Thirty-one other saints, whose names are known to God alone.

In addition, there are fragrant myrrh-streaming skulls of thirty-one other saints, whose names are known to God alone. The relics of thirty-three saints repose open in Theodosius’ cave and thirteen saints repose in the caves of their reclusion. The common celebration of all these saints of the Far Caves is on August 28/September 10. They are also celebrated on the dates shown for each.

By the holy prayers of these men who became angels on earth before becoming citizens of heaven, may we find strength to struggle and defeat the evil-one and save our souls, giving all glory, honour and adoration to One God in Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen!

Venerable Martirius the Recluse

(25 October/7 November)

Nothing is known of the life and struggles of this holy man.

Venerable Anatoly the Recluse

(3/16 July)

This Holy Father was an anchorite and struggler who reclused himself up in a tiny cave. His relics rest uncorrupted in the caves and have been glorified by many miraculous healings.

Venerable Theodore the Hesychast

(17 February/2 March)

Along with his many other struggles, St Theodore practised strict silence, constant prayer, and internal work. For him, silence was a means of unceasing contemplation of God, a means by which his mind could dwell undistracted in the inner sanctuary of his heart. This Holy Father had the gift of wonderworking.

Venerable Lucian the Hyeromartyr

( 15 / 28 October)

There is an inscription on an ancient icon of the saint reading the following, ‘Lukian the Hyeromartyr suffered from Batu in about 1243.’ Nothing else is known of the saint.

Venerable Euphrosyne, Abbess of Polotsk

(23 May/5 June)

Before baptism, her name was Predislava. Euphrosyne was the daughter of Svyatoslav—George Vsevolodovich, Prince of Polotsk and grandson of the holy Prince Vladimir. After her baptism, holy princess dedicated herself to learning the Divine Scriptures and the writings of the fathers. Word of her wisdom and beauty spread everywhere but being wise spiritually, she refused marriage and renounced the wealth of this world. She was tonsured into a nunnery. At first, the saint lived in Sofia Church in Polotsk copying sacred books and distributing alms to the poor. Then, she moved to a small village where she had a stone church built. There she founded a nunnery. Soon, her sister Eudokia, her cousin and two nieces joined her. Later, she had another stone church built in honour of the Most Holy Theotokos where she founded a men’s monastery. She donated an icon of Theotokos painted by Evangelist Luke at Ephesus to the monastery. She received the icon from the Emperor of Constantinople Manuel and the Patriarch.

St Euphrosyne had a great desire to visit Jerusalem and reverence the holy places. She and her brother David set out together and visited the holy places of Palestine. She prayed the Lord that she ended her days in Jerusalem. The Lord heard her prayers and Euphrosyne reposed on May 23, 1170 and was buried in Jerusalem Coenobitic Monastery of St Theodosius, in the Church of Theotokos. During the conquest of Palestine by Saladin, her uncorrupted relics were transferred to Kiev and placed in the cave of St Theodosius.

Venerable Dionysius Schepa

(3/16 October)

This Holy Father is briefly mentioned in the early Paterikon in connection with the miracle, which occurred in the cave on Easter in 1453. On the day of the Holy Pascha he went into the cave of St Anthony in order to incense the relics of the saints. When he came to a small hall of the cave, he pronounced loudly, ‘Holy Fathers and brothers! It is a great day today! Christ Resurrected!’ Immediately a thunderous voice, as if a unified voice from the sacred relics, responded, ‘Truly He Resurrected!’ After the miracle, St Dionysius spent the rest of his life in reclusion.

Venerable Joseph the Ill

(4 /17 April)

St Joseph had been ill for many years. At length, he promised to serve God at the holy Cave Monastery if he were granted his health. The Lord heard his prayer and he became well. Therefore, he came to the monastery and struggled diligently until his blessed repose.

Venerable Paphnutius

(15/28 February)

St Paphnutius received a gift of unceasing tears. He always had his death hour in his mind; he imagined the time when God’s angels would separate the soul from the body and the deeds would go with it. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Mat. 5, 4).

Venerable Pior the Recluse

(Cheese Saturday)

This Holy Father was greatly renowned for his hard working and fasting, so that his memory is, by custom, celebrated on Cheese Saturday at the beginning of the Great Lent.

Venerable Cassian the Recluse

(28 February/13 March)

This Holy Father acquired great power over demons through humility and meekness. He made the demons declare that there were many monks in the Caves who could cast them out. St Cassian ended his days as a recluse.

Venerable Euthymius the Hieroschemamonk

(20 January/2 February)

St Euthymius lived a pure and silent life imitating the monastic virtues of the saints. By his constant prayers, he attained spiritual communion and became a converser with angels. After he received the schema, he gave himself over to complete hesychia and spoke to no one. The only words that passed his lips were prayers in church or in his cell.

Venerable Martirius the Deacon

(25 October/7 November)

Because of his great purity and struggles, St Martirius had a gift of wonderworking. He had great boldness before God; he always received what he asked for, while serving on the ambo: either healing from illness or in fulfilling some good intention with God’s help. St Martirius was terrifying to demons and he could banish them from people by his prayers. After lengthy struggles and monastic labours, he passed to God Who he had served, and his relics rest in the caves.

Venerable Theophilus, Bishop of Novgorod and Pskov

(26 October/8 November)

When St Jonah reposed on December 5, 1471, the people of Novgorod chose the archdeacon of Otensk Hermitage, Theophil, as a new Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov, by lot. He was consecrated on December 15, 1472, in Moscow. It was a very difficult time for the prelate to shepherd his flock. The governor of the city, Martha Boretskaya and her adherents, aroused people against the Great Prince Ioann, while monk Pimen, a friend of Boretsky’s, sowed hatred toward the archbishop. Some of the rebels wanted to place Novgorod under the protection of Lithuania. They were ready to betray the tsar and waiver of Orthodox faith of their ancestors. ‘Do not betray Orthodoxy,’ St Theophilus told them, ‘for I will not be a pastor to apostates, but will return to the humble cell from which you brought me to this disgraceful rebellion.’

The blinded people did not heed the pastor’s words. War broke out. Many times beaten Novgorodians were compelled to ask for mercy. Theophilus was their intercessor. Many Novgorod boyars were obligated to him for their freedom from Lithuanian prisons.

In 1478, he tried to convince the Prince to lift his siege of the city in vain, but Ioann kept in place until, at last, he was able to enter the city and take it. On January 19, 1480, Theophilus was removed because of slanders and was sent as an exile to Chudov Monastery near Moscow. In 1485, the saint became very ill. At that time, St Nephon, the reposed bishop of Novgorod, appeared to him and reminded that he had once vowed to visit Kiev and reverence the Cave saints. He told Theophilus that the days of his life were short, and so he had to hurry to fulfil his vow.

Thereupon, St Theophilus set out for Kiev, even though he was gravely ill. When his party arrived at the Dniepr, however, the Lord informed him that he would repose, his soul would be taken to the Lord Himself, and his body would to be buried in the caves. Right after that, St Theophilus fell asleep in the Lord. His relics were placed in the far caves.

Venerable Benjamin

(13/26 October)

St Benjamin was a wealthy merchant by origin. Once he listened carefully to the Divine Service and heard the words of the Psalm that God will destroy those who speak lies (Ps. 5, 6). He related these words to himself directly and thought, ‘Which merchant can say that he never told a falsehood? If God destroys those who speak lies then false merchants will also be ruined.’ Later, he heard words from the Gospel that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 19,23). Thinking about these words of the Lord, he resolved to give away all his possessions to the poor and join the fathers of the holy Cave Monastery. Being poor in spirit, he became a true monk and lived a God-pleasing life of struggle.

Venerable Rufinus the Recluse

(8/21 April)

This Holy Father was an example to all in fasting and love of toil.

Venerable Mardarios the Unmercenary Recluse

(13/26 December)

St Mardarios struggled to obtain perfection in fasting, prayer, obedience, non-acquisitiveness, and poverty. He had absolutely nothing in his cell, except the clothes on his back. He closed himself up in a cave and struggled in solitude until his righteous repose.

Venerable Ammon the Recluse

(4/17 October)

St Ammon obtained the abbot’s blessing and journeyed to Mt Athos and Jerusalem being zealous of the lives of the great holy fathers. Upon his return, he lived such a holy life that even the elders took him as a model in monastic life. This Holy Father loved poverty and strove only to acquire incorruptible heavenly wealth.

Venerable Pancratius the Hieromonk

(9/22 February)

This holy priest-monk served the Divine Services with much grace and received the gift of wonderworking. He gave generously of his gifts to those who asked. He healed the ill with prayers, fasting and anointing.

Venerable Sophrony the Recluse

(11/24 May)

This Holy Father struggled for many years in a small cave. He always wore a hair shirt and an iron belt, and read the entire Psalter every day.

Venerable Theodore, Prince of Ostrog

(11/24 August)

St Theodore Danilovich, Prince of Ostrog, was one of the descendants of Daniel of Galich. During the first half of the 15^th century, he was distinguished by his zealousness in defending Orthodoxy. At that time, the Principality of Lithuania was in a desperate struggle with Poland. Vytautas (or Vitovt), the cousin of King Vladislav Yagello and overlord of Lithuania, feared that the Metropolitans of Rus’ could establish a brotherly unanimity between Lithuania and Moscow. This would have been dangerous for the Lithuanian overlords; so Vitovt strove to establish a separate Metropolia for his lands. It was beneficial for the Orthodox Faith in Lithuania that this country was not subjected to Poland. Therefore, Prince Theodore came to the aid of Lithuania. He also hired Vlachian and Tartar soldiers. Prince Theodore fought bravely and won many victories.

After the war, Prince Theodore handed over his fame and throne to his son Basil and received monasticism at the Cave Monastery.

Venerable Zachary the Faster

(24 March/6 April)

During the abbacy of blessed Nikon, two men of Kiev, Serge and John, who had witnessed the miracle of the great light over the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, made a spiritual vow of brotherhood between themselves before the icon. When John fell ill and was approaching death, he entrusted his son Zachary to Serge and gave him one thousand silver coins and a hundred gold coins to be given to Zachary when he came of age. When Zachary reached the age of fifteen, he asked for his inheritance. Serge replied that his father had given away all his possessions to the poor and that there was nothing left for him. Zachary then asked for a half or, at least, a third part of the inheritance his father had left. Serge, however, reproached him and refused to give him any money. The youth said, ‘If you have taken nothing of my father’s possessions, then go and swear to me in the Cave church before the wonderworking icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, where you concluded a union of brotherly love with my father.’

Serge came to the church and standing before the icon of Theotokos, he declared with an oath that he took neither a thousand silver coins nor a hundred gold coins. When he approached the icon to kiss it, he was unable to do so. As he left the church, he suddenly began to cry out, ’The Holy Fathers Anthony and Theodosius, do not let this merciless angel destroy me; pray to the Most Holy Theotokos to deliver me from this multitude of demons who are taking over me. Let them take the silver and gold.’

Everyone present fell into fear. Men were sent with instructions and they brought a sealed box containing twice as much of the coins. Zachary took the treasure and gave it over to the abbot John, and told him to use it as he would, while he himself received a monastic tonsure.

This Holy Father gained such power over demons that they feared his very name.

Venerable Pambo the Obedient

(18/31 July)

While travelling on monastery obedience, St Pambo was captured by pagans. They kept him in chains and tortured him in an attempt to force him to reverence their idols. He responded to them, ‘Your gods are accursed, but I believe in Christ, the true God, Who created heaven and earth. He is the Lord, true and almighty. By prayers of the Cave Saints He will deliver me from your hands. And indeed, God’s angel freed him from his chains and led him safely from captivity back to the Cave Monastery.

Venerable Titus the Warrior

(27 February/12 March)

This saint was a warrior distinguished for his bravery in battle. He was seriously wounded and the illness, developed from the wound, forced him to leave the military service. He chose, thereafter, a monastic life in Cave Monastery. He spent the rest of his life weeping over his sins and God revealed him that the sins were forgiven.

Venerable Nestor the Uneducated

27 October/ 9 November)

St Nestor was called Uneducated to distinguish him from St Nestor the Chronicler. St Nestor the Uneducated served God so diligently that he stood in prayerful rapture during all the Divine Services; he was even made worthy of seeing God’s angels serving.

Venerable Paul the Obedient

(10/23 September)

The Holy Paul was perfect in obedience and he had never been idle. He was always occupied with manual labour and spiritual work.

Venerable Leontius and Gerontius the Canonarches

(18 June/1 July and 1/14 April)

These two Holy Fathers were tonsured into angelic image in their youth. They served as canonarches in the great Cave church. They attained perfection in obedience and prayerful struggles.

Venerable Gregory the Wonderworker

(8/21 January)

This saint was especially glorified for his struggle of self-restraint and fasting. His only food was herb, and drink - water. He had a gift of wonderworking.

Venerable Sisoes the Hermit

(6/19 July)

St Sisoes amazed everyone with his restraint. He completely conquered all passions of the flesh and spirit, and acquired a great grace from God.

Venerable Athanasius the Recluse

(2/15 December)

This Holy Father entered into reclusion in the caves and struggled in prayer and vigil for many years. He received the gift of healing and, up till today, many receive healing from his sacred relics, which repose uncorrupted in the cave.

Venerable Pimen the Faster

(7/20 August)

St Pimen obtained such a grace from God that he took food only once a week and in a small quantity. He fulfilled monastic obedience and never weakened from fasting. During the day, he ground flour in the mill and carried wood for the brethren. At night, he struggled in prayer and vigil.

Venerable Arsenius the Hard-Working

(8 / 21 May)

St Arsenius was called the ‘hard-working’ because no one ever saw him idle, day or night. He was always working at something. He prayed and diligently fulfilled every work. He never ate until sunset.

Venerable Hilarion the Hermit

(21 October/3 November)

Before his tonsure to great schema, this Holy Father was the Metropolitan of Kiev (elected in 1051). He was a shepherd of the Rus’ Church until 1055, when he left his cathedra to struggle at the Kiev Cave Monastery.

As a monk, Hilarion was cell attendant to St Theodosius, and he spent much time writing and copying books. He once told to St Nestor how he was frequently tempted by demons, but St Theodosius admonished him to persevere and, through his prayers, drove away the demons.

Metropolitan Hilarion received schema from St Anthony and continued his struggle in the cave. He reposed in the Lord in 1067.

Venerable Moses the Wonderworker

(26 July/8 August)

Righteous Moses dedicated himself to God totally. He made an iron belt and a cross, and wore them on his body. Psalmody and numerous prostrations were his chosen struggle. He obtained the gifts of serenity and wonderworking.

Venerable Lawrence the Recluse

(29 January/11 February)

This saint despised the beauty and vainglory of the world. He sought for living in a dark cave, driving away the darkness of his passions by fasting and ceaseless prayer, and reaching communion with God’s light. He attained that having entered the heavenly kingdom in his soul. His relics repose uncorrupted in the cave.

Venerable Fathers Paissius and Merkurius

(19 July/1 August and 24 November/7 December)

The holy Fathers Paisius and Mercurius lived in inseparable brotherly love and unanimity, unceasingly asking God that He never separates them, neither in this life nor in the eternal one. The Lord heard their prayers. On earth, they lived together in one cell, and after their repose, they were placed in one coffin; they rejoice together with Christ in heaven.

Venerable Hypatius the Healer

(31 March/13 April)

This saint excelled in obedience and compassionate love. Ever vigilant, he lived in prayer in fasting, and ate bread and water only. Because of his great love, he always sought for serving brothers who were ill. God granted him with the gift of healing. Many healings have also occurred through his sacred relics.

Venerable Achillius the Deacon

(4/17 January)

Our Holy Father Achillius came to the Cave Monastery in his youth and exceeded many of the ascetics in restraint, fasting and prayer. For his struggles, the Lord made him worthy of eternal blessedness.

Venerable Macarius the Deacon

(19 January/1 February)

Our Holy Father Macarius was chosen by God from his youth. At a very early age, he displayed a remarkable maturity and preferred silence to children’s games. He practised great restraint. God’s Providence led him to the Cave Monastery in this manner: the blessed youth fell ill and his parents exhausted all medical means of healing him. With faith and hope on God, they vowed to offer the child like a pure sacrifice to the service of God and the Most Pure Virgin at the Cave Monastery, if he were healed. The merciful Lord heard the parents’ prayer and healed Macarius. Upon his recovery his parents fulfilled their vow and gave him over to the Monastery. The fathers were deeply impressed by his meekness and humility. They taught him to read and write and instructed him in soul-saving virtues. When he reached adulthood, St Macarius was found worthy of monastic tonsure and the diaconate. He served in God’s House with great fervour and zeal, and he constantly read sacred books. For all his faith and struggles, he was made worthy of the gift of wonderworking from God.

Venerable Zenon the Faster

(30 January/12 February)

Renowned for his fasting and humility, this Holy Father acquired much grace from God. His sacred relics rest uncorrupted in the cave. St Zenon proved to be a ready helper of all who strive for salvation.

Venerable Agathon the Wonderworker

(20 February/5 March)

St Agathon was a mighty struggler and, by his faith and labours of fasting, prayer and love, he acquired the gifts of peaceful soul, spiritual enlightenment of the mind and heart, pure contemplation and prophecy. An ancient inscription over his grave reads:

‘Like a prophet announcing the future; like a physician, healing the ill by the touch of his hands; like a saint, in heaven with the saints in glory, his body remains here, incorruptible, with the righteous.’

Venerable Silouan

(10/23 June)

This Holy Father was a great struggler and faster, who kept diligent vigilance. He acquired great daring toward God, a radiant spiritual joy, and gifts of prophecy and wonderworking. The acquisition of spiritual gifts accompanied his spiritual struggles. God’s grace filled his heart and poured forth onto others. His Grace—filled words instructed many on the path of piety. Here is an example of his prophetic gift. He was a keeper of the monastery gardens. Once, thieves came at night to steal vegetables. The saint, who was at that time at prayer in his cell, foresaw their arrival and in order to bring them to a consciousness of their crime, bound them by his prayer. They became paralyzed and could not move for three days. The saint brought the thieves to repentance, taught them to lead an honest life and let them go. Forevision or spiritual discernment refers to the spiritual world. There are bodiless thieves, the enemies of our salvation, who would strive to steal the spiritual treasures of the heart, to destroy our holy life and render all our struggles fruitless. Much toil is needed to acquire a forevision of all the enemy’s traps, to be able to avoid his deceits. He who has cleansed his soul by a holy life, receives God’s gift to see and conquer the enemy’s wiles. St Silouan had such a gift and he avoided Satan’s snares himself as well as warned others of them. After a long and toil-loving life, he reposed in the Lord. His incorruptible relics rest in the cave.

Venerable Ignatius

(20 December/2 January)

From his early youth, St Ignatius struggled to preserve his purity. Very early, he accepted the monastic image and by the holiness of his life, his meekness and love toward all people, he became known and respected by many. When the previous abbot reposed, the brethren unanimously elected him as their new abbot and elder. However, in a higher rank, he did not lessen his monastic struggles. On the contrary, he exceeded all the brethren in fasting, prayer and humility. His fervent prayers and zealous celebration of the divine services had a wondrous effect upon others. The ill received healing upon his prayers or by eating a prosphora blessed by St Ignatius during the Liturgy. Great is the power of a virtuous, holy life. Great is the power of reverent faith for which the holy oblations are accepted. St Ignatius lived to a great old age and reposed in peace.

Venerable Longin the Gatekeeper

(16/29 October)

Our holy father Longin was known for his great obedience and saint life. As he diligently guarded the gates of the monastery, so he heeded the movements of his heart. Because of his attentiveness, neither any enemy entered the gates of the holy monastery nor vain thought or passion gained entrance to his heart. He constantly turned his spiritual eyes from the earthly gate to the heavenly gate of the Kingdom of God, striving to enter it. In order to enter heaven, it is necessary to acquire close union with the Lord, Who said, I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved (Jn. 10, 9). St Longin had truly acquired this Divine communion. God’s grace revealed various spiritual gifts in him. He had a prophetic gift to see the deeds and thoughts of people entering and leaving the monastery. He encouraged good deeds and increased a zeal for Virtues in virtuous people. At the same time, he exposed sinners and led them to repentance telling them of the God’s Judgement. He reposed in the Lord in quite an old age.

UNCOVERING OF HONOURABLE RELICS OF BLESSED VIRGIN JULIANA

(6 / 19 JULY)

During the tenure of Archimandrite Elisha Pletenetsky as an abbot of the Cave Lavra, a virgin reposed in Kiev and they wanted to bury her at the Cave Monastery. The monks began to dig a grave near the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, in front of the chapel of St John the Forerunner. Here the diggers unexpectedly found the honourable relics of the Holy, God—pleasing princess, Juliana, who had rested uncorrupted. The deceased lay as if she were alive and sleeping. Her body was nice and white. She lay near the church wall with her head to the south and feet to the north. There was a stone over her coffin with the inscribed arms of the Olshansky. On the coffin itself, there was a silver gold-plated plaque with the arms and the inscription: ‘Juliana, Princess Olshanskaya, daughter of Prince Gregory Olshansky, reposed a virgin in the 16th year from her birth.’

All her clothing looked completely new as if no one had touched it. These sacred relics were placed in the Cave church.

Some time passed and during the tenure of Peter Mohila as Metropolitan of Kiev and the abbot of Caves, he had a vision of the Holy, God-pleasing Princess Juliana, who upbraided him for the carelessness shown to her sacred relics and for the lack of reverence to them. Then, the pastor ordered skilled and pious nuns-virgins to prepare a worthy covering for the sacred relics. He also had a new casket made for them. They were solemnly carried over to the new place. Metropolitan Peter served a festive prayer service with thanks to God and the Theotokos and the holy fathers of the Caves for uncovering of the honourable relics of the holy virgin. From that time, the relics have helped everyone who comes to them with piety and faith in Christ. There have been many miracles recorded.

OUR VENERABLE FATHER POLYCARP ARCHIMANDRITE OF THE CAVES

(Z4 JULY/6 AUGUST)

The name Polycarp is derived from a Greek word for ‘Very fruitful’. Our holy father Polycarp indeed lived up to this name by bearing fruit on the way shown by the Saviour Himself, Who said, He who abides in me and I in him, brings forth much fruit (Jn. 15, 5). Polycarp renounced worldly goods and the secular life, and received a monastic tonsure at the Cave Monastery. Here, as a seed in a fertilized and ploughed field, he began to educate his spirit, mortifying bodily passions and Vices, and striving toward unity with God. Upon such a path, he brought forth many beautiful fruits of repentance: a sincere love for God and brothers, the joy of undefiled conscience, spiritual peace, long-suffering, patience, mercy, compassion, meekness, restraint, and a complete victory over carnal vices.

The blessed Polycarp grew the spiritual fruit himself, with God’s Grace, but the seeds had been prepared by his relative, St Simon, later, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal. The saint strove to educate Polycarp spiritually and the two became relatives in spirit as well as in flesh. Therefore, when, by God’s will, Simon was taken from the Cave Monastery to the cathedra in Vladimir, he took Polycarp along and continued his spiritual education by both word and deed. Often, in conversations with his disciple, St Simon told about the lives and deeds of the holy Cave monks of former times: how they had struggled and pleased God so that on earth they shone with their uncorrupted relics and in heaven they received incorruptible crowns. St Polycarp sincerely accepted the seeds of patristic teaching and struggled to make it bear fruit a hundred fold. Moreover, he was zealous for the salvation and welfare of other people and wanted to share the beneficial and spiritually edifying lives of saints with the posterity. Therefore, he strove to write down everything heard from St Simon about the great asceticism and God-pleasing lives of the Cave monks for the benefit of others seeking salvation. These writings were sent to Akindene, the abbot of the Cave Monastery, along with an epistle.

Later, Saint Polycarp returned to the Cave Monastery. Separated from his elder, St Simon, physically, he strove to keep to the instructions of his guide.

Upon the repose of the holy abbot, Akindene, the brotherhood of the Cave Monastery unanimously chose St Polycarp as a man worthy and capable of guiding the helm of the great Lavra of Theotokos, the Cave Monastery. This occurred in the reign of Rostislav Mstislavovich, the Prince of Kiev, while John was Metropolitan of Kiev — the third of that name.

As the head of the great Cave Lavra, St Polycarp diligently strove to preserve the spiritual legacy and the Rules established by St Theodosius. He was a skilful and diligent guide for the brethren in the struggle for salvation. He became famous for the spiritual propriety and a special order in Lavra in the abbacy of Polycarp. Many noble princes came to him for advice and guidance, and many went away aroused and instructed in a life of virtue. Some of them even forsook their princely stations and worldly life in order to live in the monastery under his guidance. It is known that the Great Prince Rostislav Mstislavovich after receiving instruction from St Polycarp communed the Holy Mysteries every week, covering his face with tears of repentance for his sins. The prince often asked Polycarp to accept him as a monk in the monastery, but St Polycarp told him, ‘My pious prince, God has ordained you to live thus: to execute truth, to judge with justice and to unalterably stand firm before the Cross.’

The prince responded, ‘Holy father! One cannot be a prince in this world without falling into a sin; I am already exhausted and weakened by daily cares and toils. I would like to, at least at my old age, serve God and imitate those princes and kings who have entered the narrow and sorrowful path and received the heavenly kingdom. I have heard the wish of Constantine, great among kings, who appeared from heaven to an elder and said, ‘Had I known what glory and audience the monks receive in heaven and how the fiery wings bring them to the Master’s throne, then I would have taken off my crown and royal purple and replaced them with monastic attire.’

Hearing these words, St Polycarp said, ‘If you desire that in your heart, may it be God’s will.’

The prince did not have time for that, however, but his sincere desire was proved in the following manner. While passing through Smolensk, he suddenly fell seriously ill and ordered to take him home in Kiev. His sister Rogneda, seeing how weak her brother was, besought him, ‘Stay here in Smolensk and we will put your body in the church we built.’

‘No!’ he replied. ‘If I am not strong enough to make it to Kiev, and if God takes me on the way, let me be placed in the church my father built at the Monastery of St Theodore. If God delivers me from this illness and gives me health, then I swear to become a monk of the Cave Monastery under the blessed Polycarp.

When the illness worsened and he was already at death’s door, the prince said to his spiritual father, the priest Simeon, ‘You shall give an answer before God for having hindered me from being tonsured by the holy man at the Cave Monastery, for I truly wished that. And may the Lord not impugn it to me as a sin, that I did not fulfil that.’

Thus, the prince received a blessed demise. St Polycarp set the basis for the prince’s highly virtuous life. His divine instructions and especially his living personal example, acted upon the prince’s soul. The saint not only attracted the monastic brethren by his example toward virtue, but he also guided secular people to the path of salvation. The saint lived until deep old age and peacefully reposed on July 24, 1182.

After the repose of St Polycarp, no abbot was chosen for a long time. There were many worthy elders at Lavra, but none of them would accept the abbacy due to their humility and meekness. As a result, a great grief and sorrow arose amongst the brethren, for they all understood that such a great flock should not be left without a shepherd for a single hour. Therefore, once on Tuesday, the brethren rang the bell, gathered in the church and prayed about the need. They called upon the Lord, His most Holy Theotokos and Sts Anthony and Theodosius and their newly reposed abbot, St Polycarp, to reveal to them if he (Polycarp) had been pleasing to God by indicating a person to replace him as an abbot. Then something wondrous happened. There rose up a voice from among the brethren, ‘Let us go to Basil, the blessed priest in Shchekovitsa; let him be our abbot and rule the Cave Monastery.’

On their arrival to him, the monks bowed down to the widowed priest Basil saying, ‘We, all the monks of the Cave Monastery, bow before you and wish to have you as our father and abbot.’

For a long time, Fr Basil refused, and only after long, insistent and diligent petitions he finally agreed and went to the monastery with them.

Metropolitan Nikephoros of Kiev, Bishops Lawrence of Turov, and Nicholas of Polotsk, together with abbots of neighbouring monasteries, came to the Cave Monastery for the tonsure of this God-chosen abbot. Thus, the presbyter Basil received the holy mystery of tonsure from this consecrated council and was elevated as an abbot, as successor of St Polycarp.

The blessed Basil was himself a model of virtues; he directed the monastery to the glory and honour of Heavenly Instructor, Jesus Christ, the Lord our God. To Him, with His Co-Unoriginate Father and the Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit unceasing glorification and worship is due from each creation now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen!

OUR VENERABLE FATHER SIMON THE BISHOP OF VLADIMIR AND SUZDAL

(10/23 MAY)

Jesus the Son of Sirach wrote of Simon the son of Onias, Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life propped up the house, and in his days fortified the temple. The height of the temple, the double building and the high walls of she temple were also founded by him. And later, He shone in his days as the morning in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full. And as the sun when it shineth in the temple of God (Sir. 50, 1, 6-7).

One may justly say the same of our holy father Simon, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal. He was the next, after St Nestor, hagiologist of the Kiev Cave saints. He truly built up God’s house, affirming Christ’s Church with his writings. He glorified the Holy Church by the lives of the saints as one of those good shepherds, which the Lord promised through the prophet Jeremy, And I shall give you pastors after My own heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding (Jer. 3, 15).

St Simon received the monastic image in the holy Cave Monastery and began to struggle in virtues. He set the remembrance of the great struggles of faith and deed, performed by the first abbot, St Theodosius, and the founder, St Anthony, the great luminary. These two great elders stood like the sun and moon, and the saints multiplied around them like stars in the firmament. From the lives of the saints, St Simon learned to grow in humble obedience. God poured out gifts of His grace in abundance upon the meek struggler, and Simon’s reputation of sanctity spread far. When Vladimir and Suzdal cathedra became vacant, St Simon was called to be its bishop. The saint became a true shepherd and father to his flock.

St Simon had served his sheep for twelve years. He was renowned for the holy love and care, which he demonstrated for every one of his people. The saint never faltered in his monastic struggles, and though his body was in his diocese, his soul was at the Cave Monastery. When he departed to the Lord, his sacred relics were returned to his beloved monastery and were placed in the caves where they remain to this day, radiant with incorruptibility.

OUR VENERABLE FATHER NESTOR THE CHRONICLER

(27 OCTOBER/9 NOVEMBER)

The events which are not written down can be forgotten or obscured in the process of time unless it is a sacred event preserved by the Holy Spirit in the Conscience of the Church. Thus, Moses, by Divine guidance, recorded a history of the creation and lives of the first people for us. The Lord Who has caused his wonders to be remembered (Ps. 110, 4) often raises up chroniclers, so that following generations may read of the spirit of preceding ages and learn and benefit from that.

St Nestor was a chronicler who, while gathering a history of the lands of Rus’, also recorded the history of monasticism in Rus’ and the lives of early saints who enlightened the land.

At the time when St Anthony was struggling in the solitude of the cave and St Theodosius was building the monastery, the seventeen-year-old Nestor came to them, seeking for an ascetic life. Not being a monk yet, Nestor learned monastic Virtues: spiritual and bodily purity, deep humility, absolute obedience, strict fasting, voluntary poverty, constant prayer, wakeful vigilance and other monastic struggles by means of which he sought to follow Sts Anthony and Theodosius. The undefiled youth lovingly accepted every command from these two holy monks, spiritually nourishing himself like a child at a mother’s breast.

St Nestor assures us in his writings that he loved these two saints not in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 Jn. 3, 18).

St Nestor was not tonsured until after the righteous repose of the great fathers. Though he had long before ‘died to the world,’ he removed himself still further from it by receiving tonsure from Stephen the Abbot. With time, Fr Stephen elevated St Nestor to the rank of deacon.

Bearing the double cross of both monasticism and the diaconate, St Nestor redoubled his struggles always remembering the sufferings of our Saviour. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (Jn. 4, 24).

Nestor chose the struggle of complete humility as a means of defeating his bodily passions — anger and malice. Up till his end, he humbled and debased himself before everyone.

When, by God’s inspiration, the brethren resolved to uncover the relics of St Theodosius and to carry them over to the church, St Nestor led in the task. He worked the whole night, with faith and fervent prayer, digging up the grave of the great enlightener. St Nestor carried out the honourable relics and placed them before the cave where he witnessed the multitude of healings and miracles.

St Nestor himself lived to quite an old age never ceasing his work on chronicle writing. The saint reposed in peace and God glorified him by keeping his sacred relics incorrupt.

By the prayers of this holy writer, may our names be found written in the book of life of God’s Lamb, to Who, with the Father and the Life-creating Spirit, be all glory, honour, and worship, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen!

OUR VENERABLE FATHER NEPHON

(8 /21 APRIL)

For the zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up (PS. 68, 10). These words should adorn the righteous coffin of the great zealot of Orthodoxy, St Nephon. He strove diligently to keep the Rus’ Church from falling away from the body of the Eastern Church which is the same thing as being separated from the Lord Himself Whose name is the sunrise (Lk. 1, 78).

In the days of Abbot Timothy, St Nephon struggled as a monk of the Cave Monastery following the holy fathers, adorning himself by prayer, vigil, fasting, and other virtues.

When the blessed John, the Bishop of Novgorod, retired from his cathedra after twenty-five years of toil and struggles to end his life in hesychastic exploits in a monastery, St Nephon was elected a new bishop. Most Reverend Michael, Metropolitan of Rus’ and his bishops, consecrated him in Kiev.

In Novgorod, St Nephon began to work with great zealousness to strengthen the Orthodoxy of his diocese and his rational sheep. He built a new stone church in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos in the very centre of Novgorod. He had the cathedral church of Christ the Divine Wisdom (St Sofia) decorated with icons and covered its top with pewter. He became a true shepherd of his flock reconciling frauds between them. Once, a war broke out between Novgorod and Kiev. St Nephon with a group of Novgorodian boyars met the armed sides and pacified them. The war was averted. In the same manner, he pacified every argument and reconciled every enmity. Thus, did the saint bishop care and struggle diligently for the eternal life of his flock. The servant of God always remembered the Lord’s words of God the Father, His commandment is eternal life (Jn. 12, 50). With all his strength, the saint sought to lead his sheep away from violating God’s commandments. He reproved, rebuked, and exhorted, with complete patience and teaching (2 Tm. 4, 2) those who did violate the law of God.

The following events testify the zeal of this blessed pastor. In the time of his episcopacy, people of Novgorod drove away their prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich. They invited prince Svyatoslav Olegovich to govern them. Upon his arrival, Prince Svyatoslav attempted to enter into a marriage which contradicted the Church canons. The blessed hierarch not only refused to perform the marriage, but he also forbade the clergy to be present at the lawless wedding. When the prince had the wedding served by the priests he had brought along, St Nephon audaciously reproved him imitating the Scripture, I will speak of your testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed (Ps. 119, 46).

The saint showed even greater zeal, however, when he defended the whole Rus’ Church from violation of the Law.

When Kiev Metropolitan Michael reposed, the Great Prince of Kiev, Izyaslav Mstislavovich, decided to assign Clement (Klim) the Philosopher, a monk of the schema, on the post. The prince wanted to have Clement consecrated Metropolitan without the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. A council of the bishops of Rus’ was gathered. It consisted of Onuphrius of Chernigov, Theodore of Belgorod, Euthymius of Pereyaslav, St Nephon of Novgorod, and others. At this council, St Nephon would, under no circumstances, agree to a new metropolitan being consecrated without the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch. He firmly proclaimed that the plan contradicted the tradition of the Holy Church which, by holy baptism had enlightened the Rus’ Church from the cathedra of Constantinople and made the children of Rus’ be sons of Orthodox East, that is, God’s children. St Nephon stood very courageously against the unlawful desires of the prince, holding the Rus’ Church from falling away from the Orthodox East, that is, from God, citing God’s word, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience (Col. 3, 6). Five bishops agreed with St N ephon but the prince, not wishing to be humiliated, did not heed the blessed man. Supported by those sided with him, he did as he wished. On his command Clement was consecrated, according to Bishop Onuphrius’ advice, with the skull of St Clement, Pope of Rome, instead of the blessing from the living Patriarch of Constantinople. Thus, the Metropolitan of Kiev occupied the cathedra in an anti-canonical manner. Having become Metropolitan of Kiev, Klim attempted to force the blessed Nephon serve the Divine Liturgy with him but the zealot of Orthodoxy replied to him,

‘Since you did not receive the blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, but unworthin took upon yourself the pastoral office having occupied unworthily and unjustly what does not belong to you, you are a true wolf. Therefore, as I did not agree earlier to your consecration, so now I also refuse to serve with you or to commemorate you at Divine services, as you do not commemorate the patriarch from whom you were supposed to receive a blessing.’

Clement became angry with the saint. He taught the prince and his supporters to send St Nephon into imprisonment or to cause him some kind of evil. Prince Izyaslav contented himself, however, with preventing the saint to return to Novgorod and held him at the Cave Monastery as if under arrest.

However, the saint was not at all grieved by this; on the contrary, he rejoiced and thanked God that he was deprived of his rightful place for the sake of Orthodoxy and returned to his silent life among the saints.

When the Christ-loving Prince George Monomakhovich defeated Izyaslav, St Nephon returned to Novgorod with honour. The citizens, who had been left like sheep without a shepherd, met the saint with an unspeakable joy.

Soon after that, the Patriarch of Constantinople heard of St Nephon’s zealousness and, following the custom of the fathers, sent him an epistle praising the saint’s wisdom and firmness and allying him with ancient fathers, who had stood for Orthodoxy long before. St Nephon read the Patriarch’s epistle and blessing and was aroused to yet greater zealousness. His many toils received a reward from the Chief of the shepherds, Jesus Christ, as proved by his righteous repose.

Sometime later after his return to Novgorod, St Nephon learned that Metropolitan Constantine, a delegate to Rus’ of the Ecumenical Patriarch, was sent to dethrone the wrongfully consecrated Klim and to occupy the cathedra of Kiev. St Nephon was filled with spiritual joy and desiring to meet Bishop Constantine, set out for Kiev and lived at the Cave Monastery again.

Soon, however, he fell ill. Three days before his repose, the blessed elder told the brethren of a wonderful dream,

‘Once, I returned to my cell after the morning prayers in order to rest. As I was falling asleep it seemed to me that I was in holy the Cave church, at the place of Nicholas Svyatosha. With tears, I began to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos that I might see the good builder of this church — St Theodosius. Countless brethren gathered in the church and one of them approached to me saying, ‘Do you wish to see our holy father Theodosius?’

‘Yes, I do! I desire it,’ I replied. ‘If possible, show him to me.’ Then he took me by hand, led into the sanctuary and showed me St Theodosius there. When I saw him, I fell at his feet with joy. However, the Holy Father raised me and blessed me saying, ‘It is good that you have come, brother and son Nephon! From now on you will be inseparany with us.’ The saint gave me a scroll. I unrolled it and read, ‘Here am I and the children which God gave me’ (Hb. 2, 13). I woke up and understood that the vision had been from God.’

St Nephon lay ill for thirteen more days and then he peacefully reposed in the Lord, on the eighth day of April, on Saturday of the Bright Week. His sacred relics were placed in the Cave of St Theodosius and in spirit he stands before the throne of the Master, Christ, and intercedes for us, the children given to him by God, the undivided Trinity, to Who be all glory, honour and adoration, now and ever, and unto the endless ages. Amen!