Hungry childhood
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk was born on the territory of the Novgorod province, in the village of Korotsk, in 1724. At birth, his parents gave him the name Timofey.
The father of the future saint, Savely Kirillov, served as a sexton in the village and had a modest income. He died early, and the burden of supporting his children, four brothers and two sisters, fell on the shoulders of his widow, Dominicia.
The need that the family faced after the death of the breadwinner sometimes seemed so bleak to the mother that one day she almost gave Timofey up to be raised by a childless neighbor who served as a coachman and wanted to adopt him. Timothy's elder brother, Peter, who took his father's place, encouraged his mother as best he could. In this case, he intervened in a timely manner and dispelled her spiritual doubts.
It happened that the family did not have enough money even for meager food. Often the only food was black bread, and even that was not enough. In order to somehow help his mother, Timofey hired himself out to wealthy landowners to dig up beds for pennies or for food. At the same time, all children were raised in the love of God, and it is obvious that it was hope that saved the family from excessive sadness and sorrow.
The incorrupt relics of the saint
In 1845, during the construction of a new church, the tomb of the saint was opened, and his relics turned out to be incorrupt. Sacred joy and reverence gripped everyone present.
The priests were afraid of the large crowd of people and quietly carried out the reburial, which was performed in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary,
Only 16 years later, on the day of the death of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, he was canonized. While the top cover was being removed, the temple, filled with several tens of thousands of people, froze in silence; the Christians slowly sank to their knees and froze in silent weeping.
Reliquary with the relics of Tikhon of Zadonsk
Terrible times awaited the Vladimir Monastery during the years of the revolution, when the Red Army soldiers opened the tomb and took the relics to Oryol, to the museum of religion. At the same time, they made a film supposedly exposing the incorruptibility of bones, calling everything a lie of religion.
All churches in Zadonsk were closed, many priests were either shot or sent into exile. The surviving monks, faithful to their shrine, returned to the holy place, and after Stalin’s permission to open the temples, they began worship.
By chance, Father Victor found an icon of Patriarch Tikhon in the attic of one of the houses, where he was drawn in full growth, which became the main shrine of the open church.
In 1959, a new commission was created, which confirmed the incorruptibility of the relics. The then ruler of the USSR, N.S. Khrushchev, did not like this; in 1961, the holy remains were again transferred to the museum’s storage facility.
Seminary training. The beginning of the monastic path
At the age of thirteen, Timofey was assigned to a theological school that functioned at the Novgorod Bishops' House. The poor mother, of course, did not have the means to pay for her son’s education, but here again his older brother, Peter, intervened, promising to take over Timofey’s maintenance at the school. Timofey himself, knowing how hard it was to get the funds he needed, whenever possible, he worked part-time where he had to.
Soon the school was transformed into a seminary. Timofey studied diligently and in 1740, among the best students, continued his studies at the seminary at public expense. He approached education with all responsibility. Often, while his peers allowed themselves to play and be naughty, he sat behind his textbooks. It happened that he sold part of the ration, bought candles with the proceeds and read at night.
It happened that frivolous peers made fun of him, censing him with their bast shoes and addressing him with mocking dignities.
Due to the seminary not being fully staffed with teaching staff, the training lasted longer than the usual regulated period.
In 1750, while a student in the theological class, Timofey, having proven his worth to the leadership, began teaching Greek, for which he received a 50-ruble salary and some flour. Later, after completing the course, he was entrusted with the position of teacher of rhetoric and philosophy.
In April 1758, one of Timothy's most cherished desires came true: he took monastic vows. Then he was given a new name - Tikhon. During this period he took the place of prefect of the seminary.
Soon he was called to St. Petersburg and ordained a hierodeacon, and then a hieromonk.
In 1759, Father Tikhon was sent to the Tver diocese, and upon arrival in Tver he was elevated to archimandrite of the Zheltik monastery. Somewhat later, he was sent to the Otroch Monastery and appointed to the post of rector of the Tver Seminary. During this period he established himself as a teacher of Theology.
Prayers
Troparion, tone 8
From your youth you loved Christ, O blessed one, / you were the image of everything in word, life, love, / spirit, faith, purity and humility, / and you also dwelt in the heavenly realms believers,/ where we stand before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, // pray to St. Tikhon , save our souls.
Troparion, tone 4
Teacher of Orthodoxy,/ teacher of piety,/ preacher of repentance,/ Chrysostom zealot,/ good shepherd,/ new Russia, luminary and miracle worker,/ thou hast shepherded thy flock well/ and With your writings you have instructed all of us,/ also adorned with the crown of incorruptibility/ from the Chief Shepherd, // pray to Him to save our souls.
Kontakion, tone 8
The successors of the apostles, the adornment of the saints, the teacher of the Orthodox Church, the Lord of all, pray/ to grant universal peace/ and great mercy to our souls.
Episcopal activities
In May 1761, Father Tikhon was consecrated Bishop of Kexholm and Ladoga.
This statement was preceded by a remarkable incident. Once, during the Divine Liturgy, when Archimandrite Tikhon served in the Tver Church together with Bishop Athanasius and asked to remember him, he, instead of the phrase “your sacred archimandrite...” unexpectedly said, “may the Lord remember your bishopric...”.
When Saint Tikhon visited the city of Novgorod, where he spent his youth, among the clergy he met those of his peers who had once made fun of him, feigningly giving undeserved honors. He reminded them of their pranks without malice. They asked him for forgiveness and he forgave them in a Christian way.
In addition, here he met his own sister, who lived on the brink of poverty. The saint was ready to take her under his care, but she soon died. He personally participated in her funeral service and, as historical sources testify, at that moment her face expressed a smile.
In 1763, by decision of the Holy Synod (at the insistence of the Empress), Saint Tikhon was appointed to the Voronezh See in place of the deceased Ioannikiy of Pavlutsky.
By this time, much in the Voronezh diocese needed reorganization. There were not enough clergy, and the religious and moral state of the laity left much to be desired. Bishop Tikhon, having taken up his new duties, quickly took stock of the situation and took the necessary measures. During his service at the department, he personally traveled around preaching to villages and villages, fought against pagan prejudices, received and listened to visitors, organized schools, and worked to improve the moral and educational level of the clergy entrusted to him.
In order to improve the quality of education for future clergy, he recreated the Voronezh Seminary, personally attended classes, talked with students, developed rules of conduct, and made efforts to increase the library collection.
Retirement
Monastic feats and struggles with numerous difficulties undermined the health of the saint. In addition, he increasingly strove for a solitary contemplative life. He sent a request to the leadership three times for release from managing the diocese. Twice he was refused and he was forced to turn to the empress.
Finally, in 1767, his request was granted. The saint was dismissed to his long-awaited retirement with a pension payment of 500 rubles.
At first, the Tolshevskaya Transfiguration Monastery was chosen as the place of further stay, but due to the inconsistency of the conditions there with the deteriorating health of the saint, in 1769 he moved to the Zadonsk Monastery.
Here he gave away his meager property, leaving only the most necessary things, and lived a simple monastic life: he regularly participated in divine services, regularly prayed in his cell, and was engaged in monastic economic affairs.
He often went out to people under the guise of an ordinary monk, wanting to learn about their difficulties, and then helped, including from his pension, those of them whom he considered necessary.
Not all the inhabitants of the monastery treated Saint Tikhon with the respect due to his rank: some slandered him, some whispered after him. He accepted this humbly and liked to repeat that forgiveness is better than revenge.
For the holiness of life, God rewarded His saint with the gift of clairvoyance.
The saint learned about the time of approaching death, as often happened with holy ascetics, in advance. On August 13, 1783, he rested in peace in the Lord.
As a literary heritage, many works have come down from St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Among them there are instructions of a moral, ascetic and dogmatic nature.
The most famous works include: Instructions written for monastics, On true Christianity. Book 1, About true Christianity. Book 2, Certain notes selected from Holy Scripture, awakening the sinner from the sleep of sin and calling to repentance, with subsequent images, Cell letters and other creations, The priestly office, Flesh and spirit, Spiritual treasure collected from the world.
Feast of the Return of the Holy Relics
On August 26, 1991, bells filled Zadonsk. Along the flower-strewn road to the temple, in the presence of thousands of people, the holy relics of God's saint were returned to the monastery. It was a real celebration of God's miracle of healing. People suffering from long-term illnesses received instant healing after kissing the shrine containing holy relics.
Canopy over the relics of St. Tikhon in the Zadonsk Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery
An endless stream of prayers of thanks filled the monastery courtyard. People were healed in different ways:
- when kissing crayfish;
- after an appeal to the Holy One;
- when anointing with oil or simply standing in the temple;
- after reading the prayer.
Important! Many miracles of healing from incurable diseases were later documented by doctors.
Prayer to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
O great saint of Christ and miracle worker Tikhon! Hear us, many sinners, who come running to you with warm faith and tender prayer. We know beforehand your angel-like good life on earth, we glorify your mercy in everything, we are in awe of the height of your Christian virtues, in which in good times you prospered to the glory of the Lord who wondrously glorified you. You truly were the good shepherd of the verbal flock of Christ, the valiant builder of the mysteries of God, the pillar and adornment of the Orthodox Church, the Russian Chrysostom, the strong exterminator of pagan customs, the skilled interpreter of the Gospel teaching, the zealous guardian of the sacred traditions of the fathers, the lover of monastic silence, the inspired collector of treasures. spiritual wisdom from of this visible world, created with wisdom by God. You, as a chosen vessel of grace, unfailingly taught all those who thirsted for salvation in word, life, love, spirit, faith, purity and humility. You were the merciful protector of the orphans, the care of widows, the poor and a quick comforter to all those in troubles and misfortunes, and now we know that you stand before the face of the Lord of glory and have great boldness towards Him; For this reason, Father, we come running to you and earnestly pray to you: be an intercessor for us all at the Throne of the Most High. May He forgive our iniquities and untruths; may it enlighten our mind, darkened by vanity, and direct it to the true light of knowledge of God; may our weak hearts be preserved from the lustful, sinful passions and pernicious wisdom of this age; may the land be given timely irrigation of rain and fruit and all that is useful to us, even to the temporal and eternal life, and may all who flow to the race of your incorruptible relics find peace, love and serenity. For our Church, ask the Heavenly King for mercy, prosperity, salvation, and victory and victory for our enemies. Protect our Fatherland with peace and quiet. Preserve your holy monastery from all temptations and teach us all to reverently and fearfully walk along the paths of God’s commandments, so that we, together with you and with all the saints, may be honored to stand at the right hand of the Lord of hosts on the day of His terrible universal judgment. Remember, O saint of Christ, Saint Father Tikhon, in your holy prayers the souls of our departed father and brothers, may the Lord rest them in the heavenly villages; do not despise our sighing, so that we may glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
