The Monk Stephan, Hegumen of Pechersk, Bishop of Vladimir-Volynsk
Commemorated on April 27
The Monk Stephan,
Hegumen of Pechersk, Bishop of Vladimir-Volynsk, pursued asceticism in his
youthful years at the Kievo-Pechersk monastery under the guidance of the Monk
Theodosii (+ 1074, Comm. 3 May) and was his favourite student. The Monk
Theodosii sometimes entrusted him in his place to exhort the brethren with words
of edification. Before the death of the Monk Theodosii the monks petitioned him
to appoint as hegumen Saint Stephan, who was the domesticus (chief arranger for
the choir). "He grew up under thy hand, – they said, – and he served
thee; give him to us". And the Monk Theodosii transferred the guidance of
the monastery to the Monk Stephan. During his hegumenate was built the
foundation of a spacious temple in honour of the Uspenie (Repose) of the
MostHoly Mother of God begun under the Monk Theodosii. The cells of the
brethren were moved near the new church, and at the front of the place were
left several cells for monks, who were entrusted with burying the dead and to
make daily Divine Liturgy with commemoration for the dead.
In 1078 the Monk
Stephan was compelled to forsake the monastery. On another hill – not far from
his native monastery, he founded a new monastery in honour of the MostHoly
Mother of God (in memory of the Placing of Her Robe at Blakhernae) which was
called Klovsk. The monastery was founded in thanksgiving for the blessed
actions of the Mother of God towards the Pechersk monastery. The Monk Stephan
beheld how master stone-workers were come from Greece with the icon of the
Mother of God and they told him of the appearance of the Heavenly Queen at
Blakhernae. And because of this, Saint Stephan also made at Klovsk a church in
honour of the Mother of God.
In 1091 Saint Stephan
was made bishop at Vladimir-Volynsk and he participated in the transfer of the
relics of the Monk Theodosii from the cave to the monastery (Comm. 14 August).
He laboured much at converting the inhabitants of Volynsk to Christianity.
Sainted Stephan died on 27 April 1094 during the 6th hour of the night.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
