Память святого отца нашего Евфимия, архиепископа Новгородского

The parents of Blessed Euthymius lived in Veliky Novgorod 1857. His father, who was a priest at the church of St. Theodore, bore the name Micah, and his mother’s name was Anna. Having been legally married and spending their lives in an honest marriage, they had no children and greatly mourned this. In their sorrow, they earnestly prayed to God and the Most Pure Mother of God for the resolution of their infertility. And the Lord heard their prayer: Anna conceived and gave birth to a son, who was this blessed Euthymius. Soon after birth, the baby was baptized, and during holy baptism he was given the name John. He was still in swaddling clothes when his parents brought him to the church where they prayed for the gift of a child to them, and, laying him before the image of the Mother of God, they said: - To the Queen and Lady! So we brought You the one You gave to us. According to the word that in the sorrow of our hearts our lips spoke to You, as the Queen and Lady, we give our child. Arrange his life as you wish. Now we take it to ourselves so that it can stay with us in our house, since a baby cannot live without a mother. With the assistance of God's grace, the baby grew successfully, and when the time came, his parents sent him to be taught Divine books. God, glorified in the Holy Trinity, who desires salvation for all people, gave the youth John sharpness of mind, and he successfully studied the Divine Scriptures. Throughout his studies, he did not indulge in any other pursuits except those that led him to think about Divine objects, and when he reached the age of fifteen, he was inflamed with love for God and wished to renounce the world and accept the monastic rank. He did not know where this title would lead him, since God’s definitions are incomprehensible, but he certainly tried to fulfill his good desire, and God, seeing from above everything that was going to happen to him in the future - which, as can be seen from the present narrative, happened in due time - soon really fulfilled his desire. One monk, named Euphrosynus, and two other monks, Ignatius and Galaktion, who dedicated themselves to serving God, decided to labor in solitude and decided to find a convenient place for this. Soon such a place was found. It was called Vezhishche 1858, and besides the forest and swamps there was nothing else on it. When the monks came to this place, they felt some kind of fragrance in the air and considered it not a simple phenomenon, but a special indication of Divine Providence. They built a chapel here in the name of St. Nicholas of Christ, and then built cells for themselves. Soon a priest named Pimen came to them and wished to live and labor with them. Then, by common agreement, they built a wooden church in the name of the same holy wonderworker Nicholas 1859 and began to lead a fasting life. They suffered many disasters from the local inhabitants, especially from one nobleman, who, at the suggestion of the devil, did not want monks to live near him, but the wonderworker Nicholas, who never left the monastery dedicated to his name in need, when they prayed to him for it with faith, always provided food for these monks. It soon happened that a nobleman who lived near the monastery developed a malignant abscess on his leg, from which he suffered greatly. In his illness, he came to his senses and turned with a prayer for help to the holy wonderworker Nicholas, after which he went to his monastery and, having prayed here, received healing. Grateful for this healing, he donated a plot of land to the monastery, which is still located near it to this day, and from then on he began to honor the monastery of St. Nicholas with reverent faith. After this, by the grace of God and through the prayers of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the number of monks in the monastery began to multiply, and the above-mentioned Pimen, the first monk of the monastery, became its abbot in 1860. It was to him, according to the arrangement of Divine providence, that the blessed youth John came, asking him to perform monastic tonsure on him. Pimen, seeing the boy, accepted him as sent to him by God Himself, tonsured him into monasticism and gave him the name Euthymia. This event, which took place according to the will of God, was directed by Divine Providence to ensure that through Euthymius the monastery would become even more glorified, which eventually happened. While living in the monastery, the Monk Euthymius showed such strict obedience to his abbot and the brethren in everything, which aroused general surprise, as well as praise for the fact that, at such a young age, he had the mind of a husband of many years. Therefore, before he was appointed a shepherd, everyone recognized him as a future shepherd, and before reaching adulthood, he became a leader for everyone in monastic life. When the Monk Euthymius gained such fame in his monastery, Archbishop Simeon also learned about him in 1861. Having called him to himself and seeing that he was full of good intentions and skilled in words, he fell in love with him passionately and, despite the fact that he did not want to leave his monastery, entrusted him with managing the church property in 1862. Having assumed new responsibilities, the Monk Euthymius continued to carry out his monastic feat and did not deviate in any way from fulfilling the rules of monastic life. A few years later, Vladyka Simeon, after worthy management of the Church, departed to the Lord, moving into eternal blissful life, and after him Euthymius was elevated to the archbishop's throne of Novgorod in 1863. Then the Monk Euthymius retired to the monastery of the Holy Savior, called Khutyn 1864, and remained there to live. But after some time, at the request of the elders of the Most Pure Monastery, located on Fox Mountain in 1865, he was made abbot of this monastery, where, ruling over the monks, he set a perfect example for edification to all of them, since he was merciful to everyone and at the same time treated everyone with respect. Soon after this, the national assembly of Veliky Novgorod wished to elect him to be placed on the Novgorod archbishop's throne in 1866 and included him among the other elects in 1867, not knowing that from his youth he had been called to episcopal service, as the prophet wrote: “Thy eyes have seen my embryo” (Ps. 139:16) 1868. And since the apostle says that all power comes from God (Rom. 13:1), how can a person receive it if it is not given to him from above (John 19:11)? This was also fulfilled on St. Euphemia. Having sealed the lots of the chosen ones, the people's assembly and clergy of Veliky Novgorod brought them to the cathedral church of St. Sophia in 1869 and placed them on the throne. As for the lots, this was a human matter, but which of the chosen ones should occupy such a high throne of God was indicated by what happened afterwards: according to the will and judgment of God, the lot fell on Euthymius, so that he would possess this throne. After this, the Novgorodians joyfully went to the saint and on the very day of memory of John Chrysostom, they introduced him with honors into the Church of St. Sophia 1870. For a long time, the Monk Euthymius refused and did not want to accept the archbishopric, citing in particular the fact that he considered himself unworthy of such a high rank, but since he could not resist the judgment of God, he finally submitted to the will of those who elected him. This brought great joy to all residents of Novgorod, since everyone considered him fully worthy of the greatness of the archbishop's rank. However, after his election, the Monk Euthymius remained in the monastic rank, since his ordination was complicated by the fact that at that time there was no metropolitan in Rus' 1871. Having remained unordained for more than four years in 1872, he went to the city of Smolensk, when Metropolitan Gerasim of Kiev and All Rus' was there in 1873, and from him received ordination to the rank of archbishop. And here the Monk Euthymius surprised everyone with his intelligence and prudence, so that even the Metropolitan himself expressed surprise and spoke with praise of his intelligence. After the dedication, Bishop Euthymius returned with great honor to his cathedral city of Veliky Novgorod and took full control of his flock. Realizing the greatness of the dignity he had assumed, he devoted himself to the exploits of his ministry with even greater zeal than he carried them before his dedication, remembering the words of Scripture: to whom much has been given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). Therefore, with his labors he tried to bear fruit, according to the Gospel, not thirty or sixty times, but a hundred times 1874. Before, when he had not yet accepted the high priesthood, he cared only about one soul, but now, when he became a bishop, there was a need to care about the souls of many, so that he could boldly say to the Lord the Master: “Here I am and the children whom the Lord has given me” (Is. 8:18). Thinking about this and about many other things in his wise soul, the Monk Euthymius felt great confusion in his heart, but he placed everything on God, and his hopes were not disgraced by the Lord, to whom be glory now, always and forever 1875. Having been chosen by God from his youth, Saint Euthymius, and for this reason he was honored with the rank of bishop, having saved the people who were entrusted to you by God; Likewise, after the repose of miracles, you received gifts from the Lord to heal various ailments. Pray for this for us who honor your memory, so that we may continually please you all. As you were a co-throne bishop and a great champion of the saint, Saint Euthymia, do not cease preserving your fatherland, the city and the people who worship you with faith and worship with your honest power, let everyone cry out to you with a loud voice: Rejoice, holy saint God-wise. This is the name the current city of Novgorod bore in ancient times. It was one of the oldest and most famous cities in ancient Russia. Vezhishche or Vazhishche is an area located 12 versts west of Novgorod. Pimen in monasticism bore the name Pachomius. Novgorod Archbishop Simeon (Sampson), a simple monk, ruled the Novgorod diocese after the death of Archbishop John from 1416 to 1421. In the practice of the Novgorod rulers, this was the first case when the management of church property was entrusted to a monk; until now, the housekeepers of the archbishop's house in Novgorod were elected from the laity. Here, of course, Euthymius I (Emelian) the bearded, who took the archbishop's see in Novgorod after the short reign (from 1421 to 1423) of the elected but not consecrated Theodosius; Euthymius I was Archbishop of Novgorod from 1423 to 1429. The Khutyn Monastery (Khutyn) was founded in 1192 by the noble Novgorodian Alexy, a monk named Varlaam, and is located on the Volkhov River, on its right bank, 10 versts from Novgorod downstream of this river. The Nativity of the Theotokos Lisitsky (on Lisya Mountain) monastery was located 7 versts from the trade side of Novgorod. Mentioned in 1392. Novgorod bishops have held the title of archbishop since 1165. The election of the Novgorod ruler from 1156 depended not on the metropolitan with the council of bishops, but exclusively on the Novgorodians themselves, on their veche. Three candidates were usually elected, and their lots were assigned to the throne in the Church of St. Sophia; At the end of the liturgy, two lots were drawn one after another by the archpriest and announced to all the people; finally, the lot remaining on the throne pointed to the chosen one of God. This is how Saint Euthymius was chosen. Those. from my conception in my mother’s womb You saw me and determined my destiny in life. The Cathedral of the Novgorod rulers, which has survived to this day. After the death of Metropolitan Photius, which followed on July 1, 1431, the metropolitan see in Moscow, if we do not count the short reign of Isidore, was idle until 1448. The Monk Euthymius ruled the Novgorod diocese, without having episcopal rank, from 1429 to 1434. It was customary in Novgorod to administer the diocese before ordination to the rank of bishop. Thus, John, who was not ordained a bishop, ruled for 8 months, Theoktist and Moses ruled for a year each, Clement for 2 years, and Bishop Theodosius died without being ordained as a bishop. In 1433, after the death of Metropolitan Photius, the Lithuanian prince Svidrigailo sent Bishop Gerasim of Smolensk to Constantinople to be ordained as metropolitan of Lithuania, but the patriarch appointed him metropolitan of All Rus'. Suspecting Gerasim of treason, Svidrigailo captured him near Smolensk and burned him in Vitebsk. This was in July 1435. The expression is taken from the Savior's parable about the sower (Matthew 13:8). The Monk Euthymius died on March 10, 1458. You might be interested in: