Euthymius the Great ( Greek: Εὐθύμιος ὁ Μέϒας , also Euthymius the Complacent, Euthymius-schemnik ; about 377–20 January 473 , Zif desert) - Christian saint, hieromonk . Along with Anthony the Great , Macarius the Great and Pachomius the Great, Euthymius is considered to be the pillar of the wilderness community and the founder of the monastic community. Respected by the Orthodox (January 20, according to the Julian calendar ) and Catholics ( January 20 ).
| Euthymius the Great | |
|---|---|
| Θύμιος ὁ Μέϒας | |
 Mosaic of the catholicon of the monastery of Nea Moni , XI century | |
| Birth | OK. 377 Melitena |
| Death | January 20 473 zif desert |
| Revered | in the Orthodox and Catholic churches |
| In the face | reverend |
| Day of Remembrance | in Orthodoxy - January 20, according to the Julian calendar ; in Catholicism, January 20 |
Life Story
The main source of information about Euthymius the Great is his life , written by Cyril of Skifopol (525 - after 559), who is considered "one of the best hagiographers in terms of liveliness" and note that he "possesses the real qualities of a historian" [1] . This life text was later revised by Simeon Metaphraste . Nicene emperor Theodore II wrote a commendable word in honor of St. Euthymius.
Born in the Roman province of Minor Armenia , in the town of Meliten . When he was three years old, he lost his father and, at the request of his mother, was taken up as a bishop by the Bishop of Melitensky, Otery, who baptized him and led him through all the degrees of church office and ordained a priest and entrusted him with the supervision of the surrounding monasteries.
At the age of twenty-eight, Euthymius went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and, after worshiping the shrines, went to local hermits , and, learning about their virtues, he came to the Faransky Lavra of St. Khariton , but settled in a cell outside of her, next to another hermit Theoktist, with whom they become godbrothers. Five years later, they together moved to the desert Kutyla, where they began to live in a cave reclusive. Soon the information about the devotees spread, and they began to come willing to join their ascetic life. Eufimy, not wanting to lose his solitude, sent everyone to Feoktista, who became the spiritual mentor of the community, from which the hostile monastery Theodosius (named after the first hegumen ), or Nizhny, emerged. The cave where Euthymius lived became a church, and he himself, although he became a confessor of the brethren, continued to live in the gate , leaving it only on Saturdays.
Around 420, Euthymius healed the son of an Arab philarch , who was baptized with the name Peter (his people were baptized, for whom Peter was later ordained a bishop). The news of this attracted people to the monastery who were seeking guidance and healing. Eufimius left the monastery and went into the Zif desert, near the Dead Sea, with human attention. There, the protokomit of one of the villages, in gratitude for the expulsion of Euthymius a demon from his son, built him a monastery of Kaparvarih to the southeast of Hebron (between Abaras and the village of Aristovuliada ). In it Euthymius settled with several of his disciples. Soon, due to the numerous visitors who disturbed his peace, Evfimy returned to the Lower Monastery, settling in one of the caves in its vicinity. He sent all those who came to him to Feoktista in the Lower Monastery. Once, three Cappadocian brothers came to him, whom Euthymius, obeying divine instructions, took as his disciples. Gradually, the number of students increased to eleven, and at the request of Euphemia, Philarch Peter built him a church and a cell, which became the basis of the monastery of St. Euthymius . On May 7, 428 (429), the Patriarch of Juvenal in Jerusalem consecrated the monastery church.
Euthymius adopted the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and in the period when Palestinian monasticism was on the side of the Monophysites , fought for the Orthodox dogma. He left the monastery in the wilderness and remained in it until Theodosius, who seized the Jerusalem pulpit , was dismissed, and Patriarch Juvenal returned to his place. The return to Orthodoxy of the Empress Eudoxia, residing in Jerusalem, is connected with St. Euthymius. She turned to Euthymius in despair from the misfortunes that befell her daughter, and he "comforted Evdokia, convinced her of her errors and returned to Orthodoxy" [2] .
Evfimy died on January 20, 473, and was buried in the monastery founded by him. In it, his relics were seen by the Russian pilgrim Hegumen Daniel at the beginning of the XII century: “And that is Saint Euphimia, and in the name of the Holy Father, bodies lie like living. However, the monastery itself was already in desolation.
In the 20th century, the ruins of the monastery of St. Euthymius were excavated, but no relics were found in the burial, which was identified as belonging to the monk. Now it is known about several places of storage of the relics of St. Euthymius: part of the chapter is in the Great Skete of St. Anne on Mount Athos , the left foot is in the Iversky Monastery , five fingers are in the Church of St. Genesius ( Milos Island).
Notes
- ↑ Vankova A. B., Turilov A. A. , Lukashevich A. A., Gerasimenko N. V. Euthymius the Great // Orthodox encyclopedia . - M .: Church-Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2008. - T. XVII. - p. 442-448. - 752 s. - 39 000 copies - ISBN 978-5-89572-030-1 .
- ↑ St. Efimios and Empress Eudoxia // Palestine under the authority of Christian emperors. - SPb., 1894.
Literature
- A. B. Vankova, A. A. Turilov , A. A. Lukashevich, N. V. Gerasimenko. Euthymius the Great // Orthodox Encyclopedia . - M .: Church-Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia" , 2008. - T. XVII. - p. 442-448. - 752 s. - 39 000 copies - ISBN 978-5-89572-030-1 .
- St. Euthymius the Great on the website Orthodoxy.Ru