Lev of Optina

Saint Lev of Optina
Icon of St. Lev of Optina
Venerable Father
Born	1768 Russia
Died	24 October 1841 Optina Monastery
Feast	24 October [O.S. 11 October]
Attributes	Clothed as a hieromonk, sometimes holding a scroll

Hieroschemamonk Leonid (Nagolkin) of Optina, also Leo (or Lev) of Optina, was a venerable elder of Optina Monastery and a founder of Optina's eldership.

The future St. Leonid was born Leo Danilevich Nagolkin in Karachev in the Orlov Province in 1768 of a family of ordinary parents. He worked for a merchant during his early years, making frequent trips as part of his employer's business, thus he gained experience dealing with different people. As a mature young man, Leo decided to enter a monastic life.

In 1797, Leo entered Optina Monastery as it was being reborn. After two years he left to enter White Bluff monastery in the Orlov eparchy, where Hieromonk Basil (Kiskin) was igumen. Under Fr. Basil, Leo underwent training in monastic virtues of obedience, patience, and various external endeavors. In 1801, Fr. Basil tonsured Leo a monk giving him the name Leonid. Later in the year Fr. Leonid was ordained a deacon on December 22 and then a priest on December 24.

Earnestly fulfilled his obediences, Fr. Leonid set an example to the other monastics. This attracted the notice of his superiors. Fr. Leonid also spent some time at Cholnsk monastery where he met Schemamonk Theodore, a disciple of St. Paisius Velichkovsky. Fr. Theodore, who was about ten years older than Fr. Leonid, was also from Karachev. Under his direction, Fr. Leonid learned a great deal about spiritual struggles and how to acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit.

In 1804, after only five years at White Bluff, he was appointed by Bishop Dorotheus of Orlov and Svensk to succeed Fr. Basil as igumen. The following year Fr. Theodore also came to White Bluff Monastery and Fr. Leonid once again shared conversations that inspired him to even greater progress in the spiritual life. Fr. Theodore, longing for solitude, received permission to establish his cell, with his disciple Cleopas, about a mile from the monastery. There, Fr. Leonid joined Fr. Theodore in 1808 after resigning as igumen and became a schema-monk with the name of Leo.

The fame of the three ascetics, however, brought many visitors and distractions from their spiritual struggles, causing them to look else where. In 1809, Fr. Theodore moved, first, to New Lake Monastery, then, on to the Palei Island Hermitage, where he remained for three years before again moving, in 1812, to the All Saints Skete of Valaam Monastery. There, he was reunited with Frs. Leonid and Cleopas who had also moved there in 1812. In 1816, Hieroschemamonk Cleopas died, and Fr. Leonid and Fr. Theodore moved to the St. Alexander of Svir monastery.