United States : The Noetic Pilgrim, A Kenotic Soul
On this day according to the traditional
Church Calendar, on the vigil of the Martyr St. Theodore of Amasea, we
commemorate the falling asleep of schema-Bishop Theodore (Irtel) at the
Abbey of the Holy Name in West Milford, New Jersey in America. Elder
Theodore’s repose at the Abbey was in fulfillment of staretz Justinian
of Valaam’s prophesy regarding major future events in our Elder’s
earthly life. Sketch of George Irtel from Orthodox Word father’s connections permitted young
George to be one of Tsarević Alexei Romanov’s playmate. During the
Bolshevik Revolution, George fled across Siberia on foot to Irkutsk.
Then learning his mother still in Justinian of Valaam Moscow, he walked back across Siberia. He had been arrested in 1920; afterwards, in 1924 he entered Valaam Monastery as a novice. It was there that Novice George came under the spiritual care of the staretz Justinian. Due to godless incursion into the vicinity of Valaam, Novice George moved on to the Pskov Caves Monastery in Estonia. Under the care of the Elder
Schema-Archimandrite Simeon, Monk George was clothed in the small
schema and renamed Sergei (Sergius). Starezt Simeon of Pskov Caves Stavrophore-monk Sergei was among the many
Russian émigrés to Paris in the 1930s. At the Sorbonne he earned an
advanced degree in Philosophy and was ordained to the priesthood in
1934. It has been said that there were three men consecrated to the
episcopacy in secret. Fr Sergei was one of the three. Secret
consecrations are outside the norm in Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, these
elevations were conducted because there was suspicion that the NKVD
(predecessor of the KGB) had targeted certain Russian hierarchs in
Europe for assassination. While in France, Fr Sergei had frequent
fellowship with St. Archbishop John Maximovitć during his tenure there. True to his monastic vow of obedience he refused to act on his own will. Rather, he had written to Fr Sergei Irtel St Silouan on Mt Athos. In reply, Fr Sergei was forbidden to return to Russia, “for there you will certainly die. You must go to America where God has much for you to do”. In 1946 Hieromonk Sergei arrived in New York City. It has been reported that he taught at St. Tikhon Orthodox Pastoral Seminary in South Canaan for two years. Thereafter labored in Canada with St Nikolai Velimirović. In 1950 he was sent to Spruce Island, Alaska. According to Orthodox Word magazine (St. Herman Brotherhood: 1996, No. 187-188): “They lived in a large, rotting storage house on the very shores of Monks’ Lagoon, while in the dense spruce forest, on the site of St. Herman’s cell, Archimandrite Gerasim lived in solitude. The gusty wind off the open sea and the constantly overcast, rainy weather stirred up sorrowful thoughts linked with the woeful state of 20th century monasticism. In total solitude, more cut off than in any hermitage on old Valaam, which was at that time swallowed up by the communist hell, the new monks of New Valaam were naturally carried in thought to Valaam, and, remembering their past instructors, they lived by their instructions.” While in Alaska he was clothed in the Great Schema and given the name of St. Theodore. Apparently due to health, Hiero-schemamonk Theodore was forced to leave Alaska where from he arrived in El Paso, Texas. We know that he had been utilized by the Russian Metropolia as a “supply priest” and was often “on loan” to other jurisdictions where there was a need for a priest. It has been documented that Fr Sergei Irtel had served the fledgling Greek Mission in Los Vegas having Divine Liturgy in a local Episcopalian Church in 1958. The Russian Patriarchal parish of St. John Chrysostom in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan was served by Fr Sergei in December 1961 and again in 1964. From El Paso, Texas, Elder Theodore made
his way to Juarez, Mexico. There he was not a bishop, enjoyed neither
status nor glory. Much like Bolshevik Russia, Elder Theodore had to
avoid getting Elder Theodore arrested by the anti-clerical Mexican police. There in Juarez he shared the poverty of the village folks. He labored to house and feed them. As a simple priest-monk he evangelized and ministered to the people. Gathered a small monastic following, never ceased praying and interceding for those who came to visit or sent letters begging for his prayers on their behalf. We could speak of the many miracles of healing, resurrecting the dead, the gifts of clairvoyance and bi-location attributed to our Elder. But it is the charism of monastic obedience, humility, unceasing prayer and service (love) towards those in need that greatly marked Elder Theodore’s holiness. Vladyka was buried, unembalmed according to Orthodox tradition, three days after his repose. On this third day his body showed no sign of corruption. The Hermitage Cell of St. John the Theologian has been given the monastic obedience to gather what information is available on Schema-Bishop Theodore (Irtel). As we gather and discern such information regarding his life, ministry, fellowship, miracles and various other wonder-workings we shall then make them known for the edification and upbuilding of the Church. If YOU knew Elder Theodore at one time or another, please share with us your experience and knowledge of him. Write to us via e-mail or by postal mail: Theodore Irtel Research Project Blessed Elder Theodore, pray for us! Blessed Elder Theodore, pray for us! |
