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learning from some credible people about one hidden, wandering spiritual elder, Ambrose immediately tried to get close to him. He constantly wrote secret letters to this elder with the intention to do everything with the advice of another person in which he saw the expression of the will of God – not following own will.
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When
Macarius died in September, 1860, Ambrose replaced him as the principal elder of the monastery. Ambrose remained the principal staretz of Optina for 30 years. Ambrose was visited by countless people, and his love for every person was so strong that he would even see people when he had passed the
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Mikhail
Fyodorovich Grenkov and Marfa Nikolayevna Grenkova. He was the sixth of eight children. At the age of 12 Aleksandr entered the Tambov clerical school and later the Tambov theological seminary. In 1835, shortly before the graduation, Aleksandr became severely ill and made a vow if he got well
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Being able to give wise advice to other people, Ambrose, due to his humility, sought advice from others without relying on his own mind even having the gift of reasoning. After the death of
Macarius, having no one to turn to in his monastery, he turned first to his bishop Gregory. And over time,
371:, which is near Optina, opened its doors to women who were poor, sickly, or even blind. Most convents were very poor and had to rely on the incomes of women who had a certain personal wealth in order to remain open. Ambrose made it possible for any woman who wished to become a
375:. After the death of the first abbess, Mother Sophia, Ambrose went there in June 1890 to put the convent's affairs in order. He was unable to return to Optina due to illness, and died in the Shamordino cloister on October 10, 1891, and was buried in the Optina "desert" (
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point of exhaustion being forced to lay down. Even then he would not refuse to listen to people coming to him to seek his counsel. The staretz had the gift of being able to see into people's souls where no secret was hidden from him. There is abundant testimony to his
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clerical school. During summer vacation, Aleksandr met a well-known elder
Hilarion from the village of Troekurovo. Hilarion advised: "Go to Optina and you will be experienced. You could go to Sarov too, but there are no more experienced elders there" (at that time,
438:"One should live without hypocrisy and behave in such a way as to set an example, then our actions will be right, otherwise they will turn out bad" (Russian: «Нужно жить нелицемерно и вести себя примерно, тогда дело наше будет верно, а иначе выйдет скверно»)
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more than once. In the
Russian Orthodox tradition, this is the definitive sign of transfiguration and citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven to come, or paradise, similar to what has been attributed to
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447:"Do not be greatly disturbed by the arrangement of your fate. Have only the unwavering desire for salvation and, standing before God, await His help until the time comes."
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spiritual discipline. Ambrose had many struggles with illness throughout his life building upon these struggles for insight into the human condition. Ambrose was
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305:(priest). On the trip to Kaluga for ordination, Ambrose caught cold. Since then, his health became so poor that he almost could not serve as a priest.
441:"Live without cares, judge no-one, vex no-one, and honour everyone" («Жить - не тужить, никого не осуждать, никому не досаждать, и всем мое почтение»)
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Due to illness
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and gift of healing which he tried to conceal. Known for his deep kindness and compassion, no one's question or counsel was refused.
274:(Elder) Leonid and then later Starets Makary, whom Ambrose shared a cell with. This gave him get help in his spiritual progress.
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to become a monk. He recovered but delayed his decision and became a private teacher in a family of a landlord and later in the
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referred to
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already reposed). Hilarion added: "They need you there". After this advice, in 1839, Aleksandr entered the
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Answer to those who are favorable to the Latin Church. Ответ благосклонным к Латинской Церкви (in
Russian)
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Living of Saint
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