Lives of all saints commemorated on April 30

THURSDAY: The Last Supper

Two events shape the liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday: the Last Supper of Christ with His disciples, and the betrayal of Judas. The meaning of both is in love. The Last Supper is the ultimate revelation of God’s redeeming love for man, of love as the very essence of salvation. And the betrayal of Judas reveals that sin, death and self-destruction are also due to love, but to deviated and distorted love, love directed at that which does not deserve love. Here is the mystery of this unique day, and its liturgy, where light and darkness, joy and sorrow are so strangely mixed, challenges us with the choice on which depends the eternal destiny of each one of us. “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come... having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end...” (John 13:1). To understand the meaning of the Last Supper we must see it as the very end of the great movement of Divine Love which began with the creation of the world and is now to be consummated in the death and resurrection of Christ.

God is Love (1 John 4:8). And the first gift of Love was life. The meaning, the content of life was communion. To be alive man was to eat and to drink, to partake of the world. The world was thus Divine love made food, made Body of man. And being alive, i.e. partaking of the world, man was to be in communion with God, to have God as the meaning, the content and the end of his life. Communion with the God-given world was indeed communion with God. Man received his food from God and making it his body and his life, he offered the whole world to God, transformed it into life in God and with God. The love of God gave life to man, the love of man for God transformed this life into communion with God. This was paradise. Life in it was, indeed, eucharistic. Through man and his love for God the whole creation was to be sanctified and transformed into one all-embracing sacrament of Divine Presence and man was the priest of this sacrament.

But in sin man lost this eucharistic life. He lost it because he ceased to see the world as a means of Communion with God and his life as eucharist, as adoration and thanksgiving. . . He loves himself and the world for their own sake; he made himself the content and the end of his life. He thought that his hunger and thirst, i.e. his dependence of his life on the world—can be satisfied by the world as such, by food as such. But world and food, once they are deprived of their initial sacramental meaning—as means of communion with God, once they are not received for God’s sake and filled with hunger and thirst for God, once, in other words, God is no longer their real “content,” can give no life, satisfy no hunger, for they have no life in themselves... And thus by putting his love in them, man deviated his love from the only object of all love, of all hunger, of all desires. And he died. For death is the inescapable “decomposition” of life cut from its only source and content. Man thought to find life in the world and in food, but he found death. His life became communion with death, for instead of transforming the world by faith, love, and adoration into communion with God, he submitted himself entirely to the world, he ceased to be its priest and became its slave. And by his sin the whole world was made a cemetery, where people condemned to death partook of death and “sat in the region and shadow of death” (Matt. 4:16).

But if man betrayed, God remained faithful to man. He did not “turn Himself away forever from His creature whom He had made, neither did He forget the works of His hands, but He visited him in diverse manners, through the tender compassion of His mercy” (Liturgy of Saint Basil). A new Divine work began, that of redemption and salvation. And it was fulfilled in Christ, the Son of God Who in order to restore man to his pristine beauty and to restore life as communion with God, became Man, took upon Himself our nature, with its thirst and hunger, with its desire for and love of, life. And in Him life was revealed, given, accepted and fulfilled as total and perfect Eucharist, as total and perfect communion with God. He rejected the basic human temptation: to live “by bread alone”; He revealed that God and His kingdom are the real food, the real life of man. And this perfect eucharistic Life, filled with God, and, therefore Divine and immortal, He gave to all those who would believe in Him, i,e. find in Him the meaning and the content of their lives. Such is the wonderful meaning of the Last Supper. He offered Himself as the true food of man, because the Life revealed in Him is the true Life. And thus the movement of Divine Love which began in paradise with a Divine “take, eat. ..” (for eating is life for man) comes now “unto the end” with the Divine “take, eat, this is My Body...” (for God is life of man). The Last Supper is the restoration of the paradise of bliss, of life as Eucharist and Communion.

But this hour of ultimate love is also that of the ultimate betrayal. Judas leaves the light of the Upper Room and goes into darkness. “And it was night” (John 13:30). Why does he leave? Because he loves, answers the Gospel, and his fateful love is stressed again and again in the hymns of Holy Thursday. It does not matter indeed, that he loves the “silver.” Money stands here for all the deviated and distorted love which leads man into betraying God. It is, indeed, love stolen from God and Judas, therefore, is the Thief. When he does not love God and in God, man still loves and desires, for he was created to love and love is his nature, but it is then a dark and self-destroying passion and death is at its end. And each year, as we immerse ourselves into the unfathomable light and depth of Holy Thursday, the same decisive question is addressed to each one of us: do I respond to Christ’s love and accept it as my life, do I follow Judas into the darkness of his night?

The liturgy of Holy Thursday includes: a) Matins, b) Vespers and, following Vespers, the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. In the Cathedral Churches the special service of the Washing of Feet takes place after the Liturgy; while the deacon reads the Gospel, the Bishop washes the feet of twelve priests, reminding us that Christ’s love is the foundation of life in the Church and shapes all relations within it. It is also on Holy Thursday that Holy Chrism is consecrated by the primates of autocephalous Churches, and this also means that the new love of Christ is the gift we receive from the Holy Spirit on the day of our entrance into the Church.

At Matins the Troparion sets the theme of the day: the opposition between the love of Christ and the “insatiable desire” of Judas.

“When the glorious disciples were illumined by washing at the Supper,
Then was the impious Judas darkened with the love of silver
And to the unjust judges does he betray Thee, the just Judge.
Consider, 0 Lover of money, him who hanged himself because of it.
Do not follow the insatiable desire which dared this against the Master,
0 Lord, good to all, glory to Thee.”

After the Gospel reading (Luke 12:1-40) we are given the contemplation, the mystical and eternal meaning of the Last Supper in the beautiful canon of Saint Cosmas. Its last “irmos,” (Ninth Ode) invites us to share in the hospitality of the Lord’s banquet:

“Come, 0 ye faithful
Let us enjoy the hospitality of the Lord and the banquet of immortality
In the upper chamber with minds uplifted....”

At Vespers, the stichira on “Lord, I have cried” stress the spiritual anticlimax of Holy Thursday, the betrayal of Judas:

“Judas the slave and Knave,
The disciple and traitor,
The friend and fiend,
Was proved by his deeds,
For, as he followed the Master,
Within himself he contemplated His betrayal....”

After the Entrance, three lessons from the Old Testament:

1) Exodus 19: 10-19. God’s descent from Mount Sinai to His people as the image of God’s coming in the Eucharist.

2) Job 38:1-23, 42:1-5, God’s conversation with Job and Job’s answer: “who will utter to me what I understand not? Things too great and wonderful for me, which I knew not...”—and these “great and wonderful things” are fulfilled in the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood.

3) Isaiah 50:4-11. The beginning of the prophecies on the suffering servant of God,

The Epistle reading is from I Corinthians 11:23-32: Saint Paul’s account of the Last Supper and the meaning of communion.

The Gospel reading (the longest of the year is taken from all four Gospels and is the full story of the Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas and Christ’s arrest in the garden.

The Cherubic hymn and the hymn of Communion are replaced by the words of the prayer before Communion:

“Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant,
For I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies,
Neither like Judas will I give Thee a kiss;
But like the thief will I confess Thee:
Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom.”

by The Very Rev. Alexander Schmemann, S.T.D.
Professor of Liturgical Theology, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary

The Holy Apostle James, the son of Zebedee, was the brother of Saint John the Theologian, and one of the Twelve Apostles. He and his brother, Saint John, were called to be Apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who called them the “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). It was this James, with John and Peter, who witnessed the Raising of the Daughter of Jairus, the Lord’s Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Saint James, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, preached in Spain and in other lands, and then he returned to Jerusalem. He openly and boldly preached Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and he denounced the Pharisees and the Scribes with the words of Holy Scripture, reproaching them for their malice of heart and unbelief.

The Jews could not prevail against Saint James, and so they hired the sorcerer Hermogenes to dispute with the apostle and refute his arguments that Christ was the promised Messiah Who had come into the world. The sorcerer sent to the apostle his pupil Philip, who was converted to belief in Christ. Then Hermogenes himself became persuaded of the power of God, he burned his books of magic, accepted holy Baptism and became a true follower of Christ.

The Jews persuaded Herod Agrippa (40-44) to arrest the Apostle James and sentence him to death (Acts 12:1-2). Eusebius provides some of the details of the saint’s execution (CHURCH HISTORY II, 9). Saint James calmly heard the death sentence and continued to bear witness to Christ. One of the false witnesses, whose name was Josiah, was struck by the courage of Saint James. He came to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. When they led the apostle forth to execution, Josiah fell at his feet, repenting of his sin and asking forgiveness. The apostle embraced him, gave him a kiss and said, “Peace and forgiveness to you.” Then Josiah confessed his faith in Christ before everyone, and he was beheaded with Saint James in the year 44 at Jerusalem.

Saint James was the first of the Apostles to die as a martyr.

Saint Nikḗtas the former Recluse of the Kiev Caves fell asleep in the Lord in 1109, after serving as Bishop of Novgorod for thirteen years.

Bishop Nikḗtas was glorified as a saint during the reign of Tsar Ivan Vasilievich, and his holy relics, dressed in full vestments, were uncovered on April 30, 1558. That day was marked by the healing of many people. His relics now rest in the cathedral of the holy Apostle Philip in Novgorod.

Saint Nikḗtas of Novgorod is also commemorated on January 31, the day of his repose, and on May 14.

Saint Donatus lived during the reign of the holy Emperor Theodosius the Great (379-397) and was bishop of the city of Euroea (in Albania). Not far from this city, in the vicinity of Soreia, was a brackish spring of water. When the saint learned of this, he went with clergy to the spring and cast out a monstrous serpent, which died. The saint prayed, he blessed the spring and drank the water without harm. Seeing this miracle, the people glorified God.

Another time, Saint Donatus prayed and brought forth water from a dry and rocky place, and during a drought he entreated the Lord to send rain to the parched land.

The daughter of the holy Emperor Theodosius fell terribly ill and was afflicted by an unclean spirit. Saint Donatus came to the palace, and as soon as he arrived the devil left and the sick woman was healed.

A certain man, shortly before his death, repaid a loan to a money-lender. The creditor tried to extort the money a second time from the dead man’s widow. The saint resurrected the dead man, who told where and when the loan had been repaid. After obtaining a receipt from the creditor, the man fell asleep in the Lord.

Saint Donatus reposed in peace about the year 387.

The Hieromartyr Basil, Bishop of Amasea, lived at the beginning of the fourth century in the Pontine city of Amasea. He encouraged and comforted the Christians suffering persecution by the pagans. During this time the Eastern part of the Roman Empire was ruled by Licinius (311-324), the brother-in-law of the holy emperor Constantine the Great (May 21). Licinius deceitfully signed Saint Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313), which granted religious toleration to Christians, but he hated them and continued to persecute them.

The Holy Martyr Maximus suffered for his faith in Christ, and was run through with a sword.

The future hierarch, Saint Ignatius, was chosen for the service of God even before his birth on February 6, 1807. His father Alexander S. Brianchaninov was a wealthy provincial landowner in the large village of Pokrovskoe in Vologda Gubernia. The Saint's birth was the result of his devout mother's fervent prayers, for she had no children until then. His mother Sophia (1786–1832) had been barren for a long time, and she visited the holy places in the area, asking God to give her a child. Finally, her prayers were answered, and she gave birth to a son. In Holy Baptism he received the name Demetrios, in honor of Saint Demetrios of Priluki (February 11).

Young Demetrios spent his childhood at Pokrovskoe in the natural surroundings of rural life. As he matured, he became quiet and reflective. He loved going to church and often attended the Services. In his spare time, the boy read spiritual books and he prayed. After the Holy Gospels, his favorite book was The Spiritual School, a very old collection of the Lives and sayings of the Saints in five volumes. Although he was drawn to the monastic life, his parents did not approve of this. Besides, it was quite unusual for a nobleman to follow such a path. Alexander Brianchaninov was from an old and respected family, and he was a worldly individual with ties to the palace. He planned a military career for his son.

When Demetrios reached the age of fifteen, his father entered him in the Imperial School of Military Engineers at St. Petersburg. He did so well in his entrance exam that he even attracted the notice of the Director of the school, Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, the future Tsar Nicholas I. The Prince invited the young man to the palace, and introduced him to his wife, who suggested that he be given a stipend.

At the school he won the affection of the professors and administrators because of his excellent grades and exemplary conduct. Demetrios was even received at the home of Alexei N. Olenin, who was then President of the Academy of the Arts, Archaeology, and History, where he became acquainted with all the prominent literary figures of the day: K.N. Batyushkov, N.I. Gnedich, I.A. Krylov, and also A.S. Pushkin. These gatherings contributed to the development of the young man's literary talents.

However, the clamor of the capital and its worldly pleasures could not extinguish the fire in his soul which had been kindled by divine grace. His spirit was troubled by many thoughts: his mind was filled with doubts, and his heart seethed with passions. In this state Demetrios took refuge in prayer. He prayed constantly day and night. At the same time, he was no longer content to receive Holy Communion only once a year, as was the custom at school. Desiring to partake of this spiritual food (John 6:48-58), Demetrios went to confess to the school's priest, who was surprised by such a request. Not only did he refuse to permit Demetrios to receive Communion more frequently, he also reported what he heard in Confession to the school authorities, which was inexcusable.

Despite his excellent record, Demetrios grew more and more depressed at the thought of a career as a military officer, and he still wanted to become a monk. He and his friend Nicholas Chikhachev († January 16, 1873) decided to visit the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg for Confession. Father Athanasios, the Father Confessor, was more sympathetic than the school's priest had been, and did not discourage them when they expressed a desire to become monks.

But there were still many obstacles and heavy trials which had to be overcome by the young ascetics before they could attain their goal, which was to take refuge behind the walls of a holy monastery. Of course, the greatest opposition to their plans came from their own relatives. When the elder Mr. Brianchaninov found out about his son's life and activities, he wrote at once to the Director of the school, Count Sivers, asking him to keep a very close watch over his son. He also wrote to Metropolitan Seraphim of St. Petersburg saying that the Father Confessor of the Lavra, Father Athanasios, was encouraging his son to become a monk. The Metropolitan, fearing trouble from the powerful people of this world, reprimanded Father Athanasios severely and forbade him to receive the two young men for Confession. This was very difficult for Demetrios, so he decided to discuss the matter with the Metropolitan in person. After seeing the young man, and listening to his sincere explanation, the Metropolitan blessed him to visit the Lavra and his Father Confessor once again. Meanwhile, the young man's decision to forsake the world came to a definite resolution, and he decided to follow the call of his inner voice. The main reason why Demetrios decided to fulfill his desire right away was his acquaintance with Elder Leonid of Optina, who was distinguished by his divine wisdom, holiness of life, and experience in the ascetical life of monasticism. After their first conversation, Demetrios told his friend Michael Chikhachev (Чихачев), "Father Leonid has captured my heart. Now it is definite. I am asking to be discharged, and I am going to follow the Elder."

Before Demetrios was able to find a quiet abode within the walls of the monastery, however, he had to endure some great trials; first with his family, and secondly with the powerful people of this world. Unable to obtain that which he desired, the grieving young man left home for the capital. There, another storm awaited him. As soon as he finished his last exam, he petitioned for a discharge from his military service (which he had not yet begun). When Tsar Nicholas I learned of this, he asked his brother, the Grand Duke, to talk the young man out of this. All of the powerful prince's kindnesses, discussions, and even threats, were in vain. The young man remained inflexible. Then the Grand Duke informed Demetrios that the Tsar had refused to release him, and that he has been assigned to Dinaburg Fortress. Bitterly, the young officer was forced to submit, but when he arrived at Dinaburg he became severely ill. When he visited the fortress in 1827, the Grand Duke could see for himself that Demetrios was unable to continue his military service, and he gave him his much-desired discharge. Thus, the secular life of young Demetrios came to an end.

After obtaining his discharge, Demetrios traveled via St. Petersburg to Svirsk Monastery and to Elder Leonid (who was living there at the time because he was persecuted at Valaam by the Superior, Father Innocent), in order to submit himself to this experienced spiritual guide and begin his monastic life. Arriving at St. Petersburg, and dressed as a peasant, Demetrios stayed at Chikhachev's apartment. His friend Michael also requested a discharge, but this was not granted. So he was obliged to remain in the service for a while longer. Demetrios left for Svirsk Monastery alone, where he began his asceticism of obedience. In the meantime, his angry parents cut off all ties with him, denying him any material assistance.

While he was a novice, the future instructor of monks was distinguished by his complete obedience and deep humility. Assigned to work in the kitchen, he obeyed all of the cook's orders with humility, (the cook happened to be his father's former servant), and the entire brotherhood began to respect and to love the young ascetic. Elder Leonid was the young novice's Spiritual Father. Demetrios, by his singular obedience, cemented his relationship with his instructor. This relationship resembled that of the ancient novices with their Elders. Demetrios did not take a single step without the knowledge of his Spiritual Father, and every day he revealed all his innermost thoughts and desires to him. In this case, the Elder was like a real instructor in the spirit of true monasticism, as exemplified by the ancient ascetics of early Christianity.

The novice lived this kind of life at Svirsk Monastery, and also at Ploschansk Hermitage, where his instructor was forced to transfer after a year with his disciples. Here Demetrios was comforted by the arrival of his close friend Michael Chikhachev. Reunited in the tranquil seclusion of the monastery, the friends began to practice the asceticism of piety, offering help to one another. They were blessed to do so by Father Leonid. However, the young ascetics were unable to remain for long at the quiet abode of Ploschansk Hermitage. Because of persecution by the Superior, Father Leonid was forced to move to Optina. His disciples were also ordered to leave and were told to go wherever they pleased.

Grief-stricken, because they admired the strict and quiet life of the two novices, the other monks watched them depart. The monks gave them five rubles, which they had collected for their travel expenses. First, the two friends went to White Bluff Hermitage but they were not accepted there. Then they went to Optina to be with their Elder, but Abbot Moses did not want to admit them for a long time. At long last, because of their constant pleading, he was compelled to accept these two brilliant former officers who had rejected all worldly vanity for the sake of Christ.

Their position at Optina was difficult. The Superior regarded them sternly, and the monks did not trust them. The coarse food and the climate both affected Demetrios, and he became very ill. Chikachev took care of his friend, but soon he too was stricken with a debilitating fever. In the meantime, Demetrios's parents softened their opinion of their son. His mother became ill, and this illness aroused her maternal instincts, and she wanted to see her son again. Even the stern father seemed to mellow somewhat, and he invited his son and his friend to come and visit. Demetrios and Michael went there right away, but their reunion was far from pleasant. His mother was feeling better, but as her illness abated, his father's tender feelings also disappeared, and Demetrios got a very cold reception. Alexander Brianchaninov still hoped to have his son pursue a brilliant career, so he tried to force him to abandon the monastic life and to enter into civil or military service. Therefore, the young man began to feel burdened by life in the world.

At the beginning of 1830, he and Michael entered the St. Cyril of White Lake Monastery. The Superior at that time was Father Arkadios, a saintly man, but simple of heart. Seeing true monks in these newcomers, he welcomed them with love. Almost as soon as the two friends began their life in that monastery, Demetrios was stricken once again with a terrible fever. The monastery was located on an island in a large lake, and the dampness made it impossible for him to remain there any longer. Chikhachev also became ill. Then Demetrios returned to Vologda in order to recover his health, while Chikhachev went back to his home in Pskov Province.

It was difficult for the young ascetic to live in the world once more after he had rejected it. His only happiness then were his talks with Bishop Stephen of Vologda, who came to love the young novice, and often invited him to visit. As soon as Demetrios was well, he blessed him to live in the Semigorod Hermitage of the Dormition. Here Demetrios devoted himself to his usual works of meditation and prayer. Meanwhile, his strict father kept insisting that he enter the service again. He did not leave his son in peace even when he transferred from Semigorod Hermitage to the far-off and secluded Glushitsa Sosnovetsk Monastery. For this reason Demetrios pleaded with Bishop Stephen to tonsure him as soon as possible. Since he was very familiar with Demetrios's spiritual state, he decided to do so. He obtained special permission from the Holy Synod, then summoned Demetrios to Vologda and ordered him to prepare himself for tonsure, but to conceal this from his relatives.

On June 20, 1831, the desire of his heart was fulfilled. He was tonsured by Bishop Stephen and renamed Ignatius, in honor of the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer (December 20 & January 29). When his relatives arrived at the cathedral that day they were greatly astonished by this new ceremony which they had never seen before. They were even more upset by their son's action, which shattered all of their fondest hopes and plans. The newly-tonsured monk was not disturbed by this, however. He was ordained as a deacon on July 5 and then to the priesthood on July 20. In that rank he was appointed as Superior of the Grigoriev Pel'shemsk Lopotov Monastery.

Lopotov Monastery was almost completely in ruins. Everything had to be restored or rebuilt. The new Superior began his work with zeal, and soon the Lopotov Monastery became unrecognizable. Not only was it restored outwardly, but inwardly as well, in its spiritual life. This was all due to the new Superior. Father Ignatius did not spare himself in laboring for the good of the monastery. For example, all during the winter of 1832 he lived in the poor, small cabin of the church watchman. These labors of the young Hieromonk were done for the glory of God, but he was not left without his joys. His first joy was meeting his dear friend Chikhachev, who also came to live at the Lopotov Monastery, and was the Superior's energetic helper. His second joy was his peaceful reconciliation with his parents. He began to visit them again and, under his influence, they became more favorably disposed toward him. His mother especially was changed, and thanked God for making her first-born His servant. She reposed soon after this, at the age of forty-six, and received Holy Communion for the last time from her son. He bore his grief with true Christian fortitude, and tried to overcome his sorrow with extra work in rebuilding the monastery. The young Hieromonk's efforts were noticed by Bishop Stephen, who elevated him to the rank of Igoumen in January of 1833.

His labors could not but affect his weakened and sickly body, especially since the Lopotov Monastery was in a swamp. All this made him very ill again until his friend Chikhachev tried to talk him into transferring elsewhere. Thanks to the help of Countess Anna Orlova-Chesmenskaya, Father Ignatius's condition was closely observed by the great Moscow hierarch Metropolitan Philaret, who offered him to be the Superior of the St. Nicholas-Ugreshsky Monastery in his diocese.

However, God's Providence was preparing Father Ignatius for much broader activities. Tsar Nicholas I remembered his beloved student and ordered that he not be sent to Moscow, but to St. Petersburg so that he could see him in person. The humble Igoumen set out for the northern capital, where he was presented to the Tsar, who was pleased to see him. After a few brief explanations, the Tsar said, "I love you as I did before! You still owe me for your education, which I gave you because of my love for you. You did not want to serve me in the place I offered you, and chose your own path. So, it is on that path that you must repay your debt to me. I am giving you the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Hermitage near St. Petersburg. I want you to live there and make it a monastery which will serve as an example for the other monasteries in the capital."

Tsar Nicholas then presented him to his wife, who was kind to her former student, and asked him to bless her children. The Tsar then ordered the Secretary of the Synod to come, and told him of his wishes. Igoumen Ignatius was appointed as Superior of St. Sergius Hermitage, and was raised to the rank of Archimandrite. The new Superior assumed his duties at the Hermitage on January 5, 1834. Here, Father Ignatius encountered new labors and cares. Until that time, St. Sergius Hermitage had been ruled by vicar bishops, which, of course, was not good for the monastery. Its proximity to the city was also harmful for it. All the buildings in the Hermitage were in need of repair, and even major renovations. There were only thirty monks, and all of them fell far short of the monastic ideal. Moral laxity reigned here in full force. It was difficult for the sickly Superior, who was frequently ill, to perform his duties, which required constant care, bother, and work. It was especially difficult to combat the depravity of his monks. He said himself, "Jealousy, evil talk, and slander rose up against me and they hissed at me. I saw enemies who breathed unutterable malice, and who thirsted for my destruction." He overcame all of this with his iron will, which was hidden in the humble Superior's weakened body.

It was not even a year before St. Sergius Hermitage was given new life and beautified. Constant work, restoring churches, a new living quarters was built, and also a new trapeza, bakery, and shops. In the midst of all this construction, the Tsar and his family unexpectedly visited the monastery. When the Tsar arrived and entered the church at 6:00 P.M., he asked the first monk he met, "Is Father Archimandrite at home? Tell him that his old friend wishes to see him."

When the Superior hastened to receive the exalted guests, the Tsar greeted him and asked about his work. He inspected the construction sites, praised the work of Father Ignatius, and promised to send money from the Treasury.

Beautifying his monastery on the outside, with the Tsar's help, the zealous Superior also brought to it a sense of inner well-being. Everything was orderly now, the Divine Services were solemn and grand, and he formed a beautiful choir. He cared even more, however, for the spiritual nurture of the monks in his monastery. He examined the personal life of each monk, instructing them to use their free time in a way that would benefit their souls: in prayer, fasting, reading spiritual books, and manual labor. In a word, he tried to instill the spirit of true monasticism in them. His great experience, his unflagging zeal, and his knowledge of the human heart, all these produced such results that Father Ignatius soon attained his goals. Indeed, he had fulfilled the Tsar's wishes by making St. Sergius Hermitage a model for other monasteries.

In caring for the perfecting of others, Father Archimandrite himself progressed higher and higher toward spiritual perfection. He taught not only by word, but also by his own example. His fondest wish was that he himself might attain the spiritual beauty of the ancient monks of the Thebaïd and of Egypt, whose lofty example had captivated him from his childhood. In order to come closer to his ideal, he did not spare his health or his strength in his ascetical struggles. These caused him to become ill, which obliged him to request retirement from his position.

Instead of retirement, however, Archimandrite Ignatius received some time off in order to regain his health at Kostroma's St. Nicholas Babaev Monastery on the Volga River. After living there for about eleven months in complete seclusion, he returned once more to his duties as Superior of the St. Sergius Hermitage. Yet the thought of living as a hermit had never left Father Ignatius. After losing his benefactor, Tsar Nicholas, he decided to devote himself once again to a secluded life in a Skete. He even began making arrangements with Father Moses of Optina Hermitage to let him have a cell in the Skete. Then suddenly, he was elected as Bishop of Stavropol and the Caucasus.

Father Ignatius was consecrated as Bishop of the Caucasus on October 27, 1857 in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The new hierarch bade farewell to everyone in November, and put his financial affairs in order. He left for his new assignment, and arrived early in 1858. On the way, he was nearly killed in a severe blizzard. When he arrived at Stavropol, he began to carry out his new duties with zeal. His diocese required more from him than most others, since it had been established only a short time before. The bishop's residence had hardly anything on which to live. The clergy were very poor, and their relationship with their flocks was far from what it should be. Schools had to be reorganized, and the churches and the Divine Services needed improvement.

After seeing to the material means of existence in the bishop's residence, Saint Ignatius turned most of his attention to celebrating the Divine Services according to the Church Typikon, and to restoring a proper relationship between the clergy and the people. In his own dealings with the clergy, he was kind, simple, and straightforward. He was always concerned with improving their lives, education, and their relationship with one another. The Church Schools received his particular attention, and in general, how to raise the younger generation in a true Christian spirit. Thanks to the bishop's energy and love of his duties, the Diocese of the Caucasus was soon put into good order. Unfortunately, Bishop Ignatius was not able to rule the diocese for long. Smallpox, along with a terrible fever, completely exhausted his health. He had been weakened already by his former ascetical struggles and by his workload.

Desiring to complete the remainder of his life in the solitude for which he yearned, the bishop decided to petition the Tsar and the Synod to retire him so that he might end his days in peace. His request was accepted and he received retirement with pay. He was also appointed as Superior of the St. Nicholas Babaev Monastery in the Diocese of Kostroma.

The bishop arrived at the monastery on October 13, 1861. He went there to be at peace, but being accustomed to constant work, he could not be at ease just doing nothing. Even now, he looked to improve the monastery which had been entrusted to him. The order of Divine Services, the monastery's Rule, the monks' trapeza, the living quarters, all these were improved. He rebuilt the Superior's living quarters; he also built a beautiful new church to replace the old one. He saw to the proper use of the monastery's land, and the monastery's finances increased. The inner life of the monks was also improved. The bishop was the same extraordinary instructor that he had been elsewhere.

In the midst of all his labors, the best consolation for him was the visits of various close friends and guests. So, in his first year at Babaev, and for the last time in their lives, his friend Father Michael Chikhachev arrived from St. Sergius Hermitage. In 1862, his retired brother, the former governor of Stavropol Province, came to live in the monastery as "a pilgrim." In August of 1866, he was visited by Tsar Alexander II and the Grand Duke, who listened kindly to the Elder's conversation about monasticism.

In addition to his talks with visitors, Bishop Ignatius loved his literary labors. He reread and rewrote his previous articles, and wrote new articles. In these labors, caring for the monastery, and his monastic struggles, Bishop Ignatius spent all of his time living in Babaev Monastery until the spring of 1867. No one knew, except the Elder himself, just how close the time of his death was. He had already been preparing for it for some time.

On the Bright Day of Christ's Resurrection, after Vespers, he suddenly announced that no one was to disturb him, because he needed to prepare for death in solitude. This was on April 16. The following day, the bishop began to say farewell to his close friends. When he bade his cell attendant farewell, he bowed to the ground before him and said, "Batushka, please forgive me." Such was the Elder's humility, and it moved the cell attendant to tears. During those days, he often said that it was difficult for him to bring his mind down to earthly matters.

His feelings did not deceive him. On April 30, 1867, he reposed quietly and in peace. Death found him in solitude and at prayer. No one knew when or how his soul departed his body. His body remained in his cell for three days, preserving on his face the imprint of unearthly peace and joy. Then it was taken to the monastery church and buried by Bishop Jonathan, the vicar of the Kostroma Diocese. The funeral service seemed more like a spiritual feast than a sad funeral.

Saint Ignatius was glorified by the Jubilee Council of the Moscow Patriarchate (June 6-9, 1988), during the millennial celebration of the Baptism of Rus. His holy relics are preserved at the Tolga Monastery on the Volga River, near Yaroslavl.

The holy New Martyr Argyra lived in Proussa, Bithynia, and came from a pious family. She was a beautiful and virtuous woman. When she was eighteen, she married a pious Christian, and they moved into a neighborhood inhabited by many Moslems.

After only a few days, she was approached by a Turkish neighbor, the son of the Cadi (magistrate). He boldly declared his love for her, and tried to convert her to his religion. She rejected his advances, saying that she would rather die than be married to a Moslem. She did not tell her husband, fearing that he would go after the Turk and then be punished for it.

The Moslem brought her to trial and testified that she had assented to his advances, but then had laughed and said she was only joking. His lies were corroborated by false witnesses, and Argyra was sent to prison.

The saint’s husband, hoping to get her a fair trial, appealed to Constantinople. There the accuser repeated his lies before the judge. Saint Argyra said that she was a Christian, and that she would never deny Christ. The judge ordered her to be flogged, then sentenced her to life in prison.

She was often taken from her cell, interrogated, beaten, then returned to prison. This continued for seventeen years. The saint was also insulted and tormented by the Moslem women who were incarcerated for their evil deeds. The Evil One incited them to annoy Saint Argyra with these torments and afflictions, but she endured all these things with great courage and patience.

According to the testimony of many Christian women who were in prison with her, she humbled her body through fasting. Her heart was filled with such love for Christ that she regarded her hardships as comforts.

A pious Christian named Manolis Kiourtzibasis sent her word that he would try to have her released, but Saint Argyra would not consent to this. She completed her earthly pilgrimage in the prison, receiving the crown of martyrdom on April 5, 1721.

After a few years her body was exhumed, and was found to be whole and incorrupt, emitting an ineffable fragrance. Pious priests and laymen took her body to the church of Saint Paraskeve on April 30, 1735 with the permission of Patriarch Paisius II.

Her relics remain there to this day, where they are venerated by Orthodox Christians from all walks of life, to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Saint Argyra’s name comes from the Greek word for silver (argyre). THE NEW MARTYR ARGYRA 1688-1721 by P. Philippidou (which also contains a Service to the saint) was published in Constantinople in 1912.