Saint Ambrosii of Belaya Krinitsa - Exile and Death

Exile and Death

In response to diplomatic pressure, the Austrian-Hungarian authorities closed the monastery of Belaya Krinitsa on 3 March 1848, and Metropolitan Ambrosii was sent into exile in Tzill in Styria. After the outbreak of revolutions in Vienna, with the assistance of Count Kolovrat, the Minister mentioned, the monastery of Belaya Krinitsa was reopened at the end of 1848, though the Metropolitan had to remain in exile. The successor of the latter was Antonii (Shutov), who became the first Old Believers' archbishop of Moscow.

Metropolitan Ambrosii lived fifteen years in exile and suffered from his isolation. Nonetheless he had helpend the Old Believers in their need to establish a full Church Hierarchy. He saw this as the Will of God. On 28 October 1863 he sent his last official act as primate of the Russian Old Believer Archbishop Antonii and all the bishops under his jurisdiction. The document begins with the words: "For the mercy of God, the humble Archbishop and Metropolitan of all the Old-Rite Orthodox, Ambrosii." In the text he expresses regret that he lived so far away from his flock, and that his health did not allow him to do more, but that he remains open to discuss any issue relating to the church people, under his spiritual care. This document clearly refuted allegations from some enemies of the Old Faith that wanted people to believe that the Holy Metropolitan had eventually rejected his flock.

Metropolitan Ambrosii died in 1863. Metropolitan Kirill held his funeral at Belaya Krinitsa monastery, but the Metropolitan was buried in the Greek-Orthodox cemetery of Trieste.