Sergius of Radonezh
Venerable
Sergii Radonezhsky (Сергий Радонежский)(born Varfolomei – 'арфоломей, corresponds to "Bartholomew"), also translated as
Sergey Radonezhsky and
Sergius of Radonezh(
1322 –
1392),was the greatest spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval
Russia. Together with
Seraphim Sarovsky, he is the most venerated of Russian
saints.
The date of his birth is unclear: it could be
1314,
1319, or
1322. As his medieval
Life states, he was born to a
boyar family near
Rostov Velikiy, where
Varnitsy Cloister now stands. His parents Kirill and Maria became impoverished and moved to
Radonezh together with their 3 sons: Stefan, Varfolomei, and Peter. Upon his parents' death, Varfolomei went to
Khotkovo near
Moscow, where his older brother Stefan ministered. He persuaded Stefan to find a more secluded place. In the deep forest at Makovets hill they decided to build a small cell and a church dedicated in honor of the
Trinity. Thus started the history of the great
Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra.
After a while, Stefan moved to a monastery in Moscow. Varfolomei took monastic vows, taking the name Sergius, and spent more than a year in the woods alone as a
hermit. Soon, however, others monks started coming to him and building their own cells. After some time, they persuaded him to become their
hegumen, or father superior. Following his example, all the monks had to live from their own labor. Over time, more and more monks and donations came to this place. Nearby, there appeared a
posad (settlement), which grew into the town of
Sergiev Posad, and villages.
When the news of Sergii's life reached
patriarch Philotheus of Constantinople, he sent to him a monastery charter, or
kinoviya. During the reign of
Dmitri Donskoi, his disciples started to spread his teaching across central and northern Russia. They settled in most impracticable places and founded numerous monasteries, of which
Borisoglebsky,
Ferapontov, and
Kirillo-Belozersky cloisters should be mentioned. St Sergius was also connected with the foundation of two monasteries in Moscow -
Andronnikov and
Simonov cloisters. All in all, disciples of Sergius founded about 400 monasteries, thus greatly extending the geographical extent of his influence and authority. However, when the
Metropolitan Alexius asked him to become his successor, Sergii declined, preferring to remain a simple monk.
As an ascetic, Sergii did not take part in political life of the country. However, he blessed
Dmitry Donskoy when he went to fight the Tatars in the signal
Battle of Kulikovo field. Some historians interpreted his political stance as aspiring to make peace and unite Russian lands under the leadership of Moscow.
Sergii died on
September 25 1392 and was canonized in
1452. His
relics were found in
1422 and placed in the
Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra he founded. The church commemorates him on
September 25, the day of his death, and on
July 5, the day his relics were found. See
September 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics).
*
Official site of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra.
*
СЕР"ИЙ РА"ОНЕЖСКИЙ, in Russian
