Whose relics are in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Legends and treasures

The great spiritual authority of Kyiv is evidenced by the name “second Jerusalem”. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called predicted that there would be a beautiful city with many churches. And so it happened. At all times, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra occupied a special place among them.

"There will be a great city"

At a time when Rus' as a state did not yet exist, the spread of Christianity in these lands was out of the question, the Apostle Andrew the First-Called was returning from preaching on the territory of Byzantium. By God's providence, he climbed the Dnieper and ended up at the place where, many centuries later, the city of Kyiv would appear. The apostle put a cross on the mountains and said: “On these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city, and God will erect many churches.”

Today there are many skeptics who say that this could not have happened; Apostle Andrew the First-Called was never in the territory of the future Kyiv.

But be that as it may, after a few centuries a great city with many temples actually appeared on the mountains. A special place among them has always been occupied by the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, founded by the Monks Anthony and Theodosius.

History of the Pechersk Monastery

In the 12th century, there were forests on the territory where the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is located today. People lived only in nearby villages. One monk, Hilarion, wanted solitude. He went away from people, dug himself a cave and settled in it.

But after some time he was elected Metropolitan of Kyiv. The cave was empty. After some time, the monk Anthony, who had previously labored on Mount Athos, came to Kyiv. He did not find refuge in the Kyiv monasteries and left to seek solitude. Found it in Hilarion's Cave. His life was pious and righteous, which attracted many Orthodox Christians who wanted to devote their lives to God. Among Anthony's followers was Theodosius.

When the number of monks reached 12, they opened a church, made cells for themselves, Anthony “appointed” Varlam as abbot, and he went further and dug a cave for himself (the story of the Near Caves begins with this). Soon the number of monks increased so much that Anthony turned to Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich with a request to give the entire mountain above the cave to the monks. This is where the name of the monastery - Pechersky - comes from.

A church was erected on the site of the modern Assumption Cathedral, and Theodosius was appointed abbot. It was he who introduced the studio dormitory regulations. Interestingly, one of his requirements was to read books from the monastery library. It is therefore not surprising that at that time educated people there were, first of all, monks.

The monastery acquired the status of Kiev-Pechersk Lavra only in 1688; both before and after this time he experienced many changes. In 1151 it was plundered by the Turks, in 1203 by the Cumans, in 1240 it suffered terrible destruction after the raids of Batu Khan, in 1482 the army of Mengli I Giray burned and robbed the monastery, in 1718 the great church, archive, and library burned down and printing house. And in all cases the monastery was rebuilt.

The last wave of destruction was Soviet time. First, the monastery was turned into a museum, and then closed altogether. In addition, the place was washed with the blood of many new martyrs, among whom was Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia Vladimir (Epiphany).

After the arrival of the Germans, the Lavra was first opened, but on November 3, 1941, the Holy Assumption Cathedral was blown up. This shrine was rebuilt and opened only in 2000.

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra today

Today it is not only a beautiful monastery in the center of Kyiv, on the right bank of the Dnieper, but also a museum complex. It is divided into the Upper (National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Reserve, which was awarded national status in 1996) and Lower (monastic life is concentrated in it) Lavra. Unlike the past centuries of the monastery's existence, today both parts of it are open to visitors.

Today the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra attracts many with its architecture. This is, first of all, the Great Bell Tower and the Assumption Cathedral (it contains the relics of the first martyr Stephen), as well as churches:

• Trinity Gate Church (Holy Gates) is the oldest surviving church;
• Annozachatievsky Church;
• Church of the Exaltation of the Cross;
• Refectory Church of Saints Anthony and Theodosius;
• Temple of “All Reverend Fathers of Pechersk”;
• Church "Life-Giving Spring";
• All Saints Church;
• Temple and former hospital chambers of the Nikolsky Monastery;
• Church of the Nativity Holy Mother of God;
• Church of the Savior on Berestov;
• Church of the Resurrection of Christ;
• Church of the Annunciation.

But tourists and believers are attracted not so much by the architectural solutions of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, but by the distant and near caves in which the incorruptible relics of the Pechersk monks are located.

Nearby caves: the relics of Saints Anthony, Agapit, Nestor the Chronicler

The same ones that date back to 1057, when Anthony separated from the rest of the monks. Today the length of the labyrinths is 383 meters, 73 Pechersk monks are buried, among them Anthony of Pechersk (several centuries later a church was built in the caves in his honor). Also, many believers come here to pray to Damian the Healer, Nestor the Chronicler, John the Long-Suffering, St. Nicholas the Saint, Alypius the Iconographer, Agapit, the doctor of Pechersk and many other saints of God.

Also here are the relics of Mark the Grave Digger. This saint is known to many thanks to his 4-kilogram cap. IN Kiev-Pechersk Lavra A special prayer for health is performed, after which this headdress is put on the heads of those who come. There are known cases of healing.

Another surprise for many is the opportunity to see the incorruptible relics of Ilya Muromets in the nearby caves. This confirms that the famous hero is not a fictional character at all.

On September 28, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Council of the Reverend Fathers of the Kiev Pechersk, resting in the Near Caves.

Distant caves: relics and myrrh-streaming chapters

They look “more modest” in comparison with the previous ones. The length of the labyrinths is 293 meters, the number of buried saints is 49. They are also called Theodosius, because the Monk Theodosius was buried here in his cell, and the Theodosius Church is nearby.

On August 28, the Church honors the Council of the Reverend Fathers of the Kiev Caves, who rest in the Far Caves.

Here there are the relics of Agathon the Wonderworker, Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kiev, Arseny the Hardworking, Venerable Akhila, and many saints who lived in later times (Metropolitan Pavel of Tobolsk, Vladimir of Kiev and Galicia).

But the Far Caves, like the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra in general, are also known for their 12 myrrh-streaming domes. It's hard to imagine how 12 skulls could exude myrrh. But this miracle has been happening for centuries. We learn about this from the Pechersk Patericon. In Soviet times, when the chapters were transferred to the museum, the miracle did not happen. It was resumed in 1988. Then the monastery was opened (this was also the time of celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus').

So that no one has any doubts, the laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry of the Kyiv Medical Institute conducted chemical analysis world taken from different chapters. The results were shocking: from a chemical point of view, myrrh was highly purified oils of unknown origin (based on protein, which is characteristic only of a living organism). It is also impossible to obtain it artificially.

***

For many centuries, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra has served as the cradle of monasticism, a cultural center, library and school for many generations of monks and laity. But at the same time, thousands of tourists and pilgrims come here to pray before the relics of the saints and the myrrh-streaming heads.

On the great feast of the Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - the memory of the venerable fathers of the Pechersk Near Caves, the Lavra's abbot, Metropolitan Pavel, spoke about the miraculous help of the holy saints of God. According to His Eminence, “To this day, the holy saints of God, who rest as incorruptible relics in the Lavra caves, attract people to them and silently give lessons and instructions. By their lives they set an example of patience and standing for the faith. They accepted the tests with joy...
The prayers of the saints for us are powerful before God. They are not separated from us by the distance of earth and Heaven, but we ourselves move away from them through unbelief and laziness towards salvation.

If you come to the caves, stand in prayer at any shrine with the holy relics of the venerable fathers of Pechersk - I testify to the performance of many miracles that the Lord performs through their prayers. When we rely only on ourselves and are proud, the Lord does not hear us. But He always helps us when necessary, if we realize that we can’t do anything without God...”.

The words of the Lord were fulfilled on the holy saints of God: “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he loves Me; and whoever loves Me will be loved by My Father; and I will love him and show myself to him” (John 14:21). For this reason, according to St. John of Damascus, saints “they became treasuries and pure habitations of God”. By honoring the holy relics, we worship the Holy Spirit, Who rests in the bodies of the saints as in a temple (see: 1 Cor. 6:19).

If the actions of God in Christian believers can be more or less hidden, then in the saints these actions are manifested with especially striking force. This was clearly explained by the Monk Macarius of Egypt: “Just as fire enters all the pores of red-hot iron, so the Holy Spirit completely penetrates with His power both the soul and the body of the saint.”.

According to Metropolitan Paul, “Learning from the venerable fathers of Pechersk to endure the evil of the day, the hatred that reigns in the world, we can, with God’s help, show an image of love and mercy, and then everyone will see that we are “disciples of Christ” (see John 13:35), children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven".

Therefore, the most valuable for us are those examples of God’s miraculous help that date back to our time.
***
R. B. Galina prayed that her son would enter graduate school on a budget. There were only 2 places, no chance. In the Far Caves she prayed near the holy Heads, in the Near Caves she asked Nestor the Chronicler. Her son Mikhail entered graduate school.
2014

***
R. B. Lyudmila prayed to the infant martyr John in the Near Caves. Conceived a child. Before this, they could not conceive a child for 5 years.
2014

***
R. B. Tatyana could not conceive a child for 10 years. After visiting the Near Caves, where she prayed to the baby John, she conceived a child.
2014

***
A sinful mother writes for the help of my daughter Elena, which the Lord gave through prayers to the Monk Hypatius, the healer of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
My daughter was given a terrible diagnosis and she went to Israel for treatment. And I went to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and to the saints of God Anthony, Theodosius, Hypatia the healer, Agapit and All the Saints of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
She asked for help in curing the disease and forgiveness of our sins. The diagnosis was not confirmed in Israel, but the doctors said that they contacted him in time.
I thank the Lord and the Saints of God of Pechersk, Hypatius the Healer.

***
I experienced a miracle in Near Caves. 12 years ago, the wound healed on me in one day. The wound was treated for 2 months at the doctor’s office. The same thing happened again in the 2007 generation. I came specially to venerate the relics of the Venerable Pecherskys.
At a time I come to the river 3-4 times to pray at the Lavra.
R. B. Nino

***
In 2011, before surgery (oncology), she came to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra to venerate the holy relics. Operation was successfully completed. In 2013, she again came to the holy relics of the Monk Pechersk.
I came to thank you.
R. B. Irina Russia. Moscow.

Your Eminence, Vladyka Pavel! The holy relics of more than 120 saints of God rest in the caves. Reading the Pechersk Patericon, you never cease to be amazed at their exploits and miracles, which, judging by the number, were a normal occurrence at that time. Now, it seems, there are fewer holy fathers, and we rarely hear about miracles... Is this so?

– There were so many martyrs and confessors throughout the 20th century! And in our time there are no fewer of them, but we don’t know them. Why? Now they are less interested in spirituality and no one sees them.

It cannot be said that there are fewer saints; perhaps there are even more.

When the ascetics were asked whether there were confessors in their time, they answered that there were. “But why are they not revealed to us?” – the questioners were surprised. “Because you don’t listen to them,” was the answer. There are countless saints of the Russian Church, neither in history nor in modern times. Until now, Orthodox Christians suffer persecution for their faith from sectarians and schismatics. Today, Christians living in places where there are no Orthodox churches are already confessors.

Why did the Lord reveal so many saints at once in the 11th-12th centuries?

– Because people with ardent faith came to God and forgot about their daily earthly needs problems. They came into unity with God with all their hearts. How many boyars, how many people of high society went to the monastery at that time! What attracted them? They were attracted by the love of God.

And it often happens that it is not so much our preaching that matters, but our life. The monks in ancient times acquired an ardent faith, although they did not have any academic degrees.

The relics of the saints of Pechersk have been lying in caves for nine centuries, but they continue to preach. If people did not feel grace from them, they would not come here.

People feel grace from them and therefore come to them, receiving instructions from the example of their life and everything they need through their prayers. Today miracles are performed for believers, but for non-believers the Risen Christ does not bring any joy. There are miracles and many miracles. But we have so many saints and don’t believe, because our hearts have hardened.

That is, if people turned to the Church now, would such saints be so openly revealed in such numbers?

– You know, there are many saints of God, but the Lord apparently allows us not to see them because of our cold prayer. What is prayer? This is a conversation with God, this is our culture of behavior, this is our clothing, this is our meeting for prayer. We dress haphazardly for the feast of the King, Whom we do not see with our bodily eyes, but we feel His presence. How do we behave during prayer? We push and argue. When prayer is going on, we look at our phones and read messages. In general, we think about the world, but not about the good of our soul. And if we prayed like Simeon the New Theologian, like Mary of Egypt, then we, too, would rise one and a half meters from the ground. The Holy Fathers of Kiev-Pechersk did not need the light of a candle in the cave. The Heavenly Light illuminated for them the Psalter that they read, and the bed that they watered with tears of repentance. What a prayer! There are, of course, people who pray fervently, because if there were no righteous people, the world would no longer exist.

“Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”(Matthew 18:20). And I believe that Christ is always with us in service. And even if you alone talk with Him alone, He is next to you. There is no need to look for Him somewhere. Intimacy with God is revealed in the prayer of a broken heart.

Has the prayer of the venerable fathers for those asking for their help become less effective than during the lives of these saints?

– Today we live next to these reverends. They did not die - they are alive, it is we who died. Because we forget to pray to them, we go to Athos and other holy places. But we do not know our saints who testify to us about Christ.

The Lord said that if the grain does not die, it will not bear fruit. If during life a few people knew the saints of God, then after death the whole world knows them, because the Lord left their incorruptible relics. If earlier Rev. Agapit hid from everyone, but today he preaches to everyone. All the saints hid in caves from the people. Today they are together with the people, and the people have been coming to them for a thousand years, and their grace has not diminished. And the dungeon became heaven, because there are martyrs, confessors and ascetics, of whom the whole world is unworthy.

In the prayers to the venerable fathers of Pechersk it is directly said that we are separated from them not so much by distance, but by our sinfulness.

Vladyka, what do you think, what should people, first of all, ask the Pechersk saints of God?

– First of all, you need to ask for forgiveness of your own sins, for repentance. We think that we can change something in this world. Nothing like that until we change ourselves. We need to accept the truths of the gospel with all our hearts. We need to pray that the Lord will allow us to see, first of all, our sins. But we only see the sins of others. We must pray for the gift of faith. If there is faith in Jesus Christ our Savior, then everything will fall into place.

Vladyka, there are people who cannot visit the Lavra for some reason. Is it possible to get help by calling upon the saints of Pechersk in another place?

– Of course, prayer has no boundaries, no customs and generally no obstacles other than the devil. He tries in every possible way to distract us from the truth.

Now there are many modern technologies. There is the Internet, you can go to see photographs of the Lavra and temples, send names for prayer. All means are useful if they lead to salvation.

What do you wish to those pilgrims who are going down to the caves for the first time and to those who go there often?

– I want to ask for one thing - that the fear of trembling never leaves you. Never be deaf to your conscience. Don't forget that you are Christians and will receive eternal joy from the Lord who is always waiting for us.

May the Lord grant strength and health to everyone. And let all the saints of the Kiev-Pechersk, whom you call, be your helpers and intercessors. This is the Divine regiment of holy saints!

University admission
R.B. Zhanna prayed that her son would go to college on a budget. In the Far Caves she asked for Saint Theodosius. The son entered.

Help with work
Through the prayers of our venerable father Arseny the Hardworking, he repeatedly received Additional income, since the basic salary for a family of 4 was not enough. Sometimes after visiting the caves and praying to St. Arseny, my earnings turned out to be several times more than I expected.
Reverend Father Arseny, pray to God for us!!!

Healing
Archimandrite David's father had head surgery. Archpriest John Voloshchuk anointed him with oil from the Myrrh-Streaming Heads of the Pechersk Fathers. The next day, the scars on my head were practically invisible.
Father David is the abbot of the Holy Mountain Monastery in Florida.

Healing the leg ( diabetes)
I thank the Lord and all the Pechersk Fathers for God’s mercy. They healed my mother. She has diabetes and doctors said she needs surgery to remove her leg. By the will of God, we received some oil from the Myrrh-Streaming Heads, anointed our sore leg overnight, and in the morning everything went away. The leg became healthy. The doctor said there was no need to cut.

Glaring eyes
In the fall of 2011, fate suffered from a chronic illness of the eyes. The treatment took place at the Center for Eye Microsurgery, with a hospital doctor.
No residual diagnosis was established; the remaining parts of the illness gradually progressed; upon skin examination, the doctor made a different diagnosis (conjunctevitis, blepharitis, inflammation of the eyeball). After an hour of further inspection, a darkening of the cornea of ​​the eye (sail) was revealed. Meeting a council of doctors. The doctor said that for the 25-year report there would be no other such outbreak. The treatment included a number of procedures: physical therapy, antibiotics (4th generation), injections. It didn't give any results. Afterwards, the following words sang out from her mouth: “Medicine is powerless... We used all possible means known to me...” And she recommended going crazy. Although at that time we and the people were not particularly “strong in the faith,” they still wanted to turn to the Orthodox Church. At the Lavra we met a young novice, who pleased us to go to the bakery father for joy, and for the holy oil in front of the Myrrh-streaming heads.
The devil had a serious conversation with us and said that without faith and without prayer, oil itself will not help us. And after this, we were brought to the Myrrh-streaming chapters and allowed to venerate them and anoint our eyes with holy oil.
In the early morning, my husband and I noted that the burning had completely passed (my eyes were clear, they weren’t baking, I could happily marvel at the light). That same day I went to the doctor. What a joyful look she has!!! Vaughn began to ask me what helped me, what gave me such a result??? What else did I accept from this meaning? I confirmed that for the remaining 3 days I did not accept any kind of love, but went to the Orthodox Church, and on the 3rd day I walked at the Far Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, I prayed and tearfully asked the Lord for forgiveness and help.

My man is like a child, who has been fostered by this family of doctors and has now changed his views on life. After this, we began to read early and evening prayers, go to church for all the great saints, receive communion and confession.
We thank the Lord for welcoming us to the Faith, to the Lavra.
Save me, God.

Natalya Viktorivna (b. 1986).

Help from taking over an apartment. Healings
R.B. Photinia repeatedly received help with healing and everyday needs.
In 2013, there was a threat to seize the apartment. The person who made the threat was practicing witchcraft. She turned with prayer to the Monk Titus the Warrior (the relics rest in the Far Caves). Through his intercession I got rid of this misfortune.
…
Through prayers to St. Agapit of Pechersk, she was twice healed from cancer. In 2000 and in 2013.
I anointed myself with oil from the Myrrh-Streaming Heads, and now I receive healing on my knees, shoulders, and elbows.
I thank the Lord Almighty and the Reverend Fathers of Pechersk.

R. B. Photinia.
Kyiv, 2014

Healing from cancer
My name is Iraida. I am 55 years old. I was diagnosed with “serometra”, this diagnosis was later confirmed at the Research Institute of PAH and at the Cancer Institute. All specialists recommended surgery. At the end of March, I came to the Far Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and the Lord directed that I venerate the Reverends and the Myrrh-Streaming Heads. Since then, my life has changed, I became a parishioner of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. With the blessing of Bishop Paul, I ordered a prayer service for the health of St. Agapit, a prayer service was served by Fr. Phillip. Father Eleutherius performed unction on me in April 2013.
At the end of May 2013, I urgently flew to my sick mother (she was 83 years old, she fell and was in in serious condition). I invited a priest, she was confessed, given communion and unction, and a week later the house was consecrated. And, by God’s grace, after 2 months my mother got up and is walking. The doctors were very surprised, the doctor said: “You are the first one with us who got up after such an injury and walks.”
Thank God for everything!!!
When, after several months of absence from Kyiv, I returned and went for another consultation at the end of September, it turned out that there were no “serometers”. Through prayers to the Saints of Pechersk, by the grace of God, I received healing.
Thank God for His great mercy to me and my mother Pelageya.

11/17/2013 Iraida.

Healing from cancer
At the r. B. Irina discovered a polyp in her stomach. After histology it turned out to be cancer. In the Far Caves I ordered a prayer service for health. Done reanalysis. It turned out that everything was fine.

Healing from cancer
Girl Daria. Blood and bone marrow cancer (2008). 12 years old.
They prayed in Kyiv at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. They took myrrh from the holy Myrrh-streaming heads. Every day we read an akathist to the Reverend Fathers of Pechersk. With this diagnosis, children in the oncology clinic died.
Dasha underwent severe chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. I've recovered. It's 2014 now. Getting married. There are many temptations, but everything is overcome with prayer.

Glory to the Lord God!!!
R.B. Daria.
Republic of Belarus.

Repose with relics in the Near Caves

■ The lives of the saints, whose relics rest in the Near Caves, are mostly known from the “Kievo-Pechersk Paterikon”, or rather, from the sections that form its Old Russian “core”: “Lives” of St. Theodosius, “Words on the creation of the Great Pechersk Church”, “Epistle” of St. Simon of Vladimir-Suzdal to the Lavra monk Polycarp, “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp to the Pechersk Archimandrite Akindinus, excerpts from chronicles. Some of these saints were canonized in the XII-XVI centuries; in 1643, the names of most of them were also included in the “Canon of the Saints of Pechersk” (“The rule of prayer for our venerable fathers of Pechersk and all the saints who shone in Little Rus', sung when and where anyone pleases”), compiled surrounded by St. Peter's Mogila. In con. XVII century a “Service” was compiled to the saints of the Near Caves, first published only in 1763. Unlike the “Canon”, this “Service” mentions saints whose relics have long been in the Near Caves, but whose lives are not reflected in the ancient “Paterikon”.

■ The dates below indicate maps and descriptions of the Near Caves of 1638, 1661, 1702, 1744, 1795, 1892, 1917; the word “Service” - “Service to the saints of the Near Caves” con. XVII century

St. Anthony Pechersky. Founder of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, " monastic life in the Russian land, the original"(this is how the liturgical hymnography calls the ascetic), see: History. The relics are kept hidden; a cenotaph has been installed on the way to them in the Near Caves. 1594 (Erich Lasota): “ Wherethere is a distant(from the entrance to the cave) church(St. Anthony), land to St. Antonia failed. They talk about it like this: St. Anthony, who, as they say, was a monk of this monastery, one day, having called all his brethren, and having reminded them of certain events, and especially having given an exhortation to fraternal unity, took leave of them; when he arrived at the place where this altar stands, the earth seemed to have fallen between him and his brothers and separated them. After this, they began to tear this place away and wanted to look for Anthony, but fire burst out of the ground and drove them away. When they then moved to the left side and began to dig there, a current of water broke out so strong that it would have flooded them if they had not stopped. And to this day it is clearly visible how the water acted and with what force it flowed out."; 1638: " When one day, during the desolation, a Muscovite wanted to take from here his blessed and precious relics before God, the saint forbade him: once with fire, once with water; traces of both are visible to this day"; “Paterik” 1661: “ There are countless saints whose relics have not been revealed. So is the venerable body of our reverend father Anthony, who deigned to remain hidden in the earth... Various miracles occur at his tomb, primarily in the casting out of demons. We know: those who attempted to dig up his coffin were punished not only with light, but also with scorching fire and imminent death."(However, the very death of St. Anthony is depicted in one of the hallmarks of the hagiographic icon-engraving in the 1661 edition differently than in Lyasota’s retelling: the elder lies on a bed surrounded by brethren). “The Sermon on the Creation of the Pechersk Church” refers to the death of St. Anthony to 1073. Commemorated July 10 (23).

Prp. Avramiy the Hardworking. 1638: WITHTarets Avramiy,very hardworking; 1702: Avramiy; 1744: AvramiyTindustrious. Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) identified the ascetic with St. Avramie, abbot of Pechersk, mentioned in the “Chronicle of Poland” by Maciej Stryjkowski under 1396: “ On the ancient icon of the Pechersk miracle workers of the Anthony Cave, the teacher. Abraham is named abbot" The learned hierarch also assumed, “ that the teacher Abraham Lately throughout his life he labored in a cave and here, after prayer, he worked to prepare everything necessary for the cave brethren, which earned him the name of a hard worker." Memory August 21 (September 3).

St. Avramiy. 1661: Avramiy; 1702: AvramiyANDhumen; 1744: AvramiyZatvornik; 1795: Avramiy, resting in seclusion. Memory October 29 (November 11).

St. Agapit Doctor. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. St. Petersburg came to the monastery during his earthly life. Anthony and tried to imitate him in everything. He had the gift of healing from God and refused any material reward from those healed. Prayer of St. Agapita was healed (between 1089 and 1094), while in Chernigov and expecting death from an illness, Vladimir Monomakh (praying for him, the ascetic did not leave the Lavra, 150 km away from Chernigov), at that time an appanage prince, later one one of the most prominent Kiev rulers. To the healing of St. The Kyiv doctor Armenin envied Agapit; once he sent a sick man to the monk, whom he poisoned with a slow-acting poison (in the hope of showing the powerlessness of St. Agapit in front of people), but through the prayers of the ascetic the unfortunate man remained alive; another time he organized the poisoning of St. Agapit through third parties - but the monk remained unharmed; finally, when St. Agapit fell ill, Armenin came and predicted his death in three days, promising to accept Orthodoxy and monasticism if these words did not come true - but the ascetic said that he would live another three months and recovered; after his death, which came at the time indicated by the monk, St. Agapit appeared in a dream to Armenin and ordered him to fulfill his vow, which the doctor did. 1638: " Agapit, the wondrous Physician" Memory 1 (14) June.

St. Alexy. 1702: Alexy the Recluse; 1795: Alexith, restingthin the shutter. Memory April 24 (May 7).

St. Alypius Iconographer. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. While still living in the world, she was sent by her parents to study with Byzantine icon painters, who miraculously arrived to decorate the Assumption Cathedral. Having undergone the science of icon painting during the decoration of the temple, after finishing the work he took monastic vows at the Lavra, and subsequently led an ascetic life. He painted icons not only for the monastery and the brethren, but also asked that old images from other churches be brought to him for renovation. A third of their funds Alypius gave to the poor (the other third was set aside for expenses on icon-painting materials, the last for extremely modest personal needs). During his strict life, the ascetic was ordained a priest. Once, through his prayers, a leper was healed (before giving communion to the sick man, St. Alypius anointed his scabs with paints). When two monks, through whom a certain Kiev resident wanted to order St. Alypius of the icon, appropriated the money for themselves and did not convey the request to the icon painter, and on the day the work ended, they slandered their brother - the Lord miraculously depicted the holy faces on the icon boards available in the ascetic’s cell. Another time, in front of the Rev. Alypius, an angel of God painted an icon in his cell, which the ascetic himself, due to his dying illness, could not present to the customer on time. Earthly life of St. Alypia falls at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. Memory of the ascetic August 17 (30).

Prmch. Anastasy Deacon. 1638, 1702: Anastasy; 1744: AnastasyDIacon; venerable martyr named in the stichera, troparion and kontakion dedicated to him in the Menaion of 1978-1989. under January 22 (February 4).

St. Anatoly. 1638:Elder Anatoly the Wonderworker; 1661: Anatoly; Memory 3 (16) July.

St. Arefa. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simon, lived in the Lavra at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. His life is an example of how the Lord sometimes allows robbery to save a person from the love of money. There was a time when St. Arefa kept great wealth and was distinguished by extreme stinginess; Once a monk’s cell was robbed, and he groundlessly suspected many of the brethren of the theft and entertained thoughts of suicide; then St. Arefa was struck by a serious illness, and he saw how angels and demons were arguing about his soul; Having heard from the angels that one who endures robbery with gratitude to God is superior to one who gives alms, the monk repented and glorified the Lord, and after healing he became a zealous ascetic. 1638: Arefa; 1661: Elder Arefa; 1702: Arefa the Wonderworker; 1795: Arefa,restingthin the shutter; 1892: ArefaZreclusive

St. Afanasy the Recluse. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simone. Lived in the 12th century. St. Athanasius, whose burial was delayed after his death, came to life in his cell on the third day and said to the brethren: “ Be obedient to the abbot in everything, and every hour bring repentance, and pray to repose here and be worthy of burial with the holy fathers in the cave" Then, " retreating into the cave, walled up the door behind him, and stayed there for twelve years, not telling anyone anything" 1638: Miracle-working Athanasius; 1702: Afanasy the Recluse. Memory 2 (15) December.

St. Varlaam, abbot of Pechersk. Information about him is presented in the “Life” of St. Theodosius and The Tale of Bygone Years. The son of a senior Kyiv boyar (Paterik of 1635 and Teraturgima of 1638 calls him John), he was one of the first monks of the Lavra; His tonsure initially caused the disapproval of Prince Izyaslav and his own father, but the young man managed to defend his choice (“Life”). When Rev. Anthony retired from the brethren, St. Varlaam, with the blessing of the elder, headed it and built a wooden above-ground church over the caves (c. 1062), then he was transferred by Izyaslav to the abbess in the princely monastery of St. Vmch. Demetrius of Thessalonica (“Life”, “Tale”; according to the “Tale”, St. Varlaam managed to build a ground-based wooden Lavra, but according to the version of the “Life”, this was done by St. Theodosius, the successor of St. Varlaam as abbess). Subsequently, Rev. Varlaam made two pilgrimages - to Palestine and Constantinople; returning from the second pilgrimage, he fell ill and made a stop at the Svyatogorsk Monastery near Vladimir-Volynsky (now in the village of Zimno), where he rested; According to the dying will of the ascetic, his body and the temple supplies purchased in Constantinople for the St. Demetrius Monastery were delivered to the Lavra (“Life”). Memory of St. Varlaam November 19 (December 2).

Prmchch. Vasily and Theodore. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. St. Theodore became a monk in the Lavra after he distributed his wealth to the needy in the world. He lived in the Varangian Cave (a branch of the Far Caves). One day Rev. Theodore thought that in his old age he would not be able to be content with monastic food alone, and began to regret the alms given out. Another monk, St. Vasily convinced him not to succumb to such thoughts inspired by demons. When the abbot sent St. Vasily from the Lavra on some matter, the demon, appearing as St. Theodore, either in reality in the guise of a friend, or in a dream in the form of an angel, showed the monk a treasure hidden in a cave by the Varangians and inspired him to leave the monastery. But the returning Rev. Vasily revealed the deception, and the ascetics hid the treasure. Through prayer and physical labor, St. Theodore defeated the demons, and if they harmed him in his work, he cast a spell on them, forcing them to correct and complete the work they had begun. Then Rev. Theodore, due to old age, moved to the surface, and St. Vasily began to live in the Varangian cave (it is mentioned that “the monastery then stood burnt out” - most likely due to the attack of the Polovtsians in 1096). Soon the demon in the form of St. Vasily appeared to Mstislav, the son of the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, who was away, and said that St. Theodore hides the found treasure from the authorities. The prince ordered to bring St. Theodore, but he, due to the longevity of his years and the absence of any attraction to wealth, could not remember where the treasure was buried. The prince did not believe it and began to torture the monk, and later asked the saint to come to him. Vasily. St. Vasily objected that the prince had been deceived by a demon, and also found himself under torture. During the torture, Mstislav, having taken too much wine, let him into St. Vasily shot an arrow, and the ascetic took it out and predicted the prince’s death from the same arrow. Both saints rested in prison and were buried in the Varangian cave (by 1638 the relics were transferred to the Near Caves). Words of St. Vasily came true: under 1097, the Ipatiev Chronicle mentions the death of Mstislav, during civil strife, from an arrow on the wall of the city of Vladimir-Volynsky (1099). 1638: " Martyrs Theodore and Vasily, Wonderworkers, killed by the Kyiv prince Mstislav" Memory 11 (24) August.

St. Gregory the Iconographer. 1661-1702: Grigory Malyar. “The Tale of the Holy Icon Painters” at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries. claims that Rev. Gregory - " fellow celebrant Reverend Alypius"; on this basis, Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) considered the two ascetics to be contemporaries; "Service": " Angel-wise Alypius with Gregory of Byzantium, most skillful icon painters" Memory 8 (21) August.

St. Gregory the Wonderworker. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. He repeatedly turned people who were guilty of theft to repentance. So, one day, having books in his cell and seeing that robbers were waiting outside for his departure to the temple, he prayed: “ My God! Grant sleep to Your servants, for they are tired serving the enemy." The uninvited guests fell asleep. On the fifth day of St. Grigory woke them up, fed them and sent them away. But the city authorities, having learned about what had happened, captured the thieves. Then Rev. Gregory gave away some of the books in exchange for the freedom of the detainees, and sold the rest for the distribution of alms. The thieves repented and joined the monastery workers. When other thieves robbed the garden at the cell of St. Gregory, the ascetic bound them with prayer, and they stood in place for two days, and then began to work at the Lavra. For the third time to St. Two people came to Gregory and asked him to give something for the ransom of their comrade, allegedly sentenced to execution. Seeing that they were lying, the ascetic shed tears and said: “ I will give, but still he will die" Having received the last books of St. Gregory, the thieves left, and at night the three of them returned, blocked the entrance to the cell and began to rob the garden near it. One of the robbers, allegedly sentenced to death, climbed a tree and grabbed a branch. It broke off. As he fell, his collar caught on the next branch and suffocated. Shocked, the other two thieves remained to serve at the Lavra. When in 1093 the son of the Kyiv prince Vsevolod Rostislav was preparing to go on a campaign against the Polovtsians and decided to visit the Lavra, and the servants who were with him began to laugh at the saint. Gregory, who went to the Dnieper for water, the ascetic called them to fervent prayer and explained that during the battle they would drown along with the prince. Rostislav was offended and ordered the saint himself to be drowned. Gregory, but the ascetic’s word came true. 1661: Gregory the Wonderworker. Memory 8 (21) January.

St. Damian Tselebnik. Mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years (under 1074) and the Life of St. Feodosia. He had the gift of healing from God, and before his death he prayed that, as in earthly life, he would not part with his beloved mentor - St. Theodosius. And the angel of God in the image of St. Theodosius, appearing at the bed of St. Damiana, promised that this wish would come true. Soon to St. The Venerable himself came to Damian. Feodosius. At the request of the student to confirm everything said before, St. Theodosius, who did not know about the vision, but understood that St. Damian contemplated the angel and assured his companion of the truth of the words spoken from above. 1638: Damian Presbyter; 1661-1702: Damian the Priest; 1795: Damian Tselebnik. Memory 5 (18) October.

Twelve architects and icon painters Great Pechersk Church (Assumption Cathedral). « Word on the creation of the Pechersk Church"mentions about 4 Constantinople master architects who were once honored to see in Blachernae (the area of ​​​​Constantinople, where the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was located, with the belt of the Most Pure One kept in it, and one of the imperial palaces) the Mother of God under the guise of the Queen, who ordered them to go to Pechersky Monastery to Russia and build a new Church of the Mother of God (1073); 10 years later, the Most Holy Theotokos inspired with Her vision an artel of Constantinople icon painters to arrive in Kyiv to decorate the newly built Dormition Cathedral of the Lavra; amazed by the miracles that accompanied the foundation, construction and decoration of the temple, the architects and icon painters, according to the prophecy of the Most Pure One revealed to them, became monks of the Pechersk monastery and ended their earthly journey in it. 1638: " The bodies of twelve icon painters are buried - some remained intact, others disintegrated. They built in Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Who appeared to them in Blachernae under the guise of the Queen, hiring and admonishing them"(Teraturgima generalizes the data of the Lay, calling all the masters icon painters and assigning them the construction of the temple); 1647 (engineer Beauplan): " 12 masons who built the church"; 1661-1702: " 12 painters"; 1701 (Ioann Lukyanov): “ Twelve architects».

Prmch. Evstratiy. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simone. He was captured during the attack on the Lavra by the Polovtsians in 1096, together with St. Nikon Sukhoi and sold them into slavery to a Crimean Jew, who, for the ascetic’s refusal to accept Judaism, crucified him on Easter the following year, and then threw the body of the martyr into the sea (one can assume that, before transferring the relics to Kiev, the place of their stay was noticed Christians or revealed by a special sign from above). 1638: Eustratius the Wonderworker; 1661-1702: Eustratius Martyr; 1795: Venerable Martyr Eustratius. Memory March 28 (April 10).

St. Elladius. 1638: Elladius the Faster, Wonderworker; 1661: Elladius the Wonderworker; 1702: Elladius the Recluse. Memory 4 (17) October.

St. Erasmus. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simone. Lived in the 12th century. He donated the great wealth that he previously possessed for the frames for the icons of the Assumption Cathedral. Once, having accepted the idea inspired by demons that the Lord would not impute this sacrifice to him for salvation, St. Erasmus fell into despair and began to live carelessly. The monk suffered a serious illness, and he had a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos, who said: “ Since you have decorated and glorified My church with icons, I will glorify you in the Kingdom of My Son... Arise, you who love the splendor of My House, repent, and be tonsured into the schema, and in three days I will take you clean to Me" The sick man was healed, confessed his sins to the brethren, accepted the schema, and three days later he rested. 1638: Erasmus the Wonderworker. Memory February 24 (March 8).

St. Efrem Pereyaslavsky. In the "Life" of St. Theodosius reports on Izyaslav's butler, the eunuch Ephraim, who took monastic vows in the Lavra almost simultaneously with St. Varlaam and together with him was the reason for the prince’s disgrace over the prpp. Anthony and Nikon the Great; when the disgrace passed, St. Ephraim retired to one of the monasteries of Constantinople; subsequently he returned to Rus' and became the bishop of Pereyaslavl. His activities as a bishop are reflected in the chronicles (1089-1091; in particular, his construction of many churches and stone " bathhouse structure, which has never existed before in Rus'"). 1638: " Elder Ephraim, eunuch of Prince Izyaslav"; 1661: Ephraim Eunuch; 1702: Ephraim Bishop; 1744: Ephraim, Bishop of Pereyaslavl. Memory January 28 (February 10).

St. Jeremiah the Seeful. Mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years (under 1074): “ Premembered the Baptism of the Russian Land(hence, he lived in the late 10th – late 11th centuries). He was given the gift from God to predict the future. If he saw sinful thoughts in someone, he would denounce him in secret and instruct him to beware of the devil... . And if someone predicted something, joyful or sorrowful, the elder’s word came true" 1638: Jeremiah, who had the gift of prophecy; 1661: Jeremiah the Farsighted. Memory 5 (18) October.

St. Ilya Muromets. 1594 (German ambassador Erich Lasota): “ WITH outside churches(Kievo-Sofia), was the tomb of Ilya Morovlin. He was a noble hero or, as they say, a hero. Many fables are told about him. This tomb is now destroyed… There are also(in the Near Lavra Caves) one giant or hero, called Chobotka. They say that he was once attacked by many enemies while he was putting on his boot. And since in his haste he could not grab any other weapon, he began to defend himself with another boot, which he had not yet put on, and with it he defeated everyone, from which he received such a nickname"; 1638: " The holy monk Elijah, whom ordinary people call Chobitko in vain... About 450 years ago, when the saint lived"(1188); 1661: " Ilya Muromets"; 1701 (Ioann Lukyanov): “ Here we see the brave warrior Ilya of Muromets in incorruption under the cover of gold, as tall as today's large people. His left hand is pierced with a spear, the wound is all over his hand, and his right hand is depicted with the sign of the cross"; "Service": " I dare to honor the invincible warrior Elijah of Murom, who has an ulcer in his hand from a weapon, but in his heart love for You, Christ, created the deepest wound for him" In folk epics: “ An invisible angelic force flew in, and took him from the good horse, and carried him into the caves in Kiev, and then the old one died, and to this day his relics are incorruptible" Comparing the data from the “Diary” of Lyasota (1594) and the “Teraturgima” of Fr. Athanasius of Kalnofoi (1638), researchers put forward two versions: 1) even before Lyasota’s visit to Kyiv, the relics of St. Elijah was transferred from the St. Sophia Cathedral to the caves; 2) the ambassador made a mistake in his notes and mistakenly called one of the tombs in the St. Sophia Cathedral the empty tomb of St. Elijah. Conducted in the 1980s. examination of the relics showed: “ Exactly as it is told in folk legends, the saint had a tall height (177 cm), extraordinary strength (exceptional development of the muscular system), but from a young age he suffered from a disease of the spine, which even led to some functional restructuring of the body (thickening of the cranial vault, an increase in the size of the hand compared to the length of the shoulder and forearm, etc.). St. Ilya Muromets had several regenerated fractures of the ribs and right collarbone, and a penetrating wound was fatal for him chest some flat piercing object... The same damage is visible on the inside of the left hand" Memory of St. Elijah December 19 (January 1).

St. martyr John Varyag. Under 983, the Tale of Bygone Years reports that on the site of the future Church of the Tithes, the blood of martyrs for Christ was shed. After a successful campaign against the Yatvingian (Yatvingian) tribe, Prince Vladimir – still a pagan – thanked the “gods” with a sacrifice. At the same time, the boyars and city elders (“elders”) proposed, by casting lots, to choose a boy or a girl for sacrifice. The lot fell on the son of a Varangian (Scandinavian), who moved to Kyiv from Byzantium and was a Christian. The chronicler notes that the devil himself, hating the boy - for he was “ red in face and soul", - pushed the pagans to draw lots. When they came for the boy, his father confessed his faith and refused to hand over his son. Having gathered an armed crowd and breaking the courtyard fence, the pagans again began to demand the boy. Standing with his son in the gallery of the house, the father repeated the refusal. Then, cutting down the supports of the gallery, the crowd killed both. In the “Message” to the monk Polycarp, St. Simon called these martyrs the first heavenly citizens from Rus'. In the text of the “Tale of Bygone Years” according to the Laurentian and Ipatiev Chronicles, the names of the Varangians are absent. The Chronicles of Resurrection, Tver, Sofia I (XV-XVI centuries) call the younger Varangian John. The name of John is also present in the prologue (short) life of the Varangian martyrs (June 12), the oldest known list of which dates back to the 13th century. In the 17th century The second edition of this life is being created, and the name of the senior Varangian, Theodore, appears in it. The question of the origin of the names of the Varangians has become the topic of great scientific discussion and has not yet been closed, but it makes sense to pay attention to the symbolism of the meaning of these names (John - “grace of God”, Theodore - “gift of God”), which could play an important role if scribes supplemented the ancient legend. The credibility of the statement that the temple was created precisely on the site of the former court of the Varangians is also a subject of debate. Excavations of the foundations of the Tithe Church in 1939 revealed a pagan necropolis preceding its construction. In this regard, the remains of a log structure, found in 1908 under the southern apse of the temple, in which some were inclined to see traces of the Varangian house, are assessed by many as part of a funeral structure. If the chronicle localization of the Varangian court is incorrect, it remains to perceive the tradition coming from the “Tale of Bygone Years” in the symbolic sense that some historians suggest - the courage of Sts. Theodore and John prompted the pagan Vladimir to seriously think about the benefits of Christianity. Although, according to the Tale, “ no one knows where they put them", the map of the Near Caves of 1702 indicates in the brotherly tomb opposite the underground Church of the Vvedenskaya the relics with the name " John", on the map of 1769 they are accompanied by the caption " John the youth", in 1795 they correspond to " St. Martyr JohnMbaby", and Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov) writes: " John, baby, son of a Varangian, killed by idol priests in 983 according to the Nestor Chronicle, although in Nestor’s time it was still unknown where father and son were hidden"(Description of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, 1831, p. 108). Explain the appearance of the relics of St. Professor Evgeny Golubinsky tried to John in the Lavra: “ ABOUTthe place of their burial was recognized by some revelations"(History of canonization in the Russian Church, 1903, p. 211). Researcher Irina Zhilenko believes that the relics of St. John were transferred to the Lavra from the ruins of the Tithe Church after the destruction of the temple by Batu in 1240: “ In any case, the relics of St. John must, it seems, come from somewhere here - from a log burial, taken for the basement of a house, or from the building itself"(Diva pecher Lavrskykh, 1997).

St. John the Long-Suffering. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp, called “ long-suffering recluse" Lived in the XI-XII centuries. While still living in the world, he struggled with feelings of carnal lust: he imposed strict fasting on himself, stayed awake at night, and wore chains. Finding no peace, he went to the place where the relics of St. Anthony and heard the command of the saint of God to stay in the cave. Having settled here, St. John added to his previous feats of abstinence that, having taken off his clothes, he tamed his bodily passions with cold, and one day during Great Lent he dug a hole up to his shoulders, went down into it and covered himself with earth, leaving only his hands and head free. The demons tried to frighten the ascetic with visions, but at the most difficult moment, St. John, like gold refined in a furnace, was honored with a special visit from God and felt freedom from the lusts of the flesh. Descriptions of the Near Caves XVI – beginning. XX centuries note that the relics of St. John are in a standing position and half buried in the ground. After the revolution, in 1919, several Red Army soldiers, examining the caves, doubted that the relics of St. John have been steadfast since ancient times and almost raised their hand to desecrate the shrine (Metropolitan Veniami (Fedchenkov), “At the Turn of Epochs”). Probably, in order to avoid this in the future, the Lavra brethren placed the relics in a wooden shrine. 1638: " The Wonderworker John the Long-suffering, still stands in the ground, buried up to his shoulders"; 1661: John the Long-Suffering. Memory 18 (31) July.

St. John the Faster. 1638: " Elder John, distinguished by fasting"; 1661: John the Faster; "Service": " John, enlightened by fasting" Memory 7 (20) December.

St. Isaac the Recluse. Information about him is contained in the “Tale of Bygone Years” (an article about the death of St. Theodosius in 1074 and the first Pechersk ascetics). Leaving the worldly path of merchants, St. Isaac (in the world he had the nickname Chern) came to Kyiv from the city of Toropets and took monastic vows from St. Antonia. Soon he retired into seclusion in the Near Caves, where he spent 7 years (1062-1069). One day demons appeared to the ascetic in the guise of Christ and angels, and he, considering himself worthy of the vision and forgetting about caution, bowed to the demons. Having abused the monk, they left him unconscious. Having brought, according to custom, the prosphora to the window of the shutter, St. Isaac, and not hearing an answer to the greeting, St. Anthony sent another of his associates (in the Near Caves) for help to St. Feodosia (to the wooden monastery above the Far Caves). The shutter was opened and St. Petersburg was found. Isaac is in a state resembling lethargy. At first, the saint himself cared for the patient. Anthony, but was soon forced to leave for Chernigov (expelled in 1068 by the Kievites, Izyaslav returned to the capital and began to be angry with the elder, suspecting him of sympathy for Vseslav of Polotsk, released from prison by the rebels). Then St. Petersburg nursed the recluse for two years. Feodosius. After the healing of St. Isaac took upon himself the feat of foolishness, and many years later, having acquired great spiritual powers, he again withdrew into a cave seclusion, where demons again - but unsuccessfully - tried to tempt him. Venerable died Isaac under Abbot John (after 1088). Memory 14 (27) February.

St. Isaiah the Wonderworker. 1638: Elder Isaiah the Hardworking; 1661-1702: Isaiah the Hard Worker; 1795: Isaiah the Wonderworker; "Service": " Onuphrius, lover of silence, and Isaiah, the desert-loving turtledove, with Sylvester the Blessed, triplet rope to demons" Memory 15 (28) May.

St. rights Juliania, Princess Olshanskaya. “Teraturgima” of the Lavra monk Afanasy Kalnofoisky (1638) reports under 1617 (Miracle 12): “ Nekthen having no fear of God,from the sectwickedAria, who falsely called himself Vasily.. . came and asked Hierodeacon Livery Pyatnitsky, at that timealtar boy, open the coffin of Saint Juliana, Princess of Olshanskaya, who lies incorrupt to this day, supposedly to venerate her holy relics. Having received permission, he, like a monkey, copying Orthodox custom, becameslavishlyvenerate God's saint. When the hierodeacon went away, our dear righteous man, taking advantage of the opportunity, tore the holy ring from his finger… Bowing and thankingaltar boyfor help, and hurried with the loot from the church. But, going out the door, he fell on the stones and roared. Rolling on the stones, he gave up his wretched soul without confession and all other sacraments due to a good Christian… Then the honest father Elisha Pletenetsky approached with pious fathers and brethren, and, wanting to know the reason for this sudden death, ordered to examine whether he had taken anything from the church or from the holy bodies. The examiner immediately found the ring in the deceased’s pocket, and the honest father askedaltar boy, from which image this ring was stolen. He counted, found everything in its place, and, as if some force had touched him– opened the coffin of the holy princess. On right hand he saw the fresh spot from which the precious ring had been removed, and reported to the honest father archimandrite which of the blessed ones had been robbed by the deceased. Bartholomew Skorodensky immediately approached and told about his name… He knew this because he spent the night with him when he arrived in Kyiv as a pilgrim. The Good Shepherd took the ring and hung it on the iconPHoly Mother of God among many other treasures. And he ordered the blasphemer to be buried behind the monastery with the words: “Look what punishment comes for such a serious crime.”"; the same book contains the epitaph “ Saint Juliana Georgievna Dabrovskaya, Princess Olshanskaya, her holy relics"(No. 15).

In 1686, the Lavra printing house published the book “The Good News, or Good News of Joy in the Life of Our Venerable and God-Bearing Father John Kushchnik” with a dedication to the hetman of Ukraine Ivan Samoilovich (whose heavenly patron was Saint John); part of the publication was a brochure flown to Blagovestie with the heading: “ Holy God-pleasing Princess Juliana Olshanskaya" The brochure contains the story of the discovery of the relics of St. Juliana, stories about the first miracles at the tomb of the ascetic, as well as the troparion and kontakion in her honor. “The Legend of the Finding of the Honest Sowing of the Holy, God-pleasing Princess Juliana” reads: “ In the past years, with the blessed memory of the Archimandrite of the Holy Great Wonderworking Lavra of Kiev-Pechersk, Mr. Father Elisha of Pletenetsky, passed away inbin the blessed city of Kiev, a certain deliberate maiden, who was buried in the monastery of the Holy Pechersk, digging a coffin near the church of the holy Great Stone Pechersk Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, before the border of St. John the Baptist, where now the doors to that limit, even before there was not banging, but from the inside The great church is the entrance to that holy limit. At that time, the digger found this treasure, protected by God from ancient years, the honest relics of the holy, God-pleasing Princess Juliana, resting in the incorruptibility of the green red: she was white in body and beautiful, like a living sleeping creature, richly decorated; a robe under the name of an azure adamashka, and the top one of azure, both abundantly surrounded by golden lines, on the neck there are golden hryvnias with many beads, and on the hands there are gold orders; on the head there is a maiden golden crown with beads; nThe earrings are also gold with large beads and precious stones. Lying by the church wall, with his head at noon, and nogama at midnight. A stone was placed above its shell, on it was inscribed the sign or coat of arms of the pious princes of Olshansky, and on the shell itself was nailed a gilded silver medallion, and on it was depicted the same princely sign with the inscription: as here is Yuliana Princess Olshanskaya, the daughter of the prince, is laid Gregory(Georgia) Olshansky, who died as a virgin in the sixteenth year of her birth. I saw all her clothes as if they were new, and until now no one has touched them; but when they were touched, they were corrupted, and so these holy relics were clothed in another new silk robe, and placed that day in the church of the Holy Great Pechersk, in the corner from the west, towards midnight, not deliberately, without decoration, with the most worthy honor, as befits saints; There, various people looked at them and touched them as they wanted, without rewarding them with due honor. Then the holy relics fell to dust and turned black. For quite some time I have maintained the throne of the Metropolis of Kiev, and also the reign of the Archimandry of Pechersk, of blessed memory to the Most Reverend Father Peter Mogila, who appeared to him in a miraculous vision, this holy, God-pleasing princess Juliana, denouncing this, as if her holy relics had been left in such neglect, with lack of faith in their sanctuary. He is the same cheerful shepherd, and he commanded the skillful and God-fearing monastic maidens to arrange beautiful robes and utensils for the decoration of those holy relics, and to deliberately make a shrine; in the public domain, the holy relics were piously and decorously attempted to be transposed, and solemnly brought to that place where they now lie: having put on the holy robes, convening the entire consecrated council, and having performed celebratory prayers and singing, with thanksgiving to God and the Mother of God and the Reverend Father Pechersk, as if to the shrine of this holy place, venerate its praise, and sow the holy princess Juliana with the appearance of incorruptible, honest and miraculous relics: those who flow to them with reverence and faith receive through the prayers of this saint of God, soul-helping help in their demands. About this same God-pleasing princess Juliana of Olshanskaya, it is not appropriate to remain silent and reliable information, which for many times was. INSummer from the Nativity of Christ ahiz (1667) month of Julys (6) day, the all-honorable Father Theodosius Sofonovich, abbot of the monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael of the Golden-Top of Kiev, having deliberately come to the monastery of the Holy Pechersk, wished this from the ecclesiarch, at that time the existing honorable hieromonk Paisy Simeonovich, so that he would open the shrine of St. Juliana, so that with her relics he could venerate the power of the saints. Tell me how: "Nand when it happened, the veneration of the created holy relics» . « And so I have, – speech, – a vision at this time in my monastery, after the morning singing, leaving the church and having slept a little,. IBehold in the lordship of the great face of the many holy virgins, from them there is one speech to me with the reproof of the verb:"WITHI am Juliana, and her relics lie in the Church of the Holy Pechersk; Do you impute wax to me in vain, just as you do my relics? Therefore, for the sake of this, the Lord has shown you this vision, so that I may be counted among the holy virgins who pleased Him from the Lord God.». ANDfrom then on, the all-honorable abbot, coming to the holy monastery of Pechersk, never abandoned bowing piously with all zeal, humble and tender kiss, with this holy incorruptible relic of the holy saint of God Juliana».

In 1705, the 4th and last part of the “Lives of the Saints” (for June-July-August) was published by St. Demetrius of Rostov (Tuptalo, †1709), where under July 6 (the day of the appearance of St. Juliana to Abbot Theodosius Safonovich) an expanded “Legend” about the ascetic was placed, in which the learned hierarch combined information from the “Annunciation” and “Teraturgima”. In the same year, this version of the “Tale” was also published as a separate book, and from 1830 it was reprinted (with changes) as part of the “Paterikon”. In 1718, the relics of St. Juliania suffered from the great Lavra fire, after which their remains were put into an ark and transferred to the Near Caves.

The family of the Olshansky (Golshansky) princes dates back to the era of the annexation of Southern Rus' by Lithuania. At the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. The Olshanskys were the rulers of the Kyiv appanage principality. Over time, one of the branches of the family acquired the surname Dubrovitsky (in the epitaph of Father Athanasius, St. Juliana is called Dabrovskaya). A number of documents contain references to the burial of several representatives of the Olshansky family in the Assumption Cathedral of the Lavra. In the 19th century historian Mikhail Maksimovich suggested that St. Juliana lived no earlier than the 1st half. XVI century In this case, according to the historian Alexandra Chumachenko, the ascetic could be the daughter of Georgy (Yuri) Ivanovich Olshansky-Dubrovitsky, the son of Ivan Yuryevich, who was the first to acquire the surname Dubrovitsky, organized a conspiracy against the domination of the Lithuanians in Southern Rus', but was exposed and executed in Kiev in 1481 In turn, Natalia Yakovenko believes St. Juliania is not the granddaughter, but the sister of Ivan Yuryevich. In the absence of detailed biographical information about St. Juliana, the troparion compiled in her honor expresses the main idea inspired by the vision of Fr. Feodosius Safonovich: “ Princely nobility with virtues worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, having adorned this corruptible world, you were vouchsafed to receive from the King of the Ages the Imperishable in Heaven an incorruptible and unfading crown of glory" Memory 6 (19) July.

Prpp. Kuksha the Hieromartyr and Pimen the Faster. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simone: " Everyone knows how he cast out demons, and baptized the Vyatichi, and brought down rain, dried up the lake, and performed many miracles. After being tortured for a long time, he was killed along with his student. On the same day, Pimen, the blessed faster, who predicted his death two years in advance, foresaw many other things, and healed the sick, also died on the same day. He exclaimed in the middle of the church: “Kuksha, our brother, was killed at dawn!” Having said this, he rested at the same hour as the mentioned saints." The words “everyone knows,” according to Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), indicate that St. Kuksha and Pimen lived at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. - when the future St. was still asceticizing in the Lavra. Simon. Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov) identified St. Pimen Postnik from the story about St. Kuksha with the ascetic of the same name from the story about St. Nikita in the “Message” of the monk Polycarp (St. Pimen the Faster is mentioned in connection with the events of 1078) and attributed the death of St. Kuksha and Pimen by the 1st half. XII century; the same learned hierarch found in the sources the name of the disciple St. Kukshi - Nikon. 1638: Kuksha the Wonderworker; 1661: Pimen Postnik; 1744: Martyr Kuksha; 1795: Hieromartyr Kuksha, Pimen the Postnik. General memory August 27 (September 9).

St. Lavrenty the Recluse. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. In view of the temptations that befell St. Isaac (1069) and St. Nikita (1078) in the shutters, St. Lawrence was denied a blessing for the feat of seclusion. Having moved to the Holy Demetrius Monastery, St. Lavrenty secluded himself in this monastery. Leading a harsh life, the ascetic was awarded the gift of healing. But one day they brought him a demoniac, whom he could not help, and ordered him to take the sick man to the Lavra, to which the demons responded with a confession: at least 30 monks (out of 180) live in the Pechersky Monastery who are capable of driving them out. In the Lavra, a demoniac found healing. Often St. Lawrence is identified with St. Lavrenty, ep. Turovsky, who in the “Epistle” of St. Simon is named among the Lavra tonsures, and in the chronicle “Sermon on the Repose of St. Polycarp, Archimandrite of Pechersk" (1182) is mentioned as a participant in the elevation of priest Vasily to the Lavra abbot. Because of this, the relics of St. Lawrence the Recluse in the Near Caves are dressed in episcopal robes. But a number of researchers doubt the justification of such an identification, because The St. Demetrius Monastery is mentioned only in the 2nd half. XI century Memory January 29 (February 11).

St. Luka Economy. 1638: Elder Luke; 1661: LukeANDhorse; 1702: Luke; 1795: Luka, housekeeper Pechersky; "Service": " Luko Ikonom" Memory 6 (19) November.

St. Macarius. 1744: Macarius. Memory January 19 (February 1).

St. Mark Grave Digger. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. Lived in con. XI century He lived in a cave and dug graves in it for his deceased brethren. Even during his earthly life, he acquired the gift of working miracles, and the bodies of the deceased obeyed the word of the ascetic. There was a case when Rev. Mark, tired, left one grave narrow. On the same day, a monk died in the Lavra, who, in the absence of another grave, was buried in the one left by St. Mark, but because of its cramped conditions, they could not pour oil on the body of the deceased and complained about the cave dweller. The ascetic asked for forgiveness and told the deceased to do everything himself. The deceased stretched out his hand for a vessel with oil, made a cross-shaped libation, gave the vessel and again became motionless. Another time, while digging a grave and learning about the death of one of the monks, St. Mark ordered to say out loud in front of the body that the deceased should not go into another world for another day, because the burial place was not ready. As soon as they did this, the deceased opened his eyes and lived without speaking to anyone until St. Mark did not receive news that the grave was ready. Third miracle of St. The brand is associated with prpp. Theophilus and John. 1638: Mark Peschernik, Wonderworker; 1661: Marko Pecherny; 1702: Marko Pechernik; 1744: Marco Grave Digger. Memory December 29 (January 11).

St. Matthew the Perspicacious. Mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years (under 1074) as a seer. Lived at the turn of the XI-XII centuries. He repeatedly had visions of how demons were invisibly and hourly trying to persuade one or another of the monks to spiritual negligence, and he revealed this to the brethren so that everyone would be more vigilant. So, one day Rev. Matthew saw a demon in the church during a service in the guise of a man dressed in Polish and throwing a flower at the monks. Those whose flowers stuck to their clothes lost attention to prayer and found an excuse to leave the church, and those who did not stick stayed until the end of the service. For an unknown reason, maps of the Near Caves 1638-1661. mention St. Matthew (with clairvoyance clause) twice(this double mention was also reflected in “Service”). 1795: Matthew the Perspicious, resting in seclusion. Memory 5 (18) October.

St. Mercury Smolensky. 1594 (Erich Lasota): " A body lies in a long narrow trough (in the Near Caves) , which sailed in it from Smolensk down the Dnieper and landed under the monastery"; 1661: " Mercury, Bishop of Smolensk"; 1711 (Danish ambassador Just Jul): “ The caves also contain the remains of one saint, the former bishop of Smolensk. Dying, this bishop bequeathed that the coffin with his body be floated along the Dnieper and carried away by the river wherever it happens. And his coffin was brought here, to the graves of these saints, located near the Dnieper itself, as a result of which the deceased was accepted and placed in the caves"; "Service": " Glory to the city of Smolensk, Mercury the shepherd, who shepherds his Shepherd's sheep kindly, but in the spirit of grief I will take out to be inseparable from the face of the monks of Pechersk. Moreover, after death, the miraculous one floated in the treasure, and in the cave of the saints he rested in body, but in soul he rejoiced with the saints in eternal glory" On this basis, Archbishop. Filaret believed: “ Before his ordination to the rank of hierarch, he labored in the Pechersk monastery" Historians have proposed various hypothetical dates for the earthly life of St. Mercury (since the Smolensk bishop with that name is unknown from other sources) within the XII-XIII centuries. Sometimes he was mistakenly identified with St. martyr Mercury of Smolensk. Memory 7 (20) August.

St. Moses Ugrin. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp as St. Moses Ugrin (Hungarian). Before becoming a monk, he served with St. Prince Boris (†1015), son of St. Vladimir, and after martyrdom his master took refuge in Kyiv. When the city was temporarily occupied by the Poles, drawn into the civil strife between Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, the young man was taken captive. In Poland, Moses was ransomed and persuaded to marry herself by a certain noble young widow, but the captive wanted monasticism and secretly accepted it from a wandering monk. The persuasion and torture undertaken by the widow did not force the saint. Moses to break his monastic vows. Then, by order of the widow, the ascetic was castrated and thrown out of the house. Having recovered from his wounds, he returned to Rus' and subsequently became a resident of the Lavra. 1638: Moses Ugrin. Memory July 26 (August 8).

St. Nectarius Skhemnik. 1638: " Nectary, distinguished by obedience"; 1661, 1744: Nectary; 1702: Nectary Hardworking; "Service": " Nektarije Posluslive"; 1892: Nectary the Obedient; to the end XX century: Nectarius Skhemnik. Memory November 29 (December 12).

St. Nestor the Chronicler. St. Nestor is called the “father of Russian history.” In a number of late medieval works of East Slavic literature one can find references to “Nestor”, implying a certain all-Russian chronicle collection. The most famous of the ancient Russian chronicles begins with the words: “ The Tale of Bygone Years of the Monk of the Theodosius Monastery of the Pechersk: where did the Russian land come from" In the title of Khlebnikov's list of the "Tales" the name of the monk is indicated - Nestor. With the name of Nestor, the “Life” of St. Petersburg has also reached us. Theodosius of Pechersk and “Reading” about St. Boris and Gleb: thus, Rev. Nestor is not only a historian, but also a hagiographer, who, moreover, dedicated his hagiographic works to the first saints glorified in Rus' (although “Reading” is inferior in the number of surviving copies to “The Tale of St. Boris and Gleb” by an anonymous author, which indicates the less popularity of the first ). The “Tale” has not survived to this day in its original form, and therefore to determine the share of participation of St. Nestor in its formation turned out to be far from simple for historians. Today it is generally accepted that it is St. Nestor, using earlier chronicle materials (including those from the Lavra), added to the collection a lengthy introduction (about the prehistory of Rus' in the context of world history), new information (in already compiled weather records and additional articles) and a title (“The Tale of Bygone Years”). It is also assumed that his chronicle work of St. Nestor brought it to 1112-1113. (in 1113 Vladimir Monomakh began to reign in Kyiv, who entrusted the keeping of the chronicle to the brethren of the Vydubitsky monastery: this is evidenced by the lines of the lists that have reached us). In the article of 1051 about the founding of the Lavra there are author's lines about St. Feodosia: " I came to him too... And he accepted me when I was 17 years old" These words are at odds with the remark in the “Life” that the author was accepted into the monastery of St. Stephen (successor of St. Theodosius); It also says that with St. Stephen, the author was tonsured and ordained a deacon. Based on this indication, some historians have put forward a hypothesis: St. Theodosius received St. Nestor as a novice, and St. Stefan - tonsured. Other researchers believe that the autobiographical words in article 1051 belong to one of the predecessors of St. Nestor at work on the chronicle. Under 1091 St. Nestor left in the “Tale” a story about how, on behalf of the abbot, he acquired the relics of St. Feodosia. Despite all the naturalness of the controversy regarding the role of St. Nestor in the history of Russian chronicles, the name of the ascetic remains a symbol of learning, sanctified by the feat of serving God. 1638: " Nestor, Russian Chronicler

St. Nikola Svyatosha. Mentioned in chronicles and the “Epistle” of St. Simone. In the world Svyatoslav Davidovich, son of the Chernigov prince; The Novgorod First Chronicle calls him the father-in-law of St. blgv. Vsevolod-Gabriel of Pskov. Having received an inheritance in Lutsk, in the 1090s. Svyatoslav found himself drawn into civil strife that broke out due to the fault of the Vladimir-Volynsky prince David Igorevich: on the one hand, the Lutsk prince wanted to maintain peaceful relations with his neighbor, on the other hand, according to the regulations of the Lyubech Congress of Princes (1097), he was obliged to act together with everyone against the instigator of the war ; During the feud, Svyatoslav lost his inheritance and went to his father in Chernigov. In 1106, he became a monk of the Lavra, the first of the Russian princes to become a monk (“The Epistle” of St. Simon talks about his exploits in the Lavra, where he acquired the gifts of clairvoyance and healing). According to the Ipatiev Chronicle, in 1142 Svyatosha took part in the reconciliation of warring princes who were in yet another feud (the ascetic died in the same year). Assimilated prp. For Nicholas, the name “Svyatosha” is considered an affectionate diminutive (O. Bodyansky) and expressing respect for the prince’s piety (N. Karamzin). 1638: Nikolai Svyatosha. Memory 14 (27) October.

St. Nikon, abbot of Pechersk. Works and exploits of St. Nikon are described in the “Life” of St. Theodosius and The Tale of Bygone Years. He was one of the first associates of St. Anthony (he came to him as an experienced priest and monk), with his blessing he tonsured the first Lavra brethren. He took part in the destinies of the Tmutarakan principality (he temporarily retired there due to disgrace caused by the tonsure of St. Varlaam and Ephraim), where he founded a monastery. Returning to the Lavra (1066), he happily obeyed St. Theodosius, who had been elected abbot by that time, and he revered St. Nikon as a father. After a while, Rev. Nikon again retired to Tmutarakan due to princely strife around Kyiv (1073), and was subsequently elected abbot of the Lavra instead of Theodosius's successor, Stephen ("Life"). He died in 1088 (“The Tale”). Following the author of the Life, St. Nikon is often called the Great (due to his outstanding significance in the history of the Lavra and to distinguish him from St. Nikon the Sukhoi). Memory March 23 (April 5).

St. Nikon Sukhoi. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simone. He was captured by the Polovtsians during an attack on Kyiv in 1096. Perceiving his captivity as allowed by God for spiritual success, he refused the offer of ransom from his worldly relatives. Seeing this, the Polovtsians subjected the prisoner to torture, but he bravely endured it. Through his prayer, the Lord healed and made the sick prisoners invisible so that they could escape (before this, the ascetic ordered them to abstain from food from the hands of the pagans - so that the unfortunate ones would see that they owe their salvation to God alone). When the Polovtsian owner Rev. Nikona fell mortally ill, then ordered his wives to crucify the monk over his grave, but the prisoner, foreseeing the future repentance of this man, asked the Lord for his health. One day Rev. Nikon told the Polovtsians that God was able to free him without ransom, and they, believing that the monk was preparing to escape, cut the tendons on the captive’s legs; however, three days later St. Nikon became invisible in the presence of armed guards, and at the same moment found himself among the brethren in the Lavra church. Later, visiting Kyiv in peacetime, the former owner saw St. Nikon in the Lavra, became convinced of the truth of the ascetic’s faith, accepted Orthodoxy with his family and remained to live in Rus', serving the monk whom he had once mutilated (from the wounds received, St. Nikon’s legs withered, and the brethren nicknamed him Dry). 1638: " Holy monk Nikon, who was captured and cruelly tortured by the Polovtsians"; 1661-1702: Nikon Martyr; 1795: Nikon Sukhoi. Memory 11 (24) December.

St. Nifont Novgorod. His “Life” in the ancient “Paterikon” was compiled on the basis of chronicle data (Ipatiev Chronicle under 1156). "Epistle" of St. Simone calls the ascetic a native of the Lavra. The construction of this her husband is holy and greatly fears God» to the rank of bishop The First Novgorod Chronicle dates back to 1130. It also contains repeated reports about the construction of St. Nifont of churches in the Novgorod diocese and about the peacekeeping of the hierarch. Among the monuments of ancient Russian canon law, the “Question of Kirikovo” has been preserved - a conversation (questions and answers) of one of the Novgorod clergy with St. Nifont. In 1147, the ascetic opposed the installation of Klim Smolyatich, who was pleasing to Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich, to the Kiev metropolis (Ipatiev Chronicle): the bishop did not consider it possible to violate the tradition established since the Baptism of Rus, according to which the Kiev metropolitan was sent from Byzantium (the only exception until then was St. Hilarion), although the canons allowed Russian bishops to independently select and install the high priest. The position of St. Nifont was explained by some researchers as having a special sympathy for Byzantium, while others associated it with a reluctance that the frequent change of warring princes on the Kiev throne would lead to the arbitrary nomination by each prince of his own candidate for the metropolis. St. died Nifont during a visit to his native monastery in 1156. Before his death, he received a vision of St. Feodosia. According to the Ipatiev Chronicle, “ was laid… in Theodosius Cave"(Far Caves). Since 1744, his relics have been listed in the Near Caves. Memory 8 (22) April.

St. Onesimus. 1661: Onesimus; 1744: AnisimZreclusive; 1795: Onesimus, resting in seclusion. Memory 21 July (3 August), 4 (17) October.

St. Onesiphorus the Confessor. Mentioned in the Epistles of St. Simon and Polycarp and who lived at the end. XI – first half. XII centuries; St. Simon says that St. Onesiphorus had the gift of clairvoyance, knew in advance the sins of the monks confessing to him (hence the Confessor), and once participated in a deep prayer for the soul of a monk who died unrepentant - and this prayer had good consequences for the deceased. 1638: see: Prpp. Theophilus and John; 1661-1702: Onesiphorus the Priest; 1795: Onesiphorus the Confessor. Memory 9 (22) November.

St. Onufry the Silent. 1638: Elder and Wonderworker Onufriy; 1661: HeughriyProsy; 1744: OnuphryMsilentth; "Service": " Onuphry, lover of silence" Memory July 21 (August 3).

St. Pimen the Many-Painful. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp (as PimenLong-suffering). He was born and raised as a bedridden patient; asked his parents to allow him to become a monk. They refused, but then they took their son to the Lavra so that he could be healed through the prayers of the brethren or take monastic vows. While the brethren offered prayers for the sick man, the parents, hoping for his healing, did not allow their son to be tonsured and were constantly with him, and he, wanting to stay in the monastery, prayed to God for the strengthening of the illness. One night, angels appeared at the bed of the sick man under the guise of the abbot of the Lavra and the brethren and performed tonsure. A sign of his reality was dressed on St. Pimena schema, a candle at the bedside, designed for a day, but burned for forty days, and shorn hair on the tomb of St. Theodosius in the locked Great Church. Patiently bearing his cross, St. Pimen was awarded by God the gift of healing other sick people, and just before his death he rose from his bed. The Gustyn Chronicle records the death of St. Pimen by 1110 (according to the monk Polycarp, during the death of St. Pimen " Three pillars appeared above the refectory and moved from there to the dome of the church. They are also mentioned in the chronicle"; The news of the Laurentian Chronicle for 1110 is similar to this description: “ In the Pechersky Monastery... A pillar of fire appeared from earth to heaven, and lightning illuminated the whole earth, and thundered in heaven... Behold, the first pillar of more than a hundred was on the refectory of stones, as if the cross had not been seen, and after standing a little, step onto the church"). 1661-1702: Pimen the Long-Suffering; 1744: Pimen the Many-Painful. Memory 7 (20) August.

St. Polycarp Archimandrite. The first abbot of the Lavra known from the chronicles in the rank of archimandrite (mentioned since 1168). Chronicle article about the death of St. Polycarp in 1182 (Ipatiev Chronicle) calls him “blessed” (the text is included in the “Paterikon”). In the 17th century St. Polycarp Archimandrite was mistakenly identified with the monk Polycarp for whom the “Epistle” of St. Simon, however, the addressee of the Vladimir-Suzdal ruler lived in the Lavra in the 1st half. XIII century This identification led to the fact that in the old church hymnography St. Polycarp Archimandrite and the author of the “Message” to Archimandrite Akindinus as one person; however, the hagiographical work undertaken by the monk Polycarp (the second) fully deserves grateful memory and testifies to the piety of the author. The relics of St. Polycarp Archimandrite was first marked on the map of 1702 ( Polycarp Igumen; in 1795: Polycarp, Archimandrite of Pechersk). Memory July 24 (August 6).

St. Prokhor Lobodnik. Mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp, with the nickname Lebednik: while strictly fasting, he made bread from quinoa, which became sweet for the sake of the prayer of the ascetic, and collected stove ash, which acquired the quality of salt in his hands, and distributed both to the poor. One day, taking advantage of the war between the princes, merchants raised the prices of bread and salt in Kyiv, and, seeing that the common people were coming to St. Petersburg for help. Prokhora, they suspected the monk of self-interest and accused him before Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. He ordered the ascetic to take away the supplies of bread and salt ash he had made for the people, but the prince’s servants were convinced of the inedibility of the confiscated products and threw them away. After this, the people sorted out the discarded items, and soon the prince learned that the common people were eating the bread and “salt” of the St. at home. Prokhora. It became clear that what was taken by force and for profit lost its wonderful qualities, and then acquired it again. Then the prince went to the Lavra to personally ask for forgiveness from the ascetic. Venerable died Prokhor at the beginning XII century 1638, 1795: Prokhor; 1661, 1892: Prokhor the Wonderworker; 1917 (Guidebook by Konstantin Shcherotsky): Prokhor Lebednik. Memory 10 (23) February.

St. Savva. 1638-1702: SavvaHsatisfaction maker. Memory April 24 (May 7).

St. Sergius. 1638-1661: Sergius; 1702: Sergius the Hardworking; 1744: SergiusZreclusive; 1795: Sergiy PoslushlAndvyy. “The Book of the Verb about Russian Saints” XVII-XVIII centuries. (list of M. Tolstoy): “ SergiusPostnik"; "Service": " Nektarios Obediently with Sergius, your equal! Memory 7 (14) October.

St. Sylvester . 1638: WITHTarets SylvesterHumble, Miracle Worker; 1661-1702: Sylvester. Memory 2 (15) January.

St. Simon Suzdalsky. 1638: Simon, Metropolitan of Suzdal; 1661: Simon Bishop; 1702: Simon, Bishop of Suzdal. In descriptions of the Lavra of the 19th century. identified with St. Simon, bishop Vladimir-Suzdal, who from 1214 until his death in 1226 occupied the episcopal see, before that he labored in the monastery of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Complete collection of Russian chronicles, vol. 1, columns 438, 448), was a tonsure of the Lavra, the author ( in 1222-1226) “Epistle” to the Lavra monk Polycarp (with an exhortation to humility and examples of the ancient Pechersk ascetics) and “Words on the creation of the Great Church of the Pechersk”; the basis for such identification were the words of St. Simone: " WITHI would consider lava and power to be dirt, just to stick out like a sliver at the gate or litter in the Pechersky Monastery"("Epistle" to Polycarp). However, written sources and the fact of the discovery of the relics of this St. Simon in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir-on-Klyazma (in the 2nd half of the 19th century) they say that St. rests in the Lavra caves. Simon of Rostov-Suzdal 1st floor. XII century – a special publication by the Archbishop is devoted to this issue Sergius (Spassky) " St. Simon, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal"(1899). Memory of St. Simon of Rostov-Suzdal May 10 (23).

St. Sisoy. 1661: SisoyPostnik; 1702: SisoyZreclusive; 1795: Sisoy, resting in seclusion; "Service": " Sisoya, who shone in the post(we praise).” Memory October 24 (November 6).

Prpp. Spiridon and Nikodim Prosphorans. St. Spyridon is mentioned in the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp. Lived in the 12th century. He godly baked prosphora and read the entire Psalter by heart every day, and once, during a fire in the bakery, he miraculously brought water from the well in a folded shirt to extinguish the fire. 1638: Spiridon the Wonderworker(in another section of the caves it is mentioned “ Spyridon and Onesiphorus", about which see: Prpp. Theophilus and John); 1661-1702: Spiridon Proskurnik. Since 1702, maps have also mentioned St. Nicodemus, known from the “Epistle” of the monk Polycarp as an associate of St. Spiridona in baked prosphora. Memory October 31 (November 13).

St. Titus Hieromonk. St. Titus was a hieromonk and had a spiritual brother-in-arms with Hierodeacon Evagrius; jealous of the friendship of the monks, the evil one destroyed it and brought both of them to enmity, without leaving which they dared to serve at the altar and receive communion; when St. Titus suffered a serious illness; the hieromonk, expecting death, conveyed to Evagrius through other monks a tearful request for forgiveness; however, the hierodeacon did not want to go to the dying man, and when the brethren brought him by force, the saint refused. Titus in reconciliation both in earthly and in the future life; suddenly Evagrius fell lifeless, and St. Titus showed the first signs of the retreat of the disease and answered the questions of the brethren that an angel of God who entered the cell gave him his hand, and struck the hierodeacon with a fiery spear for refusing reconciliation (“Epistle” of St. Simon). Earthly life of St. Titus falls on the turn of the XII-XIII centuries. (St. Simon writes that he witnessed the repentance of St. Titus). 1638: Titus the Presbyter; 1661: Titus the Priest. Memory 27 February (11 March).

St. Feofan Postnik. 1638: Feofan Postnik. Memory 11 (24) October.

St. Theophilus. 1661: TheophilusHsatisfaction maker; 1702: Feofan the Recluse(typo); 1795: Theophilos, resting in seclusion; 1892: Theophilus the Recluse. Memory October 24 (November 6).

Prpp. Theophilus and John. The “Message” of the monk Polycarp tells about the history of St. Theophilus the Tearful and his brother-in-arms, not named: when St. Theophilus was temporarily absent from the monastery; his spiritual friend, with whom they wished to be buried next to him, had died; upon returning to the monastery, St. Theophilus discovered that St. Mark the Grave Digger buried the deceased “in a higher place,” and grumbled greatly: “ I'm older"; then, with the prayer of St. Mark, the body of the buried person has moved; Shocked St. Until the end of his earthly life, Theophilus mourned his pride and acquired deep humility (the events described date back to the turn of the 11th-12th centuries). Without indicating the names of the brothers, their relics and history, with some deviations from the Patericon, are mentioned (not being familiar with the text of the life, but assimilating information from the oral history of the monastic brethren) by the German ambassador Erich Lasota (1594) and Archdeacon Paul who visited the Lavra Aleppo (1654; a sketch made by the Dutch artist Westerfeld in 1651 coincides with his description). In the “Canon” of 1643 the name of St. Peter’s brother-brother appears. Theophila - John. 1661: " Two brothers John and Theophilus"; in 1638 elsewhere it is indicated “ the bodies of two holy brothers, Spyridon and Onesiphorus; one of them reposed before God earlier, and then moved from his place so that it would be more convenient for the other to rest"; in 1661 on the spot " holy brothers Spyridon and Onesiphorus» marked “Onesiphorus the priest”, mentioned in the “Epistle” of St. Simon and Polycarp and who lived at the end. XI – first half. XII centuries; interpreting the data of “Teraturgima” (1638), some authors trust the words of Fr. Athanasius of Kalnofoisky about the relics of St. Spiridon and Onesiphorus (recognize the possibility of a story similar to the circumstances of St. John and Theophilus: Archbishop Philaret (Gumilevsky), Lives of the Saints, 2000, November, 9, p. 81), others see an error here (Nikolai Zakrevsky, Description of Kiev, 1868) . Memory prpp. Theophilus and John December 29 (January 11).

Repose of relics in the Far Caves

■ In the XII-XIX centuries. the review of the Lavra by pilgrims began from the estate of the Assumption Cathedral (now the so-called Upper Territory) and continued in the Near Caves, from the middle. XVII century There are also references to pilgrims visiting the Far Caves (after the Near Caves). For this reason, in the XVI-XVIII centuries. The brethren of the Lavra collected the relics of saints in the Near Caves, about whom more information has been preserved (mainly in the ancient “Kievo-Pechersk Patericon”). Regarding the meager data about the saints of the Far Caves, the wise instruction of Metropolitan Eugene (Bolkhovitinov) of Kyiv is known: “ Those described in the Patericon published are sufficient for example in all virtues"("Description of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra", 1831, pp. 125-126).

■ Back in the beginning. XIX century information about the saints of the Far Caves was drawn mainly from the descriptions of the Lavra of the Metropolitans of Kiev Samuel (Mislavsky) (1795) and Eugene (Bolkhovitinov) (1831), - in which the names of the ascetics were accompanied by one-word characteristics (“recluse”, “faster”), - and also from the “Service to the Saints of the Far Caves,” compiled between 1678 and 1702. (the time of compilation is indicated by the sequence of names in the liturgical text, which largely coincides with the location of the relics in the caves according to the maps of the indicated years).

■ In 1862, the future Archbishop Modest (Strelbitsky) published a brochure about the saints of the Far Caves (“Brief Tales”), which was later included in the printed “Paterikon”. The author quoted and commented on the notebooks with gravestone epitaphs found by the Lavra brethren in the book depositories of the Lavra (1850), copied from the wooden boards of the burial niches of the Far Caves and paraphrased in the manuscript; At the same time, Abbot Modest mistakenly believed that the copying of the inscriptions was carried out before the middle. XVII century Meanwhile, the order of names in the manuscript and the characteristics of the saints coincide, as in the “Service,” with the data on the maps of 1678 and 1702. There were no dates of death of the ascetics in the notebooks, but the mention of 7 hermits led the author to believe that most of the saints of the Far Caves lived in the 11th-12th centuries. - however, of the 9 saints called hermits in the notebooks, 8 are mentioned in the “Teraturgim” of 1638 (there is no St. Lawrence), while only 2 have the characteristic “recluse” (St. Athanasius and Sophrony), and in the description of Metropolitan Samuil the same 8 (and with them all those lying not in arcosolia, but in walled-up loculi) are called “resting in the seclusion” (St. Lavrenius, resting in the shrine, is called “ascetic in the seclusion”). Thus, the epitaphs published in 1862 were created in the 2nd half. XVII century But we can agree that the authors of the epitaphs borrowed some of the information from ancient and laconic inscriptions on earlier boards or sandy-clay walls (gravestone graffiti on the ground is known in the Near Lavra and Kiev-Zverinetsky caves).

■ The hypothesis of Archbishop Philaret (Gumilevsky), who attributed the death of most of the saints of the Far Caves to the 13th-15th centuries, became widespread: those of them about whom dated news could be found died at that time ( Archbishop. Filaret, Lives of the Saints, 2000, August, p. 266); however, as in the case of the brochure of Bishop Modest, weak point The hypothesis has become limited (in comparison with the current one) by the range of sources available to the author: materials from archaeological research in 1968 and the maps of the caves themselves (in 1702, the image of a saint in one of the loculi is accompanied by the caption: “ Relics. Recent") indicate burials in the Far Caves until the end. XVII century

■ The dates below indicate maps and descriptions of the Far Caves of 1638, 1661, 1702, 1744, 1795; the word “Service” - “Service to the saints of the Far Caves” con. XVII century; the word “board” - survivors of the middle. XIX century separate boards from the burial niches of the Far Caves (late 17th century); with the letter combination “RKP” - a manuscript published by Fr. Modestus (1862).

St. Agathon the Wonderworker. 1638-1661: Agathon; 1702: Agathon the Healer; 1744: Agathon, Pechersk Wonderworker; "Service": " Agathon... true prophet and healer of the sick"; RCP: " Agathon the wonderworker, whom… God has honored the gift of miracles: on whichever sick person he, after praying, lays hands on, receives healing...ANDchalk is also the gift of insight… Zcash about his death" Memory February 20 (March 4).

St. Ammon. 1638: " Ammon, famous for his many works"; 1661-1702: Ammon the Hardworking; 1744: Ammon the Recluse; 1795: Ammon, resting in seclusion; "Service": " (companions), former poverty zeal"; RCP: " AmmonZThe recluse went, with the blessing of the abbot, to the Holy Mountain and Jerusalem, worshiping the holy places and imitating the life of the great holy fathers. And then, having returned, he lived so holyly that even many elders took their example from him" Memory 4 (17) October.

St. Anatoly. 1744: Anatoly Recluse; 1795: Anatoly, resting in seclusion. Memory 3 (16) July.

St. Arseniy Hardworking. 1638-1661: Arseny; 1702: Arseniy Hardworking; epitaph: " ArsenyTthe hard worker was never idle, but always either prayed or performed monastic obedience, not even eating bread before sunset"(rkp.: almost verbatim repetition); "Service": " The image known to hard workers is Arseny" Memory 8 (21) May.

St. Afanasy the Recluse. 1638-1661: Afanasy the Recluse; RCP: " Afanasy the recluse... locked himself in a cave" December 2 (15).

St. Akhila Deacon. 1638: Akhila; 1661: Akila; 1702: Akhila Deacon; RCP: " Akhila, a deacon and fasting man, not only never ate delicious foodVami, that is, fried or boiled, but I ate very little coarse food either. His food was one prosphora per week"; "Service": " We glorify Akhila, the minister of sacrifice, and as a true faster" Memory 4 (17) January.

St. Benjamin. 1638-1661: Benjamin; 1702: Veniamin the merchant; "Service": " ...who gave all his property to the poor"; epitaph: " Pwhile giving birth to the world, he was busy with countless trade transactions. And when I heard the Gospel words that (Matthew 19:23 ) , then he exchanged wealth for voluntary poverty for the sake of Christ, and gave all his property to the needy, and came to the poor in spirit, the venerable fathers of Pechersk, with whom he worked worthily"; RCP: " Benjamin the merchant conducted a large trade. One day, while diligently listening to a church service in church, he drew attention to the word of the Psalter: « You will destroy those who tell lies» ( Ps 5:7 ) . And he remembered this and reasoned: « If the Lord God destroys all those who speak lies, then the merchants too, for trade cannot completely do without lies.». And then, having heard the saying that It is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:23 ) , distributed all his property to the poor and for churches, and became a monk" Memory 13 (26) October.

Sschmch. Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kyiv (Epiphany,†1918). Cm.: Story. The relics were transferred to the Far Caves after being found in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Near Caves in 1992. Commemorated on January 25 (February 7), June 14 (27).

St. Gerontius Canonarch. 1638-1661: Gerontius; 1702: Gerontius Canonarch; RCP: " Two Reverend Canonarchs(Gerontius and Leontius) … … "; "Service": " WITHbwould, (other saints of Pechersk).” Memory 1 (14) April.

St. Gregory the Wonderworker. 1661: Gregory; 1702: Gregory the Wonderworker; RCP: " GregoryHFor his great virtues, the miracle worker was awarded the gift of miracles. And all his life his food was greens, and raw ones. He also gave greenery to those who came to him, and they received healing from it" Memory 8 (21) January.

St. Dionysius. 1702: Dionysius the Recluse; 1795: Dionysius, resting in seclusion. Archbishop Modest (Strelbitsky) identifies the ascetic with the saint mentioned in the Patericon. Dionysius Shchepa (“Tale of the Miracle for Easter 1463”). Memory 3 (16) October.

St. Evfimy Schimnik. 1638: " Euthymius, whose hieroschema-monastic title is indicated by the belt cross on him, on which people who come are baptized and through which healings take place"; 1661: Evfimy Hieroschemamonk; 1702: Euthymius; 1744: Evfimy Schimnik; RCP: " Euthymy, as soon as he took monastic vows, never spoke to anyone, neither little nor much, but only prayed in church and in his cell. And he did not eat any food cooked on fire, but only raw greens"; "Service": " Euthymie is silent" Memory January 20 (February 2).

St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk. The granddaughter of Polotsk Prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, was called Predslava in the world. Raised by her parents in piety, the future ascetic discovered a great love for learning as a child, which surprised adults. When the girl turned 12 years old, and they began to look for a worthy groom, she felt an irresistible desire for monasticism and left home for a nunnery, where she took monastic vows with the name of Euphrosyne. After spending some time in the monastery, the ascetic then asked the blessing of the Bishop of Polotsk for a reclusive life in a cell attached to the cathedral church of Polotsk. Here Rev. Euphrosyne copied the holy books, and gave the wages she received for her work to the poor. After this, the holy nun founded a new convent, in which she became abbess. The monastery was located outside of Polotsk, at the Spassky Church in the so-called Selets, donated by St. Euphrosyne, Bishop of Polotsk. Later, not far from her monastery, the abbess also founded a monastery. When both monasteries were worthily equipped, the ascetic went on a pilgrimage to Palestine, where she venerated the holy places, prayed several times at the Holy Sepulcher, and on May 23, 1173, she rested in the monastery, which “Life” of St. Euphrosyne is called "Russian". The body of the abbess was buried in the Palestinian monastery of St. Theodosius the Great, but was subsequently transferred to Rus' and placed in the Far Lavra Caves (1702: PRev. Euphrosyne; 1744: Venerable Euphrosyne, Abbess of Polotsk). In 1910, the shrine was moved to the Spaso-Euphrosinievsky Polotsk Monastery founded by the ascetic; in the Far Caves there was a wooden shrine with a piece of the hand of St. Euphrosyne. The name of the ascetic is included in the “Canon” of 1643. Commemorated on May 23 (June 5). "Life" of St. Euphrosyne has come down to us in at least 4 editions and in more than 130 copies. The oldest list of the 1st edition refers to the con. XV century and is located in the scientific library of Moscow State University. In the 2nd edition, unlike the 1st, one reads a story about the meeting of St. Euphrosyne on the way to Jerusalem with the Byzantine Emperor and about the burial of the ascetic by her brother and sister. Some additions are also available in the 3rd edition. The most expanded edition, the 4th, was preserved in the “Book of the Power of the Royal Genealogy” of the 16th century. There is also a special condensed version of the Life, written c. 1512 and preserved in the library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences.

St. Zechariah Postnik. 1638: Zechariah the Faster; RCP: " ZechariahPThe survivor decided not to eat anything baked or boiled until his death, and only ate a little rough food, and then once a day, after sunset. And the demons were very afraid of him, and trembled if anyone mentioned his name. He often saw angels"; "Service": " So you bravely armed yourself with fasting against your enemies, as if throughout your entire life you fed on your potion, you were pleased if, in your name I fear the demons" Archbishop Modest (Strelbitsky) considered St. Zacharias is one of the heroes of the story “Paterikon” about the boyar John and his comrade Sergius (late 11th century). Memory March 24 (April 6).

St. Zinon Postnik. 1638-1661, 1744: Zinon; 1702: Zinon the Hardworking; 1795: Zinon Postnik; "Service": " Let us sing of wondrous Zenon, shining with fasting"; RCP: " Zinon, faster and hard worker" Memory January 30 (February 12).

St. Ignatius Archimandrite. According to Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov), St. Ignatius was the Pechersk archimandrite after Nicephorus, mentioned in sources in 1434. On this basis, Archbishop Philaret (Gumilevsky) wrote that St. Ignatius " from 1435 archimandrite of the Lavra" 1702: Archimandrite Ignatius; RCP: " The Monk Ignatius, Archimandrite of Pechersk, received from God the gift of a miracle worker for his holy life, and with his prayers he healed many sick people. And whoever had a chance to taste the prosphora on which he served, he found healing"; "Service": " Ignatius, shepherd of the monastic and healer of the sick! Memory December 20 (January 2).

St. Hilarion Schimnik. 1702: Hilarion Schimnik; RCP: " The Monk Hilarion the Schemanik had such abstinence that he ate only once a week, and even then only a little, imitating the Monk Theodosius, for he was also his cellmate. Constantly adding prayer to prayer, he pleased the Lord God day and night, with kneeling and tears."(thus, the record identifies the ascetic with the monk Hilarion, known from the “Life” of St. Theodosius of Pechersk). Archbishop Modest (Strelbitsky) considered it possible to also identify St. Hilarion with St. Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kyiv. Sharing the second thought, Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) rejected the first: “ It is impossible to see in Hilarion of Theodosius Cave that novice of Theodosius Hilarion, who is mentioned in Nestor’s Life of Theodosius" Metropolitan Macarius (Bulgakov), on the contrary, considered the legend of the RKP reliable and disputed the identity with St. Hilarion. "Service": " Wonderful Hilarion, who had a great image of rank, and because of his rank was zealous for the life of the Venerable Theodosius, the only one who was always poisonous in the week, he was strong in the praise of singing: Glory to Thy Power, Lord! Memory October 21 (November 3).

St. Joseph the Many-Sick. 1638-1661, 1744: Joseph; 1702: Joseph the Morbid; 1795: Joseph the Many-Sick; RCP: " Joseph, sickly, having been ill for a long time, promised, if the Lord would raise him, to work in the Pechersk Monastery. And God heeded his request and healed him. And he, having come to the monastery, took monastic vows, and worked hard until his death." Memory 4 (17) April.

St. Ipatiy Tselebnik. 1702: Ipatiy Tselebnik; RCP: " The Monk Hypatius the Healer looked after the sick holy fathers, and remained in fasting and prayer day and night. He received from the Lord God the gift of healing the sick through the touch of his hands. And whoever now comes with his illness to his relics finds recovery" Memory March 31 (April 13).

St. Cassian. 1638-1661: Cassian Postnik; 1702: Cassian the Recluse; 1795: Cassian, resting in seclusion; "Service": " Shining to fasters and hard workers, Cassians"; RCP: " Cassian, a recluse and hardworking faster, through holy obedience forced the demons to confess how many monks there are in the Pechersk monastery who could cast out demons, and how the demons fear the saints of the Pechersk" Memory 8 (21) May.

St. Lavrenty the Recluse. 1702: Lavrenty the Recluse; 1795: Lavrentiy, who labored in seclusion; RCP: " The Monk Lawrence so shunned worldly temptations that he did not want to dwell on the surface and imprisoned himself in a dark corner of the cave. And although it is not known about his exploits, what kind of fasting, vigil, prayer and kneeling he achieved while he was there, it is not a secret that after his death his soul was received from the darkness of the seclusion into the unfading light, into the community of angels, which is proved by his body, what rests here is imperishable"; "Service": " Lavrentiy, the fasting luminary! Memory: January 20 (February 2).

St. Leonty Canonarch. 1702: Leonty Canonarch; RCP: " Two Reverend Canonarchs(Gerontius and Leontius) carried the canonship in the Great Monastery at the Great Church, and in their youth took monastic vows, and lived… becoming like the perfect holy fathers… After death they are placed here"; "Service": " WITHO two canonarchs, say a word about usbwould, (other saints of Pechersk).” Memory June 18 (July 1).

St. Longinus Goalkeeper. 1638-1702: Longinus; 1744: Longinus Goalkeeper; "Service": " Longina the goalkeeper, who has the gift of seeing the thoughts of those entering"; RCP: " Longinus... bwas a gatekeeper at the monastery...ANDchalk from the Lord the gift of seeing human thoughts: who went with whom to the monastery and from the monastery. And whomever he found thinking evil, he told him to reject that evil thought of his" Memory 16 (29) October.

St. Lucian the Hieromartyr. 1744: Lucian the Hieromartyr; board: " Lukian the Hieromartyr suffered from Batu around 1243" Memory 15 (28) October.

St. Macarius Deacon. 1638: Macarius Deacon; RCP: " Macarius is a deacon, who, as a newborn baby due to illness, was promised to be given to serve God. And when he recovered, he was given to the holy Pechersk fathers...ABOUTcarried the gift of a miracle worker" Memory January 19 (February 1).

St. Mardari. 1638-1661: Mardari; 1702: Mardarius the Obedient; 1744: Mardari the Recluse; 1795: Mardarius, resting in seclusion; RCP: " Mardaria beskeleinum… He humbled himself so much in non-covetousness that he didn’t even want to have a single thing in his cell, leaving only one robe that he wore on himself"; "Service": " Ammone and Mardariye, the mobile spouse(companions), former poverty zeal" Memory 13 (26) December.

St. Martyrius Deacon. 1638-1661: Martyrium; 1702-1744: Martyrius Deacon; RCP: " MartyriumDIacon… was awarded by God the diaconate and the gift of miracles. And for whom I prayed, standing on the pulpit, I always received from God, for whom I asked for something: either health, or blessing good deed. The demons were afraid of him even from a distance"; "Service": " In the deacons there was a light, and in the form of hard workers, Martyrie" Memory October 25 (November 7).

St. Martyrium. 1795: Martyrius venerating in retreat(now: Martyrius the Recluse). Memory October 25 (November 7).

Prpp. Mercury and Paisius. 1638-1661: Elder Mercury, Paisios; 1795: Mercury Postnik, Paisius; RCP: " Paisius and Mercury, living in great love with each other in life, asked the Lord God to never separate them. And the Lord gave it to them. They lived together in a cell, were buried side by side, and together as souls in Heaven with Christ enjoy eternal joy"; "Service": " Just as in this life we ​​are bound by love in union, but after death we exist in a single tomb, so in the incorruptible life now living together, Paisius and Mercury, by your intercession to God, establish us in unanimity and love" Memory of St. Mercury November 4 (17), November 24 (December 7); memory of St. Paisia ​​July 19 (August 1).

St. martyr Baby from among those killed for Christ in Bethlehem by Herod (Matthew 2) . 1703: image of a reliquary with the relics of a baby; 1744: “Saint John, child, killed by Herod”; 1795: " Part of the relics of the holy child, for Christ's sake, killed by Herod, brought to the Lavra by His Holiness Patriarch Theophan of Jerusalem in 1620" Memory December 29 (January 11).

St. Moses the Wonderworker. 1638-1661: Moses; 1702: Moses the Hardworking; 1744: Moses the Wonderworker; RCP: " MosesHsatisfaction maker… he tried in every possible way to humble his flesh with fasts, prayers and abstinence, labors and an iron belt, which he made with his own hands and which he wore with a large iron cross directly on his body"; "Service": " Moses Crusader" Memory July 28 (August 10).

St. Nestor Neknizhny. 1638: " Nestor, not the one who wrote the Russian Chronicle"; 1661: Nester; 1702: Bookless Nestor; 1744: Nestor Neknizhny; RCP: " Nestor Neknizhny, not the one who compiled the chronicle of Rus', but another. He was unbookish and of a simple kind...Nand never dozed off during worship, and while praying, did not think about outsiders...Uhonored to see angels and Christ Himself during prayer, and to know the day of his repose"; "Service": " The Word of God, admonishing man, teaching you unbooked wisdom, Holy Nestor" Memory October 27 (November 9).

St. Pavel Obedient. 1638 (in the Near Caves): Paul the Wonderfully Obedient; 1702 (in the Far Caves): Pavel the Obedient; RCP: " The obedient Saint Paul, after taking on the monastic image in the Pechersk Monastery, meekly performed obedience whatever the abbot commanded, never being idle, and in his free time from obedience he diligently ground in the millstones, always exhausting his body"; "Service": " Abstinence to the stewards, Pavel! Memory 10 (23) September.

St. Pavel, Metropolitan of Tobolsk (Konyushkevich,†1770). A native of Sambir in the Lviv region (1705), graduate and teacher of the Kiev-Mohyla Academy, tonsure and resident of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (1733), preacher at the Moscow Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy (1741-1744), archimandrite of the Novgorod Yuryev Monastery (1744-1758 ), Metropolitan of Tobolsk and Siberia (1758-1768), rested in peace in the Lavra. The coffin with the body of the archpastor was installed in the crypt under the Assumption Cathedral in the 19th - early 19th century. XX centuries Many miracles of healing took place under him, which served as the basis for the canonization of St. Pavel. During the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral (blown up in 1941), the relics were recovered in 1999 and transferred to the Far Caves. Memory 4 (17) November.

St. Pamva. 1638-1661: Pamva; 1702-1744: Panwa the Recluse; 1795: Pamva, resting in seclusion; RCP: " PamvaZa recluse, fulfilling monastic obedience, was caught by the pagans and suffered from them for a long time, not wanting to renounce Christ, and told them: “Your gods are under a curse! But I believe in Christ, the True God, Who created heaven and earth. This is the One, True, Almighty Lord! And He will deliver me from your hands, through the prayers of the Pechersk saints!” And the angels freed him from his bonds, and carried him, and put him unharmed in his cell."; "Service": " I dare to venerate the Pamphlet of the Obedient One and am amazed: for he endured much in obedience from the infidels and for the sake of faith in chains, and was both caught up by the angel and carried into his cell." According to Archbishop Philaret (Gumilevsky), Venerable. Pamva " suffered for his faith from the pagan Tatars. In all likelihood, this was in 1240, when the monks, having locked themselves in caves from enemies, were forced to send Pamva for food; no matter how great the danger, Pamvo took upon himself the task of obedience, but was captured by the Tatars, who subjected him to torture. Miraculously freed from death, he rested in seclusion in 1241.» ( Archbishop. Filaret, Lives of the Saints, 2000, August, p. 258-259). Archbishop Demetrius (Sambikin) believed that the ascetic could have been captured along with St. Eustratius and Nikon Sukhoi during the attack on the Lavra of the Polovtsians in 1096 ( Archbishop. Dimitri, Monthly, 1902, p. 176). Memory 18 (31) July.

St. Pankratiy Hieromonk. 1638-1661: Pankratiy the Wonderworker; 1702: Pankraty priest; 1744: Pankraty the Recluse; 1795: Pankratiy, resting in seclusion; RCP: " Pankratius, a priest and wonderworker, healed the sick through prayer and fasting and the anointing of oil"; "Service": " Priesting the Most High in veneration and righteousness, Pankrati the wondrous, enriched with miraculous gifts, from these you bestowed upon those who endlessly demanded" Memory 9 (22) February.

St. Paphnutius. 1638-1661: Paphnutius; 1702: Paphnutius the Recluse; 1795: Paphnutius, resting in seclusion; RCP: " PaphnutiusZreclusive… cried incessantly, reminding himself that the time would come when the soul would begin to separate from the body, and angels would appear:ToWho will get the soul, and what sentence will Christ pronounce??.. Adying, he contemplated the hosts of angels who, having come for his soul, accompanied it to Heaven"; "Service": " Remembering the bliss of those who weep, O Reverend Paphnutius, you have always wept" Memory 15 (28) February.

St. Pimen Postnik. 1638-1661: Pimen; 1702: Pimen the Hardworking; 1744: Pimen Postny; 1795: Pimen Postnik; "Service": " Pimina, a faster at the same time"; RCP: " Pimen the Faster acquired great grace, and only ate a little once a week, although he constantly carried out monastic obedience. And he never weakened from fasting: whether he was grinding in millstones or carrying wood on himself. And the next night I stood in prayer" Metropolitan Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov) and Archbishop Modest (Strelbitsky) mistook the ascetic for St. Pimen Postnik from the story “Paterikon” about St. Nikita of Novgorod (when the latter was a monk of the Lavra under Abbot Nikon, late 11th century), Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) - for the Lavra Abbot Pimen, who is mentioned between 1130 and 1141. in the manuscript “On the abbesses of the Pechersk from the beginning of the former” (published in 1931 by Dmitry Abramovich: “Kievo-Pechersk Patericon”). Memory 7 (20) August.

St. Pior. 1638: Elder Pior; 1702: Pior the Recluse; 1795: Pior, resting in seclusion; RCP: " PiorZthe recluse imprisoned himself in a dark cave" Memory 4 (17) October.

St. Rufus. 1638-1661: Rufus; 1702: Rufus the Recluse; 1795: Rufus, resting in seclusion; "Service": " We sing Rufus, the fasting and hardworking mirror"; RCP: " RufusZreclusive… VHe devoted himself entirely to Christ, with all his soul he longed to please Him in fasting, prayer, and obedience." Memory 8 (21) April.

St. Silouan Schimnik. 1638-1661: Silouan; 1702: Silouan the Wonderworker; 1744: Silouan the Schemnik; RCP: " SilouanWITHchemist… was awarded the gift of miracles, including the following: he bound the villains who came to steal into the monastery garden with prayer, and they could not move for three whole days, and then, having brought them to their senses and brought them to repentance, he released them" Memory 10 (23) June, 10 (23) July.

St. Sisoy Skhimnik. 1638: Sisoy; 1661: Sisoy Conarchist (Canonarch); 1702: SisoyTindustrious; 1744: Sisoy Skhimnik; RCP: " SisoyWITHthe chemist lived in a cave very fastingly… Pforesaw my demise… PHe gives healing to those who come with faith to his holy relics"; "Service": " Sisoe is wonderful" Memory 6 (19) July.

St. Sophrony the Recluse. 1638-1744: Sophrony the Recluse; 1795: Sophrony,reposes in seclusion; RCP: " SophronyZthe recluse imprisoned himself in a dark cave, and every day he read the entire Psalter, and not only always wore a hair shirt, but also had an iron belt on his body"; "Service": " Venerable Sophronius, shutting himself up in a dark place" Memory 11 (24) March, 11 (24) May.

St. Titus Warrior. 1661: Titus Warrior; RCP: " Reverend Titus the warrior. When he suffered a headache during the war, he left the military path, came to a monastery, and mourned his sins until his death. And before his death it was revealed to him that the Lord God forgives his sins"; board: " The Monk Titus the warrior, while at war, was almost fatally wounded in the head by a weapon, and because of this he stopped fighting, having lost his former strength. Arriving at the Pechersk monastery, he was received by the reverend fathers living here, and put on the monastic rank, and valiantly labored with fasting and prayer, arming himself against the invisible enemy, and by incessant weeping he gained such grace that before his death he was awarded the news of the remission of his sins" Memory 27 February (11 March).

St. Theophilus, Archbishop of Novgorod. 1638: " Holy Bishop Theophilus, who had his see in Muscovy, and therefore is called Moscow by us"; 1661-1702: Theophilus Bishop; 1744: Theophilus, Bishop of Novgorod; Archdeacon Pavel of Aleppo, 1654: “ Here is the body of a bishop, transferred from Moscow in a coffin hollowed out from one piece of wood"; board: " The Great Niphon, Bishop of Novgorod, resting in the Near Caves, appeared to his brother Theophilus during his illness, and reminded him of his vow: to worship the monks of Pechersk. He was already approaching Kiev along the Dnieper, when the illness intensified, and the saint of Novgorod, with his last breath, had a revelation from the Lord that he himself would not swim alive to the desired caves, but his body would rest there along with the saints, and so this was fulfilled over him prophecy» ( Andrey Muravyov, Travel to Russian holy places, 1846, part 2, p. 32); RCP: " The Monk Theophilus, Archbishop of Novgorod, to whom the Monk Niphon appeared during illness, saying: “You promised to venerate the saints of Pechersk, but did not fulfill your vow. And for this the Lord shortened your years. Don't you know: whoever does not fulfill his vow to God will not see the face of God?? “And then this saint ordered that he, who was ill, be taken to Kyiv. But when they arrived at the Dnieper, Christ appeared to him, announcing his death and promising to accept his soul: “Only let your body be laid in a cave.” So he died. His body, put into a log, was nailed down by the Dnieper right under the cave, and laid here"; "Service": " Theophilus, a hierarch, who held the throne of Novgorod and saw the Lord Himself" Chronicles report about St. Theophilus as the last archbishop elected by the Novgorod Council (1470-1471); One of the episodes in the formation of the centralized Moscow state on the site of the appanage principalities of Northern Rus' was the conflict between Moscow and Novgorod, where the veche system of government had been preserved since pre-Mongol times (the work of the veche was assisted by a council of elected officials headed by the archbishop; the prince was only invited for hire as the leader of the army during war or as); being the chairman of the council at the veche, Bishop Theophilus advocated a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the battle on the river. Sheloni forbade the use of the bishop's cavalry regiment (Novgorod cavalry); after the defeat, he interceded for his fellow citizens before Ivan III (with partial success); after the abolition of the veche and some other freedoms, he was drawn (voluntarily or under pressure from the boyars) into repeated secret negotiations on an alliance with Lithuania, when the “sedition” was revealed, he was removed from the department (1480) and sent to the Chudov Monastery (Moscow); Chronicles speak of the death of the ruler in the 1480s. in Moscow and burial in the Chudov Monastery or Novgorod; in 1982-1990 evidence of a probable pre-mortem illness was found on the relics in the Far Caves: pathology of the left femur and hip joint deprived the old man of the ability to walk independently.

St. Theodore the Silent. 1661: Theodore; 1744: Theodore the Silent. Memory February 17 (March 1).

St. Theodore, Prince of Ostrog. The son of the first documented representative of the dynasty of the Ostrog princes - Daniel, mentioned since 1344 in Polish chronicles (Jan Dlugosz, Martin Bielski, Martin Kromer), and since 1366 - in acts. St. Theodore is mentioned in 1386-1403. (1st mention - in the act of oath to the Polish king and to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello; in 1390, the prince’s merits in the defense of Vilnius from the crusaders were noted; the last mention is in the oath of 1403 of the Lithuanian prince Vytautas to King Jagiello: the name of St. Theodora comes 1st after the bishops, which indicates his high position); according to tradition based on the memorials of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, St. Theodore ended his earthly life as a Lavra monk - with the name Theodosius(his death dates back to 1410-1411; some identify St. Theodore with his son Theodore-Fedko-Frederik, a participant in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 and the Czech Hussite Wars). RKP: " The Monk Theodore Danilovich, Prince of Ostrog, leaving the temptations of the earthly world and princely glory, took upon himself holy monasticism, and worked diligently in the cause of his salvation, pleasing God until his death. He gave his soul, highly decorated, into God’s hands, and his body rests, laid here" Memory 11 (24) August; Since 2003, this day has been celebrated as the Day of the City of Ostrog (Rivne region).

St. Filaret, Metropolitan of Kyiv (Amphitheaters,†1857). See: History. The relics were transferred to the Far Caves after being found in 1994 in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Near Caves.

The relics rested under the Assumption Cathedral

St. Theodosius, abbot of Pechersk (†1074). Student of St. Anthony of Pechersk, revered along with him as the co-founder of the Lavra and co-educator of the first Russian monks, see History. In 1091, the relics of the ascetic were transferred from the Far Caves to the Assumption Cathedral (disturbed during the destruction of the temple by the Mongols, or, according to a later version, hidden under a bushel). Memory 3 (16) May (repose), 14 (27) August (transfer of relics).

St. Peter Mohyla, Metropolitan of Kyiv (†1647), see: History. Memory December 31 (January 13). The burial was damaged during the destruction of the Assumption Cathedral by the Nazis (1941).

The relics rest in the warm Church of All Saints. Kiev-Pechersk on the Near Caves

St. Spanish Anthony (Abashidze), schema-archbishop (†1942). Bishop Anthony, in the world David Ilyich Abashidze, came from an ancient princely family in Georgia. He was born in 1867 near Tiflis (Tbilisi). Having received an excellent secular education as a lawyer, but deciding to devote his life to serving God, the young prince entered the Kyiv Theological Academy in 1891 and became a monk with the name Demetrius in honor of St. Demetrius of Rostov (Tuptalo, †1709). The tonsure took place in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In the same year, Fr. Demetrius is elevated to the rank of hierodeacon. In 1896 he graduated from the Academy, accepted the rank of hieromonk and was sent to serve in spiritual educational establishments Georgia. In particular, in 1898-1900. O. Dimitri held the position of inspector of the Tiflis Theological Seminary. Then student Joseph Dzhugashvili, the future Stalin, studied here. For his offenses, I. Dzhugashvili often ended up in a punishment cell, where the inspector, out of kindness, sent him food. Since 1902 Fr. Dimitri - Bishop of Alaverdi, vicar of the Georgian diocese, 1903 - Gurian-Mingrelian, 1905 - Baltic, vicar of the Podolsk diocese, 1906 - Turkestan, 1912 - Tauride. In Turkestan and Taurida, the ruler showed himself to be a true good shepherd and acquired great love people. Since the beginning of World War I in 1914, he launched extensive activities to help the wounded and refugees. In 1915, the bishop was awarded the rank of archbishop and, having temporarily handed over his affairs to his vicar, began to serve on a warship, coming under the subordination of a junior in the hierarchy - the archpriest, who spiritually cared for the army and navy. This official position of the bishop was special in the history of Russian Orthodox Church by chance. The ascetic's ship service lasted almost a year and took place on the battleship Panteleimon, formerly Potemkin, where the famous revolutionary uprising of the crew took place in 1905. During civil war the bishop sympathized white movement directed against the Bolsheviks. When in 1920 the defeat of the Whites became obvious and the Bishop was offered evacuation, he chose to remain with the Tauride flock, but in 1921 he retired from the department due to severe deterioration in health. In 1923, the bishop moved from Crimea to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, where he accepted the schema with the name Anthony and became a confessor. He shared her wanderings with the brethren, expelled from the ancient monastery, and therefore lived with her for some time in the Kitaevskaya hermitage. After the expulsion of the brethren from Kitaevo, the bishop settled in Kyiv in a private apartment. Arrest followed in 1933. Having attributed an extra ten years of age to himself in the questionnaire, the bishop, due to old age and illness, was conditionally sentenced to several years in the camps and released on his own recognizance. After the beginning of the fascist occupation of Kyiv, the bishop moved to the Lavra, where he rested on November 1, 1942. Feeling the proximity of his death, the bishop said to his spiritual children: “ When you feel bad, come to my grave" Those who knew the bishop spoke of him as a spiritual ascetic, whose name and prayers truly became an adornment of the church history of the Fatherland. On the eve of the glorification of St. Spanish Anthony in the ranks of saints (2012), his relics were found (the burial was located near the altar of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Near Caves) and transferred to the warm Church of All Saints. Kiev-Pechersk. Memory November 1 Art.

What happened to me, in order to glorify the works of God and His holy saints, the venerable Pechersk ones.

Until the age of 40, I lived a worldly sinful life and did not go to church. But the Lord does not want to destroy His creation. I got sick and a large tumor formed under my breast, all within one day. I was in pain and went to the doctor. The oncologist examined me and said that I needed urgent surgery. My cousin, a believer and a church member, found out about my misfortune. She told me about faith, about salvation, explained that I needed to confess and receive communion, and gave me a Prayer Book. Over the next week, I prepared for Communion and took communion on a major Orthodox holiday - Holy Trinity Day on May 30, 1999. It was not easy to stand at the service, and even kneel in prayers... I barely had the strength to wait for the end of the festive service. This was the beginning of my churching. I went to services, read spiritual literature that my sister gave me. Two weeks after communion, my sister suggested that I go to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, venerate the relics of the Saints, and especially the relics of St. Agapit of Pechersk, a free doctor. It was June 14, 1999. Arriving at the Near Caves, we venerated the relics of the holy saints of God, but the relics of St. Agapit of Pechersk were not there. They explained to us that today is the day of his memory and his relics are in the Refectory Church. We decided to go there. Before reaching the church, we met a procession of Lavra monks who were carrying the relics of the Saint back to the Caves; there were many people. I was amazed by how a flock of doves accompanied the saint, hovering in the air above his shrine. We bowed to the Reverend as he was carried past us. On this day we did not get to his relics.

I woke up from severe pain and saw a tall figure in long robes standing nearby.

In the evening at home I went to bed. In a dream I see the same procession of monks carrying St. Agapit, and my sister and I are standing in the same place as the day before in the Lavra. Only when the reliquary with the relics was carried past us, I was pierced terrible pain, as if my tumor had been torn out alive. I woke up from severe pain and saw a tall figure in long robes standing next to me. It was dark and I couldn't see anything else. I wasn’t scared at all, I was calm. I had the idea that I would turn to the wall and not interfere. She turned away and immediately fell asleep. In the morning, when I woke up, I immediately remembered everything that happened at night. I now knew for sure that I was healthy. I got such confidence from somewhere. She quickly jumped up and ran to the mirror. There was no trace of the tumor. I was healthy.

I read that when the monks of Pechersk are rerobed every year, their slippers are worn out. I testify that the Monk Agapit of Pechersk came to me, a sinner, in order to heal my spiritual and physical ulcers, to strengthen my faith, which was still weak. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His great mercies, I thank St. Agapit of the Pechersk and all the fathers of the Kiev-Pechersk. How lucky we are to have such heavenly intercessors and helpers in our earthly life.

R.B. Irina,
Kyiv, 08/10/2014

Healing for an unknown diagnosis

My leg hurt, it couldn’t bend, it was swollen and hard as wood. At the Institute. Shalimov offered me surgery without guarantees of recovery, since the diagnosis had not been established. I turned to God for help. On the advice of the monk, I took unction and asked for help from the venerable fathers of Pechersk. I confessed, took communion, and attended Liturgy every Sunday.

And by the grace of God I was healed, my leg returned to normal. I thank the Lord.

Victor,
Kyiv

Getting rid of an unclean spirit and healing a cyst

I, R.B. Elena, a parishioner of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, had an unclean spirit (obsession) in herself, began to rage very much, constantly screamed in confession, before Communion, when she visited the Caves.

Every Sunday I attended the Divine Liturgy, took communion, often went to the Near and Far Caves, and venerated the Myrrh-streaming heads. Through the prayers of the monks of Pechersk, she was healed and stopped screaming and raging. I was sick for a year.

Thank God for everything!

In the summer of 2014, I was examined by a gynecologist. During the examination, they discovered a polyp in the uterus; it was necessary to urgently undergo surgery, since it was very large (13 mm) and if not removed, it could develop into a malignant tumor. For a month I visited the Lavra, fasted, prayed, received communion regularly, attended a prayer service to Mark the Grave Digger, the Near and Far Caves, and venerated the Myrrh-Streaming Chapters.

Before the operation, I did a second ultrasound and no polyp was found. At first I didn’t believe it and decided to do another examination, and again the ultrasound showed that it was not there. Through the prayers of the monks of Pechersk I received healing for the second time.

R.B. Elena, 29 years old,
Kyiv, 05.08.2014

Healing a baby

In April 1992, I visited the Kiev Pechersk Lavra for the first time. At this time my son was 9 months old. He suffered from exudative-catarrhal diathesis from 1 month of life, and it was severe. Medications brought temporary relief. At the relics of St. Agapit, on my knees I asked for recovery for my son. I read the “Our Father” prayer and the prayer to the Reverend, which is on the wall near his shrine.

And my son’s healing happened very quickly!!! The pediatrician was surprised and asked what we were treated with. The disease has subsided. (There are medical documents confirming recovery, and I myself work as a nurse.)

When my son was 1 year old, he was very afraid to walk on his own. And I again came to the relics of St. Agapit and with all my heart asked for help. Exactly two days later, the son walked independently and confidently.

After the wonderful help my son received from the relics of St. Agapit, I came to faith in God and His saints!!!

R.B. Tatiana,
Kyiv, August 7, 2014

Help with work

On June 12, 2003, on the holiday, I went with my son and nephews to the festive Liturgy at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. After the service we went to the Caves to venerate the relics. At the relics of St. Nestor the Chronicler, I told the children about his life, and mentally asked for help to find a job I liked. When leaving the Caves, I asked the priest for a blessing to find a new job. Two weeks later they called me and offered me a new job (as a nurse at the Spivtvorchist school). On August 19, I started a new and beloved job, and in the school building there was a chapel of St. Nestor the Chronicler!!!

R.B. Tatiana,
Kyiv, August 7, 2014

Help from Saint Pancras and healing from cancer

I have had uterine fibroids since 1990. Every year it became more and more. In 2010, doctors discovered that it was already gigantic in size. At that time, I took out a large loan from the bank for my life needs.

I prayed, fasted, repented. The Lord heard my prayers. Saint Pancras appeared to me in a dream. He said that he was Father Pankraty and that he would help me with a loan. Even in a dream, he showed me a spring in the form of a cross, telling me to drink water. Having awakened, I began to search in books and on the Internet who Saint Pancras was. On the Internet, on Google, I found that Saint Pancras rests in the Far Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Soon I sold the property for which there was no buyer, and closed the issue with the loan.

My husband and I came from Ternopil, came to the Far Caves to the place where his relics rest (the shutter). They prayed and thanked God and Saint Pankratius. When I came to the chapel St. Theodosius(she was exactly the same as the one I saw in the dream), I drank water and washed my body. When I went to the doctors and did a re-examination, the fibroids were no longer there, and there was no need for surgery. The doctors and I were surprised. I have all the tests and results. Glory to God, I thank St. Pankratius. Now, when I come to Kyiv, I come to thank St. Pankratius for his help, for his healing.

R.B. Natalia,
Ternopil, 2014

Healing

Tatyana accidentally pierced her eardrum with a knitting needle while knitting. Doctors said she might lose her hearing. Immediately at home, a tampon with myrrh from the Myrrh-Streaming Chapters was placed in my ear. Everything healed quickly, the membrane healed, and my hearing was completely restored.

Tatiana,

Moscow, 2013

Healing from papillomavirus and changes in life

R.B. Bogdan. I am now 23 years old. A year and a half ago I started going to church. Before that, I went to church once a year, on Easter. In 2011–2012, I developed a disease: papillomavirus in my body. Any wound on my body did not heal normally and became covered with warts. I became infected with this virus while leading a dissolute lifestyle. I had a lot of girls, but everything seemed small. I lived with papillomavirus for more than two years, while I had a girlfriend with whom I lived in a civil marriage, cheated on her and infected her with this virus. We suffered from this virus for two years. A lot of money wasted, tears, health. I took many expensive, imported drugs that only slowed down the growth and spread of this virus. I'm a former DJ and spent a lot of time in clubs. Over time, the more I went to clubs, drank, smoked, and “had a blast,” the more problems I had in school, at work, and with girls. Then I really wanted to go to the Lavra, I couldn’t stop myself. When I arrived, I felt relief and calm. Father told me to read morning and evening prayers, confess and receive communion. After that, everything started to get better for me. I graduated from college with honors, found Good work. Healed from papillomavirus within a few days.

One thing I really regret is that for 22 years of my life I lived without God. Understood the importance of prayer

After attending church, I was so ashamed of everything I had done in my life that I did not know how to save myself. By God's grace, I met a doctor who treats people with cancer and those infected. One child was facing a complex operation and needed blood urgently. I really wanted to donate blood and asked God and all the saints that there would be no virus in my blood and that it would be accepted for a sick child. I donated blood, I was all afraid, and the worst thing was that I was ashamed. All the time I read “Lord, have mercy”, asked all the saints to accept my blood. Three days later, OKHMADIT told me that they had accepted my blood, but that no virus was detected. Now I donate blood for free every two months (since 2013). It is now 08/09/2014. I'm fine. I have already completed my master’s degree with honors, I am entering graduate school, I have a job with a good salary. One thing I really regret is that for 22 years of my life I lived without God. I understood the importance of prayer.

R.B. Bogdan

Kidney healing

Doctors prescribed kidney surgery. I prayed to St. Agapit and read the akathist. He took communion in the hospital. Before communion, I did not take any medications. After 10 days they did an ultrasound - there was no abscess on the kidneys.

R.B. Alexy,
Kyiv

Healing from a tumor

I, Elena Otshuk, suffered from a malignant tumor (lymphoma). She visited the Holy Lavra and bowed to the holy relics, to the Myrrh-streaming heads, anointed herself with oil from the Myrrh-streaming heads, listened to spiritual conversations on audio recordings, tried to implement in life what she heard in sermons. I got sick in June 2013, and in September 2014, after another examination, it turned out that I was healthy. I thank the Lord and all the saints of Pechersk.

R.B. Elena,
Starokonstantinov, Khmelnitsky region.

Healing from erysipelas

I, the servant of God Ksenia, received healing through the prayers of the holy fathers of Pechersk from erysipelas on my leg. She prayed, venerated the saints in the Caves, washed her feet in the well, and the next morning she was completely healthy. The doctors were very surprised. Before the trip, I ask for blessings from the saints, and everything on the road will be safe and easy. I asked and prayed before the operation. Everything went easily and quickly, and I quickly got up without feeling any pain in my stomach.

With. Ksaverivka, Kyiv region

Healing from epilepsy

My wife suffered from epilepsy since childhood. After I venerated the Myrrh-Streaming Heads and began to smear myself with holy oil from the Myrrh-Streaming Heads every day, I didn’t have a single attack for six months. The child we had was also born with signs of epilepsy. When we started smearing him with this oil, the cramps went away. After that, we have not taken medications for six months. All glory to God!

Andrey and Irina,
Kyiv, 2014

Healing from infertility

Priest Konstantin and his mother arrived from Moscow. They didn't have children for a long time. We came to the Near Caves to see Ilya Muromets. We also prayed to other Reverends. We left. Soon my mother conceived and they had a child. Glory to God and His saints!

Healing

In 2007, through prayers to St. Ilya Muromets, a miraculous healing boy Kirill Khomenko. Before this, doctors offered treatment only through complex operation on foot.

Healing from osteoporosis

Servant of God Margaret suffered from osteoporosis. She came to Caves and asked for help from the Monk Theodosius and all the monks of Caves. I anointed more areas with oil from the Myrrh-Streaming Heads and received healing.

Healing from obsession

After anointing with holy oil from the Far Caves, I get relief from the state of obsession. The condition has improved significantly.

R.B. Vladimir,
Energodar, Zaporozhye region

Help in childlessness

R.B. Svetlana. Married since 2009, I could not conceive a child. It all ended in termination of pregnancy. The doctors could not help. For the first time in my life I came to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra in 2012. I came to the Near Caves, venerated the reverend fathers and asked the martyr baby John to conceive a child for me. A month later I found out that I was pregnant, all this time I prayed to the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth.” That's what they told me. Nine months passed, a girl was born, who was named Sofia. After 40 days, my husband and I baptized our daughter in the Lavra in the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Church. Archimandrite Andrey baptized our daughter. Since then we have lived happily and love our baby.

R.B. Kiseleva Svetlana,
Brovary, Kyiv region.

Healing after falling from a height

In 2002, he suffered a fall from 6 meters onto stone steps. My wife went to church, ordered the Liturgy, and my surgery was canceled cranium. God bless! The brain hematoma resolved on its own within 12 hours! The next morning, the x-ray surprised the doctors!

Priest Andrey,
Lugansk

Healing through prayer to St. Agapit

Doctors were surprised by the changes in heart rhythm, and the operation was eventually canceled

On 10/13/14 I was supposed to have heart surgery. At the time when I was taken from the ward to the operating unit, my husband Alexander was praying to Reverend Father Agapit, the Pechersk Wonderworker. I lay there prepared and connected to the operating equipment for about 40 minutes. Doctors were surprised by the changes in heart rhythm, and the operation was eventually canceled. Glory to Thee, our God! Today is 10/14/14, I was discharged from the clinic. Amosova.

R.B. Tamara from Zhitomir

Healing

I was treated in hospitals for about a month, the temperature remained at 37.7, the pills did not help. Pain first in the throat, then throughout abdominal cavity. Doctors could not make a diagnosis. I came from Kherson to the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, venerated the holy relics of the Pechersk saints and asked for health. The next day the temperature dropped, and on the third day the pain in the stomach and throat completely disappeared. I thank God and all the saints for such a miracle!

Since then I have felt healthy and the symptoms have not recurred.

R.B. Elena,
Kherson, August 2014

Notes from the Lavra tour guide

God's providence constantly works miracles. The stories of people on excursions to the Lavra are evidence of the Lord’s care for the salvation of us sinners. It is difficult to verify their authenticity, but the one who wrote them down did not doubt the sincerity and truthfulness of the storytellers.

Visiting the Caves transforms people: different faces, different eyes. And very often things get bad for heretics and sorcerers in the Caves

Different people go to the Lavra, and often curious tourists and reverent pilgrims join in groups. It is especially interesting to watch those who are in the Caves for the first time. Some cry and say that tears flow by themselves, some feel the vibration of the Caves, some feel physical illness (nausea, dizziness), and very often heretics and sorcerers feel bad in the Caves. The most important thing is that visiting the Caves transforms people: different faces, eyes. They ask about how to confess, where to be baptized, and in general how to live with God.

After the excursion, a girl from Istanbul asks: “Why did I cry all the time in the Caves? We are all Muslims, but I can’t decide on my faith. It’s very good here, but why do you want to cry?”

A group of children came from Donetsk to the presidential Christmas tree. Near the relics of St. Zechariah the Faster, one boy fell in a fit of madness. The children were so shocked that everyone began to pray intensely and venerate the relics. We were late for the Christmas tree because we were going to the Near Caves.

Individual group: two guys brought their friends from Denmark on an excursion. After the excursion they said that the girl really wants to convert to Orthodoxy.

During the excursion, the guide notices that one young girl is somehow not feeling well - she often turns pale. After the excursion he tells her: “It’s so good that you didn’t leave.”

The girl suddenly begins to cry bitterly, then says: “I was interested in the occult sciences and really want to confess.”

Individual excursion, a young family from Kharkov with two children. They said the following: “Ten years ago, one young girl came to Kyiv for a rock music festival with her boyfriend, a musician. The girl begged him to go on an excursion to the Caves. When the guy venerated the icon of the Mother of God of Pechersk in the Far Caves, the icon began to myrrh and the fragrant myrrh remained on his lips. They didn't go to the festival. We wandered around the Lavra for a long time. Now this guy is a priest, and the girl is his mother (they were probably talking about themselves).

One parishioner of the Lavra spoke about an incident that happened to her. The boss invited a psychic to “treat” the employees. She, fearing to offend her boss, did not shy away from the session, but only during the “treatment” she constantly recited the Jesus Prayer. The psychic tormented her for a long time, completely inappropriately calling diseases that she did not have. He even said that she drinks and hides this passion from everyone, which made all her colleagues laugh. The next day, the boss calls her into the office and asks: “Who are you? The psychic said that you are not an ordinary person and have a power much greater than him. After your influence on him, he became completely ill and cannot recover.” Then she told the truth that she wanted to take communion and defended herself with prayer.

The guide leads the group to the entrance to the Caves. A woman runs towards the meeting: “Do you remember me? I'm from Rostov-on-Don. A year ago I was on an excursion with you.” The conductor smiles and pretends to remember.

“I am so grateful to you, my daughter could not get pregnant for ten years, and you said that I need to pray to St. John the Child. Now my daughter is expecting a baby (6th month).”

After the excursion, the girl said that through the prayers of St. Agapit she was healed of a mental disorder. She was in the clinic: she heard different voices and laughter. In a secular newspaper, on the last page, she saw an icon of St. Agapit. I began to ask him for help. Helped.

The director of the Moscow plant spoke. His daughter was very ill. The temperature lasted for 50 days. Doctors could not make a diagnosis. After the prayer service to St. Agapit, the temperature returned to normal and the daughter became healthy.

The story of a young mother. She has two sons. One of the boys had a nervous breakdown. Suffered from shoulder twitching and eye problems nervous tic. The boy's name is Timofey. Walking around the Lavra, my mother saw a tombstone near the Anno-Conception Church with the inscription: “Hieromonk Timothy is buried here.” She placed her son next to the namesake deceased monk and took a photograph. The boy recovered, his mother became a church member. I signed up for the Lavra Library and is looking for information about the unglorified Saint Timothy.

A pilgrim from the Kherson region brought myrrh from the heads of the Myrrh-Streamers for his brother, who was dying of brain cancer. The brother recovered, much to the surprise of the doctors.

During frequent trips to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, I had the opportunity to meet the staff of the museum, which is still located on the territory of the Lavra. To my question how they relate to faith, candidate of biological sciences Valentina Kolpakova answered:

Everyone, having worked near the Lavra for at least a year, managed to see enough that their atheistic upbringing went to pieces

- You will believe it here! No, of course, everyone came to this job as stubborn atheists. Some have medical, some university, backgrounds. But each of us, having worked here for at least a year, managed to see enough that our atheistic upbringing went to pieces.

For example, during the time of Khrushchev there was an order to remove all holy relics from the monastery in order to destroy them. The entire operation was carried out at night so as not to anger the believers. Trucks arrived and carried the coffins with the relics onto them. And it’s time to go, but the cars won’t start. None. The drivers climbed to the engines. They are digging around for something, swearing, and the cars stand rooted to the spot.

Or another case. It happened about a year before the last opening of the monastery. In the morning, one of our employees walked around the Caves and noticed that the vestments on one of the saints were not lying correctly. She opened the tomb to straighten her robe and saw that the saint was missing an entire hand. They called the police, blocked the entrances and exits, examined the third group of tourists passing through the Caves that day - there was nothing. They began to open other tombs, and it was discovered that about 20 relics had been desecrated. Some are missing a finger, and some have a whole hand. It was clear to everyone that if he wanted, the robber could have quietly left long ago, but they still decided to thoroughly check all the Caves. So what would you think? They found him at one of the farthest ends of the Caves, sitting in the corner with a bag filled to the brim with parts of the relics.

Senior police lieutenant: “Get up!” - and he sits and doesn’t move. So they literally carried him out of the Caves in their arms.

At the trial, where all our employees were present full staff, the following picture emerged. One mafia group selling antiques to foreigners received orders for parts of the relics of certain saints. The executor did not see any special obstacles to completing the task and calmly went after the prey. I went to the Caves with the last group of tourists and quietly hid in one of them. When the entrances to the Caves were closed, the criminal came out of hiding and slowly, checking his list, began to fill his bag with holy relics. When the work was completed, the attacker felt that some force began to constrain his movements. Then, like a zombie, he headed to this corner, where such a weight fell on him that he could not even move. The police found him in this state.

Here is another, very recent case. Two students took influence as the topic of their thesis chemical composition air for the safety of the relics. The essence of the work was simple: to prove that the preservation of the relics is explained by the absence of putrefactive bacteria in the Caves. But the results turned out to be exactly the opposite. Where the relics were located, there really were no putrefactive bacteria, but in other places in the Caves they existed quietly... To test this effect, students brought a test tube with pathogenic microbes to the relics. Taking a sample two hours later, they found that all the microbes had died. In the Caves, where there are no relics, microbes continue to live quietly.

How can all this be explained from a scientific point of view? My friend, an employee of the Institute of Genetics, Tamila Reshetnikova, took up this issue.

Why do healings occur near holy people? What is this - the result of self-hypnosis, as was usually explained, or a special, Divine power emanating from them?

In search of an answer, she conducted a series of experiments with wheat seeds. Elite seeds were scattered into several bags. Some of them were left as a control, others were applied to the tombs with holy relics in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and in Trinity-Sergius. The contact time was sometimes seconds. The control packages were always located in the same room, but at a considerable distance from the relics, so that they were exposed to the same temperature and humidity. Then, as part of the Chernobyl radiation protection program, the grains were irradiated with a dose of 13 thousand roentgens. The germination of seeds and the green mass of plants that visited the relics were twice as high as in the control group!

The scientist became convinced that the relics of saints are “relays” of Divine energy by photographing these grains on a Kirlian apparatus. The photographic film captured flashes of some kind of energy flying in a string in the form of balls with one-sided processes. Similar comets are depicted on some icons, for example the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. Wheat grains charged with Divine energy gave this effect on photographic film.

The study of the holy relics showed that, leading a godly life, the saints found the grace of the Holy Spirit in living matter, which is the physical reason for the incorruptibility of the bodies of the saints. Healings of people occur at the moment when a prayer addressed to a saint from someone asking for help will be heard by the saint and, with the blessing of God, the grace of the Holy Spirit through the holy relics heals those awaiting healing.

Of course, the stronger the faith, sincere and purer prayer, the more effective the result will be.