Athonite Audio
YouTube
St. Sergius of Radonezh: Founder of the Northern Thebaid
56:51
What the video says
St. Sergius of Radonezh was born in 1314 in Rostov to pious parents Kir and Mary and baptized as Bartholomew. As a youth he struggled with learning until a holy elder gave him prosphora, after which he could read and understand Scripture. After his parents' death he gave his inheritance to his brother Peter and joined his brother Stephen at the Khotkov monastery.
Together they settled in a forest, built a church to the Holy Trinity, and Stephen left while Sergius remained, was tonsured at 23, and became abbot after Bishop Athanasius ordained him. He performed miracles including a spring of water, raising a dead child, and exorcising a nobleman, and a vision of multiplying birds foretold his monastic family's growth.
Patriarch Philotheus urged cenobitic life, which Metropolitan Alexis instituted, and Sergius founded many monasteries directly and through disciples. He blessed Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy before the Battle of Kulikovo, the Theotokos appeared to him in 1388 promising perpetual protection, and he reposed in 1392; his relics were found incorrupt in 1422, and the monastery endured Tartar destruction, the Polish siege of 1608-1610, and Soviet closure.
Key moments
- St. Sergius was born in 1314 in Rostov to pious parents Kir and Mary and baptized as Bartholomew.
- He struggled with learning until a holy elder gave him prosphora, after which he could read and understand Scripture.
- After his parents' death he gave his inheritance to his brother Peter and went to his brother Stephen at the Khotkov monastery.
- They settled in a forest, built a church to the Holy Trinity; Stephen left, and Sergius was tonsured at 23 by Abbot Metrophanes.
- Disciples gathered, and Bishop Athanasius of Volynia ordained him priest and made him abbot.
- He performed miracles: a spring of water arose at his prayer, he raised a dead child, and exorcised a possessed nobleman; a vision of multiplying birds foretold his monastic family's growth.
- Patriarch Philotheus urged cenobitic life, which Metropolitan Alexis instituted; Sergius founded many monasteries directly and through disciples such as Andronicus and Theodore.
- He blessed Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy before the Battle of Kulikovo; the Theotokos appeared to him in 1388 promising perpetual protection; he reposed in 1392, his relics were found incorrupt in 1422, and the monastery endured Tartar destruction, the Polish siege, and Soviet closure.
The post presents a condensed life of St. Sergius of Radonezh drawn from the account written by his disciple Epiphanius the Wise. The translation was compiled by St. Seraphim of Platina and Fr. Herman Podmoshensky and published by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood in 2004.
Sergius was born in 1314 in Rostov to Kir and Mary and baptized Bartholomew. As a youth he could not learn to read until a holy elder gave him prosphora, after which he understood Scripture. After his parents died he gave his inheritance to his brother Peter and joined his brother Stephen at the Khotkov monastery.
The two settled in a forest, built a church to the Holy Trinity, and Stephen departed. Sergius was tonsured at age 23 by Abbot Metrophanes. Disciples gathered, and Bishop Athanasius of Volynia ordained him priest and made him abbot.
The life records several miracles: a spring of water arose at his prayer, he raised a dead child, and he exorcised a possessed nobleman. A vision of multiplying birds foretold the growth of his monastic family. Patriarch Philotheus urged cenobitic life, which Metropolitan Alexis instituted. Sergius founded many monasteries directly and through disciples such as Andronicus and Theodore.
He blessed Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy before the Battle of Kulikovo. The Theotokos appeared to him in 1388 promising perpetual protection. He reposed in 1392. His relics were found incorrupt in 1422. The monastery endured Tartar destruction, the Polish siege of 1608-1610, and Soviet closure.
Main points
- Born 1314 in Rostov as Bartholomew; learned to read after a holy elder gave him prosphora
- Founded Holy Trinity monastery in the forest; tonsured at 23, made abbot by Bishop Athanasius
- Performed miracles including a spring, raising a dead child, exorcism; vision of birds foretold monastic growth
- Patriarch Philotheus urged cenobitic rule; Sergius founded many monasteries directly and through disciples
- Blessed Dmitry Donskoy before Kulikovo; Theotokos appeared in 1388; reposed 1392, relics incorrupt 1422; monastery survived invasions and Soviet closure