The Monk Gregory

Commemorated on January 8, September 28 and on the 2nd Sunday of the Great Lent

      The Monk Gregory was tonsured into monasticism at the Kievo-Pechersk monastery during the time of the Monk Theodosii (+ 1074, Comm. 3 May). The saint devoted much time to the reading of books, which were his sole possession. The monk had the ability to bring thieves to their senses. Several times robbers broke in on him in his cell or in the garden, but the saint mildly reasoned with them; the thieves became repentant, straightened themselves out and from that time they began to lead honest lives.
      One time, when the monk went to the Dneipr River for water, young fellows marching off on a campaign with prince Rostislav, caught sight of the elder and began rudely to laugh and mock at him. The saint answered them: "Children, it becometh ye to be contrite and ask for my prayers, since over you is already decided the judgement of God. All ye together with your prince will find death in the water". By orders of the enraged prince Rostislav, the monk was bound hand and foot and with a stone about his neck he was drowned in the Dneipr. But his prediction came true. Rostislav did not return from the campaign. In that same year of 1093 the twenty year old prince drowned in view of his brother, Vladimir Monomakh, trying to save himself in flight from the Polovetsians.
      Several sources identify Saint Gregory with the Monk Gregory, a compiler of canons commemorating holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the Monk Theodosii, and the holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb. But the Monk Gregory, compiler of canons, lived later and died in about the year 1120. The Monk Gregory the Wonderworker died in 1093 and was buried in the Nearer Caves. His memory is made also on 28 September and on the 2nd Sunday of Great Lent.