Saint Athanasius III Patelarius, Patriarch of Tsaregrad, Lubny miracle worker, in the world Alexy, was born in 1560 on the island of Crete, in the family of the pious Greek Patelarius. Despite his education and fame in society, Alexy was attracted by the life of Christian ascetics. After the death of his father, he took monastic vows with the name Ananias in one of the Solunsky monasteries, from where he later went to the Esphigmen monastery on Athos, where he served obedience in the refectory. From Mount Athos he traveled to the Palestinian monasteries and in one of them took monastic vows with the name Athanasius. Upon returning to Thessaloniki, he was made a presbyter and spread the teachings of Christ among the Vlachs and Moldovans, for whom he translated the Psalter from Greek into their native language. Occasionally the saint went to Mount Athos for prayerful solitude and God's blessing for his pastoral labors. The holiness of his life attracted many Christians who wanted to see a true preacher of the Orthodox faith of Christ.
With his extraordinary abilities and spiritual gifts, he attracted the attention of Patriarch Kirill I (Lucaris) of Constantinople (1621-1623), who, having called the ascetic, appointed him as a preacher at the patriarchal see. Soon Saint Athanasius was elevated to the rank of bishop and made Metropolitan of Thessalonica Church.
At this time, Patriarch Cyril I (Lucaris) was slandered before the Sultan and imprisoned on the island of Tenedos, and Saint Athanasius was elected to the Patriarchal throne on March 25, 1634, on the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
While at the primate see, Patriarch Athanasius waged a tireless struggle for Orthodoxy against heretics, Jesuits and Muslims. Having remained on the Patriarchal throne for about 40 days, through the machinations of the enemies of Orthodoxy he was deposed, and Cyril 1 (Lukaris) was returned to the department. The saint went to Athos, where he labored in solitude for some time. Then he was again elevated to the Patriarchate, but a year later he was deposed, after which he returned to the city of Thessaloniki and did not interrupt ties with Athos. Due to the intolerable persecution of Orthodox Christians by Muslims, Saint Athanasius had to repeatedly send (from 1633 to 1643) petitions to the Russian Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich (1613-1645) to grant alms to the distressed Church of Constantinople.
When staying in Thessalonica became impossible for the saint, he was forced to leave for Moldavia under the protection of the ruler Vasily Lukul and settle there in the monastery of St. Nicholas near Galati. And here he constantly turned his gaze to Mount Athos, often visited it and hoped to end his life there. However, God's Providence judged otherwise.
In 1652, Saint Athanasius, after the martyrdom of Patriarch Kirill 1 (Lucaris), was again elevated to the Ecumenical See, but stayed there for only 15 days, since Muslims and Catholics did not like this preacher of the Orthodox Faith of Christ. During his last Patriarchal service, he delivered a sermon in which he denounced the papal claims to supremacy in the Universal Church and the imaginary apostolic succession. Persecuted by Muslims and Jesuits, physically weakened, he transferred control of the Church of Constantinople to Metropolitan Paisius of Lavria and retired to Moldavia, where he received from the ruler the management of the monastery of St. Nicholas in the city of Galati. Knowing the deep faith and responsiveness of the Russian people, Saint Athanasius undertook a journey to Russia. In April 1653, he was greeted with great honors in Moscow by Patriarch Nikon (1652-1658) and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Having received generous alms for the needs of the monastery, in December 1653, Patriarch Afanasy left for Galati.
On the way, he fell ill and stopped at the Transfiguration Mgarsky Monastery in the city of Lubny, in February 1654. Anticipating his imminent death, the saint made a will and went to God on April 5. The burial of the Patriarch was performed by Abbot Petronius and the brethren of the monastery. According to Greek custom, the Saint was buried in a sitting position. On February 1, 1662, Saint Athanasius was glorified as a saint and the celebration was established on May 2, on the day of remembrance of Saint Athanasius the Great, who is named after him.
The relics of the holy Patriarch Athanasius, glorified by numerous miracles and signs, rest in the city of Kharkov, in the Annunciation Cathedral Church.
In 2013, the Russian Orthodox Church donated an icon of St. Athanasius Patellarius with a particle of his holy relics to the brethren of St. Andrew’s Monastery.
4
St. Nikephoros of Athos (XIV, commemorated May 4)