Father Arseny, 1893-1973: Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father: Being the Narratives Compiled by the Servant of God Alexander Concerning His Spiritual Father

Father Arseny #1

by Vera Bouteneff

It is one of the great mysteries of life that in atmospheres of the harshest cruelty, a certain few not only survive but emerge as beacons of light and life. Father Arseny, former scholar of church art, became Prisoner No. 18736 in the brutal 'special sector' of the Soviet prison camp system. In the darkness of systematic degradation of body and soul, he shone with the light of Christ's peace and compassion. His sights set on God and his life grounded in the Church, Father Arseny lived by injunction to 'bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ' (Galatians 6:2). This narrative, compiled from accounts of Father Arseny's spiritual children and others whom he brought to God, gives stirring glimpses of his life in prison camp and after his release. It also tells the stories of people whose lives, often during times of almost unimaginable crisis, were touched and transfigured through their connection with Father Arseny. Emerging from the context of the particular tragedies of Soviet Russia, this book carries a universal impact certain to be felt by readers in the West today.

Genres: Biography, Christianity, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Religion, Christian, Russia

277 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fr. Arseny survived the upheaval and cruelty of Soviet Russia and the unbearably inhumane prison life only to shine with the beauty of God's grace, touching the lives of so many; healing, loving, helping, and instructing everyone he met. He is a shining light and servant of God. He prayed without ceasing. This book inspires us to love all people and never give up on them or stop praying for them. Pray for us blessed Father Arseny.

[Ramón S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful,fascinating, lovely, powerful, beautiful.
One of the best books I have ever read. If you want to be touched deeply in your soul. Read it!!!
Father Arseny, pray for us sinners!!!

[Nicole.platte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly miraculous book. Read it again and again. Read it to the kids.

Fr. Arseny was an Orthodox Priest in the early to mid-20th century who spent several years in a Communist Death Camp. He prayed unceasingly in the camp, and the results of his faithfulness were very beautiful.

[mRizk · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels wrong to rate this book. It is simply a must read and an encounter with Father Arseny himself. It’s made me feel like I could now be one of his spiritual children.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful complement to the grimmer work of Solzhenitsyn and others, coming as it does from a well of deep faith. Father Arseny's saintly self-sacrifice--not in a heroic single moment, but in a daily pouring out of himself for others in a murderous gulag work camp--made me think about all the ways I deny others even small acts of service. A compilation of accounts from witnesses and spiritual children of Arseny, it amounts to a book of miracles great and small.

[Quiescence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for everyone, no matter how religious/pious they are. This is a book that leaves a deep trail in one's heart and mind. I cannot convey in any way the emotions I went through while reading the book. You should read it for yourself and immerse in the vivid atmosphere depicted throughout.

[EC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book about the struggles this Orthodox priest endured in the Soviet gulag.
I read this back in 2015, when it was gifted to me by some kind Orthodox Christians. It was since lost with a thousand other books of mine. I see that it has been released as a new edition and I will purchase it and reread it as soon as I get some extra scratch.
I recommend this book, as I do with every book I've read because I don't read books that suck and are non-recommendable.

Diversity is NOT our strength.
UNITY is our strength!

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have ever read. What an inspiration, what a push toward God it has been for me. Beautiful.

Pray for us, Father Arseny!

[Isaiah the Ox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a perfect book but I don't know how I couldn't rate it five stars. I read this book slowly but I am so glad I did. I learned so much from Father Arseny, many times I would put the book down and pray in awe of this Holy Saint and the works God can do through His children. This book shows the greatest fall and depravity of man and also the great strength and humility of Christ. I learned so much about humanity, real humanity, God, and especially what true love really looks like. So many lessons are hidden in this book, but probably the most impactful for me was about the goodness of humanity. Many soldiers in the camp were evil and cruel, but even in the worst one Father Arseny saw a light inside of them, and many times we were shown how these evil men did some good even while at the camp. Goodness can hardly ever be entirely diminished, and I saw and learned that in this book.

Yes, the book is disorganized and unclear at times, but that is admitted by the compiler. He even says that the third section needed work. Some people are never introduced, you just hear names, and others are hard to remember or difficult to distinguish apart. But, if you ever hear someone tell a story, the same flaws will appear. Most people I know are horrible story tellers when it comes to personal life, and I doubt 19th century personal reflections would be any different. The stories are still impactful and wonderful, if you also acknowledge a human (or many people!) wrote this book, not God or a Literature professor.

Wonderful book. First Saint I have ever "met", and I hope to meet more.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first picked up this book about 20 years ago and was so encouraged and inspired by the faith and love of Fr. Arseny in the midst of Stalinist prison camps. Interestingly, I finished reading it this time shortly after reading A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and I was impressed by how incredible Fr. Arseny's faith really was - not only to survive such an experience but in fact to be strengthened thereby and to spark and rekindle the faith of others as well.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give it more than five stars?

I'm not even sure how to review this. It was compelling, convicting, and just... I really want to say that everyone needs to read it, but then, I honestly don't know how much it'd mean to someone who's not Orthodox. Would it be the same beautiful book it is to me?

I learned so much through it and it helped me see areas of my life where I was struggling and didn't even know I was struggling.

If you get the chance, read this book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit rambling and I made my way through the first half in fits and starts, but to say it's a slow read is to miss the point - it's just a book you take at its pace rather than your own. Reading it really is a spiritual exercise. The book is more a compilation of written memories, either by Father Arseny, his spiritual children, or those who knew or encountered him while he was imprisoned in a Soviet spacial camp. What seems to have stood out to all his spiritual children was his wisdom, gentleness, and keen insight from the Holy Spirit. It's inspiring and even poetic, and I felt my faith enlarging as I read on. The underlying themes cluster around dependence on and openness to God, prayer, God's faithfulness, and serving and learning from those around us.

In spite of the fact that Father Arseny was among us and gave many of us a new life, we had changed. We were no longer young, life had worn us out and broken us down. I felt that in our prayers we now asked for help more, and glorified God less. It didn't used to be that way.

I asked Father Arseny once, why is this so? He answered me somewhat sadly, "In a way this is natural. people have lived through too much, through too much difficult. Everything was done to eradicate faith from the souls of the people. Conditions were such that it became necessary to think only about how to survive, to overcome the obstacles which had been created. Just look at the life which has now been created: radio, magazines, television, newspapers, cinemas and theater create a standardized way of thinking, the same for everyone. This leads to a person being unable to be alone with his own thoughts, to feel the presence of God. (p.270)

All this has affected even believers, brought them closer to the 'norm,' made them indifferent. A prescribed way of thinking makes it difficult for a person to become a believer and makes it difficult for the believer to preserve his faith. But do remember, Christ's Church will live eternally even under these circumstances. Preserve your faith, fight for individuality of thought, pray more, read the Scriptures, and God will preserve you, He will not let you lose the clarify of your thoughts, He will not let you think like the faceless mass of indifferent and cold people." (p.271)

The book drops you right into the middle of Orthodox practice, so if you don't come from the Orthodox tradition or know much about it, this may take some adjusting to. The book also lowers the reader right into the hardship and persecution of Soviet life, including Father Arseny's imprisonment in a camp. A very powerful book.

[ltcomdata · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very uplifting and encouraging tale of Fr. Arseny, who was imprisoned during the Stalin regime, and of his troubles and survival in one of the worst Gulag camps. He faced opposition from the leadership (who imprisoned him) and from the political prisoners (who were atheists). Somehow he managed to not only survive, but to bring a lot of them to God. The second half of the book talks about other spiritual directors who helped the faithful to maintain the Faith during the years after Stalin died, as well as Fr. Arseny's last years giving spiritual advice.

[George Mekhaiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I ever read from the EO fathers and it had a snowball effect on my reading because I cannot stop reading books about/from the Greek and Russian Orthodox Church. Although, the Coptic Fathers still play a huge role in my readings.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Father Asreny was an ultimate boss man goth

[Alex of Yoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful book about the life and spiritual children of the priest known only as Father Arseny. It takes place in Soviet Russia and seems to be a collection of stories about Father Arseny that was circulated underground to encourage the faithful living under the oppressive Soviet Regime. It includes Father Arseny's time in a Soviet concentration camp as well as stories from after his release.
You can't read this book and not be uplifted. It is an amazing testimony to the might of God and His work even in countries that try to stamp out any mention of Him. Father Arseny's life and love, even amidst horrifying circumstances, is inspiring. This book urges us to follow his example of prayer and selfless concern for those around us.
My only complaint is the arrangement of the book. It is a collection of memoirs written by various people who knew Fr. Arseny and put together by an unknown editor, so it is not chronological and some of the stories, while inspiring in and of themselves, seem to have little to do with the rest of the book. But, seeing as it was most likely circulated underground for the edification of hidden Christians (and not for mass publication), that helps in understanding it's haphazard organization.
I highly recommend it to any Christian as it is a poignant example of modern faith in the midst of incredible circumstances.
Fr. Arseny, intercede for us!

[Rick Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, inspiring, spiritually enriching story; a powerful witness to the presence and grace of God, even in situations of great suffering and cruelty. Father Arseny was a Russian Orthodox priest, caught up in the religious persecutions of Stalinist Russia. He spent nearly twenty years in the Gulag, where, in the midst of unimaginable suffering, he managed to mediate the love of God to his fellow prisoners, guards, and administrators. It presents a vivid picture of what a true life of discipleship really looks like; a necessary counterpoint to the superficial, self-serving nonsense which so often passes today as "Christian living." Any Christian believer would benefit from reading this book

[Tjb189215 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might change how you view Christianity. There is a great amount of stories involving followers of Fr. Arseny. All the stories are awesome but I like theirs the most.

In one a Soviet Army WWII Recon Trooper is convicted of Espionage and sent to a prison camp. He is away from his home, wife and kids for years when he returns his wife has remarried and he is now in between her and her new husband Boris. The man sees he's been intrusive and through Fr. Arseny's help he becomes a priest. He helps Boris secretly take care of his own children whom Boris assumed as his.

There are glimpses of the total treachery of man in this book. Yet it somehow gives you comfort in reading it. No matter what your beliefs, I strongly recommend this book.

[Josef Dobropole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to write a long review, but I need to write something, so impressed have I been by this beautiful book. There's nothing superfluous or meandering in it, just stories about a man, a priest, who all Christians would do well to emulate.

Despite all the suffering he underwent, he shone brightly in the darkest and grimmest of places, such was the Soviet gulag he was imprisoned in. Truly the light of Christ was in him, as he helped all who needed him, including brutal criminals and those that had previously persecuted him. He transformed so many lives through his selfless actions and the power of the Holy Spirit, I couldn't help but wonder about the ripple effect of the influence of this saintly man.

Highly recommended.

[Samuel Hilgeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly good work transcends it's medium. Fr. Arseny does not achieve this transcendence through the strength of its prose, but through the depth of it's person: Fr. Arseny himself. Here, you encounter a man of extraordinary humility, one fumigating with the scent of heaven, and a keen knower of the human soul. Fr. Arseny is a great man who endured an impossible torment gladly. His perseverance is the salvation of many who meet him and the damnation of those who reject him. Read Fr. Arseny, and you will have read of Christ during 20th century Soviet persecution.

Profoundly influential on my spiritual life.

[Nancy Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different kind of book. Father John chose it for a book club selection. A book to inspire us before Lent begins. The story of a holy priest imprisoned during and just after the Russian revolution. A Saint like person, may not have really existed, may have been a compilation of many persecuted, holy men. Knowing this, I sort of interpreted it as an allegory with Father Arseny the Christ like figure. Regardless, it was a book that reinforces your faith and I found it comforting.

[Bartholomew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an excellent story. Despite being labeled mentally ill and a fanatic barbarian and then sent to the worst camps of Soviet Russia, Father Arseny showed only the love of Christ to all those around him. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to know what true faith and love in Jesus Christ would look like.

[Garrett Paschal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for both the self-righteous and the despondent. For one it will be humbling and for the other it will call to hope and action. Father Arseny’s life is that of self-sacrifice. He constantly bore the burden for so many around him. In him the paradox of Christian life is exemplary, that whoever loses his life for Christ will surely find it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who could dispute the worthiness of such a person and the life lessons his Christian life displays? Certainly not I. However, I can say that the writing (perhaps the translation?) is stilted and trying and I simply could not finish this.

[George Istaphanous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an amazing story of faith and resilience in the midst of unfathomable darkness and depravity. It is a must read. I will leave an everlasting positive effect on your soul and give you many lessons to live by.

[Thomas L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book. It will fill your heart and soul with exactly what you need. You will be touched deeply and want to read it again. To date, I have gifted over 22 copies of this book to friends. I must read. What a Saint he must be.

[Jared A Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book you will want to read multiple times...I would even suggest once a year. It gives a glimpse into what a life and lifestyle of prayer truly is and how we as people of faith should engage the world around us. Seriously you have got to read this...and read it again.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly moving and inspirational. I feel that just reading it helped me become a kinder, more compassionate person.

[Lly_th · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve learned important lessons while reading about Father Arseny. Deo gratias!

[Toni Marcheva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very beautiful and inspiring stories of great faith in the midst of the worst events humans have experienced. I'll definitely be back to this one!