Archpriest Peter Guryanov is the rector of the Church of the Queen of All Icon of the Mother of God in Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Province, Russia. He also serves as head of the Information and Publishing Department of the Melekess Diocese, Chairman of the Diocesan Commission on Family, Protection of Motherhood and Childhood, and member of the Dimitrovgrad city Cultural Council.
I’m often asked why I almost always wear my cassock everywhere—to the store, the market, the metro, on the bus, and just out on the street. Sometimes I even get this question from my fellow priests, with an ironic smile. To tell you the truth, even my wife sometimes throws in her two cents, if we’re going to the store with the children, asking if it’s worth drawing attention to ourselves by our appearance.
So why do I spend most of my time in clothes that match my rank?
This story is to blame: About three years ago, a young woman came to me for Confession in tears. She repented of wanting to commit suicide. There was a period in her life that could be called hell. This hell was in her mind, and therefore, all around her. There wasn’t a single drop of light, not a glimmer. It seemed like God had left her. I would say she was in severe despondency.
Then on that very day when she had finally decided to kill herself and had come to the pharmacy to get medicine that would help her commit this insanity, I was in line at the pharmacy in front of her. I was standing there in my cassock. Of course, I don’t remember this.
When she saw a priest, something stirred in her heart and she began to doubt that this was the right thing to do. She bought the drugs, but after staying awake all night, she chose to live.
Do you see? Simply the image of a priest in “combat gear” can change the way someone is thinking. And if I had been in regular clothes that day…? It’s scary to even think about what could’ve happened.
Since then, I try to wear my cassock all the time. In our times, I think this is even a confession of faith. After all, sometimes you get ridicule and sideways glances. But if the time comes when you no longer see Orthodox priests on the street, that will mean things are very bad for us… Is this what Christ God chose us for?
