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'''Archbishop Andrew''' ({{lang-ru|Архиепископ Андрей}}, secular name '''Adrian Adrianovich Rymarenko''', {{lang-ru|Адриан Адрианович Рымаренко}}; 15 (27) March 1893, [[w:Romny|Romny]], [[w:Poltava Governorate|Poltava Governorate]] - July 12, 1978, [[w:Spring Valley|Spring Valley]], NYNew York)was [[bishop]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]], bishop of Rockland, vicar of [[Diocese of Eastern American and New York (ROCOR)|Eastern-American diocese]].

This new life was given to him in the person of Archpriest John Egorov who was the leader of a student group. He spent five years under the tutelage of this Archpriest and found opened up to him the “elemental reality of the life of Christ’s Church by which Holy Russia lived.” Of this “elemental reality” which was imparted to him, he says,<blockquote>“I felt understood that I could the Divine services are not live as people around me were livingmerely a ritual, but in them are revealed the dogmas of the faith. They are the foundations of man’s reception of Divinity. I felt that I was lacking that lifeThen, the Orthodox way examination and study of the works of the Fathers of life, which had surrounded the Church and the Patrisitic writings revealed to me in my childhood and youth, that lightness the paths of heart which I feltlife. When I had gone through the impression that whole course taught by Fr. John, I had been deprived literall come back to life. I sensed the elemental power of Orthodoxy, I sensed the air breath of life which it gave. I had breathedunderstood in what this life consisted.”[2] From </blockquote>After this moment on time he started went to seek out ways to revive Optina where he met the Elder, [[Anatolius II of Optina|Anatolius the Younger]] in 1921. At this time Eugenia Grigorievna was now in his lifeand she had gone to Optina before him to resolve questions about their marriage and his [[priesthood]]. Fr. Anatolius blessed both of these decisions and later in the summer Adrian came to ask more questions about the same subjects.

This new life Matushka Eugenia Rymarenko was given to him in the person daughter of Archpriest John Egorov who was prominent landowners in the leader province of a student groupPoltava. She studied in St. Petersburg and later transferred to Moscow. He spent five years under She had slowly moved away from the Church but after the tutelage death of this Archpriest her parents and found opened up her experiences connected with the Revolution she returned to him the “elemental reality city of Romny, in the life province of Poltava. There she met her future husband who had given her several religious books and inspired her to go to Optina. In recalling her first visit to Optina Monastery, she said:<blockquote>“Why I went to Fr. Anatoly at that time, I do not know. I had almost no understanding of Christ’s Church by which Holy Russia livedeldership.”I had only read Lodyzensky’s Trilogy: Higher Consciousness, Light Invisible and Dark Forces and [[3:w:Sergei Nilus|Sergei Nilus] Of this “elemental reality” which was imparted ]’ book On the Bank of God’s River. Actually I wanted to visit the elder in order to get a look at him and hear from himsome prediction of the future… Instead of a prediction of the future, I experienced joyful moments of repentance, he saysand an unusual, “I understood peaceful state of mind and submission to the will of God. I was so won over by Batyushka that the Divine services are not merely later, it was enough just to think of him in order to acquire a ritualpeaceful, but in them are revealed the dogmas bright state of mind.”</blockquote>He describes his first meeting with the faith. They are Elder thusly:<blockquote>“I arrived at Optina on the foundations of man’s reception day of DivinitySS. Then[[Peter and Paul]] at 6 o’clock in the morning, and stayed at the guest-house with the examination wonderful Monk Theodulus. He told Fr. Eustignius, Fr. Anatolius’ cell-attendant, that I had come. Batyushka immediately sent for me and study of blessed me to come to him after the Liturgy. Vladyka Micah celebrated the works of Liturgy. The service in the Fathers church of the Church Entrance was triumphant, and after the Patrisitic writings revealed service I immediately went to Batyushka. There was a whole crowd of people around Batyushka’s house. They were mainly nuns. I was immediately let through and went to me the paths of lifeElder… He was friendly and affectionate. When In one moment I completely forgot about what I had gone only just seen: through his questions the whole course taught by Frof my life was handed over to him. The conversation was mainly about my inner life. We talked about my pastorship. JohnFeeling my unworthiness, I had literall come back asked the Elder to forbid me to think of the priesthood, to which he, just like Elder [[Nectarius of Optina|Nectarius]] later, said to me: ‘Accept the priesthood without fail, otherwise you will suffer.’ When Batyushka asked me about my life, he suddenly said to me: ‘Go to the holy things in the holy corner. I sensed ’ There he began to read the elemental power prayers of Orthodoxyconfession, and I sensed thought that I would do confession, but Batyushka summarized everything that I had said, I confirmed my sinfulness, and he read the breath prayer of life which it gaveabsolution. This was for me an unexpected prayer, I felt that I understood was reborn.”</blockquote>In 1921, Fr. Adrian began his pastoral duties in what his native Romny at the Church of Alexander Nevsky. One of his parishioners describes this time of being surrounded by social unrest and the closing of churches. He says that Fr. Adrian served with feeling and that his sermons ignited the hearts of their listeners. Even though churches and monasteries were being closed this church was being filled with people. In no other church was there found such a spiritual life consistedand devotion.”[4]

After this time he went In 1926 the church in Romney was closed and Fr. Adrian was sent to Optina Kiev where he met was “under surveillance”. He says that at the Elder, Anatoly the Younger in 1921. At beginning of this time Eugenia Grigorievna there was now in very difficult but then he became close to a group of “pastor-ascetics” whom he described as his life instructors and she friends. In them he found the same preservation of that which he had gone to Optina before him to resolve questions about longed for from back in his childhood. “All of them gave up their marriageand his priesthoodlives for what was already in my heart. Fr” And they literally did. Anatoly blessed both of “With these decisions clergy there went to prison, exile and later death thousands of their flocks, who wanted to live in God and with God. On my shoulders lay the heavy responsibility of continuing the summer Adrian came to ask more questions about work of the same subjectsmartyred ascetics…”.

Matushka Eugenia Rymarenko was After the daughter of prominent landowners in the province of Poltava. She studied in St. Petersburg and later transferred to Moscow. She had slowly moved away from the Church but after the death of her parents and her experiences connected with the Revolution she returned to the city of Romny, in the province of Poltava. There she met her future husband who had given her several religious books and inspired her to go to Optina. In recalling her first visit to Optina Monastery, she said: “Why I went to Fr. Anatoly at that time, I do not know. I had almost no understanding of eldership. I had only read Lodyzensky’s Trilogy: Higher Consciousness, Light Invisible and Dark Forces and Sergei Nilus’ book On the Bank of God’s River. Actually I wanted to visit the elder in order to get a look at him and hear from him some prediction of the future… Instead of a prediction of the future, I experienced joyful moments of repentance, and an unusual, peaceful state of mind and submission to the will of God. I was so won over by Batyushka that later, it was enough just to think of him in order to acquire a peaceful, bright state of mind.”[5]He describes his first meeting with the Elder thusly: “I arrived at Optina on the day of SS. Peter and Paul at 6 o’clock in the morning, and stayed at the guest-house with the wonderful Monk Theodulus. He told Fr. Eustignius, Fr. Anatolius’ cell-attendant, that I had come. Batyushka immediately sent for me and blessed me to come to him after the Liturgy. Vladyka Micah celebrated the Liturgy. The service in the church of the Entrance was triumphant, and after the service I immediately went to Batyushka. There was a whole crowd of people around Batyushka’s house. They were mainly nuns. I was immediately let through and went to the Elder… He was friendly and affectionate. In one moment I completely forgot about what I had only just seen: through his questions the whole of my life was handed over to him. The conversation was mainly about my inner life. We talked about my pastorship. Feeling my unworthiness, I asked the Elder to forbid me to think repose of the priesthood, to which he, just like Elder Nectarius later, said to me: ‘Accept the priesthood without fail, otherwise you will suffer.’ When Batyushka asked me about my life, he suddenly said to me: ‘Go to the holy things in the holy corner.’ There he began to read the prayers of confession, and I thought that I would do confession, but Batyushka summarized everything that I had said, I confirmed my sinfulness, and he read the prayer of absolution. This was for me an unexpected prayer, I felt that I was reborn.”[6]In 1921, Fr. Adrian began his pastoral duties in his native Romny at the Church of Alexander Nevsky. One of his parishioners describes this time of being surrounded by social unrest and the closing of churches. He says that Fr. Adrian served with feeling and that his sermons ignited the hearts of their listeners. Even though churches and monasteries were being closed this church was being filled with people. In no other church was there found such a spiritual life and devotion.[7]In 1926 the church in Romney was closed and Fr. Adrian was sent to Kiev where he was “under surveillance.” He says that at the beginning Anatoly of this time there was very difficult but then he became close to a group of “pastor-ascetics” whom he described as his instructors and friends. In them he found the same preservation of that which he had longed for from back in his childhood. “All of them gave up their lives for what was already in my heart.”[8Optina] And they literally did. “With these clergy there went to prison, exile and death thousands of their flocks, who wanted to live in God and with God. On my shoulders lay the heavy responsibility of continuing the work of the martyred ascetics…”[9]After the repose of Elder Anatoly of Optina Matushka Eugenia and Fr. Adrian became the spiritual daughter of Elder Nektary [[Nectarius of Optina]]. They came often to visit and stay for weeks with the Elder. The Elder would often tell Matushka, “[Fr. Adrian] is full of Orthodoxy… I rejoice that [Fr. Adrian] is fully Orthodox,” and often spoke of him “with such affection.” Matushka had more time to stay due to Fr. Adrian’s responsibilities in the parish. She would often read to the Elder as well as write correspondence for him and copy various passages from books.

As the Revolution in Russia progressed and Optina was slowly being liquidated Fr. Nektary Nectarius was evicted from the monastery and came to live in a home in the village of Holmische in Briansky Province with a widower and his two boys. Here Matushka and Fr. Adrian would visit often until the Elder’s repose. For this Matushka would not be there but the Elder told her that Fr. Adrian would be and he was. Fr. Adrian left at two o’clock in the morning and, after much difficulty, arrived at four in the afternoon on April 29, 1928 on the day of the Elder’s repose. After his arrival, Fr. Adrian was present to read the Psalter for the Elder while he lay on his bed. As others were helping in assisting to turn the Elder in his bed icons of the Great-martyr Panteleimon and Saint Seraphim were brought from the reception room. One young lady said to the Elder, <blockquote>“Batyushka, bless Father Adrian with this.” With difficulty Batyushka reached out his hand, took the icon and put it on Father Adrian’s head. Then Father Adrian asked Batyushka to bless his whole family with the icon of Saint Seraphim. Shortly thereafter the Elder became unconscious. In her recollections of Elder NektaryNectarius, Matushka Eugenia says that when the Elder’s condition changed, “Father Adrian saw that Batiuhka indeed was dying. He read the Canon for the Departure of the Soul; Batyushka was still alive. Falling on his knees, Father Adrian pressed himself to him, to his back under his mantle. Batyushka was still breathing for a little while, but his breaths became fewer and fewer. Seeing that Batyushka was dying, Father Adrian rose from his knees and covered him with the epitrachalion. After a few minutes Batyushka passed away. It was 8:30 on the evening of April 29, 1928.”</blockquote>While serving the flock in Kiev the Soviets were soon to invade and Fr. Adrian and those who were close to him fled to Germany where he was made Rector of the Resurrection Cathedral in Berlin. Here they faced constant bombings but nonetheless the Divine services were held every day in the cathedral. From here the small group was evacuated to the south of Germany in Würtemberg. Here, as in Berlin, a small group of people would gather, under Fr. Adrian’s guidance and a church was built and they immediately began to perform the Divine services, in each place building the Orthodox way of life which was surrounded by the confusion of a foreign land. About these communities that would grow up in Kiev, in Berlin and now in Würtemberg Fr. Adrian says,<blockquote>“Many at first looked on us as naïve people who did not live in accordance with the times. But we lived, we lived in God. Little by little attitudes towards us changed. Pilgrimages began. People who had come to the depths of despair acquired amongst us peace of soul and a quiet joy, and went away enlightened and in peace.”</blockquote>The next move was now to be to America. In 1949, Fr Adrian came with a small group of Russia immigrants and settled one hour north of [[w:New York City|New York City]] in [[w:Nyack, New York|Nyack]] in [[10w:Rockland County|Rockland County]]. In the Fall of the same year, Archbishop [[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City|Vitaly]] of Jordanville and Archbishop [[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon]] asked that Fr. Adrian establish a women’s monastery to gather together nuns that had been scattered throughout the Diaspora and to establish the Orthodox way of life in this remote area. Fr. Adrian says that not only nuns but a significant number of the thousand displaced persons from Europe, came to settle around the monastery and became a large Orthodox family. Regarding this new settlement, Fr Adrian said,<blockquote>“It is not yet enough to establish a monastic life; one must preserve it. For there is always the danger that life can be converted into a hothouse, a greenhouse, where it will be supported by artificial warmth, and as soon as the source of warmth ceases to operate, life will perish.

While serving Therefore there must be a constant source of life. Just as the flock earth and its vital juices constantly nourish vegetation, so our life also must be ceaselessly nourished by that elemental power which the Church of Christ gives, which is incarnated in Kiev the Soviets were soon to invade and Fr. Adrian and those who were close to him fled to Germany where he was made Rector Orthodox way of the Resurrection Cathedral life, in Berlin. Here they faced constant bombings but nonetheless the Divine services were held every day , in the cathedral. From here the small group was evacuated to the south of Germany fasting, in Würtemberg. Hereprayer, as in Berlinvigils, a small group of people would gather, under Frin all that which embodies our Holy Russia. Adrian’s guidance and a church was built and they immediately began to perform This is the Divine services, elemental power which places in each place building the Orthodox way mouth of life which was surrounded by the confusion man who is leaving his earthly existence the last words, ‘Into Thy hands I commend my spirit’, and gives him the possibility to depart into eternal existence with the name of a foreign landChrist. About these communities that would grow up in Kiev”</blockquote> In 1968, Matushka Eugenia reposed in Berlin the Lord and now in Würtemberg Frfeburary 1968 fr Adrian was tontured monk and consencrased a bishop. Adrian saysAs a bishop, “Many at first looked on us as naïve people who did not Vladyka Andrew continued to live in accordance with the times[[Novo-Diveevo]]. But we lived, we lived in God. Little by little attitudes towards us changed. Pilgrimages began. People who had come to He was the depths spiritual father of despair acquired amongst us peace Metropolitan [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of soul New York|Philaret]], and a quiet joycounseled many other members of the Church, both Russian and went away enlightened and English-speaking. In 1973, in peace.”day of his birth he was elevated to the dignity of [[11Archbishop]].

The next move was now to be to America. In 1949, Fr Adrian came with a small group of Russia immigrants and settled one hour north of New York City last day in Nayack in Rockland County. In the Fall life of Vladyka Andrew was the same year, Archbishop Vitaly feast of Jordanville the Holy Apostles Peter and Archbishop Nikon asked that FrPaul. The weather was hot. Adrian establish a women’s monastery to gather together nuns that had been scattered throughout the Diaspora He received Communion reverently, as he did on all Sundays and to establish the Orthodox way of life in this remote areafeastdays. Fr. Adrian says that not only nuns but a significant number of He was very weak, and lay down surrounded by the thousand displaced persons from Europepeople most devoted to him, came to settle around waiting for the monastery and became a large Orthodox familylong-awaited hour.