Among his first teachers was Pyotr Konstantinovich Sumarokov, a priest's son, who was in his turn a student of Vasily Rozanov.

His other teachers were several hundred volumes of theological literature from his family library.

In 1962–74, he worked first at the Khudozhestvennaya Literatura Publishing House, then on the radio (in the Spanish and then in the Brazilian section) and finally at the poetry division of Youth magazine.

In the 1970s, he spent much time in the northern parts of Russia, studying icons and local crafts.

Also in the 1980s, he wrote the novels The Face-maker and the Muse, Sleeper at Harvest Time, and Stavr and Sarah.