Vladyka Nestor as a spiritual mentor and educator of the Russian emigration in Manchuria

Abstract

The author attempts to present Nestor (Anisimov), the recognized spiritual leader of the Far Eastern branch of the Russian emigration, as a religious philosopher whose work grows from the depths of Russian culture. It is argued that philosophy is not present in the legacy of Vladyka in its "pure form", but is dissolved in the living tissue of his works. It is noted that the language of the archpastor is peculiar and differs in emotional expressiveness, semantic saturation, symbolic imagery. The main themes of his work related to the fate of Russia, Orthodox-patriotic enlightenment, the national question, and the Russian idea are identified and disclosed. The methods used in the course of the study are hermeneutic, source studies, historical, comparative. It is proved that the ideal in Nestor's political ontology is theocracy, in which the realization of Russia's historical mission as a peacemaker-mediator between the West and the East is possible. It is shown that the eschatology of salvation dominated in the legacy of Nestor over apocalyptic moods, since the bishop believed in the revival of his Fatherland through national unity and conciliar purification from enmity, leading to the division of the Russian world. The author of the article concludes that the religious and philosophical views of the archpastor not only influenced his contemporaries, but are relevant for Russia at the present time, which requires spiritual renewal.