OR: Father Alexander, in our last conversation, I asked you about the people who had the greatest spiritual influence on you, and you mentioned several remarkable priests, monks, and laypeople. Could you tell us more about your encounters with them?

AT: I could say a lot about each of these people, but the interview format doesn’t allow for that. So I’ll briefly mention the role each played in my life.

Grandma Shura: The First Spark of Faith

Grandma Shura—I called her “Grandma-Mom”—raised me from my earliest years. I was her first and most troublesome grandchild. She was a believer her entire life. The wedding icon she shared with my grandfather always hung in the red corner of our 13-square-meter room in a communal apartment in Mytishchi (where 6 to 8 of us sometimes lived).

When I was 12, I heard the word “Bible” somewhere and asked her what it meant. She said:

“It’s a book about God. I have a Gospel, it’s also a book about God. Would you like me to give it to you?”

That’s how I received my first Gospel—a 1913 edition printed in both Church Slavonic and Russian.

In the 1980s, my aunts—former communists—tried to pressure me for bringing the whole family into the Church. Grandma told them:

“Girls! Leave Sasha alone. He’s the only one doing everything right.”

Later, my dear aunts admitted she was right, and they, too, began to draw closer to God.

Before her death, Grandma spent five years bedridden. She had always been heavyset, and during that time, she became even larger. But all that time, she prayed for all of us, her loved ones. And I know that many temptations and falls were miraculously avoided—thanks to her prayers.

When my grandfather called to say she had died, I went over right away. The coffin hadn’t arrived yet. Lying on the table was a beautiful woman who looked no older than 45 or 50 (Grandma was 77), with a peaceful, smiling face.

Memory eternal to the servant of God, Alexandra!

Finding a Spiritual Friend: Andrei Stamboli

Andrei Stamboli and I met in some group of friends—back when I was a student at the Moscow Art Theatre School and he was studying at GITIS. He didn’t leave much of an impression at the time.

A few years later, I was working as a night guard at the Chief Architectural and Planning Department of Moscow (GlavAPU) and trying to get into the Youth Section of the Artists’ Union. (They didn’t accept me, saying there was no place for a “provincial boy” in Moscow’s art scene… Sculptor Dmitry Mityansky, who supported my application, later said, “This has never happened before: they voted twice, and it split 50/50. Come back next year.” I didn’t. Painting gave way to church life.)

At the time, I had brought my paintings to the guardroom to be reviewed. The youth section was located near Mayakovsky Square, not far from my workplace, and several of my paintings were chosen for an exhibition of GlavAPU staff (the hall was large with plenty of space).

Since it was my first exhibit, I called all my friends to come see it, including Andrei. He came, looked at the paintings, and then we sat for tea in the guardroom. I kept staring at him, trying to figure out what had changed. There was a kind of inner wholeness about him now, like something real and profound stood behind him. It turned out he had come to faith.

We talked for a long time, and during that conversation, Andrei helped me finally “dot the i’s” in my spiritual search. I understood clearly that I was an Orthodox Christian. I’ll always be grateful to him and will continue to pray for him.

Spiritual Mentors and Guides

Father Alexei Polikarpov was the first spiritual mentor for my wife and me for about 20 years. He laid the foundation of my spiritual life and guided me through many years. I don’t have the words to express my gratitude. My love and prayers will always be with him.

I already spoke about Father Vasily Vladyshesky in our first conversation. I’ll just add that it was from him that I first saw what a parish community could be—a true family, which is what it ought to be.

Schema-Archimandrite Iliy (Nozdrin) appeared in my life at a certain point and helped me resolve several very important matters in my own religious life, and in my family’s. Knowing how much demand there was on his time, I tried only to approach him with truly serious questions. And every time, he gave me an answer or counsel that set the direction for my spiritual growth.

Archpriest Nikolai Guryanov was the greatest of the elders I had the blessing to meet since my conversion. His small, fasting-weakened body contained a “nuclear reactor” of divine Love. I was literally knocked off my feet the moment I entered his cottage. He turned toward me—and I dropped to my knees and began to sob, not even knowing why.

He only spoke a few words to me, but the sheer power of his Love said so much more—everything I needed to hear at that moment in my life. I remember him as a saint who acquired the Grace of the Holy Spirit.

Schema-monk Joachim from the Skete of St. Anna on Mount Athos was the only one who gave me a clear, exact answer to my questions about the Jesus Prayer—questions I couldn’t resolve through reading the Fathers or even through speaking with Athonite monks. No one else ever expressed so much on such a vast topic as simply, concisely, and clearly as he did. He possessed humility, prayer, and Love. May his memory be eternal!

Archimandrite Dionysios Kalambokas (Greek) showed me a very different form of monasticism than I was used to from Russia or Athos. At the time, I was researching different monastic paths for my writing. As one monk in his brotherhood told me:

“I lived in different monasteries—Russian and not—and I learned to eat little, sleep little, and pray much. But after meeting Father Dionysios, I realized I still hadn’t learned the most important thing: to love people. Without that, there is no Christianity.”

There’s a film online called Geronda, which I began and which was beautifully finished by a talented director, Tatyana Tarasova. It’s about him.

Father Hermolaus (Chezhia) from the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, with his ever-cheerful smile… I dare to call him my spiritual friend, an example of how humility and prayer bring down Grace, and Grace fills the soul with joy and an abiding gladness in Christ Jesus. Lord, bless and strengthen Father Hermolaus! I hope we remain friends even in eternity.

But the most important person God has placed in my life—the one who becomes my counselor, mentor, example of sacrificial love, and instrument of salvation whenever I need it—is my precious wife Lyudmila.

In reflecting on the mentors and loved ones who shaped his spiritual journey, Father Alexander reminds us that the people God places in our lives often play a crucial role in our salvation. These connections, whether lifelong or fleeting, can plant the seeds of faith, guide us through our darkest moments, and draw us closer to Christ.

Click here for the final part of this interview, where Father Alexander shares his journey to the priesthood and his reflections on life in Portugal.