Hieromonk Vasily Novikov: biography

The Russian Orthodox Church has established a tradition, to classify as saints only those righteous people, from the day of their demise, a considerable period of time passed. However, there have always been and are God's saints who deserve the piety of their contemporaries with their piety, that a general rumor glorifies them long before the decision of the Holy Synod. Such unofficial but revered in the people of the saints is the hieromonk Vasily (Novikov). The book about his life, compiled by the nun Natalia (Andronova) and received the title "Good Shepherd", formed the basis of this article.

Grandson of the old man Pelagia

January 14, 1949 in the pious Russian family of Nikolai Evgenievich and Nadezhda Vasilievna Novikov, who lived in the village of Rakitino, Tula region, was born the first-born, christened in holy baptism by Basil. After him, the Lord sent his parents three more children - the brothers Sergei and Ivan, as well as sister Lydia.

The family in which the future shepherd was born has long been closely associated with Orthodoxy since the earliest years. Their fellow villagers still keep the memory of his grandmother Pelagia, who deservedly earned the glory of the old man. Even in distant pre-revolutionary years, she twice made hiking pilgrimages to Jerusalem. The old-timers said that after the first such trip, the gift of foresight became evident in it.

So, she predicted with astonishing accuracy the events that were yet to happen. Having been able to visit the Holy Land for the second time, Pelagia, the old woman (this was how she was known all along in the district), showed astounding examples of healing the sick and expelling demons. All this in his early years was witnessed by the future hieromonk Vasily (Novikov).

He himself often recalled how the demoniac who had been brought to his grandmother's care Pelagee was rushing with wild cries, and when suddenly he calmed down and spoke in a calm, distinct voice after she, having sprinkled it with holy water, recited a prayer. Of course, such scenes, which were many, left an indelible imprint on the emerging consciousness of the teenager.

The young years of the future zealot of faith

An important role in the religious upbringing of the son was played also by the parents themselves - people deeply devout, who built their lives according to God's commandments and in accordance with the traditions of Orthodoxy. As a result, visiting the Soviet school as a child, hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) managed to remain a true Christian, not tarnished by atheistic nihilism. It should be noted that he, like the rest of the children in their family, never entered into a pioneer or a Komsomol organization.

Like most rural children, Basil from early age was involved in labor, helping parents in the garden and in the field, grazing and harvesting firewood. He had a particularly hard time after his father died as a result of a serious illness, and the mother who worked as a nurse in the district hospital was left alone with four children.

In their family, the memory of one very unusual circumstance connected with the last days of Nikolai Evgen'evich's life has always been preserved. Subsequently, it was said that shortly before his death, the image of Nicholas the Miracle-Worker, who was their sacred shrine, was suddenly dulled, placed in the red corner. The change in him was so significant that the traits on him became almost indistinguishable. When the soul of the deceased left the body, the icon took its former form.

Good word about Nadezhda Vasilievna Novikova

By the way, widowed, Nadezhda Vasilyevna became more and more religiously. Despite the extreme employment caused by household chores and daily work, she spent a lot of time in the church of John the Baptist, located eight kilometers from the village, where besides participating in divine services she helped Archpriest Michael (Chudakov), his abbot and his spiritual father.

In the last two decades, Nadezhda Vasilyevna voluntarily imposed on herself the food restrictions imposed on the monks. She never ate meat, and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, her whole daytime diet consisted only of prosphora drunk with holy water. At every opportunity, Nadezhda Vasilyevna made pilgrimages to the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, where she took with her children.

Subsequently, Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov), a photo of which is presented in this article, often recalled how deeply he had heard the singing of monks, many times heard by him on such trips. He also talked about how, thanks to musical abilities, manifested at an early age, he often stood up near the singers during the church services and sang along with them.

Military service and the beginning of independent life

After graduating from high school, and reaching the draft age, Vasily went to serve in the army. He was sent to the Northern Fleet by the Commission of the Military Committee, where he served for three years on an atomic submarine. Here the young man had the skill to work, worked out in him from childhood. Conscientiously carrying out any work entrusted to him, the sailor Novikov deservedly earned universal respect.

Demobilized in 1970, the future hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) enrolled in the Uzlovsky Railway School and, after his graduation, received a distribution to the city of Ershov, where he began to work as an assistant locomotive driver. There, too, the Lord sent him a bride to Valentina.

After the wedding, a young couple settled in the town of Uzlovaya, Tula region, where they had three children - sons Alexander and Mikhail, as well as daughter Natalya. Soon, as an advanced worker, Vasily was promoted to a leading position.

An important turning point in life

It would seem that you still want a young man? However, it was not about this fate that Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) dreamed, whose biography by that time fit perfectly into Soviet stereotypes. His true vocation, he believed the priesthood, which he strove with all his heart, but such a sharp turn in life demanded of him considerable determination.

Since Vasily was a man burdened by a family, he could not, of course, take such an important decision without the consent of his wife. After telling Valentine about his intentions, he met on her part a categorical objection, the essence of which was reduced, mainly to the fact that she married "for the machinist, and not for the priest."

Not daring to impose his opinion on the wife, and only after praying diligently to God to convince the slave of His Valentine, Vasily went to the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, where near the crayfish with the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh he asked the saint for help and intercession in such an important matter. His prayers were heard and, upon returning home, the pilgrim got his wife softened with heart and full of readiness to follow him in a new field.

This story ended with the fact that on one of the days of the Great Lent in 1993 the slave of God Vasily (Novikov) was ordained deacon and a week later at the priesthood. Thus began his long service to God, the path of which he entered, having found in that the blessing of the great holy land of the Russian - St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Erection and the beginning of spiritual progress

His pastoral ministry, Father Basil began in the village of Spassky, Tula region, where he was sent after the construction of the dignity. Since the 1990s were a period that ended long decades of persecution of Russian Orthodoxy, many churches, especially those located in rural areas, were by that time in a very deplorable state.

This was the Church of the Expulsion of the Honest Animal Cross of the Holy Cross in the village of Spassky, the rector of which was appointed Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov). The ardent preaching of the priest, addressed to the hearts of his new fellow villagers, helped him to find among them many volunteer assistants in the restoration of the shrine.

When, thanks to their works, backed up by their own diligence, the temple was brought to the proper view, and in it the religious life revived, the diocesan authorities transferred under his care another church in the neighboring village and almost completely destroyed. It was, once known throughout the district, the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. He also managed to be restored with the help of God-loving fellow villagers and voluntary sponsors, whom Father Vasily found.

Tonsure in monks

On the Holy Week of the Great Lent in 1997, the Lord called for the wife of his father Vasily Valentina in his Heavenly Halls, after which the priest finally moved to the village of Spasskoye in the Tula region, where he spent the rest of his life. In April 2006, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop, he took a secret monastic vows while preserving his former name.

From that day began his ministry in the "order of the angels", as from time immemorial they spoke of those who, having rejected the passing joys of the vain world, devoted themselves entirely to the service of God. It is known that, in addition to Father Basil, at the same time another 14 people were tonsured at the monks, who initiated the creation of a new monastery.

The spiritual shepherd of fellow villagers

Remaining, as before, the rector of the village church, Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) Tula - so it is customary to call it, relentlessly took care of the deanery and splendor of the church life. Due to his diligence, the wall painting, the baptismal and the almshouse were rebuilt, the Sunday school for children and their parents was opened, and a choir of choir singing was organized.

Always immersed in the parish affairs, Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) did not forget about the performance of monastic feats, the main of which at that time was incessant inner prayer, a vow about the fulfillment of which he gave during his tonsure, as well as regular prayer night vigils. Residents of the village recalled how often the light in the window of Father Vasily did not fade during the whole night.

Having begun to create such prayers with cells, that is, at home, solitary from everyone, soon the father took them to the temple, where he collected all comers. He accompanied the liturgical texts with the reading of the Psalter and the Akathists. At the end of the night vigil, always deeply thought out and brilliantly performed the sermon of Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov).

A hot supporter of monarchism

In his political predilections, Father Vasily was a convinced monarchist who believed that only autocracy could provide peace and prosperity to Russia. Being a sincere admirer of the innocently murdered sovereign Nicholas II, he perceived his death as an atoning sacrifice, brought on the altar of the fatherland.

Repeatedly visiting Taininskoye village, where the local priest was performing in those years the Chin of Repentance in the crimes of the Bolsheviks, the priest and himself repeated this ritual many times in his church. This practice greatly contributed to the popularity that he acquired in the 2000s.

An important role in this was played by the fiery sermon of hieromonk Vasily Novikov (August 2007) about the meaning of true faith in human life, and inadmissibility of its replacement by worship of secular and incoming values. The video recording of this speech was widely distributed on the Internet.

At the same time, a film appeared in which such bright representatives of the spiritual life of Russia as the years of Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov), the elder Nikolai (Guryanov) and Hierodeacon Abel (Semyonov) address the Russians with pastoral instruction, accompanying their words with prophecies about the future countries.

Fighter for the purity of faith

The following year, Father Vasily submitted to the diocese administration a statement on his withdrawal from the state, and the provision of the opportunity to continue pastoral activities at the place of residence, which is provided for by one of the articles of the current Church Charter. His request was granted, and since then the sermon of Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov) sounded for all who gathered on the appointed days near his house in Spassky.

It should be noted that Father Basil has always been highly principled and never compromised on issues of faith and many other aspects of modern life. In particular, he publicly expressed his extremely negative attitude towards ecumenism and globalism. In this regard, it is known that Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov), whose fiery sermon sometimes touched upon these problems, was repeatedly attacked by the authorities, who saw in his speeches signs of extremism.

The demise of the righteous

The last pious act of Father Basil is the erection in the village of Ivankovo of a font over a holy spring dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This building, which was consecrated on November 4, 2010, was built by him with the help of spiritual children, as well as voluntary donors. The work took a lot of strength from my father, since early in the same year he caught a cold and fell ill, and during the following months he tried to bear on his feet an illness that did not let him go.

Vasili did not turn to doctors for help, giving preference to folk remedies and prayer. However, in November his condition deteriorated so much that he was soborated again, and he could only receive Holy Communion secrets without getting up from the bed. Finally, on the early morning of November 11, 2010, while reading one of the canons, he quietly departed to the Lord.

The uncanonized saint

On this day many priests and spiritual children visited the house in which their brother in Christ and his spiritual mentor, Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov), raised their last prayer. The cause of the death of this ascetic piety was, undoubtedly, not only in his infirmity, but also in the extreme exhaustion of the forces given to the ministry of the church.

The burial of Father Basil took place at the confluence of a huge number of people who came to the village of Spasskoe from all over the country to conduct their spiritual mentor and teacher on their last journey. But even after the days of commemoration of the deceased, established by the church tradition, passed, the grave of Hieromonk Fr. Vasily (Novikov) is regularly visited by his admirers. It always flickers an inextinguishable lamp.

All of them believe that once among other Russian saints will be glorified in the face of the saints and their spiritual mentor - Hieromonk Vasily (Novikov). Troparion was made to him shortly after his death, and the day is not far off when on the next anniversary of his death he will sound in all Russian churches.