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Venerable Athanasius of Athos Ave. Athanasius, baptized Abramius, originally from Trebizond, orphaned in infancy, was raised by a certain nun and, after her death, went to Constantinople to complete his education and lived in the house of a noble dignitary, his relative. In this way he became known to Tsar Roman Lekapen, who soon appointed him a teacher in schools on a par with his former teacher; but, noticing dissatisfaction on the part of the latter, the monk soon left the position of teacher. Once a relative of his was sent on an errand to the Aegean Sea and took Athanasius with him; Afanasy saw Mount Athos, fell in love with it and began to think about living on it. Upon returning to Constantinople, he heard about the arrival of St. Michael Malein (July 12) from the Kimensky Monastery near Mount Athos, went to him and revealed to him his intention to take monasticism. While they were talking, St. Michael was visited by his nephew, the military leader Nicephorus Phokas, later emperor, and thus began to know Athanasius. Soon after the return of Rev. Michael to his monastery, Athanasius also arrived there, took monastic vows and diligently went through all the monastic obediences, instructed by Michael in the ascetic life. Feeling the proximity of his death, Mikhail wanted to leave him behind as abbot; but Athanasius, having learned about this, fled and wandered around the mountain, living alone. Meanwhile, having learned about the death of Rev. Michael and the flight of Athanasius, the military commander Nikephoros searched for him through the Thessalonica authorities throughout the mountain, but Athanasius begged the prota of the mountain (the first abbot) not to talk about him - and then Nikephoros gave the Kimena monastery another abbot. Prot allowed Athanasius to remain silent in a deserted cell, about three miles from the Kareyskaya Lavra; here he lived and earned food through the labors of his hands, because he wrote books well and quickly. One day Leo, Nicephorus’s brother, visited Mount Athos and, talking with Athanasius, cried with joy. The monks, seeing the governor’s love for the monk, asked Athanasius to ask him to build a new church in the Kareya Lavra. The governor joyfully gave gold and silver for the construction of the church and, returning to Constantinople, told Nikephoros about Athanasius. On the occasion of the seizure of Crete from the Arabs (in 960), the military leader Nikephoros sent a lot of money to the Venerable. Athanasius so that he would build a monastery on the already chosen place with cells for Nicephorus himself, who wanted to retire from the world. Athanasius built two churches, cells, a refectory, a hospital and other buildings, gathered many brethren and, having written the rules of the hostel, became abbot. But when he heard that Nicephorus, after the death of Romanus II, proclaimed himself emperor (in June 963), he was saddened, since for the sake of Nicephorus he only took upon himself the work of building the monastery, which brought the discontent of many hermits. Therefore, he retired to the island of Cyprus, but after a while, obeying a revelation, he returned to his monastery. There was a need for him to go to the emperor on monastic affairs, and during their meeting Nicephorus said to him: “I know that I did not fulfill my promise and caused you a lot of work and sorrow; but be patient with me, waiting for my repentance.” When Nicephorus died (in December 969), the monks of the Athos monasteries brought a complaint to the new emperor John Tzimisces that Athanasius was erecting expensive buildings, digging new springs, sowing fields and making the mountain a kind of secular village. Tzimiskes personally examined the case and decided it in favor of Athanasius, and in order to prevent further disagreements, he issued the “Charter for the Monasteries of Athos” in 971. Many brothers from different countries, even from Italy and Georgia, gathered at the monastery of Athanasius. The Lord glorified him with the gift of clairvoyance and miracles. The monk died in 980 from the collapse of the building, which he inspected with six disciples. At his grave healings were performed; his body is in the monastery church. Venerable Lamp of the Wonderworker Rev. The lamp labored in fasting and prayer in a cave near Irinople, in Isauria, and was glorified for the gift of miracles. Lived in the 10th century. Rev. Theodosius and Afanasy Cherepovetsky Pupils of the teacher Sergius of Radonezh, founders of the Resurrection Monastery in the place where the city of Cherepovets is now (Novgorod province); About them, after the destruction of the monastery by the Poles at the beginning of the 17th century, only scant information was preserved in one loose-leaf book. Rev. Athanasius died in 1382. The relics of the saints rest hidden in the Resurrection City Cathedral (the monastery was abolished in 1764). See Ratshina “Information about the monasteries”, p. 404.