Knights of Solo Voyage

I am publishing a very warm, friendly essay by the Russian and Italian writer and journalist Olivia Skanta (Olga Vasilyeva) about two outstanding sons of Russia - the People's Artist of the Soviet Union and the great traveler.

“During my life I realized that

joy of life is determined

action, attempt, effort,

and not success" (Fyodor Konyukhov)

At Epiphany on January 19 of this year, when on the stage of the Column Hall of the House of Unions in Moscow, in the midst of a raging ocean of human applause, a “young man of the middle generation” modestly stood, not realizing that he was the Knight of the Russian Land with the simple Russian name Mikhail Ivanovich, I truly I felt the joy of life rushing over me. On this day, on the day of his Jubilee, right on stage, the Hero of “Solo Voyage” received from life the most expensive gift - his own books. His many years of work unfolded on 1,150 pages, wrapped in a beautiful two-volume hardcover, and announced its name in golden letters: Mikhail Nozhkin. "Fulcrum" and "Be Human". “In joy and in trouble, in idleness and in work, choosing your own path, be a Man, be!”

Well, that seems to be all. He's happy. He is at the pinnacle of success and I am happy for him. I am also happy that I was able to serve this Russian Knight; that she took part in a creative voyage along the waves of his memory; that I also put a piece of my soul into the hard work of a Writer and Poet...

Yes, I received God’s gift to be close to a person close to me in spirit, a People’s Man, a living classic of the great Motherland, who remembers and loves him. Many years ago he declared his love for her. "I love you, Russia!" - he told her. And now I see how and with what she answers him. I see this on trips to different cities with Mikhail Ivanovich.

It seems to me that Russia is not just one country. Russia is a continent covering half of the globe, where people of different nationalities live, but are Russian in spirit. It seems to me that the world is divided into two parts - those to whom Russia is dear and those who always see it as an enemy... That is why the first part of the Earth’s population understands and accepts Mikhail Nozhkin, but the second does not, including in Russia itself , Unfortunately…

Of course, one must love Russia not with words, but with deeds. But it is here, in deeds, in works, that the Russian Knight Mikhail Ivanovich manifests himself. His creations unite peoples. His songs are heard in distant countries, in seas and oceans, in war and in peace. His songs are even sung by many representatives of the highest clergy of various Orthodox churches. Yes, yes, I was convinced of this myself...

This fall I visited Borodino Field with him - his poems and songs were performed there. Residents of Mozhaisk - the city of St. Nicholas - sang in the choir with members of the Union of Writers of Russia: “...Many times you were tortured - to be Russia or not to be. Many times they tried to kill the Russian soul in you. But I know you cannot be broken or intimidated. You, my dear Motherland, are dear to me freely!”

As in Rzhev, where his song became the anthem of the hero city: “Near Rzhev the grass turned red for centuries from blood, near Rzhev to this day crazy nightingales sing about how great, long, difficult battles were fought near Rzhev, near the small town of Rzhev.” ...

Then we were in Belgorod at the Golden Knight film festival, and here - “ on the Prokhorovsky field - there was silence, simple and holy, like prayer. Was there really a war here, for the Motherland, for you and me?”… - the song of “Golden Knight” by Mikhail Nozhkin thundered.

What about people? People, different in nationality, in character, in culture, but Russian in spirit, all merge in the single Russian word of his song, and the result is a huge military force of the choir, ready to go to the “Last Battle”... And so everywhere, throughout Russia, and beyond. For example, in Italy... Recently I traveled in the footsteps of the great Russian commander Alexander Suvorov. In the small town of Lomello, inside an ancient monastery stands his bronze bust. And he is so warm and dear - our generalissimo, that I involuntarily reached out to him with my hand and began to sing... It seemed to me that if Alexander Vasilyevich woke up now, he would gladly sing along to us all: “ A little more, a little more... The Last Battle - he is the most difficult. And I want to go home to Russia, I haven’t seen my mother for so long.”... And then he would wink at me and say: “Oh, Nozhkin!”...

Yes, I am happy to look at the world through the eyes of Mikhail Nozhkin’s assistant. And then another recent meeting struck me right in the heart... A meeting of two elements - Earth and Ocean. I have never seen anything like this before!

At the Paveletskaya metro station, Mikhail Ivanovich and I were met by a short man with a cane in his hands. He called himself Alexander Viktorovich. He took us to a Moscow courtyard, inside which stood a MIRACLE... - The Chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, surrounded by a small fortress wall.

Near the wall there are sculptures of Russian heroes: Ermak, Ushakov, Nakhimov, and right at the entrance - the Crucifixion of the Holy Apostle Andrew and Sergius of Radonezh.

The gate opened, and a priest literally flew out to meet us. Miracle priest! Father Fedor. He is a great navigator, a sea captain who has sailed many times across all the seas and oceans of the globe, the first and only person in the world who has reached the five poles of our planet. He is the first Russian who was able to climb to the top of Everest and, in addition, to all the highest peaks of our Earth. He is the one who reached Cape Horn. He is the one who made a solo voyage around Antarctica, and our wonderful contemporary accomplished many other amazing and great things. He is also a sculptor and artist, the author of more than 3,000 paintings. He is also a member of the Union of Writers of Russia. He is also an Honored Master of Sports. He is a simple, modest man named Fyodor Filippovich Konyukhov, who was born on December 12, 1951 on the shores of the Azov Sea. A real earthly person with a marine character, a bright Divine soul and sky-blue eyes. And Father Fedor became an Orthodox priest quite recently. And this is another amazing fact in the life of the great traveler!...

I observed with what extraordinary joy two Russian legendary people met - Mikhail Nozhkin and Fyodor Konyukhov. They hugged like twin brothers who met after a long painful separation, each going through fire and water separately... Two heroes of Solo Voyage met!

First, Father Fyodor took us to the chapel to light candles and venerate pieces of the relics of the great Admiral Fyodor Ushakov and other holy relics, and then invited us to the upper deck of his yacht monastery. Amazing construction of this mini-monastery! On the lower deck there is Father Fyodor’s cell, a dining room, and some other rooms, and on the upper deck there is the priest’s studio with an iconostasis and his own paintings. On the wall hangs an icon of the Holy Great Martyr Nikolai Konyukhov, the ancestor of Father Fyodor (in total, he has five holy ancestors in his family!). Now it is clear where he gets God’s help and protection, without which it is impossible for an ordinary person to accomplish so many achievements and deeds for the glory of Man! Nearby there is an icon of St. Fyodor Ushakov, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and many, many other sacred faces. Oak tables and chairs, benches, armchairs... And in general everything, like on a yacht...

Friends, of course, exchanged books. The gift went to me too. Can you imagine how lucky it is to receive Fyodor Konyukhov’s book “Under Scarlet Sails” as a gift! And even with his autograph: “Olya! I wish you to pass your Spiritual Cape Horn!” I just wanted to immediately stand under the scarlet sail and fly towards the stormy ocean... “ I set off on my first trip around the world, driven, first of all, by curiosity and passion for sports. All subsequent voyages around the world are to see the Lord God…” the author writes in his book.

Mikhail Ivanovich received the book “The Ocean is My Abode”, where the author wrote: “To Mikhail Nozhkin - my Friend since 1969. I wish to climb my Spiritual Everest – 8,848 m.” In turn, Mikhail Ivanovich gave Father Fyodor his two-volume book and five discs with his songs. My God, how childishly and sincerely the great traveler was delighted with such a gift. He said that with the songs of Mikhail Nozhkin it is easier for him to overcome the harshest and most dangerous parts of the World Ocean. Such an assessment is worth a lot!

So what? Do you think this is the end of the heroic journeys of Fyodor Konyukhov? Nothing like that! Just recently, in May of this year, now a priest, Father Fedor, again climbed the highest peak in the world - Everest! Moreover, he climbed the most dangerous, inaccessible, almost vertical, northern slope! Moreover, at the same time, he raised and strengthened a two-meter Orthodox cross at an altitude of about 7,000 meters! And then he got to the very top of Everest and unfurled the St. Andrew’s flag there, at an altitude of 8,848 meters! Isn't this a MIRACLE!...

The friends talked for a long time over a cup of tea. Mikhail Ivanovich also told Father Fyodor and his friends who were nearby a lot of unknown things. I read to them my poem “Kiev Lavra”: “... We have been tempered in the struggle for a long time, our strength is great in unity. Our powerful choir will never be drowned out. And together with the Lavra we will stand for centuries!” ... Everyone listened to him carefully and with deep interest, especially the story about little-known facts from the ancient history of Russia, in particular from the life of another great Russian traveler, and, moreover, the military intelligence general of the Russian Imperial Army - Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky.

The conversation ended with the decision to install a separate memorial plaque to this great traveler and scout in the monastery of Father Fedor! As for the little-known facts from Przhevalsky’s life, that’s a separate conversation...

At parting, Father Fyodor blessed Mikhail Ivanovich and me, and from the touch of his hand on my head, some kind of hot inner power ran through my entire body - the Divine power of Love! The saying is truly true that all people bring happiness - some by their presence, others by their absence... The presence on our planet of such living giants as Fyodor Konyukhov and Mikhail Nozhkin should bring happiness to people! Happiness, because humanity has a chance to be cleansed of filth! As Father Fyodor punishes his descendants: “ Russian blood flows inside you. Don't forget this. You are the ones who know your native language, the great Russian language given to the great people. Who knows their history, its great pages. Who honors native heroes and Orthodox saints. Who believes in God. Who is faithful to the Russian Orthodox Church."

I have nothing more to add...