Yakov Krotov: Biography, Beliefs

Yakov Gavrilovich Krotov - priest and publicist, author of essays and books, a historian of the church and a radio host. Extremely interesting person and interlocutor: it combines the sharpness of judgments that are inherent in the publicists, and the blessing of the priest, and the sharpness of the mind.

Childhood and school years

Born Krotov Yakov Gavrilovich in 1957 in Moscow, in a family of teachers. At birth, in honor of M. Gorky, the boy was named Maxim. Very little was left without a father, who became ungenerous to the authorities for her criticism. He was convicted for anti-Party activities for 15 years. Father Yakov Krotov worked in the school. After the war he studied in the Volga region as children's homes. But, as Yakov Gavrilovich says, the father was always present in the house - through the stories of his mother, through his books, which he wrote for children.

Yakov Krotov studied at a privileged school with an in-depth study of foreign languages. In school years, Yakov Gavrilovich was listed as an activist. Among the first to join the Komsomol, he was an elder and took an active part in the design of the school newspaper. He spent six years in the archaeological circle, went with him to tourist camps and expeditions. Then his passion for history began. And, entering the university, he was sure that he would devote himself to archeology.

Crucial moment

Prior to the eighth grade, Yakov Krotov believed that his father was ill and was in hospital. When the mother told the truth, it became a shock to him. The outbreak of social, political and economic injustice grew into a rejection of the socialist system. Every day he realized the absurdity and lies of the system. And the fact that, like a member of the Komsomol, he involuntarily takes part in this. He was torn from the Komsomol, there was a strange emotional emptiness and disappointment.

Final examinations at the school, unsuccessful entrance exams, the first work, the decision to quit the Komsomol - that year he remembered well. All that was tied up, what he believed in was broken. But then he realized that the real depth is not bottomless. Once they were invited to their Christian home on Christmas. He remembered the pamphlet about Easter, he touched the pure and deep movement of the soul. There was a calm, and he just began to live in this state. On the way to work, he realized that God is near. That Christianity for him is not just a doctrine or system, but his whole life and foundation.

Baptism and the years of service

Realizing that he had found what he was looking for, Yakov Krotov came to Father Alexander Menu, who baptized him without unnecessary words in 1974. As Yakov Gavrilovich says, together with faith he found a spiritual father. Soon Yakov Krotov married, with a future wife they worked together in a historical library. Archpriest Alexander Men crowned them . Until 2009, Yakov Krotov taught history at a university founded by Father Alexander. From 1991 to 1995 he served as an altar boy in the church in Shubin.

In 2002 he moved to the Apostolic Orthodox Church. In November, he was ordained deacon, a little later - in the priest's order. Yakov Krotov is a priest who created the community and is its rector. In 2007, in January, I received a vacation letter to leave the apostolic Orthodox Church. And in March of the same year he was admitted to the Ukrainian autocephalous Orthodox Church. After him, the community also moved there.

Work experience

Yakov Krotov graduated from the History Department of Moscow State University, studied at the evening department. As Yakov Gavrilovich himself notes, the teaching was not very good, so I had to do more self-education. Worked in the State Historical Library. Caught with a volume of Mandelstam and fired for the reproduction of anti-Soviet literature, more precisely, "they offered to leave at will". Then he worked in the central archive of acts. From where he was also "invited to leave" for an anti-Soviet article on Bolshevism and the church.

He found himself without any chance of finding a job. Stanislavsky helped him. In the spring of 1985, he settled down as a guide to the Zvenigorod Museum. As Yakov Krotov says, there he "was healed from dumbness and from public speech". Becoming the head of the branch in the museum-reserve of Alexander Pushkin in Zakharovo, he learned to manage. In the 90 years he earned translations and journalism. He speaks several languages - French, English, German and Polish. He knows Latin. In the spring of 1990, he finally decided to leave public service and began to prepare for the ordination of priests. This was his dream since the time of baptism.

Public activity

In September 1990, the first free newspaper was opened in Moscow, and the hero of our narrative was invited to write about religion. Publicist and historian of the church, Yakov Gavrilovich from 1991 to 1999 published in newspapers and magazines "Itogi", "General Newspaper", "Moscow News". From 1991 to 1998, he leads a church column in the newspaper "Kurants". Author of more than 700 articles in newspapers and magazines, a number of historical essays and books:

• 1992 - The Theotokos Center.
• 1992 - "Reflections on Misc."
• 1993 - "The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete" (translation into Russian, introduction).
• 1994 - "Reflections on the Church Calendar of 7499".
• 1997 - "Angels in Art: European Artists" (introductory article and commentary).

Editor and radio presenter

From 1997 to 2003 he was the leader of the Christian program on Radio Radiation. Since 1997, he is the author and radio presenter of the permanent program on Radio Liberty. What is the conversation between priest and theologian Father Yakov Krotov? "From a Christian point of view" is a program in which questions are raised on the topic of Christianity, the history of the church. As guests invite people and believers, and non-believers, politicians and ministers of the church, representatives of different faiths. The transfer has gained popularity among a significant number of people, because the sharp, interesting many topics are discussed in the format of a conversation, sometimes evolving into an exciting discussion.

Yakov Krotov's Library

The author of the website, Father Yakov regularly publishes articles on theological, church-historical themes. This person has done a great job collecting on his portal a library of fairly rare books on history, philosophy, theology. On the site, Father Yakov writes comments on the Gospel, notes on church history topics. In his collection a rich selection of books, and information is divided into 5 sections. A competent catalog with different pointers and a system of cross-references allow you to quickly find everything that interests you. The resource is presented in 7 languages.