As Solomon once said, everything has already been written and known for a long time, however, despite this, Archpriest Andrey Tkachev, whose biography has recently become familiar not only to Ukrainians, but also to Russians, does not stop and is not afraid to repeat previously said. He serves, writes books and actively preaches, addressing the heart of modern man and trying to know it.
Let's get acquainted with the creative and life baggage of this wonderful person, writer, preacher, missionary and true shepherd.
The beginning of life's journey. Archpriest Andrei Tkachev
His biography began on December 30, 1960. It was then that the future priest was born in the beautiful Ukrainian city of Lvov in a Russian-speaking family. His parents, who wanted the boy to make a military career, sent him to study at the Suvorov Military School in Moscow at the age of 15.
After graduating from a harsh military school, following the wishesparents, Andrei continued his studies in this difficult craft within the walls of the Military Red Banner Institute of the Ministry of Defense. For some time he studied at the department that trained specialists in special propaganda with a complex specialization in the Persian language.
This period of Andrei Tkachev's life provided him with an excellent foundation for further literary development, as he spoke about in his interviews. Then the future priest got acquainted with the works of Russian classics, which had a huge impact on his worldview. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that, without graduating from the institute, he left the path of the military because of his unwillingness to continue his studies and chose a different path. Apparently, the soul of the future shepherd was always drawn to the battle, but not earthly, but spiritual, more complex and unpredictable.
Choosing a vocation
After serving in the army, Andrey Tkachev entered the Kyiv Theological Seminary in 1992. Two years of study in it gave him many new acquaintances with people who also chose the pastoral mission. Among Andrey's close friends are the future Archimandrite Kirill (Govorun), the Sofiychuk brothers.
The future pastor perfectly combines his studies with service in the church, already in the spring of 1993 he accepted the consecration of a deacon, and a little later, six months later, he became a priest. It was then that Archpriest Andrei Tkachev joined the staff of the Lviv Church of St. George. The biography testifies that he devoted twelve years of his life to this temple.
This periodIt is also significant that Father Andrei had a family. It is noteworthy that the priest does not particularly spread about it anywhere. It is only known that he is married and is the father of four children.
Missionary activity
This period was very eventful both for Ukraine as a whole and for Andrey Tkachev, who, in a difficult era of change, begins his pastoral service, realizing it not only in the church, but also in the world. Leads an active missionary activity, supported by his own literary works. The sermons of Father Andrei are widely known far beyond the borders of his native city. The man himself in his interviews notes that he did not choose the activity of a missionary. The latter "chosen" him herself.
The active position of the Orthodox priest, who is not afraid to call a spade a spade and does not flirt with the public, has opened up new opportunities for him. The first of them was an invitation to work on one of the Kyiv television channels.
Television work
Here, Archpriest Andrey Tkachev, whose biography has been replenished with another wonderful fact, got an excellent opportunity in television programs to briefly, but at the same time succinctly speak on a variety of topics of concern to modern people.
This goal was served by a TV project called "For the dream of the future", which was hosted by Father Andrei. Before going to bed, viewers had an excellent opportunity to discover something new for themselves in a ten-minute conversation with a priest, to hear answers to their questions.
The program found its viewers. showered downgrateful reviews. These soulful evening conversations with the priest about the events of the past day, about the questions that life itself poses to a person, opened the doors to a completely different world for the audience. Andrey Tkachev in a laconic form could tell about the life of the saints, about prayer and the interpretation of the sacred lines of the Gospel. So much was invested in these ten minutes that it is impossible to imagine. Moreover, the conversations “For the dream to come” were not of any moralizing or instructive nature, but at the same time they attracted the audience with their thoughtfulness and a clear soul-beneficial effect.
Later on the Ukrainian TV channel "Kyiv Rus" there is another project called "The Garden of Divine Songs". Here, in a spiritual-cognitive form, Andrey Tkachev introduces viewers into the depths of knowledge about the Ps alter. When reading the psalms, the priest not only tries to explain what they are talking about, but also penetrates into the very depths of the content, connecting them with the events of the time when they were created.
Moving to Kyiv
Working on television, which brought fame to the priest, at the same time created a lot of problems for him. Andrey Tkachev, who did not have a place of residence in Kyiv, had to come every week from Lvov.
This went on for six long years. Finally, in 2005, tired of being torn between the two cities, he received an absentee letter issued by the Lviv diocese and moved to the capital. The step was rather risky, because at that time Father Andrey had no directions and parishes.
For some time he served in several temples. But a month later the priestinvited to serve in the temple of Agapit of the Caves, a little later, with the permission of the Kyiv metropolis, he became a clergyman here, and in 2006 - the rector.
In 2007, Father Andrey takes over another church under construction nearby, named after Archbishop Luka Voyno-Yasenetsky.
Active and selfless service brought Andrei Tkachev a special award - the miter, which was awarded to him in 2011 by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
In 2013, the archpriest takes over the leadership of the missionary department of the Kyiv diocese.
Writer and journalist
This is another role that Andrey Tkachev (archpriest) has. Books open another side of his service to God, because in them he tries to reach out to his contemporary. The author, calling himself a journalist, writes about the topical and topical, about what everyone is hearing, but at the same time he tries to ensure that in every story, short story there is at least a drop of eternity. It is this quality that allows the work to survive. Andrei Tkachev, as he himself says, wants to write today about today, but in such a way that it will be interesting even in a hundred years.
"Return to Paradise", "Letter to God", "We are eternal! Even if we don’t want to” - all these names are a clear confirmation of what their author, Andrei Tkachev (Archpriest), wants to say. These books are the fruit of the author's thoughts, embodied in stories. They are usually small, but very colorful and succinctly convey events and individual episodes from the life as saints.ascetics, as well as ordinary Orthodox - our contemporaries who have come to faith and live according to the commandments of Christ.
Many books are written in the form of a dialogue with a priest and are built from answers to the questions posed. There are a great many of the latter, the topics are very different: about complexes, the birth of children, about art, attitudes towards sports, about gender relations, etc. In addition to such everyday topics, there are deeper ones: about life and death, God and questions about him, old age and passion, etc.
The author, an Orthodox priest living in the world, knows human passions and problems, troubles and misfortunes. But at the same time, he knows them much more deeply than ordinary laymen, and therefore knows the answers to many seemingly incomprehensible questions.
In addition to books, Archpriest Andrei Tkachev also participates in the work of Orthodox websites and magazines. His articles and interviews can often be found on the portals Pravoslavie.ru, Pravmir.ru. The priest takes part in the upbringing of the youth with the help of Orthodox magazines. One of such well-known projects is Otrok.ua. Father Andrei has been working here for many years as a member of the editorial board and a regular contributor.
About the Pan
The book "The Fugitive from the World" caused a special controversy. Archpriest Andrei Tkachev is not afraid to address complex and taboo topics. Here we are talking about a bright personality of the eighteenth century - Grigory Skovoroda.
Examining the personality traits of the philosopher as if through a magnifying glass, Andrey Tkachev does not sing praises to him, as they didmany of his predecessors. He only notes the love for Skovoroda of almost everyone - from nationalists to communists, and they love not from a great mind or from what they read, but just like that.
The priest, as always, looks at things sensibly and notes that reading Grigory Savvich is not an easy job, and he himself is by no means as harmless as it seems, but it is worth reading into it. However, this “immersion” must be approached with prayer.
Sermons and talks
A special place in missionary activity is occupied by the sermons of Archpriest Andrei Tkachev. The priest addresses a variety of people. Among its listeners are parishioners of churches and atheists, students and pensioners, representatives of various social strata and religions.
He does not try to embellish anything or persuade listeners. Father Andrei speaks clearly, clearly, succinctly and in such a way that anyone will hear and understand: there is little time left, and no one will lisp with him.
Such a radical position makes the sermons of Archpriest Andrei Tkachev especially popular and controversial. His clear and modern language, seasoned with quotes from ancient thinkers, destroys illusions, reveals a real picture of the world and makes it possible to realize the regularity and inevitability of many events.
About love for people
In his sermon "How to learn to love people?" Archpriest Andrey Tkachev raises one of these important questions that many who embark on the path of faith ask themselves. Today, people who have been spoiled by the housing problem have lost themselves and their orientation. And living in a kind of "hive" in which there is no love,you have to be able to find yourself. To do this, you need to leave, but not for long. Such remoteness from people gives a person the opportunity to recover.
The conversations of Archpriest Andrei Tkachev allow us to trace the idea that loneliness and society are two sides of the same coin, absolutely impossible without each other. Personality is tempered in communication, but grows away from it. A person, in addition to society, needs loneliness. Life in the crowd gives rise to such a dangerous disease as the underdevelopment of the individual. A person needs spiritual he alth, for the preservation of which one needs to retire in order to stop being infected from others with bad thoughts, passions and other nonsense.
Social network "Elitsy"
The activity of Andrey Tkachev is a clear evidence that in his pastoral ministry he uses all possible means available to modern man: sermons in churches, television programs, books, websites and even social networks.
Elitsy.ru is one of the newest projects of the restless missionary-thinker. Here, netizens get an excellent opportunity not only to listen to the instructions of Archpriest Andrei Tkachev, but also to ask him questions. Every morning, site visitors can receive parting words in the form of wishes and reasoning.
Where is Andrey Tkachev now?
The archpriest left Ukraine in the summer of 2014, hiding from the persecution that began in the country after the Maidan events. Given the fact that Father Andrei always openly expresses his opinion, he was not afraid to express a negative attitude towardsrevolutionary events that took place at that time in Kyiv. This became one of the reasons for the persecution of the Orthodox priest by representatives of the Kyiv authorities. As a result, he moved to live in Russia and served for some time in the walls of the house church of the martyr Tatyana, which was created at Moscow State University.
Now the place where Archpriest Andrey Tkachev serves is located in the very heart of Moscow - in the Uspensky Vrazhok area. In the Church of the Resurrection of the Wording, the priest continues to carry out his pastoral duty. In addition, he continues to preach from the media: he broadcasts on television, taking part in the work of one of the Orthodox channels ("Union"), as well as on radio "Radonezh".
Pushing aside pharisaical authorities and ostentatious correctness, he speaks about the main thing, and does it in such a way that it is simply impossible not to hear him. He wakes us up today, shakes our shoulders, invigorates us with his harsh words and unflattering comparisons.
