What do they ask Pafnuty Borovsky for? Orthodox prayer - Orthodox book. Life of our Venerable Father Paphnutius Borovsky

On May 1/14, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of St. Paphnutius, the miracle worker of Borovsk. Saint Paphnutius ended his arduous ascetic life exactly 540 years ago.

The Monk Paphnutius had one of the most curious characters in ancient Russian monasticism, one of the most unique and strong characters known in Ancient Rus'.

Vasily Klyuchevskoy

Grandson of a Baskak and student of St. Nikita of Serpukhov

The Monk Paphnutius was the great-grandson of the Baskak of Vladimir Rus' (tax collector for the Golden Horde) Amyrkhan (XIII century), the grandfather of the future saint was also a Baskak - he converted to Orthodoxy with the name Martin. The monk was born in 1394 into the family of John and Photinia, who were distinguished by their love of strangers and fear of God, and was named Parthenius. His parents raised him in love for the Church and piety. At the age of 20, with their blessing, he took monastic vows with the name Paphnutius at the Intercession Monastery near Borovsk. He was given under the guidance of the disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Nikita of Serpukhov, with whom he remained in obedience for seven years, learning monastic life and monastic virtues.

In 1426, Saint Photius, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus', ordained the monk to the priesthood. For his humility and kindness, Paphnutius acquired the general love and respect of the brethren, and after the death of Abbot Markellus, he was unanimously elected abbot of the Vysoko-Pokrovsky monastery, where he was abbot and confessor for 33 years.

In the 51st year of his life, the Monk Paphnutius became seriously ill, left his abbess and accepted the great schema. Having miraculously healed on the feast day, on April 23, 1444, the monk left the monastery with one of his disciples and settled on the left bank of the Protva River, at the confluence of the Isterma River - here he founded the Borovsky Monastery in honor. Soon those wishing to strive and seeking his spiritual guidance began to come to him. Each person who came had to build a cell for himself and then carry out obedience along with the others.

“No one had come to worship services or labor obediences before him”

From the founding of the monastery, the monk bore all the labors and obediences, setting an example for the brethren, being the first to rise and the last to go to sleep. As Saint Vassian writes, “no one before him came to divine services and to labor obediences”; at the same time, “the Monk Paphnutius was skilled in every human endeavor.” During the construction of a new stone church, he “carried stones and water on his shoulders,” he himself dug the ground for the monastery fence, carried logs and chopped wood, and devoted his free time from these works to reading spiritual books and weaving fishing nets.

The monk ate nothing on Wednesday and Friday, but on ordinary days he made do with the coarsest and simplest food: “his food was to please the brethren.” He was extremely simple, dressed in old, worn-out clothes - “a robe, duckweed, sheepskin and sandals, which none of those asking would take.” When a “proud man” entered the monastery, he, not recognizing the abbot, roughly pushed him, asking for the abbot.

The Monk Paphnutius called her “the queen of virtues” and said that she could save from hell those who had no other virtues. When there was a severe famine in the area, the saint blessed the brethren to feed everyone who came indiscriminately, and sometimes up to a thousand people were fed in the monastery. And today few people can afford this, but for that time it was unprecedented. The brethren who grumbled at such extravagance, he pointed to examples of hospitable people who received rewards after the grave: the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan Kalita, who distributed alms to all the poor without refusal, and one Mohammedan, whom the Lord, for his many alms, delivered from the torments of hell, leading him to Orthodoxy . The monastery's reserves from exorbitant alms were greatly depleted and the brethren were in need, but through the prayers of the Borovsky miracle worker, the following year the Lord sent the monastery an unprecedented harvest, much greater than what was harvested in ordinary times.

Borovsky miracle worker

As the chronicler writes, “Reverend Paphnutius was gentle and patient in his needs,” always unshakably believing in God’s help. One day on Easter there was no fish at all in the monastery. The brethren were very saddened by this and grumbled at their abbot. On the evening of Holy Saturday, the sexton went to a small spring to draw water for the Liturgy and suddenly saw countless “sizhki”, whom, through the prayers of the monk, the Lord sent to the monastery. At one time, the brethren caught so much fish that it was enough for a festive meal and a treat for numerous pilgrims throughout Bright Week.

Another time, the Monk Paphnutius asked one prince to fish for three days on his lands on the Oka River, so that everything caught would go to the benefit of the monastery. Before this, the prince's servants returned for a long time with a very meager catch. Knowing this, the prince agreed. Sending the steward out to fish, the monk ordered him to be given five hryvnia to buy large vessels in which to salt the fish that were to be caught. He did not take the money, not even hoping for a small catch. But the abbot strictly ordered to do as ordered. He obeyed and, lamenting the wasted money, went to do what he was told. Imagine his surprise when in three days 730 large fish were caught for the monastery - more than the prince’s fishermen caught during the entire summer.

The holy man also recognized the secret and long-standing sins of people whom he saw for the first time

The Monk Paphnutius had the gift of clairvoyance and by the face of the monk he recognized his spiritual state, whether or not he fulfilled his daily duties. prayer rule; The holy man also recognized the secret and long-standing sins of the people whom he saw for the first time.

One day one of his students developed a severe eye pain. The monk gave him his rosary and ordered him to say it a thousand times. Due to severe pain, he was only able to speak half, but this was enough for the eye to be completely healed. In joy, the disciple rushed to the abbot to tell him about his recovery, and he, having glorified God, ordered him to return to his cell and read the commanded number of prayers.

Another time, as recorded in the chronicle, “one grumbling brother, who blasphemed everything that was happening in the monastery and the saint himself, had the following vision in a dream: as if he was standing in the middle of a church with singers, the Monk Paphnutius suddenly came into it and, looking at him, angrily says: “This one is a blasphemer: take him out of the church.” And immediately two black Ethiopians grabbed him, dragged him out and beat him severely. Waking up, the brother felt great fear and with tears in his eyes hurried to the monk to ask for his forgiveness.”

The Monk Paphnutius looked at young Vassian and said with a smile: “This one is the Simonov Archimandrite.”

One night, thieves came to the monastery, stole three monastery oxen and ran away. But unexpectedly for themselves, they got lost in the forest and, “like the blind,” walked around the monastery. When morning came, they abandoned the oxen and wanted to run, but “the invisible power of God bound them,” and they stood obediently until the brethren found them and brought them to the monk. He did not hand them over to the authorities, but ordered them to be fed and released in peace.

One day, pious laymen told the monk and the brethren gathered in his cell that the Simonov Monastery was left without an archimandrite; they began to speculate who would be his deputy: one named such and such, the other named someone else. The saint, looking at his young newly tonsured disciple Vassian (the future saint), pointed to him and said with a smile: “This one is Simonov’s archimandrite.” Many years later, he actually became the archimandrite of the Simonov Monastery.

Hegumen, whom demons feared and princes revered

The fame of the high spiritual life of the Borovsky abbot spread far around, and many pilgrims and petitioners from all over Russia began to flock to the monastery.

The Monk Paphnutius loved the simple people and called them his brothers. And with people of high rank, princes and boyars who sought his spiritual protection, he communicated without flattery or people-pleasing, sometimes strictly denouncing their morals and vices. Reverend Joseph Volotsky wrote that when necessary, the Borovsky abbot was merciful and condescending, but sometimes he was stern and angry if necessary.

In the name of the chastity of the brethren, the Monk Paphnutius forbade the entry of women into the monastery, not allowing them even to approach the gates of the monastery, and the brethren strictly forbade any talk about them.

Once the wife of the famous noble boyar Alexei Gubarin became seriously ill and, in a fever, began to see frightening demons that severely tormented and frightened the unfortunate woman. When the torment became unbearable, a hunched, short old man with a large gray beard and poor clothes appeared to her and powerfully drove away the demons, after which she felt healthy again. Attacks happened to the noblewoman many times, and the elder always appeared and drove away the tormentors. One day, during another attack, the patient heard a voice telling her: “Paphnutius, who is in Borovsk, delivers you from demons.” After this, she completely recovered and wished to see the monk to find out whether he really appeared to her. The noblewoman came with her servants to the monastery. But since the monastery was closed to women, she sent servants to the disciples of the monk with a request to meet with him. The monks ordered the servants to show her the abbot as he went out with the brethren to the meal. But the noblewoman, before any indication, immediately recognized him as the elder who had appeared to her and cried out with tears: “Truly this is the one who gave me healing.”

He wrote that the Borovsky abbot was merciful and condescending, but sometimes he was stern and angry, if necessary. Prince Dmitrovsky Georgy Vasilyevich recalled that when he went to confession to the monk, his knees buckled from fear. There was nothing worse for the prince than to anger his beloved elder. But outwardly stern, the Monk Paphnutius loved his spiritual children and did not leave them even beyond the grave. Once, having dozed off on the threshold of the church before matins, the Monk Paphnutius saw in a subtle dream how the gates of the monastery opened and a multitude of people with candles entered: everyone headed towards the church, and in the middle of this crowd of people was Prince Georgy Vasilyevich. Approaching the temple, the prince bowed before the church, then to his spiritual father. The monk asked him: “Son and prince, have you already reposed?” - “Yes, honest father!” - “What is it like for you there now?” - “Through your holy prayers, God gave me good. Especially because when I went to Aleksin against the godless Hagarians, I repented of all my sins to you.” At this time the bell began to ring for matins, and the monk woke up...

“The death of His saints is honorable before the Lord”

The cell attendant of the venerable elder Innocent described in detail the last eight days of his teacher’s life - academician Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev called this story a “literary miracle” of the 15th century, an amazing “human document” in which the author conveyed the words and actions of the saint with maximum accuracy, avoiding any embellishment .

For a week, knowing about the exact time of his death, on Thursday, April 24, 1477, after the morning service, at about 7 o’clock in the morning, the elder led his beloved disciple to the monastery ponds and gave instructions “how to block the path of the water” that had washed away the dam. Then he spoke in detail about the coming Thursday - the day of his death, for which he must prepare. After this, the saint secluded himself in his cell, no longer communicating with the laity, going out only to serve in the church. When asked about his health, the elder answered simply: “Neither this nor that; You see, brother, I myself can’t take it anymore... And I don’t feel anything greater than strength from my illness.” When the cell attendant asked about to whom the monk would leave the abbess, Paphnutius briefly said: “To the Most Pure One,” entrusting the monastery to the Mother of God.

At the same time, elders from other monasteries, envoys from the Moscow Metropolitan, from appanage princes and from the Grand Duke Ivan III himself constantly came to the saint. But the monk, despite the ranks and high titles of those who came, did not accept anyone. To the request of the frightened cell attendant to receive the guests, the abbot replied: “I tell you the truth: if you do not anger the One God, human anger will not do anything to you, and even if a person becomes angry, he will humble himself again.” Another time he said: “You don’t give me even one hour to rest from the world! Don't you know? For sixty years he pleased the world and worldly people, princes and boyars: he met them, and talked with them, and saw them off. Now I have learned that this does not benefit me at all, but is only a test for my soul. The Lord, with His mercy, gave me, a sinner, six days to repent, but you do not give me peace for a single hour, you bring the laity against me. I can’t even leave my cell without them bothering me.”

Having said goodbye to the brethren and giving them the last instructions, on May 1, 1477, an hour before sunset, the Monk Paphnutius went to the Lord with prayer. He forbade buying himself a new coffin, and “with that six money, buy rolls of bread and give them to the poor; and wrap him in splint and, having dug up the grave of Klim the Bean Man, put him next to him.”

The monk strictly forbade inviting lay people to the funeral, so the funeral service took place the very next morning. As the monk Innocent writes, the love of the brethren for their spiritual father was so great that all 95 monks could not perform the funeral rites from sobbing. Only Innocent himself, shedding tears, could hardly utter the words of his prayers.

Revered by rulers during his lifetime Russian state, the monk began to be revered even more after his death.

Praying for the gift of an heir, Grand Duke Vasily III and his wife visited the Borovsky monastery for pilgrimage, after which the couple had an heir: Grand Duke Ivan IV Vasilyevich - Tsar Ivan the Terrible. This is evidenced by the text of the 1584 petition to his son, Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, from the Ryazan Bishop Leonid, where he directly writes about this: “At his request and prayer, God gave to your grandfather the heir to our kingdom, your father, our sovereign... “It is no coincidence that the disciples of the Monk Paphnutius were chosen as godparents for the future Tsar Ivan the Terrible - the Monk Daniil of Pereyaslavl and the 91-year-old ascetic Cassian Bosoy, who were brought from the Borovsky Monastery to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery to perform the sacrament of baptism over the heir to the Russian throne.

Thanks to the patronage of the Moscow Grand Dukes and Tsars, in the 16th–17th centuries, stone churches and buildings were erected in the monastery of St. Paphnutius, and an impregnable fortress for that time was built, which have survived to this day. And although the monastery was devastated in 1610 by False Dmitry and the Polish invaders - then all the monks of the monastery, along with the squad of Prince Mikhail Volkonsky, were killed - and in 1812 it was burned by Napoleon's troops, but each time it was revived, becoming more magnificent and beautiful, attracting the ambulance of Borovsky miracle worker of monks and pilgrims from all over Russia.

Spiritual heritage Venerable Paphnutius of Borovsky

Through the efforts of the Monk Paphnutius and his disciples, the Borovsky Monastery at the end of the 15th – beginning of the 16th centuries became a worthy successor to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and the spiritual center of Rus', from where many saints and saints of the Russian Orthodox Church came. Even during the life of the Borovsky abbot, one of the best libraries of liturgical books and spiritual literature in Russia was collected in the monastery, unfortunately, it was looted and burned by Napoleon’s troops during Patriotic War 1812. The education and enlightenment of the brethren can be judged by the fact that in the Borovsk monastery one of the first public hospitals in Russia was opened - the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah with wards for the sick (1670), built with money from the famous statesman Prince Ivan Borisovich Repnin. And during the restoration, a unique fresco depicting a geocentric model of the Universe, close to the theory of Ptolemy, was found in one of the cells of the fraternal building.

Even during the life of the Monk Paphnutius, one of the best libraries of spiritual literature was collected in the monastery

Continuing the work of St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Paphnutius of Borovsk was an indisputable authority and spiritual mentor for many Russian princes and educator of many Russian saints. His favorite students were: the founder of the Volokolamsk monastery, the Venerable Joseph of Volotsk († 1515; commemorated September 9/22 and October 18/31) and his brother, the future rector of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, later Saint Vassian of Rostov († 1481; commemorated 6/19 July and May 23 / June 5), who wrote the famous message to Grand Duke Ivan III on the Ugra, calling on him to take decisive action against the Tatars, and the life of his beloved teacher; the founder of the Assumption Hermitage, the Venerable Levkiy of Volokolamsk († late 15th century; commemorated August 17/30 and December 14/27) and the Venerable David of Serpukhov - founder of the David Ascension Monastery († c. 1520; commemorated October 18/31); Saint Macarius of Moscow († 1563; commemorated December 30/January 12 and October 5/18) and St. Daniel of Pereyaslavl, founder of the Pereyaslavl Danilov Monastery (1540, commemorated April 7/20); the famous defender of Orthodoxy in the fight against the heresy of Judaizers, Bishop Nifont of Suzdal; Bishop of Kolomna Vassian (Toporkov) and the elders Innocent, Isaiah, famous for their godly lives, the perspicacious elder Euthymius and many others.

The main testament of the Borovsky miracle worker was his words spoken to the brethren before departing for eternity: “Hurry to do good!” And after his repose, he did not leave his monastery with care and concern.

Bishop Seraphim (Savostyanov) of Tarusa, formerly the abbot of the Pafnutyev Borovsky Monastery, testifies to the help of the Monk Paphnutius to his monastery in our time:

– I’ll tell you the following story about the help of the Monk Paphnutius: when in the 1990s I was appointed abbot of the Pafnutiev Borovsky Monastery, the monastery had just begun to be restored. There was endless construction all around, there was a shortage of basic necessities, and we had to pay huge amounts of money for electricity. But there is no money. And there was absolutely nowhere to take them. I went to the authorities and begged philanthropists, but all in vain. And on the last day, when the lights were to be turned off in the monastery, which would have stopped the restoration work and the electric ovens of the bakery and kitchen would have gone out, I went to the Monk Paphnutius, fell on my knees in front of his holy shrine and simply cried, begging him for help. And when I left the temple, a woman suddenly caught up with me, put a thick envelope in my hands and disappeared into the crowd. When I opened it, there was money there: exactly enough to pay for electricity.

Life of St. Paphnutius of Borovsky

The Most Reverend Pa-f-nu-tiy of Bo-rov was born in 1394 in the village of Ku-di-no-ve, not far from Bo-rov -ska, and at Baptism he was called Par-fe-ni-em. His father John was the son of the baptized ta-ta-ri-na-bass-ka-ka Mar-ti-na, mother Par-fe-niya no-si-la name Fo-ti -nia. At the age of 20, Par-fe-niy left his family home and in 1414 took monastic vows with the name Pa-f-nu-tiy in Pokrovsky district -na-sta-re on you-with-whom from na-sto-I-te-la Mar-kel-la. For many years the monk Pa-f-nu-tiy was in the room. When the monastery died, the brethren adopted him as abbot. Saint Fo-tiy, mit-ro-po-lit Ki-ev-sky, ru-co-po-lo-lived pre-additionally to the priesthood (near- lo 1426). The venerable one spent thirty years in the Po-krovskaya monastery, where he was both the sto-t-em and the old-spirit-ni- com. At the 51st year of his life, he became seriously ill, left his abbotship and accepted the great schema. After your health, on the day of the holy day of Ge-or-gia Po-be-do-nos-tsa, 23 April re-la 1444, left the monastery and sat down with a monk on the left bank of the Protva River at the confluence the river of Is-ter-we flows into it. Soon a brotherhood began to join him in a new place. The number of foreigners quickly increased. A new stone church was built instead of the previous one in honor of the Birth of the Most Holy God. di-tsy. The best icon of that time, Di-o-ni-siy and his powerful, took part in the growth of the temple. ki. The venerable Pa-f-nu-tiy was an example of the brethren, leading a strict life: his cell was the poorest of all, out of food took the worst neck. On weekday and Friday I didn’t partake of everything, but on Wednesday I held on to the dry food. Of the general work, the most difficult ones were the heaviest: chopping and tearing wood, digging and pouring family, at the same time, he was the first to come to the church service.

The most kind Pa-f-nu-tiy pol-zo-val-sha has a deep-bo-coy love-view and in-chi-ta-ni-em not only his brethren e-mo-na-sta-rya, but also other obi-te-lei. The twenty-year-old young man John Sa-nin was sent to the monastery of God. Having tested him when he came, he tonsured him as a foreigner with the name Joseph. Subsequently, the venerable one, firmly preserving the purity of the right-glorious faith, led the fight against the heresy. si-zhi-dov-stu-yu-shchih, convicted at So-bo-re 1504. The young Pa-f-nu-tiy spoke about this feat.

A week before his death, the great one announced his end. After completing the last prayer and blessing the brethren, he went to God on May 1, 1477. Pre-precious Pa-f-nu-tiy was the successor of Pre-precious Sergius, abbot of Ra-do-tender skogo.

See also: "" in the text of St. Di-mit-ria of Ro-stov.

Prayers

Troparion to Saint Paphnutius of Borovsky

Having enlightened your fatherland through your life, / in prayers and fasting, you were filled with the gifts of the Divine Spirit, / and, in this temporary life, you labored well, / the mercy of compassion grieved everyone You opened the door to the poor,/ and you were the intercessor of the poor./ Therefore we pray to you, Father Paphnutius, // pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Translation: Having enlightened your fatherland with the light of life, in prayers and fasts you were filled with gifts, and, in a wonderful temporary life, you revealed the bounty of mercy to all those who mourn and were a protector of the poor. Therefore, we pray to you, Father Paphnutius, pray to Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion to Saint Paphnutius of Borovsky

Enlightened by God's light, father,/ you have acquired fasting life, O venerable monk,/ a good teacher and a fasting monk./ For this reason, for the Lord's sake, I have seen your labors,/ We have enriched you with miracles for free, / exuding healing. / But we, rejoicing, We cry to you: Rejoice, Father Paphnutius.

Translation: You were enlightened by the bright light of God, father, you have achieved a life of fasting, an excellent mentor for monks and a good decoration for fasting people. Therefore, the Lord, seeing your labors, enriched you with the gift of miracles, for you give healing. We, rejoicing, cry to you: “Rejoice, Father Paphnutius.”

Prayer to St. Paphnutius Borovsky

Oh, sacred head, earthly angel, heavenly man, great miracle worker, reverend our father Paphnutius! We zealously resort to you with faith and love and tenderly ask: show us your holy and powerful intercession to us humble and sinners. We do not dare, sin for our sake, with the freedom of the children of God, to ask our Lord and Master for mercy and forgiveness. But to you, the prayer book is favorable to Him, we offer and pray, ask us from His goodness for the beneficial and saving gifts of our souls: right faith, strong piety, true repentance, forgiveness of sins b, perfect life, decisive correction, and turning from evil deeds to pleasing God, otherwise we do not anger the Lord by violating His holy commandments. Pray, Holy One of God, to the Most High Creator to grant peace and piety to our Orthodox country. Preserve, saint of Christ, your holy monastery, created by you, and all who live and labor in it are free from all evil. Look mercifully at the people who come running to you, and fulfill all their requests for good. For all of us, spiritual and physical health, fruitfulness of the earth, a quiet and pleasing life, a good, Christian death and a good answer at the Last Judgment from the All-Merciful God, as warriors Have the truth with great boldness toward Him. Hey, Father, we know that your prayer can accomplish much before the face of the Almighty Lord, and nothing is possible for your intercession, unless you only desire it: for this reason, we firmly trust in you and in your saints Our great prayers, we hope that you will lead us through your intercession to the quiet haven of salvation and the heirs of the bright Kingdom of Christ will appear. Do not disgrace our hope, miracle-working saint. And grant us, together with you, the bliss of paradise to enjoy, let us glorify, praise and magnify the great mercy towards us of the Lover of God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and your good, fatherly intercession forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to St. Paphnutius Borovsky

Kontakion 1

Chosen wonderworker, great servant of Christ, gracious physician, drives away demons, who flows in love with the mercy of myrrh, we praise you with love, Father Paphnutius, but you, who have boldness towards the Lord, free us from all troubles, let us call you: Rejoice, Father Paphnutius , Borovsky is a miracle worker.

Ikos 1

The Creator of Angels, foreseeing you to be an angel imitator in the flesh, clothed you with the rank of angels from a young age. But you, having departed from the world and put on a monastic robe, carried the cross on your frame, and with all your soul you flowed in the footsteps of Him who crucified us for the sake of the Lord: having loved sorrow and work, you clung to Christ with love and prayers. We, giving thanks to God for this, write to thee a praise: Rejoice, thou who hearest the Lord calling: take my yoke upon thee; Rejoice, ascetic, who fought the good fight; Rejoice, you who have chosen the narrow path that leads to the stomach; Rejoice, you who have reached the highest through humility. Rejoice, thou who through meekness dwellest in the land of the meek; Rejoice, you who have found eternal joy in heaven. Rejoice, our intercessor, and remember us before God who rejoice over you; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 2

Seeing near and far your wondrous life in God, the gift of healings and the fulfillment of your prophecies, I was greatly amazed and glorifying God, crying out: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Having fixed your mind on the Divine and been illuminated by God's light, you manifested the gifts of grace within yourself, like a coal burning with the Divine fire in you, warming those who exist to the love of God, and likewise enlightening those who are with you. Pray for us, our patron, so that, being zealous for your life, we will save our souls and sing favorably to you: Rejoice, having been illuminated by the understanding of the will of God and His mysteries; Rejoice, thou who has done all that Christ commanded; Rejoice, in your monastic obediences, like an unstoppable servant who served; Rejoice, image of Gospel self-sacrifice; Rejoice, like a temple God's heart yours is; Rejoice, for you had your abode as a cultivated paradise; Rejoice, for you are great in the Kingdom of God, as you were called to create and teach; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 3

The Lord has clothed the Apostles with power from above, clothed you, Father, in the robe of salvation, adorned you with the beauty of virtues and free miracles, but we, giving thanks to God the Wonderful in His saints, cry out: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having a monastery for you, Father, resting here with holy relics, is filled with joy and joyfully joyfully cries out to you: Rejoice, chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit; Rejoice, according to God and the Mother of God our joy and protection; Rejoice, our quiet refuge from the rumors of sin; Rejoice, fulfiller of the apostolic teachings; Rejoice, holy imitator father; Rejoice, like an angel, radiant with dispassion; Rejoice, cloud, sheltering from the heat of passions; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 4

A storm of bewilderment confuses me, as I sing to you, holy one, before a storm of passions and waves of sins drown me; Hear the cry and tears of the drowned and help the needy, save me, my refuge, so that I may sing gratefully to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing that the people of Borovsk hear how sinners are saved by you, the sick are healed, demons are driven away, food is nourished and those who mourn are given consolation, flowing to you both near and far, as if to a river that makes glad the city of God and people. Moreover, during times of famine, I all rush to you with faith in your mercy. You also fed those who came daily, like thousands and more, until the famine of the throne. And thus the Heavenly Father is glorified by you; In remembrance of this, we zealously praise you: Rejoice, our merciful father; Rejoice, gracious physician of our souls and bodies, Rejoice, strengthener of those who despair of God’s mercy; Rejoice, pacification of the troubled; Rejoice, confirmation of the shaken and restoration of the fallen; Rejoice, spiritual pilot of salvation; Rejoice, thou who art smooth to the feeder, and who are naked a garment and shelter for the poor; Rejoice, consolation to those who suffer; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 5

Having seen the godly star, Reverend Paphnutius, your disciples: Joseph of Volokolamsk, Innocent, Elijah your relative and others, like wise men, seeking the King and Savior of the world and testing the way with you, like a lamp holding you, having achieved it, they now rejoice with you, crying : Alleluia.

Ikos 5

From many people the enemy did dirty tricks on you and your monastery, but you, this disciple of Christ, loved your enemies, doing good to those who hated and praying for them, and you also conquered evil with good. For this reason, the Holy Church praises you: Rejoice, Borovsk candle, ever burning before God; Rejoice, blessed ray shining from the sun of Christ God; Rejoice, unshakable pillar of patience; Rejoice, image of meekness and gentleness; Rejoice, prayer book for your enemies; Rejoice, for you are the mouth of God, bringing out what is worthy from the unworthy; Rejoice, peacemaker, teach us the same in the same way. Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 6

You appeared as a wondrous preacher of faith and hope in God, Reverend Paphnutius, when the brethren were in sorrow, as if they had no fish for the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, you spoke about trust in God; In the evening, on a bright day, many fish appeared on a small stream. Such trust in the Lord does not put you to shame, and having glorified God, everyone cried out: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Thou hast shone, O Reverend, the light of angelic purity: in the flesh, as if incorporeal, O Reverend, a zealot of chastity. For this reason we praise you: Rejoice, praise to the Creator of all things and the Ever-Virgin; Rejoice, having imitated Joseph in chastity; Rejoice, brother of Moses Ugrin; Rejoice, jealous of the Baptist of the Lord; Rejoice, having cast away temptations and temptations far away; Rejoice, protection of the youth and lordship of the elder; Rejoice, vigilant guardian of monks and fasting adornment; Rejoice, for you have been a heavenly light upon the earth; Rejoice, fellow angel; Rejoice, Borovskaya praise and intercessor before God; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 7

Although you would drive away from the holy Church all godless stench, you appeared like a fragrant myrrh through your life and the word of truth, the apostolic and conciliar teachings, Father, you were a full vessel, driving out from the monastery those who speak the opposite. With the same, the Holy Church pleases you and we cry out to God for salvation: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

God shows the new Noah the saved ark of your abode to those who want to be saved: punishing with the flood of his wrath those who disobey you and again showing mercy to those who repent, we reverently pray to you: cover our weaknesses, Father, with your mercy and humble love, and vouchsafe to sing: Rejoice, zealous disciple of Christ; Rejoice, reverent servant of the Terrible Mysteries; Rejoice, guardian of Orthodoxy; Rejoice, guardian of the wonderful monastic vows; Rejoice, merciful intercessor of the repentant; Rejoice, help us to keep our vows to God; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 8

You were strange and wondrous on earth, but a true imitator of your heavenly life, word and silence, as if you were moved by those who see you. Having come from the prince of the riotous sludge, in malice wanting to burn down your abode, when I saw you, like a quiet and bright angel, I suddenly turned to meekness and many, so turned away from evil and did good from hearing and seeing you, we glorify God about this , we cry out to you touchingly: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Lift up your eyes around, father, and see: behold, your many children, with different countries having come to you bearing gifts, moreover, with faith and love for your intercessor and comforter in sorrows and needs, they pray to you: extend your helping hand to those in need, hear us from the depths of our souls calling: Rejoice, our intercessor with God for temporal and eternal blessings; Rejoice, God's mercy shining upon us; Rejoice, our boldness is towards God; Rejoice, for we find him merciful to us; Rejoice, for through you we are delivered from the wrath of God; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 9

Every human nature was amazed at your angelic life on earth: for you trampled the demons like dust under your feet, putting down their vacillations, dispersing the darkness of temptations and turning all the arrows of the evil one on his head: you were crucified with Christ and taught many to sing to God with fear: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The oracles of multi-proclamation will not be able, out of duty, to praise you, reverend, just as the angels worthily praise with angelic singing, but from us, like from the lips of a child, receive this praise: Rejoice, praise of the angels, the monks and the whole Holy Church; Rejoice, thou who has entered into the joy of the Lord Thy God; Rejoice, jealous of the Patriarch in pleasing God; Rejoice, thou vouchsafed the gift of the prophets; Rejoice, apostolic mouth; Rejoice, a martyr who participated in the crucifixion of the flesh and in the wounds of the Lord borne on your body; Rejoice, thou who died to the world, but lived to Christ alone; Rejoice, do not forget us who have gone astray and call upon you; Rejoice, Father, send down your mercy to us from heaven; Rejoice, you who proclaimed far away: understand, Gentiles, that God is with us; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 10

Those who want to be saved come to you, the good shepherd, the guide of the ways of the Lord, the strong one in the Lord. But you, as if you had the gift of insight, you kindly received everyone, even though you sent some away, even though you knew something evil about them, we, giving thanks to God, who is wondrous in His saints, cry out: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

Having an indestructible wall and a prayer book of warmth, from the depths of the soul to you, the patron, we say: Rejoice, fulfiller of God's providence for people; Rejoice, you who have found the hidden treasure and have created many things for yourself; Rejoice, heir of the Kingdom of God, and through your other prayers open the doors; Rejoice, you who have been aligned with Christ all your life and have fallen behind Him in nothing; Rejoice, laborer in the vineyard of Christ; Rejoice, O strength of the weak in the Lord; Rejoice, quick protection and intercession in the Lord for those who are tempted; Rejoice, encouragement to the discouraged and joy to the sorrowful. Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 11

The singing of angels was heard at the holy repose, Father, your holy and God-pleasing soul, gloriously ascending into the heavenly village, for the powers above rejoice at the greeting of you, singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Having been enlightened by God's illumination, Father, you shone like menacing lightning, chasing and slaying demons, just as you drove them away from a certain wife: for the demons that appeared, I feared, for the sake of being embarrassed in mind and in pain; when you see the old man appear: low and bent, wearing gray hair and great hair, dressed in thin garments, with the power to drive away demons, and once in good health. Hearing a voice: Paphnutius, who is also in Borovsk, will drive away demons from you. For the fallen morning star and his secret minions are impatient not only of his presence, but also of the prayers of your humility. We, who know this, pray to you: keep us from their evil, so that we may walk in the light of the commandments of God, crying out to you earnestly: Rejoice, where your grace overshadows, father, from there the power of the devil will be driven away; Rejoice, free those who come running under your roof from evil spirits; Rejoice, vigilant guardian of your abode; Rejoice, good guardian of our souls and bodies; Rejoice, our second common angel; Rejoice, at the hour of death, intercede for those who love you before God; Rejoice, take away their souls from ordeals; Rejoice, forbidden to fall into the hands of a demon; Rejoice, encourage the faithful to repentance and unite them with God; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 12

You have received great grace from God, Father, like a measure that shakes and overflows, according to the multitude of your love for God and your neighbors, who also showed you a river, pouring out many streams of grace to those who demand, flowing with healing: but we, rejoicing, cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your bright life in God, we praise your virtues, as the gift of the Holy Spirit, we bless your holy dormition, we honor your sacred memory, calling to love: Rejoice, for in the world there is a world of peace and a world conquered by faith; Rejoice, having submitted your flesh to Christ; Rejoice, kindness and meekness are the rule; Rejoice, bright house of dispassion and deep humility; Rejoice, fragrance of Christ; Rejoice, our intercessor in heaven and on earth; Rejoice, good guardian of our souls and bodies; Rejoice, Father Paphnutius, Borovsky miracle worker.

Kontakion 13

O most holy and wonderful Father Paphnutius, Comforter of the Sorrowful, accept this little prayer of ours, deliver us from all troubles and eternal torment, through your God-pleasing intercession before God, so that with you we may sing forever: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

Prayer to St. Paphnutius Borovsky the Wonderworker

O sacred head, earthly angel, heavenly man, great miracle worker, reverend our father Paphnutius! We earnestly resort to you with faith and love and tenderly ask: show us humble and sinners your holy and powerful intercession. We do not dare, for our sake, with the freedom of the children of God, to ask our Lord and Master for mercy and forgiveness. But to you, the prayer book is favorable to him, we offer and pray, ask us from his goodness for gifts that are useful and saving for our souls: rightful faith, strong piety, true repentance, forgiveness of sins, a perfect life, decisive correction, and turning from evil deeds to pleasing God, otherwise we do not anger the Lord by violating his holy commandments. Pray, holy of God, to the Most High Creator to grant peace and piety to our Orthodox country. Preserve, servant of Christ, your holy abode, created by you, and all who live and labor in it are free from all evil. Look mercifully at the people who come running to you, and fulfill all their requests for good. For all of us, spiritual and physical health, fruitfulness of the earth, a quiet and pleasing life, a good, Christian death and a good answer at the Last Judgment from the All-Merciful God, as you truly have great boldness towards him. To her, father, we know how much your prayer can do before the face of the Almighty Lord, and nothing is impossible for your intercession, unless you only desire it: for this reason, we firmly trust in you and greatly hope for your holy prayers, as if you will lead us through your intercession to a quiet refuge of salvation and the heirs of the bright Kingdom of Christ will appear. Do not disgrace our hope, miracle-working saint. And grant us, together with you, the bliss of heaven, let us glorify, praise and magnify the great mercy towards us of the Lover of Mankind, God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your good, fatherly intercession forever and ever. Amen.

Amazing fact is that the future Orthodox saint: Reverend Paphnutius Borovsky was from the Tatars. His grandfather was made ruler of the city (baskak) by Batu. During the successful Russian uprising against the invaders, the saint's grandfather was baptized and received the name Martin.

The new Christian had a son, John. Having matured, he married the pious Photinia. In this poor-loving family, in 1394, Saint Paphnutius of Borovsky was born (in holy baptism Parthenius). He was born in the village of Kudinov, not far from Borovsk.

An intelligent and persistent boy grew up physically, while simultaneously developing spiritually. He differed from his peers in his special love for the basics of literacy and reading Divine books. And Parthenius constantly practiced one of the main Christian virtues: kindness, meekness, chastity. He always avoided verbosity and idleness, taking pious people as examples.

As a twenty-year-old youth, Parfeniy leaves his parents' home and all his friends. He enters obedience in the name of the Intercession Holy Mother of God in the suburbs of Borovsk. This happened in 1414.

From the abbot of the monastery of Markella, the pious young man takes monastic vows with the name Paphnutius. After this, he spent several years under the guidance of the holy monk Nikita of Serpukhov, who was the spiritual child of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Being in unquestioning obedience to the elder, Paphnutius practices monastic virtues.

In 1434, after the death of Abbot Markell, as well as after the prayer requests of the brethren and Prince Simeon Vladimirovich, the Monk Paphnutius Borovsky became rector of the Intercession Monastery. He received the blessing for his abbot personally from St. Photius, Metropolitan of Moscow.

In the image of the new abbot, the monks saw a good shepherd and a skillful guardian of their spiritual life. The saint spent day and night for the glory of God. He used the day for hard work in the monastery, and the night for incessant kneeling prayer to the Lord.

The Almighty endowed Saint Paphnutius with the gift of foresight and prudence. By the revelation of the Holy Spirit, he saw hidden weaknesses and passions in the person’s face and gaze. Constantly spiritually caring for the brethren of the monastery, he healed their souls and bore the burdens of the weak.

Illness and the beginning of an ascetic lifestyle

The monk spent 30 years in the Intercession Monastery, of which he was abbot of this monastery for 13 years. Then the saint was seriously ill for a long time. He was forced to leave his abbess and was ordained into the schema.

On April 23, 1444, on the day of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, the Monk Paphnutius was miraculously healed. Then he began a hermit’s life three miles from Borovsk. Together with another monk, they settled on the left bank of the Protva, where the Isterma River flows into it, in a beautiful and secluded place, covered with dense forest.

But the solitary life of the holy hermit did not last long. The brethren flocked to him from different places, guided by his soul-saving example, and with the blessing of the monk they built cells. By the will of the monks of the monastery and the permission of Paphnutius, they began to build a wooden church. It was erected in honor. With the blessing of Bishop Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow, the temple was consecrated.

Paphnutius Borovsky, the wonderworker, received from God the gift of clairvoyance, using it not for himself, but for the spiritual benefits of the brethren and laity. From the face of the man, the monk’s passions were revealed; he learned from God the long-standing sins of the people whom he saw for the first time.

Construction of the monastery

Paphnutius was educated person. Found mutual language with monastics and laity. His speech was simple, laconic and pleasant. Equally, without people-pleasing and flattery, he communicated with rich and ordinary people. After the conversation, no one felt left out or left offended. On the contrary, everyone experienced great consolation after communicating with the holy abbot. After all, the innermost secrets of his inner being were revealed to everyone.

Over time, Paphnutius, with the assistance of the brethren of the monastery, erected a stone temple. For the sake of the “great wonderful” decoration of the church, the saint invited the best icon painters, one of whom was Dionysius along with his students. He decorated the temple with unique icons and exquisite church utensils, so that even noble noblewomen and princes, accustomed to abundance, were amazed at its splendor.

Feats and desire for God

Saint Paphnutius of Borovsky was a living icon for the brethren. He taught to give alms free of charge.

While still on earth, the Monk Paphnutius lived as if on the eve of the Kingdom of Heaven. He constantly strived for God. His inner repentance was expressed in the constant calling of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being a spiritual child of St. Sergius, the saint stood firmly on the path of mental doing (the Jesus Prayer). For in it lies the basis of monasticism, and in monasticism the basis of Christianity.

The Borovsky abbot strictly kept the fast. On Mondays and Fridays I did not eat anything. On Wednesdays, his rules were only dry eating, and on other days he took a moderate amount of food. As his disciples said, the saint’s food was to please the brethren of the monastery.

I chose the worst in both food and clothing. His whole life was girded with continuous work and prayer, hiding his spiritual achievement and suffering from those around him. The monk performed the most difficult work with great diligence and was always the first to arrive at church services.

He taught the brethren that to be a good monk it is necessary to constantly work, to constantly watch, to abstain extremely, to endure with joy, to humble oneself without grumbling, to sing psalms, turning to soul-saving prayer. While in ascetic labor, St. Paphnutius of Borovsk received great grace from God, which manifested itself in such gifts of the Holy Spirit as insight, healing, and revelation.

The fame of the great exploits of the Monk Paphnutius spread throughout the world, and many people began to come to him, wanting, following the example of the saint, to become “angels in the flesh.” Among them were the Monk Joseph, founder of the Volokolamsk monastery, elders Isaiah and Innocent, the future Bishop Vassian, Archbishop of Rostov and others.

Miracles during life

Firmly believing in the help of the Almighty, Paphnutius Borovsky humbly endured insults and was kind, constantly in prayer and trusting in the will of God. He also became famous for the miracles that were performed through his prayer.

Easter catch

An incident from his life can serve as confirmation. One day Easter was approaching, and there was no fish at all in the monastery. The brothers and novices, with great grumbling against Paphnutius, fell into despondency. To this he said that the Lord, who created man and enlightened him with His Resurrection, will give to all who ask and fear Him. And the Lord heard his prayer book.

On Holy Saturday, the sexton went to the spring to draw water for the liturgy. He was surprised by the large number of fish. Having learned about this miracle, Paphnutius sang glory to God and ordered the fishermen to cast their nets. The catch was so large that there was enough fish for the entire monastery for the entire Bright Week.

Getting rid of hunger

One year there was a famine in the Borovsk region. The monk blessed to feed everyone who comes to his monastery. Sometimes the number of fed people per day exceeded 1000 people. Soon the monastery's reserves began to run out. But by the grace of God the next year was fruitful, and the monastery brethren managed to fully replenish the food supply of the monastery.

Disciplining Thieves

One day, attackers decided to steal the monastery's cattle. They untied three oxen and took them with them. Unexpectedly, the kidnappers got lost and walked around the monastery like blind people all night. Already in the morning they decided, leaving the stolen oxen, at least to get home themselves. But they were unable to do this either, since an invisible force bound them, and they could not move away from the stolen goods.

The monastery workers saw them and brought them to the monk. Paphnutius meekly spoke with the repentant criminals, gave them an order not to steal in the future, fed them and sent them home in peace.

Paphnutius and the Crows

In the forest around the monastery of the Monk Paphnutius there were many birds, especially crows. Admiring them, the saint gave the order not to destroy them. But one day the son of the city governor, driving by, saw a flock of birds and killed one raven with an arrow.

His joy was short-lived, as his head, turned towards the birds, remained motionless. In an instant, the fun gave way to horror, but the true reason for what happened was revealed in the young man’s heart. With deep repentance, the culprit came to Paphnutius, and the monk, by the power of God, which, according to the Apostle Paul, “is expressed in weakness,” healed the young man.

Unexpected fish catch

One day Paphnutius asked to fish for three days for the glory of God at a monastery in a chosen place on the Oka River, which belonged to a certain prince. The saint gave his servant money to buy vessels for salting the fish he caught.

The servant did not want to take so much money, not hoping to fill the vessels with the caught fish. But the monk ordered to strictly carry out what was ordered. The messenger bought the vessels and caught as much fish in three days as the prince’s fishermen had not caught all summer. Therefore, anticipating good fishing, Paphnutius Borovsky ordered the monastery to buy so many vessels.

Death of the Reverend

Paphnutius lived 83 years, 63 of which as a monk. His soul longed to pass from temporary life into eternal life. The merciful God revealed the day of his death to the monk within a week. The holy elder went to bow to God on Thursday, May 1, 1477.

Fulfilling exactly the last will of the saint, the brethren buried him immediately the next day in the absence of the laity. The grief was so great that no one could sing or canon from sobbing.

After the death of the great monk, the monastery of St. Paphnutius continued to develop. From this monastery came St. Vassian, Bishop of Kolomna, St. Nifont, Bishop of Suzdal, St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, Venerable. Daniel, Pereyaslavl Wonderworker, Rev. David Serpukhovsky, Rev. Levky Volokolamsky and others.

“The Life of St. Paphnutius of Borovsk” was compiled in the 16th century by the brother of St. Joseph of Volotsk, Vassian Savin. And the elder’s canonization as a saint of the Russian Church took place in 1547 at the Moscow Council.

Veneration of a saint

The holy relics of the Monk Paphnutius reside in the main church of the monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the chapel named in memory of Paphnutius of Borovsky.

The abbot of one monastery, located near the city of Borovsk, became seriously ill. 30 years before that he had been a caring father for the brethren, but now he decided to leave his abbotship and accept the great schema - the highest degree of monasticism. He planned to spend the rest of his days in silence and repentance. However, having unexpectedly recovered, at the behest of the Mother of God herself, he settled on the other side of the river and founded a new monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Pure One. This monk's name was Paphnutius.
The monastery very quickly became a new center of spiritual life. Ordinary people flocked here, boyars and princes came, and everyone asked the abbot for advice and prayer. And he treated everyone - regardless of rank, wealth and position - with love. And he told everyone the truth.
One day a certain proud man came for the saint’s blessing and arrogantly asked the brethren where to find the elder. He did not know the monk by sight and, having met him by chance, pushed him and began to speak rudely.

Proud man:
- Hey, you! Show me where Paphnutius is!
Venerable Paphnutius:
- Wait, calm down, what are you doing? It seems to me that you have been possessed by a crafty and proud spirit.
Proud man:
- Should you tell me?! Who are you?! (suddenly changes intonation, guesses, gets a little scared) So you are Paphnutius?
Venerable Paphnutius:
- Yes it's me.

The proud man was confused. He jumped on his horse and galloped away, now angry with the old man, now ashamed of his rudeness:

Proud man:
- Oh, the one I considered great turned out to be different... But will he give me a blessing now? Do I need it? He's just a poor monk. No, he is a miracle worker and a saint. What should I do? I am so sinful that even the elder will not have a warm word for me now...

Soon people came running to the elder and began to talk about a certain man who rode directly on a horse into the monastery pond and did not want to get out, saying that he was going to drown himself here. The elder sighed and began to pray to the Mother of God, asking her for mercy on the unfortunate man. After some time, that man, disheveled and wet, but already calm, again came to Paphnutius.

Proud man:
- Father, let me fall at your feet. Forgive me, forgive me! Never before has it been so easy for me, so calm in my soul! Thank you, Father Paphnutius!

Venerable Paphnutius:
“Don’t thank me, child, thank the Most Pure One, she saved you from the pride and despondency that were eating you up from the inside.” The Mother of God is the mistress here. All just through her prayers.

Many more miracles were revealed to the saints. Through his prayers, food appeared for the hungry, hopeless situations were resolved, and the sick were healed.
The famous icon painter Dionysius came to do paintings in the monastery cathedral, but could not begin - his legs hurt badly. Paphnutius blessed him, and when he got to work, the illness subsided.
The life of the old man was simple and strict. He had the poorest cell and vestments, he ate little and fasted a lot, from general works He did the hardest things - carried stones, chopped wood, dug a garden, and at the same time he was always the first to come to prayer.
The saint spent the last week of his life in fasting and prayer, leaving his cell only for church services, and thanked God for the six days of repentance given to him before his death without fuss.
He also ordered that no one from the world be present at the funeral. The brothers buried him quietly and almost secretly. And when the news of the elder’s death began to spread, people flocked to the saint’s monastery, bowed to his grave and asked for heavenly intercession.
Now the relics of the saint rest in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the St. Paphnutievsky Borovsky Monastery he founded. And to this day, turning to Saint Paphnutius, many believers receive help and support from God in their good deeds.

PAFNUTY BOROWSKY

The Monk Paphnutius, founder of the Borovsky Nativity Monastery and one of the most revered Moscow saints, was the grandson of a Tatar baskak (tribute collector), who settled in the city of Borovsk and was baptized here with the name Martin. His son Ivan married the maiden Photinia; these were the saint’s parents. They lived in their ancestral village of Kudinov, about four miles from Borovsk. Here in 1394 the future ascetic was born. At baptism he was given the name Parthenius.

At the age of twenty, Parfeniy left his father’s house and retired to the Pokrovsky Vysotsky Monastery near Borovsk. The abbot of the monastery Markell tonsured the young man and gave him a new name - Paphnutius. Paphnutius's mentor was the priest Nikita, a former student of St. Sergius. This Nikita was formerly the abbot of the Serpukhov Vysotsky Monastery, but then, having grown old and suffering from an eye disease, he retired to the Borovsk monastery. However, a few years later Nikita went north and founded the Epiphany Monastery in Kostroma.

For seven years Paphnutius was in obedience to the pious elder and learned from him all the monastic virtues. When Abbot Markell reposed, the brethren elected him abbot of the monastery.

Hegumen Paphnutius headed the Borovsky Vysotsky Monastery for thirteen years. Then he fell seriously and for a long time, so that during his illness he accepted the schema (the highest degree of monasticism). Upon recovery, in 1444, the monk decides to leave the monastery. He renounces the abbess and moves with one monk to a new place, three miles from Borovsk. It was located at the confluence of the small river Isterma with the Protva River, on a high bank overgrown with dense forest. Soon many of the former monks of the Vysotsk monastery moved to the monk. Cells are built, and then a wooden church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Subsequently, a stone church was erected in the monastery; it will be decorated with icons and paintings made by the famous Russian icon painter Dionysius.) This is how the new Nativity Monastery arose.

The place occupied by the monastery was already outside the boundaries of the Borovsky principality. The vegetation of the former Vysotsky monastery and the flourishing of the new Rozhdestvensky monastery aroused anger on the part of the Borovsk prince Vasily Yaroslavich. The life of the Monk Paphnutius, written by the saint’s disciple, the future Archbishop of Rostov Vassian Sanin, tells that the prince even sent his servants to ruin or burn the monastery of Paphnutius. One of these villains was the newly baptized Tatar Ermolai. Paphnutius, however, spoke kindly to him, and the Tatar’s disposition miraculously completely changed; he did not cause any harm to the monastery. Reconciliation between the prince and the abbot occurred after 1445, when, in an unfortunate battle for the Russians near Suzdal, Prince Vasily of Borovsk was captured by the Tatars along with Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich (the future Vasily the Dark). The monk prayed a lot for the deliverance of the Russian princes from captivity; Prince Vasily Yaroslavich, in turn, repented of his previous malice.

The monastery of St. Paphnutius was not distinguished by the excessive severity of ascetic life, similar to the lifestyle of some hermits and hermits of that time. The monk did not demand the impossible from the brethren, but he was extremely strict about observing the rules. He himself always indulged in fasting, on some days completely refusing to eat, and at other times eating only a little simple lean food, but he tried to please the brethren, often ordering them to prepare for the meal what the monks might like. (However, in the monastery, of course, they never ate meat.) And in everything else, the monk was content with the smallest. His clothes were such, notes his student Innocent, the author of “The Tale of the Repose of St. Paphnutius,” that few beggars would have needed them.

The saint's appearance was not very expressive: hunched over and short, with a large gray beard, in poor clothes. But he had an amazing gift of influencing anyone with whom he had to communicate. “His conversation was simple,” Innocent continues his story, “it was a pleasure to talk with him not only for monks, but also for laymen and wanderers. He was never timid in the face of the prince, the gifts of the rich could not flatter him, and he commanded the powerful of this world to strictly observe the laws and commandments of God. He talked with ordinary people, as well as with great ones, and called them brothers. And no one ever left him unconsoled after a conversation with him.”

The disciples of St. Paphnutius were many outstanding church leaders of medieval Russia - St. Joseph of Volotsky, founder of the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery, writer and publicist, one of the most revered Russian saints; his brother Vassian Sanin, Archimandrite of Rostov, copyist of the Life of St. Paphnutius; elders Innocent, Isaiah and others. The famous icon painter Dionysius also experienced the direct moral influence of Paphnutius, who once violated the ban of the Borovsky abbot and because of this became severely ill.

Two features, first of all, distinguish the character of the monk. Firstly, this is the thriftiness of the owner. Paphnutius tirelessly takes care of the monastery and the monastic household. He himself works tirelessly, diligently fulfilling the most difficult monastic obediences: he chops wood, carries firewood, digs the ground, and weaves fishing nets. Young Joseph Sanin, having arrived at the monastery, finds the abbot chopping wood in the forest, and the story of the death of the monk begins with the abbot showing his disciple Innocent exactly how to fix the broken dam in the monastery pond. This diligence would become a distinctive feature of Russian monasteries of later times.

Another feature of Paphnutius Borovsky is his severity, even severity, primarily in relation to those in power. He inspired reverent fear in his disciples, although he always found a word of consolation for the brethren. Elder Dosifei Toporkov, nephew of Joseph of Volotsky, subsequently wrote down some of the stories of the Monk Paphnutius about long-past times - for example, about the sea in Moscow in 1327 or about the Great Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich Kalita. The great elder had the ability to recognize hidden spiritual passions and thoughts from a person’s face, and therefore nothing could hide from his gaze. The Monk Joseph of Volotsky recalled about his teacher that, when necessary, he was merciful and condescending, but at times he was stern and angry. Prince Yuri Vasilyevich Dmitrovsky, who was the spiritual son of the Monk Paphnutius, said that when he went to confession to the monk, he was overcome by such trepidation that his knees sometimes buckled. The abbot could send away even a very rich gift brought to the monastery from a prince or boyar, if he somehow caused his displeasure, he could not accept the ruler who visited him, without making an exception even for the Grand Duke. But for all that, he aroused such respect among the powers that be that abundant gifts from boyars and princes generously flowed into his monastery. The patron of the Borovsky Monastery was the Grand Duke Ivan III himself, “the sovereign of all Rus'.”

The Monk Paphnutius lived to a ripe old age. He turned 83 years old, of which 63 years he devoted to monastic deeds. The holy elder foresaw his death a week in advance. About him last days His student Innokenty told in detail, who wrote “The Tale of the Death of St. Paphnutius of Borovsky” - one of the best works of ancient Russian hagiographic literature.

The elder devoted the last weeks of his life exclusively to prayer. Earthly affairs could no longer occupy him. When he, together with his student Innocent, sees a disorder in the dam that he built at the monastery, he gives instructions to Innocent: “I cannot do this, because another, urgent matter awaits me.” And this seems surprising to Innocent, accustomed to the saint’s hourly attention to all the necessary work in the monastery. He hurries to tell Prince Mikhail Andreevich Vereisky, the constant alms-giver of the Borovsky Monastery, not to come to the monastery, as was previously agreed, “for other concerns have come to me.” Despite the hardships of his illness, the monk goes to church for the holy liturgy; he leans his hands on his staff with difficulty, bowing his head, but refuses to sit down. That day, at the end of Vespers, the priest began to read the requiem, as was customary in the monastery. The brethren wanted to take the abbot away, but he decided to stay: “I must listen more than others, because I need it most of all, and in the future I will no longer be able to listen.” The elder confessed and received Holy Communion; He spent all this time in severe fasting and prayer.

Having heard about the saint’s illness, envoys from the princes rush to the monastery - from Prince Mikhail of Vereisky, from Emperor Ivan III himself, from Metropolitan Gerontius. The elder refuses to accept them and does not even open the letter sent by the Grand Duke: “I no longer want anything from this world: I don’t want honors, and nothing frightens me in this world,” he says to Innocent. He tries to persuade the monk to answer at least the Grand Duke, for he fears his anger. “Truly I tell you,” the saint answers, “if you do not anger the One, nothing will cause you human anger. If you anger the Lord, no one can help you.” Gifts are brought to the monastery - from the princes of Tver, from Grand Duchess Sophia Paleologus, Ivan's wife, from many boyars and even from ordinary people, but the elder commands not to accept anything, but to send it back.

Innocent asks his teacher to give a behest to the monastery: how to live after his death and who should be abbot. After a long silence, the elder gave an answer, which Innocent quotes verbatim in his Legend: “Watch yourselves, brothers, if you want to preserve the church rite and monastic order: never abandon church singing; light the candles; keep priests honestly, as I do, do not deprive them of what is due to them; let the divine services not become scarce - after all, everything is supported by them; Do not close the refectory from strangers; Take care of alms, don’t let someone ask empty-handed; avoid conversations with visiting laymen; work in handicrafts; guard your heart with constant zeal from evil thoughts; After the evening service, do not enter into conversations with each other - let everyone remain silent in his cell; Do not shy away from common prayer for any reason other than illness; Observe the entire monastery charter and church rules with humility, obedience, and silence, and, simply put, act as you see me doing. If you do not neglect all this commanded by me, the Lord will not deprive this place of all His goodness. But I know that after my departure there will be many troublemakers in the monastery, I feel that they will confuse my soul and stir up discord among the brethren. But the Most Pure One will pacify them, turn away the storm, and give peace to Her house and those living in it.”

The Monk Paphnutius died on May 1, 1477, Thursday, an hour before sunset. The next day, the brethren buried him, as he had ordered, without the laity. The grief of all the monks of the monk’s monastery was so great that no one could utter a word from sobbing or even sing the prescribed funeral songs. Only after the body was interred, the death of the saint was reported to the city, where everyone had long been in anxious anticipation. Everyone began to move: throughout the day people came to the monastery to venerate the saint’s tomb.

A local celebration of St. Paphnutius was established in 1531. He was especially revered in the grand-ducal family; he became, as it were, a family saint of the Moscow princes.

Tsar Ivan the Terrible was considered to have been born through the prayers of Saint Paphnutius (his father, Vasily III, had no children for a long time and traveled to various monasteries, near and far, hoping for the intercession of their patron saints). Ivan the Terrible himself named the name of Paphnutius Borovsky among the greatest Moscow saints - Sergius of Radonezh and Kirill Belozersky. The church-wide glorification of the saint was established at the cathedral of 1547.

COMPLIED MAINLY FROM:

Lives of saints in Russian, set out according to the guide of the Four Menaions of St. Demetrius of Rostov with additions from the Prologue. M., 1902–1911. Book 9. May;

The story of the death of Paphnutius Borovsky // Monuments of literature of Ancient Rus'. Second half of the 15th century. M., 1982.

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