Archpriest Vasiliev, who died in the NVO, “baptized six with a bottle of mineral water”

On November 6, in the special operation zone, in one of the most dangerous directions, Kherson, Archpriest Mikhail Vasiliev, who was affectionately called the “landing father”, died. A shell fired by the Armed Forces of Ukraine exploded three meters from him. He was a real shepherd, priest and soldier in life. For almost 20 years he spiritually nourished the soldiers of the Airborne Forces, and then the military personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces. Father Mikhail went through all the “hot spots”, baptized and confessed under fire, saved the wounded. About the priest, who was respected for his strong will and stamina, his associates and friends told MK.

“We had a long-standing relationship with Father Mikhail, we served together with him, advised military personnel, went on business trips together,” says the rector of the Holy Trinity Church of Chelyabinsk, head of the youth department of the Chelyabinsk diocese, Archpriest Father Igor Shestkov. – In the second Chechen campaign, during maneuverable hostilities, he used to baptize six people with one incomplete bottle of mineral water. There was simply no more at the platoon stronghold. The helicopter landed for a short while and took off into the sky again. At one time, I, too, putting a reservoir of water on an erdeshka (RD-54 – a paratrooper’s backpack), baptized the paratroopers of the third brigade. Under the circumstances, it was normal. As our commander said, went out into the field – live in the field. I remember how the fighters were given communion, the wind was so strong that it overturned our temporary throne. Father Mikhail read a prayer, and I held the sacred vessels with my hands so that they would not be blown off the discs.

Archpriest Igor Shestkov says that Father Mikhail was a very direct and simple person.

“I always said what I thought. Once we had a serious disagreement about one thing. We slandered each other from the bottom of our hearts. He is an adamant truth-teller, with a cavalry swoop, and I am used to acting slowly, analyzing the situation. Then both admitted that they were wrong. We reconciled, hugged, everything was fine. When I found out that during a parachute jump he landed badly and received a compression fracture of the spine, I immediately called him and was so glad to hear his voice.

Batiushka admits that he still cannot believe that Father Michael is no longer alive.

– He was supposed to come to us in Chelyabinsk at the end of November, we were waiting for him. I am deeply saddened by his death. Now, when the fate of Russia is being decided, there is a struggle between good and evil, there will be such losses. I myself was in the Kherson region in July in almost the same places where Father Mikhail died. So I perfectly understand the current operational situation. There the concept of the rear is very conditional. Even at 300 kilometers, this is not the rear. Father Mikhail correctly said that we must understand: when we go to the special operation zone, everything is left behind. He needed to be at the forefront. He considered it true and correct. Such was the character of Father Michael. He died a heroic death. This is undoubtedly the hero of our time. He was a worthy man, a worthy priest, a worthy man, a real warrior. For us, his death is, first of all, a call to continue our work, to inspire our brothers who are today in the military ranks. Kingdom of heaven Father Michael. I will pray for him and hope that he will pray there for us.

The paratroopers considered Father Mikhail, the chief chaplain of the Blue Berets, to be their talisman.

“Father Mikhail was a very dynamic, energetic, aspiring father,” says the deputy chairman of the Interregional Union of Russian Paratroopers, retired colonel Anatoly Buy. – He was always in the thick of things, ahead – and in jumps, and in exercises, and in combat. He chose his own path, he was a real man. We often crossed paths with him at the Church of the Annunciation in Sokolniki, which was largely restored thanks to him.

Now it is the main church of the Airborne Forces.

Deputy Chairman of the Central Board of the Union of Russian Paratroopers for Patriotic Education and Interaction with the Media Mikhail Kalinkin, in turn, says that Father Mikhail was the ideal “political officer”, the soul of any unit or unit. He did everything superbly.

“Everything is very simple with us: whoever jumped with a parachute is the paratrooper,” says Mikhail Kalinkin. – Father Mikhail was a real paratrooper, he jumped. He was a man of amazing charisma. It combined the spirituality of a priest, the fighting spirit of a paratrooper, and a very subtle, intelligent Russian soul. I call Russian everyone who speaks Russian. I remember how Father Mikhail admonished the paratroopers when they took the oath. In 30 seconds, explaining to them the whole essence of their future life. He spoke with humor, who got into the Airborne Forces – be proud, who did not get – rejoice. That every paratrooper has a girlfriend, but not every girl has a paratrooper. Demobilization is inevitable, he asked not to lose heart. He promised that they would definitely not be bored. And he asked them to pray, for the Lord alone knows what awaits them.

Mikhail Kalinkin notes that Father Mikhail could now be in the rear, not go to the front line.

– But he believed that in the trenches it is necessary to protect the soul of his flock – the soldiers. Went where needed.

Father Michael for many years was the rector of the Church of the Great Martyr Barbara and the Reverend Elijah of Muromets in the urban district of Vlasikha, Moscow Region – the “capital” of the Strategic Missile Forces.

Alexander Vovk, who in 2001-2009 headed the press service of the Strategic Missile Forces and is now deputy chairman of the Moscow City Organization of Veterans of the Strategic Missile Forces, says that Father Mikhail was a man of great soul.

– We were friends with him, we were very close, there are few such people on earth. It was a priest who went through both Chechen campaigns, took out more than 1,500 of our people from Grozny in these difficult times, and saved them. Participated in our famous throw to Pristina in Yugoslavia, was on the armor of an armored personnel carrier. He helped everyone he could. He understood the essence of service in both the Airborne Forces and the Strategic Missile Forces, he had about 300 parachute jumps. He lived by the principle: do as I do. All rocket scientists will have a fond memory of him. People came to him with an open mind. We had a battalion in the Strategic Missile Forces, which repaired roads and bridges during the second Chechen campaign. The commander of this battalion, General Kononov, after conversations with Father Mikhail, converted to Christianity. They believed the father, they followed him.

Archpriest Mikhail Vasiliev left six children. Two sons – Dmitry and German, daughter Anna – students. The two middle daughters, Ksenia and Vera, go to school, and the youngest, Luda, is a preschooler.

“For mother and children of Father Mikhail, this is a huge tragedy, as for all of us,” says Vakhtang Kipshidze, Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church Relations with Society and the Media. “But I think that thousands and thousands of people will support the mother and her children. Many of them are indebted to Father Mikhail. And now is the time to repay that debt. Father Mikhail Vasiliev was an example of a military priest who was selflessly devoted to the service of military personnel. He regarded them only as his spiritual children, his children. Father Mikhail was a man capable of giving an accurate and truthful assessment of all the events and phenomena that interested him. He had an independent view of everything. Having passed many “hot spots”, he set an example of courage and resilience. By his deeds he proved that Christ conquered death, that the believer is not afraid of it.