Saint Philaret Metropolitan of New York and East America

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The Holy Hierarch Filaretos, known as George Nicolaevich Voznesensky, was born in the city of Kursk on March 22, 1903 AD, into a devout Orthodox family. His father, High Priest Nicolas Voznesensky, came from a family of priests and was an enthusiastic shepherd and a great man of prayer. He later became a monk named Demetrios and later became a bishop (later Archbishop Hailar). There were five children in the family of Lydia and Nikolai Voznesensky, two sons and three daughters. From a very early age, young George grew up in an atmosphere of Christian love and ecclesiastical life.

In 1909 AD the family moved to the Far East. There George completed his eight-year basic education. When the atheists came to power, the family of the future hierarch moved again to Harbin, a city with a strong ecclesiastical life, where after a few years George studied at the Polytechnic Institute. It was at this time that he became acquainted with the works of St. Hierarch Ignatius Brianjaninov, and his soul was greatly satisfied with his teaching on the Christian life and the constant remembrance of death. From that moment on, life in the world ceased to interest him. In 1930 AD, George was ordained a deacon and in 1931 AD. senior. In the same year, he received the monastic haircut named Filaretos, in honor of Saint Filaretos of Gouvernetos.

Gradually a monastic community was formed, with a consistent spiritual life, reading of the Holy Fathers, contribution to the work of the Harbin orphanage and schools, etc. The spiritual guide of the Hieromonk Filaretos in those years was the blessed Metropolitan Antonios Krapovitsky (Khrapovitsky), who had a very cordial relationship with him until the end of his life in 1936 AD.

Father Filaretos really had a compassionate heart. He gave everything he had, sometimes even his clothes, and comforted in any way he could those in need. He was possessed by great love for the word of God and knew the whole Gospel from the outside. His name was known far beyond the borders of Harbin Province. In 1933 AD was appointed abbot and in 1937 AD. archimandrite.

In 1945 AD the Soviet army defeated the Japanese army, while the communist regime settled in China. For those Russians who were able to immigrate to the West or to Australia, a period of pain and trial began. The Soviet government began demanding that Russian immigrants obtain Soviet passports to show that there was no oppression of the faithful in the USSR.

At the time, the "Moscow Patriarchate Newspaper" stated that there was no persecution of the Church in the Soviet Union and that the only conflict was with counter-revolutionaries. Archimandrite Filaretos refused to mention the atheist regime and openly proclaimed the real - negative for Orthodoxy - situation on Russian soil. So many times he was called for questioning, he was persecuted, his house was set on fire, after the windows and the door had been sealed, but the Lord saved the life of his shepherd and managed to escape safely with a jump from the first floor and with the flames to surround the house, having nevertheless suffered severe burns to the lower part of his face and the vertebrae of his neck.

The good shepherd did not abandon his flock until all those who had obtained visas left China. Thus, only in 1962 AD. left for Hong Kong.

He soon settled in Brisbane, Australia. In 1963 AD became a bishop in Australia. In 1964 AD , Bishop Filaretos attended the Summit of the Russian Hierarchs of the Diaspora, which took place in New York. Metropolitan Anastasios was then very old and was about to retire. Elections for his successor were held at the Summit, but the two candidates were tied. To keep the peace in the Church, St. John Maximovich, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (see July 2), nominated a third candidate, the relatively unknown Bishop Filareto, who was the most recently ordained. Thus, in 1964 AD, the Russian Church Abroad appointed Metropolitan Filareto its third in a row.

As head of the Russian Church Abroad, the saint remained steadfast in the orthodoxy's independence from the atheist Moscow patriarchate, but at the same time worked hard for Orthodox peace and to alleviate Russian . He worked with meekness but also zeal for the preservation of the patriarchal tradition and defended Orthodoxy from the danger of the heresy of Ecumenism, refuting the "theory of branches".

Also during his ministry as head of the Russian Church Abroad, the canonization of Saints John of Kronstadt (proclaimed in 1964 AD), German of Alaska (1970 AD), Xenia of St. Petersburg (1978 AD) took place. X.), of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia (1981 AD), as well as of Saint Paisi Velitskovsky (1982 AD).

Saint Filaretos was a lover of monasticism, because it enables man to dedicate himself entirely to God. In his own words: "According to the teaching of the Holy Fathers, the monastic way is, in itself, the straight path to the Heavenly Kingdom, when completed properly."

His sermons were essential, simple and clear. According to the testimony of many people, his rhetoric was equal to that of St. John Chrysostom. With special awe and respect he approached the Holy Mysteries of Christ, reminding his flock that: "Holy Communion is a fire. No one can stop it unless there are serious normal obstacles. The Christian should receive Holy Communion as often as possible. That is why Holy Communion is received in front of the Beautiful Gate, because it symbolizes our closeness to the Kingdom of Heaven and pushes us upwards! "

While he was a shepherd full of care and love for others, he was extremely strict with himself. He lived a truly ascetic life: he slept for two or three hours a day, ate little, watched with paternal interest the sorrows and joys of his flock, and woke up praying for it. His spiritual children were the witnesses of many of his miracles, which took place both during his life and after his sleep. Their testimonies speak eloquently of the enormous power of his prayers.

The life of Metropolitan Filaretos, which was equal to that of the Angels, was crowned by his blessed sleep on November 8, 1985 AD, on the feast day of the Archangel Michael and all the incorporeal Forces.

Metropolitan Filaretos was buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville. Thirteen years after his death, it was decided that he should be transferred to the crypt under the Holy Trinity Sanctuary in Jordanville Diocese. His tomb was opened on October 28, 1998 AD. Archbishop Lavros of Syracuse and the Holy Trinity, Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan, Archimandrite Lucas and the brothers were present at the event and witnessed the complete incorruptibility of his remains. His body was white and even soft. The vestments, the cross and the image of the Virgin Mary were still bright.

The faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad accepted the incorruptibility of the relic of St. Hierarch Filaret as a miracle, given to us by God to strengthen our faith.

It celebrates on November 8 of each year.