Russia, which adopted Christian culture from Byzantium, became the home for many ascetics of piety. Russian Orthodox clergy are full of names of prominent holy people. One of these is the Monk Varlaam of Khutynsky.
The Monk Varlaam of Khutynsky was born at the beginning of the 12th century in a family of wealthy Novgorodians. Even at a young age, the boy felt a desire for a pious ascetic life and monasticism. He avoided children’s games, often stayed in prayer for a long time, and fasted strictly. Parents wanted to protect their child from such a strict Christian life, but the boy replied that there was nothing more valuable than the kingdom of heaven. After such an answer, the parents gave Varlaam complete freedom in choosing their future.
Shortly after the death of his parents, Varlaam handed out most of his estate to the poor and retired for a spiritual feat into the desert. Wanting even more privacy, the Monk Varlaam settled in a forest on the banks of the Volkhov River near Novgorod. The place of the monk’s settlement became a hill called Khutyn.
Hearing about the ascetic life of the saint, many people began to come to the Monk Varlaam for advice and spiritual instructions. Among the visitors to the righteous were famous princes. Soon, believers began to flock to the ascetic, wishing to begin a monastic life under the spiritual direction of the saint. It was decided to build a temple around which cells were erected. The estate left by the saint, Varlaam gave to the improvement of the monastic monastery.
The Monk Varlaam wrote a charter for his monastery, which was supposed to obligatory perform mercy: to give alms to the poor, to feed and water all wanderers. For the spiritual exploits of the saint, the Lord awarded the Monk Varlaam with the gift of insight and wonderworking. It is known from the life of a saint that the reverend petitioned for deliverance from the execution of a criminal. It turned out that in the future this person had the opportunity to improve and start a godly life. Once the reverend predicted to the Novgorod archbishop many snowfalls. The townspeople were afraid of snow, believing that this could damage the crop. However, snow cover killed all the worms in the fields.
In his dying instruction, the monk bequeathed to all believers to live the day as if he were the last. The righteous died in 1192. After death, the Monk Varlaam repeatedly appeared to people in the days of severe trials in Russia. So it was during the attack in 1521 by Mahmet Giray and in 1620 during the invasion of the Poles.
Both during life and after death, the Monk Varlaam of Khutynsky continues to perform miracles. His holy relics rest in the Khutyn monastery founded by him.
The Orthodox Church honors the day of remembrance of the great righteous on November 19 (new style).
