Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,
Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, with the second preparatory Sunday before Great Lent, on which we read the Gospel parable about the Prodigal Son, as well as with the day of the memory of all the New-Martyrs and Confessors of Russia!
About the majority of the New-martyrs we know nothing, for it is impossible to know of or remember them all, if we consider that there are tens of thousands of people who suffered under Communist rule because of their Christian beliefs. As a rule, we remember the brightest individuals, who in a most wonderful manner manifested their steadfast loyalty to Christ. Examples of such people are Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev, who meekly, without any anger, blessed his murderers with the sign of the cross while they were shooting him, or the Grand Duchess Elisabeth, who continued until her last moment to serve her neighbour and glorify God in prayer when thrown into a mine. Truly these were not ordinary people, but earthly angels!
These saints are wonderful and are worthy of our poor praises, but what can we sinful and weak people learn from them? Many of us are not strong as they were and most likely would not be able to endure that which they suffered without sinning. Could we bless our murderers or care for our neighbour if we ourselves were mortally wounded and on the cusp of death? Perhaps it is difficult for us even to imagine that we could emulate the great saints of the Soviet period, but amongst the New-Martyrs there are not only spiritual giants, but yet there were also those who had doubts, fell, made mistakes, agreed to work for the devil, but later repented, like the Prodigal Son from today’s Gospel reading, and as a consequence received crowns of martyrdom, inheriting a place in the home of the Heavenly Father.
One such saint was Protodeacon Nicholas Tokhtuev, who twice signed an agreement to collaborate with Soviet secret police. This first happened in 1931, when he promised to inform the police of all that was transpiring with the clergy in the area where he was serving at that time. Although he made such an agreement, he never sinned any further and did not inform on his brother-clergymen. During an interrogation in 1933 while under arrest, he confirmed that he had agreed to collaborate with the authorities, but that he had never intended to inform on others. In such a way, he atoned for his sin. During Holy Week in 1940, Protodeacon Nicholas was once again arrested and for a second time pledged to collaborate with the authorities of the godless regime, after which he was set free. Immediately after being freed he repented and in written form, using very vivid words, renounced any type of collaboration with the secret police. Of course, for such an audacious act he was once again arrested and sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment. He died while in prison on the 17th of May, 1943.
Do you see the strength of repentance!? Through repentance the most normal and weak person, who promised to serve the demonic Soviet authorities and betray his brothers in Christ, found for himself a place beside those who had not sinned and who had always been courageous. He received a crown from Christ identical to those received by the other New-Martyrs. Is this not wonderful? Today, let us fervently pray to today’s marvelous saints that they strengthen our faith. Also let us remember today’s Gospel parable and the Holy New-Confessor Father Protodeacon Nicholas, and turn with repentance to our Heavenly Father.
priest Alexis
