Biography Avseneva Theophanes

Avsenev Theophanes (Peter S.) (1812 – 03/31/1851) – Archimandrite, inspector of the Kiev Theological Academy and later rector of the Orthodox Church in Rome. Born in Voronezh, in the village of Moscow village in 1812 and was one of 6 sons of the priest of the church Tarabya Simeon Avseneva. He received his education in Voronezh in a religious school and then in the seminary, at the end of the course where in 1829 he entered the Kiev Theological Academy. Here he soon attracted the attention of all the unparalleled kindness and simplicity and extreme hunting for reading books, mostly philosophical. He was kind, sociable, modest, obliging, obedient and devout. In an extraordinary thirst for learning and youth Avsenev was rare in the academy. After graduating from the academic course of studies in 1835, he was the choice of rector of the Academy was left at the academy bachelor German. Post which he corrected about 3 years.

Teaching the history of German literature, he unwittingly became acquainted with German philosophy. To his delight, 3 March 1836 he was moved to the chair of philosophy. It was a flourishing time teaching philosophy at the Kiev Academy. Everyone remembers his lectures on diseases of the dream, of lunacy, death plunged all of the listeners in the most profound meditation. Harmony of thought and faith in him was amazing.

In 1839 he was made extraordinary professor at the same department. His fame as a deep thinker spread quickly, and he was invited to take a philosophical faculty at the University of St. Vladimir, where he is (without leaving the service at the Academy) earned the universal respect for, and location. Soon in life Avseneva big change. When one of his close colleagues in the Academy became a monk, he began to think about the same. Deciding to this he found no difficulty, because his life had long been the monastic, and the image of thought he was close to that.

In 1844, according to the petition, he was dismissed from the service in the university and 11 October the same year he was tonsured as a monk and named Theophanes. Tonsure been committed by Metropolitan Filaret of Kiev Caves St. Anthony. F. understood and became a monk in the strictest way, just as it has long seemed to him the idea.

In 1845, in the dignity of priesthood FA was again invited to Kiev trustee to read lectures of philosophy at the university and allowed to teach, but in March the same year, the ministry of education has found unnecessary to have another teacher, and because FA was dismissed from his post. June 16, 1846 FA was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite, and in October the same year he was appointed inspector of the academy. True to his rank, he tried to move away from philosophical study and practice more in theology. Therefore, as already ordinary professor of philosophy, he wanted to move to any of the theological faculties, but that he had not reached, but only took over the teaching bibliology. With extraordinary hard work he undertook for a new job, yet his body had already been undermined, and he needed a rest badly, and this caused him to seek another kind of service.

He had a chance to take the opportunity in our embassy church in Rome nastoyatelskuyu job. March 20, 1851 he went to Rome and 31 March next year, he died there. Not in a secular way of life, nor a monk F. liked neither fame nor money, no luxury, no fun, nor even any comfort in your home life. In the circle of interlocutors, who loved his clever word, he expounded his thoughts are always profound, fresh, bright, encouraging, veyavshie purity and Christian holy places. In domestic life he was simple, open, affectionate, sociable, gentle, and nevzyskatelen, generous benefactors and to work selflessly, without attaching his heart to anything that he had, besides just books, and they were not held as dead capital, and gave read them to everyone, even himself was imposed on it. Owning a fully developed aesthetic sense and carrying around a parallel between the spiritual and sensual being, it all looked fine arts only in terms of higher philosophy of values. Music gave him a sublime pleasure, preferring the music of the church, he himself sometimes played the harp spiritual concerts.

He was one of the learned men of Russia at that time. Theological, philosophical, historical and natural sciences were an ordinary range of his activities.Languages of Jewish, Greek, Latin, German, French, Italian, he knew perfectly.

The University PS Avsenev read logic, history of the soul, the history of modern philosophy, moral philosophy, in conjunction with the natural law and the philosophy of history. His lectures given at the university, subsequently became part of the anniversary edition, entitled: "Collection of Lectures of the former professor of the Kiev Theological Academy … published by the Academy on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of her", Kiev, 1869 In the collection published 246 pages of lecture F . on experimental psychology.

The lectures have a trail that FA was trying to expand their scientific horizons beyond the limits of customary practices. In his lifetime he published articles philosophical-religious content in a magazine "Sunday Reading" ("On Dreams", "Symbols in Nature," "The aspirations of the great Saturday in nature", "Note to the moralists," "Enthusiasm," "True high" ).

In addition, in the "Moskvityanin for 1852, № 20, was published his article:" Observations on the dying "- excerpt from the" Psychology "(" J. MN Acad., 1853, ch LXXVII, p. 104). Cases archive of the Holy Synod, 1844, № 1821, 1850, № 606, 1860, № 927, 1863, № 1623. – Cases Spirit of the Commission. taught., № № 9030 and 10648. – Prof. Vladimirsky-Budanov, "History of the University." – The memorial book of the Kiev province in 1857, p. 123-133. – "Journal of Min. National Education, 1853, ch 77, Dep. VII, p. 101-108. – "Home Interview", 1863, vol. On 22 and 25. – The Moscow Gazette, 1853, № 13. – Ikonnikov, "Biographical Dictionary of professors and teachers Imp. University of St. Vladimir, Kiev, 1884, p. 6-11, and Supplement, p. 805. – Shulgin, "History of the University of St. Vladimir, p. 160. – Askochensky, "History of Kiev. Spiritual Acad. Since 1819", K., 1863 Konopasevich.