Alexey Pluzhnikov: “The goal of“ Achilles ”is to give the site to those who have something to say, but nowhere to” ”

“I hope for a revolution in the Russian Orthodox Church” - an article with such a heading in the last three days has shaved (with skeptical or approval comments) hundreds of Orthodox users of social networks. The frank text turned out to be anonymous, but the resource where it was published was “Achille” - created Alexei Pluzhnikov, who does not hide that he had a priestly dignity until January 2015. COLTA . RU found out that it prompted the former cleric of the Volgograd and Kamyshin diocese to create its own media criticizing the Russian Orthodox Church.

- When did your project start?

- The first publication is February 2, 2017.

- Was this your own idea? How did it arise?

- The idea in my head was spinning for a long time, since I was a regular priest, but, of course, it was impossible to think about its implementation at that time. A few years ago, together with the abbot Ignatius (Dushin), we did the Psevdo.net project, dedicated to various aspects of pseudo -spirituality in the life of the Church, where articles were published with criticism of Lges, pravchudes, the worship of Slavik Chebarkulsky ( a boy who died at the age of 10, whom some believers consider to be a miracle worker . - Ed. ) And the like.) And the like.) Books that are contrary to Christian creed, but pretend to be Orthodox. But subsequently, the abbot Ignatius left the Russian Orthodox Church, for some time I supported the site alone, but then closed it because I stopped writing on these topics. The appearance of Achilles is the result of a long -term realization that the project, frankly talking about the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, should be: I have unknown other projects of this direction, and people have such a need.

- The Achille mentions the revealing book of Maria Kikot “The Confession of the Former Poiner”, which caused a great resonance among Orthodox readers . She played a role in the fact that your resource appeared?

- Yes, played. She came across to me on the Internet even before she became a book, someone reposted (initially the “confession” was published in the LiveJournal of Maria Kikot. - Ed. ). The history of Masha for many has become an indicator that it is time to openly talk about the problems of intra -church life, without looking back at the "blessing" of the authorities. And the fierce reaction to the book “The Confession of the Former Poiner” is a vivid example of what the said in the book hurt many painful places.

- Please tell us a little about yourself. Where did you study? Why did you decide to become a priest?

- I graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the Volgograd State University, for two years I worked at the school as a history teacher. The priest became the same for the same reason why many hot neophytes become priests: he wanted to serve God at the throne. They ordered me in 2003, served in Volgograd, left the priests of his own free will in 2015 for personal reasons. Since I left my family and the parish, I automatically followed the ban on the clergy. I filed a petition for the removal of the dignity, but I do not know the future fate of this petition - perhaps I am still listed in the ban.

- You say that you could leave the church and for ideological reasons. Can you name these ideological reasons?

-Over the years of service in the dignity, I realized that the entire system of patriarchy-election life was built on two pillars: power and money. Around this, many loud and beautiful words are said about spirituality, mission, social work, even about God is recalled, but in fact parishioners are perceived as a source of income for the hierarchy, therefore, “mission” in reality is an increase in the number of consumers of spiritual services. And priests perform the function of managers from which the construction of the temple, finding the sponsor, regular payments of contributions to the diocese and the patriarchal are required. The whole system of diocesan life is formalized, dead, it exists only for a checkmark, for a report. Since the Patriarchate of Cyril, everything has only worsened. And after 2012 (after the case Pussy Riot ) The transformation of the Russian Orthodox Church into an ideological appendage of the state took shape completely.

- When did you realize that everything was not quite as it seemed to you when you were ordained?

- When I was ordained, I did not know anything of this, I was a parishioner for only a few years, I was present at worship, I did not see the intra -system of the Russian Orthodox Church, but I was brought up on the beautiful books of Metropolitan Anthony Surozhsky, Andrei Kuraev, Protopresviter Alexander Shmeman.

Although the first bells were heard before the ordination, but I tried not to notice them, I was, as they say, in the “neophytic enthusiasm”, glowing with the desire to serve - to perform a liturgy. But, already becoming a priest, I saw the system from the inside, every year this knowledge was deepened and led to the "breakdown of the template."

The whole system of diocesan life is formalized, dead, it exists only for a checkmark, for a report. Since the Patriarchate of Cyril, everything has only worsened.

- Excuse me, I understand that the question is personal, but I can’t help but ask it. Are you now a parishioner of the Orthodox Church? Have you remained a Christian or lost faith?

- Now I am not a parishioner, I do not participate in the sacraments, although occasionally I go to the temple. I have not lost faith, but the relationship with God now is our personal business with Him.

- You write in your manifesto that now you are a journalist; Do you cooperate with some other publications or are you completely devoting yourself to Achilles?

- I’ll clarify that the “manifesto” is a half -joking name, you don’t have to perceive it too seriously: this is just an explanation, a story about plans. And I am a beginner journalist - I was a publicist for several years, and I only try on the profession of a journalist. At the moment, I do not cooperate with other publications, but is open to this. In the Orthodox media, the road was ordered to me forever, but contact with secular media is quite possible. I still can’t devote myself completely to “Achille” - I have to earn a living in other ways.

- You in the manifesto are concerned about an important problem: the official Orthodox media practically do not write about the real situation within the Russian Orthodox Church, and the secular media understand very little in the life of the church in principle. In addition, the Russian Orthodox Church is also a very closed and opaque structure. It turns out that it is almost impossible to write and tell about the Church the truth or from the inside?

- You have absolutely correctly formulated the problem - therefore, in the current situation, you can write about real problems either former clerics that have nothing to lose, or employees of clergy, but anonymously. Of course, the laity who know the diocesan life from the inside can, of course, but there are quite few of them. This is the goal of Achilles - to give the site to those who have something to say, but nowhere.

- Who makes Achilles together with you?

- Except for the authors, then I am alone: ​​both the technical side and editing, my own column, the search for the authors - everything is on me. Therefore, more than one, maximum two materials per day is not possible to publish.

- That is, you and the site made yourself?

- I made the site myself, hosting immediately went with a pre -installed WordPress , the design template is also taken with WordPress . He finished the rest, studying along the way. By the way, there are still many improvements, a technical specialist who constantly controls the process would not have interfered.

-Do you generally assume in the future if you do not create an editorial office, then find some permanent employees?

- Of course, I suppose. I hope to develop Achilles once to the real media, but it’s too early to talk about it.

- You are collecting donations for the project. But for launch, did you need some initial monetary resource?

- To launch the resource, it was only necessary to pay for the domain name and the first month of the hosting - this was enough for its own funds. In the future, we hope for the help of readers. We do not think about sponsors or trustees - usually this turns into the need to take into account the opinion of those who give money. If readers will help - well, no - we will work slowly, as we need.

- You say - "We."

- “We” are me, the authors, the friends of the project and my friends are those who support the project and me with a word, advice, sympathy. I do not want to say “I” because I’m trying to get away from the concept that “Achilles” is a purely my personal blog. I hope to create a platform for the authors, now I often have to write myself, because so far the authors are just starting to gather.

-Any funds are already entering your account?

- So far, the most minimal, but some readers have connected, together with donations they send touching messages: “Hold on,“ Achilles ”!”, “Save, Lord!”

- Where and how do you find the authors?

- Well, I have been in the blogosphere since 2009 (I started in LiveJournal), I know quite a few people, and they know me - both personally and as an author: I published my articles for many years, issued three books. So some authors find me, some - I myself.

- Have you published articles in church media?

- Several years in the diocesan newspaper, in his Psevdo.net project, on the Russian Line (before their split), on the website of the Temple of John the Baptist (Moscow), on Pravmir and other resources.

- What are your books about?

- The first book is “Illusions of spiritual life: what are we looking for in faith?” - A collection of my articles in which pseudo -spiritual books, articles and phenomena of church life were criticized. The second is “Avva-Online. Internet posts of the parish priest ”, the third-“ Parish life: joy and temptation ”. The last two books are stories from the parish life that I recorded regularly in my LiveJournal. All three books were published in the publishing house "Danilovsky Besight." The last two are still sold in church shops and online stores.

Ten years ago, with freedom of speech in the Orthodox media was a little better, there were hopes for some liberal resources, but then they dragged on the nuts, they asked all the bold authors to the door on instructions from above, squeezed out in marginals.

- Do the current clerics and parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church agree to write for you?

- So far, it’s too early to say: only one and a half dozen materials came out, half of which are the editor columns, that is, mine. But the first authors are already - both anonymous (clergy and laity). There will be materials from clergy under their own name. Our authors somehow had or are related to the Russian Orthodox Church. But it would also be interesting for me to interact with the authors of other Christian directions so that they talk about their experience or about the experience of contacts with Orthodoxy.

- Is your project devoted only to church and near -church topics?

- So far, mostly church, but there is a desire in the future to affect social, cultural topics. I do not want Achilles to be perceived only as a place, “where the Russian Orthodox Church is scolded,” so we will have materials about good, bright in the church and in the world - necessarily.

- What media do you usually read?

- Usually I only look at them fluently in search of information, I prefer books to read. Interfax-religion, RIA Novosti, Gazetu.ru, for example. Sometimes I look at the same Colt, at the Medusa.

-And some of the Orthodox media?

- No. Self -identification “Orthodox” imposes the hand of Vladimir Legoyda on the media (chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate on the relationship of the Church with society and the media. - Ed. ), The need to comply with the Policy of the SCO, to receive a “blessing”. The same Orthodox media who expose themselves as “opposition” are most often either roughly obscurantist or ultra -right. Ten years ago, with freedom of speech in the Orthodox media was a little better, there were hopes for some liberal resources, but then they dragged on the nuts, they asked all the bold authors to the door on instructions from above, squeezed out in marginals; Now only in blogs you can find frank statements, but even then most often - again anonymous.

-Do you focus on some publications in working on Achilles?

- No, I'm trying not to imitate anyone. I can’t say that I know all the media well, especially secular.

- Who is your reader, for whom do you write?

- I hope that the reader of Achilles is the one who does not care what is happening in the church: it does not matter whether he, a parishioner, a cleric, a former Orthodox or a person from the outside. Even atheists, anti -iclales in their claims to the Church - often rude and inadequate - show their indifference: they want at least the church show an example of truthfulness, the lack of human rights and hypocrisy, observing their own principles. Therefore, for our reader, faith, religion, Christianity, church, honesty is not an empty phrase, but something important: maybe a sick, rejected or sought -hearted - but important or at least interesting.

- Is it important for you to become more readers? Do you promote the project somehow?

- Of course, it is important, but, I repeat, we are at the stage of formation. There are more and more readers. So far, we advance only through social networks - in the first and main line, through Facebook: through the Achilles page and reposts on my personal page. Also in other social networks, but everything is at the initial stage. The first text from the project “Confession of an anonymous priest” gave 30 thousand views, hundreds of reposts and comments in two days.

- Have you already encountered a reaction to your texts by the official representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church or the Orthodox media?

- Not yet, but sooner or later we will be encountered, although, perhaps, the tactics of silence will be undertaken that Achilles do not exist. Or in the form that is already manifested in the comments of some adherents of the General Line of the Party: they say, these are “revenge of the offended former”, exiled (all the sins of the editor and authors of the “Achilles”), or “ordered, are paid”. But without it nowhere. Once again it is worth clarifying: “Achilles” is not a worldview project that wants to prove something, “arrange a revolution in the Russian Orthodox Church”, to denigrate or take revenge: this is a platform for independent opinions about life inside the church, sketches, sketches from nature, and let the readers draw conclusions themselves. We have peaceful goals - just to speak freely, without fear of the slap in the “spiritual lord”. But for some, the frank word is worse than the guns ...

- Suppose everything will go well, you will have materials about what really happens in the Russian Orthodox Church. What will this change?

- The opportunity to speak freely, freely think, without fear of shouts from above, will already be a great achievement. The task of the media is to provide information, preferably true. And already changes depend on the people themselves.