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Commemorated on July 13, October 17
The Monk Antonii
(Anthony) of Leokhnovsk, Novgorod, was from the Tver lineage of the
Veniaminov boyar-nobles. The monk lived as an hermit not far from Novgorod, in
the Rublev wilderness, at the River Perekhoda. In about the year 1556 he
resettled with the wilderness-dweller Tarasii, who lived beyond Lake Il'men at
Leokhnovo, not far from Stara Rus', and from him received monastic tonsure.
Thus began the wilderness monastery in honour of the Transfiguration of the
Lord, afterwards called the Leokhnovsk or Ivetsk-Antoniev monastery. The Monk
Antonii lived into old age, having acquired the gift of perspicacity.
In the year 1611,
when the Swedes had laid waste the surroundings of Novgorod, the monk on the
invitation of metropolitan Isidor resettled to Novgorod. He died on 14
September 1611 at age 85 and was buried nearby the church of the holy
Evangelist Luke, on the side towards the Saint Sophia church. Before his death
and in the presence of many the monk said, that his body would rest in his
wilderness-monastery. A disciple of the monk, named Gregory, having returned to
the place of the monastery laid waste and burnt by the Swedes, made a cell
there with a chapel and remained there to live. The Monk Antonii thrice
appeared to him in a dream and said: "Brother Grigorii, go to Novgorod,
tell metropolitan Kiprian and the elders of the city, that they should put me
in the place of my monastery". After the report of Gregory, the
metropolitan made a church procession to the grave of the Monk Antonii. The uncovered
incorrupt relics were transferred to the Leokhnovsk monastery on 13 July 1620.
At the uncovering of the relics, a blind man named Iosif gained his sight, and
many other miracles occurred.
There is an especial
order of commemorations, celebrated by the churches in the name of the Monk
Antonii of Leokhnovsk, both in the village of Leokhnovo (not far from Stara
Rus") and in the Rublevsk wilderness-monastery. On the Second Friday after
the feast of the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul (29 June) is remembered
the Uncovering and Transfer of the Relics of the Relics of the Monk Antonii
from Novgorod to the Leokhnovsk monastery. On the Ascension of the Lord is
remembered the coming of the Monk Antonii from the Rublev wilderness to
Leokhnovo. On 17 October – is the memory of the Repose of the Saint, who died
on the feast of the Exaltation of the Venerable Cross, on the 9th hour of the
evening. At the Rublevsk wilderness monastery was celebrated likewise the
memory of the Consecration of the church in the name of the Monk Antonii – on
30 August (1873).
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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