Alexander Men - pastor, historian and preacher

For a quarter of a century that has passed since the day when the great Orthodox pastor, Father Alexander Men, passed away in the fall of 1990, thousands of Russians were brought up on his spiritual and historical works. Many of his views were not shared by modern theologians, but even in the Holy Scripture it is said that there must be a disagreement among the sons of the church, without which "the skilful will not prevail." One of them was the priest of the Orthodox Church Men Alexander.

Biography of the future shepherd's parents

Alexander Vladimirovich Men was born in Moscow on January 22, 1935. The parents of the future Orthodox priest were Jewish by birth, but people very far from Judaism. His father, Wolf Hersh-Leibovich (Vladimir Grigoryevich) as a child studied at the Kiev religious Jewish school, and although he remembered Hebrew and quoted the prophets until the end of his life, he was a non-religious person. Having received diplomas from two Soviet universities, he headed a team of engineers from a Moscow factory.

Mother - Elena Semyonovna - was born in 1908 in Switzerland, where her parents studied at the university. After graduation, the family spent several years in Paris, after which she returned to her homeland and settled in Kharkov. Elena Semyonovna and Vladimir Grigorievich were married in 1934, and a year later their son, the future Orthodox pastor Alexander Men, was born, whose photo is presented at the beginning of the article.

The Way to the Priesthood

When the boy was six months old, he and his mother secretly received Holy Baptism in one of the churches of Sergiev Posad. Sasha's father, Vladimir Grigorievich, like many at that time, became a victim of a false accusation and spent a year behind bars, after which he was sent to forced labor in the Urals, where he spent all the years of the war.

Having graduated from secondary school No. 1060 in Moscow, in 1953 Alexander Men became a student at a Moscow university, but, without obtaining a diploma, was expelled for his religious views, which he did not consider necessary to hide. After leaving the university, Alexander moved to Leningrad, where he began his spiritual education and became deacon, and two years later - a priest. He continued his education in Moscow at the theological academy.

Threats coming from the KGB

In the Soviet Union throughout the entire period of its existence, an active struggle with religion was conducted. It is not surprising that the young priest Father Alexander Men came to the attention of the State Security Service. In 1964, his apartment was searched to find any compromising evidence, but this time it ended well.

After a decade, the picture changed, and the authorities planned a demonstrative trial against the priest, the outcome of which was predetermined. The activities of the religious group headed by Father Alexander, the priest, were of such great importance that his leader Yu. Andropov personally wrote a message to the Central Committee of the CPSU. From prison, only the intervention in the cause of Metropolitan Yuvenaly, who managed to defend his priests, was saved.

The End of the Life Path of Father Alexander

In the subsequent period, Alexander Men was a priest of a number of parishes, and two years before his death received his last appointment - led the parish of the Sretenskaya church in the New Village. Here he was destined to end his earthly journey. The tragedy occurred on September 9, 1990. Over time it became clear that on that morning Father Alexander, as usual, was going to church, where the liturgy was to be performed.

Suddenly a man came up to him and held out a note. The priest reached into his pocket for his glasses, but at that moment another man, jumped out of the bushes, struck him with an ax. The heavily wounded priest, bleeding blood, tried to reach the station, but then turned back to the house and, reaching the gate, fainted. Arriving at the scene of the tragedy, the ambulance doctor was powerless to help him.

The murder of such a well-known and respected priest caused outrage in all layers of society, and although his investigation was taken under personal control of the USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev, the perpetrators of the atrocity committed were not identified. Hotly followed, the suspect was detained, but the examination carried out established his innocence, and he was released.

Creativity of Father Alexander

During his life Alexander Men became the author of a large number of literary works. First of all, this is the main work of his life - published in seven volumes "The History of Religion", as well as a separate work on the life of Jesus Christ, which is called "Son of Man." His pen belongs to other studies, some of which were published in the West under various pseudonyms.

In the eighties he was one of the most prominent preachers in the country, and his speeches helped many people find their way to God. Also known is the wide charitable work of Father Alexander. And although the last days of his life are separated from us already for a quarter of a century, the indefatigable spiritual mentor for millions of Russians remained priest Alexander Alexander, whose biography will serve as an example for many Russian pastors.