A patron saint is given to every person at baptism. If a person is not baptized, he not only does not have a patron saint, but also a guardian angel. The holiday in honor of the patron saint is called name day or, in church terms, namesake day. This holiday does not have to coincide with the person's birthday. You will need
Saints - church calendar
Instruction 1
At baptism, each person is given a church name. It is given in honor of one of the saints, and it is this saint who becomes the heavenly patron of a person. Nowadays, when baptized, a person, as a rule, already has a name, then in the calendar they choose the saint in whose honor the naming will take place. This is done as follows: if there are several saints with the desired name, the church calendar determines the day of remembrance of the saint with the same name that is closest to the birthday of the person being baptized. 2
It is this saint who becomes the heavenly patron saint of the baptized, and the day of his memory, determined by the calendar, becomes the day of the angel, or name day. The same rule applies if a person has already been baptized, but does not remember or does not know what saint he was named after. 3
Do not forget that name day is not a birthday, but a church holiday, the day of remembrance of the heavenly patron saint. Several centuries ago in Rus', birthdays were not celebrated at all; name days were celebrated instead. 4
If those being baptized have names that are not in the calendar of the Orthodox Church, then this may cause some difficulties (for example: Victoria, Egor, Arthur, Edward, etc.). If in the calendar there is a similar name that is suitable in meaning, then the problem can be easily resolved. So Svetlana in baptism will bear the name Photinia (“photos” in Greek - “light”), and Victoria will be called Nika (from the Greek “Nika” - “victory”). But in other cases, when an analogue cannot be found, the choice of name is left to the parents or the person being baptized. 5 Find your baptismal certificate or, if you don’t have one, an entry in the church register where you were baptized. A person who has gone through the rite of baptism receives the name found in the Orthodox calendar. Thus, his heavenly patron becomes a saint with the same name, whose feast day falls on the first date after the person’s birthday. This day will henceforth be called name day. 2 When determining your heavenly patron, skip the names of the new martyrs in the calendar, since the saint must be glorified (canonized) before the date of your baptism. If the name you received at birth does not belong to one of the canonized saints, at baptism you will receive another one that is closest in meaning or sound. If it is not possible to find an analogue, the choice of name is made by the parents or the person being baptized. Contact your confessor or the parish priest with whom you are confessing if there are several saints with the desired name, and you do not know which of them should be chosen as your heavenly patron. The clergyman himself may “assign” a certain saint to you or name criteria on the basis of which you can make your own choice.
Since childhood, Leo has been a calm, balanced and even somewhat slow boy. It takes a long time to make decisions. He communicates well and friendly with children his age. But if he was offended, he will definitely fight back. Leo is purposeful. He not only achieves his goals, but also helps others achieve theirs. If he made a promise, he will definitely fulfill it. He will use any means necessary to prove that he is a master of his word.
Leo himself is a very kind person. He will never intentionally do harm. He is a good friend, you can have a heart-to-heart conversation with him, he will listen and the information will never go beyond the scope of your conversation. You can trust him with secrets. He experiences other people's grievances as if they were his own.
At a young age, he can’t decide what kind of girl he needs. Therefore, he changes them often. He chooses his wife not according to external data, but according to internal data. The most important thing for him is that his wife is faithful and as kind as he is. But besides these qualities, intimate relationships with his wife are also important for Leo.
Fate
: This name speaks for itself, a person who calls himself a lion must either at least slightly correspond to the power of this image, or his name will take on the character of ridicule.
Leo Angel Day
King of beasts, mighty, brave. The word “lion” is Russian, but the very name of this animal through the German “leve”, the Latin “leo” goes back to the ancient Egyptian “lyab” - lion. Leos are patient, flexible and correct. They know how to curb themselves in time and, if necessary, abandon their plans. However, everything is not unlimited - Leo also knows how to get angry. The main thing is to catch the moment when the lion is about to explode. Then it’s not too late for his subordinates or family members to stop him - to caress him, caress him. After all, Leo by nature (both beast and man) is very calm. He loves silence and delicious food. Leo rarely drinks strong drinks. He needs a good family, a nice wife and many, many children...
Leo Name Day according to the Church Calendar
- January 12 – Leo, Archimandrite
- February 2 – Leo the Great Makellus, king
- March 3 – Leo I of Rome, pope.; Lev Patarsky, martyr.
- March 5 – Leo of Katansky, bishop
- May 31 – Leo, martyr.
- June 20 – Lev (Ershov), sschmch., priest /new martyr/
- July 14 – Leo, St.
- July 24 – Leo, St.. [also in the cave]
- August 31 – Leo, martyr.
- September 20 – Leo (Egorov), martyr, archimandrite /new martyr/
- September 24 – Leo, martyr.
- October 24 – Leo Optina, Rev.
- November 25 – Leo I of Rome, pope.
- December 20 – Leo
The name Leo is a male name with unclear etymology. It could come from the Latin word "Leo" or the Greek "Λέων". In both cases, the name Leo means the same thing - “lion”, king of beasts
.
True, there is also a Jewish version. According to this version, the meaning of the name Leo is “heart”
. This version is most popular among Russian-speaking Ashkenazim.
Orthodox saints named Leo
Many Orthodox saints have the name Leo and are venerated on different days of the year.
The figure of Bishop Leo of Katansky is noteworthy. Coming from the city of Catan, from his youth he was able to heal people from the most serious illnesses, helped the poor and suffering, and preached kindness and mercy. The story of the confrontation between Leo of Catania and Iliodor, a sorcerer who opposed the Christian faith and Jesus Christ himself, is especially well known.
Video: Leo Bishop of Catania
He corrupted believers, confused bright minds, and one day he appeared at a sermon in church and began to cast spells, confusing the praying people and priests. Leo of Katansky was present at this service. He took Iliodor out of the building, ordered a fire to be lit and entered it together with the sorcerer. Iliodor immediately burned down, and Saint Leo emerged from the flames alive and unharmed, freeing the city from witchcraft.
Leo Optina is another famous Orthodox saint, born in Russia, near the city of Orel at the end of the 18th century. At the age of 29, his spiritual path began, which led the saint to monasticism in the Belozersky monastery, and then to becoming the abbot of a spiritual monastery. Lev Optinsky spent many years in solitude in the forest. Returning to the people, he continued to preach, often healed people and helped the poor and everyone who had lost their way.
Not so widely known, but revered saints with the name Leo are Leo of Cappadocia, Lev Ershov, Lev Egorov, martyr Leo and others.
The meaning of the name Leo for a child
Compared to other children, a boy named Leo is distinguished by his calmness and even some phlegmatism. He makes contact with other children quite easily, and his concepts of friendship and honor already in kindergarten make him an attractive friend. It very rarely happens that Leo will offend someone first. Usually he just defends the offended person, since he considers such behavior to be correct. Leo experiences his own defeats calmly and without hysterics, although he often works hard to achieve results.
Leo studies well, even though he is often lazy. Leo has excellent inclinations for learning, which is noticeable even in preschool age. The school curriculum is easy for a child, and laziness is often replaced by perseverance and perseverance. Leo loves to look smart, which leaves a mark throughout his life. Most likely, in the future he will choose a profession related to mental work. Leo equally easily masters the exact sciences and humanities. He can easily become both a physicist and a philologist.
The boy is in good health. He is endowed with high vitality, and his strong nervous system allows him to easily endure emotional stress. The boy is rarely interested in sports, but he is still quite well built. As a child, he plays a lot of active games, and at school age he enjoys going to physical education.
Profession and business
Leo always achieves high results in those areas of activity and professions that he has chosen independently and that arouse interest. Otherwise, your career will not end in success. Among people with this name there are many doctors, writers, artists, actors, and athletes.
Purposefulness, perseverance and conscientiousness do their job. Leo is almost always successful in business. The exception is those who are not characterized by great ambitions, who are hampered by laziness or excessive stubbornness, bordering on stupidity.
Characteristics of the name Leo
The adult owner of the name Leo is distinguished by such traits as courage, patience, reliability and consistency. These character combinations make Leo a wonderful friend and a difficult enemy. He looks quite strictly at the world and the people around him. Leo does not like vanity and display, and treats “inflated peacocks” with special contempt. He knows how to put a presumptuous insolent person in his place, and the way he does this arouses everyone's admiration. Leo is a very responsible man. His reliability becomes a legend among his acquaintances, because he truly does everything possible to fulfill his promises.
Leo knows how to work and loves to work. His excellent characteristics from childhood do not leave him even in adulthood. He easily masters new knowledge, and his desire for self-improvement surprises many colleagues. Leo often becomes the leader of a team, because his moral and strong-willed qualities greatly contribute to this. Working with him is a great pleasure, but you really have to work conscientiously. He doesn’t like quitters and hacks, so it would be better for Leo not to meet them on his life’s path.
Leo is looking for a woman similar to himself as a wife. He is more comfortable with a calm and gentle woman. Leo's coldness towards emotional and eccentric persons, some of them try to pass off as indifference to the female sex in principle. However, he knows how to love, and his family really likes his thoughtfulness. He loves his children very much and spends a lot of time with them. He pays special attention to their education, as he considers it very important.
Venerable Leo of Optina (1768-1841)
On October 24 we celebrate the memory of the first Optina elder, Venerable Leo.
Venerable Leo of Optina
Reverend Lev, in the world Lev Danilovich Nagolkin, was born in the city of Karachev, Oryol province. Little is known about his family: his parents were simple bourgeois, apparently poor, since Lev Danilovich, being a man of outstanding mental and moral merit, did not have the opportunity to run his own business and take care of his own household. He was forced to work for a salary as a clerk for a merchant who sold hemp and hemp oil in the city of Bolkhov in the same province. In those ancient times, the word “clerk” was not yet in use and they were simply called “worker” or “small”.
Lev Danilovich was known as a “little” honest and faithful, efficient and savvy, and therefore enjoyed the trust and respect of his owner. In the life of the future elder, the Providence of God manifested itself especially clearly, turning all life circumstances for spiritual benefit: everything works for the good of those who love God.
Due to the nature of his activity, Leo had the opportunity to communicate with people of various classes and conditions, and, having an excellent memory, and qualities such as curiosity, observation, and foresight, he acquired a lot of diverse and useful information. He knew almost all of Russia well: the life of the nobility and merchants, military and naval service, the life of the common people. All this knowledge was useful to him later as a spiritual mentor caring for his flock.
Seeing the diligence and virtuous life of his “little one,” the owner offered him the hand of his daughter, but Lev Danilovich had completely different plans, and he flatly refused a profitable marriage.
In 1797, in the 29th year of his life, the young man entered the monastery in Optina Pustyn and immediately zealously began the labors of monastic life, so much so that in 2 years these exorbitant labors managed to ruin his good health. Several times the future elder had to move from one monastery to another, either in search of a spiritual mentor, or wanting to hide from human glory. In 1801, in the Beloberezh Hermitage, he was tonsured a monk with the name Leonid, and in the same year he was ordained a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk.
Such a quick ordination did not serve as a reason for exalting the humble monk, did not quench his zeal; on the contrary, he grew spiritually. Once the choir brethren refused to sing the vigil, trying to force the rector to fulfill their demands. The abbot did not want to give in to the unreasonable harassment and, humbling the headstrong brethren, ordered Father Leonid to sing the vigil with another brother. Father Leonid worked all day in obedience and hauled hay. Tired, covered in dust, not even having time to taste dinner, he unquestioningly went to the choir to hold a vigil. Such was the obedience of the future elder, and, according to the holy fathers, true elders are made from real novices.
Already at that time, the young hieromonk showed unusual philanthropy and insight. One brother, having fallen into delusion, climbed the bell tower and shouted from there loudly that he would jump down and not break, for the angels would catch him. Father Leonid at that moment was working on obedience. Suddenly he left work and ran to the bell tower, where he managed to grab the seduced man, who was already about to jump down, by the hem of his clothes, preventing him from dying in body and soul.
The young hieromonk succeeded so much in spiritual life that it was clearly visible to those around him, and in 1804 the brethren elected Father Leonid as abbot of the monastery. The election itself found the humble monk in the labors of obedience: he brewed kvass for the brethren, avoiding participation in the elections. The brethren all came to the kvass factory, took off the apron from the future rector, took the ladle from his hands and took him to Oryol to present him to Bishop Dosifei.
The leadership position did not change the humble disposition of Father Leonid. On business at the monastery, he often went on a simple cart with one horse, and even sat as a coachman himself. Once he had to go on monastery business to Karachev with one of the hieromonks of the monastery, Father Gabriel. Father Gabriel, getting ready for the trip, prepared festive vestments. Going out into the street, instead of the expected carriage with a coachman, he saw a cart with a horse harnessed to it, and asked Father Leonid in surprise:
- Where is the coachman?
To which the abbot replied:
- Which? So that I have three coachmen for one horse? Thank you! Sit down, brother, on the front, and if you get tired, I’ll sit down. And what's that? Duckweed and duckweed? Yes, I myself don’t take kamilavkas with me. And you, if you are taking such a parade with you, then sit in my place, and I will drive the horse.
And he sat on the ancestor himself. The embarrassed Father Gabriel took his entire “parade” to his cell and asked the Father Superior to allow him to sit in the coachman’s place. This is the kind of boss Father Leonid was.
The Lord sent him an experienced spiritual mentor, schemamonk Theodore, a disciple of the great elder Paisius Velichkovsky. Father Theodore settled in the Beloberezh desert in 1805, and in 1807, not without God's providence, he suffered a serious illness: he did not eat for 9 days and was in a lethargic sleep for 3 days. After this, having apparently experienced strong spiritual experiences, he desired a more secluded and silent life.
Out of love and respect for the elder, a cell was immediately built for him in the forest, 2 kilometers from the monastery, where he settled with another ascetic, Hieroschemamonk Cleopas, in desert silence. Soon they were joined by Father Leonid, who voluntarily resigned as abbot and took cell tonsure here into the schema with the name Leo.
Three ascetics labored in the wilderness until the Providence of God commanded them to change their place of residence. The new abbot of the monastery did not like the fact that lay visitors and the monastic brethren turned to the hermits for spiritual guidance. In addition, an accidental fire burned down their cell, and although they rebuilt a new one, they did not have to live in it for long. Father Theodore, constantly persecuted by the envy of the enemy, was forced to leave for the Paleostrovsk hermitage, where he lived for 3 mournful years. Father Leo and his sick father Cleopa moved in 1811 to the Valaam monastery, where the elder Theodore himself managed to move the following year, and the co-secretaries were reunited.
They spent about 6 years in the Valaam skete, and with their wisdom and spiritual height they attracted many brothers who were looking for spiritual guidance. They themselves grew spiritually, so that the local holy fool Anton Ivanovich spoke about them allegorically: “They traded well here.” But the persecution continued: the abbot of the monastery began to express discontent against the elders, who, in his opinion, were depriving him of the right to be the only spiritual leader of the brethren.
Father Lev and Father Theodore (the ascetic Father Cleopas died in 1816) moved to the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery, where they asceticised until the death of Elder Theodore. After the death of the elder, Father Lev decided to move with his students to a more secluded place. Having learned about his desire, many began to invite him to go to their monastery, among them were the brethren of the Ploshchansk Hermitage and the newly established skete in the Optina Hermitage.
Father Lev visited the long-desired pilgrimage in Kyiv, and, having venerated the relics of the saints of God in the caves, expressed his desire to go to Optina. The all-wise Lord, however, created this path not straight, but through the Mother of God Ploshchanskaya hermitage, where at that time Father Macarius, the future Optina elder and beloved disciple, associate and co-secretary of the Monk Leo, fervently prayed for the granting of a spiritual mentor to him. The providence of God brought them together during the short (six months) stay of Father Leo in the Ploshchanskaya Hermitage. This meeting allowed them to later reunite in Optina, where the Monk Leo arrived with six disciples in 1829, and the Monk Macarius followed him in 1834.
Optina became the last place of the earthly residence of the Monk Leo, here he lived for 12 years - until his death in 1841. The monk became the first Optina elder, the ancestor of all the Optina elders, the mentor of the Monk Macarius and the great Optina elder, the Monk Ambrose.
The Optina brethren received Father Leo with great joy, as a gift from heaven. The Optina monastery at that time was very poor, not fully rebuilt: around a small wooden church in honor of the Holy Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord John with a small wooden bell tower there were several unplastered houses covered with planks. There was no fence around the monastery yet; it was surrounded only by a fence, and even then not all of it, but around the monastery a centuries-old pine forest rustled. On the northern side of the monastery there was a place for an apiary and a small house intended for Father Leo, specially placed at a distance so that both monastics and laity could visit the elder without restrictions.
The abbot, Father Moses, entrusted all the brethren to the spiritual leadership of the elder, and he himself began to be cared for by him. Thus, the elder led the entire spiritual life of the monastery, and the external affairs of the monastery’s life were decided under his spiritual leadership. The elder reached a high level of spiritual age and, fully armed with spiritual strength, entered a new great service, to which he was called by the Providence of God.
The Monk Leo was a great man of prayer. Being almost continuously in the midst of human grief, sorrow, and vanity, he at the same time continuously remained in prayer. One of the saint’s disciples said that in those rare moments when the elder was left without people, he was so immersed in prayer that he forgot about the cell attendant, did not hear his explanations, and he had to repeat the same thing several times.
The Monk Leo had a living faith in the Providence of God and in all difficult situations in life he trusted in the Lord. He wrote: “Our Archpastor, according to slander, is dissatisfied with us. But the Bishop of future blessings, the Lord our God, knows more than this and, therefore, can control us more. And so again I say this: the will of the Lord be done!”
“The merciful Lord fulfills and turns everything into His will and for our benefit, although, apparently, through means and consequences that are contrary to us...”
When the enemy initiated persecution against the elder through people who did not understand the essence of spiritual care for the elderly, and due to the oppression of the Kaluga bishop, the Monk Leo was constrained in receiving visitors, he was pleased to calm down and take a break from his labors. Although he never cared about his own peace, but always pitied those who were suffering, even in this case he relied with hope on the will of God: “God is able to help even without my unworthiness,” he said.
The monk was characterized by humility and meekness, no one saw him angry or irritated, despondent, no one heard a murmur from him. A peaceful spirit and joy accompanied him constantly. The elder said: “I live and walk before my God, I live for my neighbors, casting aside all hypocrisy and fear of worldly judgment; I fear no one but God.” Thus, trusting in the Lord, he remained unshakable amidst persecution, denunciations and slander, attacks from visible and invisible enemies, like a rock in the midst of the waves that overwhelmed it. Elder Theodore, the spiritual mentor of the Monk Leo, called him “the humble lion.”
Father Leo acquired high spiritual gifts: the gift of healing human souls and bodies, the gift of uninterrupted, unceasing prayer, the gift of spiritual reasoning. He could accurately comprehend and indicate to his spiritual children what was pleasing or displeasing to God, he could correctly judge the mental and spiritual structure of other people, he could clearly recognize the true spirit and the spirit of delusion: the action of God’s grace and the delusion of the enemy, even subtle and hidden. He also had from the Lord the gift of insight, he read in the souls of his children their heart secrets, innermost thoughts, and recalled forgotten sins.
If necessary, the elder could humble and rebuke a person, but at the same time he understood with subtlety who could bear what, and how, and with what to console whom, therefore, even with strict reproof, the person did not leave the elder inconsolable. One of Father Lev’s children recalled:
“It used to be that my father would give me such a stern and menacing reprimand that I could barely stand on my feet; but immediately he himself will humble himself like a child, and will so pacify and console that his soul will become light and joyful; and you will leave him peaceful and cheerful, as if the priest was praising me and not reproaching me.”
In the presence of the elder, people felt peace, spiritual joy, and peace of mind. They often came with sorrows, with grief, and left the cell peaceful, joyful. Another of his students recalled: “I also noticed over myself, while living in the monastery: sometimes melancholy, despondency attacked me, and my thoughts cruelly fought. You would go to the priest to console yourself in your sorrows, and upon entering his cell, everything would instantly disappear, and you would suddenly feel peace and joy in your heart. Father will ask: “Why did you come?” - And you don’t even know what to say. The priest will take some oil and anoint it from the lamp, and bless it; and you will leave his cell with heartfelt joy and peace of mind.”
The elder knew who and how to expose. Once a new brother insulted an old monk, and both came to complain to Father Leo. It was obvious to everyone that the newcomer was to blame for everything. But the elder thought differently. He said to the old monk:
“Aren’t you ashamed to be equal to a newcomer?” He has just come from the world, his hair has not yet grown, and it is strictly impossible to exact punishment from him if he says something wrong. How many years have you lived in a monastery and haven’t learned to listen to yourself!
And so they left, with the new brother triumphant, feeling completely justified. When he soon came to the elder alone, he took him by the hand and said:
- What are you doing, brother? You just came from the world, your hair hasn’t even grown back, and you’re already insulting old monks!
The unexpected admonition had such an effect on the new brother that he began to ask for forgiveness in deep repentance.
There was one brother in Optina who often asked the elder to allow him to wear chains. The elder removed the chains from many, and explained to this brother that salvation does not lie in chains. But he insisted. Then the monk decided to show those who wanted to wear chains his true spiritual age. Calling the blacksmith to him, the elder told him:
- When such and such a brother comes to you and asks you to make him chains, give him a good slap in the face.
The next time this brother began to ask for chains again, the elder sent him to the blacksmith. The brother happily runs into the forge and says to the blacksmith:
- Father blessed you to make chains for me.
The blacksmith, busy with his work, slapped him in the face with the words: “What other chains do you need?” The brother, who could not stand this, responded in kind, and both went to the elder for trial. The blacksmith, of course, had nothing, but the elder said to his brother, who wanted to wear chains:
“Where are you going to wear chains when you couldn’t stand even one slap in the face!”
The elder taught to adhere to simplicity, sincerity, and unhypocrisy, which attract the grace of God: “Unpretentiousness, insidiousness, frankness of the soul - this is what is pleasing to the humble-hearted Lord.”
Often people are overwhelmed by a tendency to teach, to unsolicited instructions, to comments that they like to hand out right and left. When the elder was asked whether they should make comments or correct the new brethren, seeing them in some actions as imprudent or doing something indecent, the Monk Leo answered:
- If you are obliged to pay more attention to yourself, if you do not have the blessing of your boss and recognize yourself as subject to passions, then do not enter into those subjects and cases that do not concern you. Be quiet. Everyone stands or falls for his Lord. Try in every possible way not to be a seducer of your neighbors. Doctor, heal yourself!
Kozelsky resident Semyon Ivanovich talked about how the Monk Leo taught to endure sorrow: “In the thirties (of the last nineteenth century), as well as after, I was engaged in preparing pottery. My mother and I lived in our little house; We didn’t have a horse, but we had a decent cart. Sometimes I would load some pots into this cart, ask someone for a horse and take the pots to the market. So, it happened, and he added on. At that time, a Pole soldier was standing in our house, but then he moved away from us and became confused. Once, finding a convenient time, he climbed into our yard and stole the wheels from our cart.
I explained my grief to Father Leonid and said that I knew the thief and could find the wheels. “Leave it, Semyonushka, don’t chase after your wheels,” answered the priest, “God punished you, you bear God’s punishment and then with a small sorrow you will get rid of the big ones. And if you don’t want to endure this small temptation, then you will be punished more.” I followed the elder’s advice, and as he said, everything came true.
Soon the same Pole again climbed into our yard, pulled out a bag of flour from the barn, put it on his shoulder and wanted to walk with it through the garden; and at that time my mother was coming from the garden and met him. “Where are you going,” she said, “are you taking this?” He threw the bag of flour and ran away.
Soon after this there was another incident. We had a cow - we decided to sell it. They found a merchant, made a deal and took a deposit. But for some reason the buyer did not take the cows from us for several days; finally took her to him. And the next night a thief broke into our place and broke open the closet where our cow lay, no doubt in order to take her away; but she was no longer there. So again the Lord, through the prayers of the elder, delivered us from the misfortune.
After this, many years later, a third similar incident happened to me, after the death of my mother. Passion Week was ending and Easter was approaching. For some reason, the idea occurred to me to move all my necessary things from my house to my neighbor’s sister. So I did. And when the first day of the holiday arrived, I locked my house on all sides and went to Matins. I always used to spend this morning joyfully; and now, I don’t know why, there was something unpleasant in my soul. I come from Matins and look: the windows are up and the door is unlocked. “Well, I think to myself, he must have been an unkind person.” And indeed there was; but since I carried all the necessary things to my sister, he left with almost nothing.
So three times the prediction of Father Father Leonid was fulfilled on me, that if I suffer a small punishment from God, then God will no longer punish me.”
The Monk Leo also helped those who turned to him for spiritual advice from the monastic brethren and lay visitors with physical illnesses, pointing to proven folk remedies. He mainly used the so-called “bitter water” for treatment, which sometimes produced more than a whole tub of it per day. And after the death of the elder, this water in the monastery continued to be prepared and distributed to those suffering from internal diseases, but after him it already lost the multi-healing power that it had to help against all sorts of diseases, although it helped against some.
Often the elder sent the afflicted to Voronezh to the relics of the then newly-minted saint of God, St. Mitrofan. And often the sick returned to thank the elder for their recovery, and sometimes such healing took place even on the way. The elder provided gracious help to many mentally and physically ill people, anointing them with oil from the unquenchable lamp that glowed in his cell in front of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
The demoniacs were also brought to the elder. There were also many who previously did not know that they were possessed by a demon, and only in the presence of the elder, after he had exposed the delusion hidden in them, did they begin to become possessed.
“Soon after I arrived in Optina Pustyn (about 1832), - said Father Abbot P., - when Father Gerontius, Father Makariy Gruzinov and Pavel Tambovtsev were cell attendants of Father Lev, they brought to the elder a demon-possessed peasant woman, who during the demonic possession spoke in foreign languages. The elder read a prayer over her three times, anointed her with oil from the unquenchable lamp before the icon of the Mother of God and gave her this oil to drink. Another time she was brought to the elder while still sick, and the third time she was already healed. When Tambovtsev asked her to speak, as she had spoken before, in foreign languages, she said: “And, father! Where can I speak foreign languages? In my own way (Russian), I can barely speak and walk with difficulty. Thank God that my previous illness has passed.”
One day, six people brought one demon-possessed woman to the elder Father Leo. As soon as she saw the old man, she fell in front of him and screamed loudly: “This gray-haired one will drive me out. I was in Kyiv, in Moscow, in Voronezh, no one chased me, but now I’ll go out.” The elder read a prayer over her and anointed her with holy oil from the lamp at the icon of the Mother of God. After the elder’s prayers, the demoniac quietly got up and left his cell. Then every year she came to Optina, already healthy, and after the death of the old man, with faith, she took his land from his grave for other sick people, and they also benefited from it.
“I remember,” said the Kiev-Pechersk Hieroschemamonk Anthony, “one woman came to the elder Father Leonid who had a wound on her chest. Casting aside modesty, she revealed it to the elder in the presence of all of us, his cell attendants. Father, without any hesitation, dipped his index finger in the oil that was glowing in front of the holy icon of the Mother of God of the lamp, anointed the woman’s wound and sent her home. A week later, this woman came to the elder with thanksgiving and told us all that her wound had healed soon after the elder anointed her with oil.” “It often happened,” Father Anthony added, “a sick person would come to the priest, barely dragging his feet, but he would walk away cheerfully and cheerfully and announce to everyone his joy that he had been healed.”
In September 1841, the elder began to noticeably weaken, stopped eating food and received the Holy Mysteries of Christ every day. Before his death, the Monk Leo said to the children who surrounded him: “Now the mercy of God will be with me.” The elder crossed himself and repeated many times: “Glory to God!”, rejoicing in his soul amid severe physical suffering. His face became increasingly brighter, and he could no longer hide the spiritual joy he felt in the hope of future rewards from the Lord.
In illness, the elder’s body and hands were cold, and he said to his beloved children and his cell attendant Jacob: “If I receive the mercy of God, my body will warm up and be warm.” After his death, the elder’s body stood for 3 days in the temple, not emitting any mortal smell, and warmed all his clothes and even the bottom board of the coffin. On the day of the saint’s death, an all-night vigil was served in honor of the memory of the holy fathers of the seven Ecumenical Councils.
In 1996, the Monk Leo was canonized as a locally revered saint of Optina Pustyn, and in August 2000, by the Jubilee Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was glorified for church-wide veneration. The relics of the elder rest in the Vladimir Church of Optina Pustyn.
Reverend Our Father Leo, pray to God for us!
Meaning
Leo in the Russian spelling is an analogue of the ancient Greek name Leontes (Latin version of Leo). The meaning of the name Leo is the same in all languages; it means “lion” - the king of beasts. An animal unlike others attracts with its qualities, arouses admiration for its power and nobility. The strength, courage and majestic appearance of the king of beasts led to the fact that people all over the world began to name their children “in his honor.”
Names associated with “lion” include: Leon, Leonid, Leonard, Leo, Leopold. In Arabic there are more than five hundred names with a similar meaning. The most common are Assad and Leys.
Angelic numerology - what do repeating numbers on a clock mean?
Sex and love
In bed, Leo can achieve a high level of skill. He is affectionate, attentive and quite inventive. In his youth he suffers from lack of confidence in his own sexual powers. With age, doubts become less frequent, but still they periodically remind themselves. Trying to express himself and improve, to learn more about female sexuality, Leo can often change partners. Prone to cheating. But this all lasts until he meets a woman who suits him in every sense. She should be moderately passionate, love experiments and be able to present her body to her lover.
He throws himself headlong into love. Prefers neat and eccentric women. He takes care of them gallantly. Does not tolerate competition, comparing himself with other men. He is jealous and does not forgive betrayals.
Character
People named Leo are characterized by:
- majesty;
- force;
- determination;
- energy;
- bravery;
- courage;
- speed of reactions;
- dignity;
- valor;
- pride.
The character of a man is dominated by: kindness, generosity, patience for the shortcomings of others, diplomacy, flexibility. However, great patience eventually comes to an end, so it is better not to anger him. A man treats people equally, regardless of status. Has a calm character. In difficult situations he becomes decisive and dexterous. Always comes to the rescue.
One of the disadvantages of the owners of the name is their tendency to take risks. Brave people are attracted to danger like a magnet.
Leo is kind, inspires confidence, and has a reputation as a lucky person. His image is bright, joyful, bold. The secret of the name is expressed in the phrase: “Levka has everything cleverly.”
Fate
The commonality of the life path of the owners of the same name is called their destiny. It has been noticed that Leos, being calm people by nature, prefer impulsive women in marriage. In personal relationships they lack self-confidence. If the wife tries to take over the family, their relationship is doomed. Such a husband will not agree to obey.
Leos are great dads. They like to play outdoor games with children, swim, fish and even pick mushrooms.
People often choose to become a doctor. Thanks to good organizational skills, over time they achieve a high position in society.
The most successful combination of first name and patronymic: Lev Petrovich.
Family and marriage
Leo can tie the knot several times, searching for an ideal in the truest sense of the word. Relationships are difficult. A wife who is suitable in all respects often does not arouse much passion. Moreover, in family relationships, excessive pedantry and stubbornness do him a disservice. He does not tolerate if his wife tries to become a leader in the house.
Leo fulfills family responsibilities responsibly. She loves children and involves them in her hobbies. In a harmonious marriage with a wise and beautiful woman, he is faithful, acts as a real leader and protector.
