One shouldn't Choose a Priest as a Spiritual Father, if he Disobeys or Strongly Criticizes his Superiors

Bishop Kirill (Zinkovsky)

Question to the bishop.

Bishop Kirill (Zinkovsky), Sergiev Posad. From the answer to the question "How should a priest choose a spiritual father?"

If we are to speak of any signs of the spiritual father under whose guidance one should not come, I think, first and foremost, it is their attitude toward the virtue of obedience. Because some spiritual fathers who call for obedience to themselves are often, unfortunately, unwilling to obey higher church authorities themselves. In such a case, this is evidence that such a pastor has not fulfilled the virtue of obedience in his own life. This is fundamental for us: obedience to the Law of God, the Church, and the hierarchy. Accordingly, any people who pretend to be spiritual priests, and perhaps are even called "elders", but, let's say, strongly criticize the church authorities, or do not show, as I already said, an example of obedience, this is the first criterion, which, despite any talk about some spiritual gifts, should stop us from coming into obedience to this person, into spiritual guidance.

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The Girl Did Not Listen to the Elder Not To Get Married, and Her Husband Killed Her

Saint elder Sebastian of Karaganda (1884 – 19.4.1966)

Alexey Fomin. "Holy Seers. The Gift of Clairvoyance".

Elder Sebastian of Karaganda, secular name - Stepan Vasilyevich Fomin (1884-1966), predicted the events of one woman's life. She had a daughter who was dating a young man and wanted to marry him. The mother and daughter decided to go to Father Sebastian for a blessing, but the groom refused to go. The elder asked: "Why didn't you bring your future husband?" After the conversation, the priest told the girl: "Don't marry him." At first, he did not explain why. The second time the saint strictly warned: "Don't marry him, he will kill you." The girl did not believe and became his wife. Later the elder's prediction came true. The spouses lived for a short time, the husband drank, beat his wife and, in the end, killed her.

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The Young Priest Began to Cast out Demons

From an interview with Metropolitan Nifont of Volyn and Lutsk.

Metropolitan Nifont (1948 - 22.03.2017)

There was a young priest who, in his simplicity, began to pray for the possessed. The sick and suffering began to come to him, and he, thinking that he had the power to cast out unclean spirits, continued to admire "his" successes. In the Pochaev Lavra, experienced elders advised him to give up this activity: “This is beyond your power, you have a wife, children, give up exorcisms and pray with a contrite heart.” His fellow priests said the same thing, but he didn't listen to anyone. After he developed a head disease, then Archbishop Damian banned him from the priesthood. When he recovered, he was again allowed to serve, but the priest already thought too highly of himself. The disease progressed, and as a result, an unexpected death (after a cold, the kidneys failed) put an end to everything that this young priest had. To avoid this, one must humbly obey the Gospel commandments, church rules, and one's ruling bishop. But most importantly, in my opinion, you need to do your service humbly and zealously, giving all of yourself with love to God and people.

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