also collected money for cancer patients. We deal with specific people, specific issues, specific problems.

Alexander Petrov: That is, does the Ryazan diocese have any social projects?

Metropolitan Mark: Of course, of course, there is, of course, of course.

Alexander Petrov: You know, I can’t help but ask, after all, this is very interesting to me. Here you are in Moscow, we are in Ryazan, you communicate with believers both there and there. And their problems are somehow different - those of the believers of Ryazan, ordinary people, from the residents of the capital region? Problems - what exactly?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, the problems are basically the same. Well, there is, perhaps, some peculiarity or some local flavor in Ryazan.

Although, you know, it happens. You come to some Ryazan village, especially in the summer, you perform a divine service, you start talking to the parishioners, you look: “Where are you from?” - “And I’m from Moscow, from there,” - from the north or northwest, or from the east, from some places. Therefore, you know, in our time, when people move, and move quite often...

I recently performed a divine service not far from Kasimov. I’m on my way to consecrate a small wooden church. I look - the cars are parked in the village, and almost half of them have Moscow license plates, well, in this particular village. Therefore, people, in general, travel, people mix, and are partially present seasonally, especially in the summer.

Of course, people who live in Ryazan have perhaps fewer opportunities, a little more difficult, less money, a little less education. But in general, all people...

Alexander Petrov: Well, if it’s appropriate... Since you started talking about the fact that the big problem for the Ryazan diocese is the restoration of churches, let’s look at a short story on this topic.

Metropolitan Mark: Let's.

Pavel Krug, special correspondent: There are many wonderful churches in the Ryazan province, but among them this one is perhaps the most majestic. We are located in the village of Gus-Zhelezny, which is 250 kilometers from Moscow. The first part of the name of the village was given by the Gus River, which flows directly below us. And the second part of the name is associated with industrial production, which appeared here in the middle of the 18th century. The first and sole owner of the ironworks on the Gus River was Andrei Rodionovich Batashev.

During his time, a wooden church stood on this site, and in 1802, already under his son Andrei Andreevich, this stone temple was founded.

Pavel Krug: The temple took more than 60 long years to build. It was consecrated already in the 60s of the 19th century. And since then it has never undergone a major overhaul.

Pavel Pravdolyubov, parishioner of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity in Gus-Zhelezny: The temple consists of an altar and a refectory. Here is the Nativity altar, the main one, on the left - Peter and Paul, and on the right - St. Nicholas. In the refectory part, two additional altars were built - the St. Seraphim altar and the Theotokos altar. Services take place only downstairs here. On the second floor there is... restoration taking place. Currently there are no services there due to the emergency situation. The total number of steps here is 88. The height of the dome is 50 meters. And the height of the bell tower together with the cross is 70.

Pavel Krug: So, now we are climbing another staircase that leads to the bell tower of the Trinity Church. The steps crunch a little, but this does not scare us.

Meanwhile, a tour bus pulled up to the central square below - and the Lower Church was filled with people. As we saw for ourselves, this architectural monument amazes the imagination even from a distance. But his real treasure is within

Evgenia Efanova, parishioner of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity in Gus-Zhelezny: On this icon we depict our local revered saint and blessed Matrona Anemnyasevskaya. Our Matronushka was born in 1864 in the village of Anemnyasevo, Kasimovsky district. The Lord God gave her the gift of insight. Then the revolution happened, collectivization began here. People came to her: “What to do in one case or another? Go to the collective farm? Shouldn’t you go to the collective farm?” In general, she began to interfere so much with the village, with everyone, and especially... you know who, that they made a decision that Matrona, “the degenerate Matrona Belyakova, with her holiness, is interfering with collectivization.”

Pavel Krug: Over there. Approximately where that distant church is - this village, churchyard, the village of Polukhtino is located. Belkovo is also nearby.

The village of Belkovo during the years of Soviet power, in the 30s, during the era of persecution of the Orthodox Church, was the center of the local Bolshevik cell. And it was there that a conspiracy was drawn up against Saint Matrona Anemnyasevo.

Evgenia Efanova: This was back in 1934. But they were afraid to immediately take her and take her somewhere. Still, in 1935 she was taken to Moscow and put in Butyrka prison. So who did such a person, a 71-year-old old woman, interfere with? And in 1936 she died there.

Together with Matrona Belyakova, priests from the Truth-loving family were arrested on a fabricated case - Father Nikolai and Father Sergius, the grandfather of the current rector of the Trinity Church, Father Seraphim (Pravdolyubov). And Pavel, who accompanied our film crew on the road to Anemnyasevo, is his son.

Pavel Krug: Pavel, please tell me, has the house in which Matrona Anemnyasevskaya, Saint Matrona Anemnyasevskaya, lived survived?

Pavel Pravdolyubov: No, the house has not survived. Now a chapel has been built on the site of the house.

Pavel Krug: This one?

Pavel Pravdolyubov: Yes. Actually, the development of the village began with it, and the temple was built, to which we will now go.

Every year on July 29, the day of remembrance of Blessed Matrona is celebrated here with a procession and divine service. But her burial place is unknown. However, parishioners hope that her relics will be found and believe in a miracle.

Evgenia Efanova: Well, my relatives too... Well, I just couldn’t give birth to a baby, well, it didn’t work out, well, it didn’t work out. And in the end, it means she got pregnant. Every day this young woman began to read an akathist to Matrona Anemnyasevskaya. The baby was born - but when? The doctors performed an operation on her, they said: “How could you, with your anomalies, carry the baby to nine months and give birth to a healthy baby?” Now the child is three years old.

Alexander Petrov: We see that it is hardly possible to help the restoration of this temple with prayer now, but some specific means are needed, we need help from the state, the parish is small. What can be done to restore the cathedral?

Metropolitan Mark: Prayer, of course, won't hurt in any case. The local regional budget is unlikely to be able to allocate the money that is necessary for restoration, so we are considering the issue of allocating some money through our financial and economic management, through the Ministry of Culture, so that at least emergency work can be carried out. This year we went to a holiday, I performed worship in this temple. And we performed divine services in the Lower Church, because we were afraid to go to the Upper Church - well, God forbid, that the plaster would fall. Yes, there are some problems.

Alexander Petrov: Is the state ready to fork out the cash? What does this depend on? The parish is small.

Metropolitan Mark: The state annually allocates different monuments and, accordingly, together with the church makes a decision regarding which objects...

Alexander Petrov: Is this the task of the Ministry of Culture? Or should the regional budget somehow?..

Metropolitan Mark: This is a joint project between the Patriarchate and the Ministry of Culture.

Alexander Petrov: It's clear. How is the restoration of churches going in Moscow? Are you also in charge of this area?

Metropolitan Mark: In Moscow - either under the same program, but most often these are Moscow subsidies, this is money from the Moscow government that is allocated directly to religious organizations. A project is drawn up and a certain amount of money is allocated. There is double control over this - both from our management and from the Moscow Heritage Committee. Work is being done. And many such wonderful objects have already been restored.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, I would, of course, like to talk about the construction of new churches in the capital - this is an important topic, this is one of your key concerns today. But before that, let's look at a short story on this topic.

Metropolitan Mark: Fine.

Khodynskoe field. In 1893, a temple was erected here in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh for the troops of the Moscow garrison. True, it stood for only 30 years and became one of the first in a series of Moscow churches destroyed by the Bolsheviks. And now, almost 100 years later, it was revived as part of a large-scale project of church and state - the Program for the Construction of Orthodox Churches in Moscow. The initiator of the project was Patriarch Kirill. Back in the summer of 2010, he announced the need to build at least 200 new Orthodox churches in the capital. The main goal of the program is the revival of traditional values ​​in modern society.

Archpriest Vasily Biksey, rector of the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh on the Khodynka Field: It was such an amazing moment of the special presence of God in the minds and hearts of those people that this project was launched, because there was no such period of time when churches were built so intensively.

In the 21st century, Moscow was in last place among other Russian cities in terms of the number of churches in relation to the size of the Orthodox population. In the regions, one church serves 10-15 thousand people; in the capital, there are sometimes only one or two Orthodox parishes for 100-150 thousand residents. The program will make the temple accessible to everyone.

Most of the temple complexes are being built in residential areas, some - on the site of historical churches destroyed during Soviet times, like the Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh on the Khodynskoye Field. Thanks to the latest construction technologies, the complex was built in just two years. Last year, at Christmas, the first liturgy was held in the church, where construction had not yet been completed. In order for the temple to fit into the surrounding urban landscape - with a sports complex and stone high-rise buildings - architect Sergei Kuznetsov developed a new project, designed in a pseudo-Russian style. This building was based on Pskov architecture of the 17th-18th centuries.

Archpriest Vasily Biksey: Some ask: “In what century was this temple built?” - because, indeed, the impression is created that he was here from the beginning, but all this new stuff arose gradually.

The program is run solely on donations. The city allocates land, and funds for the construction of churches are collected by the whole world: students and pensioners, scientists and artists, doctors, teachers, large entrepreneurs and ordinary Muscovites, the geography of donations is not limited to Moscow, philanthropists, commercial organizations and charitable foundations. That is, the engine and resource of this program are people. Thanks to them, the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov on Dubninskaya Street is being built today.

Priest Viktor Gerasimov, rector of the Temple of St. Seraphim of Sarov: These are the people who donate to the temple, and they contribute their souls. And we write the name on the bricks - this symbolizes that they are making their sacrifice to God. That is, these people will already participate in eternal remembrance.

The Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, on the one hand, will combine the traditions of ancient Russian architecture, and on the other, will correspond to the modern style of the buildings surrounding it. Now all that remains is to build a bell tower here. The bells have already been delivered. The largest weighs 2 tons, the smallest - 140 kilograms. There will be 16 in total. The bells will be consecrated in October. Construction will be fully completed next year. This is a long-awaited event for the residents of Eastern Degunino. In the area where almost 100 thousand people live, until 2005 there was not a single Orthodox church.

Residents of the Dmitrovsky district also appreciated the large-scale project - they built the Temple of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow. It contains an ark with a particle of the relics of the holy old woman. Blessed Matrona is revered by many Orthodox Christians, so it is not surprising that, as part of the Moscow program for the construction of churches, they decided to dedicate one of them to her.

Priest Sergius Polyakov, cleric of the Church of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Dmitrovsky in Moscow: Apart from the Intercession Monastery, where the relics of Blessed Matrona rest, there were no other churches in Moscow at that time dedicated to this saint. And this is the only temple of such a scale and volume, the largest parish church dedicated to Blessed Matrona in Central Russia.

The temple was built taking into account modern realities and was made a place not only for prayers. There is a social service at the complex. Large families, low-income people and those left homeless regularly receive assistance. Gospel readings are held on weekends.

Olga Barannikova, architect of the Temple of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow in Dmitrovsky, Moscow: This color is, of course, characteristic of classical architecture. Classic is the end of the 19th century, that is, the 19th century. Well, it's yellow for a reason. We have a lot, as now, of cloudy days a year. And our great-grandfathers used these warm colors in the classics (look at the central part of Moscow) in order to lift the mood.

Throughout Moscow, famous monuments of world art are being restored from ruins, churches are being restored, and new temples are being built. Until these days, such serious and large-scale work had not been carried out in any European capital. Already today, 63 churches have been built, of which the main construction and installation work has been completed on 17, and 25 churches are still under construction.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me, please... Everything is quite beautiful and blissful. Are there any problems?

Metropolitan Mark: Of course, of course there is.

Alexander Petrov: And how are they resolved?

Metropolitan Mark: The main problem is the lack of funding. We do not receive a single government penny. Everything that is being built is being built with money either from ordinary parishioners or from some benefactors who are parishioners or simply provide assistance to our program. Of the large organizations, the company that helps us the most now is Norilsk Nickel. And there are a lot of different people - famous, less famous.

Therefore, of course, the main problem is money. And yet, given the lack of funds, such a scale and, I would say, such a pace of construction. For a while, especially at the beginning, some people said: “You know, why build temples? - and they scared the people: “You know, if temples are built, then the bells will ring, this will wake you up.”

Alexander Petrov: You know, after all, not everyone likes it, and you have to negotiate with residents of residential areas.

Metropolitan Mark: You know, there are practically no disturbances. We’ve been in some places, there was an incident in Torfyanka, and here there was enough...

Alexander Petrov: Yes, we discussed this case in one of the programs.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes, a serious question related to the topic of such intervention. People were just using it for political PR. And in general, the attitude of society is good.

Alexander Petrov: And who was behind this?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, various people were present there, some representatives of political parties (well, it’s incorrect to call them) and just such activists. In some cases, these are representatives of other religious organizations - well, what we call sects. But, as a rule, these are just a few. And practically now there are no such stories, everything is peaceful.

People feel that the temple comes with goodness. Not only are services held in the church, but a lot of activity is carried out in the churches, a lot of work is carried out - these are some kind of Sunday schools, these are clubs, these are sports sections, and much more. That is, where a temple appears, a center of a new, such a good life appears, a center of activity that simply helps people, helps families live.

Alexander Petrov: If you build churches, this problem of lack of churches for believers will be solved.

Metropolitan Mark: Yes.

Alexander Petrov: But the task of the church is not only to attract believers, but also to keep them there.

Metropolitan Mark: Of course of course.

Alexander Petrov: Here is one of the problems, at least one that is being discussed, is the problem of the Church Slavonic language and its accessibility. Tell me, how relevant is this problem now?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, on the one hand, one is relevant. On the other hand, its relevance or the need for, so to speak, reform, which some people talk about, is, as a rule, voiced by those people who do not go to church and, perhaps, do not intend to go. Yes, of course, there is a problem related to the topic of understanding, but in general most of the services are understandable.

You know, there are questions related to the topic of translation, the complexity of translation. Russian as a new language is a rather flat language. And many things are simply very difficult to translate into Russian. For example, “Izhe Cherubim”. That is, “like” is “which”. But “Izhe” sounds beautiful, it’s melodic.

Alexander Petrov: I never understood what that meant either, to be honest.

Metropolitan Mark: Unclear. You know, the position that was held by many ascetics of piety, many saints... For example, St. Theophan the Recluse - what was he talking about? About the need to make such a correction in terms of misunderstanding, such an easy Russification of the Slavic language - which, in principle, has always happened.

There are words that change. If you take, for example, a prayer book or some book, for example, from the 19th century, then there you will see the following words: “The Judge will come in vain.” What does "in vain" mean? How can the Judge (meaning the Lord) come in vain? The fact is that the Slavic word “vain” means “suddenly.” And now, in our time, in the 20th century, in almost all prayer books this word has been replaced and sounds different: “Suddenly the Judge will come.” That is, this process is taking place in the church. And, in principle, it always leaked.

Alexander Petrov: That is, it is not necessary to say that in the near future the Russian Orthodox Church will translate divine services from Church Slavonic into modern Russian?

Metropolitan Mark: No need, yes.

Alexander Petrov: So this is a parachurch discussion, nothing more?

Metropolitan Mark: Yes, yes, yes, of course.

Alexander Petrov: You know, you touched on the problem of translating Church Slavonic texts into a more understandable language. This problem faced both Saint Theophan the Recluse and Patriarchs Tikhon and Sergius (Starogorodsky). We have a short story on this topic, let's take a look.

Metropolitan Mark: Fine.

Church Slavonic is the main language of worship in the Russian Orthodox Church; the Gospel is read in church in it, and all the texts of Orthodox prayers are written in it. It is believed that Church Slavonic has absorbed many features of the ancient Greek language - the language of the New Testament and the Holy Fathers. It reveals the peculiarities of the living speech of the ancient Slavs and the experience of ascetics who turned to God with the words of Church Slavonic prayers.

The first translations of liturgical texts into this language were undertaken in the 9th century by Saints Cyril and Methodius. The corpus of liturgical books in Church Slavonic, created by the disciples of the Thessaloniki brothers, was accepted by the Russian Church at the end of the 10th century. After this, a continuous process of creating new liturgical translations from Greek and original liturgical monuments began.

An important stage in this process was the period of the late XIV - early XV centuries, it was then that the old corpus of ancient Russian liturgical books was gradually replaced by a new one, focused on the Jerusalem Rule. Later, printed editions of Greek liturgical books of the 16th century, as well as southern Russian editions of the first half of the 17th century, already corrected from the same Greek books, were taken as samples. Nikon's edition of the liturgical texts was intended to solve the problem of compliance of the translation with the Greek original, however, in a number of cases, too straightforward reproduction of the features of the Greek language made it difficult to perceive the Church Slavonic text.

By the end of the 19th century, the problem of perceiving liturgical texts was already recognized as very acute. Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote: “I mean a new, simplified, clarified translation of church liturgical books. Now, tomorrow, we need to start it if we don’t want to be the cause of the harm that comes from this.”

The position of Saint Theophan was shared by many bishops and priests. The time has come to make worship and sacred texts more understandable to the laity. Thus, St. Tikhon, the future All-Russian Patriarch, noted: “It is important for the Russian Church to have a new Slavic translation of liturgical books.”

And so in 1907, the commission established by the Synod to correct liturgical books began its work. It was headed by Archbishop Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Finland, the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and included famous theologians, liturgists and philologists of that time. They intended to correct obvious translation errors from Greek and make the Church Slavonic text more accessible to believers. However, he was not destined to fulfill his plans - the work of the commission was interrupted by the revolution of the seventeenth year.

Alexander Petrov: Tell me, how acute is the problem of translating Church Slavonic texts today? Let's take today's youth. Here is a young man opening the Bible and trying to understand it, to find: “Where is it written about me? Where about my problems - about school, about salary? Where can he recognize himself in the Bible? This is about the question of whether there is a need to somehow correlate Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition and modernity.

Metropolitan Mark: Of course, of course, of course. If we talk about the Holy Scriptures, now even clergy perceive the Holy Scriptures through the prism of the Russian language. That is, services are performed in Church Slavonic, the Gospel is read, as a rule, for the most part in Church Slavonic. Partially in some churches, excerpts from the Old Testament, from the epistles of the apostles are read, read in Russian, this practice also takes place. But in general, people perceive and themselves read the Gospel and other biblical texts in Russian, of course, so in general this is more or less understandable. But, you know, the understandability of the language, the understandability of words does not yet guarantee an understanding of the subject as such.

Alexander Petrov: But the texts of the Holy Scriptures were created with man in mind in the 1st century AD. Are they understandable to a person of the 21st century?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, they are understandable, but not always.

Alexander Petrov: And does this problem exist?

Metropolitan Mark: Of course it exists.

Alexander Petrov: And how to solve it?

Metropolitan Mark: Well, there is the possibility of additional education for this. In many parishes there are additional classes, when parishioners come to the priest and read the Gospel together, the priest explains, the priest or the teacher. Now theological education is accessible, and not only clergy are bearers of theological education. There are also secular universities and faculties of theology in Ryazan and Moscow. Therefore, this is the educational work that needs to be done. Because even, imagine, if we translate the same way the Holy Scripture is translated into Russian, we translate the divine service - it will not become any clearer because the content is too deep, it needs to be explained.

Alexander Petrov: But tell me anyway (let’s sum it up), in what ways can the church change, and in what areas should it remain unchanged? So the words of the Apostle Paul come to my mind, who in his address to the believers said: “Do not be related to this age.”

Metropolitan Mark: You know, of course, of course.

Alexander Petrov: How to understand these words?

Metropolitan Mark: The Church cannot change in terms of its doctrine. We are talking about the fact that we distinguish several levels, so to speak. There are dogmas - these are unshakable provisions of our faith: the personality of Jesus Christ, belief in the Trinity, and so on. This is something that cannot be changed or even discussed. There are canons - these are church rules on how to live, which have changed over time; they are associated with dogmas. These are our traditions, it is advisable not to break them. And there are customs and traditions. Therefore, the church is capable and can change in its forms.

Let's say, back in the 18th century, our ancestors did not have a Russian text of the Holy Scriptures, they did not, there was simply only a Slavic text. We have it now, so changes are already evident. And the Holy Scriptures became much more accessible to the common believer.

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, time, unfortunately, for our program is coming to an end. I would like to ask you a final question, which, it seems to me, still needs to be voiced somehow. Today our country is going through not the easiest times: challenges, universal poverty, and attempts are being made to split Orthodoxy in some way. In this atmosphere, what do you see as the main tasks of the church?

Metropolitan Mark: You know, our main task is working with a person, this is helping a specific person, this is the Gospel of the Gospel. These are our main tasks. And regardless of how the situation unfolds in the international arena, including in relation to the Church of Constantinople, in any case, our tasks will remain unchanged - to think about a person, bring him the joy of the good news and help him with deeds, in a word, in whatever way we can .

Alexander Petrov: Vladyka, thank you very much for such an interesting conversation. All the best!

Metropolitan Mark: All the best!

Date of Birth: March 31, 1964 A country: Russia Biography:

Born on March 31, 1964 in Perm. In 1981 he graduated from Perm high school. In 1982-1984. served in the ranks of the Soviet Army.

In 1984 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, after which in 1988 he entered the Moscow Theological Academy. In September 1990, he was appointed assistant to the head of the Church and Archaeological Office at the MDA.

On October 19, 1990, at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, he was tonsured a monk, on November 21, he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on January 7, 1991, to the rank of hieromonk. He taught the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament at the MDS. In 1992 he graduated from the MDA with a PhD in Theology.

On January 14, 2004, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, he was consecrated Bishop of Yegoryevsky, Vicar of the Moscow Diocese.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 31, 2009 () he was relieved of the post of deputy chairman of the DECR and appointed secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions. The Holy Synod also entrusted Bishop Mark with temporary administration of the dioceses.

By decision of the Holy Synod of February 26, 2019 () from the post of chairman of the Financial and Economic Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated February 26, 2019, he was relieved of his post as rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khoroshevo, Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of August 30, 2019 (), in addition to the obedience carried out, the administration of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese was entrusted with the naming of the title within the said diocese “Budapest and Hungarian”.

Education:

1988 - Moscow Theological Seminary.

1992 - Moscow Theological Academy (PhD in Theology).

Place of work: Patriarchal Award Commission (Chairman) Place of work: Moscow Patriarchate (Head of the Award Commission) Place of work: Ryazan Metropolitanate (Head of the Metropolitanate) Diocese: Ryazan Diocese (Ruling Bishop) Diocese: Diocese of Budapest (Ruling Bishop) Awards:

Church:

• 2014 - St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow II century;
• 2019 - St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow III century;
• Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II century;
• Order of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem Orthodox Church).

Email: [email protected] Website: www.ryazeparh.ru

Publications on the portal Patriarchia.ru

Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky: It’s not a matter of quantity [Interview]

Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk: Money is needed for the construction of a temple in Strasbourg [Interview]

Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk: It depends only on us what cultural and spiritual heritage we will leave behind for our descendants [Interview]

[Article]

Answers from the head of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions, Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, to questions from visitors to the website of the Synodal Information Department [Interview]

Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky is convinced that the apostolic time has now come in Russia. People need missionaries, and this is the main responsibility of priests and bishops. It is no coincidence that at present there are quite a lot of young priests, because in order to revive church life, young forces are needed. And every believer, no matter whether he is a monk or a layman, is called to the best of his ability to be a witness of the Truth.

Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky. Biography

Metropolitan Mark was born on March 31, 1964 in Perm. In the world his name was Sergei Anatolyevich Golovkov. In addition to Sergei, there were two more sons and three daughters in the family. The father of the future Vladyka, Anatoly Grigorievich Golovkov, studied at the Saratov Theological Seminary and, in addition to constant work in the world, served as a subdeacon and sang in the choir. At one time he served as treasurer in the cathedral of the city of Perm. Since there were few churches in Soviet times, I was constantly making something around the house for the church where I served, without forgetting about other churches.

He, together with his wife Anna Vasilievna, raised his children in the Christian spirit, which at that time was equated with a feat. Anatoly Grigorievich understood that children need to instill love for God so that they have a religious worldview. To do this, he introduced them to reading, which he had collected for many years. Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky said that his father had antique literature on a religious theme; among the books there were pre-revolutionary publications of theological academies.

Metropolitan Mark's mother was distinguished by rare kindness and hard work. The boy’s memory was imprinted on how she told children about the exploits of holy ascetics and read about the lives of saints. Anna Vasilievna, as long as the archpastor remembers, always served in the diocese and sang in the choir.

The youth of the archpastor

It is a great success and happiness to be born into a family where spiritual life is at the forefront. But this requires perseverance and unwavering convictions. At that time, being a believer meant going against everyone, challenging society.

Sergei Golovkov, like the rest of the Soviet children, went to a regular school and was even accepted into the Octobrists and Pioneers. There was nothing reprehensible in this, because then no one demanded that he renounce Christ for this, they simply gave him a tie and attached a badge. But the future Metropolitan of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky Mark knew his goal. After graduating from ten years of high school, the young man decides to enter a theological seminary, but at that time only those who served in the army were accepted into such places. Therefore, Sergei, without submitting documents to other universities, went straight to the admissions office of the military registration and enlistment office.

Sitting opposite the doctor, he noticed that on one piece of paper (and this was a description from school) it was emphasized: “I was brought up in a religious environment.” This became the reason for the head of the commission to yell at him: “How will you, a believer, serve?” But the young man already knew how to control himself and calmly replied that he was like everyone else. The Metropolitan remembers his years of service with warmth. The Lord protected him from flagrant cases of hazing and other troubles; at this time he matured and gained experience of life away from his family and friends.

Years in seminary

The calm, kind Sergei Golovkov made many friends. At that time, interest in faith and religion gradually began to manifest itself among different segments of the population. For the most part, the seminarians consisted of children who grew up in religious families, children of priests. There were, but much less frequently, young men who grew up in atheistic families and came to the Academy in defiance of their parents.

At that time (perestroika had already begun), samizdat began to publish many books on religious topics, and the Theological Academy began to attract people interested in faith, reading, delving deeply into the works written by the great ascetics of Christianity. It is not surprising that many adults who graduated from a secular institute applied to the Academy and sat straight into the second year.

First of all, seminarian Sergei Golovkov valued that friendship, sincere communication between students and teachers. For him, the seminary was like (Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky said in an interview) a family. They (the seminarians) then united into one flock, rallied around the Lord, there were never quarrels between them, there was no falsehood. Everyone tried to value their friendship and time spent with each other.

Monasticism

In 1990, Sergei Golovkov was tonsured a monk with the name Mark in honor of the Apostle and Evangelist Mark. That same year he was ordained a hierodeacon, and a few months later - to the rank of hieromonk. On August 12, 1992, Priest Mark became a member of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem.

For him, Israel, without exaggeration, became a second homeland. The young man had not yet turned thirty years old, and already there was a need in the homeland of Christ to communicate with many “parallel worlds,” as he himself spoke about it.

Service in the Holy Land

Firstly, Jerusalem is the place where people first heard the Divine sermon; these are holy places: Golgotha, Gethsemane, the Holy Sepulcher, Bethlehem, which undoubtedly encourage prayer and spiritual contemplation. Secondly, this is the Russian world, mission employees, monks, compatriots working in Israel. Thirdly, it was an acquaintance with archpastors and priests of Orthodox churches and other denominations: the Catholic Church, Protestant, AOC (Armenian Apostolic Church) and I had to communicate and cooperate with everyone.

In Jerusalem, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky had a unique opportunity to plunge into the atmosphere of pre-revolutionary Russia, to see and hear the fragments of this majestic empire.

The Metropolitan recalled the unusual noble ringing of Russian bells during services in the Trinity Cathedral, and this ringing reminded him of his lost fatherland. He saw gifts: icons, church utensils, vessels that were presented as gifts to the Jerusalem Church in the pre-revolutionary period and which were used in worship. In modern Russia, similar relics are found in museums.

Revival of Christianity. How to achieve this?

The fact that the Russian Orthodox Church is now under close attention, a lot is said and written about it - this proves that every person, the Russian people, has a Christian soul and it declares itself. So says Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky. Feedback about the spiritual side of the people pleases the bishop, despite many negative manifestations in society. In his opinion, there are not enough workers in the church, as evidenced by the Gospel: “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” There are not enough people who would serve the Church not for profit and vain glory. There is not enough unity, there are many quarrels, discord between parishioners, and this divides and divides people. We need to learn unity and as soon as possible.

On February 26, before the Great Pentecostal, Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky led Vespers in the Nativity of Christ Cathedral in the city of Ryazan. The Bishop said that the Holy Great Lent (Lent) is a time when believers must overcome the tyranny of the flesh and not drown in the storm of worldly cares.