This day in Russian history - Today we honor the memory of St. Leo of Optina and remember the founding of the Russian Monarchical Assemblytranslated

The first Optina elder, Reverend Leo (in the world Lev Danilovich Nagolkin) was born in 1768 in the city of Karachev, Oryol province. In his youth, he served as a sales clerk and traveled all over Russia.

In 1797, the monk left the world and joined the brethren of Optina Hermitage under the abbot...