April 11, 2011
Hegumen Job (Talats), the patriarchial metochion's rector of Transfiguration Church in Zvyozdny Gorodok (Star City), gave evidence that neither Yuri Gagarin, nor Sergei Korolev were atheists.
"Yuri Gagarin baptized his elder daughter Yelena shortly before his space flight; and his family used to celebrate Christmas and Easter and keep icons in the house," Father Job said in an interview to the April issue of Vima magazine.
He also recalled that Gagarin urged the authorities to reconstruct Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.
"Sergei Korolev lost faith for some time but eventually regained it through suffering and temptations. Of course, he could not make it public but he used to pray and confess. Now I am trying to find out who was his confessor," Father Job said.
As a child, Father Job was dreaming of becoming a cosmonaut. Even as a priest, he completed a series of cosmonaut training to better understand these people. He sees the Russian cosmonaut teams off to Baikonur and meets the crews returning from space.
In his monastery (Father Job is a monk at the Trinity Laura of St. Sergius), he has a telescope, binoculars and many books on astronomy.
According to Father Job, sins are preventing people from further outer space exploration.
"I was once asked, 'Father Job, why do we fail to move further on in space?' I answered, "We have already damaged the Earth; so do you want to damage the whole Universe? Look what's going on around here - robbery, murders, violence, deception, and we shall carry our wickedness further out. Therefore, God does not let us move on. While we are in the process of moral growth, we shall not go far away from the Earth," the priest said.
Read also:
The Confessor of the Astronauts
Church Asks Gagarin's Daughter To Allow Services in Kremlin Church of St. John of the Ladder Whose Feast Day Coincides With Cosmonautics Day
