Archimandrite Ignace

Overview

An Orthodox archimandrite (senior abbot) of a monastery of St Sergius, whom Marie's mother called on in St Petersburg in August–September 1883. Marie writes that Maman «a aussi été chez l'Archimandrite Ignace, le fameux supérieur du célèbre couvent de Saint-Serge. Celui-là ancien peintre et peintre encore maintenant de même qu'architecte et écrivain m'envoie son portrait, avec ces mots: [Mots noircis: Que la bénédiction] de Dieu descende sur vos travaux» (101.0386, 18 September 1883). She accepts the blessing: «En somme ce n'est pas lui qui bénit mais Dieu». Mon Journal t.16 index: «Ignace (archimandrite) : 36».

Identity uncertain

We are not sure who this is. The monastery could be the St Sergius Hermitage (Sergiyeva Pustyn) near St Petersburg, where the writer Ignatius Brianchaninov was abbot until 1857, or the Trinity Lavra of St Sergius at Sergiev Posad near Moscow; Marie was told about the visit in St Petersburg. A painter-architect-writer archimandrite named Ignatius with a portrait photograph could not be matched in the sources checked (a web search found only Brianchaninov, who died in 1867). If you can identify him, we would be glad to hear from you.

References in Diary

• 1883-09-18 (101.0386).