I am not going to criticize Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak. But you can understand why he says this and not otherwise, right?

The starting point is the message that Vladyka Nikon “stood up” for Muslim holidays. The question is, could he not stand up for Muslim holidays?

It is no secret that our diocese does not stand up for Orthodox holidays in this way. To live with wolves is to howl like a wolf. I remember that on November 11, 2009, on “Bashinform” we could read the following passage: “In his speech, Ildus Ilishev focused on strengthening the unity of the multinational Russian people... In Bashkortostan, 73 percent of the population professes Islam.”

In order to avoid friction with the authorities and Muslims, he strives not to advertise

A little arithmetic. We subtract 73 out of a hundred - we get 27. And in the republic at least 42% are Slavs (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles). They are all Christians. Mostly Orthodox are Chuvash, Mordovians, and Kryashchens. Pagans and Orthodox are the Mari. If we take into account migrants, then Muslims, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Azerbaijanis are safely balanced by Christians, Armenians, Georgians, Ossetians and Buddhists, Vietnamese. It is impossible to squeeze Christians, Buddhists, Jews and atheists of Bashkiria into the Procrustean bed of 27%! Now tales will begin about the mass conversion of Russians to Islam. Even more Tatars and Bashkirs are converting to Orthodoxy. And not only in Orthodoxy. They also become Baptists, Hare Krishnas, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Anastasievites. Ilishev lied, in a word.

If this lie had been heard in another region, then surely the head of the local Orthodox would have made a corresponding speech, just as, for example, in Moscow the Orthodox periodically rebuke those who lie. But our ruler remained silent. Why? Protestants can tell you this best. Protestants do not sympathize with the Orthodox, so in this case they have no reason to embellish the reality in favor of the Orthodox. And this is what one of the Protestants writes:

Representatives of Orthodoxy officially recognize Bashkiria as a predominantly Muslim republic and, of course, cannot talk about the presence of a national mission in the diocese. Archbishop Nikon, in order to avoid friction with the authorities and Muslims, tries not to advertise the facts of conversion to Orthodoxy in the diocese. At the same time, the transition of Bashkirs and, especially, Tatars to Orthodoxy are not exceptional phenomena. The Orthodox do not openly preach among Muslims, but transitions from Islam to Orthodoxy do occur. First of all, it is necessary to note the transition of women who, according to Islamic law, can communicate with the mullah only through their husband. This can be called a Hidden Transition. ...However, there are also conversions of men to Christianity. The diocese even deals with such small national groups of Bashkiria as the Mari, Mordovians and Chuvashs. There are entire parishes where representatives of these peoples constitute the majority.

Is it any wonder that the Diocese is silent when Bashkiria is called a “Muslim republic”? Is it any wonder how quickly the Diocese began to stand up for Muslim holidays?

May become an undesirable legal precedent

The very first time - even BEFORE the Second Council of Russians. On September 26, 2011, the position of Bishop Nikon was voiced by the head of the department for interaction between church and society of the Ufa diocese, Archimandrite Ignatius (Klimov):

The cancellation of weekends on the holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Kurban Bayram in the Ufa diocese is considered an unfair decision in relation to believers. The holidays of Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram are one of the main ones in Islam, and their cancellation in the Republic of Bashkortostan, where a significant number of the population adheres to this religion , violates, in our opinion, these rights. This may become an undesirable legal precedent and be reflected in other regions.

Why was this necessary? In order to quench the wave of discontent. At the same time, Father Ignatius managed not to call Muslims the majority of the population, using the more streamlined “significant part.” Was it necessary to make such a statement? Obviously it is necessary. If only the diocese would react as quickly to anti-Orthodox attacks and outright lies...

This news did not cause any particular excitement at first. After the council, Vladyka Nikon voiced his position once again.

On October 4, 2011, a seminar “Interethnic and interfaith harmony is the basis for the development of all subjects of the Russian Federation” was held in Ufa. The seminar was attended by the head of the Center for Geography of Religions R.A. Silantiev, Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, Head of the Caucasian Studies Sector of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies Ya.A. Amelina, assistant to Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak, Archimandrite Ignatius (Klimov), and others.

Head of the Regional Relations Service of the Synodal Department for Relations between Church and Society M.V. Parshin presented a report “The experience of the Russian Orthodox Church in the field of harmonization of interethnic and interreligious relations.” As part of a trip to Ufa, M.V. Parshin held a number of meetings with representatives and employees of the diocesan administration of the Ufa diocese, and also on October 5 met with the chairman of the Council for State-Confessional Relations under the President of Bashkiria V.P. Pyatkov. During the conversation, in which Archimandrite Ignatius (Klimov) also took part, issues of interreligious dialogue in the region and interaction of religious organizations with the government of the republic were discussed - we read on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate.

What did Parshin and Pyatkov talk about? Why is almost nothing known about this meeting? The fact that the Moscow guest, a rather significant figure, was in Ufa at this seminar was not mentioned at all, although there were still reports about the seminar. At the seminar, Vladyka Nikon again voiced his indignation. This time the news was circulated quite widely on the Internet. There was no particular comment on this news. Out of political correctness, obviously.

But what’s interesting is that there is not a word about this on the Diocese’s website. Neither the statement of September 26, nor the statement of October 4. Nor about what was said on October 4 about the need to introduce the fundamentals of religious culture and secular ethics into the school curriculum. The head of the department for interaction between church and society of the Ufa diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Ignatius Klimov, expressed regret that Bashkiria does not take part in the experiment on teaching the basics of religion at school, although this subject is requested by parishioners of Orthodox churches. It seems that the site's editors are too afraid to say something they will regret later. Where does this fear come from?

All our suggestions and appeals are ignored

Even about the Second Russian Council - almost nothing, a retelling of a three-minute video. Not a word about problems. But a certain “unique mini-site” is mentioned as the main achievement. The site may indeed be unique, but is it really the most important thing? Is there really no place on the website of the Ufa diocese for a normal story about the Council of Russians? At least about what Vladyka Nikon said at the cathedral? However, what do we want from our Lord? So that he, figuratively speaking, runs ahead of the locomotive? Suppose the Lord gathers his courage and says something sharp, direct, about a painful issue - will his flock support him? The most revealing photo is from this Russian cathedral. The Bishop sits at the Cathedral between two leaders in turbans with a sad look. It’s as if he’s not at the Russian Council. Symbolic image.

At one time I wondered why our Diocese behaved so restrainedly, or rather timidly, when clarifying issues regarding the return of former church buildings to believers, the restoration of historical and architectural monuments, the renaming of streets, the installation of new monuments, and various types of disturbances in the Orthodox Church. cemeteries. After the Council I understood - because Russians are passive. You cannot ask the church to be more courageous than the general population. After all, hand on heart, Vladyka Nikon at the cathedral spoke much more boldly and harshly than most of the speakers at this cathedral.

We would never have known about the words of Vladyka Nikon if not for a couple of sites and users of the LiveJournal magazine. It was they who disseminated the speech of Archbishop Nikon.

“Vladyka Nikon: The key to solving the problems of interethnic relations lies in the sphere of spiritual and cultural education of people” was the title of the information on one of the Ufa websites. According to this resource, the Lord, among other things, said:

There is no word ethics in the curriculum. What kind of knowledge is not given to our children, but not about culture. So where do they come from, moral values? And so a good deed was conceived in our country - the subject “Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics” was developed. In 19 regions of the Russian Federation, teaching at the experimental level has been carried out for several years. We don't have that. Starting next year, the subject will be introduced in all schools as compulsory, and preparations are underway for this. In our republic there is simply a wall of silence around this. All our suggestions and appeals are ignored. Why? ...I appeal to representatives of the Ministry of Education with a proposal to begin a reasonable dialogue and develop a clear position on this pressing issue. I also urge the press workers to have the widest possible discussion of the problem, the hushing up of which becomes simply unreasonable. There is a social expectation. There is a social problem. It needs to be resolved. ..

But I want to draw your attention to the fact that without a material base, it is difficult to achieve serious results. There is now a wide discussion of the Russian Federation Law on the return of confiscated property to the Church and other traditional faiths. There is sound reasoning, but one also hears outright absurdities.

It is with regret that we have to state the fact that in the Republic of Bashkortostan there is not a single Orthodox kindergarten, Orthodox high school or gymnasium. Although various national kindergartens and secondary educational institutions have been created: Bashkir, Tatar, Jewish, Turkish, etc. There are no children's Orthodox educational institutions, despite the constant petitions of the Ufa diocese to the governing bodies of the Republic of Belarus. Until now, the diocese, like other traditional denominations, does not have an Agreement on joint activities with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, while in many regions of Russia such Agreements have already been concluded more than 5 years ago. The key to solving problems of interethnic relations lies in the sphere of spiritual and cultural education of people, and the better people know the religious and cultural traditions of their people, the more respect they will have for representatives of other peoples and religions.

Justice must be established in society, corruption must be defeated, and respect for the conciliar society must be shown. There is no need to indulge in despondency; on the contrary, we need to glorify our people, our people are creators and workers. May the spirit of Orthodoxy, Faith, Fidelity to traditions, Duty, Honor come to everyone

The Council of Russians of Bashkortostan is called upon to solve important pressing issues of society, including the Russian population of the Republic of Bashkortostan!

Here you have education, and the return and restoration of churches, and pride in the Russian people, and recognition that the Russian population has pressing issues.

There is no place to receive the Patriarch in Ufa

If you delve into your memory, you can remember something else. For example, what the Bishop said shortly before the council. In August, the organizing committee for preparations for the Second Council of Russians, in order to give the event status, invited Vladyka to Bashkiria. So that the Patriarch at the Council listens to our speeches and honors the Aksakov holiday with his presence.

Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak showed firmness and stated that he considered it inappropriate to invite Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' to Ufa. Archbishop Nikon motivated his position by the fact that there was simply nowhere to invite the patriarch. And there’s nothing to show him either.

“The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary has been restored in Ufa since 1993,” said the head of the Ufa diocese. - During this time, it would be possible to build 20 mosques and temples on every corner. Surely, the patriarch will ask why the cathedral has not yet been restored.

In addition to the problems with the main Orthodox church of Bashkortostan, according to Archbishop Nikon, there is not even a normal diocesan administration building in Ufa. The leadership of the diocese is huddled in a dilapidated house, where it is simply a shame to invite the highest Orthodox clergy.

Archbishop Nikon sees a solution to the problem in the transfer to the diocesan administration of the building in which it was located in the pre-revolutionary period. Now there is a hospital for veterans there. The old building does not have the right conditions for patients. The diocesan administration, in the opinion of Bishop Nikon, would be quite satisfied with the working conditions that now exist in the building where the hospital is located. And the patriarch could be invited there.

The late Alexy II did not visit our republic during his 18 years of patriarchal service,” said Bishop Nikon. - The arrival of Patriarch Kirill also remains a big question for now, but not at all because he cannot or does not want. We just have nothing to show him. Today we have neither a cathedral nor a normal administration building. Nonsense: today we occupy a small building, which was rebuilt from a former private house back in Soviet times. You won’t invite the patriarch to the barn. While in Ufa there are many buildings that, before the October Revolution, historically belonged to Orthodox religious institutions. It would be logical to transfer them to the church, especially in the context of the decree of the Russian President on the restitution of church property. Although there is no clear mechanism for its implementation yet. I raised these and other problems with the leadership of the republic for 20 years, but all these 20 years the authorities did not want to hear me. I think this situation is a shame for our republic.

The fact is that in December 2010, a rumor circulated around Ufa that Patriarch Kirill was planning to visit Bashkiria. However, why the rumor? Such a trip would be natural, since the history of the patriarch’s family is connected with Bashkiria: at the beginning of the twentieth century, his grandfather Vasily Gundyaev served as a priest in one of the remote parishes of the Ufa diocese - in the village of Usa-Stepanovka of the present Blagoveshchensky district, where the St. George Monastery is located, popularly known as "Holy Bushes". As you can see, nothing has changed since January. Yes, it hasn’t changed for 20 years.

Opposition from local authorities

In the matter of returning churches, the Diocese is still taking some steps. In September, the Arbitration Court of Bashkiria began considering a number of cases regarding the former property of the Orthodox Church, lost after the Bolshevik revolution. Thus, the head of the Ufa diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nikon, approached the authorities of the Duvan district with a statement about the transfer of the building of the Holy Trinity Church in the village of Tastuba and the land plot under it into the ownership of the parish.

The Ufa resource talks about the arbitration decision:

The head of the district, Vladimir Solin, brought the issue to a session of the Voznesensky village council, but the deputies recalled that the building of the former temple houses the village library and cultural center. The authorities also asked to provide documents confirming the right of the religious organization to the building and land, and demanded to justify the need to transfer the property into the ownership of the parish and use it for religious purposes.

The diocese referred to the fact that the building of the Trinity Church was built at the end of 1810 and was requisitioned by the Bolsheviks, which was recorded in the central state historical archive of the Republic of Belarus. According to representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the former church is not used for its intended purpose, as it periodically hosts discos.

In addition, due to a lack of budget funding, the building, which is a historical and architectural monument, is constantly being destroyed. The diocese stated that the refusal to give up the building to open a parish in it contradicts the law “On the transfer of property for religious purposes in state or municipal ownership to religious organizations,” but the arbitration also did not find grounds for transferring the building of the former church in Tastub to the diocese and refused the clergy.

But the Orthodox Church won in another property dispute over the Nikolo-Bondarevsky Church in the village of Vasilyevka in the Sterlibashevsky district. Previously, the arbitration court satisfied the demands of the local parish and recognized its ownership of the church building, built in the 19th century, although in this case the Russian Orthodox Church did not encounter opposition from local authorities.

Ufa Region will find out more about Tastuba. The Arbitration Court of Bashkiria is not yet the ultimate truth. I foresee what kind of howl just from the mere mention of Tastuba can now arise. What malicious comments with the most absurd accusations will pour in. But we’ll talk about Tastub later.

Now we come to why the steps of the Diocese sometimes seem so indecisive to us. On the one hand, the angry attacks of anonymous people, expressed in verbal, and not only verbal, aggression, on the other hand, the rather cool position of the authorities. Or do you think that the attitude towards the Russian Orthodox Church in Bashkiria may be better than towards the Russian population of Bashkiria? After all, you can’t say that the attitude towards Russians is bad - but still not the same as towards the titular ones. You can’t say that a bad attitude towards Orthodoxy is still not the same as towards the religion of the titular ethnic group. Minarets in Bashkiria are not destroyed, but bell towers are destroyed at the behest of the authorities. And so - peace and quiet, and inter-national harmony.

It is remarkable that President Khamitov stood up so energetically for the rights of the Muslim population. But can the Orthodox population be confident that the president will stand up for their rights just as energetically?

We started with the Bayram weekend. Will our Bishop be able to say that, for the sake of justice, the Orthodox of Bashkiria also need a day off? On Ninth Friday, for example?

Can we say this? Speak in an organized manner and to the right authorities. Or will we continue to consider ourselves “second-class”?

Metropolitan NIKON of Ufa and Sterlitamak (in the world Nikolai Nikolaevich Vasyukov) was born on October 1, 1950 in the village of Maryevka, Sampur district, Tambov region. In 1963, the parents of the future Bishop Nikon moved to Krasnoyarsk. Together with his mother, he began to visit Trinity Church. As a ninth grade student, he went to the choir and participated in divine services, read the Six Psalms and everything related to choir obedience. The future bishop was lucky with mentors who helped him take his first serious steps in the church. He was spiritually cared for by the rector of the Trinity Church, Archimandrite Nifont, nun Seraphima (†1975), schema-nun Innocent and monk Job.

In 1968 he graduated from high school, and in 1974 from the Krasnoyarsk State Medical Institute. After graduating from the institute, he worked as a local general practitioner in a clinic in the city of Krasnoyarsk, then was called up for active military service for two years as a senior physician of a regiment, then went to the Leningrad region and worked as the chief physician of a clinic. In Vyborg, the future bishop went to the Vyborg Cathedral. The rector of the cathedral was Abbot Proclus (Khazov), now in the rank of archbishop, administrator of the Simbirsk diocese. They became friends. And this friendship helped the spiritual growth of Vladika Nikon.

During the celebration in 1999 of the 200th anniversary of the Ufa diocese, which, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Rus', was headed by the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Sergius of Solnechnogorsk. Archbishop Proclus of Simbirsk and Melekess took part in the celebrations in prayer. This is what he said then: “I want to express my sincere gratitude that today I have great consolation to be in this beautiful church of the Ufa diocese, for this is my first time visiting this city and I am very grateful to the Lord for the fact that those good seeds that were once sown in Nikolai Nikolaevich , then into Father Nikon, gave good results. I am very happy about this and thank the Lord for this, that we, having called him to the service of the Holy Mother of the Church, did not make a mistake with the now deceased Metropolitan John. I wish you, Vladyka, that you will continue to work with due zeal in the field of God, glorify the Heavenly Father, so that, seeing your good deeds, people will follow Christ, so that people will fill the temple, so that they will be reborn spiritually, so that they will see the way, which leads to the Kingdom of God, the aspiration of all spiritual humanity.”

From 1977 to 1983 Nikolai Vasyukov worked as the head of a clinic in the Leningrad region. Anastasia Andreevna Filimonenkova had a great spiritual influence on the bishop. This resident of then Leningrad lived a difficult life. During her 83 years, she went through trials and persecutions for her faith. She lived with the blessed and holy fools. She was encouraged to accept monasticism by the Leningrad holy fool Vladimir. In 1983, Nikolai Vasyukov makes his final choice of life path. And the ever-remembered Metropolitan John Snychev (†1995), who at that time ruled the Kuibyshev and Syzran diocese (later the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga), helped him in this; he was ordained a deacon by him. On September 21 of that year, he was promoted to presbyter with the appointment of a place of service in the Neopalimovskaya Church in the city of Ulyanovsk. On March 13, 1984, Archbishop John tonsured him into monasticism with the name Nikon, in honor of the Monk Nikon, abbot of Radonezh.

On September 16, 1985, Hieromonk Nikon was appointed rector of the Neopalimovskaya Church and dean of the Ulyanovsk region by His Eminence John. Since October 1, 1989 - Secretary of the Ulyanovsk Diocesan Administration. In 1987 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and in 1990 from the Leningrad Theological Academy, where he defended his thesis, receiving a candidate of theology degree. Member of Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988, 1990 and 2009. Participant of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church since the early 90s. In 1988-1991 and 2004 As part of a pilgrimage group, he visited the Holy Mount Athos. Leading a group of pilgrims from the Ufa diocese, he visited Jerusalem in 1993 and 1996.

On June 26, 1990, the first meeting of the Holy Synod took place under the chairmanship of the newly elected His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, at which a decision was made to elect Archimandrite Nikon (Vasyukov) to archpastoral service in the Ufa diocese.

On August 25, 1990, in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral of Moscow, Archimandrite Nikon (Vasyukov) was named Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak. And on August 26, during the Divine Liturgy in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral, the consecration of Archimandrite Nikon as Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II with a host of bishops.

During the 19 years of the Bishop's tenure at the Ufa See, the number of parishes increased: in 1990 there were 28, now there are 250 and 8 monasteries. In recent years, magnificent churches have been built and restored in Oktyabrsky, Meleuz, Salavat, Ishimbai, Asavo-Zubov (Roshchinsky), Priyutov, Kumertau and other cities and villages of the Ufa diocese. The Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Ufa has been superbly restored - the best church in the diocese in terms of the splendor of its decoration. At the same time as the construction of new and restoration of destroyed churches, it was necessary to train priests for new parishes. In 1990, there were seventeen clergy in the diocese, now there are 220. Most of the priests and deacons of the Ufa diocese were ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak.

The Bishop believes that the current Russian Orthodox Church needs educated ministers. Several dozen students of the Ufa diocese study in seminaries and academies of Russia. In the diocese, after 73 years of closure through the works of Bishop Nikon, the newspaper “Ufa Diocesan Gazette” has been resumed and is regularly published, a publishing department of the diocese has been created, work is underway to research and study materials on the new martyrs of the land of Ufa

Vladyka did a lot during the years of indecision in glorifying the Royal Family. He sent his flock to conferences and did not interfere with the publication of articles about Emperor Nicholas II and his family in the Ufa Diocesan Gazette.

Archpastoral work in the multinational Ufa diocese is not at all so simple. In our difficult times, we must constantly remember that there are no interethnic conflicts, that Orthodox priests serve as an example in their lives for parishioners and for believers of other faiths. The situation in Bashkiria has been stable throughout the years of Archbishop Nikon’s administration of the diocese.

This is the letter Bishop Nikon received on March 12, 1999 from the Moscow Patriarchate. “Your Eminence, Dear Master! Thank you for your many useful activities in the field of Christian-Muslim relations. I inform you that on December 23 last year, a decision was made to create the Interreligious Council of Russia, which included representatives of the traditional religions of our country - Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism. I believe that your experience of interreligious dialogue could serve to benefit the development of relations between Orthodox Christians and Muslims within the framework of new forms of cooperation. With brotherly love in the Lord, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.”

In 2000, Vladyka Nikon was awarded the Order of St. by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II. Sergius of Radonezh II degree, and in 2001 he was elevated to the rank of Bishop.

By Decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was awarded the Order of Friendship in 2000 for his great contribution to the spiritual and moral revival of Russia, strengthening interethnic and interfaith relations in the Republic of Bashkortostan. In the same year, President of the Republic of Belarus M.G. Pakhimov awarded the bishop the highest award - the Certificate of Honor of the Republic of Belarus.

On October 8, 2005, in the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was awarded by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow II Art. on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of his birth.

On August 26, 2010, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was awarded the Order of St. Seraphim of Sarov, II degree, by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in recognition of his diligent service and in connection with the 20th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.

June 26, 2009 By decree of the President of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was included in the Public Chamber of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

On July 28, 2011, in the Kremlin, the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev awarded the head of the Ufa diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak, with the Order of Honor for high achievements in social and charitable activities and services in educating the younger generation.

January 8, 2012 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan

Ruling bishop of the Salavat diocese. His Eminence Nicholas Bishop of Salavat and Kumertau.

Biography

Born on June 24, 1973 in the city of Bugulma, Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, into a family of workers.
In 1990 he graduated from secondary school No. 1 in Bugulma.
In 1990, Bishop Anastasy of Kazan and Mari ordained him to the rank of deacon.
In 1991, Bishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak accepted him into the clergy of the Ufa diocese, where he served as protodeacon until 2004.
In 1991-1994. studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary.
In 2001-2005 studied in absentia at the Kyiv Theological Academy, where at the department of dogmatic theology he defended his thesis on the topic “Orthodox teaching on the meaning and purpose of life in connection with the concept of a modern view of happiness.”
On January 7, 2004, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa consecrated him as a presbyter and appointed clergyman of the St. Sergius Cathedral in Ufa.
On December 22, 2006, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa tonsured him into the mantle with the name Nicholas in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
In 2006-2009 served in the Kyiv Metropolis, where he served as treasurer and dean of the St. George Gorodnitsky stauropegial monastery of the Zhitomir region.
In 2009 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
At the request of Archbishop Nikon, in 2009 he returned to the Ufa diocese and was appointed rector of the Kazan Church in Ufa and secretary of the diocesan administration.
In 2010, he graduated in absentia from the Ufa State Academy of Economics and Service.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2011 (magazine No. 72), he was elected Bishop of Birsk, vicar of the Ufa diocese.
On September 26, 2011, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Chambers of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, on September 27, during the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Martin the Confessor in Alekseevskaya Novaya Sloboda in Moscow was consecrated Bishop of Birsk. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 16, 2012 (journal No. 18), he was appointed His Eminence of Salavat and Kumertau.

Education:
1994 - Moscow Theological Seminary.
2005 - Kyiv Theological Academy.
2010 - Ufa State Academy of Economics and Service (correspondence).

Forms of appeal:

"Your Eminence, Most Reverend Bishop Nicholas"

"Your Eminence"

Date of Birth: October 1, 1950 A country: Russia Biography:

In 1963, the parents of the future bishop moved to Krasnoyarsk. In 1968 he graduated from Krasnoyarsk high school; in 1974 - Krasnoyarsk State Medical Institute. After graduating from the institute, he worked as a local therapist in a clinic in Krasnoyarsk.

In 1975-1977 served in the Soviet army as a senior regiment doctor.

In 1977-1983 worked as the chief physician of a clinic in the city of Svetogorsk, Vyborg district, Leningrad region. Major of the reserve medical service and colonel of the Cossack troops.

On June 26, 1983, Archbishop John (Snychev) ordained him to the rank of deacon in the Intercession Cathedral in Kuibyshev (Samara). On September 21, 1983, he was ordained presbyter in the same cathedral. Served in the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Burning Bush” in Ulyanovsk

On March 16, 1984, Bishop John in the Intercession Cathedral in Kuibyshev tonsured him into monasticism with the name Nikon in honor of St. Nikon of Radonezh.

On September 16, 1985, he was appointed rector of the Neopalimovskaya Church and dean of the Ulyanovsk region.

Education:

1974 - Krasnoyarsk State Medical Institute.

1987 - Leningrad Theological Seminary.

1990 - Leningrad Theological Academy.

Place of work: Bashkortostan Metropolis (Head of the Metropolis)

Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church: reference guide / [ed.-comp. Egorov P.V., Rudin L.G.]. – M.: Ufim. Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church: Society for the Preservation of Lit. heritage, 2005. pp. 14-17.

Archbishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak NIKON (in the world Nikolai Nikolaevich Vasyukov) was born on October 1, 1950 in the village of Maryevka, Sampur district, Tambov region. In 1963, the parents of the future Bishop Nikon moved to Krasnoyarsk. Together with his mother, he began to visit Trinity Church. As a ninth grade student, he went to the choir and participated in divine services, read the Six Psalms and everything related to choir obedience. The future bishop was lucky with mentors who helped him take his first serious steps in the church. He was spiritually cared for by the rector of the Trinity Church, Archimandrite Nifont, nun Seraphima (†1975), schema-nun Innocent and monk Job.

In 1968 he graduated from high school, and in 1974 from the Krasnoyarsk State Medical Institute. After graduating from the institute, he worked as a local general practitioner in a clinic in the city of Krasnoyarsk, then was called up for active military service for two years as a senior physician of a regiment, then went to the Leningrad region and worked as the chief physician of a clinic. In Vyborg, the future bishop went to the Vyborg Cathedral. The rector of the cathedral was Abbot Proclus (Khazov), now in the rank of archbishop, administrator of the Simbirsk diocese. They became friends. And this friendship helped the spiritual growth of Bishop Nikon.

During the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Ufa diocese, Archbishop Proclus of Simbirsk and Melekess visited Ufa. This is what he said then: “I want to express my sincere gratitude that today I have great consolation to be in this beautiful church of the Ufa diocese, for this is my first time visiting this city and I am very grateful to the Lord for the fact that those good seeds that were once sown in Nikolai Nikolaevich , then into Father Nikon, gave good results. I am very happy about this and thank the Lord for this, that we, having called him to the service of the Holy Mother of the Church, did not make a mistake with the now deceased Metropolitan John. I wish you, Vladyka, that you will continue to work with due zeal in the field of God, glorify the Heavenly Father, so that, seeing your good deeds, people will follow Christ, so that people will fill the temple, so that they will be reborn spiritually, so that they will see the way, which leads to the Kingdom of God, the aspiration of all spiritual humanity.”

From 1977 to 1983 Nikolai Vasyukov worked as the head of a clinic in the Leningrad region. Anastasia Andreevna Filimonenkova had a great spiritual influence on the bishop. This resident of then Leningrad lived a difficult life. During her 83 years, she went through trials and persecutions for her faith. She lived with the blessed and holy fools. She was encouraged to accept monasticism by the Leningrad holy fool Vladimir. In 1983, Nikolai Vasyukov makes his final choice of life path. And the ever-remembered Metropolitan John (Snychev), who at that time ruled the Kuibyshev and Syzran diocese, (then the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga) helped him in this; he was ordained a deacon by him. On September 21 of that year, he was promoted to presbyter with the appointment of a place of service in the Neopalimovskaya Church in the city of Ulyanovsk. On March 13, 1984, Archbishop John tonsured him into monasticism with the name Nikon, in honor of the Monk Nikon, abbot of Radonezh.

On September 16, 1985, Hieromonk Nikon was appointed rector of the Neopalimovskaya Church and dean of the Ulyanovsk region by His Eminence John. Since October 1, 1989 - Secretary of the Ulyanovsk Diocesan Administration. In 1987 he graduated from the Leningrad Theological Seminary, and in 1990 from the Leningrad Theological Academy, where he defended his thesis and is a candidate of theology. Member of the Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988 and 1990. Participant of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 90s. In 1988-1991 and 2004 As part of a pilgrimage group, he visited the Holy Mount Athos. Leading a group of pilgrims from the Ufa diocese, he visited Jerusalem in 1993 and 1996.

On June 26, 1990, in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral of Moscow, Archimandrite Nikon (Vasyukov) was named Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak.

On August 26, during the Divine Liturgy in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral, the consecration of Archimandrite Nikon as Bishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak was performed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II with a host of bishops.

During the 15 years of the Bishop's tenure at the Ufa See, the number of parishes increased almost sevenfold, in 1990 there were 30, now there are about 200. In recent years, magnificent new churches have been built in Oktyabrsky, Meleuz, Salavat, Ishimbay, Asavo-Zubov (Roshchinsky), Priyutov , Kumertau. The Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church in Ufa has been superbly restored - the best church in the diocese in terms of the splendor of its decoration. At the same time as the construction of new and restoration of destroyed churches, it was necessary to train priests for new parishes. In 1990, there were thirty clergy in the diocese, now there are more than 200. Most of the priests and deacons of the Ufa diocese were ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak.

The Bishop believes that the current Russian Orthodox Church needs educated ministers. Several dozen students of the Ufa diocese study in seminaries and academies of Russia. In Ufa itself, several years ago, a branch of the Moscow St. Tikhon’s Theological Institute was opened, where, in addition to priests, current and future Sunday school teachers undergo training. In the diocese, after 73 years of closure through the works of Bishop Nikon, the newspaper “Ufa Diocesan Gazette” has been resumed and is regularly published, a publishing department of the diocese has been created, and work is underway to research and study materials on the new martyrs of the land of Ufa.

The Bishop did a lot during the years of indecision in glorifying the Royal Family. He sent his flock to conferences and did not interfere with the publication of articles about Emperor Nicholas II and his family in the Ufa Diocesan Gazette.

Archpastoral work in the multinational Ufa diocese is not at all so simple. In our difficult times, we must constantly remember that there are no interethnic conflicts, that Orthodox priests serve as an example in their lives for parishioners and for believers of other faiths. The situation in Bashkiria has been stable throughout the years of Archbishop Nikon’s administration of the diocese.

This is the letter Bishop Nikon received on March 12, 1999 from the Moscow Patriarchate. “Your Eminence, Dear Master! Thank you for your many useful activities in the field of Christian-Muslim relations. I inform you that on December 23 last year, a decision was made to create the Interreligious Council of Russia, which included representatives of the traditional religions of our country - Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism. I believe that your experience of interreligious dialogue could serve to benefit the development of relations between Orthodox Christians and Muslims within the framework of new forms of cooperation. With brotherly love in the Lord, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.”

In 2000, Vladyka Nikon was awarded by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II with the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II degree, and in 2001 he was elevated to the rank of Bishop.

By Decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was awarded the Order of Friendship in 2000 for his great contribution to the spiritual and moral revival of Russia, strengthening interethnic and interfaith relations in the Republic of Bashkortostan. In the same year, President of the Republic of Belarus M.G. Pakhimov awarded the bishop the highest award - the Certificate of Honor of the Republic of Belarus.

And on October 8, 2005, in the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archbishop Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak was awarded by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II with the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow II Art. on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of his birth.

“As you know, religious organizations have recently been completely absurdly equated with non-profit organizations in terms of reporting. We understand the state’s close interest in the activities of all kinds of public and so-called “human rights” organizations, which, as it recently turned out, are actively financed by foreign intelligence services and are engaged in openly provocative and anti-Russian activities. But we do not understand at all why this interest was transferred to the activities of traditional religious organizations, for example, the Russian Orthodox Church.

These ridiculous reporting requirements completely do not take into account the specifics of the ministry of the Russian Orthodox Church, in many parishes of which divine services are held daily and repeatedly with large crowds of people; there are Sunday schools, libraries and catechetical courses, Orthodox brotherhoods and sisterhoods; readings and conferences are held; charity canteens operate daily; Clothes and food are accepted, and everything is immediately distributed to people in need. That is, a huge amount of socially important work is being carried out, the full extent of which is completely impossible to reflect in the report. To introduce the position of a person who would be specifically engaged in maintaining such records, who would go around and count all the believers during services, who would sit at the entrance to the temple and take into account how many believers during the day came to pray in front of the icons and light a candle - is completely unacceptable for us. And it looks, to say the least, strange!

The interest of registration authorities in the financial activities of religious organizations is also unclear, since this is within the competence of the tax inspectorate, but not the Federal Registration Service.

And finally, this reporting, in our opinion, is unprecedented state intervention in the activities of religious organizations since Soviet times. We consider it unacceptable that in a democratic state the Church should account for every penny, for every candle and icon, for every step of its flock and clergy.

In this regard, the Ufa Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the parishes that are part of it officially refuse to submit a report in the specified form. Moreover, as we learned from media reports, the Russian Government recently prepared a simplified reporting form for religious organizations.”

Sincerely, Nikon Archbishop of Ufa and Sterlitamak, Administrator of the Ufa Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church

An order was published on the official website of the Ufa diocese Metropolitan Nikon (Vasyukov) of Ufa and Sterlitamak for the Ufa Metropolis. It states, in part:

ORDER FOR THE UFA METROPOLIARY OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

To the dean fathers, abbots (abbesses) of monasteries and churches of the metropolis

... It is blessed to pay special attention to the distortion of divine services, or the introduction by the clergy of changes that are not contained in the generally accepted Russian Orthodox Church (MP) sequences of divine services (the so-called “Kochetkovsky heresy”). Report this to the ruling bishop in a timely manner. (Such a clergyman is subject to the Diocesan Court. If the Court confirms the specified ecclesiastical offense, the culprit is subject to a ban on clergy. If the culprit does not correct himself, a judgment must be made to deprive him of the priesthood.)

Head of the Ufa Metropolis,

metropolitanUfa and SterlitamakNIKON.

From the editor: Our Lord Jesus Christ, denouncing the Jews, reproached them with simple words: “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me”(John 8:45). The same simple conclusion follows from this: how important it is to speak the truth, how important it is not to cover it up with vague phrases! And how little of such simple truth we hear in our time. Saint Nicholas of Serbia was not afraid to openly call papism a heresy, the late Archbishop Vasily (Krivoshein) was not afraid to talk in scientific circles about the Roman Catholic split from the Universal Church, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II at the diocesan meeting of the clergy of Moscow in 1993 for the first time called the modernist movement within the Russian Orthodox Church, destroying liturgical traditions, neo-renovationism. So the now living Metropolitan Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak also stood in the truth - he directly and unambiguously identified the group of followers of the neo-renovationist priest Georgy Kochetkov "Kochetkov's heresy" and spoke out in defense of Orthodox worship from attempts to reform it.
Where is his tolerance! - liberal tongues will exclaim. How dare he forget about political correctness! - the voices of the renovationist ignoramuses will echo them. To define heresy, we need to convene an Ecumenical Council! - the modernist theologians will squeal. But the wise Bishop Nikon will only grin at all these attacks. He knows that he has been appointed to keep the church canons and he keeps them! Honor and praise to him! God grant that our other bishops will be imbued with the same Orthodox consciousness.