03 — Saint Ambrose, the Greatest Elder
St. Ambrose of Optina (Alexander Grenkov, 1812–1891) was the greatest of the Optina elders and the spiritual heart of the monastery in the second half of the nineteenth century. Because he has his own deep collection in this repository, this section sets him only in his place in the lineage and treats one theme in his outward work — the founding of the Shamordino convent and the vast crowds — deferring the full life to his own guide.
Tradition: Russian Orthodox (Optina synaxis glorified 1996 local / 2000 general)
St. Ambrose is the summit of the Optina line: the disciple of Leonid and Macarius who became the most celebrated starets in Russian history, received thousands of visitors of every class, and stands behind Dostoevsky’s Elder Zosima. This collection does not re-narrate his life, which is treated at length in St. Ambrose of Optina. The first file below situates him in the succession of elders; the second treats his founding of the Shamordino women’s convent and the phenomenon of the crowds, linking throughout to his own collection for the fuller account.
Navigation
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| ambrose-in-the-line-of-optina.md | Ambrose’s place in the lineage — disciple of Leonid and Macarius, summit of the line; the full life deferred to his own collection |
| the-shamordino-convent-and-the-crowds.md | The founding of the Shamordino convent and the thousands who came to Ambrose |
See Also
- St. Ambrose of Optina — the full collection on his life, counsel, and reception
- St. Macarius and the Publishing Work — Ambrose’s elder
- The Later Elders — the disciples Ambrose formed