Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

Life

A great ascetic and luminary of the Russian Church. He was born in 1313 in Rostov to pious parents Cyril and Maria. After the death of his parents, Bartholomew — for so was his baptismal name — was tonsured a monk and founded the community of the Holy Trinity in the forests of Radonezh. A quiet and meek servant of God, he knew only labor and prayer. On account of his purity of heart he was deemed worthy of the gift of wonderworking, and even raised the dead by the name of Christ. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to him on several occasions. Princes and bishops came to him for counsel. He blessed Prince Demetrius Donskoy and foretold his victory in the war of liberation of Russia from the Tatars. He gazed into the hearts of men and saw events from afar. His community was filled with monks even during his lifetime, and through the ages it served as one of the chief centers of spiritual life and of the miracles of God. Saint Sergius reposed in 1391. After death he appeared on several occasions to various people.