Chikhachevo, St. Nicholas Church, Father Ioannikiy. Elder John of Chikhachevo Elder John how to get there

Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikiy's instructions are a priceless gift.

Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikios

St. Nicholas Monastery

(Ivanovo region, Verkhneladnekhovsky district, Chikhachevo village)

About prayer.

Love, pray, ask for help from the Queen of Heaven. Do not let a single day pass without singing “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”. At ten ask: “Forgive my whole life and save my family.” Every day sing (read) “The Diligent Intercessor...” (troparion to the Kazan Icon B.M.).

Get used to the Jesus Prayer. She leaves, and you move on. Push yourself.

Read the Jesus Prayer with attention. It was established and commanded by the Lord Himself in a farewell conversation, going to death on the cross - “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do.” This is a weapon that is stronger, neither in heaven nor on earth. She is recorded by the Guardian Angel according to the account. The whole Gospel is in it.

Ask the Lord for help and strength, and everything will be added to you. Put God in front. Before starting any business, say: “Lord, bless!”, “Guardian Angel, help!” if anyone asks, first call on your Guardian Angel, and you will give the correct, correct answer.

If you need anything, ask the Lord, pray: “Lord, give me what is good for me.” Talk to the Lord, give thanks, praise.

The more you ask, the more complicated everything will be for you.

Pray: “Lord, give me what is useful for the salvation of my soul!”

Lie down and rise with God. Thank the Lord, glorify Him: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!”

Pray: “Lord, grant me prayer not only with my lips, but also with my heart.”

- “Lord, if You don’t save me, I won’t be saved.”

While still in bed, in the morning, call, read, pray to the Guardian Angel: 50 times “Holy Angel of God, my guardian, pray to God for me.” At ten: Holy Angel of God, my guardian, instruct and enlighten me.” On this day, a bad person will not approach you, say the right word at the right time, you will be welcome in society, if they lie to you, you will see. The rule will take 3-5 minutes.

At every place, first call on the Guardian Angel: “Guardian Angel, instruct, teach what to do!” From his hands the Lord will seek our soul. He constantly prays for us, and is our first helper. In bed, just woke up and read 50 times to the Guardian Angel. The whole day will go smoothly; whatever you don’t take, you’ll have time. At a crucial moment, call and you will certainly get out of the situation.

Don't know what to do? - Ask for a Guardian Angel. A good thought will come and put it on your heart what to do. The heart will become light, there will be peace. If you are afraid and anxious, don’t do anything.

Every day call upon the saints in prayer: 50 times “All saints, pray to God for me (for us).” Don't forget to read the troparia to the saints. Be sure to troparion to the saint for this day.

Call on your saints, read troparia to them.

Pray Rev. Joseph Volotsky (October 31 n.s.) about the gift of reasoning. Read the troparion to him. Especially for children.

Pray to St. John the Baptist. He is asked for reconciliation if anyone was at enmity with the deceased.

John the Baptist is the “chief” of repentance. Pray to him for the granting of repentance. He hears everything and intercedes for you before God.

Pray for each other.

The evil days have begun to shorten. Pray on the go.

When you start any business, stand to the east and pray.

How to beg children? – Repentance, communion, liturgy and 150 “Virgins”. There will be benefit from diligence and repentance.

Pray at night. When? – Get up when the Guardian Angel rises from sleep. Then prayer is 40 times stronger (than during the day),

Try to sleep less. Stay in prayer more. Now everyone is hibernating in front of the TV and computer. Ask the Lord for repentance.

Everything can be begged from God at the liturgy.

If you pray for yourself, you will also pray for your family.

If you don’t know a deceased relative or acquaintance, whether he was baptized or not, pray: “O Lord, save the living and have mercy on the dead.”

If they give alms for the deceased, pray for the repose of the soul of this person. And if you do not know the deceased, then say: “Lord, I will accept this mercy in memory of your deceased servant (name).”

Constantly, unceasingly read Jesus, “Virgin Mother of God...”, Guardian Angel, all the saints, and you will be saved.

About sins, repentance and communion

Confess the sin of the self – “I”. What sin (passion) is your most important - write it first. Try to confess to the same priest.

Be careful not to judge the priesthood. The Lord will ask each one.

Regret the mistakes you have made. Have a strong intention to improve.

Hurry to repentance. People are in a hurry to enrich themselves, but all benefits will be taken away by death. They have your full attention. Stop, you crazy people! Realize and repent of your sins. Remain in constant repentance. Regret the mistakes you've made. Leave everything and enter eternity with your soul.

The situation in the world has changed in recent years, we should take communion more often. Who can - at least every day. During the week, read all the canons and prayers for communion up to the 10th “Before the doors of the temple...”. Before communion - from the 10th prayer until the end. Watch your heart: if it is ready to accept Christ, then Glory to God, although you did not have time to read all the prayers. The main thing is repentance for sins. You need to be ready every day for communion, as for death. While reading the prayer of permission, under the epitrachelion, say: “Forgive me, Lord, all my sins that I have forgotten, and those that I do not consider sins.” Approach the Holy Chalice quietly, with humility and repentance, asking: “Lord, accept me as a thief, as a publican, as a harlot.”

The sacrament deals with the tendency to sin. He who does not receive communion will not survive in terrible, sorrowful times.

He who approaches the Divine Mysteries with fear is not only sanctified and receives remission of sins, but also drives away the evil one from himself.

Cleanse your heart, your conscience, write down your sins, reproach yourself in confession. Take Communion, believing that Communion will cleanse you from these sins. Approach the holy Mysteries with fear and trembling, as if following, crying and trembling, bleeding. True repentance can heal everything. If there is no repentance, do not proceed to the Divine Mysteries just because of the holiday.

The Lord's Day is Sunday. Take communion, correct yourself. On this day, be sure to go to the temple. Receive Communion with sincere faith and a non-judgmental conscience. Make the beginning of a stricter life, prepare yourself to accept future benefits.

Adultery is inherited. If there is no repentance, the race disappears.

Women receive communion (if cleansing) on ​​the 8th day. If they are sick (female diseases), tell the confessor (priest) how he will bless.

In war, in other trials, in critical situations, confess to each other.

About the love and fear of God.

Put the Lord before yourself, and everything will be smooth for you.

Don't bother each other. If you pray a lot, but at the same time annoy each other, your prayer is nothing. Have compassion for your neighbors. One has some shortcomings, another has others, and a third has others. “Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the Law of Christ.”

Love everyone and run away from everyone.

Whom I love, I punish.

Faith, love, humility - take these as a basis.

Be merciful, even with a word, if you cannot give.

Whoever says “sorry” first collects rewards.

Hide your virtues. Be wise and prudent. If they insult you or humiliate you, humble yourself and retreat.

All your deeds, thoughts, etc., if without love, then all this will not matter.

Keep peace in your homes. Get rich in heaven. From corruption you will reap corruption. Hurry up to do good!

Do good in every place and at every time. Repay evil with good. Hurry up to do good deeds while you are alive. Force yourself, no matter how the enemy interferes with you. Through work, desire, and with God’s help, a person becomes accustomed to goodness, to the Jesus Prayer. The Guardian Angel will protect you during ordeals and show you your good deeds. And when a person is cleansed, the Holy Spirit dwells in the person.

Extinguish the spark of irritation. If you are treated unkindly, with irritation, ask for forgiveness and leave.

The spirits of evil do not leave us even for a single day. There is a war going on. If you allowed the enemy to enter your heart, you told him to be silent, to freeze. Tell God that the soul is full of evil. When evil comes, force yourself to joke, be cheerful, and evil, like smoke, will dissipate. Hate the enemy and he will leave you. You will use your tongue and words to express anger and it will attack you. Read 150 “Virgins”. And shut up, shut up, shut up! Ask for forgiveness many times from those who offended you, and the enemy will retreat.

We often have to regret a thoughtlessly spoken word or deed. They would give anything to get him back, but it’s too late, the damage is done. This is because they did not put God ahead of themselves, did not turn to Him, did not ask for blessings, instructions and admonitions.

Ask the Lord for the most important, highest virtue - love for God and neighbor. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.” Avoid every deed, word, thought, feeling that is prohibited by the Gospel. Watch yourself strictly, and if you happen to fall into sin, immediately repent. This is a difficult and cruel struggle with oneself. “I have hated every way of unrighteousness.”

Do everything for the sake of Christ, without grumbling or doubting. With the name of the Lord everything will be as God pleases. If you live in the Lord, you will shine like lights.

Have the fear of God, you cannot talk in church. You will hold accountable for every word spoken. Whisper - if necessary. That is why you have sorrows. At communion, if you are not receiving communion, stand like a candle. Ask the Lord for your needs, and you wander around. At litanies they pray for those who enter the temple of God with fear. There are few of them.

Have the fear of God. Everyone will have an answer. Pray, fast, repent, take communion. If you saw what torment is in hell, you would not go to bed or eat. Fear and eternal torment under consciousness. Everyone will be fully conscious. Body and soul in hell.

About worship.

Whoever attends divine services every day during the first week of Lent develops the spirit of prayer for the whole fast.

Hurry, dear ones, to the liturgy. You don't understand what a treasure you have. Here we speak with the Lord face to face.

- Whoever attends church on a patronal feast day, then this one service counts as forty liturgies.
About spiritual life.

Don't lie, don't cheat. Everything is recorded, every word. Be silent, but don't lie.

Hold your tongues. Keep the peace.

If the Lord wants to save, he will save you in the fire.

Never be afraid of anything. The Lord himself said: “Do not be afraid, little flock!” Fear God and His judgment.

You will receive everything from the Lord according to the good you have done. It will be very scary at trial. God will show you everything, and you will regret it. He will say, I don't know you. Many monks will not be saved, they are lazy, just like you. This is the devil of laziness. Overcome him, stand in prayer, overcome the enemy. God, seeing your efforts and desire, will help you.

Put on the whole armor of God, be strong in the Lord and in His strength. Work hard here and now. Pray through strength, fast. God gives us still time.

Read the Gospel daily, force yourself, force yourself. The evil spirit retreats. If you're bored, don't want to read, read! Transformation takes place in us in an invisible way. Invisibly changes occur in a person. The Holy Spirit illuminates everything that is useful to us. This is work. Get used to reading.

When the Lord is with you, hope for victory. The Lord is powerful to turn evil into good. Be in God, and the Lord will be with you. Put God ahead. What business are you starting, getting into transport, crossing the threshold of work, etc. - “Lord, bless!”

On Monday, the angelic day, start every business. On Sunday, take communion and on Monday either for work, or for sale, or for some other matter. Call the Guardian Angel 50 times and cross the threshold of work, or start some other business.

The evil one is weakened by the sacrament. We need to drive him away. People of little faith. The Lord said - with fasting and prayer.

Get ready to go home. Do good for the sake of Christ, for the sake of the Lord. At the judgment you will see everyone in the Kingdom of God, but you will be cast out.

Wait for your Father coming on the clouds with much power and glory. Beg yourself, humble yourself. Call on your saints, read troparia to them.

Always be in God. Ask: “Strengthen us, Lord, in the Orthodox faith.” Have faith and don't doubt. Peter doubted when he walked on the waters and began to drown.

Where is it safer to escape? - In every place of His dominion! Stay where you live and endure.

A person born of God does not sin, always preserves himself, is always on guard, and the evil one does not touch him.

Humble your souls. A humble person completely surrenders himself to the will of God. He trusts in God, and not in himself or man.

Humble yourself, give in to each other. Take care of your wedding rings, they have great power. Cross your lips, the lips of your children and themselves “In the name of the Father...”.

The cross is power and glory, healer, destroyer of demons and all evil spirits. Cross your grocery bag. Read “Our Father...”, “Virgin Mary” and make the sign of the cross. Do not put anything in your mouth that is not marked with the sign of the cross. If you are visiting, cross the table with your eyes. Always and everywhere baptize everything.

Now there is such food that over time it will give its results. Up to the point of darkening of the mind, and the person becomes “forgetful.” Before eating, read “Our Father...”, “Theotokos, Virgin...”, and make the sign of the cross. Food will be sanctified, and poisoned food will become edible. The power of God is greater.

Cross yourself more often, cross everything: food, clothes, shoes. Sit down or lie down - cross everyone.

Cross your children's mouths more often - they will say what is beneficial.

Sprinkle your home with holy water, and when you go on the road, sprinkle yourself and your bags.

Raise, dear ones, in moderation. The Lord blessed us to fuss, but only as much as we need. Because there will be no end to this. Focus on the middle. There's a little bit and that's enough. The more, the more you need. One thing leads to another, another leads to a third... So there will be no end to it.

Fast on Wednesday and Friday. To those who abstain on Monday. The guardian angel will announce the hour of death, and you will greet this hour joyfully, like a holiday. Fast as much as possible. When you sinned, the enemy liked it, it was written down in his charter. And now he will do everything to bring you down. It will cause despondency, negligence, etc. force yourself, work. But don’t think that I read so much, this and that. But God only needs a contrite heart. Get down on your knees, pray with repentance, with a contrite heart, even though you have read very few prayers. The Lord will gradually admonish and enlighten you. Through repentance, if with a contrite heart and whole soul, you will reach out to God.

Out of pride, the Lord does not give what we want. The Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. It happens that a person has good data, is educated, etc., and it should work out, but it doesn’t work out. And sometimes a person is plain-looking and lacks something, but everything works out. Thus, the Lord favors humility. Put these words in.

You come, ask and don’t comply. That is why there are no elders. That’s why you have disorder, troubles, worries, and troubles. Give the firstfruits to God. Pray to the Guardian Angel, to all the saints. Ask for blessings for good deeds. Then the day will be blessed.

From the Moscow Patriarch - nowhere. It's still early in the catacombs.

Rejoice that you are Orthodox. Ask the Lord for strength, and all things will be added to you. You have only one faith. Slavic peoples, they cannot be separated. We are intertwined: White Rus', Little Rus', Greater Rus' are all the same Rus'. The Lord said: “I will unite them by My Spirit.” We are distant, we came here, we don’t know each other, and we talk about God and take comfort in this. This is called “I will unite them by the Holy Spirit, but will separate them at home.” Be in God, be an example in homes.

Go back to your ancestors, how they lived, so you imitate them. We have everything of our own, blood, Orthodox fatherland, tried and tested for centuries. That's what you hold on to!

If they ask you something on a spiritual topic, you know, answer, don’t impose yourself.

It is better to know a little and do than to know a lot and not do. Who knows everything, the demand is greater.

You need to have at home the icon “Sophia, the Wisdom of God.” Ask B.M. for more intelligence.

Be sure to read the 17th Kathisma on Friday evening. Read the 17th kathisma for the deceased every day.
Pray for the Kingdom of Heaven.

In God, a bowl of soup is sweet.

Don't listen to the possessed - they always deceive.

About marriage, family and children.

There should only be advice in the family. Children, listen to your parents. You need to take your parents’ blessing for any business. Not considering age. There must be obedience in everything.

Pregnant women (especially in their last term) receive communion as often as possible. Children will be strong, prosperous, successful. And the birth will be easy. Try not to go to an ultrasound scan.

If someone takes in a child from an orphanage, it will be like building a temple. But now it's very dangerous. It’s better to visit and do charity.

Children are sick, premature, handicapped. Spoiled seed We party, fornicate, have abortions, and then get married.

Do not send sick children to orphanages. This is your salvation.

Before starting any business (school, college, exam, work, on the road, to war, etc. at all important moments), give the children communion, then read the Guardian Angel 50 times and cross (bless) with a wedding ring “In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Don't say bad things to your children when you're angry. The mother's oath destroys to the core.

Instill in your children the commandment to honor their parents. This is a great commandment. Look back at yourself, at your past years. If we had honored our parents, our lives would have been much different. That's what you need to instill!

Instruct your children in God not with words, but with your deeds. So that they see you in the holy corner morning and evening. If they don’t pray now, then when the Lord visits them, they will remember what they heard out of the corner of their ears. When there is grief, then everything is up to God. And if you don’t instruct, then he would be glad to pray, but he doesn’t know how. You are responsible for the children.

Protect children from whims in front of you. They will soon forget the value of your love, their hearts will become infected with malice. And, due to their age, you will regret that you cherished them. Don't indulge them.

Your illnesses are your sins. “I will receive what is worthy according to my deeds. Remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom."

Losing memory? - Everyone loses it. Every day in the morning in bed, read 50 times to the Guardian Angel. This will take about three minutes.

Are you sick? – Put God first. Take communion. Only by repentance. The soul must cry out for mercy. Pray: “Lord, how beneficial healing is to me, may Your will be done, O Lord. Give us corrections, Lord!”

If your head, legs, arms, etc. hurt, read “Our Father”, “Virgin Mary” and wipe the sore spot with Epiphany water.

Baptize and anoint the sore spot with baptismal water a lot. Cross yourself evenly, slowly, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

There are many spiritual illnesses. They performed an operation, but there was nothing there - “he” went to another organ. Prayer, repentance and communion. Whoever feels “him” - go to Father German in Sergiev Posad.

About the last times.

The truth is already hidden. Two people will be at the table and will not agree. There will be one lie.

Prepare to suffer. Do not be afraid, the Lord will strengthen you.

There will be a great disaster on earth. It will shake so much that large cities and villages will fall into the abyss. The water will disappear. Look after yourself. Do not be burdened by overeating and drunkenness. Pray every minute.

There will be a terrible war. Half will come to the Kingdom of Heaven who have “Lord have mercy” on their lips. Out of horror they will not remember prayers. And half of them go to hell, those who use obscenities. Shout “Lord have mercy” in all critical situations. “What I find you in, I will judge you in.”

Pull yourself together. There is still time now. Through strength, pray, fast, take communion. It will get harder every day. You cannot stand without communion, fasting and prayer. Read the Word of God, study it. Be strong in the Lord and in His strength. In terrible and evil days you will overcome everything and stand firm.
Miscellaneous.

Women are not allowed to wear trousers. If women could see and hear (with their minds and eyes) what men say about them, they would never wear them again.

In an agreement or transaction, if one person has his own interest, then the matter will not work out as it should. It needs to be good for both.

The rulers are like us too. As we are, so are they. You can't judge. The Lord will judge everything. We choose ourselves.
- Stay on the ground. Can't sell.

If you were robbed, God gave, God took. Just to be saved. Everything else will follow.

Don’t throw away old things, especially natural ones. Put it in the closet.

This movie is from 2007.

Teaching about love.

The only enemies that are dangerous to us are those whom we ourselves do not love. The evil from them is really evil to us, because then we ourselves do evil.

Thus, by doing good to each other, and praying for each other, we will eliminate or at least reduce evil on earth. Even in this life, we must accustom ourselves to love all people, even our enemies. It is impossible for anyone to be in heaven if he does not learn to love everyone here.

If you say that there are people whom it is impossible to love, then be sure that it is impossible for you to be in heaven.

Your enemies will not be there if they are angry, and you will not be there if you are angry with them. After all, it is not the properties of people that make them blissful or unhappy after death, but those properties that they form in themselves while living with people. Our Lord teaches us to love and live in love not only with some, but with everyone. This is not yet love when we love those we like or love us.

“And if you love those who love you, what gratitude is that to you; says the Savior, for sinners also love those who love them. But you love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing; and you will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High...”

Whether our enemies love us or don’t love us, we don’t even have to worry about that, let’s take care so that we can love them.

It is impossible not to have enemies, it is impossible for everyone to love us, but it is very possible for us to love everyone. Amen.

P.S.
In December 2014, one sister in Christ came from Fr. Joannikia, where she carried out monthly obedience and brought these instructions from the elder. In my opinion, it is truly an invaluable gift for an Orthodox Christian. My soul burned with the desire to definitely reprint this work into a computer file and post it on this site with the hope that someone will post it on other sites, copy it and print it. It will be distributed in paper format for the salvation of Orthodox souls.

The material is very useful in our time and will lead many to peace and quiet. We all pay a lot of attention to the Antichrist and forget about the coming of Christ, about which we should rejoice and be in God. Constant negative thoughts about the enemy of humanity leads us into a stupor of fear and anxiety, distracting us from the main thing - the salvation of the soul. The elders say that one should not be afraid of anything except the Last Judgment, that is, sin. Mental disorder is also a sin, which along the chain can lead to a deep departure from God’s truth. O. Ioannikiy, with his instructions, helps us acquire this peace of mind. The rules are simple and accessible, like everything from the Lord.

God's help to everyone!!!

And the most gratifying thing was to hear that the elder said that there would be no war for 3 years - the elders begged.

Now the whole matter of salvation rests only with us. Brothers and sisters, do not miss this precious time given by God, take the path of smart action - the salvation of Russia, national repentance for the betrayal and murder of Tsar-Emperor Nicholas II and perjury before the Royal House of Romanov. The Lord is waiting for our repentance. Hurry up. Start with personal repentance. It is very important!

Date of publication or update 12/15/2017

In the village Chikhachevo The Verkhnelandekhovo district of the Ivanovo region is home to the St. Nicholas Church, built in 1813.

Geographically, St. Nicholas Church is located within the Kineshma Diocese of the Ivanovo Metropolis.

The rector of the temple - Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikios.

There is an opinion that in the village Chikhachevo There is a St. Nicholas monastery, or monastery.

According to the statements of Archpriest Andrei Efanov, who is the head of the Information Department of the Kineshma diocese, “there is no St. Nicholas monastery in the Kineshma diocese. In the village of Chikhachevo, indeed, there is a parish at the St. Nicholas Church, the rector of which is Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikiy. A community of his spiritual children was organized around this priest, also to his admirers come to the priest. On the part of the diocesan bishop there are no complaints about Father Ioannikius, as for whether to go to him or not, it is better to first receive the blessing of your confessor and only then make a decision about a possible trip to this priest. Look for the grace-filled elders in our diocese is not worth it, as for spiritual advice, the best advice, in my humble opinion, can be given by a priest who is personally familiar with a person and his life. Usually this is a confessor or a parish priest."

In September 2017, Archpriest Andrei Efanov, chairman of the OVTsOiSMI (Department for Relations of the Church with Society and the Media), head of the press service of the Kineshma diocese, explained the situation around parish of St. Nicholas Church in Chikhachevo:

The structure of the information resources of the Kineshma diocese is such that information about parish churches is located primarily on the deanery’s websites. And on the website of the Verkhnelandekhovo deanery there is a mention of the St. Nicholas Church. Chikhachevo.

Why there is no historical information about the parish is a question for the dean, not for us.

As for the situation that has developed around Father Ioannikios: in Chikhachevo there is a parish church, not a monastery or monastic community. The parish provides care for the parishioners of the village. Chikhachevo and nearby villages. People who come to Father Ioannikis must take the blessing of their confessor or parish priest for this visit.

Knowing the unhealthy situation that has developed around this priest, I think that there are few pastors who will send their parishioners or spiritual children to Chikhachevo. And those who travel at their own risk risk their spiritual, mental, and sometimes physical health.

Review of the pilgrimage trip to Father Ioannikiy (Chikhachevo), August 2014 I went on this trip completely by accident. I came to the office of the pilgrimage service to Boris Gennadievich on a completely different issue. By the way, about the office... Not a large room at the Danilovsky cemetery. Everything is hung and decorated with icons. A lamp, candles, the smell of incense....Everything somehow feels like home. We talked with Boris for a long time. He talked about himself, how he came to God and what led him to Him. He talked about his work. It was felt that the man worked for people with all his soul. By chance my gaze fell on a portrait of some old man. Snow-white hair and beard frame a simple Russian face. It seems like an ordinary one, but something “catches” in his image... Only then did I realize that these were his eyes. These are my father’s eyes, strict and at the same time very, very kind. Boris, catching my gaze, began to talk about it man. It turned out that this was Elder Ioaniky from the village of Chikhachevo, near Ivanovo. And Boris, with his blessing, works and takes people there and the elder helps people in their troubles. Boris talked about the elder with such filial love, with such awe, that he wanted to go there. “Can I go with you next time?” I asked. “It’s not possible, but it’s necessary,” Boris answered. No sooner said than done. And now I’m already sitting on the bus. The bus is new. Comfortable chairs. The women are friendly and smiling. Everyone is a little worried. How will it go? The old man is not simple. The elder sees all our sins. The elder, in the name of God, heals the sick and heals spiritual illnesses. From all over Russia, Mothers are coming to the elder. Between the prayers, the reading of the akathist, and Boris’s stories, the time on the road passed unnoticed. Stop in Pokrov. Tea with delicious pies in a cafe. Half an hour was more than enough. And again on the road.....Roads, cities, towns, large and small, rush past the window. Well, finally the turn to Chikhachevo. A narrow road led to temple buildings. The parking lot in front of the temple is filled with cars and buses. People are worried, “will we get to the elder?” We'll get there... and if not, it means we're either not worthy or we have to come again. It's raining. Chilly. We had to wait a little... At half past three they opened the temple. Sleepy people began to leave there. Nothing was clear. “Why do people sleep in the temple?” I ask Boris. “People here are corrected and healed,” I heard a short answer. Only then will everything become clear. People are corrected and healed here through fasting, work and prayer. In general, this is how it should be for everyone. They began to let us into the temple. I look around. Everywhere there are very old icons, darkened by time. One gets the impression that the temple stood closed for several centuries, then it was suddenly opened and they began to SERVE GOD. No gloss. No shine. The lights of the lamps glow in the dark. Everything is very ascetic. I remembered: “Don’t look for wealth on earth...” The floor is made of cast iron slabs and covered with old carpets. Things are drying on a rope near the stove. Yessss. Everything is VERY ascetic. The guard commands: “Brothers on the right, sisters on the left. We pass, we pass.” It seems that he speaks too strictly. A lot of people. It's hot and stuffy. But everyone endures, no one leaves. The temple is filled to capacity. People stand in the vestibule, on the street. People are different. Each with their own pain. Here is a woman with a disabled child, here is a young girl with a gray face, barely standing on her feet. Here is a man with security with gold chains as thick as a finger, bent in half. Yessss. How many people there are so many sorrows. And finally, the Liturgy began. This is something special! The voice of Father Ioanniki was heard throughout the temple. An unusual voice... At first it seemed that he was serving in Greek. But when I got into the service, it turned out that it was not. This voice seemed to take me to another dimension. It's impossible to explain. This needs to be heard. Now everyone has sung “I Believe in One God, the Father Almighty.” So it's communion soon. To receive Holy Communion from the hands of Elder Ioanniki is worth a lot. Great prayer book! Now they started singing “Taste the Body of Christ...” and a line of people reached out to the priest for communion. The report will begin soon. A little scary. What is there to be afraid of? Our Lord is with me. And now you can hear the woman convulsing and screaming in an inhuman voice. Anyone who saw this will never forget. The faces of the possessed are distorted by a grimace, bestial eyes, mangled bodies. I always have tears in my eyes when I see this. God forbid! And now a very old cross flew up and everyone began a religious procession around the temple. It so happened that I was in the last rows and saw how the priest was praying alone in the temple at that time. There was such power there! Such faith! I realized that as long as there are such prayer books, no enemy will defeat us. I will not talk about the unction. I won’t tell you how the elder receives people. But I will never forget the words of his sermon. I will never forget his voice heard in the middle of the crowd. This is not a voice - this is a VOICE. And people don't listen to him - they HEED him. And in the refectory there hangs... a coffin with an inscription. And there they pour tea into the same bowl from which you ate your porridge. For humility... And the brothers talk to us deliberately rudely. For humility... The brother guard, who pushed us, clearing the passage, who was almost shouting at us in the temple, at the end of the service knelt down with the words: “Brothers and sisters, forgive me!” I remember this now and the tears flow... Humility is what we lack. And in the crowd of pilgrims I heard confirmation of my thoughts: “We have been here for less than a day, but it seems like several days.” Time flows differently in Chikhachevo. On the way back we stopped at a spring. Amazing chapel, worship cross. The Mother of God herself appeared here! The wonderful mother gave us tea and sandwiches with honey. We plunged into the font. We collected some holy water. Everyone is very tired. But looking back at the people sitting on the bus, I didn’t see a single dissatisfied face. People exchanged phone numbers and smiled. And some kind of light was visible in people. This is probably the light of the unity of Orthodox people. And it was clear that people were thinking about their lives and that the light of goodness, given by the priest, was glowing in them. I would like to cover this light with my palm and protect it from the cold wind. Winds of lack of faith, winds of doubt, winds of anger. And in the end I want to repeat it again. The trip is very serious. Prepare for temptations, for hardships, for physical difficulties and... a flow of love from Father Ioanniki. Dear brothers and sisters! God's mercy and love to you all

My close friend and fellow countryman, a twenty-six-year-old Russian guy, returned ten days ago from an amazing priest, whom many Orthodox people reverence as an elder. I myself heard about it about six months ago. According to eyewitnesses, the priest is indeed very strong and perspicacious. Nowadays there is a lot of talk in the media about the “second wave of the global crisis”, about the preparations of Israeli and American “hawks” for a war against Iran, and other similar disasters on a global scale. For now, fortunately, this is all talk. But the words of the perspicacious Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikis “Already close, 2010 has arrived” (see video below) make the heart clench, just thinking about the impending disasters. In which, based on the experience of previous decades and centuries of Russian history, we are unlikely to be ONLY spectators. The war “08/08/08” is the closest and clearest example of this. The blood flowed, in any case, was Russian... Lord, have mercy!

PS: Leading analyst (still, thank God!) of the General Staff of the Russian Defense Ministry T.V. Gracheva (see) in her third book of the trilogy wrote that the trigger for the destruction of Russia in its current form will be the beginning of a war with Iran by the United States and Israel. In two or three sources I have already come across dates indicating that the war with Iran could begin this year in August-September. And then everything will accelerate like a catalyst. Russian patriots and nationalists will simply NEED not to miss this moment. The moment of “counter-revolution from below.”

In the meantime, read the testimony of another eyewitness who saw such a remarkable schema-priest with his own eyes.

Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikios about our time
April 5th 2010 -

At the Lenten service with Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikiy in Chikhachi, Ivanovo region

Great Lent is a time of pilgrimage and intense prayer. Where do Russian people go these days during Great Lent, just like a hundred years ago, greedy for spiritual achievement, for repentance and prayer?
As an eyewitness, I would like to tell you about the almost daily pilgrimage to the St. Nicholas monastery in the Verkhnelandekhovo district of the Ivanovo region to serve Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikius, whom numerous pilgrims reverence as an elder.

I want to tell you because it’s been a long time since I’ve had such vivid impressions in my life, testifying to the fact that Holy Rus' is still alive, and no one will be able to defeat our people...

The Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, under which the Orthodox monastery is now being revived with the blessing of Ivanovo Archbishop Ambrose (Shchurov), stands on the hill of the right (northern) bank of the Inger River, away from residential buildings. The church was erected in 1813 at the expense of parishioners. Its brick walls are whitewashed along the masonry. In 1856 the refectory was expanded, and in 1858-61. completely rebuilt. In the last quarter of the 19th century. a bell tower was added to it. To the southwest of the church there is a one-story brick building of the parish school, built in 1886.

The place here is a place of prayer, fabulous, and Father Ioannikiy himself - ruddy, stately, with a large thick gray beard, very similar to Santa Claus - as if from a fairy tale, he has been serving in this church for about 20 years.

According to his origin, the elder is from the Cossack family of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Ataman Platov, whose ancient portrait hangs in the elder’s cell along with large portraits of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra.

We managed to find an interesting testimony about the recent visit of the elder by the Voronezh Cossacks, who presented Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikiy, as a family Cossack, with the Zlatoust saber, so that he would remember the Cossacks more often in his prayers.

Another time, Father Ioannikiy blessed the Cossacks, who were reviving the traditions of “Russian combat”, to travel to competitions at the World Sambo Academy (Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region):

“He was very sick, sat on a chair in black clothes and could barely speak. But as soon as he saw us in a Cossack uniform with the Cossacks, he came to life. He received us warmly, admired the uniform and several times asked us to turn around and put on a hat. He asked: “Always come.” come to me in uniform." And he repeated several times: “Take care of your Motherland.” We asked him for his blessing to participate in the competition, and he suddenly frowned: “Do you need this?” Everything went cold inside me. But the old man suddenly remembered how in his youth he fought on fists with a master of sports in boxing. “I got it hard,” he says, “from him: he spins like a top, but I can’t “save him.” He hits, but I didn’t. But when I “aimed” it, my legs just flashed!” The old man laughed so contagiously that we couldn’t help ourselves. And when we calmed down, he blessed us and said that our car would start, we’d get home quickly and without incident. We said goodbye and left, wishing the old man to get well.”

The revived St. Nicholas Monastery was founded by the disciples of St. Tikhon of Lukhsky during the Russian Troubles of the 17th century. near the village of Knyazkovo. A white church with a cemetery, several buildings, the lights in the church are on around the clock, and prayer does not stop day or night - people replace each other reading the Gospel, the Psalter, and akathists 24 hours a day. And every night, according to tradition, a religious procession with the icon of the Kazan Mother of God takes place around the temple. The temple is a building in very good condition. The iconostasis is made up of numerous icons from different periods, mostly dark and ancient.

The All-Night Vigil in conjunction with the Liturgy is served unusually quickly in two to three hours. The priest quickly moves around the temple, opening and closing the gates, censing, continuously reading texts from memory in tongue twisters. Instead of a choir, readers are often included, which is why the service, despite the absence of abbreviations, is carried out very dynamically. A general confession-reprimand, to which Father Ioannikiy comes out with a copy (used during the Liturgy at Proskomedia), giving the usual instruction: read every day according to the commandment of St. Seraphim of Sarov “150 Mother of God” - the prayers “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.”
All those present receive communion during the liturgy, and there is a notice on the wall, which is usually read when approaching communion by one of the novices, that out of ignorance, visitors are allowed to approach the Chalice even if they ate modest food the day before. If a person knows about the customs of the monastery, then he is subject to condemnation.

Previously, the Liturgy began around 12 am, now it most often ends before 12 am.
These special orders of the Chikhachev monastery’s worship cause numerous condemnations and reproaches from many clergy from other dioceses, who want to “bring this monastery under their rules.” Many priests even forbid their children to travel to Chikhachevo, or as they are otherwise called – “Chikhachi”. However, one gets the feeling that these prohibitions, if they affect the people’s attitude towards the Ivanovo elder, are only in the sense that his authority is growing more and more every day, and the fame of his foresight is spreading throughout Russia.

If last year during Lent, visitors who knew the situation well did not dare to travel to Chikhachevo due to the large influx of people from Nizhny Nogvorod, Ivanovo and Moscow, then this year the situation has become even more complicated. Despite the fact that Father Ioannikiy does not bless anyone to come without prior approval, the fame of Chikhach is such that, for example, on Holy Saturday, twice as many people came to the service as the church could accommodate.

As a result, people stood for several hours in ten-degree frost, but everyone confessed, took communion, and even received unction (they celebrated unction right on the street). The mood, despite Lent, was somehow especially joyful, even New Year’s - late winter, crunchy fluffy snow, a cemetery that looked somehow very joyful against the backdrop of more and more new pilgrims constantly arriving at the temple... All this created a feeling true triumph of Orthodoxy.

I thought - where else, in what country, will people travel to distant lands in order to freeze when entering a temple in the cold? Where else is there such patriarchal simplicity of human relations, after all, everyone came ... “to the priest.”

After the service, everyone (who is not in a hurry) is, according to custom, invited to a monastery meal, a characteristic description of which we borrow from the already mentioned story about the visit of the elder by the Voronezh Cossacks:

“At six (now about 2-3 o’clock - S.Ch.) in the morning the guests were called to breakfast in the refectory. The guys were interested in everything, everything was a wonder: who was sitting where, and why they read akathists while eating. After the borscht, mother put buckwheat porridge into the same cups, and then compote into the same cups. That's the order. You can't not eat it. And there is no time to think: mother “commanded” to pray, and to march from the table.”

Sergey Chesnokov, especially for the Russian Line

St. Nicholas Monastery in the village of Chikhachevo was founded back in the 17th century. This place is sacred, perhaps that’s why when you get here you feel like you’re in a fairy tale. For the last two decades, Father Ioannikiy has been serving in this church - a good-natured old man, distinguished by a stately figure, with a large gray beard with a beard.

Father comes from an old Cossack family, the founder of which was Ataman Platov, a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. As a reminder of his glorious ancestor, Elder Ioannikiy in Chikhachevo keeps his portrait in his cell. By the way, there are also portraits of the last Russian Emperor and his wife nearby.

It is noteworthy that not so long ago Cossacks from Voronezh visited Father Ioannikiy. They asked him to pray for all representatives of the Cossacks, since they knew and remembered the origin of the elder. By the way, the Voronezh Cossacks, considering the schema-archimandrite a family Cossack, gave him a Zlatoust saber as a gift.

Pilgrimage trip to Chikhachevo to Elder Ioannikios

Arriving here, the first thing you will see will be a small white church located near the churchyard. In this temple the light is on both day and night. And just like that, 24 hours a day, the words of prayer for the health of those living in this world and for the repose of the souls of those who have passed on to another world are heard within its walls. Traditionally, believers make a procession of the Cross around the church every night, sanctifying their path with the icon of the Kazan Mother of God.

The pilgrimage to the St. Nicholas monastery also begins at night - at 3 o’clock all those who come come to the Divine Liturgy, which includes prayers for the healing of souls and bodies. Before and after the service, you can submit notes about the celebration of the magpie for peace and health, the ascension of the Undying Psalter. After the funeral service, the elder’s sermon is heard within the walls of the temple, and the time for the procession begins.

The meeting with Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikios takes place in the courtyard of his house. The elder tells the pilgrims about their sins and ways of redemption, answers numerous questions and delivers a general sermon - a speech, every word of which is filled with wisdom, and therefore priceless.

After meeting with the elder, pilgrims can draw holy water from a well dug by the Venerable Tikhon of Lukh the Wonderworker himself.

The trip also includes a visit to the chapel and Holy Spring in honor of the Icon of the “Bogolyubskaya Mother of God” in Ivanovo, a meal and ablutions in the men’s and women’s fonts. Calendars and akathists to the Glory of God are distributed to all who take part in the pilgrimage.

To sign up for a trip, please fill out the form on our website or call the Orthodox pilgrimage service “Enlightenment” by phone.

Sign up for a trip to Elder Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikios

The photographs are published with the blessing of Fr. Ioannicia. Photo by Igor Guchanov, pilgrims.

On September 30, 2016, Bishop Hilarion celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church in the village of Chikhachevo, on the MCC holiday. Faith, Hope, Love and their mother Sophia, Bishop Hilarion of Kineshma and Palekh celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church in the village of Chikhachevo.

Concelebrating with the Right Reverend Bishop Hilarion were: the dean of Kineshma, mitered Archpriest Dimitry Grudoglo, the rector of the church, Schema-Archimandrite Ioannikiy (Efimenko), the dean of the Verkhnelandekhovo district, Abbot Anthony (Mazurin), Archpriest Valery Otroda, Priest Roman Posypkin, Priest Nikolai Kharchenko, Protodeacon Vyacheslav Tumin, Dia con Roman Vyazov , Hierodeacon Sergius (Varnashov). photo album

The head of the Verkhnelandekhi region, Nikolai Vasilyevich Zhukov, prayed during the service.

In his holy speech at the end of the service, Bishop Hilarion called on the worshipers to follow the example of steadfastness in faith and sacrificial service to the martyred youth and their holy mother Sophia. Then Bishop Hilarion performed a prayer service with the consecration of the icon of the Mother of God “Jerusalem” in the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Palekh.

Based on materials: Press service of the Kineshma diocese

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