OUR VENERABLE FATHER BARLAAM THE ABBOT

(19 NOVEMBER/2 DECEMBER)

St Barlaam descended from an eminent boyar family. He was the son of the most famous military commander Ioann and his wife Maria in the reign of Prince Izyaslav. Barlaam was gifted with spiritual qualities and physical beauty from his birth. At his parents’ home, Barlaam received a good Christian upbringing and had a natural mental purity from his youth. In his early years, Kiev and the vicinity were illumined by the radiance of the ascetic life and miracles of the Cave fathers Anthony and Theodosius. At that time, Barlaam and other Kiev residents used to visit the holy ascetics and listen to their sweet instructions and divine teaching. Barlaam’s good and morally pure soul was captivated by the beauty of those conversations and he came to love quiet, holy life of the ascetic monks. Barlaam desired to leave the worldly wealth, glory and honour of aristocratic life and the luxury of the court and become a modest monk in the company of the holy ascetics who he loved. He saw the most faithful way to salvation in lives of the ascetic monks. At the same time, the worldly life seemed to him full of seductions and temptations. He was especially fearful of the words of the Saviour, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God (Mt. 19, 24).

Barlaam went to St Anthony’s cave and revealed him his heartfelt intentions asking for a tonsure. ‘You have good will, my child, but the wealth and glory of this world can attract you back into the world. Remember that according to the teaching of our Saviour, Anyone who puts a hand on the plough and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God’ (Lk. 9, 62).

The conversation with the holy elder added even more flame to young heart of Barlaam. His love for monasticism grew larger and his intention turned into a determined decision.

A day after the conversation with St Anthony, young Barlaam left his parents’ home and his betrothed bride, and rode a richly decorated horse to the cave of St Anthony. He wore splendid attire; a magnificent retinue accompanied him. Meek monks came out to meet the great lord. They bowed and received him with honour. Barlaam dismounted his horse, bowed to the ground before the saint, and removed his aristocratic attire. He placed it at the feet of the saint, brought forth his horse and retinue, and said, ‘Here are the seductions of the worldly life. Do with them whatever you choose. I reckon them for nothing. I want to live with you in the cave, thus I may find Christ; I will never return to my home.’

The holy elder replied, ‘Remember, child, Who you are making a promise to and Whose warrior you wish to be. God’s angels stand here invisibly and accept your promises. Understand, that if your father comes here to take you away by force we are not in strength to help you and you will become a liar and an apostate from God.’

Barlaam replied, ‘Even if my father tortures me I will not return to the worldly life and I beg you, father, to tonsure me as soon as possible.’

St Anthony ordered blessed Nikon to tonsure the youth. That took place in 1056.

St Barlaam’s father, the commander Ioann, learned about his beloved son’s tonsure and became extremely angry with the holy monks of the Caves, who had, in his mind, lured the youth into the monastery.

Ioann came to the Caves with his warriors, drove away the monks, took his son by force and removed the monastic attire from him. He tried to dress his sun in rich clothing and took him home by force. St Barlaam took off the splendid robes and trampled them in mud several times along the way. When they arrived at the father’s home, Barlaam would not even eat with the family, but he sat at the table with his eyes lowered. The father ordered to keep the son guarded in the chambers. The parents made Barlaam’s betrothed bride try to seduce him and convince him to stay at home and live with her.

St Barlaam, however, entirely gave himself up to the service of God. For the next three days, he stayed in one place, in the corner of the room, neither eating food nor taking any clothing except for a hair shirt. He prayed to God permanently to give him strength and grace to endure these temptations and especially to withstand the seductions of his betrothed bride, who, with caresses and every attention, strove to subdue his young heart.

At the same time, St Anthony and the monks grieved over Barlaam’s fate and sincerely prayed the Lord for him. Merciful Lord heard those prayers and sent His mercy down upon Barlaam. The father’s heart softened with compassion toward his son.

When the commander discovered that his son had not eaten for three days, he feared that the youth would die from hunger. He had Barlaam come to his room, apologized with love and allowed him to return to the Caves. Departure of the beloved son from his parental home was most touching. The father and mother sobbed bitterly over him, as if he had reposed; the betrothed bride was separated from him forever; his servants also shed tears as they saw him off. Only Barlaam was filled with extraordinary joy and, like a bird set free from its cage, he hurried to the holy caves. With a great joy the holy cave dwellers received the returned Barlaam, glorifying God Who had heard their prayers.

After his return to the caves, St Barlaam gave himself up to monastic struggles and prayers with an increased zeal and energy. His virtuous angelic life became a bright flame amongst the monks. St Anthony gladly admitted the high virtues and unusual piety of the young ascetic and considered him capable to guide the brethren. He himself felt the need for a solitary life of prayer. Having got the mutual consent from all the monks, he placed Barlaam as an abbot of the Caves instead of himself. St Anthony went away from the brethren and dug a new cave where he remained in a solitary prayer.

As an abbot, St Barlaam applied special effort and toils to fulfil his duties. He realized that the Cave church became too small to include all the monks’ services. Thus, he asked for St Anthony’s blessing and built a wooden church in the name of the Holy Dormition above the cave. From that time, the holy monastery became clearly visible to everyone.

Some years later, the Great Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavovich, named Dimitry in the holy baptism, built a monastery and a church in the name of his holy protector, the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki. The prince requested that St Barlaam become an abbot of the newly built monastery, as a man well known for his high ascetic life and many virtues. St Barlaam continued his holy life at the new monastery and nourished the new flock of Christ entrusted to him by God. God blessed the toils of the holy abbot and the new monastery became known for the virtues and struggles of its monks.

Having organized the monastic life, St Barlaam set out on a pilgrimage to the holy places fulfilling his long—standing wish. He visited the Holy City of Jerusalem and worshiped holy places of Palestine, and returned to his monastery. Later, he visited Constantinople and acquired many icons, robes and church utensils there. Along the way, the saint fell ill and reposed in the city of Vladimir. He had willed before death that his body be laid to rest at the Cave Monastery. His uncorrupted relics lie in the Caves now.