Sergei Nilus: books and biography of the writer

Outstanding spiritual writer and thinker Sergei Alexandrovich Nilus is known as the author of works on the companions of faith and Orthodox shrines. Thanks to his selfless service to God, we now have a historical truth about the past of the spiritual life of Russia.

Biography

Nilus Sergey Aleksandrovich (25.08.1962-14.01.1929) was born in Moscow to a family of landlords. Father, Alexander Petrovich, - a large Orel landowner, titular adviser. Mother, Natalia Dmitrievna, comes from the noble family of princes Skuratov. Sergei Alexandrovich studied in Moscow, in the first and third progymnasiums.

In 1882 he entered the Moscow University. Having received a diploma in law in 1886, he goes to the service in the Erivan District Court. Two years later he returned to the estate in the Orel region, where he is engaged in his own economy. Once after the confession, he conceived the idea of dedicating his life to spiritual creativity.

Conversion

In the years of Sergei Nilus' youth, alienation from the church grew in society. His family, too, could not escape the revolutionary spirit that had engulfed everyone. Rarely in what noble house were not discussed then the ideas of freedom of speech, thought and action. Ros Sergey Nilus in alienation from the church. Thanks to the nurse and mother in his soul, the spark of faith did not go out.

Nurse, a true Christian, told about the mercy and love of God. Mother, infinitely kind and sympathetic person, helped her neighbors with modesty, which is peculiar only to Christians. Nevertheless, he rarely went to church and did not know the prayers. In those days, only by name and testimony was considered Orthodox.

The final conversion to Orthodoxy occurred at the feet of John of Kronstadt, where Nilus, exhausted by illness, came. Sergei Nilus sincerely repented. Having fallen at the feet of the comforter, he opened his soul and repented of everything that lay with a stone on his heart. Nilus writes that for the first time he realized the sweetness of repentance.

I did not realize with my mind, but with my whole being, that God sent him forgiveness. His faith, after a hearty confession, took on a bright flame, the soul was filled with a holy trembling, and he realized himself to be a true believer. From this moment, Nilus embarked on the path of spiritual writing.

The Sarov Desert

In 1900 Sergei Nilus visited the Sarov desert. He was sure that he would be cured of the old diseases that tormented him unbearably. The operation, made ten years ago, did not help either. In Sarov he visited the cell of Father Seraphim and the source to which the healing power of the saint is given. Nilus was waiting for him to heal.

Visiting the Sarov desert, in fact, brought him relief. But in the heart of Sergei Aleksandrovich this miracle seemed too obvious. Doubt was hidden in my soul. In 1901, after a cold, his ailment resumed with such force that "the soul parted with the body."

In this he saw the punishment of God. Because he finished the manuscript "The Great in Small", but keeps it for more than a year. Without giving any room to doubt, he decided to hand over the manuscript to the press, as Sergei Nilus himself writes. Quotations from this book can give a living reinforcement to the weakened in faith, console, fill with hope and bring many benefits for salvation.

The book is filled with life philosophy and practical wisdom. Nilus Sergey Aleksandrovich described her hard way in becoming and strengthening the faith. His biography developed in such a way that on this difficult path he was helped by true faith and the invisible help of the Lord.

In the book are given not just dry facts, but emotional experiences of the author. He describes in great detail his travels to Orthodox shrines. The life of many companions of the faith became known only through the book "The Great in Small."

Optina desert

In 1901, Nilus twice visited the Optina desert. When he collected materials for describing the life of the elder Ambrose, his eyes became very ill. Soon he was healed and his heart "stuck to the holy place".

To Nilus, the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", included in the second edition of the book "The Great in the Lesser", fall into the hands. After that, the book became more famous.

To holy places

In 1906, Sergei Nilus married Elena Alexandrovna Ozerova - the favorite maid of honor of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Ozerova was an outstanding woman. Sensitive and receptive to everything good, she never shied away from the Orthodox faith and staunchly held on to it.

At this time, Nilus, the author of the books "before the unseen," erupted a terrible slander against the opponents of Orthodoxy. The couple leave Petersburg and go to wander the Russian outback. They spent several years in the Nikolo-Babaevsky Monastery, where Ignaty Bryanchaninov, a well-known monastic mentor, lived his last days.

Then the Niluses move to Optina desert, where they spent five years. Nilus analyzes the richest archive of Optina, extracts from him the evidence of pilgrims and elders of the Optina desert. These materials served as the basis for the creation of two books: "The Power of God" and "On the Bank of God's River."

Persecution and persecution

In 1912 the couple went to Valdai. Here, Nilus continues the theme of the apocalyptic events. His first prophetic book, "Near the Coming Antichrist," was published in 1911 and survived four editions. In 1917, the last edition was almost completely destroyed.

"Near Is, at the Door" - the second prophetic book, written by Sergei Nilus. Biography of his persecution, arrest and persecution begins precisely with these books, whose names became prophetic for the author himself.

After the revolution, life in Valday became much more complicated - the Reds literally betrayed terrorists to the townspeople. The acquaintance of Nilus, Prince Zhevakhov, suggests that he move to Poltava - in the estate of Linowitz. There was an alarming but tolerable life. And Nilus continues to work. After eviction by the Bolsheviks from the estate, Nilus was subjected to severe persecution.

For reading his books were shot, which the author himself narrowly escaped. Nevertheless, he almost every year served for several months in custody. But Sergei Alexandrovich Nilus, despite searches and persecutions, continued to write about the power of repentance, about the miracles of God. These materials became the basis of the second part "On the shore of God's river".

Since 1926, Nilus lives in Chernigov, then moved to Vladimir province, the village of Krutets, where he spent his last years of life.