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Part One

Chapter One:
The Exile

The young Orthodox priest Alexey rode through a snowstorm in a sleigh towards the new place of his ministry, shielding himself from the wind and frost using a canvas which was not too suitable for this and which was once used for covering hay. Some of that hay, left in the sleigh, was very helpful, protecting Alexey from the fierce cold.

A man who had agreed to take Alexey to the village where he was to live and serve from now on, from time to time threw scattered curses against the weather and heated himself with moonshine.

The small village at the foothills of the Urals, where Alexey was being sent, felt like a place of exile to him.

… Until recently, he had been living in Moscow, which was in the very center of the events taking place in the country. There, he had been studying in the Spassky Monastery, and then in the Greco-Latin Academy of Semyon Polotsky, which was recently created on the principles of European universities. And later — he was ordinated in the presence of priests who were close to the royal court… All of this promised a bright future…

… But now — everything had collapsed!

At first, his guardian educator died — an honest and wise man who was in charge of all the property affairs of Alexey. Before this, Alexey — an orphan from a noble and rich family — was free from all the fuss of managing estates.

Alexey directed all his aspirations only to spiritual things. He chose for himself the way of monastic service to God — because from childhood he had dreams and intentions only about this.

And, after the death of his guardian, without thinking twice, Alexey handed over all his property and money to the church and then took monastic vows. After all, “it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven”*. And, very soon after that — everything happened: disgrace, exile…

It was painful for Alexey to remember this… He realized that the priests, who ordered the removal of his presence from Moscow, had really only cared about getting both his money, which was a considerable sum, and his lands… Each of them hastened to appropriate as much of these earthly goods as possible…

And, in addition, they disliked this young and passionate preacher, who sought to transform the spiritual life of the country…

And now, everything has collapsed: all his dreams of transforming the church life, and all his thoughts of doing good deeds to the glory of God at large, were now destroyed…

… Now he has become one of those who will never be able to change anything in the life of the church and of the country as a whole…

… And it seemed as if the bitter thoughts about his sad fate — like a gray fog — whirled in Alexey’s head:

“Now I’m nobody… I’m like a snowflake in this blizzard… And what does it matter if it melts now — or freezes in a snowdrift only to await its end in spring?…

“Maybe I should go live in some county town? To start another life? And no one will ever know: where did I disappear, or of what became me?

“… But why? There is no reason for this!… The soul did not seek such things! After all, by deep aspiration, I chose the monastic path!

“Or, perhaps, God needs my bitter fate for some reason?

“How many questions! And no answers!…”

From time to time Alexey mentally returned to the last weeks of his metropolitan life, remembering the fiery speeches he spoke before many of his friends and mentors. It seemed to him that his words ignited other people’s love for God and the desire to transform the spiritual life across the country. Alexey was sure that he knew how it could and should be done! He had that thought that if only those, who rule the life of the church, could hear his speeches, they would then tell the king about this — and everything would change…

And, eventually, they did hear…

… He recalled the last conversation with the one who announced to him his expulsion from Moscow. He remembered the mocking look on the speaker’s face, and the arrogant tone of one who considered himself a “winner” in this life, always knowing on which side to stand in the intrigues of the courtiers — for him both to self-interestedly survive and advance…

“Now you’ll go,” — he said, — “to get liberation from your heretical thoughts and repent! The elder Nicholas also tried to reform everyone, he wanted ‘to expel traders from the temples’… But nothing happened! He now realizes his folly! Not even a single word in a year is heard from him now…”

“But what’s wrong with non-covetousness, isn’t that what Jesus commanded?”

“So? It’s not like we worry about our own wealth! But about the richness of the church! And you — blame us! And it’s — a sin!”

… Alexey really did find himself having condemning thoughts, because he often saw the rich decor of the dwelling of the speaker, and saw him eating food during fasts in great abundance: “with the blessing to do this and in order to correct the body's weakness”. Only, what kind of infirmity is it? His abdomen is round, and his cheeks are glossy with fat…

“Am I condemning others? Was I offended?”

… “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who offend you and persecute you!”*

Alexey tried to go into prayer.

The wind died down, the snowfall was over, everything began to sparkle in the light of the sun that had struggled out from behind the clouds.

The place became filled with the snowy beauty and silence!

… The driver stopped the sleigh:

“There’s no more road, walk on foot!”

“How can there be no more road?”

“No, there isn’t one! In the summer, there is a path here, but now there isn’t one — so go!”

“But, where is the village?”

“And there is no village! All the people have long been relocated to the iron-ore plant. There are only a few houses left. Those, who are unfit for work in the mines and smelting furnaces, are the only ones who live out their days here.”

… The driver waved his hand towards the crooked and blackened huts that were visible in the distance.

Then he turned to the other side and pointed out the direction in which Alexey was to go:

“Do you see the cross over the treetops? Go to it! There is a skete* at that place. And the elder Nicholas lives there.”

… Alexey took the bag with his modest belongings, put it on his back and walked in the direction of that cross.