Father Andrey Lemeshonok was born on 8 April 1956 in Minsk. Though his family never spoke about God, they lived by clear Christian values - honesty, decent ways, respect for others, and a deep love for their homeland. His father, Vladimir Iosifovich Lemeshonok, was a noted Belarusian historian and held a Doctorate in Historical Sciences. He was one of the authors of the volumes "History of the Byelorussian SSR" and "The Nationwide Struggle in Belarus against the German-Nazi Occupiers during the Great Patriotic War", producing more than 160 scholarly works in his lifetime. His mother, Galina Ivanovna, worked in education, where her duties concerned the methods and practice of teaching. His grandfather, Ivan Semyonovich Morunov, a Major General of Aviation, went through three wars: the Civil War, the Finnish War and World War II.
Father Andrey Lemeshonok with his father and mother, his childhood photos
In 1973 Father Andrey finished ten years of study at Minsk Secondary School No. 4 and entered the Belarusian State Theatre and Art Institute, where he studied for a year as a director. From September 1974 he began working in manual jobs - as a porter, general labourer, stagehand and cleaner.
In those days, the future priest searched deep within his soul, thinking hard about his place and calling in the world. Hippie culture and Tolstoy's ideas drew his interest, and he read widely. Russian classical literature and the work of the Soviet "village prose" writers V. Astafyev, V. Shukshin and V. Rasputin played a big part in his turning to Orthodoxy.
Youth photos of Father Andrey Lemeshonok
In 1978, he received baptism. He later described the moment that led to it:
"I went into the cathedral, and grace touched me. How did that show itself? I went up for anointing during the evening service, the priest anointed me (if I had asked, they would have said to me, “The unbaptised are not allowed…”), and suddenly I felt that there was no ceiling in the church, only the sky… I came home, they said to me, 'What has happened to you?' - my eyes were wide open… That was when everything began.
"After my baptism, for a year I went to church every day, morning and evening. I signed up at the Lenin Library and copied out the holy fathers by hand. The first book was Ignatius Brianchaninov's 'Ascetical Experiences'. I copied out the whole book…"
Father Andrey Lemeshonok with his son
From 1980, with the blessing of the rector of the cathedral, Archpriest Mikhail Buglakov, the future Father Andrey worked as a night watchman, took part in building work to restore the cathedral, and sang in the choir. Looking back, he sees that time as a true schooling in labour, obedience and patience.
At this time he first met the elder Nikolai Gurianov from the island of Zalit (Talabsk) on Lake Pskov, who supported him and later became his spiritual guide. Father Andrey speaks of this time with great affection and thankfulness:
"I remember the first time I went to see Father Nikolai Guryanov on Zalit Island. He was in the middle of the liturgy in his church. With me was a man who had brought me over. At the point when Father Nikolai was giving Communion to the children, we both saw his face begin to shine in the most incredible way, just like an angel's. If I had been on my own, I might have put it down to a trick of the light. But we caught each other's eye, and I knew straight away he had seen it as well: 'Just look at his face!' But when the elder finished giving Communion to the children, his face became ordinary again. That light held me up for several months during a time when I felt truly low…"
Andrey Lemeshonok on the island of Zalit
Another decisive figure in Father Andrey's life was Metropolitan Philaret (Vakhromeev):
"The Metropolitan came to the Belarusian diocese, and all that happened in those years had a very great effect on me. In everything we looked to him as our example; he was easy to approach and had a quiet dignity about him. This inner beauty taught us how to live as Christians. During a very hard period of spiritual anguish and trials, the Lord showed me through the Metropolitan that He is at the helm - He steers the ship of the Church, and all human failings are only temporary. I did not want to become a priest; I kept refusing, and then he called me to talk. And as he was speaking with me, I saw the living Christ in him. That was a turning-point for me..."
On 7 April 1992, Metropolitan Philaret ordained Father Andrey as a deacon, and on 14 November of the same year he was consecrated a priest of the Holy Peter and Paul Cathedral in Minsk.
Father Andrey Lemeshonok and Metropolitan Philaret
From the outset of his ministry, Father Andrey proved a shepherd of living faith, drawing people to his side. The word and spirit of his preaching touched many hearts, changing and renewing people's lives. Over time, a community of sisters and brothers formed around him who, with his blessing, carried the light of the Gospel truth and words of comfort to the sick and suffering. In 1994, the Sisterhood in honour of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth came into being. In 1999, from this same sisterhood, a monastery of the same name was formed. Since 1999 and right up to now, Father Andrey has served as the spiritual father of the St Elisabeth Monastery in Minsk and of the sisterhood.
Father Andrey continues to serve, labour and inspire his flock. He sees the main goal of his duty today like this: "To try to bear what the Lord gives me today, and blesses in my service. There are all sorts of ups and downs, different inner states and different ways you feel physically, and you need to forget about yourself and think about what I have to do as a priest, how to serve God and my neighbour. That is the most important thing. One can make excuses, find a thousand reasons to say: "I can't do it anymore, I'm not ready, I don't understand." But that is all a deception. With God's help, I would like to be free of this and do all I can to help people find God and work for God."
