16,951
edits
Changes
m
link
In 1826, Dimitri fell gravely ill, but nonetheless graduated first among all candidates at the School of Engineers and received his commission. Immediately, Dimitri attempted to resign this commission, but his resignation was refused on orders of Tsar Nicholas. However, in 1827, Dimtri became critically ill once more, and this time his resignation was accepted by the imperial authorities.
During the next four years, Dimitri lived as a [[novice]] in various [[monastery|monasteries]], without settling permanently in any of them, partly because of ill health, and partly because he failed to find a [[spiritual father]] in whom he could place unreserved trust. For the remainder of his life, St. Ignatius would lament the scarcity of true spirit-bearing elders in his day. Finally, in 1831, Dimitri was professed [[monk]] by the ruling [[hierarch]] of his home province, Bishop Stephen of Vologda, and he received the monastic name of "Ignatius." Shortly after that Monk Ignatius was [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]], then [[priest]]. All this took place without the approval of his parents. In 1832, Hieromonk Ignatius was appointed [[superior ]] of a small monastery in the Vologda diocese. However, the damp climate brought about ill-health which quickly forced his resignation.
Then, in autumn of 1833, the most unexpected thing happened. Tsar Nicholas, during a trip to the School of Military Engineers in St. Petersburg, enquired into what had become of the promising student Dimitri Alexandrovich. Upon learning of his monastic profession and hieratic ordination, the tsar ordered Hieromonk Ignatius to return to the imperial capital, where, aged 26, he was raised to the rank of [[Archimandrite]] and made [[igumen]] of the St. Sergius Monastery, one of the most important in St. Petersburg, and one which enjoyed great imperial patronage. Tsar Nicholas entrusted Archimandrite Ignatius with the task of transforming this monastery into a model community, where visitors to the Imperial Court could see [[monasticism]] as it should be.
