How Okhlobystin became a priest, why Dyuzhev serves as an altar boy, and Vasilyeva was not taken to the monastery: Religion in the life of stars

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

With the advent of Soviet power, faith in God was “buried” along with many values and traditions of the past. Several generations have grown up in an atmosphere of atheism. Even today, when Orthodoxy has revived, churches are being restored and restored, not everyone can boast that they consciously go to church, not to mention the observance of all the canons. It is especially surprising when representatives of the creative bohemia become truly believers, whose words do not differ from their deeds. Some stars have become priests or tonsured as nuns. Why did these actors, at the peak of their careers, suddenly decide to come to God?

Andrey Merzlikin

The famous Russian actor is grateful to his grandmother for the Orthodox faith instilled in him. Andrei still remembers his first confession, which made not very pleasant impressions on him. The fact is that the priest sent him home and ordered him to continue to prepare well for such an important event in his life.

A year later, when Christmas came and Andrei Merzlikin came to church, he realized that faith meant a lot to him. Years have passed, childhood is left behind and, having become an adult, the famous actor continues to observe church traditions, and puts them above secular ones. When Andrey has a free moment, he goes to church and serves the priest as an altarpiece. He teaches faith and his children: from an early age they know prayers and pray for each other.

Evgeny Mironov

Yevgeny Mironov found the times when an icon could hang in one corner of the house, and a portrait of the leader of the revolution in another. The honored artist came to faith in God, driven by need and unresolved life issues. At that time, he was a student at the Moscow Art Theater School and he was tormented by longing for his native land, there was not enough money to live on and was "burned" by the desire to become a real professional in his field. So at the age of nineteen, Vladimir visited the temple for the first time.

At thirty-three years old, Mironov went to Optina Hermitage - a men's monastery where Schema-Archimandrite Elijah lived (in the Orthodox environment he is considered one of the most authoritative and famous confessors). The conversation with the priest, which lasted only thirty minutes, completely changed the actor's thinking.

Many of us remember Mironov for his superb role of Prince Myshkin from The Idiot. But at that time he was offered the role of Jesus Christ, which the actor flatly refused to play, as he considered it wrong.

Family couple - Ekaterina Vilkova and Ilya Lyubimov

On account of Ilya Lyubimov, there are many roles of heroes of not the most “smooth” behavior. Therefore, it is difficult to draw a parallel between the actor and being churchly. Starting his acting career, Lyubimov could not resist the temptation of a bohemian lifestyle. Until almost thirty years old, he drank a lot and walked with various women. But at one point, the actor realized that he was wasting his life. In search of the truth, Ilya went to church. He made his first visit for the sake of interest, which turned into his Beloved true faith for life.

Then Ilya met Ekaterina Vilkova and invited her to become his legal wife. They had a real wedding night - up to this moment Lyubimov had lived in abstinence for several years. Today, the actor admits that only after believing in God he revealed the secret of a happy relationship. Ekaterina Vilkova and Ilya Lyubimov have two beautiful children.

Dmitry Dyuzhev

The image of Dyuzhev is always associated with the underworld. During his film career, he played many roles of lawbreakers. Who does not remember the same Kolmogorov from the film "Brigade" or Balabanov from the film "Zhmurki"? But the actor got such roles not because of his character, but because of his “specific” appearance.

In the life of an actor, everything is different - his main features are kindness and attentiveness. And he came to believe in God as a child, after a conversation with the priest. Then he decided to go to church himself, as he felt an incomprehensible heaviness on his soul. Years have passed since then, and Dmitry Dyuzhev continues his path of a believer. The actor visited many holy places, including making a pilgrimage to Holy Mount Athos. Sometimes, in order to retire from the bustle of the world and be alone with God, Dmitry Dyuzhev goes to the monastery, where he spends several days in prayers. The actor has played the role of the monk Job in the film "The Island".

Ekaterina Vasilieva

The talented actress Yekaterina Vasilyeva is remembered for many films - "Bumbarash", "Straw Hat", "Sorcerers", "Crew". It would seem that at the peak of popularity … But in 1993, Vasilyeva decides to leave not only her creative work, but also worldly life, and retire to a monastery. But at the insistence and blessing of her priest Vladimir, the actress returns to the stage. The father explained to Vasilyeva that people need her talent.

Ekaterina Vasilyeva raised her son, who became a priest, and now she is primarily the mother of a priest. The actress regrets that she spent many years in the dark, and if she had learned about God earlier, then most likely she would not have been an actress, but would have spent her life in a completely different way.

Nikita Mikhalkov

A talented actor and director Nikita Mikhalkov has been among believers since childhood. As they say, faith came to him with his mother's milk. Mikhalkov constantly expresses his attitude to Orthodoxy in his films and considers it an integral part of Russia. All in the family of the famous director are Orthodox and sincerely believers. In the rooms of his house, like real Christians, there are icons everywhere. Nikita Mikhalkov constantly shares his thoughts on religion and Russia in the Besogon TV program. He believes that the unification of the Russian people is impossible without the Orthodox faith.

Ivan Okhlobystin

Faith in God came to the actor only after meeting his future wife Oksana Arbuzova. Until that day, Okhlobystin was known as a merry fellow and a joker. The couple realized that it takes faith to build a strong and happy family. After two weeks of dating, Oksana and Ivan got married. And in 2001, the actor decided to change the scene to the altar and became a priest. But 10 years later, he asked the Patriarch to allow him to return to the acting environment again, since there was not enough money to feed a large family. Oksana and Ivan are raising six children.