Nikolay Motovilov
Nikolay Aleksandrovich Motovilov (Russian: Николай Александрович Мотовилов; 3 May 1809 – 14 January 1879)
Motovilov was born in
Motovilov wrote down many of his conversations with St. Seraphim, including his favorite, Seraphim's Talk On the Purpose of the Christian Life, that occurred in November 1831 in the forest near
In 1827 Motovilov started government work in Simbirsk. He had a conflict with
In 1840 Motovilov married Yelena Ivanovna Meliukova, the niece of a pupil of St. Seraphim, schemo-nun Marfa, and settled down on his estate near Simbirsk.
Seraphim of Sarov, whose name Motovilov had worked so hard to bring to Russian public awareness, was canonized in 1903. He remains one of the modern Orthodox Church's most beloved saints.
Motovilov's manuscripts were mostly left unpublished, and were stored in disarray in baskets kept in the attic of his house. In 1903 Motovilov's widow passed the baskets with the manuscripts—by now filled with feathers and chicken droppings—to the religious writer
In one of Nilus’ books "On the banks of God’s river" we find a most extraordinary prediction of Seraphim Sarovsky, carried to us by Nikolay Motovilov. It is known as “The Great Mystery of Diveevo”. It says that rev. Seraphim would be taken to heaven before his due time to be later resurrected by God in the times of a greatest neglect of Christian belief. After his resurrection, he will start the world-wide Sermon of repentance[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Vladimir Melnik Servant to Seraphim Dukhovny Sobesednik 2(46),2006 (in Russian)
- ^ a b Nikolay Motovilov as an ideal of Russian businessman by hegumen Peter Pigal (in Russian)
- ^ a b Nestlings of Seraphim's nest: Motovilov and Mansurov review of the book by Vladimir Melnik
- ^ Letter of Motovilov to Nicholas I of Russia (in Russian)
- ^ a b Ревнитель веры православной by Viktor Trostnikov
- ^ Chronicles of the Seraphimo-Diveyevo monastery by Leonid Tchitchagov (archimandrit Seraphim), SPB, 1903.
Motovilov's materials became the main source for the biography and teaching of St. Serafim, the teachings of St. Anthonius of Voronezh, founder of Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery, and nun Alexandra of Diveyevo. Motovilov's writings also strongly influenced works of Nilus.
External links
- Letter of Motovilov to Nicholas I of Russia (in Russian)
- Talk of St. Serafim and Nikolay Motovilov in the forest near Sarov, 1831 (in Russian)
- Talk of St. Seraphim and Nikolay Motovilov, in English
Further reading
- Nikloay Motovilov Беседа Преподобного Серафима Саровского о цели христианской жизни, Фонд "Христианская жизнь", 2001
- Записки Николая Александровича Мотовилова; Отчий Дом, 2005