Память преподобного Димитрия Прилуцкого, Вологодского чудотворца

Our venerable and God-bearing father Demetrius came from the city of Pereyaslavl in 1314 from pious parents. From a young age he was devoted to book learning and the skill of reading Divine books; He surpassed many of his peers in intelligence and stood out among them for his humility, which he always hid in his heart. The blessed one often loved to think about the future age, about God's judgment, about rewarding everyone according to his deeds, about the Kingdom of Heaven, the joy of the righteous and heavenly bliss. Having studied the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, the saint learned that life in this world is fleeting. And therefore, he soon left this vain world and, with a tender soul, coming into the fear of God, in the same Pereyaslavl he accepted monasticism in the Nagorny Boris and Gleb Monastery. Here, diligently striving in a virtuous life, he practiced spiritual sobriety and prayer, distinguished by purity, extreme humility and spiritual love for everyone. Thus, this hardworking and tireless godly ascetic, studying in the law of the Lord day and night, gained the fruit of salvation, seeking God with chastity and a pure heart and leading a life equal to the angels. Monks and common people loved the saint for his great virtue. After some time, God vouchsafed Saint Demetrius to accept the rank of priesthood. At that time, the Monk Sergius, the Wonderworker of Radonezh, built a monastery near Radonezh in the name of the Holy Trinity and, by the will of God, established a monastic community there. The Monk Demetrius often visited the Monk Sergius for spiritual conversations about how best to manage the monastic community and lead the chosen people to God. After this, the Monk Demetrius built a church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and with it he created a monastery on the shore of Lake Pereyaslavl 1315, and was abbot at that monastery. For the sake of spiritual benefit, many monks and laymen began to flock to the monk, who wanted to live in his monastery, and the blessed one accepted them, teaching them with humility and tonsuring the laity into the holy monastic rank. So he gathered a large flock of God's verbal sheep of Christ. Soon afterwards the monk set up a hostel in his monastery, establishing it with strict rules. The brothers obeyed the saint in everything with love and obedience, as an Angel of God and a true mentor, and especially as an intercessor for the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, fleeing human glory 1316, blessed Demetrius retired from here to Vologda; there, not far from the city, the monk fell in love with a secluded place near the bow 1317, formed by the knee of the river. Vologda, created a church here in the name of the All-Merciful Savior and founded a communal monastery in 1318. When word spread about the saint’s installation in Priluki, many of the students moved from Pereyaslavl to their beloved mentor, in Priluki; Many people seeking monastic life came to the monk from various other countries. This is how the Prilutsk monastery was formed. And here the Monk Demetrius gathered a large brethren 1319. Having well taken care of Christ's flock of verbal sheep entrusted to his leadership, the monk reposed in the Lord on February 11, 1392, 1320. From above, O Reverend, you received spiritual grace from God, and from Him you were known, blessed one. For this reason, you, too, have come to know in spirit His presence in the future age, and have experienced fasting in your abodes. And now, rejoicing with the Angels, Saint Demetrius prayed to save everyone for us, and we all cried out: glory to Him who gave you strength, glory to Him who crowned you, glory to Him who heals you all. From your youth, reverend, you have taken up your cross, you have followed Christ, in prayers and fasting, and in vigil and suffering, exhausting your flesh. In the same way, the All-Seeing Eye, having seen your labors, glorifies your miracles, and teaches you to call everyone: Rejoice, Reverend Father Demetrius, fertilizer for fasters. Pereyaslavl Zalessky, northern, is now a district city of the Vladimir province. Nowadays the so-called “Nikolsky on the Swamp” is a run-of-the-mill monastery in Pereyaslavl Zalessky. Rumors about the high life of the Monk Demetrius reached the Grand Duke of Moscow Dimitri Ioannovich Donskoy, and he invited the monk to his place to be the successor of his children. The monk fulfilled the prince's wish and received generous gifts from him for the monastery. After this, he decided to leave the Pereyaslavl Monastery and retire to a remote place. Luka is a bend, a curvature, a radiating shore, a cape skirted by a river. This was in 1371. Spaso-Prilutsky (second-class) monastery is located 15 versts from Vologda. At the founding of the monastery, the owners of the place lovingly gave up their land to the monk. The citizens of Vologda also showed ardent zeal. Everyone hurried to donate whatever they could to the monk for the construction of the church. Grand Duke Dimitri Donskoy, having learned about the founding of St. Demetrius of the new Spaso-Prilutsk monastery, sent donations from himself for it. The monk, with his deeds and virtues, served as a high example and model for the brethren gathered in his monastery, at the same time constantly teaching and instructing them. He was distinguished by his love of poverty and charity. Himself, always content with only prosphora with warm water, he walked around the monastery grounds and made sure that everything necessary for the brethren’s meal was delivered on time. He had the same clothes in winter and summer - a crusty sheepskin sheepskin coat, under which he was wet from the heat in the summer, and suffered from frost in the winter. But for the sake of the brethren, he went to work with them. So that others would not see his tearful prayer, he often retired to pray in a secluded place, on the left side of the church, where a wooden extension was made for this purpose. Through his high deeds of selflessness and self-denial, the monk achieved high spiritual perfection and was awarded the gift of insight. Rev.'s body Demetrius was buried in the Church of the Savior that he created. Miracles and various healings were performed at his tomb and through his prayerful intercession. And now the relics of St. Demetrius of Prilutsky rests in the same church where the miraculous image of this saint, which was with Grand Duke John III during his campaign near Kazan, is located. You might be interested in: