“The Gospel of Dostoevsky”

On June 22, 2021, in the central building of the State Museum of the History of Russian Literature, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk presented his new book, The Gospel of Dostoevsky. During the presentation, Bishop Hilarion shared that Fyodor Dostoevsky played a very important role in his spiritual biography.

– I met this writer in my early youth. As a student, I reread almost all of his works. After that, for many years I practically did not return to his books, but his image and his ideas have always been present in my life – said the archpastor.

Metropolitan Hilarion explained that he drew inspiration for the book from a film about the facsimile edition of the Gospel belonging to Fyodor Dostoevsky, which he had read all his life.

– The title of my book – “The Gospel of Dostoevsky” – has a double meaning. First, I am talking about the Gospel of Dostoevsky itself – the book he read until his death.

This book is still kept in the Russian State Library and I had the opportunity and happiness to hold it in my hands – said the priest.

– The second meaning of the title is a look at Dostoevsky’s spiritual path, the attention with which he studies the Holy Scriptures and the reflection of Christian ideas in his books. In all his major works, Dostoevsky, in one way or another, tries to approach the radiant image of Christ… This is the good news that he conveys through his work to his contemporaries and their descendants, including all of us and future generations – said The Metropolitan of Volokolamsk.

He added that this indisputable classic of literature can be described as “a prophet and an apostle in our time of unbelief, of so-called pluralism, when all religious traditions are presented as if they were on the market.”

“Dostoevsky addresses people all over the world in different languages, testifies to Christ and how the Orthodox man experiences Christ,” concluded Metropolitan Hilarion.