Edward Sievers

Edward Sievers, Hieromonk Sampson (Sievers), (Russian: Эдуард Сиверс), names adopted after conversion: Sergius (at baptism at the age 18), when monk known first as Elder Symeon and after taking Great Schema as Elder Sampson (Russian: Старец Сампсон) (July 10 (Old Style June 27), 1900, Saint Petersburg, Russia - August 24, 1979, Moscow, Russia) - Russian Orthodox Christian elder, monk, priest, confessor of Russian patriarch and higher clergy, wonder-worker and mystic of English ancestry, who suffered heavily at the hands of Soviet authorities (4 imprisonements and years in Soviet concentration camps, including a term in Solovki's SLON - Solovki Special Purpose Camp and 1 year in single cell in Baku prison).

Edward Sievers was born July 10, (June 27 by Old Style), 1900 in Saint Petersburg. The mother of future elder - Mable Annie Sievers (born Gare), educated English woman and British citizen, who was hiding in Russia from the hired murderer met colonel, the high ranking military official Jasper Johan Daniel Sievers, her future husband at the ball in Saint Petersburg. Jasper Sievers, the father of Edward was a personal friend of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II.

July 23, 1900 the little Edward was baptised at the Anglican church of Saint Petersburg by local Anglican priest William A. Macloid. The baptism protocol from the Anglican church says that the family resided at Malaya Italyanskaya(Little Italian) street in Saint Petersburg.

By the grace of God, 12 years old teenager who had interest in many confessions chose Orthodoxy. He secretly attended Orthodox church, not to sadden his mother. In 1917 at the time of re-baptism at the Orthodox church Edward received the name Sergius (after Sergius of Radonezh) through lots. Love of loneliness and prayer brought him to the monastery.

First arrest by bolsheviks and attempted execution

In 1919 bolsheviks arrested Sergius wrogly presuming that he is of tsarist family.

The elder recollected: "They were shooting with rifle at distance 10-15 steps. The bullet hit the hand. I felt hot and lost consciensness. Someone hit me with boot's tip and said "Finished!" The wounded Sergius was picked up by monks, dressed in the Red Army outfits and in disguise of a wounded Red Army soldier brought for curement to Petrograd. The preservation of the right hand the elder called the miracle of surgery, since the gas gangrene started after he was wounded.

Second arrest and deportation to Solovki concentration camp

Tonsure into mantle Sergius received from vladyka Nicholas Yarushevich March 25, 1921, receiving new name Symeon. In 1928 the monk of Alexandre Nevsky Lavra had been arrested. Suprising enough is that a few hours prior to the arrest, Symeon had a vision in dream with appearance of blessed Serafim of Sarov who read the litany to the All-merciful Lady, Virgin Mary praying for help, guardship and forgiveness. Having woke up the elder immediately wrote down the prayer and in three hours he was arrested. This prayer, as the elder said, guarded him till the last days. Elder Sampson was telling how at Solovki, he together with other inmates was thrown into icy cellar, inhabited by rats accustomed to human meat. In order that people would not oppose the rats, they were binded in such a way that they could not move. The rats consumed the humans alive. From the recollections of elder Sampson: "The cold was the most cruel and rats everywhere. I prayed: " All merciful, my Lady..." I read and heard as people cried when they had been eaten up rats. To me, on the other hand, the rats ganwed only my heels."

In the morning when they lifted the cage and discovered that the elder remained unharmed, they became scared of his faith and he was freed from forced labours.

The elder was also teling how once in winter time, when the criminal convicts lost him in play-cards, he had to stand naked for a few hours in frost. Thanks to the prayers, he remained alive.

Afterwards, Sievers was transfered to inprisonement in the Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan. On Victory Day May 9, father S. Sievers drawned in the Great Fergana Canal named after Stalin. Kolkhoz workers pulled him out, called the policeman to make the death protocol and afterwards he was taken to the cemetery. When on the way to the cemetery, water spilled because of shaking, the dead man came back to life and sat at the cart. The moslem uzbeks who were driving him started shouting in fear: "Russian God resurrected!".

Short liberation, third arrest and deportation to the Far East

The martyr for faith was set free in 1934 and in 1936 he was arrested again. He yet had to face several years in prison on the Far East. In imprisonement, the convicted monk impressed all by his perspicasiousness (spiritual sight). In the times of war, when the Japanese led the the offensive battles, the prison administration got prepared to execute all the inmates. All were prapring for death, many cried, repented, prayed. In the night it was disclosed to the elder that he will live through the old age. The monk saw himself being old and surrounded by spiritual disciples. In the morning he declared to all, that they will survive.

Liberation of 1945: as priest to Kolguta in Stavropol region

In 1945, the order was issued commanding the liberation of all church clerics. In 1947 the elder was appointed as parish priest in the big Ukrainian cossack village (stanica) Kolguta, Stavropol region. The appearance of elder in the village led the local authorities to worries due to the influx of thousands of people to the wonder working monk. He was not only the spiritual teacher of the Orthodox believers but a helper, councellor, wisely answering on everyday issues, connected with management of economy, agricultural works. Slowly the dancing stages and clubs got empty - the youth went to church.

The new arrest came. In the prison of Baku, Azerbaydzhan, the elder had to spend the entere year in single cell.

Priestly service in Ruzayevka, Makarovka and Spasskoye (Republic of Mordovia)

In 1948 heavily sick elder returned to Borisoglebsk in Voronezh region (south Russia) and after a short time he became the parish priest in the temporary temple in the town of Ruzayevka in Mordovia. His spiritual daughter reccounts about her first meeting with elder Sampson: "I delivered an altar-note for health and stepped back to the back doors of the church. Suddenly, batiushka (Russian for "father") came out of the altar, looked over the people and stopped at me. He called me and asked if note is mine. Having got the confirmation he told not to write this name but to give offerings to the destitute for him since he (this individual) swears much and abuses alcohol a lot. The spiritual sight of the father made me tremble. From this moment on all our family stayed insparably next to him."

Soon after, elder Symeon was given the big parish in the village Makarovka laying next to Mordovian capital Saransk. The last place of service of the elder in the Republic of Mordovia was the village of Spasskoye (meaning literally "Saviour's"). The news about the wonder working elder spread at lightning speed around the neighbouring villages. The sick from all over Mordovia were coming to him. Even the physicians of psychatric hospitals sent ther patients to Spasskoye. There were also false accusations, persecutions.

He was sent to serve in parishes in Poltava in Ukraine and in Volgograd (ex Stalingrad). Finally to Pskov Pechersk Monastery on Estonian border.

September 16, 1966 elder Symeon received holy schema with the name Sampson. After his postrig it was reported that such a grace was issuing from the elder that many people who did not have a clean conscience could not look at him. August 24, 1979 elder's health rapidly worsened. Luckily, on that day there was a priest among the visitors, he started reading akafist to God's Mother and after the akafist gave communion to the dying. After that, the priest began reading the canon for departure of the soul and at the 8 th song of the canon the elder sighed out three times and enpeaced...So ended much suffering learthly life of elder Sampson. He was not a severe monk hermit, neither a tough exposer of human vices, he was a loving healer of grieving souls.

Enpeace Lord, the soul of elder Sampson, enpeace with the saints and save our souls with his prayers!

Sampson's teaching

"One should not stop repenting. And one should repent not only in thought but also begging for forgiveness and help in order not to repeat the sin. One should be afraid to sadden (grieve) someone. - It means therefore, to watch after one's own tongue and not just behaviour..." (elder Sampson)

Material translated from Russian sources (see links below) by Roman Zakharii

Links

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