Many people there [in Paris in 1958 where (then) Bishop John was serving the Russian Church Abroad--CDH] did not understand Vladika [John]. His external appearance, the fact that he wore no shoes, disturbed them. P. S. Lopukhin told me that there were even complaints about Vladika sent to Metropolitan Anastassy. In one of the complaints the petitioners asked that the Chief Hierarch order Vladika John to get some shoes. Metropolitan Anastassy complied and wrote Vladika a letter. The parishioners, overjoyed, rushed to present their Archpastor with new shoes. Vladika accepted the gift, thanked them, and "used" the shoes . . . he carried them under his arm! but did not wear them on his feet. [The Russian verb . . . "to wear," means also "to carry."] Again complaints to the Metropolitan, again the Metropolitan Abba wrote to Vladika John concerning obedience and received an answer: "Your instructions were carried out--you wrote that I should use shoes, but did not write that I should wear them on my feet, and so I used them, i. e., carried them. But now I shall wear them." And so Vladika began striding around Paris in shoes.
--Man of God, p. 36
Posted by Clifton at April 9, 2004 08:36 AM | TrackBack