Monday, March 24, 2008

Lev Ivanovich

Those who know Jordanville well will immediately recognize the significance of this photograph. The elderly man gazing upon the late Metropolitan Laurus is Lev Ivanovich (or Lyova, as he's known by everyone). He is, besides Archimandrite Flor, the last remaining person to have come to Jordanville from Ladomirovo. Depending on whom you ask, Lyova is either the local village idiot or a true fool-for-Christ (or, quite possibly, both). In either case, he's a true Jordanville institution, the monastery's faithful court-jester. Seeing him part with Vladyka, whom he knew and lived with nearly his entire life, is quite simply heart-breaking.

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