Father Venedikt, Governor of Optina Hermitage. Archimandrite Venedikt, the governor of Optina Hermitage, has died
On January 22, 2018, at the 79th year of his life, after a serious illness, the abbot of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), reposed in the Lord.
Archimandrite Benedict suffered from a serious illness in recent years. At the same time, he found strength to strengthen and support his brothers and laity, showing sincere Christian kindness and care. Until his last days, Father cared about the fate of our common Fatherland and did not remain indifferent to what was happening in Donbass and Ukraine.
At the beginning of January, Archimandrite Venedict underwent a complex operation on his leg, a week after the operation he was still in intensive care - postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and on January 22 he left this world...
Father, the governor of Optina Hermitage, will forever remain in the memory and hearts of the brethren of the monastery, spiritual children, friends and loved ones.
May the Lord rest the soul of the deceased in His Heavenly villages!
May our Lady Queen of Heaven intercede with Her Son to grant mercy to the newly departed soul!
Brief information
Archimandrite Venedikt (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1973 from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree. In the 1970s he was a resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
In 1990, he was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with the name Benedict in honor of St. Benedict of Nursia.
In 1990, he was appointed rector of Optina Hermitage and elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
Optina Pustyn is one of the centers of Orthodoxy, a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kaluga region. The main shrine of the monastery was the Optina elders. At all times, people came to Optina for peace; many famous personalities visited the monastery: Zhukovsky, Tyutchev, Aksakov, Gogol, Dostoevsky; Tchaikovsky, Chizhevsky and Solovyov stayed here.
In 2016, he wrote a request for retirement, which was not granted.
On January 9, 2018, he underwent surgery to amputate the lower limb due to developing diabetes mellitus.
Archimandrite Benedict became widely known in the Orthodox community as an uncompromising zealot, defender of holy Orthodoxy, and a determined opponent of church modernism, ecumenism, and electronic means of enslaving the individual.
Archimandrite Benedict provided assistance to the “For Life” movement, which fights abortion. His Reverence rightly considered abortion to be a grave sin and participated in the prevention of abortions and was the only governor who provided such assistance to public figures.
All the faithful now offer prayers to the Lord for the repose of the soul of Father Benedict. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven to the newly deceased Archimandrite Benedict!
ARCHIMANDRITE VENEDIKT (PENKOV), THE VICHER OF THE OPTINA PUSTIN, RECEIVED TO THE LORD On January 22, 2018, at the 79th year of his life, after a serious illness, the viceroy of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), passed away to the Lord. Archimandrite Benedict suffered from a serious illness in recent years. At the same time, he found strength to strengthen and support his brothers and laity, showing sincere Christian kindness and care. Until his last days, Father cared about the fate of our common Fatherland and did not remain indifferent to what was happening in Donbass and Ukraine. At the beginning of January, Archimandrite Venedict underwent a complex operation on his leg, a week after the operation he was still in intensive care - postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and on January 22, he left this world... Father, the governor of Optina Hermitage, will forever remain in the memory and hearts of the brethren of the monastery, spiritual children, friends and relatives. May the Lord rest the soul of the deceased in His Heavenly villages! May our Lady Queen of Heaven intercede with Her Son to grant mercy to the newly departed soul! * * * Archimandrite Venedict (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1973 from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree. In the 1970s he was a resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In 1990, he was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with the name Benedict in honor of St. Benedict of Nursia. In 1990, he was appointed rector of Optina Hermitage and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. Optina Pustyn is one of the centers of Orthodoxy, a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kaluga region. The main shrine of the monastery was the Optina elders. At all times, people came to Optina for peace; many famous personalities visited the monastery: Zhukovsky, Tyutchev, Aksakov, Gogol, Dostoevsky; Tchaikovsky, Chizhevsky and Solovyov stayed here. In 2016, he wrote a request for retirement, which was not granted. On January 9, 2018, he underwent surgery to amputate the lower limb due to developing diabetes mellitus. Archimandrite Benedict became widely known in the Orthodox community as an uncompromising zealot, defender of holy Orthodoxy, and a determined opponent of church modernism, ecumenism, and electronic means of enslaving the individual. Archimandrite Benedict provided assistance to the “For Life” movement, which fights abortion. His Reverence rightly considered abortion to be a grave sin and participated in the prevention of abortions and was the only governor who provided such assistance to public figures. All the faithful now offer prayers to the Lord for the repose of the soul of Father Benedict. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven to the newly deceased Archimandrite Benedict! Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism of the Russian Orthodox Church January 22, 2018
On January 22, 2018, at the 79th year of his life, after a serious illness, the abbot of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), reposed in the Lord.
Archimandrite Benedict suffered from a serious illness in recent years. At the same time, he found strength to strengthen and support his brothers and laity, showing sincere Christian kindness and care. Until his last days, Father cared about the fate of our common Fatherland and did not remain indifferent to what was happening in Donbass and Ukraine.
At the beginning of January, Archimandrite Venedict underwent a complex operation on his leg, a week after the operation he was still in intensive care - postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and on January 22 he left this world...
Father, the governor of Optina Hermitage, will forever remain in the memory and hearts of the brethren of the monastery, spiritual children, friends and loved ones.
May the Lord rest the soul of the deceased in His Heavenly villages!
May our Lady Queen of Heaven intercede with Her Son to grant mercy to the newly departed soul!
Tags:Archimandrite Venedikt (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1973 from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree. In the 1970s he was a resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
In 1990, he was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with the name Benedict in honor of St. Benedict of Nursia.
In 1990, he was appointed rector of Optina Hermitage and elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
Optina Pustyn is one of the centers of Orthodoxy, a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kaluga region. The main shrine of the monastery was the Optina elders. At all times, people came to Optina for peace; many famous personalities visited the monastery: Zhukovsky, Tyutchev, Aksakov, Gogol, Dostoevsky; Tchaikovsky, Chizhevsky and Solovyov stayed here.
In 2016, he wrote a request for retirement, which was not granted.
On January 9, 2018, he underwent surgery to amputate the lower limb due to developing diabetes mellitus.
Archimandrite Benedict became widely known in the Orthodox community as an uncompromising zealot, defender of holy Orthodoxy, and a determined opponent of church modernism, ecumenism, and electronic means of enslaving the individual.
Archimandrite Benedict provided assistance to the “For Life” movement, which fights abortion. His Reverence rightly considered abortion to be a grave sin and participated in the prevention of abortions and was the only governor who provided such assistance to public figures.
All the faithful now offer prayers to the Lord for the repose of the soul of Father Benedict. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven to the newly deceased Archimandrite Benedict!
On January 22, 2018, at the 79th year of his life, after a serious illness, the abbot of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), reposed in the Lord.
Archimandrite Benedict suffered from a serious illness in recent years. At the same time, he found strength to strengthen and support his brothers and laity, showing sincere Christian kindness and care. Until his last days, Father cared about the fate of our common Fatherland and did not remain indifferent to what was happening in Donbass and Ukraine.
At the beginning of January, Archimandrite Venedict underwent a complex operation on his leg, a week after the operation he was still in intensive care - postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and on January 22 he left this world...
Father, the governor of Optina Hermitage, will forever remain in the memory and hearts of the brethren of the monastery, spiritual children, friends and loved ones.
May the Lord rest the soul of the deceased in His Heavenly villages!
May our Lady Queen of Heaven intercede with Her Son to grant mercy to the newly departed soul!
Today you can say goodbye to Archimandrite Benedict from 15.00 to 21.00 at the Moscow courtyard of the Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage in the Church of the Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul in Yasenevo.
Directions to the Novoyasenevskaya metro station.
Address: Novoyasenevsky Prospect, 42.
The funeral service for the abbot of the Vvedensky stauropegial monastery of Optina Pustyn will take place on January 24, 2018 after the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 6.30.
Archimandrite Venedikt (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, and in 1973 from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate of theology degree. In the 1970s he was a resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
He was tonsured a monk at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra with the name Benedict in honor of St. Benedict of Nursia.
In 1990, he was appointed rector of Optina Hermitage and elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
Optina Pustyn is one of the centers of Orthodoxy, a monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kaluga region. The main shrine of the monastery was the Optina elders. At all times, people came to Optina for peace; many famous personalities visited the monastery: Zhukovsky, Tyutchev, Aksakov, Gogol, Dostoevsky; Tchaikovsky, Chizhevsky and Solovyov stayed here.
In 2016, he wrote a request for retirement, which was not granted.
On January 9, 2018, he underwent surgery to amputate the lower limb due to developing diabetes mellitus.
Archimandrite Benedict became widely known in the Orthodox community as an uncompromising zealot, defender of holy Orthodoxy, and a determined opponent of church modernism, ecumenism, and electronic means of enslaving the individual.
Archimandrite Benedict provided assistance to the “For Life” movement, which fights abortion. His Reverence rightly considered abortion to be a grave sin and participated in the prevention of abortions and was the only governor who provided such assistance to public figures.
All the faithful now offer prayers to the Lord for the repose of the soul of Father Benedict. Eternal memory and the Kingdom of Heaven to the newly deceased Archimandrite Benedict!
Today, the Orthodox world suffered an irreparable loss - on the night of January 21-22, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), abbot of the St. Vvedensky Stavropegic Monastery of Optina Hermitage, died untimely.
Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), Governor of Optina Pustyn
The governor of the Optina Hermitage, Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov), went to the Lord, and with him, as it now seems to us, who often visited the monastery in those unique times, an entire era passed into the past - beautiful, heroic, filled with the high pathos of creation.
The monastery’s website reports that Archimandrite Venedikt (Penkov) died after a serious illness. On January 9, due to developing diabetes mellitus, his leg was amputated, and on January 20 he fell into a coma.
“With the saints, rest rest, O Christ, the soul of Your servant Archimandrite Benedict, where there is no sickness, no sorrow, no sighing, but endless life,” says the Optina Pustyn website.
Archimandrite Benedict suffered from a serious illness in recent years. At the same time, he found the strength to strengthen and support his brothers and laity, showing sincere Christian kindness and care. Until his last days, Father cared about the fate of our common Fatherland and did not remain indifferent to what was happening in Donbass and Ukraine.
On January 9, Archimandrite Venedict underwent a complex operation on his leg, a week after the operation he was still in intensive care, and postoperative complications began. On January 19, the priest’s health deteriorated sharply, and this night, at the 78th year of his life, he left this mortal world.
Brief biography of the deceased
Archimandrite Venedikt (in the world Vladimir Andreevich Penkov) was born on June 24, 1939 in Moscow.
In 1956 he graduated from Moscow high school. In 1958 he graduated from the Moscow construction school.
Since 1964 he studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy.
In 1968 he was enrolled in the brethren of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra. At the Lavra he served as head of the library and assistant treasurer. He was a famous confessor. Subsequently, he bore the obedience of the head of the Chernigov monastery.
On August 25, 1969, he was tonsured into the mantle in honor of Rev. Benedict of Nursia (namesake March 27).
On October 8, 1969 he was ordained to the rank of hierodeacon, and on October 9, 1972 he was ordained to the rank of hieromonk.
In 1973 he graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy with a candidate's degree in theology.
From January 20, 1991, he served as the governor of the reviving Vvedenskaya Optina Hermitage, having served in this obedience for almost thirty years.
It should be noted that Optina Pustyn, in a completely ruined state, was transferred to the Church in 1987. Having accepted the abbotship, Archimandrite Benedict put enormous effort into restoring the illustrious monastery, which had survived the abomination of desolation. It was under him that the temples, bell tower, and outbuildings were rebuilt in the monastery, the relics of most of the Optina elders were discovered and glorified, and the monastery again became the center of monastic and pilgrimage life. The abbot’s huge loving heart managed to embrace everything...
Good Shepherd
Awards:
1985 - awarded the club;
1986 - awarded a cross with decorations;
1991 - elevated to the rank of archimandrite;
1995 - awarded the right to serve with a baton;
1980 - awarded the medal of Rev. Sergius of Radonezh, 1st degree;
1987 - awarded the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 3rd degree;
1995 - awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, 2nd degree.
This is how Father Venedikt will be remembered by us forever.
Optina Putyn
Optina Pustyn is one of the greatest centers of Orthodoxy, a famous monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kaluga region. The monastery gained worldwide fame thanks to its famous elders. Episodes in the lives of many writers and thinkers in Russia are connected with it. Leo Tolstoy came here shortly before his death, unable to reconcile with God. In the summer of 1878, after the death of his son, F. M. Dostoevsky visited the monastery. Some scenes from the novel The Brothers Karamazov were inspired by this trip. Thus, the prototype of Elder Zosima is Elder Ambrose (Reverend Ambrose of Optina, canonized in 1988), who lived at that time in the monastery of Optina Hermitage.
Many famous personalities came to Optina for peace; many famous personalities visited the monastery: Zhukovsky, Tyutchev, Aksakov, Gogol; Tchaikovsky, Chizhevsky and Solovyov stayed here.
The symbol of Optina is a trumpeting angel,
On the last journey
The brethren of the monastery, the spiritual children of Father Benedict, as well as numerous pilgrims who were privileged to know the father governor, deeply mourn his untimely death.
Photo from the archives of Optina Pustyn
Farewell to Archimandrite Venedict today from 14:00 to 5.00 tomorrow at the Optina Pustyn courtyard in Moscow at the address: Novoyasenevsky Prospekt, 42. Novoyasenevskaya metro station.
From January 23, the coffin with the body of Archimandrite Venedict will be in the Kazan Church of the Optina Pustyn Monastery. Those who wish to say goodbye to the priest will be able to do so until January 24. His funeral service and burial will take place on the same day.
The author of this publication was fortunate to know the priest for many years. We regularly went to the monastery almost from the day it opened, often worked in obediences, and before our eyes it flourished: the relics of the elders were found, the temples were restored. Father Benedict was always in the thick of things, but, despite his enormous workload, he found time to communicate, was friendly and attentive to the needs of pilgrims. Let us breathe a prayerful breath, brothers and sisters, for the newly installed Archimandrite Benedict and strengthen ourselves in the Lord, because there is no death.
