Today is the commemoration of the repose of St Hilarion of Troekurovo in 1853, the same year as that of Blessed Feofil of the Kiev Caves : a mere 8 days after the Hieroschemamonk Feofil.
I thought we could have a thread devoted to this famous yet simultaneously little-known ascetic. The hermit of Troekurovo was renowned for sending the young Alexander Mikhailovich Grenkov -- the future Starets Ambrose of Optina -- to that very monastery, thereby changing the course of Orthodox history ! For Elder Ambrose became known around the entire Orthodox world for his clairvoyance. But when in 1839, Alexander, then an instructor at the Lipetsk Theological School, and a friend, Paul Stepanovich Pokrovsky, went to consult a local clairvoyant elder, Blessed Hilarion, this was all far in the future.
Alexander Mikhailovich likely imagined he would be directed to Sarov Monastery. But Hilarion gave the surprising verdict that the Sarov elders were not as great [ in the spiritual sense ] as they once had been. The recluse knew this without having set foot outside of his hermitage in Troekurovo.
Instead, he surprised Alexander and Paul by directing the schoolteacher to hasten to Optina, where he was much needed.
Alexander hesitated still, and together with Paul Stepanovich, went on a pilgrimage to Trinity-St Sergius Lavra to confirm this crucial life decision he was about to make.
The school year resumed in September but still Alexander had not left for Optina. One day in October, however, he confided in Paul Stepanovich that he was about to vanish completely from his job mid-semester without a word to anyone else. Apparently worldly rules and protocols did not weigh heavily on the future great Elder Amvrosy even in his early days !
Nothing more seems to be known of Blessed Hilarion except the date of his repose. However, if anyone finds out more information, please post it here.
One only knows that Troekurovo is located 18 miles outside of the village of Slansk. Paul Stepanovich's father was the priest there. Had the young Alexander not gone to stay with Paul for the summer that year, the brilliant spiritual history of Optina might never have become known in every corner of Russia and beyond. Probably the tradition of Elders would have continued fine after Elder Makary, but not so brilliantly had Elder Amvrosy not been there exactly when he was supposed to be. Hence, Elder Hilarion's sharp command to the young man : "Go to Optina ! You are needed there !"
He certainly was, as we all know in retrospect ! Elder Amvrosy then trained Elder Joseph and others in the Optina lineage. He also founded and carefully supervised the construction of Shamordino, a breathtakingly beautiful convent for women who could not afford the normal cost of becoming a nun at that time in Russia. In no time at all, 300 nuns were professed there.
How many lives were affected positively by St Amvrosy, one could never imagine. It was all due to the intervention of Blessed Hilarion, whose locale looks like TRUE-kurovo. Surely, the recluse spoke powerful truth in his message to the future Elder Amvrosy which would help millions all the way up to the present era !