Хочу рассказать Вам об удивительном человеке - игумении Фотинии (Маршалл), которая приезжала к нам в монастырь осенью прошлого года. Она нуждается в помощи. Мы составили статью на английском, с надеждой, что кто-нибудь захочет помочь. Номер расчетного счета мат. Фотинии есть у меня.
Mother Svetlana from the Monastery of St. Parasceve.
The Island of Corfu… Contemporary city-dwellers imagine the endless azure sea with the broad patterns of foam crested waves, warm sandy beaches and countless sights from antiquity to be visited on the well-known Greek Island, literally overflowing with tourists in summer time.
Here, at the very top of the mountain, in the heart of the half-wild ever-green nature, M. Svetlana, the Abbess of the monastery dedicated to St. Parasceve, leads an austere secluded life of labor, deprivation and hardship. It is already four years since m. Svetlana, with the blessing of Elder Ephraim and of the local bishop, began without income the re-building of the abandoned and derelict monastery, founded over 100 years ago. Working on keeping the Jesus Prayer, Mother Svetlana relies on God and on the help of kind people. She is at the moment the only inhabitant of the monastery, but soon a novice is expected.
Mother Svetlana’s life (Christine Marchal in the world) has been unusual in comparison to what we might expect from her origins. Christine was born and raised in a well to do family in Paris and never lacked in material things. She received a very good philological and mathematical education. In her early student years the soul of m. Svetlana was looking for God and monasticism. At that time she started singing in a church choir and at the age of 23, as her heart was inflamed by the desire to devote herself to God, she left everything in the world and withdrew to a monastery. Many years of struggles, temptations, spiritual trials and joy, praying and physical labor have passed since that time.
Six years ago m. Svetlana moved to a woman monastery on the island of Corfu, and after two years, with the blessing of her spiritual father, Elder Ephraim from Mont Athos, she moved into the seclusion of St. Parasceve Desert (Pustynia) and began the work of rebuilding the derelict monastery. At present, have been finished sister’s cells and a little chapel dedicated to saint Siluan the Athonite. Recently, the refectory has been completed as well. The construction of the priest’s house is still in progress and the reconstruction of the main church is being planned.
The daily schedule of M. Svetlana’s life is not so easy. According to the tradition of Elder Joseph the Hesychast, a great part of the ser¬vi¬ces are completed in cells with the Jesus Prayer. The follo¬wing rule is laid down in the monastery. The cell rule of prayer starts at 1.30 am, followed by Midnight Office and Matins completed with the prayer rope in cell. At 4 am the Hours are served in church. Follows free time or rest in cell. At 9 am the hard physical work at the construction site begins; together with one or two workers the mother Abbess has to carry stones, heavy buckets with sand and water, mix the cement, and prepare the materials and tools for the workers. After the workers’ departure, and a short rest, mother Svetlana would pray Vesper. The evening time is dedicated to the translation of spiritual literature. The translation work provides a meager income, which is entirely spent on the reconstruction of the monastery. Nights are set aside for a longer prayer. M. Svetlana hardly allows herself more than 4 hours for sleep.
Many monasteries in Russia have been involved in the translation of spiritual literature written by the Spiritual Fathers of the Church. The Writings of Nil Sorskiy, translations of Paisius Velichkovsky and saint Theophan the Recluse are well-known in Russia. Translation has become an important part of m. Svetlana‘s monastic life of: She is used to translate orthodox literature from Russian, English and Greek into French (“Letters of the Abbess Thaisia”, “The Counsels of the Abbot Nazarius from Valaam”, “The Life and Miracles of St. Spyridon the Wonderworker”, etc), translations from Russian and French into English and Greek, and from Greek into Russian and English.
Currently, m. Svetlana is translating the writings of Elder Paisios from Greek into French.
The monastery owns an olive grove of 800 trees and a variety of other fruit trees. These are entirely under the care of m. Svetlana and she is interested in the development of their potential as another source of income for the monastery.
The big estate, the summer haymaking time, the autumn-winter season of harvesting olives and collecting wood for heating, all of these are hard labor for m. Svetlana. God Himself teaches her to rely constantly on His help and on the prayers of her Elder
All forms of support, prayers and any financial contribution will be gratefully received by m. Svetlana.
M. Svetlana will receive with gratitude orthodox girls wishing to spend a time at the monastery and help with their own hands to re-build the monastery.