The time of Elder Macarius’s ministry as an elder is often hailed as the “Golden Age” in the history of Optina Monastery. Under his guidance, the monastery became a spiritual centre of Russia. During the latter half of the 19th century, it played a significant role in the gradual return to Orthodoxy within Russian culture, which had been under strong Western influence since the time of Peter the Great.
Mikhail Nikolayevich Ivanov was born into a noble family in the Oryol province. His great-grandfather, Ivan, was a monk of the Karachev St. Nicholas Monastery in Odryn, taking the name Joseph upon entering monastic life.
The future holy ascetic grew up in a pious family. His father, Nikolai Mikhailovich Ivanov, was in the civil service rank of a collegiate assessor. He and his wife, Elizaveta Alexeyevna, lived near the Lavrentiev Monastery in the village of Zheleznyaki, Kaluga province. On 20 November 1788, their son Mikhail was born. The child was named after St. Michael, Prince of Tver. After some time, four more children arrived: three sons and a daughter. The mother noticed that her eldest son differed from the other children and said that “something extraordinary” would come of this boy.
Men’s Lavrentiev Monastery
Elizaveta Alexeyevna died of tuberculosis in 1797 in Moscow, where the family temporarily resided for her treatment. After burying his wife, Nikolai Mikhailovich first settled with his children at their estate in the village of Schepyatino and later moved to his sister’s home in Karachev. The father enrolled his eldest sons in the town’s parochial school, where they remained until 1801 when his sister and her family moved to the countryside. There, Mikhail’s cousin acquired a home tutor. He also taught Mikhail and his brothers, as their aunt had taken them all into her village home.
Mikhail was the eldest. He lived in the village for about a year and then entered the service as an accountant in the Lgov District Treasury, where S. Ya. Sandulov, a relative of the Ivanovs, was in charge. Two of his kin, both named Alexei, became Mikhail’s assistants in the service, one his own brother and the other a cousin. Alexei Peredelsky, his second cousin, recalled: “Piety, godliness, chastity, meekness, and moral purity were always in his nature. He mostly avoided our childish games and amusements, preferring instead to engage in reading and crafts, like making cardboard models or embroidery. When he came of age, during his secular life, he did not shun decent social pleasures but did not show any particular inclination towards them either. He loved music... he also loved singing. His voice was weak, but this deficiency was compensated for by his knowledge and understanding of music.”
In 1805, Mikhail was appointed head of the accounting expedition office in Kursk and received a promotion in rank. During this period, Mikhail developed an interest in music and literature, devoting all his free time to these pursuits. While participating in society, he remained a humble man. Despite mingling with society, he remained modest; his shyness and thinness — owing to frail health since childhood — earned him the playful nickname “monk.”
In 1806, Mikhail Nikolayevich’s father departed to God leaving him and his siblings — four brothers and a sister — without parents. They remained united, supporting one another and making decisions collectively. At a family meeting, they agreed that the estate should be entrusted to the eldest son.
Mikhail resided in the village for two years but did not achieve success in managing the property. It is recounted that the servants even mocked the hapless landowner who refused to employ conventional methods — harsh punishments and reprimands. However, one incident stands out. Some peasants stole a large amount of buckwheat, an act that could not go unnoticed. Mikhail summoned them and admonished them with words from the Holy Scripture, urging them not to anger God. Deeply moved, the peasants confessed to their theft, repented wholeheartedly for their actions, and begged for forgiveness tearfully on their knees. Neighbours constantly sought his assistance, and he never refused anyone, never turned anyone away, even if it meant neglecting his own affairs.
His relatives tried to arrange a marriage for Mikhail, but they couldn’t find a suitable bride. In his heart, he was becoming increasingly firm in his desire to dedicate himself to God.
On October 6, 1810, Mikhail Nikolayevich set out on a pilgrimage to the Ploschanskaya Hermitage and never returned home. He sent a letter to his relatives, informing them that he was staying at the monastery and transferring the estate to his brothers’ full disposal. He was only 22 years old at the time.
Kazan Mother of God Ploschanskaya Hermitage
Mikhail Nikolayevich entered the hermitage under Hieromonk Ioanniky; at that time, there were about 50 brethren. The Elder later recalled that he experienced such spiritual upliftment there that he “didn’t know whether he was on earth or in heaven, and all the monks seemed to him like God’s Angels.”
Initially, Mikhail took on various obediences: working in the refectory, gathering firewood, tending the garden in summer, or collecting hay. However, his musical talents were soon noticed, and he began studying the typikon and church singing. Over time, he was appointed canonarch and then typikon keeper. In December 1810, novice Mikhail received the tonsure into the rassophore with the name Melchizedek.
His first mentor was the abbot of the monastery, Father Ioanniky. Elder Macarius always remembered this first instructor with gratitude.
In 1815, the new abbot, Father Pavel, tonsured him into the mantle with the name Macarius in honour of St. Macarius of Egypt. Providentially, the name of this ascetic, revered as one of the founders of Eastern monasticism, would be given to the one who would become one of the founders of Optina Eldership. Soon, Father Macarius was ordained a hierodeacon and appointed sacristan.
During the same year, 1815, Elder Hieroschemamonk Athanasius (Zakharov) arrived at the Ploschanskaya Hermitage. In him, Father Macarius finally found the experienced guide in spiritual life that he had long needed. Schemamonk Athanasius had been tonsured into monasticism by Elder Paisius (Velichkovsky) and had been under the spiritual guidance of this great ascetic. Father Macarius lived under the guidance of Elder Athanasius for almost ten years, serving as his cell attendant, allowing him to constantly benefit from his advice.
Elder Paisius (Velichkovsky)
In 1824, Father Macarius visited Optina Pustyn Monastery for the first time, including the recently established St. John the Baptist Skete. The following year, Elder Athanasius departed, and Father Macarius was once again left without a spiritual guide. However, Father Athanasius’s wisdom and Father Macarius’ deep engagement with ascetic writings had him in his spiritual growth. In 1827, he was appointed the spiritual father of the Sevsk Holy Trinity Convent. This challenging role, which he embraced at forty, would become his lifelong mission.
Holy Trinity Convent, Sevsk
Father Macarius’s mentor and assistant in this endeavour was Elder Leonid, who arrived at the Ploschanskaya Hermitage in 1828 from the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery. Elder Leonid immediately recognized a fellow ascetic in Father Macarius. Although Elder Leonid soon moved to Optina Pustyn, their communication continued through correspondence.
After some time, Father Macarius again visited Optina Pustyn, met with his friend and teacher, Father Leonid, and submitted a request to transfer there. On January 14, 1834, Father Macarius received orders for his relocation from Ploschanskaya Hermitage to Optina, and on 5 February, he arrived at the St. John the Baptist Skete.
Father Leonid immediately made Father Macarius his assistant, entrusting him with correspondence with some of his spiritual children. In 1836, Father Macarius was appointed the confessor of the monastery, and in 1839 — the head of the skete. But despite bearing the title of head, he never considered himself as such, relying entirely on the Elder in all matters.
Elder Leo (Leonid) of Optina
Elder Leonid gradually prepared Father Macarius to be his successor. Unceasingly, the Elder cultivated humility in his disciple, and Father Macarius met every test with steadfastness.
At the same time, the Elder’s love and appreciation for Father Macarius were evident. Once, he remarked on the spiritual stature of the ascetics at Optina: “Father Moses and Father Anthony are great men, but Macarius is holy.” Soon, in addition to correspondence, Elder Leonid began to entrust him with the guidance of his spiritual children, consulted him on resolving various issues, and over time, would not resolve any difficulties without Father Macarius. If he wasn’t present, he would reply to those asking questions: “Let’s wait; Father Macarius will come, and we’ll discuss it together.” Everyone remembers how touching it was to witness such unanimity and mutual agreement between the two elders. “It used to be”, recounted a spiritual daughter of the elders, later Abbess Pavlina of the Belev Convent, “you would be speaking with Father Leonid, and Father Macarius would enter. Father Leonid would say to him: ‘Father, talk to her; she needs you to explain something to her.’ Or, they would be sitting side by side, like Angels of God, and we would be kneeling before them, opening our souls to both of them as if they were one. And we never separated them. Truly, they had one heart and one soul [Acts 4:32]. Therefore, when Father Leonid passed away, although we grieved for him, our grief was tempered because we had lost one half, but the other remained with us.” At the end of his life, Elder Leonid blessed his spiritual children and made them turn to Father Macarius after his passing.
Father Macarius took charge of the St. John the Baptist Skete in 1839, marking 18 years since its founding. By then, the skete had already developed a well-defined routine, that fostered the spiritual growth of its inhabitants. During Elder Macarius’s tenure, it underwent a significant transformation, with the support of his spiritual children.
St. John the Baptist Skete of Optina Pustyn
In 1857, by order of Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow, the monastery’s staff increased to expand the number of inhabitants in the St. John the Baptist Skete. The skete’s buildings were also expanded and renovated.
Under the Elder’s direction, these spaces were meticulously furnished. The bell tower and the holy gates were painted according to Elder Macarius’s vision — he personally selected the subjects for all the images. He took particular care in the interior decoration of the skete church. The iconostasis was gilded, the ceilings and walls were painted, and its entire appearance reflected a strict style, befitting the overall ascetic spirit of the holy place. During Elder Macarius’s time, the skete’s sacristy was also organized and significantly replenished.
Father Macarius did not immediately continue the initiative of his predecessors — cultivating fruit trees and flowers on the skete grounds. He felt that this did not align with the strict spirit of skete life. However, visitors, noticing the absence of the former beautiful flower gardens, began to express their disappointment, having grown accustomed to the fragrance and vibrant colours of the flowers in the skete. The Elder then created one flowerbed, and the delighted spiritual children and visitors of the skete eagerly assisted in creating flower gardens and beds, donating seeds. Soon, the entire skete was adorned with flowers and greenery. The skete’s apiary was also expanded.
The Elder also cared for the area surrounding the skete. He valued the seclusion provided by the ancient pine forest. “A person,” he reasoned, “finds peace and spiritual benefit in the forest. We see how in former times people retreated into the depths of the forests and there, in the quietude away from the world and its vanities, sought their salvation in prayer and monastic labours. The very sight of the evergreen coniferous trees of our homeland gladdens the eye, serving as a symbol of hope for eternal life, which those who retreat to the wilderness seek. The forests surrounding our desert monasteries must be preserved by all means so that by destroying them, the name ‘desert’ does not eventually become an empty word.” But in 1849, a powerful storm felled many trees. The Elder took care of new plantings, and the beautiful forest that surrounds the skete today is largely the result of his efforts.
Of course, Father Macarius’s care extended beyond external improvements. Well-versed in the typikon and church singing, Elder Macarius paid great attention to the conduct of services — reading and singing. He approached divine services with reverence and awe. If he noticed mistakes, he found a way to correct the brother without causing offence.
The Elder’s most important endeavour, to which he dedicated himself almost tirelessly, was the spiritual guidance of the ever-growing number of brethren and visitors.
“He was of average height, completely grey-haired. In summer, he wore a worn-out cassock and shoes, while in winter he donned a well-worn dark green coat. He carried a crutch in one hand and prayer beads in the other.
His face — not striking at first glance, was not conventionally handsome, and even somewhat irregular (due to a deficiency in his eyes). It bore the sadness of constant introspection, and thus appeared more stern than affectionate; but such was the power of grace that this face, mirrored an otherworldly beauty, a reflection of his pure, loving, and humble soul. It shone with the virtues of the inner man, the fruits of the Spirit enumerated by the Apostle. In general, he possessed a rare combination of simplicity, quietude, and humility, which made him approachable to everyone,” wrote Hieromonk (later Archimandrite) Leonid (Kavelin), a disciple and the first biographer of Father Macarius.
Venerable Elder Macarius (of Optina)
His spiritual children remembered him vividly: “The Elder was of imposing height, with an unattractive face, bearing the marks of smallpox, but white and luminous. His gaze was calm and full of humility. His disposition was exceptionally lively and energetic. He had a remarkable memory: after the first confession, he would remember a person for life. However, his speech impediment and shortness of breath during conversation troubled him throughout his life. He was always simply dressed. Yet, he possessed foresight: when seeing a person for the first time, he would sometimes address them by name before they introduced themselves. He would sometimes answer written questions before receiving them so that the writer would receive a reply to a letter sent only an hour earlier.”
Above all, Father Macarius valued the virtue of humility, to which he called his spiritual children and of which he was himself a model. Here are characteristic lines from his letter: “Woe is me, the poor one! I reason about people, but I myself lie in all evils; and I am not free from pride. I accept praise from blind people like myself for my own condemnation. But if your eyes were opened and you saw even a small part of my evil deeds, you would not want to look at such a monster. And I should have kept silent and paid attention to myself. But I don’t know whether it’s my wicked habit or a vain one under the guise of supposedly benefiting my neighbours that doesn’t allow me to keep silent. I neglect the care of my own soul, I reach out to others; and I only know that I am writing, although it is very difficult for me. I don’t know what will happen.”
He often quoted in his letters the words of St. Isaac the Syrian about the great importance of the virtue of humility: “Humility, even without deeds, forgives many sins; as, on the contrary, all our deeds and all our virtues without humility are vain — they will not save us.”
Behind all his words and actions, one could sense an immense love for people and a desire to help them. This is precisely what drew everyone to the Elder. The longtime Optina resident, Father Abbot Mark, recounted about himself: “Shortly after my arrival at Optina, I fell ill with a fever. My illness lasted for about two years. At that time, there was no infirmary in the monastery, and the sick brethren lay in their cells. Then I fully realized what great, truly fatherly love filled the heart of our Elder, Father Macarius, towards the brethren of the skete and the monastery, and especially towards the sick. Despite multitudes of visitors of different genders and social standings coming to him daily, he always found time to visit all the sick brethren, to comfort, reassure, and console each one.”
As the head of the skete, the Elder occupied a small building located to the left of the skete gates. It was divided into two halves. The Elder occupied the southern part, and his two cell attendants the northern part. The Elder’s half consisted of two rooms — a reception room and his cell, where he spent twenty years of his life. It was a small, oblong room with a single window facing south, overlooking the path leading from the holy gates to the St. John the Baptist Church. In front of the window stood a simple wooden table, its drawers containing writing materials, as well as icons, crosses, rosaries, and belts for distribution to visitors. On the table lay writing implements, and papers, most of which were piles of letters. There were also recent spiritual magazines or new books that the Elder would browse, most often during his afternoon rest. And, finally, there was always something from the writings of the Holy Fathers, the reading of which was a constant, essential need for the Elder. An armchair stood by the writing table.
The southeast corner and the south wall of the room were adorned with icons and images, many of which were gifts from spiritual children. Among them was the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, particularly venerated by the Elder, before which an inextinguishable lamp burned. Liturgical books lay on a shelf and lectern under the icons. Along the west wall stood a narrow wooden bed, with a Crucifix above its head and, above that, an image of the Savior as the Good Shepherd carrying a lost sheep on His shoulders. Numerous portraits of ascetics of piety and spiritual figures hung above the bed.
Here, the Elder performed his prayer rule and received the brethren and male visitors. A special external cell was arranged for women, with its entrance outside the skete fence. In addition, the Elder went to the monastery every day, so pilgrims and visitors wishing to receive his blessing and ask him questions usually waited for him along the narrow path leading from the skete to the monastery. Father Macarius always made this journey to the monastery surrounded by a crowd of people.
Father Macarius held divine services in high esteem and diligently attended all services, completely immersed in prayer. He did not conduct church services himself due to his speech impediment, except during Holy Week. Then, Father Macarius himself would sing the Praises at Matins: “I behold Your bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior…” An eyewitness recalled: “And how he sang! It seemed that the word ‘behold’ had its true meaning in his mouth and that his singing expressed what his spiritual eyes truly saw. The Elder’s voice trembled with the fervour of spiritual feeling, tears rolled down his pale cheeks, and the hearts of those listening were filled with tenderness.”
The Elder’s love extended to all of creation. During the winter, he worried about the birds left without food, so he would instruct his cell attendants to feed them. For this purpose, a feeder was attached to his window: “...a considerable number of titmice, linnets, and small grey woodpeckers would flock to enjoy the Elder’s kindness. Noticing that larger birds, jays, began to bully the small, defenceless birds, devouring in one go what would have lasted them the whole day, the Elder while writing letters, would periodically get up from his chair to chase away the aggressors by knocking on the window. But seeing that this was ineffective, he ordered the grains to be poured into a jar, from which the small birds could easily retrieve them by flying inside; it became inconvenient for the jays to harass them.”
According to those who knew the Elder well, he retained his lively spirit and energy until his very death: “This vivacity shone through in everything he did — reading, conversing, walking. It was evident in all his activities, and even in some of his gestures... Due to this same vivacity of character, he disliked slowness and sluggishness in others, prolonged preparations, and the like. In matters of obedience, he also preferred that the brethren do everything quickly, or rather, with zeal and diligence, for what is done zealously and diligently is done swiftly and promptly. He could not tolerate negligence even in minor matters. For example, if someone, picking up a book, due to haste or simply inattentiveness, placed it upside down, the Elder, upon seeing this, would invariably remark: ‘You have placed the book carelessly — this is not good,’ — and would straighten it himself.”
Father Macarius devoted the time free from prayer and divine services, except for brief periods of rest, to serving his neighbours. The Elder’s cell attendants testified that there was never a time when he refused anyone’s help; the door to his cell was never locked. Even at night, people would come to him with urgent matters, and he would immediately rise from his bed, no matter how tiring the previous day had been.
One of Elder Macarius’s qualities was his remarkable ability to understand people, to find an approach to each one that corresponded to their character — to comfort those who needed comfort, to encourage some, and to show strictness to others. Father Macarius was very lenient towards sin when he saw that a person was sincerely and deeply repentant. The most difficult thing for him was when a person displayed disobedience and self-will.
According to recollections, it was easier for Father Macarius to communicate with people of the middle and lower classes. They trusted him completely, did not seek “external scholarship” in him, and were ready to open their hearts immediately. But the Elder’s fame had grown so great that representatives of the upper class, statesmen, writers, and scholars also came to converse with him.
The Elder maintained a spiritual friendship with the Kireyevsky family, who assisted him in publishing the works of the Holy Fathers. Among the famous visitors to Elder Macarius was the writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Father Macarius greatly contributed to the spiritual transformation that was already maturing in the writer’s soul, which resulted in the creation of his last, most profound works — “Meditations on the Divine Liturgy” and “Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends.”
Some visitors approached the Elder out of mere curiosity and, during their conversations with him, seemed more inclined to instruct him than to glean wisdom from his words. Devoted to serving others and unwilling to offend anyone, the Elder received them, although he occasionally complained to his close companions, lamenting that such visitors merely consumed precious time that was not his to waste. “Father!” someone once remarked after the departure of such a gentleman, “it seems he was instructing you more than you were instructing him?” “Well,” replied the humble Elder, “thank him. He understood me better than you did. What good can one learn from me, a sinner? But he knows much — he knows everything.”
The letters of Father Macarius to his spiritual children are a precious treasure for all those seeking salvation. Saint Theophan the Recluse offered the highest praise after reading them in a publication: “You write that you are reading all the letters of the Optina Elder Macarius. Blessed are his little books! A profound spirit of humility emanates from them and instils it in every reader. Reread them often. It wouldn’t hurt to make excerpts to rekindle the spirit of humility when needed, the most essential of all spirits.” In the Elder’s letters, we also find responses to pressing issues of public life, to which the Elder was not indifferent, his heart aching for the fate of Russia. Here are a few excerpts from his letters:
“Sensuality darkens our minds. All our care and thought are directed towards providing comfort for the body, but we care little for the soul — we do not uproot passions, and we do not even resist them; and because of this, we are deprived of peace and tranquillity of the soul.”
“The very sorrow for the departed, illuminated by the light of true reason, melts away, and in its place, a good hope begins to sprout, comforting and gladdening the soul. Fanaticism restricts the way a person thinks — true faith gives them freedom. This freedom is revealed in a person’s steadfastness in all possible fortunate and unfortunate circumstances... Glory to the All-Merciful God for everything, Who pours out unspeakable blessings upon us in every situation; for the source of goodness cannot yield any waves other than those of goodness, and not understanding this, a person often murmurs against the All-Good.”
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all,” — the Holy Spirit speaks through the mouth of David. Who among us is without sorrow? From the beggar to the wearer of a diadem, you will not find complete peace and tranquillity here. And the Lord sends all this to each one in their time and according to their need, in order to lead us through this sorrowful earthly path to the Kingdom of Heaven. Through sorrows, sins are cleansed, people are prevented from sins, and our faith is tested. Who can boast of having no sin? Therefore, we are debtors to God. People who offend us do not act on their own, but by God’s permission; and therefore, they are instruments of God…”
“The main thing in confession is to have a broken and contrite heart, which God will not despise. And we must examine ourselves daily and reproach ourselves; for what we have done, we must bring repentance before God — as we read in the third prayer at bedtime.”
“You explain your observations about our time, which is in motion and turmoil: they are seeking something good and new. But how do they seek it? And where do they want to find it? Civilization and progress! However, they do not pay attention to the Orthodox faith. And it is on this that all our happiness is based, both temporal and eternal. Intelligent, learned, educated people want to believe in their own way, and not as the Orthodox Church teaches us. The Church’s teaching is infallible, although there may be those who err in its execution. But a part is not the whole; those who mock those who err turn their tongues against the whole Church; and in the Church lies all our good and salvation. Church sacraments are conduits to the Kingdom of Heaven; their ministers and performers are the clergy, whom educated wise men so brazenly and venomously attack, infecting the weak, and especially poisoning the youth with this venom.”
Over time, the Elder’s health began to decline. He had long lamented the lack of solitude necessary for prayer, for being with the Lord: “Rumour, rumour,” he wrote to his relatives, “and daily rumour. When will I come to my senses? When will I be freed from this darkness and come to myself? I don’t know. Have pity on me and pray that I may be delivered from the delusion of both myself and others. All I know is that I bustle and talk, and every day I go down to the reception room several times; there is no end in sight. Some leave, and others arrive; and I, a sinner, am in a hurry everywhere. Woe is me! My soul is hungry without food; there is little time to read; and even then, what kind of reading can there be in such turmoil? Well, what can be done? We must endure; and who knows when we will be called into eternity? Age, weakness — everything brings us closer to that; I am not diligent. Lord, have mercy and save me according to Your ineffable mercy!” In 1858, the Elder received the Great Schema.
Father Macarius foresaw his death, even mentioning it to one of his spiritual daughters. At the end of August, he became seriously ill and began to bid farewell to the brethren. The abbot of the monastery, Father Moses, visited him. Coming out from the Elder, he said with tears: “It seems that for my sins, God is punishing me by taking from the monastery an experienced Elder, and from me a spiritual friend and wise counsellor.”
A description of the last day of his life — September 7/20, 1860 — has been preserved: “It was the day before the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, to whom the Elder, like all Orthodox ascetics, had a deep heartfelt devotion. At six o’clock in the morning, the Elder received Holy Communion for the last time — the Body and Blood of Christ, this time lying down due to physical weakness, but in full consciousness and with a deep sense of tenderness. After Communion, he said three times, raising his hands: ‘Glory to You, our God!’ These were his last words. Almost an hour later, at the end of the reading of the Canon for the Departure of the Soul from the Body, during its 9th Ode, the Elder surrendered his righteous soul into the hands of God, surrounded by his close disciples and other devoted followers.”
The entire monastery plunged into deep sorrow. Bishop Gregory of Kaluga, upon learning of this sad event, wrote: ”The life and death of the departed give comforting hope that according to his name, so is his new lot blessed. ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord’ (Revelation 14:13). And after this, one should hope that his care for the monastery has not completely ceased; only if its inhabitants do not deviate from the path along which he walked and tried to lead those obedient to him.”
The days of farewell to the Elder arrived. The funeral service and burial took place on 23 September. The farewell lasted a very long time — everyone wanted to pay their last respects to Father Macarius. He was buried opposite the altar of the St. Nicholas side chapel, not far from the grave of his mentor and Elder, Father Leonid.
Vladimir Church of Optina Pustyn
Today, the relics of Venerable Elders Leo and Macarius are housed in the Vladimir Church of Optina Pustyn.
Archimandrite Leonid (Kavelin) wrote after the death of Elder Macarius: “This was a man truly born for good. He was a sincere and constant helper to the abbot, to all the brethren, and to everyone who asked him for help, sympathy, and assistance. And his illness, of course, was a consequence of his tireless labours for others. His ardent soul, it seems, was eager to break free from the body at every call of his children — to every grieving person. His spiritual ear was attentive to every word concerning the Holy Church and the Fatherland, which he dearly loved. He rejoiced in everything that glorified the Lord, and with childlike joy, he hastened to inform everyone about the miracles of God’s mercy. He was ready to impart to everyone his warm faith that the Lord is alive, that He has not ceased to act for our salvation.”
