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THE ACT OF GLORIFICATION OF THE FIRST MOTHER SUPERIOR OF THE LESNINSKY MONASTERY,

SAINT CATHERINE (YEFIMOV) BY THE RUSSIAN TRUE ORTHODOX CHURCH

Translated by Seraphim Larin

From the Hierarchal Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church to all the true children of the Church in the Motherland and those scattered throughout the world – rejoice in the Lord, His Holy Church and Her Saints!

Today, the Hierarchal Synod of RTOC glorifies into the realm of Saints a devotee – glorified by the Lord Himself through her imperishable relics – beloved and revered by the faithful in Russia, Overseas and Serbia, the founder of the Lesninsky Monastery and its first Mother Superior – Saint Catherine (Yefimov).

Richly endowed by God with breadth and profundity of mind, strength and stature of spirit, abundance of talent and capabilities, Hegumenness Catherine directed all the power of her outstanding nature toward serving God and His Church. Great was the feat of this humble woman of prayer, tireless preacher and defender of Orthodoxy. Her feat lies not only in her exemplary faith in Orthodoxy and a holy life, but also in the establishment of an “active” women’s monasticism. As distinct from the traditional Russian women’s monasteries of the post-Peter’s era, the monasteries established by Matushka Catherine in the Hills and in Siberia became renowned for their broad missionary, enlightening and charitable activities.

The Lesninsky Monastery was the centre of Orthodoxy in the western edge of the Russian Empire, and the credit for this belongs to the lofty mind and noble heart of Matushka Catherine. Apart from the Lesninsky Monastery, she founded several “active” monasteries in the Hills area: Virovsky, Teolinsky, Radochnitsky, Turkovitsky, Berezvechesky, Krasnostoksky – appointing only her most gifted and experienced pupils as their principals. The Hill’s monasteries enjoyed an especial attention and care from the August Family and the Holy Synod, and they were often visited by the Righteous Saint John of Kronstadt.

Having relocated themselves to Serbia in 1920, the Lesninsky sisters – prepared by Matushka Catherine – promoted the revival of the Serbian women’s monasticism, which was destroyed by the Turkish conquerors and Austrian rulers. During the 1920 to 1930 period, renowned monasteries at Koopezhdin, Manacia, Vavedenia and many other Serbian women’s monasteries were either restored or re-established anew, with a most active participation of the Lesninsky sisters.

In the western edge of the Russian Empire, the Lesninsky monastery was not only the centre of Orthodoxy, but the core of enlightenment and education. From the very first days of the monastery’s existence, Matushka Catherine immersed herself in the care and the Orthodox raising of children. In Lestna and surrounding settlements, there were operating orphanages and schools, which catered for up to 500 students annually. Such orphanages and schools were established in all the Hill’s cloisters.

The excellently established management structure at the Lesninsky monastery permitted the sisters to assist the poor and school the peasants in advanced agricultural methods. However, the most important charitable facet of the Lesninsky and other Hill’s monasteries was the medical assistance that they rendered to the populace. The hospitals in the monasteries accepted several thousand patients a year, and where the sick could not come to the hospital, the sisters went to them.

Having grown up in a pious, Orthodox family, Matushka Catherine nurtured a deep interest in patristic and theological literature. Her pen created many publications and addresses for theological conferences. Hegumenness Catherine’s most celebrated endeavour titled “The Deaconesses in the first centuries of Christianity”, evolved from her memoranda recorded during her presence at the Pre-Local Council in 1906. Matushka compiled these memos in the hope of reviving the ancient institution of Deaconesses in the Russian Church. While this question was examined at the Local Council of the Russian Church in 1917-1918, no Conciliar was taken.

With all her diverse pursuits, Matushka Catherine was a woman of prayer and a selfless devotee, which is witnessed by the discovery in 1984 of her imperishable relics, which now lie at the Novo-Hopovskim Monastery in an undisclosed grave.

Finally, the very existence of the Lesninsky Monastery is an indisputable fact to its founder’s holiness. In the heart of an Orthodox faithful, there is no doubt that the establishment, strengthening and preservation of the monastery during all the trials and tribulations of the 20^th century – revolutions, world wars and the constant wanderings in different countries – was only made possible through the aid of prayers of its first Hegumenness.

Today, the prayerful intercession of Matushka Catherine manifests itself in the preservation of fidelity to the Truth by the Lesninsky Monastery during the current discords within the Church. The sisters have not adopted the path of the Russian Overseas Church in uniting with the Moscow Patriarchate, thereby avoiding the adoption of the heresies of Sergianism and Ecumenism. More than that, through the prayers of Matushka Catherine, the monastery is continuing its missionary activity, helping Russian Orthodox people to preserve their fidelity to the Truth: the Mission of the Russian True Orthodox Church within the monastery is actively operating in Western Europe.

Today, we are glorifying Saint Catherine and beseech her prayerful assistance and intercession for us before God’s Altar. The indefatigable enlightener, who has dedicated her life for the preservation and dissemination of True Orthodoxy on earth, will also not forget us in her prayers in Heaven.

The Hierarchal Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church decrees the following:

1.     For Holy Catherine (Yefimov) to be glorified into the ranks of Saints.

2.     The image of Saint Catherine to be revered as a holy icon, and attention given toward the dissemination of its copies throughout the parishes.

3.     The Church service for Saint Catherine composed at the Lesninsky monastery, to be introduced and put into practice as a Divine Service.

4.     The celebration in memory of Saint Catherine is to be the day of her repose, 15/28 October, and a Divine Service be held on that day for Saint Catherine.

5.     To revere the works of Saint Catherine and attend to their dissemination.

6.     To disseminate the church life of Saint Catherine, compiled at the Lesninsky Monastery.

Hierarchal Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church

25^th September/9^th October 2010,

Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian