14 Schmemann Anya

OUR MOTHERS AMONG THE SAINTS
Juliana Ossorguine Schmemann,

1923–2017
Anya Schmemann
My grandmother, Juliana Schmemann, world, something she acknowledged Note: Juliana Schme-
was both larger than life and full of life. was both a challenge and a blessing. mann was a Russian
émigrée born and
It is hard to imagine her gone, since she educated in France.
was such a force of nature, a true ma- In an era when many women strug- After moving to
triarch of our large extended family, gled to find balance between work and the U.S., she had a
and a lifelong educator who touched home, she truly “had it all,” as a loving long and influential
career as an educator,
so many with her wisdom and love. mother and grandmother, a devoted speaker, writer, and
wife and member of the Church, and a spiritual guide.
Together with my grandfather, Father successful educator and headmistress
Alexander Schmemann, who died in who inspired generations of students.
1983, Juliana devoted her life to the It is remarkable to think how she ar-
formation of the Orthodox Church in rived in America as a young woman
America, an endeavor that embod- with small children and hardly a word
ied not only their faith but also their of English, proceeded to work at some
abiding love for America, the land to of the most prestigious schools in New
which they came as a young couple York, and earned accolades and awards
with three children. Juliana was a firm as her career progressed.
pillar of our faith community and a
mentor and inspiration to many at St. I was fortunate to live with my grand-
Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Sem- mother for four years while attending
inary and beyond. high school in New York City. Our life
was very cozy and full of little rituals.
Juliana was born to a noble Russian At home, after a long day at school, she
family whose life, in Russia and in em- would watch her favorite TV shows
igration, revolved around the Church. and catch up on correspondence. Peo-
Her grandfather was the priest in their ple were often surprised to learn that
chapel in Clamart, France, her father she loved to watch any and all sports,
the choir director, and her extended especially football, and also devoured
family the choir and parishioners. romance and mystery novels. I believe
that the combination of her European
Her deep faith was central to the way intellectualism and her embrace of
she lived her life, full of joy, gratitude, American culture was part of what
and verve. “Joy” was her mantra and a made her so approachable to so many.
recurring theme in her two books and
in the many talks she gave to church Our daily commute from Westchester
groups. As an accomplished career to Manhattan afforded us the chance
woman, she was intensely interested to discuss literature, philosophy, and
in the challenge of living as a devout life. A lifelong teacher, she was fiercely
Orthodox Christian in the modern intellectual and inquisitive, and loved
The Wheel 9 / 10 | Spring / Summer 2017 77

whiners! A serial optimist herself, she
believed in disposing of life’s lemons
and making the best of any situation.
“Find joy!” she would exclaim, and
it was hard to disobey when she so
clearly found joy all around her.
My grandmother often reflected on the

example set forth by her namesake and
ancestor, Saint Juliana of Lazerevo,
who married at a young age and raised
a large family, but found time to minis-
ter to the poor and sick as well as pray
and fast. Saint Juliana was known for
her piety, selflessness, and kindness—
and for living a spiritual life while also
nothing more than a good debate. She tending to her everyday domestic con-
had strong opinions, but was neither cerns.
rigid nor dogmatic. Rather, she was
a keen listener, asking probing ques- Like Saint Juliana, my grandmother
tions, offering her own insights, and was a real person living in the real
challenging others to articulate and de- world and doing her best to live the
fend their views. gospel on her own terms. Her flaws,
such as they were, were part of her in-
At the top private girls’ schools in Man- imitable persona. She was a busybody,
hattan, where she taught for over forty a drama queen, a bossy-pants! She
years, she was popular and beloved. filled every room she was in with her
Her students remember her as “the enormous and indomitable personal-
great Madame.” “Strong and vibrant,” ity. We all slightly feared her even as
one remembered; “kind, insightful, we adored her.
strong, and funny,” said another; “a
unique combination of rigorous and At our cherished summer retreat in
warm!” gushed yet another. To this Labelle, Quebec, she would reign over
day, I am often approached by elegant her little living room as if it was a royal
women at social functions who ask, salon. Friends and relatives, for many
shyly, could I possibly be related to of whom she was “Babu” or “Tyotya
Madame? There is always such plea- Liana,” would file in to pay their re-
sure when I respond that yes, I am. spects, share the latest news, and seek
her guidance. After one particularly
While Juliana had degrees in classics busy day of visitors I remember ask-
and taught language and literature, ing if she was tired. “Not at all!” she
she was in her heart a student of hu- exclaimed, her eyes shining, “I love it!”
man nature. She was fascinated by the
foibles of human beings, and her home And this is how we remember her –
was a virtual therapist’s couch. Many brimming with vitality, vim, and vigor,
sought her spiritual guidance and wise and with a great love of life. Up to the
counsel. How often I remember her on very end, even when her body was
the telephone with various callers, dol- failing, her mind remained sharp and
ing out warm but stern advice. She cer- her joie de vivre intact. On our last visit
tainly did not abide complainers and with her, not long before she passed
78
away, she animatedly debated politics “Joy is an effort, a daily exercise of see- 1
Juliana Schmemann
with us and grilled our teenage boys ing the beauty of one’s life, through in Masha Tkachuk,
“Joy, Gratitude,
on their interests and ambitions. Her thick and thin; of singing ‘Alleluia!’ on Freedom: An Inter-
joy and pride in us was palpable and a happy day as well as on one’s dying view with Juliana
made us want to be our best selves. day … Joy then becomes a habit, an Schmemann,” St.
attitude, a state of being.” —Juliana Nina Quarterly 2:4
(Fall 1998).
May her memory be eternal! Schmemann1
Juliana Ossorguine Schmemann,

1923–2017
Masha Tkachuk
My mother was blessed with a long, She loved being part of our parish, 1
Juliana Schme-
productive and fruitful life. However, The Sign of the Theotokos. She par- mann, My Journey
with Father Alexander
her last years on earth were difficult ticipated fully in parish life, attending (Montreal: Alexander
because she had a serious illness most services, taking part in commu- Press, 2006); Juliana
which weakened her progressively. nity events, and speaking at assem- Schmemann, The Joy
to Serve (Montreal: Al-
For an energetic, vibrant personal- blies and conferences. She was a great exander Press, 2009).
ity, this weakness was a challenge. support to my husband, Father John,
Nevertheless, Juliana was not one to encouraging him in his service, espe-
give in easily. She fought every step cially when faced with difficulties.
of the way and refused to curtail her
activities. She wrote two books when In time her illness weakened her, and
already quite ill.1 She continued to be she had to accept that she needed
interested in all aspects of life: politics, more help on a daily basis. So the
the Church, her large family, and her time came for her to live in an assisted
circle of friends, who sought her out living home in New York, close to
and enjoyed many cups of tea in her family, and finally in a nursing home
cozy Montreal apartment. where she ended her days cared for by
a wonderful team of caregivers.
I was blessed to spend ten years next
door to my mother. She came to Mon- So far I have discussed my mother’s
treal when it became clear that she twilight years. Now I would like to
should live close to someone in her move back in time, when a young
family. And when I look back on those woman had the courage to follow her
years, it was truly a blessing. When husband to North America, leaving
she first came, I was working full time most of her family behind. She had
as a teacher. I would come over for to learn a new language, find a job
© 2017 The Wheel.
tea after school and tell her about my as quickly as possible, and place her May be distributed for
day. She was always interested and three children in schools. She accom- noncommercial use.
enjoyed listening to my stories. plished these tasks with remarkable www.wheeljournal.com
The Wheel 9 / 10 | Spring / Summer 2017 79

14 Schmemann Anya

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OUR MOTHERS AMONG THE SAINTS

Juliana Ossorguine Schmemann,

The Wheel 9 / 10 | Spring / Summer 2017 77

My grandmother often reflected on the

Juliana Ossorguine Schmemann,

The Wheel 9 / 10 | Spring / Summer 2017 79

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