“Lord has granted me true friends in the Crimea”. A letter of archbishop Dimitriy (Abashidze) to metropolitan Evlogiy (Georgievskiy)
Abstract
This letter of archbishop Dimitriy (Abashidze, later bishop Antoniy) sheds light on a little-known period of archpishop’s life, when in 1921 he, due to deteriorated health, decided to leave the diocese administration and with a blessing of Holy Patriarch Tikhon was discharged from the administration of Tauric diocese. Bishop Dimitriy had to be in charge of Tauric diocese in the most tragic period of its history. In 1920, the Crimea was taken by the Bolsheviks. Most archpriests emigrated together with General Vrangel’s army. Archbishop Dimitry chose not to abandon his fl ock and remained in Russia. He was an eyewitness of the “Crimean massacre”, unprecedented in its cruelty. Archbishop settled in Toplovskiy Paraskevievskiy Saint-Trinity convent in the Crimea. He was hosted by Mother Superior Paraskeva (Rodimtseva), who off ered shelter and victuals to the ill bishop. In the autumn of 1922, archbishop Dimitriy was sued for participating in the tonsuring and chirotony of bishop Sergiy (Zverev), condemned and sentenced to a year of correctional labour, but was granted amnesty and returned to Toply. On 11 April 1923, he was arrested again and was banished from the Crimea to Kiev by security organs because of his resistance to renovationists. The letter of archbishop Dimitriy to metropolitan Evlogiy, written on 14 January 1923, describes the time of his stay at Toplovskiy convent. These church hierarchs were connected by years of friendship and collaboration. In his letter, the bishop narrates the story of aff ection and care for him of Mother Superior and nuns of the convent, describes the hardships of its survival. Archbishop Dimitiy expounds on his long-cherished desire to seclude for prayer in one of monasteries. The letter also contains a request for fi nancial help to the convent and the bishop himself.
Keywords
