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St. Sergius of Radonezh

Sergius of Radonezh
Sergius of Radonezh vita icon (17 c., Yaroslavl museum) 2.jpg
Icon of Sergius of Radonezh, 17th century
Venerable
Born May 14, 1314
Varnitsa, Rostov Velikiy
Died September 25, 1392
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius
Venerated in Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Communion
Canonized 1452 (1449 Catholic)
Major shrine Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra
Feast Repose: September 25
Uncovering of Relics: July 5
Attributes Dressed as a monk, sometimes with paterissa (abbot's staff)
Patronage Russia

Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (Russian: Се́ргий Ра́донежский, Sergii Radonezhsky; 14 May 1314 – 25 September 1392), also transliterated as Sergey Radonezhsky or Serge of Radonezh, was a spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia. Together with Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, he is one of the Russian Orthodox Church's most highly venerated saints.

The date of his birth is unclear: it could be 1314, 1319, or 1322. His medieval biography states that he was born to Kiril and Maria, a boyar family, near Rostov the Great, where Varnitsy Monastery now stands.

The narrative of Epiphanius does not specify the exact birthplace of the monk, stating only that before the migration from Rostov principality the monk's family lived "in a village in the area, which is within the Rostov principality, not very close to the city of Rostov". It is considered that it is the village Varnitsa (Russian: Варница) near Rostov. The future saint received the baptismal name of Bartholomew (Варфоломе́й Varfolomei in Russian) in honor of the Apostle Bartholomew.

Although an intelligent boy, Bartholomew had great difficulty learning to read. His biography states that a starets (spiritual elder) met him one day and gave him a piece of prosphora (holy bread) to eat, and from that day forward he was able to read. Orthodox Christians interpret the incident as being an angelic visitation.

When the Principality of Rostov fell into the hands of Prince Ivan Danilovich of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, his parents Kirill and Maria became impoverished and moved to Radonezh together with their three sons, Stefan, Bartholomew and Peter.


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