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This is, Vladyko Theodore. He grew up in, Tsar Nicholas II Romanov’s Palace and grew up as a young playmate to Tsavich Alexis. His father was a physicist for the Tsar. After the Romanov’s were taken prisoners before they were executed at point blank range, HRH Alexandra Romanov possessed the beard of, Saint Sarofov of Sarov and she snuck it to him. This is a photograph of me on the left of him in the Russian Monastery. I gave this photograph to the Romanov Historical Society because it was the last photograph of him alive. He fled and studied at a secret monastery called, Valam for years. He was a miracle worker and the President of Renault Oil Company in, France, put him in his Will when he died to conduct his funeral. He came to conduct the funeral and after the man being dead for over 48 hours, Vladyko Theodore went into the room with him dead and the rest of the persons present saw a bright uncreated light and after 24 hours, the dead man walked out perfectly healthy with, Vladyko. It is documented and well known in the Russian Church. People around the world including the Romanov’s have asked me for his last photos. He is the only person that has raised a man from the dead since Lazarus in the New Testament. He was my Spiritual Father for over 20 years and recently died about one decade ago and is buried in, West Milford New Jersey, USA.

All About My Spiritual Father (+) Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves

The Noetic Pilgrim, A Kenotic Soul November 21, 2008, 3:32 am Filed under: Patristic Vita Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves

Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov CavesElder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves, myself and Gregory (Cantor) (+November 8, 1996)

On this day according to the traditional Church Calendar, on the vigil of the Martyr St. Theodore of Amasea, we commemorate the falling asleep of schema-Bishop Theodore (Irtel) at the Abbey of the Holy Name in West Milford, New Jersey in America. Elder Theodore’s repose at the Abbey was in fulfillment of staretz Justinian of Valaam’s prophesy regarding major future events in our Elder’s earthly life. Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves The year following the canonization of St Seraphim of Sarov, Elder Theodore was born George Irtel in 1904. His father had been a renowned physicist in the Russian Royal Court and a friend of St Tsar Nicholas II. His Sketch of George Irtel from Orthodox Word

Sketch of George Irtel from Orthodox Word

father’s connections permitted young George to be one of Tsarević Alexei Romanov’s playmate. During the Bolshevik Revolution, George fled across Siberia on foot to Irkutsk. Then learning his mother still in Justinian of Valaam

Justinian of Valaam

Moscow, he walked back across Siberia. He had been arrested in 1920; afterwards, in 1924 he entered Valaam Monastery as a novice. It was there that Novice George came under the spiritual care of the staretz Justinian. Due to godless incursion into the vicinity of Valaam, Novice George moved on to the Pskov Caves Monastery in Estonia.

Under the care of the Elder Schema-Archimandrite Simeon, Monk George was clothed in the small schema and renamed Sergei (Sergius). Starezt Simeon of Pskov Caves

Starezt Simeon of Pskov Caves

Stavrophore-monk Sergei was among the many Russian émigrés to Paris in the 1930s. At the Sorbonne he earned an advanced degree in Philosophy and was ordained to the priesthood in 1934. It has been said that there were three men consecrated to the episcopacy in secret. Fr Sergei was one of the three. Secret consecrations are outside the norm in Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, these elevations were conducted because there was suspicion that the NKVD (predecessor of the KGB) had targeted certain Russian hierarchs in Europe for assassination. While in France, Fr Sergei had frequent fellowship with St. Archbishop John Maximovitć during his tenure there. Elder Schema-Bishop Theodore of Valaam and Pskov Caves Throughout his youth Fr Sergei had various spiritual experiences which provided him guidance in his life. Now his sanctity began to be a benefit to others. Following an incident that began to bring much attention and fame to him, Fr Sergei desired to return to Russia.

True to his monastic vow of obedience he refused to act on his own will. Rather, he had written to Fr Sergei Irtel

Fr Sergei Irtel

St Silouan on Mt Athos. In reply, Fr Sergei was forbidden to return to Russia, “for there you will certainly die. You must go to America where God has much for you to do”. In 1946 Hieromonk Sergei arrived in New York City. It has been reported that he taught at St. Tikhon Orthodox Pastoral Seminary in South Canaan for two years. Thereafter labored in Canada with St Nikolai Velimirović. In 1950 he was sent to Spruce Island, Alaska. According to Orthodox Word magazine (St. Herman Brotherhood: 1996, No. 187-188): “They lived in a large, rotting storage house on the very shores of Monks’ Lagoon, while in the dense spruce forest, on the site of St. Herman’s cell, Archimandrite Gerasim lived in solitude. The gusty wind off the open sea and the constantly overcast, rainy weather stirred up sorrowful thoughts linked with the woeful state of 20th century monasticism. In total solitude, more cut off than in any hermitage on old Valaam, which was at that time swallowed up by the communist hell, the new monks of New Valaam were naturally carried in thought to Valaam, and, remembering their past instructors, they lived by their instructions.”

While in Alaska he was clothed in the Great Schema and given the name of St. Theodore. Apparently due to health, Hiero-schemamonk Theodore was forced to leave Alaska where from he arrived in El Paso, Texas. We know that he had been utilized by the Russian Metropolia as a “supply priest” and was often “on loan” to other jurisdictions where there was a need for a priest. It has been documented that Fr Sergei Irtel had served the fledgling Greek Mission in Los Vegas having Divine Liturgy in a local Episcopalian Church in 1958. The Russian Patriarchal parish of St. John Chrysostom in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan was served by Fr Sergei in December 1961 and again in 1964.

From El Paso, Texas, Elder Theodore made his way to Juarez, Mexico. There he was not a bishop, enjoyed neither status nor glory. Much like Bolshevik Russia, Elder Theodore had to avoid getting Elder Theodore

Elder Theodore

arrested by the anti-clerical Mexican police. There in Juarez he shared the poverty of the village folks. He labored to house and feed them. As a simple priest-monk he evangelized and ministered to the people. Gathered a small monastic following, never ceased praying and interceding for those who came to visit or sent letters begging for his prayers on their behalf. We could speak of the many miracles of healing, resurrecting the dead, the gifts of clairvoyance and bi-location attributed to our Elder. But it is the charism of monastic obedience, humility, unceasing prayer and service (love) towards those in need that greatly marked Elder Theodore’s holiness. Vladyka was buried, unembalmed according to Orthodox tradition, three days after his repose. On this third day his body showed no sign of corruption.

The Hermitage Cell of St. John the Theologian has been given the monastic obedience to gather what information is available on Schema-Bishop Theodore (Irtel). As we gather and discern such information regarding his life, ministry, fellowship, miracles and various other wonder-workings we shall then make them known for the edification and upbuilding of the Church. If YOU knew Elder Theodore at one time or another, please share with us your experience and knowledge of him.

Write to us via e-mail or by postal mail:

Theodore Irtel Research Project Hermitage of St. John the Theologian 110 Griffiths Street No.9 Syracuse, New York 13208

Blessed Elder Theodore, pray for us! Blessed Elder Theodore, pray for us! Like · Reply · November 24 at 1:35pm

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