Память преподобного Георгия Хозевита

The Monk George Khozevit 328 was born on the island of Cyprus 329 into a family distinguished by piety. His elder brother, Iraklid, went to the holy city of Jerusalem while his parents were still alive. Having venerated here the places consecrated by the feet and blood of the Lord Jesus, he then withdrew to the Jordan Valley 330 and settled in the Lavra called Kolomanova 331, accepting monasticism. Saint George remained alone with his parents, being brought up in piety and the fear of God. When George's parents died, the orphaned youth, with all the property left from his parents, was taken into the care of one of his relatives. The latter fell in love with him so much that he wanted to marry his only begotten daughter to him. But the saint, burdened by worldly vanity, and not wanting to cohabitate with his wife, hid with another relative of his, who was the abbot of the monastery. The whereabouts of George became known to a relative he had abandoned, who wanted to have the meek young man as his spiritual son; he came to the abbot, with whom George was hiding, and began to demand that he return the youth to him. Having learned about this, George secretly left that monastery and, boarding a sailing ship, set off from Cyprus to the holy city of Jerusalem. Having bowed to the holy places, he descended into the Jordan Valley and came to his brother in the Koloman Lavra. The same, seeing him still young and beardless, according to the commandments of the holy fathers, did not want to keep him in the Lavra until he grew a beard, but brought him to the monastery of our Most Holy Lady, called Khuziva 332, and handed him over to the abbot there. Here Saint George was clothed in a monastic image and embarked on the path of asceticism. Working for the glory of God and for the salvation of his soul, he especially practiced humility and obedience. God glorified His saint and rewarded him with the gift of miracles. And all the brethren were quite surprised to see such perfection and such boldness towards God in the young lad and, moreover, a beginner. The saint, fearing the seductions of the empty glory of this world, secretly left the monastery and again came to his brother at the Lavra. Having settled here, he and his brother occupied the so-called Old Church, and here they remained in prayer, contemplation of God and hermit labors. The brothers did not prepare hot food for themselves, except when someone came to them. One day Abba Iraklid said to his brother: - Take an ax and let's go chop wood! And when he took up the ax, the elder brother ordered him to cut down the barren palm tree that grew near their cell. Bowing to his brother, George began to ask: - No, father, we won’t cut it down, maybe it will give us fronds. - Cut it down; For several years now it has not borne fruit, so why is it taking up space? Then George, bowing again with humility, said: “I guarantee that it will soon bear fruit.” After such words, Iraklid yielded, and from then on the palm tree began to bear numerous and beautiful fruits. At that time, there lived in Jericho a landowner, beloved by the holy brothers-ascetics. His young only-begotten son died. Having placed the dead man in a basket and covering him with the firstfruits of his fruits, the father hastily brought him to the monastery. Entering the cell of Iraklid and George, he placed a basket in front of his elder brother, asking him to bless the fruits of his agriculture, and he immediately left. Having taken the fruits out of the basket and found a dead baby in it, Iraklid said to his younger brother: - Call this man, for he wants to tempt us sinners. - Do not be sad and do not be angry, father, but with faith let us call on the gracious and merciful God, and if He hears us sinners and resurrects the baby, then the father will take him from us alive as a reward for his faith; and if God does not want to do this, then we will tell our father that we, being sinners, have not achieved such boldness towards God as to help his misfortune. The elder obeyed his brother, and they both began to pray with tears and contrition of heart. And the all-merciful Lord, who does the will of those who fear Him, heard them and raised the baby. Then, calling his father, the brothers gave him the baby alive, ordering him not to tell anyone about this miracle. So Saints Heraclid and George lived together peacefully and godly, with all humility and modesty, and no one heard disputes and differences of speech between them, nor saw even a shadow of their contempt for each other or for anyone else. After some time, Iraklid died, having reached the age of seventy years from birth. Abba George, left alone in his cell, wept and grieved over the death of his brother, at the same time valiantly imitating his life and works. And who can tell about his desert exploits, tireless prayer and contemplation of God? Who can tell about his abstinence and fasting? During his ascetic life, the elder was awarded the rank of deacon, and as a deacon he often served the holy fathers at Divine services. Meanwhile, the abbot died in the monastery, and there was great division and disagreement regarding the election of a new abbot. Then Saint George, not tolerating the turmoil, with sorrow withdrew from Koloman and again settled in the Khuzevitsky monastery, in a separate cell, which was given to him by the abbot of the monastery. Asceticizing in the former place of his hermit life, the Monk George acquired neither wine, nor oil, nor bread, nor clothing, but, going around the heaps of garbage, collected rags and, sewing them, made clothes for himself; His bed was made from the same rags. He asked the monks who lived in the monastery to save for him during the week the remains from the table of their fathers and strangers, be it vegetables, or fruits, or even bones. Then he pounded it all in a stone mortar, made balls and dried it in the sun; He ate these balls for food, along with water, after two or three days. In addition, the elder asked that the brethren not bake bread without him, for he believed that those engaged in this work in those holy places would receive a great reward in heaven, since in Palestine it was the custom to spend excess bread on strangers who came to worship the great shrines there. In the bread bin, preferably before other work, the Monk George heated the oven. This occupation is especially painful in those places in the summer, when even the candles on church candlesticks melt from the intense heat. But the Monk George, despite any heat, worked tirelessly in the bread bin twice and thrice a day, lighting the oven and preparing the bread. Other brothers could not bear such work and constantly took turns. Therefore, everyone was surprised at George’s tireless labors and called him iron. This is how this earthly Angel and heavenly man labored, edifying others with his exploits. When the Persian invasion of the Holy Land happened 333, he left the Khuzevit Lavra for a while and hid in Koloman; After the danger had passed, the elder returned to Khuziva again. Here he again indulged in ascetic labors and at the same time taught everyone who came to listen to his God-wise speeches. He left no one without instructive conversations, but instructed everyone in the word of God and in piety. Having lived piously and pleased God, the Monk George was recalled to the heavenly monasteries, having reached a ripe old age. His disciple, the Monk Anthony, tells the following about the blessed death of the elder. “After much labor, our holy father George fell ill with an illness, from which he died. On the evening on which he died, according to God’s dispensation, there were many strangers, and I was very busy in obedience. And some of the brethren who were sitting with the elder often came, saying to me: – The elder asks you, saying: “Where is Anthony? Call him to me, for I am already dying.” I was already hesitating in two ways, wanting to both fulfill obedience and go to the elder. And the elder, having learned this in spirit, announced to me through the messengers: “Do not grieve or be embarrassed, child, but fulfill your obedience, and I will wait until you come.” And while the strangers got up from the meal and others came, the time stretched almost until midnight, and the old man was still alive. Having fulfilled my obedience and released the strangers, I came to him. When he saw me, he hugged and kissed me and, having blessed me, turned to the east and said: - Go away, my soul, now in the Lord, go away. And having said this three times, he gave up his spirit to the Lord; So he reposed, peacefully and quietly, clearly surrendering the spirit into the hands of God, as it is written: “But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and torment will not touch them” (Wis. 3:1), and again: “The death of His saints is dear in the sight of the Lord.” 334 I, having learned that he had given up his spirit to the Lord, fell to his chest and cried and sobbed over the deprivation of the reverend father. And, having hidden his body with psalms and chants and spiritual songs, we laid him in the tomb of the reverend fathers; and now he is with the faces of the saints, praying for us and for the whole world.” Amen. Thou art the bright luminary of George, illuminating with Divine dawns those faithfully calling: pray for us to the Lord Christ, who appeared in the streams and enlightened the earthly. The monks of the Khozevit or Khuziv monastery were called Khozevites. The island of Cyprus is located in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, off the Syrian coast. The Jordan Valley is located along the Jordan River; Being a sparsely populated place, it has been a favorite place for hermits since ancient times. So, St. retired here. Prophet John the Baptist spoke here with a sermon on repentance. In Christian times, there were many different monasteries in this valley. Lavra Kolomanova was located near the Dead Sea and Jordan. The Khuziv monastery was located in the Khuziv or Khozeba desert, between Jerusalem and Jericho to the right of the high road through which pilgrims usually pass from the holy city to the Jordan, and not far from the descent into the low-lying Jordan Valley. This monastery was located in a wild area. The churches and cells of the monks, hanging over the ravine at a height of 50 fathoms, were as if stuck to the rocky cliffs. The Khuziva Monastery dates back to the 5th century. The name of its first founder is unknown. Subsequently, the monastery was called Lavra and in the 6th, 7th and 8th centuries, when it was especially famous for the strictness of life of its ascetics, it achieved particular prosperity. In the 12th century, this monastery still existed, but nothing is known about its further fate. Most recently, this monastery was restored. The Persian invasion took place in 614, under the leadership of Khosroes, king of Persia (reigned from 580 to 628). You might be interested in: