Theodosius of Pechersk biography. Young servant of God

18.08.2019 Relationship

The Monk Theodosius worked more than others at the monastery and often took on part of the brethren’s labors: he carried water, chopped wood, ground rye, and took flour to each monk. IN hot nights he exposed his body and gave it to mosquitoes and midges as food, blood flowed through him, but the saint patiently worked on his handicrafts and sang psalms. He appeared at the temple before others and, standing in place, did not leave until the end of the service; reading listened to special attention. In 1054, the Monk Theodosius was ordained to the rank of hieromonk, and in 1057 he was elected abbot. The fame of his exploits attracted many monks to the monastery, in which he built a new church and cells and introduced the studious cenobitic rules, which were copied, on his instructions, in Constantinople. In the rank of abbot, the Monk Theodosius continued to fulfill the most difficult obediences in the monastery. The saint usually ate only dry bread and boiled greens without oil. His nights passed without sleep in prayer, which the brethren noticed many times, although God’s chosen one tried to hide his feat from others. No one saw the Monk Theodosius sleeping lying down; he usually rested while sitting. During Great Lent, the saint retired to a cave located not far from the monastery, where he labored, unseen by anyone. His clothing was a stiff hair shirt, worn directly on his body, so that in this poor old man it was impossible to recognize the famous abbot, whom everyone who knew him revered. One day the Monk Theodosius was returning from the Grand Duke Izyaslav. The driver, who did not yet know him, said rudely: “You, monk, are always idle, and I am constantly at work. Go to my place, and let me into the chariot.” The holy elder meekly obeyed and took the servant. Seeing how the oncoming boyars bowed to the monk as they dismounted, the servant was frightened, but the holy ascetic calmed him down and, upon his arrival, fed him in the monastery. Hoping for God's help, the monk did not keep large reserves for the monastery, so the brethren sometimes suffered a need for daily bread. Through his prayers, however, unknown benefactors appeared and delivered to the monastery what was needed for the brethren. The great princes, especially Izyaslav, loved to enjoy the spiritual conversation of the Monk Theodosius. The saint was not afraid to denounce powerful of the world this. Those illegally convicted always found an intercessor in him, and judges reviewed cases at the request of the abbot, revered by all. The monk especially cared about the poor: he built a special courtyard for them in the monastery, where anyone in need could receive food and shelter. Having foreseen his death in advance, the Monk Theodosius peacefully departed to the Lord in 1074. He was buried in a cave he dug, in which he retired during fasting. The relics of the ascetic were found incorrupt in 1091. The Monk Theodosius was canonized in 1108. From the works of St. Theodosius, 6 teachings, 2 messages to the Grand Duke Izyaslav and a prayer for all Christians have reached us. The Life of St. Theodosius was compiled by St. Nestor the Chronicler, a disciple of the great Abba, a little over 30 years after his repose and has always been one of the favorite readings of the Russian people. The memory of St. Theodosius is also celebrated on August 14 and 28, and September 2.

The Monk Theodosius of Pechersk is the founder of the cenobitic monastery charter and the founder of monasticism in the Russian land.

The Venerable Nestor the Chronicler penned a remarkable literary work: “ Life of our venerable father Theodosius, abbot of Pechersk«. The oldest list This work dates back to the turn of the XII-XIII centuries. and is contained in the Assumption Collection.

There is debate regarding the time of creation of the “Life”: some researchers believe that it was written several years after the death of Theodosius (1074) and associate the work on the “Life” with the beginning of his local monastic veneration and before the transfer of his relics to the Pechersk Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God in 1091

Others date the writing of the “Life” to coincide with the all-Russian canonization of the famous abbot in 1108. In addition, Nestor himself, in the preface to his work, indicates that he carried it out after the creation of the “Reading about Boris and Gleb”.

Nestor came to the monastery when Theodosius was no longer among the living, but the oral tradition about him was still alive. It served as the “writer’s” main source when working on the “Life”.

He also used the stories of the Pechersk cellarer Theodore, who knew the ascetic’s mother well and learned a lot from her about the pre-monastic years of the ascetic’s life. Along with this, Nestor took advantage of the rich heritage of Eastern Christian hagiography, known to him from the already existing Slavic-Russian translations.

The latter served him not only as an ideological, content-based and compositional-stylistic example for literary imitation, but also with

bloodshed from which he drew individual images and expressions.

Researchers have identified a significant complex of Nestor’s literary sources - these are, first of all, the “Lives” of Palestinians (Euphemius the Great, Savvas the Sanctified, Theodosius Kinoviarch, John the Silent) and the Greek-Byzantine saints themselves (Antony the Great, John Chrysostom, Theodore of Edessa, Theodore the Studite) who labored in the IV-VI centuries.

Nestor even borrowed significant text fragments from some translated hagiographic works (“Lives” Saint Sava, Euphemia and Anthony), thus filling the biographical gaps in the oral tradition about Theodosius of Pechersk. Structurally, Nestor’s work is a classic, “correct” life: it has an introduction, a main part and a conclusion. The introduction immaculately follows literary tradition.

It expresses gratitude to God and self-abasement: “I thank you, my Master, Lord Jesus Christ, for you have made me like this unworthy confessor to be your holy recipient, since I wrote about life and destruction and about miracles with the holy and blessed passion of Boris and Gleb “, I was forced to come to another confession, which is beyond my strength, but he is not worthy - he is rude and unreasonable.”

It contains an explanation of the purposes for which the author took up the pen. Firstly, he solved the teaching-religious problem: “Yes, and for us, the real blacks, accept the scriptures, and reverently, and so seeing her husband valor, praising God, and glorifying His favor, strengthening ourselves for other exploits.” Secondly, Nestor was guided by national-patriotic interests, for “The Life of Theodosius of Pechersk” is a testimony to the whole world, “that in this country such a man appeared and was a saint of God,” which put Rus' on an equal footing with other Christian states.

The introduction contains a pleading appeal from the author to the readers: “I pray for love, don’t even look at my rudeness, let us restrain our love for the reverend, for the sake of this, I have been discouraged from writing all this about the saint.” Finally, in the introduction there is the author’s initial prayer: “My Master, Lord the Supreme Being, good giver, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, come to my aid and enlighten my heart to the understanding of Your commandments and open my mouth to confess Your wonders and to praise Your holy beneficiary , yes to become famous your name for You are the help of all who trust in You forever. Amen".

The main narrative of the Life is two-part: the first part tells in great detail about the life of the youth Theodosius before his arrival in the cave to Saint Anthony, and the second about his monastic deeds. Narrating the youth of his hero, Nestor boldly went beyond the hagiographic tradition and remained original in this, since he never found imitators among subsequent Russian hagiographers. Nestor’s work is the only one that contains such a factually rich biography of the ascetic in relation to the early years of his life and at the same time devoid of the slightest elements of legend.

The main theme of the story of Theodosius’ youth is his struggle for his own spiritual calling. All the facts cited by Nestor seem to emphasize the idea of the divine predestination of Theodosius’s asceticism. The son of generally pious parents, Theodosius already at an early age felt an attraction to asceticism and was distinguished by unusual behavior: “he went to the Church of God all day, listening to divine books with attention. He also did not approach children playing, as the custom is unnatural, n and abhors their games,” contrary to the entreaties of his parents, he preferred to wear “thin” clothes and patches instead of smart clothes, since “he deigned to be as one from the wretched,” in addition, “I ordered him to give in to the teaching of the divine books to one teacher... and soon “all grammar is beyond knowledge,” causing general surprise at his “wisdom and intelligence.”

Subsequently, already being an abbot, Theodosius retained his love for books: Nestor testifies that in his cell a certain monk Hilarion wrote books day and night, that he himself humbly spun threads for bindings, helping the bookmaker Nikon. Reflecting on this, G. P. Fedotov gave Nestor credit for the fact that he established in Russian hagiography the motive of the ascetic’s love of books and love of spiritual enlightenment and thereby stopped “from the very beginning in Rus' the temptation of ascetic rejection of culture.” Throughout his life, Theodosius maintained a penchant for extremely modest attire, as well as hard work, thereby demonstrating his humility.

The image of his mother contrasts with the ideal Christian image of an ascetic. It conveys the exact opposite idea - the idea of an earthly, material principle. The latter is emphasized by Nestor with a portrait description: Theodosius’s mother was “a strong and strong body, like a husband; If anyone has not seen her and heard her talking, then he will begin to think of her husband.” At the same time, she is filled with love for her son, but her love is humanly passionate and blind, selfish and demanding.

Therefore, she does not understand and does not accept his spiritual aspirations. This is where the first conflict of “fathers and sons” recorded in Russian literature arises. Nestor testifies to the confrontation between Theodosius and his mother that lasted several years and in this regard talks about several episodes. When Theodosius’s family, after the death of their father, moved from Vasilyev near Kiev to Kursk, the “divine slayer,” constantly thinking about “how and in what way to be saved,” longed to visit holy places, “where our Lord Jesus Christ walked.” And he was 13 years old then.

And then one day “wanderers” appeared in Kursk, heading to Palestine, and Theodosius begged them to take him with them. Without saying a word to anyone, at night, the young ascetic “got out of his house,” taking with him nothing but clothes, “you walked around in them, and they were bad.” But “the good God will not allow him to depart from this country, and his mother and shepherd to be in this country.”

Three days later, his mother, learning that he had left with the wanderers, set off in pursuit of him. When she caught up with Theodosius, “out of rage and anger” she grabbed him “by the hair, and on the ground, and with her legs pakhasheti and”, and then “much” of the wanderers, she returned him home, “like a certain villain leading tied up." But even at home, “possessed with anger,” she continued to brutally beat him, “until she was exhausted.”

After this, she tied up Theodosius and left him in a locked room. “The Divine one took away all this with joy and, praying to God, gave thanks for all of these.” Two days later, the mother released her son into the wild and fed him, but since she was still “possessed with anger,” she “put an iron on his nose,” “keeping an eye on him so that he doesn’t run away from her.” After many days had passed, she “became reconciled to her” and began “to admonish her with a prayer and, so as not to run away from her, for she loved him more than anyone else and for that sake could not bear to be without him” and, having thus received a promise, took it from her son iron chain. However, Theodosius did not change his life.

He continued to go to church every day and, moreover, began “to sell and sell proskura, and when he came to a price, he gave it to the poor, and at the same price he bought the living and, with his own hands, made pakkas of proskura.” And this went on for 12 years, despite the reproaches and ridicule of his peers. In the end, the ascetic’s mother could not stand it and began “with love” to ask him: “I pray to you, child, that you will stop doing such a thing, because you are blaspheming your family, and I don’t bother hearing from everyone reproaching you about such a thing, and There’s no way for me to do such a thing, I’m a lad.”

But Theodosius refused his mother, citing the example of humility given by the Savior himself, and justifying his occupation not so much with love for worship, but with love for the body of Christ: “There is no reason for me to rejoice, as the Lord has vouchsafed me to be a bearer of His being.” The mother calmed down, but a year later she again began to “scold him—sometimes with affection, sometimes with thunder, sometimes beating others, and let such things remain.”

After this, Theodosius made a second attempt to leave home; for some time he lived in another city with some priest, continuing to do his “business as usual,” but was again found by his mother and returned back with beatings. This time, Theodosius decided to aggravate his feats of humility and hard work with the feat of severe ascetic mortification of the flesh. He “went to one from the blacksmith, and commanded him to cut off the iron that he took, and girded it around his loins, and walked like this. The gland is narrow and gnawing at his body, but he remained, as if his body accepted nothing from him.”

However, this was not hidden for long. On the occasion of some holiday, the “lord” of Kursk organized a feast at which the children of all eminent citizens had to serve the guests. Accordingly, Theodosius also had to be there. His mother ordered him to change into “clean clothes,” and he, “just mind you,” began to change clothes right in front of her. Of course, everything was discovered. The mother “got angry” at her son, “rose up with rage and tore his shirt at him, beating him and taking the iron from his loins. The child of God, as if he had received no evil from her, fell down and walked, serving before those present with all calmness.” Some more time passed.

And then one day, while at a divine service, Theodosius drew attention to the words of the Gospel: “If anyone does not leave his father or mother and follow me, then he is not worthy of carrying me.” They amazed him so much that he firmly decided to take monastic vows “and hide from his mother.” Soon a convenient opportunity arose: Feodosia’s mother went to the village for a few days. Then the “blessed one” “and went away from home,” taking with him only a little bread “sharing the infirmities of the body.” He went to Kyiv, following the merchants “without being them,” and so in three weeks he achieved his goal. In Kyiv he visited all the monasteries.

However, he was not accepted anywhere, “seeing the youth to be simple and clothed in robes of wickedness,” and most of all, by the providence of God. During his rounds, Theodosius heard “Oh blessed Anthony,” who lives outside the city in a cave and went to him. Anthony at first dissuaded Theodosius, seeing his youth and fearing that he would not withstand the harsh life in a cramped cave, but Theodosius persuaded him. By order of Anthony, the great Nikon, a priest and skilled monk, tonsured Theodosius “and clothed him in Minish clothes.”

Researchers believe that this happened in 1032. Soon the newly tonsured monk surprised both Anthony and Nikon with his asceticism. However, this did not end his struggle with his mother. For four years the mother tried to find her son, “crying fiercely, beating her soul like death.”

By chance, she found out that he had been seen in Kyiv, when he was looking for refuge in a monastery, and immediately set off on the road: “without hesitation, without fearing the length of the journey to the condemned city to look for her son.” Having visited all the Kyiv monasteries, she finally learned that her son was in the cave of “Reverend Anthony.”

She called the old man to the cave, “by flattery,” that is, by cunning, and after a long conversation with him, “follow the guilt, for her sake I came.” “I pray to you,” she said, “father, lead me if my son is here. I pity him a lot for his sake, not knowing if he were still alive.” Out of simplicity of mind and without suspecting cunning, Anthony confirmed his mother’s suspicions. Then she expressed a desire to see her son, after which she promised to leave “to her city.” Anthony invited her to return to the cave again in the morning, promising to persuade Theodosius to leave.

But no matter how hard he tried, the ascetic did not want to break his vow of renunciation from the world and go to his mother. The next day, the latter, no longer with humility, but with a threat, began to demand that Anthony show her his son: “Bring me out, old man, my son, so that I can see him! And I can’t wait to be alive if I don’t see him! Show me my son, so that I will not die evilly, for I myself will destroy myself before the doors of this oven, unless you show him to me!” In grief, Anthony went down to the cave to Theodosius, and this time the ascetic, “not wanting to disobey the elder,” went out to his mother. The mother barely recognized her son, he had changed so much “from his much labor and shaking, and he was weeping bitterly.”

Having calmed down a little, she prayed: “Come, child, to your home! And if you need it and for the salvation of your soul, let you do it in this house according to your will, so don’t leave me! And when you die, you bury my body, and then return to this cave as you wish. I don’t bother being alive without seeing you.” But Theodosius expressed a firm refusal, only advising her, since she wanted to see him, to take monastic vows in one of the Kyiv convents. For several days he persuaded his mother, taught her and prayed for her salvation “and the conversion of her heart to obedience.”

Finally God heard his prayers and his mother gave in. After the instructions of the Monk Anthony, she went to convent, “we call St. Nicholas.” Here she lived “in good confession” for many years and “succeeded in peace.” The second section of the main part of The Life of Theodosius, much more voluminous, is devoted to the actual monastic works of the ascetic. The narrative structure of this part is a concatenation of individual stories about individual episodes from the life of Theodosius and some famous Pechersk inhabitants, as well as from the history of the monastery.

First of all, Nestor describes the ascetic exercises of the saint, probably associated with the mortification of the flesh. Thus, Theodosius used to give his body to be eaten by gadflies and mosquitoes, while he himself patiently worked on handicrafts and sang psalms (a similar feat was once performed by Macarius of Alexandria, which was described in the Egyptian Patericon).

According to the hagiographer, Theodosius continuously wore a hair shirt under his outer clothing; I never slept “on my ribs”, lying down, but only sitting on a chair; never poured “water on the body,” that is, did not wash; He ate exclusively dry bread and boiled vegetables without oil, but at the same time he always had a cheerful face at the common meal. Nestor affirms the hidden nature of the ascetic’s asceticism, deliberately hidden from the brethren of the monastery.

For example, spending his nights in prayer vigils, Theodosius fell silent every time and pretended to be asleep when he heard one of the monks approaching his cell. The Life repeatedly speaks of Theodosius’s prayerful works. He usually prayed with tears, “often bending his knees to the ground,” and most often the subject of his prayers was the salvation of the “flock” entrusted to him.

During the days of Great Lent, the ascetic always retired from the brethren to a cave for complete solitude. His prayerful exploits were also associated with overcoming demonic “insurances.” According to Nestor, through prayer and fortitude, Theodosius achieved complete fearlessness before dark forces; Moreover, with his help, other inhabitants of the monastery got rid of nightly obsessions.

“As a brave warrior and strong,” the saint defeated “evil spirits attacking in his area.” Theodosius put a lot of effort into organizing the life of the monks within the monastery. So, he built cells for the brethren on top of the ground, and left the caves only for a few hermits; he borrowed the Studite Rule from Constantinople and introduced it into the monastery's liturgical and disciplinary routine, thus eliminating the cenovic, or singular, order of life in the monastery; Finally, on his initiative, the large stone Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded.

Talking about the monastic labors of Theodosius, Nestor constantly emphasizes his moral virtues: “humble meaning and obedience,” “humility and meekness.” Even after becoming an abbot, the ascetic did not change his character: “I am not a vain person, neither angry nor fierce, but merciful and quiet.” The saint remained gentle even towards those who violated the monastic rules; he sought to reason with such violators and bring them to repentance, not with punishments, but with “parables.” In his care for the monastery, Theodosius works miracles.

But all of them are devoid of religious mysticism; they are usually associated with the replenishment of monastic supplies and, being economic in purpose, essentially have the character of a natural pattern. Thus, the missing bread and wine suddenly appear in the monastery thanks to some benefactor, and precisely at that moment when the steward had already despaired of finding any way out of the difficult situation.

Nestor shows in his Life that the Pechersk Monastery existed solely on the alms of the world. At the same time, however, through the efforts of Theodosius, the life of the monastery, in turn, was focused on public service and works of mercy. Thus, the holy abbot built an almshouse near the monastery and paid tithes from all monastic income for its maintenance; Every Saturday he sent a cart of bread to the city for prisoners in prisons.

In addition, the ascetic was the confessor of many laymen - princes and boyars, and thus had a very strong moral influence on life secular society contemporary Rus'. In this role, Theodosius acted both as an intercessor for the offended and as an irreconcilable denouncer of social vices. I will give several examples illustrating the content of the “Life” in the part devoted to the monastic works of Theodosius.

Describing the exceptional humility and gentleness of the saint, Nestor talks about such an episode. Somehow the abbot found himself visiting Prince Izyaslav when the latter was quite far from the Pechersky Monastery. When the time came for parting, the prince ordered, “for the sake of not sleeping,” to take Theodosius to the monastery “on a cart.”

The driver, seeing the shabby clothes of his passenger, decided that he was a simple monk, “one of the poor,” and turned to him with a sarcastic speech: “Chernorizche, you have been separated all day, but you are difficult. Behold, I cannot ride a horse, but I have done this: yes, I will lie down on a cart, but you can ride a horse.”

Theodosius, hearing this, obediently got off the cart and mounted his horse, and the driver went to bed. They drove like this all night. When Theodosius was overcome by drowsiness, he walked next to his horse. Dawn came, and more and more often they began to meet passing boyars heading to the prince. They respectfully greeted Theodosius. In order not to embarrass the driver, the ascetic suggested that he change places, and gradually he became alarmed: seeing the respect with which his passenger was greeted by the passers-by, he realized how rudely he had treated him. Finally they arrived at the monastery.

At the gate, the monks greeted their abbot with a bow to the ground. The driver is overcome with horror. But Theodosius cordially ordered him to be fed and, having generously given him gifts, released him in peace. The moralizing meaning of this story is undeniable. However, its living details are so natural and reliable that it seems as if the task of the plot is not so much to glorify the virtue of Theodosius, but to depict the gradual enlightenment of the unlucky driver, so that an edifying story is transformed into a visual everyday scene.

There are many similar episodes in the Life. All of them give the story plot entertaining and artistic credibility. Also remarkable is the story of the public clash between the Monk Theodosius and the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. The sons of Yaroslav the Wise, Svyatoslav and Vsevolod expel their elder brother Izyaslav from the Kyiv grand-ducal table, thereby breaking the covenants of their father. Having captured Kiev (1073), they invite Theodosius of Pechersk to their place for dinner.

However, the latter, “realizing that the exile of the hedgehog for the love of Christ was unrighteous, tells the messenger that it is not for the imam to go to Beelzebel’s meal and partake of that meat that is full of blood and murder.” From this time on, Theodosius begins to denounce Svyatoslav for the fact that he, having become the Grand Duke, “has acted unrighteously and sat on that table not according to the law and, like his father and elder brother, has angered him.” In this spirit, the abbot sends “epistolias” to the prince, tirelessly and relentlessly denouncing him. Nestor remembers one in particular.

In it, Theodosius wrote this: “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out against you to God, like Abel’s against Cain!” and at the same time he remembered other “ancient persecutors,” “murderers” and “brother-haters.” This message angered the prince so much that he “like a lion rushed at the righteous one and struck him (the epistole) on the ground.” At the same time, a rumor spread that the “blessed” was condemned by the prince “to death.” Relatives - both monks and boyars - tried to persuade Theodosius so that he would no longer denounce the prince. But the ascetic expressed his readiness even for death and therefore continued to reproach Svyatoslav “about brotherly hatred.”

However, gradually the severity of the conflict is smoothed out: Theodosius stops denouncing the prince, and the latter, feeling the correctness of these denunciations, strives for reconciliation with the abbot: with his blessing, he comes to the monastery and the abbot explains to him the motives for his behavior: “What, good lord, Our wrath will come upon your kingdom. But it is fitting for us to reprove this and speak to you for the salvation of your soul. And it’s easy for you to eat and eat him!”

Next, Theodosius teaches the prince about love for his brother, trying to persuade him to reconcile. After this, relations between Svyatoslav and the abbot resumed. However, the prince still did not want to follow the instructions of the holy elder: “just because the enemy was angry with his brother, as if he did not want to hear him. Theodosius “prayed to God all day and night for the Christ-loving Izyaslav, and also in the litany ordered him to be remembered as the prince of that prince and the eldest of all. This (Svyatoslav), as I said through the law, I sat on the table, you are not ordered to commemorate in your monastery.”

And only after some time the abbot, “having barely been begged by the brethren,” agreed to remember Svyatoslav, but still in second place after Izyaslav. This story essentially reveals the nature of the relationship between the Church and the State in pre-Mongol Rus'. From it it is clear that an authoritative servant of God does not consider worldly and political affairs to be beyond the jurisdiction of his spiritual court, however, in relation to the participants in these affairs, he does not act as a person in power; on the contrary, he acts as the embodiment of the meek power of Christ, ultimately subordinating the law of earthly truth to the law of divine love.

The last part of the “Life” is devoted to a detailed story about the death of St. Theodosius of Pechersk, which followed on May 3, 1074. Shortly before his death, the abbot showed a miracle of clairvoyance, predicting its day and hour: “on Saturday, after the rising of the sun, my soul will be separated from my body.” Before his death, the saint addressed the brethren for the last time with a lesson, said goodbye to everyone and appointed Stephen as his successor. At dawn he was left alone in his cell. Only the cell attendant secretly watched him through the slightly open door.

His dying prayer was about his soul and about the monastery; apparently, in a revelation the fate of the monastery was predicted to him, for with words of joy he gave up his soul to God: “Blessed is God if this is the case! I am no longer afraid, but rather rejoicing at the departure of this light.” The death of the ascetic was marked by a miraculous vision. Grand Duke Svyatoslav was then far from the monastery, and behold, he saw a pillar of fire reaching into the sky and darkness over the monastery. No one has seen this, but only the prince.” Svyatoslav perceived this vision as a sign: “Behold, as I remember, this day blessed Theodosius will die.”

In a short conclusion, Nestor reports on the life of the monastery after the death of Theodosius, noting its prosperity. Here he also leaves autobiographical information: he reports about his arrival at the monastery, his tonsure, his ordination as a deacon, and, finally, about his work in compiling the “Life”.

So, “The Life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk” is a wonderful monument of literature; it is characterized by great vividness of the narrative, a plausible depiction of monastic life, and vivid sketches of everyday situations. At the same time, the image of the mother of an ascetic is very unconventional - a pious woman, but at the same time imperious, stern, resisting her son’s desire to devote himself to God.

The character of Theodosius himself is also ambiguous: although he is personally ideally humble, he nevertheless resolutely opposes the prince when he violates social laws. Researchers have discovered in the Life, along with textual borrowings, many plot motifs borrowed by Nestor from the monuments of translated hagiography.

Theodosius became famous for his asceticism, wore old rags, which, according to the compiler of his life, Nestor, shone on him like an honest royal purple. Before Great Lent, Theodosius usually went into seclusion for the entire period of Lent. Shutting himself up in a cave, he took some bread with him, and the door from the outside was covered with earth, and the brethren of the monastery communicated with him only when absolutely necessary through the small window left, and then only on Saturday or Sunday.

Theodosius died in 1074 after a short illness. Before his death, he asked to be buried at night in the cave where he made his retreat during Lent. His request was fulfilled. No later than 1088, the Monk Nestor the Chronicler wrote the first life of Theodosius.

In 1090, the abbot and the brethren of the Lavra decided that the body of Theodosius should be transferred to the church he founded. Three days before the Feast of the Assumption, the monks began to dig up the grave and the incorruptible relics of Theodosius were discovered, as Nestor narrates - “ hair just pulled to my head».

The transfer of the relics of the saint to the church took place on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the presence of many bishops and abbots of Kyiv monasteries. During the Tatar invasion, the relics of Theodosius were placed under cover at the western doors of the temple, where they remain to this day.

From the literary work of St. Theodosius, 6 teachings and 2 messages to the Grand Duke Izyaslav have been preserved.

THEODOSIY PECHERSKY
Troparion, tone 8

Having risen to virtue, / having loved the monastic life from childhood, / having achieved a valiant desire, you moved into a cave / and, adorning your life with fasting and lightness, / in prayers, as if bodiless, you remained, / in the Russian land, like a bright luminary, shining , Father Theodosius, / pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Among the many saints of the Russian Orthodox Church, a special place is occupied by the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk, whose icon opens this article. Born shortly after the reign of Christianity in Rus', he became one of the founders of Russian monasticism, showing the path to spiritual heights for many subsequent generations of monks. His memory is celebrated four times a year: May 3, August 14, August 28 and September 2.

Birth and early years of the righteous man

The life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk tells that he was born in 1008, into the family of a military man from the squad of Grand Duke Vladimir the Saint. The beginning of his life passed in the village of Vasiliev not far from Kyiv, but then, when his father received a transfer to Kursk, his family went there with him.

From birth, the Lord destined the boy for monastic feats, instilling in him a love for church service and wearing chains, which Theodosius, as a child, constantly wore against the wishes of his mother. Not feeling a craving for the games and amusements of his peers, the future ascetic spent all his days in church and begged his parents to send him to learn to read and write with a local priest.

Young servant of God

Having reached in short term amazing successes, the boy amazed those around him not only by the number of things he read holy books, but also with an amazingly wise interpretation of them, which revealed his extraordinary intelligence and abilities. His religiosity took on even deeper forms after, at the age of fourteen, the Lord called his father to His Heavenly Abodes, and the young man was left alone under the supervision of his mother, a woman with a strict and domineering character.

Despite her ardent love for her son, she could not comprehend the deepest aspirations of his soul, and treated such early manifestations of extreme religiosity with distrust. Wishing Theodosius happiness, she put into this concept only a simple everyday meaning, the essence of which boiled down to prosperity and well-being in this world. However, for the young man it consisted of serving God.

Two escapes from home

The life of Theodosius of Pechersk contains an interesting episode from his youth. It tells how one day the Lord brought a group of wanderers to his mother’s courtyard who were making a pilgrimage to holy places. Struck by their stories about the monasteries and the monks working in them, the young man, wanting to see everything with his own eyes, secretly left the house and followed them. However, the fugitive was soon overtaken by his mother, who discovered his absence and set off in pursuit. For her self-will, Theodosius was beaten by her and locked in a hut for several days.

A sharp turning point in the life of the future ascetic came when, at the age of twenty, four years he finally decided to leave his home and look for a monastery where they would accept him as a novice. From an early age, Theodosius of Pechersky remembered the words of Jesus Christ, who said that he who loves his father or mother more than Him is unworthy of Him. This gave him the strength to decide to escape again. Seizing the moment when his mother was not at home, the young man, taking a staff in his hands and stocking up with a crust of bread, set off for Kyiv.

Blessing of Anthony of Pechersk

The path ahead was not short, and the road was unfamiliar, but the Lord sent him a passing convoy, with the help of which the young wanderer reached the Mother of Russian Cities. However, his hopes of finding a warm welcome in any of her abodes were in vain. No matter which abbot he approached, he was always refused. Some did not like the rags in which Theodosius was dressed, others were embarrassed by his too young age.

But the Lord did not allow despair to settle in the heart of His humble servant and directed his feet to the banks of the Dnieper, to where the great righteous man and ascetic, the founder of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, Elder Anthony, labored in an earthen cave in those years (a photo of his icon can be seen below). Endowed with the gift of perspicacity, he was able to discern in the poorly dressed young man the true vessel of the Holy Spirit and blessed him for his monastic feat.

The feat of cave hermitage

The Life of Theodosius of Pechersk, reporting on his taking monastic tonsure, indicates that this rite was performed on him at the order of the Monk Anthony in 1032 by the abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Nikon. From that time on, his introduction to monastic life began, filled with incessant prayers and night vigils, in the depths of dark, silent caves, illuminated only by the dim flicker of a lamp.

After four years, near the cave in which Theodosius of Pechersk was found, his mother suddenly appeared, who had been looking for him all these years and finally found him, guided by the voice of her heart. However, despite the sincere filial love, the young caveman initially refused to go out to her, saying that from now on he, a monk, had no relatives except the Lord God.

Only the admonitions of the Monk Anthony, who convinced him of the appropriateness of such a meeting, forced Theodosius to leave his refuge for a while and go to his mother. Seeing her son, the unfortunate woman in tears persuaded him to come to his senses and return home, but he was adamant, and not only did not succumb to momentary temptation, but after a long conversation managed to persuade the mother herself, renouncing the world, to take the path of serving God. When she, having heeded his words, shut herself up in the women's monastery of St. Nicholas, Theodosius, falling on his knees, thanked the Creator for the mercy He had shown.

At the head of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery

The harsh life filled with constant exploits that Theodosius of Pechersk led earned him the deepest veneration of all the brethren. After several years spent in cave seclusion, he was ordained to the rank of priest (hieromonk), and after some time he became abbot of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery, founded by his spiritual mentor and teacher, Venerable Anthony. Under his leadership, life in the monastery was raised to even greater spiritual heights.

Having taken upon himself even greater burdens of monastic feat, Saint Theodosius of Pechersk introduced into the monastery the rules of the cenobitic Studian monastery, founded in the 5th century in Constantinople and distinguished by unusually strict rules. Its main difference was the monks’ refusal of personal property and the complete socialization of property. It was precisely this principle, which determined the entire further direction of the development of monasticism in Russia, that Saint Theodosius of Pechersk took as a basis.

Regardless of faces and titles

The severity of the rules established by the new abbot applied equally to both the inhabitants of the monastery and its visitors, regardless of rank and title. For example, there is a known case when the Prince of Kiev Izyaslav Yaroslavovich, having arrived at the monastery at an inopportune hour, was forced to wait at its gates until it was time for pilgrims to enter. Proud and arrogant Everyday life, he nevertheless humbled himself and humbly stood among the other pilgrims.

A clear indication of how wisely the abbot knew how to build relationships with people is the very life of Theodosius of Pechersk. His analysis shows that, communicating with representatives of the most diverse social strata, he always unerringly found the right tone, guided by God's commandment about love for one's neighbor, which always met a response in the hearts of those around him. And many examples can be given of this.

Abbot with reins in hands

In this regard, the episode associated with his visit to the Kyiv prince Izyaslav, which was already mentioned above, comes to mind. The ruler Theodosius of Pechersk, who was warmly received in the palace, returning on foot to the monastery and being fairly tired from the road, asked to join the cart with a man who was traveling in the same direction. He agreed, but, not knowing that before him was the abbot of the famous monastery, received and revered by the prince himself, he began to boast that he was a worker, earning his bread by the sweat of his brow, and his passenger was simply a monk-idler.

In response to this, filled with true Christian humility, Theodosius volunteered to drive the horse himself, and invited the peasant to rest quietly in the cart the whole way. Imagine the amazement of this commoner when he saw how the nobles he met stopped and bowed deeply to his voluntary driver. Arriving at the monastery and finding out what was the matter, the man was terribly frightened, but the monk only with fatherly love blessed his recent detractor and ordered him to be fed dinner, thus making him his sincere admirer.

The prince is a usurper of power

It is known that many princes highly valued spiritual conversation with the Monk Theodosius and never fell into anger when their unrighteous actions were exposed, allowing him to openly express his opinion. For example, after Vsevolod and Svyatoslav Yaroslavovich expelled their elder brother Izyaslav, the legitimate heir to the princely throne, from Kyiv, Theodosius openly accused them of treachery and refused to remember them in prayer. Only some time later, in view of the petition of the brethren of the monastery, he changed his decision. Svyatoslav, who seized power in Kyiv, repented and made considerable contributions to the church treasury.

Death and subsequent canonization

Anticipating his imminent death, Saint Theodosius called upon the entire monastery brethren and, having prayed with them, blessed them for further work for the salvation of their souls. Having given the last few orders, he peacefully departed to the Lord on May 3, 1074. His body was buried in a cave he had once dug on the banks of the Dnieper, where the deceased righteous man began his service to God, blessed by his spiritual mentor, St. Anthony.

Fifteen years after this, wanting to transfer the ashes of their rector to the tomb of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which he founded, and opening the grave for this, the brethren found his relics incorrupt. This event, as well as the miracles of Theodosius of Pechersk, revealed at the place of his burial, such as the healing of the sick, the gift of abundant childbirth, deliverance from misfortunes, etc., served as the reason for his canonization, which took place in 1108. His first life was compiled shortly before by the monk of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery - the famous chronicler Nestor.

It should be noted in passing that even today there is a lot of evidence of miracles through prayers to the saint, performed near the places of his former asceticism. In this regard, we can mention many entries made in the books of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. They provide facts about the healing of even the most hopeless patients and the acquisition of family happiness those who have lost their last hope in this.

Literary works of St. Theodosius of Pechersk

About twenty different works are attributed to Theodosius of Pechersk as a literary heritage, but his authorship of only half of them has been scientifically proven. The creations that undoubtedly belonged to his pen included eight instructions of spiritual content, a message to the Prince of Kyiv Izyaslav, as well as a prayer compiled by Theodosius of Pechersk.

The saint's teachings are a kind of testament to all future generations. Orthodox monks. In them, he calls on those who have embarked on the path of serving God not to succumb to the temptations of the flesh and to evade the demonic thoughts instilled by the enemy of the human race into the hearts of monks. In addition, in many of his addresses, he calls on monks to avoid laziness, which is also sent by the demon and is the cause of most vices.

He also points out the true reason for the discord and fighting that sometimes arises between them. As their constant culprit, the saint again points to the devil - the eternal enemy of goodness and love. Therefore, Theodosius teaches us to regard every bad thought towards one’s neighbor as another instigation of the enemy. As one of the most effective means in the fight against the evil one, he offers confession and repentance, brought with all sincerity and directness.

Memory of St. Theodosius of Pechersk

Over the nine centuries that have passed since the death of St. Theodosius, he has been one of the most revered Russian saints, whose life is one of the most widely read religious works. Akathists were composed in his honor and temples were erected. Today on the territory Russian Federation The most famous is the Temple of Theodosius of Pechersk, located in the Crimea in the village of Okhotnikovo. There are thirteen of them in total, some of which are owned by monasteries. In Kyiv itself, a church in the name of this saint was erected on the site where, according to legend, his cave was located.

Rehabilitation center named after Feodosius Pechersky

In addition, the medical and social rehabilitation center of Feodosius Pechersky has been operating in the city of Kursk for many years. It provides comprehensive medical and psychological assistance to disabled people, including children. Located in a picturesque place called Solyanka Urochishche, the center has acquired well-deserved fame thanks to the high professional level of medical staff and the quality of patient care.

Kyiv is called “the mother of Russian cities.” This comes as no surprise to any of us, because it was once the capital of a great country called Rus' - an invincible power that later disintegrated into Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is rightfully considered the pearl of Kiev, famous for the many underground caves dug by its monks in their time and which gave the world the names of countless strong Orthodox saints. One of the founders of the monastery was the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk. This is an outstanding chosen one of the Lord. The Church celebrates the Day of Remembrance of Theodosius of Pechersk annually on May 16.

Life of Theodosius of Pechersk

On the day of remembrance of the saint, let us dwell on the life of Theodosius of Pechersk.

The Monk Theodosius of Pechersk was born in the 11th century not far from Kyiv, in the town of Vasilkovo or otherwise - Vasilevo. However early years The saint's life and adolescence were spent in Kursk, where soon after the birth of the baby the parents of the ascetic of piety moved. While still quite a baby, the Monk Theodosius was already sharply different from his peers. The boy was cool towards childish games and fun, preferring contemplation and reflection to fun. He enjoyed going to church and did it every day. Theodosius liked to listen Holy Bible, and, having begun to learn to read and write, the child quickly mastered the basics of reading and began to independently learn the truth of theological works.

The monk was left without a father early: according to some sources, at 13, according to others, at 14 years old. Since then, the mother raised her son alone. It must be said that she was a rather strict and domineering woman, but she simply adored her only child. Therefore, naturally, the saint’s mother did not at all like the fact that Theodosius, after the death of his father, began to behave in his father’s house like a servant: he dressed in simple, rough clothes, and did hard work. But she couldn't do anything.

Time passed, God's chosen one grew and matured. The idea of leading an ascetic lifestyle not only did not fall asleep, but became even more strengthened in the young man’s head. One day he urgently wanted to visit the Holy Land as a pilgrim. Theodosius began to ask the Almighty day and night for the fulfillment of his desire. The Lord soon heard the boy’s prayers: suddenly strangers arrived in Kursk, heading to Jerusalem. The future saint joined them and left home without telling anyone. When the mother discovered her son was missing, she threw all her strength into searching for him. As a result, Theodosius was returned home and severely and physically punished for his act, and then put under lock and key. True, this did not last long: the woman forgave her son and lifted the ban on freedom.

Theodosius did not lose heart because his wish never came true. He began to work for the benefit of the church: baking prosphora for the temple. Moreover, the young man himself bought wheat and ground the grain into flour. The young man distributed the extra prosphora to the poor. With all this, he caused ridicule from his peers, but did not pay attention to them. It was as if a demon had possessed the saint’s mother. She forbade her son to engage in godly work, subjecting him every now and then to punishment for disobedience. The monk could not stand it one day and fled to a city near Kursk, where a presbyter he knew lived, but was quickly returned home by a powerful woman.

The meekness and desire for asceticism of Saint Theodosius attracted attention to his person as the ruler of Kursk. He began to bestow rich outfits on God’s chosen one, which the monk himself did not wear, giving away to the disadvantaged. Theodosius preferred to wear simple clothes, and once put on an iron belt to fight passions. The saint’s body bled from this, but in order to strengthen the spirit, the saint patiently endured voluntary torment.

Kyiv: new life

Until the age of twenty-three, the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk lived in his father’s house. Afterwards, the young man again, as had happened in the past, secretly left him, but this time forever. The young man went to Kyiv, where he wanted to take monastic vows. Upon arrival at the place, the future saint appeared to the Monk Anthony himself. He joyfully accepted the young man, because he saw in Theodosius that he was chosen by God. The latter's wish came true in 1032. He was tonsured a monk by the disciple of St. Anthony, Nikon. From that moment on, an even more difficult life for the saint began. He diligently performed monastic feats, guided by the Monk Anthony. The young man spent his nights in prayer; during the day, Theodosius was engaged in handicrafts. The young monk constantly fasted, cultivating humility in himself.

And what about the mother of the saint? Has she really accepted her son's escape? No, of course, the woman went herself in search of the young man. And she found her child in Kyiv, in the monastery where he was staying. The woman began to exhort Theodosius, to persuade him to return to his parents’ home, promising not to cause him any obstacles from now on. The monk, in response, turned to his mother with a request to stay in Kyiv and take monastic vows. It took him a lot of effort to convince the headstrong woman that such a decision was reasonable. As a result, the saint’s mother became a nun at the Kyiv St. Nicholas Monastery, where she departed to the Lord in due course.

But let's return to Theodosius. In 1054 the saint was ordained to the rank of hieromonk. Now he could perform the Divine Liturgy, which he did with due diligence, setting an example for the brethren. At the same time, the Monk Theodosius of Pechersk continued to perform other work that was part of the monks’ duties, not disdaining even the hardest work. Three years later, at the request of the monks, the saint was made abbot of the monastery. But this status did not in any way affect the meekness and hard work of the monk. The number of brethren in the monastery at the time of management of the monastery by Theodosius increased significantly. There was no longer room in the cave cells for ascetics. Then the Monk Anthony blessed the monks to build cells in a nearby mountain, which, at his request, was granted by Prince Izyaslav. A wooden church in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary also appeared there. The monks happily settled into their new place. As you probably already guessed, the monastery that emerged was the famous Kiev Pechersk Lavra. Through the efforts of the Monk Theodosius, for the first time in the history of Rus', the Charter of the Studite Monastery, which was located in the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople, was introduced.

Managing the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the saint showed himself to be a fully merciful and at the same time fair, strict abbot. Theodosius built a house for the poor and disadvantaged near the monastery. A tenth of the monastery's income was spent on providing for its inhabitants. The monk also took care of prisoners in prisons, sending a cartload of bread to the prisons every week, on Saturdays. The brethren also never lacked for anything. And this was explained mainly by the fervent prayers of the abbot of the Lavra.

Death

The Monk Theodosius died peacefully on May 3, 1047, early on Saturday morning, while praying. Three days before this, the saint fell into a state of extreme relaxation. For some time, the ascetic predicted his death, which he informed the monks about, gathering them all together and giving a parting speech. After his death, the body of the saint was buried in a cave, where, as a rule, Theodosius prayed. He was canonized as a saint at the Church Council of 1108.

The meaning of THEODOSIY PECHERSKY in the Brief Biographical Encyclopedia

THEODOSIY PECHERSKY

Theodosius of Pechersk - venerable, abbot of Kiev-Pechersk, the first founder of the monastic community in Russian monasteries. He was born in Vasilkov (now the district town of Vasilkov, 35 versts from Kyiv) and came from a well-born family. Neither the name Theodosius (secular) nor the year of birth are known; the latter is approximately dated 1036. Early years Theodosius flowed to Kursk, where, by order of the prince, his parents moved: Theodosius’s father was one of the princely tiuns of the Kursk mayor. Having reached the age of 7, he began to learn to read and write, and then he was sent to school, where he stayed until he was 13 years old. Having become acquainted with the life of the great ascetics of monasticism from books and stories, Theodosius made a firm intention to imitate them. At the age of 14, Theodosius lost his father, and this affected him so much that he decided to begin to fulfill his cherished dream - to renounce the world. Opposition to the ascetic inclinations of the young man came from his mother: she loved her son very much, but did not sympathize with his aspirations for an ascetic life and tried by all means to deviate him from this. Theodosius decided to leave his mother’s house and, carried away by the stories of wanderers about the holy places of Palestine, left home with them. An attempt to go with the wanderers to Jerusalem was unsuccessful: overtaken by his mother, he, beaten and tied, was returned home; To prevent him from running away again, his mother put shackles on his feet and removed them only when he promised not to run away from home. But these oppressions only strengthened the ascetic aspirations of the young man. Secretly from his mother, Theodosius began to wear chains, but she noticed this and tore off his chains. Theodosius fled to Kyiv, where Anthony was received and tonsured. Then the name Theodosius was given to him; this happened around 1056 - 57. The lofty spiritual exploits of the Monk Theodosius so distinguished him from the ranks of other brethren that, after the removal of Abbot Varlaam, Anthony appointed Theodosius as abbot, despite the fact that he was no more than 26 years old. From the very beginning of his abbess, he set about building a monastery. The number of pure brethren from 20 people increased to 100, and as a result of this, it became necessary to introduce a strictly defined charter. At the request of Theodosius, a list of the statutes of the Studite Monastery was sent to him from Constantinople, which was the basis for life in the Pechersk monastery. The Charter prescribed complete and strict communal living; the monks had to be content with a common meal and have the same clothes; all property of the brethren must be common; time was spent in incessant work. Theodosius was stricter with himself than with others; in addition to the general feat, he subjected himself to extremely ascetic tests and exercises of will. While still a young man, he began to wear chains. The boyars and princes were especially disposed towards the saint. The influence of St. Theodosius on them was very beneficial. The time of Theodosius's monasticism coincided with a difficult and troubled period in relations between the princes. Civil strife was in full swing. Theodosius enjoyed the respect of Grand Duke Izyaslav, who loved pious conversation with the monk. Theodosius did not remain a passive spectator of Svyatoslav's seizure of the Kyiv table from his older brother Izyaslav and the latter's expulsion. Theodosius speaks out against violence with a number of denunciations; He also wrote accusatory epistoles to Svyatoslav. Taking care of the internal structure of his monastery, Theodosius did a lot for its external improvement. After 11 or 12 years of abbotship, Theodosius, due to the increase in the brethren and the poverty of the previous monastic buildings, decided to build a new, vast monastery. The place for it was chosen near the second cave of St. Anthony. A great stone church was founded on this site (1073). On May 3, 1074, Theodosius died. The Monk Theodosius was buried in the cave in which, under the leadership of Anthony, he began his exploits. The discovery of the relics of St. Theodosius followed in 1091. The memory is celebrated on May 3 and August 14. In 1089, the church founded by the Monk Theodosius was consecrated, and the monastery was transferred to it; the former cave monastery has now become a tomb for the burial of the dead. Founded by the Monk Anthony and organized by the Monk Theodosius. The Kiev-Pechersk monastery became a model for all other monasteries. The Monk Theodosius left five teachings to the Pechersk monks in full (the first and second - about patience and love, the third - about patience and alms, the fourth - about humility, the fifth - about going to church and prayer), one to the cellarium, four so so-called excerpts of teachings to monks and laity, two teachings to the people “about the executions of God” and “troparary bowls”, two messages to the Grand Duke Izyaslav [“about the peasant and Latin faith” and “the slaughter of animals on Sunday (week) and about fasting on Wednesday and Friday"] and two prayers (one - "for all Christians", the other - written at the request of the Varangian prince Shimon, the so-called prayer of permission). From the teachings to the monks, we learn the dark sides of the monastic life of that time, which neither Nestor nor the Pechersk Patericon, who was exclusively concerned with glorifying the famous monastery, speak about. Theodosius denounces the monks for laziness in worship, non-compliance with the rules of abstinence, collecting property in the cell, dissatisfaction with common clothing and food, grumbling against the abbot for supporting the strange and poor with monastic funds. Two teachings of Theodosius are addressed to the entire people: one “about the executions of God” for sins - a remarkably depicted remnant of pagan beliefs among the people and the prevailing vices of the time, robbery, self-interest, bribery and drunkenness; the other is directed against drunkenness. Two messages to Grand Duke Izyaslav answer modern questions: the issue of fasting on Wednesday and Friday is resolved in accordance with the Studio Charter; in the message about the Varangian or Latin faith, deviations from Orthodoxy and the customs of the Latins are calculated, all communication with them in food, drink and marriage is prohibited. Historically, the teachings of St. Theodosius have great importance to characterize the morals of that time. The literary works of Theodosius of Pechersk became famous not very long ago; the authenticity of some of his teachings is subject to strong doubt; for example, the newest Scientific research They consider two teachings - “about the executions of God” and “about troparary bowls” - not to belong to Theodosius. Literature. The life of Theodosius is described by Nestor the chronicler (translation into modern language by the Monk Philaret in the "Notes of the Academy of Sciences", 2nd department, book II, issue 3, 1856). See Professor Golubinsky "History of the Russian Church" (1901), Rev. Macarius "History of the Russian Church" (1868); M. Pogodin "Holy Hegumen Theodosius" ("Moscowite", 1850, book 23); Academician S. Shevyrev “History of Russian Literature” (St. Petersburg, 1887, edition II, part II); N.I. Petrov “Sources of the teaching of St. Theodosius of Pechersk about the executions of God” (in “Proceedings of the Kyiv Theological Academy” for 1887, volume II - “Archaeological notes”); N.K. N. (Nikolsky), “Monuments of Old Russian teaching literature” (1894, issue 1); V.A. Chagovets "Reverend Theodosius of Pechersk, his life and writings" (1901); Bishop Anthony of Vyborg “From the history of Christian preaching” (1892); Professor Maksimovich "Lectures on the history of ancient Russian literature" (1839, book I); Al. Vostokov “Description of Russian and Slovenian manuscripts of the Rumyantsev Museum”, ¦ CCCCVI; Yakovlev "Monuments of Old Russian writing of the XII - XIII centuries"; Metropolitan Eugene “Historical Dictionary about the writers of the clergy of the Greek-Russian Church who were in Russia” (St. Petersburg, 1827, edition II, volume II); handwritten collections of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, ¦ 47 and 48.

Brief biographical encyclopedia. 2012